Lightning-Dono: Poor Rick. First Jack, now his father. I always imagined his father to be quite young (If he ever made an appearance in other Harvest Moon games other than Friends of Mineral Town, I'm sorry, because I never played those!) and energetic. Oh, well. I'm excited to put Rick's plan into words. I know that the people in my fanfics talk a lot and I'm sorry about that. I need to get them to communicate because I want everyone to understand each other. I'll work more on description from now on...But that doesn't stop the dialogue.
I'm not too sure about everyone's age in this game, so I decided to get an estimate. Here are the ages of the major characters (some aren't too major, but included, anyways):
Rick - 16 (seems a bit old, doesn't it? ; )
Karen - 15
Popuri - 15
Lillia - Late 30s, early 40s
Rick and Popuri's Father - Late 30s, early 40s
Jack - 15 (I originally put 14, but I don't think it's proper to marry when you're 14 unless you lived way back then.)
Ann - 15
(A/N: When I finished this chapter, I realized that it was really stupid. I'm sorry about this and I promise you that the future chapters won't be quite as horrible!)
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The following morning, I was quick and hasty to get out of bed. Throwing my sheets messily on top of the mattress, I rushed downstairs to find my mother making pancakes.
"Homemade!" She told me happily, placing a plate of steaming, golden wonders infront of me.
"Thank you, Mom," I said, pouring a bit too much syrup onto my pancakes.
"Save some for the others," she teased wholeheartedly. The herbs that dad had brought back was making her feel better, obviously. And for that, I was thankful. I supposed that I owed him an apology for what I did to him yesterday, but he probably understood. He'd probably say "It's just that age, Rick."
"Heh, I will." Putting my fork and knife into good use, I devoured the pancakes in five minutes. And that was right when Popuri came parading down the stairs, dad behind her. "Got to go, everyone!" I announced, charging out the door like an angry bull.
"My my, I wonder what's gotten into him," mom wondered, setting down plates infront of Popuri and her beloved husband.
"It's just the age," dad joked.
If I was going to save Karen from her soon-to-come fate, I had to hurry. Then again, not very many places were open at this time, so I kept up a paced walk. Today, I was wearing something other than my usual blue long-sleeve, jeans, and a green apron thing. It was bright and sunny outside, so I thought I'd wear a white short-sleeve with some jeans. Hey, it was a change. My wardrobe majorly consisted of those dreaded green apron things, those long-sleeve blue shirts, and jeans.
Half way to the store, I remembered that I had forgotten to feed the chickens. Then again, I never got out the grain, either. I was going to get it when I came back home, but it was better than abandoning Karen and letting her get taken away to some other city.
When I arrived at the store, the windows were shut and the lights were off. Aren't all stores supposed to have their lights on, even if they were closed to help officers detect any robberies? Oh, well. I knocked loudly on the door. Or rather, slammed my fist into the door repeatedly. Jeff, Karen's father, eventually opened the door.
"What brings you here at this hour?" He asked, rubbing his left eye with his wrist.
"I want to talk to you about something."
"Oh, no." Jeff seemed to fear conversations more than anything.
"What do you mean 'Oh, no'?"
"I...uh...Nothing. Come on in." He yawned, unlocked the cash register, and turned on the lights.
"I'm here to talk about the trip Karen will be taking tonight," I told him, making myself comfortable by sitting down on the wooden floor and shifting my position several times.
"Oh. That." Jeff yawned widely again, adjusting his goofy new tie. It was white with blueberries bouncing around on it.
"You know how many people will be at that help center?"
"She'll be getting help and that's all that matters," he said in that short, simple way. It reminded me vaguely of the way Karen always tossed her head and said things in that same way when she got tired of my talking.
"But they'll all be rubbing off on her with their old alcohol experience, making everything about it seem so much more blissful. I mean, you know, withdrawal symptoms sound painful, don't they? Knowing Karen, she might run away."
"She wouldn't do that," Jeff argued confidently.
"How would you know that. Like Karen always says, no one controls your life. Even if you make her promise, it's not completely confidential."
Jeff thought about this for a few moments. I brushed my bangs from my face and watched him hopefully.
"She's getting help. What more could she want?"
"Freedom."
"What?"
