Harvest Moon - A Wonderful Life, Indeed
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####### C.R. Roush #############
###### Copyright 2004 ###########
Update: An error with the FanFiction Document Manager caused me to have to upload this one via HTML, and for some reason I cannot use the WYSIWYG editor either. The very first paragraph is, as always, a bit of the thoughts on Takakura's mind. I hope you enjoy this next chapter, as well as the ones coming soon.
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Chapter Four: Those Ol' Summer Days
Work continued around the farm at a growing pace, and a new calf was finally brought into the barn, one that Jack had decided to purchase with his own income one day. He was quickly growing up to speed when it came to crops and livestock and I could finally see Dave within him. The most exciting part of summer was Jack's growing courtship to one of the local girls... a one Celia, niece of Vesta. She's a pretty little thing and really knows her stuff when it comes to farming... just like Tessa...
"Awww... you're a good little calf, aren't ya Sue..." The calf reared up its head and licked its loving master right on the cheeks and sounded in appreciation. Smiling, Jack finished brushing her coat and moved his stool over to his other cow, Dolly. "You've been doing good too, haven't you?!" He grinned as she nuzzled his neck, then he reached down to milk her.
She had been producing excellent quality milk for about a week now in great amounts, something that was truly helping out the farm. Takakura and Jack had just worked days earlier on a room for the food processing, a room that was now almost complete, for it was missing the most expensive components - the machines to make the milk and butter. Jack and Takakura had decided to place 3 bottles of the milk in the freezer and ship out 3 bottles, that way they would have plenty of cheese and butter to make when they finally purchased the machines.
After leaving the barn, Jack's next stop was the most fertile of the three fields, the most northern field as well. He stopped at the edge of the field and looked out among the mighty tomato plants and the watermelons that were growing ripe and the turnips that were almost blooming. Placing his hand on the soil, he determined that Takakura had already watered them this morning.
Nodding in approval, he left for the path to the Northern Spring. Peeking around a bush, Jack watched as the most pretty of the girls in town slowly made her way around the spring, picking the beautiful flowers that were there and bundling them into a bouqet. Looking down at his feet, he plucked one of the same flowers out of the ground and stood up.
She smiled at him as he moved closer and handed her the flower and their hands touched each other for a good while. She then turned and looked into the spring, her eyes showing deep concentration. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" She remarked, looking up at him. He nodded, watching as the light breeze cast ripples around the water. "I come up here almost every morning just to admire it all... if you look up there after dark you can see a pretty red star... did you know that?" He shook his head, mentally noting to check later tonight.
"Well, I'm sure Vesta's looking for help down on the farm now, it's about time to harvest those tomatoes." She grinned, turning towards the path back down to the valley. "Of course, you would know all about that, Mr. Farmer." Laughing, he followed her down the path and only after reaching the door of their house did he bid her farewell.
Later that night, after Jack had came in from a long day's work to fix himself a salad, a knock surprised him. Opening the door slowly, he was surprised to see a stranger's face.
"Hee... hello... My name's... my name is Daryl. Pleased to meet you, young'n." The man was wearing a horribly oversized lab coat, his eyes bloodshot. His hands were dirty and the tails of his coat looked to be singed. Jack took one glance down and noticed the poor man was wearing two different pairs of socks. It was all Jack could do to muster a smile.
"I'm here to inquire about... about a favor."
"Well, how can I help you?" Jack opened the door a bit more, wanting to be polite but at the same time hoping the man wouldn't come inside. Unfortunately, Daryl had taken it the wrong way and almost ran inside, sitting down in one of the small wooden chairs around the dining table.
"I need a... bottle of milk. And an egg. For an exp... lunch tomorrow. Yes. Guests are coming in. Lunch." Jack looked at him strangely, wondering what he had meant to say. Ever the gentleman though, he nodded and headed for his refrigerator.
"This is a very nice... home. Very nice." "Thanks...?" "One bottle of milk and an egg please."
"Uh..." Jack almost slammed the refrigerator door in frustration. In his hands were a bottle of milk and an egg, and yet the man was treating him like an idiot. He slid the bottle of milk over the table and handed him the egg almost forcefully.
"Thank you very much. Thanks." He stood up to leave, a patch of his coat catching on the table and ripping. He groaned, then shrugged. He was out of the door in almost a second, which was a second too long for the puzzled farmer left sitting at the table.