"Freedom. She'll want to have her freedom. Tell you what, Mr..." I never really found out his last name.
"Just call me Jeff," he replied, adjusting his belt.
"Jeff. If you don't send her to the help center, then I'll help her. On my own. I know I can."
"How can I trust you?"
"How can you not trust me? I've been Karen's friend since...Who knows when?"
Jeff sighed.
"Feisty little one, aren't you? I'll tell her mother and those people at the hospital. I'll call off her flight and we'll see what we can do about that."
Jeff turned back to look at me through strangely angry eyes. "And if you do anything to corrupt her mind and get her into an even worse habit or addiction, you'll be dealing with me."
He walked back into the bedroom, glaring at me as though he feared a several meter walk to the Hospital to deliver the message.
I ran all the way back home to feed the chickens, who seemed ecstatic to see me.
"Forgive me just this once, okay?" I pleaded to them quietly in a soothing voice as I sprinkled grain onto the ground. They clucked in a delighted way and gobbled up the grain after pecking at it. I smiled at the little feathery creatures that I had spent most of my life feeding, caring for, and worrying about. It was quite a relief to know that they still trusted me, even if I had skipped out on them and come back later to feed them, like they mattered less.
"Where were you?" A sweet voice behind me demanded. I turned around to see Popuri with her hands on her hips and frowning. Despite the belligerent cover, she still used that sweet voice that she used every day to greet people.
"I was at the store," I admitted, leaning down to stroke one of the chickens as she paced by.
"The store isn't open yet."
"Well, I had to help Karen SOMEHOW. She's being sent to a help center to aid her in getting off her alcoholism. Now, I'll be the one to help her."
I watched as Popuri's expression softened and she leaned down next to me. I wanted to whisk her off her feet and tell her how much she had worried me when she left. But I didn't do that.
"That's nice of you. Mom sent me out to look for you."
"Okay."
She got up and left for the Goddess Pond where she went every morning to chat with Ann about whatever girls chatted about nowadays. I decided to go and pay Ann a visit at the pond, just to tell her that I was sorry for letting Jack go as far as trying to forcefully kiss her yesterday. I got up, brushed myself off, and went inside the house first. Barley was standing behind the counter, talking to my mom. Mom spotted me walking in and in an instant had me caught up in a warm hug.
"Oh, Rick, I'm so glad you're back! You had your father and I worried sick!" I wrapped my arms around her waist and squeezed, even though the cause of the worry was unknown to me. I didn't think being gone for just a couple of hours would frighten them.
"It's okay mom. I didn't get kidnapped...Or...I didn't run away..."
"Good. Because I don't want to be missing you, too. Popuri's gone most of the time now." Mom sighed in a heartbroken way.
"You have dad," I pointed out intelligently.
"Yes, but he's just not the same. He's got too much energy, so I've made him go outside and get some jobs done." She chuckled and went back to conversing with Barley. You'd think that with that many customers he'd be busy taking care of his farm. But I guess one does get tired of making sure one's animals are in tip-top shape. I sure did.
I found Ann and Popuri standing by the Goddess Pond, both standing on opposite sides of the pond. Well, as opposite as they could get, as a rock wall surrounded half of the pond. Ann scowled at the pond and continually threw bamboo shoots into the pond, like she was expected something to come out.
"I told you that you need to be patient about it!" Popuri yelled to Ann.
"What are you guys doing?" I cut in, standing a foot away from Ann.
"We're figuring out the best way and place to throw items into the pond so the Harvest Goddess will come out. We haven't gotten any luck so far." Ann dropped all of her Bamboo Shoots in frustration.
"Here, let me try," I said, removing a flower with my index and middle finger gently from the ground.
"Rick, don't kill the flower!" Popuri chided, running over.
"I'm not. I'm demonstrating how to get the Harvest Goddess to come out." I tossed the flower into the pond, mentally praying that she would come out. A petal separated from the flower. Another petal.
Suddenly, there was a small splash and the petals flew everywhere.
"Hello, Rick, would you like a wish granted?"
I absolutely glowed as Popuri and Ann glared at me enviously.
"Of course..."
"How insensitive of you!" Popuri breathed.