----------------------------------------------------------------
####### C.R. Roush #############
###### Copyright 2004 ###########
Update: An error with the FanFiction Document Manager caused me to have to upload this one via HTML, and for some reason I cannot use the WYSIWYG editor either. The very first paragraph is, as always, a bit of the thoughts on Takakura's mind. I hope you enjoy this next chapter, as well as the ones coming soon.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter Four: Those Ol' Summer Days
Work continued around the farm at a growing pace, and a new calf was finally brought into the barn, one that Jack had decided to purchase with his own income one day. He was quickly growing up to speed when it came to crops and livestock and I could finally see Dave within him. The most exciting part of summer was Jack's growing courtship to one of the local girls... a one Celia, niece of Vesta. She's a pretty little thing and really knows her stuff when it comes to farming... just like Tessa...
"Awww... you're a good little calf, aren't ya Sue..." The calf reared up its head and licked its loving master right on the cheeks and sounded in appreciation. Smiling, Jack finished brushing her coat and moved his stool over to his other cow, Dolly. "You've been doing good too, haven't you?!" He grinned as she nuzzled his neck, then he reached down to milk her.
She had been producing excellent quality milk for about a week now in great amounts, something that was truly helping out the farm. Takakura and Jack had just worked days earlier on a room for the food processing, a room that was now almost complete, for it was missing the most expensive components - the machines to make the milk and butter. Jack and Takakura had decided to place 3 bottles of the milk in the freezer and ship out 3 bottles, that way they would have plenty of cheese and butter to make when they finally purchased the machines.
After leaving the barn, Jack's next stop was the most fertile of the three fields, the most northern field as well. He stopped at the edge of the field and looked out among the mighty tomato plants and the watermelons that were growing ripe and the turnips that were almost blooming. Placing his hand on the soil, he determined that Takakura had already watered them this morning.
Nodding in approval, he left for the path to the Northern Spring. Peeking around a bush, Jack watched as the most pretty of the girls in town slowly made her way around the spring, picking the beautiful flowers that were there and bundling them into a bouqet. Looking down at his feet, he plucked one of the same flowers out of the ground and stood up.
She smiled at him as he moved closer and handed her the flower and their hands touched each other for a good while. She then turned and looked into the spring, her eyes showing deep concentration. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" She remarked, looking up at him. He nodded, watching as the light breeze cast ripples around the water. "I come up here almost every morning just to admire it all... if you look up there after dark you can see a pretty red star... did you know that?" He shook his head, mentally noting to check later tonight.
"Well, I'm sure Vesta's looking for help down on the farm now, it's about time to harvest those tomatoes." She grinned, turning towards the path back down to the valley. "Of course, you would know all about that, Mr. Farmer." Laughing, he followed her down the path and only after reaching the door of their house did he bid her farewell.
Later that night, after Jack had came in from a long day's work to fix himself a salad, a knock surprised him. Opening the door slowly, he was surprised to see a stranger's face.
"Hee... hello... My name's... my name is Daryl. Pleased to meet you, young'n." The man was wearing a horribly oversized lab coat, his eyes bloodshot. His hands were dirty and the tails of his coat looked to be singed. Jack took one glance down and noticed the poor man was wearing two different pairs of socks. It was all Jack could do to muster a smile.
"I'm here to inquire about... about a favor."
"Well, how can I help you?" Jack opened the door a bit more, wanting to be polite but at the same time hoping the man wouldn't come inside. Unfortunately, Daryl had taken it the wrong way and almost ran inside, sitting down in one of the small wooden chairs around the dining table.
"I need a... bottle of milk. And an egg. For an exp... lunch tomorrow. Yes. Guests are coming in. Lunch." Jack looked at him strangely, wondering what he had meant to say. Ever the gentleman though, he nodded and headed for his refrigerator.
"This is a very nice... home. Very nice." "Thanks...?" "One bottle of milk and an egg please."
"Uh..." Jack almost slammed the refrigerator door in frustration. In his hands were a bottle of milk and an egg, and yet the man was treating him like an idiot. He slid the bottle of milk over the table and handed him the egg almost forcefully.
"Thank you very much. Thanks." He stood up to leave, a patch of his coat catching on the table and ripping. He groaned, then shrugged. He was out of the door in almost a second, which was a second too long for the puzzled farmer left sitting at the table.