"Be quiet, I've done this tons of times before. That's why she's advanced onto granting me wishes," I muttered out of the corner of my mouth.
"Then I will grant you a wish. Who do you love outside of your family? A girl, if you please. A young one."
I heard Popuri and Ann both draw a collective breath. I was almost sure that they were going to pelt me with questions and tease me when this was done with.
"...ren."
"Pardon?"
"...Karen..."
To my surprise, I didn't hear any stifled giggles. All I heard were birds chirping in the background, Ann letting out a sigh of relief, and Popuri's breathing continuing where it had left off.
"I see." The goddess waved her arms around in the most stunning ways, suggesting that she was most flexible and magical. She then ended this little presentation with a very strange pose. Her head was tossed back, her hair falling from the buns on the top of her head and her arms raised up to the heavens. "Karen now loves you more," she concluded, disappearing underwater again, giving us one last warm smile.
"How sweet!" Popuri sighed romantically and picked up a flower. "Maybe she can make Kai stay for all four seasons!" She cast me a meaningful look and tossed the flower in.
"And maybe she can make Cliff come back!" Ann chimed in, also removing a lovely violet flower from the ground.
I guess I couldn't tell Ann what I wanted to. By the looks of it, she didn't want to have anything to do with Jack, much less reminisce about what he had done. So, as I left, I thought I'd pay Karen a small visit, just to celebrate a bit over the fact that she wasn't going to fly to Ore City...Hopefully.
Unfortunately, I had to get past her mother and father first.
"What do you intend to do with her?" Jeff demanded.
"Yes, what?" Sasha, Karen's mother and Jeff's beloved wife, echoed.
I thought they were going to trust me, but I guess it wasn't going to be that easy. "I'll show her that there's more to life than alcohol, of course." I replied, thinking quickly about how I would be able to do that. It wasn't very easy to persuade Karen into thinking things that she didn't want to think about.
"And how exactly will you do that?" Jeff inquired, smirking at me. I wondered what exactly he was getting at. He probably knew that I couldn't understand that. I hesitated a bit before answering, afraid that I would say something that would make them change their minds and switch the plans around.
"Well, I'd start off by getting her to know some new people around the town. Get her to extend her relationships a bit. Then start her on some really interesting activities. Show her the wildlife...You know, things like that to keep her away from using alcohol as a replacement for boredom." I shrugged helplessly as they meandered upon this information. Jeff sighed and shook his head.
"Sasha, why is it that today's children are to brilliant that they even stump me? Then it's set. You'll be responsible for what she does most of the time when she's around you. And if I find out that you've gotten her into...uh...NARCOTICS or something, then you'll really get it!"
"Oh, and Rick? She's at the hospital right now. You should see her there." Sasha smiled at me and left.
"Okay."
I stepped outside, just to be greeted a rambunctious fight between several kids. Stu and May were standing on one side of a tree and Manna and Duke's nephew and niece, Kane and Rose, were standing on the other side. The bad thing was that Kane and Rose were only 5. I shook my head and prodded on to the hospital.
I was greeted by a very joyful smile. Atleast Karen was pleased about it.
"Rick, how did you ever persuade them? This is so wonderful! But..." Karen paused for a second, not knowing if she should tell me this or not. "I snuck in a beer this morning in my room," she confided, swallowing hard.
"Why did you do that?" I asked, going pale. This was going to be harder than I thought. How would I get her off alcohol if I can't see what she was doing in her room?
"It's so hard!" She exclaimed, stomping a foot on the ground. She was no longer clutching her waist. I supposed that was a sign that the tissue was healing in.
"I have plans already. If Elli permits it I can take out outside..."
"She says I can go outside and walk now, but if I fall or hurt myself, it's none of her responsibility and she shouldn't be placed under and pressure through that."
"Good. I'll make sure you'll be okay."
We headed outside, rounded out behind the church, and to the Harvest Sprite's hut. Aqua was the only one in there.
"Hey, Aqua, what are you doing her all by yourself?" I asked kindly, leaning over. Karen was observing the decorations on the wall that looked so wonderful and merry.
"They sure know how to put all of this stuff up," she commented, looking at the spare hats that were lined neatly along the wall on hooks.
"Thank you, Madame. Jack hired out all of the other Sprites. I'm the only one left." Aqua's eyes were a periwinkle blue with flecks of silver in them, making them have a very mystical aura about them.
"I have something for you to do, Aqua," I told him. Karen boldly pulled out one of the tiny chairs and sat on them. They were actually quite sturdy for being so small.
"Well, you've given me tons of things," the sprite said thoughtfully. He had to be my favorite sprite, being shy and cute like that. "Sure."
"Is it okay if you go over to Karen's place every night and stay there in her room with her? I need to make sure she doesn't sneak any drinks."
I heard Karen grumble a bit about how I was spreading my overly protective ways to her.
"Of course, Master Rick!" He squealed, delighted.
"Please, call me Rick, won't you?"
"All right, Mas- um, Rick." He tipped his hat shyly and ran outside to tend to the young trees that were just growing slowly out of the ground.
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About Manna and Duke's niece and nephew. The names came from a couple of Fullmetal Alchemist characters, but just pronounce them as you would in English. I suppose they're just vacationing there for the fall.
I'm not too sure about everyone's age in this game, so I decided to get an estimate. Here are the ages of the major characters (some aren't too major, but included, anyways):
Rick - 16 (seems a bit old, doesn't it? ; )
Karen - 15
Popuri - 15
Lillia - Late 30s, early 40s
Rick and Popuri's Father - Late 30s, early 40s
Jack - 15 (I originally put 14, but I don't think it's proper to marry when you're 14 unless you lived way back then.)
Ann - 15
(A/N: When I finished this chapter, I realized that it was really stupid. I'm sorry about this and I promise you that the future chapters won't be quite as horrible!)
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The following morning, I was quick and hasty to get out of bed. Throwing my sheets messily on top of the mattress, I rushed downstairs to find my mother making pancakes.
"Homemade!" She told me happily, placing a plate of steaming, golden wonders infront of me.
"Thank you, Mom," I said, pouring a bit too much syrup onto my pancakes.
"Save some for the others," she teased wholeheartedly. The herbs that dad had brought back was making her feel better, obviously. And for that, I was thankful. I supposed that I owed him an apology for what I did to him yesterday, but he probably understood. He'd probably say "It's just that age, Rick."
"Heh, I will." Putting my fork and knife into good use, I devoured the pancakes in five minutes. And that was right when Popuri came parading down the stairs, dad behind her. "Got to go, everyone!" I announced, charging out the door like an angry bull.
"My my, I wonder what's gotten into him," mom wondered, setting down plates infront of Popuri and her beloved husband.
"It's just the age," dad joked.
If I was going to save Karen from her soon-to-come fate, I had to hurry. Then again, not very many places were open at this time, so I kept up a paced walk. Today, I was wearing something other than my usual blue long-sleeve, jeans, and a green apron thing. It was bright and sunny outside, so I thought I'd wear a white short-sleeve with some jeans. Hey, it was a change. My wardrobe majorly consisted of those dreaded green apron things, those long-sleeve blue shirts, and jeans.
Half way to the store, I remembered that I had forgotten to feed the chickens. Then again, I never got out the grain, either. I was going to get it when I came back home, but it was better than abandoning Karen and letting her get taken away to some other city.
When I arrived at the store, the windows were shut and the lights were off. Aren't all stores supposed to have their lights on, even if they were closed to help officers detect any robberies? Oh, well. I knocked loudly on the door. Or rather, slammed my fist into the door repeatedly. Jeff, Karen's father, eventually opened the door.
"What brings you here at this hour?" He asked, rubbing his left eye with his wrist.
"I want to talk to you about something."
"Oh, no." Jeff seemed to fear conversations more than anything.
"What do you mean 'Oh, no'?"
"I...uh...Nothing. Come on in." He yawned, unlocked the cash register, and turned on the lights.
"I'm here to talk about the trip Karen will be taking tonight," I told him, making myself comfortable by sitting down on the wooden floor and shifting my position several times.
"Oh. That." Jeff yawned widely again, adjusting his goofy new tie. It was white with blueberries bouncing around on it.
"You know how many people will be at that help center?"
"She'll be getting help and that's all that matters," he said in that short, simple way. It reminded me vaguely of the way Karen always tossed her head and said things in that same way when she got tired of my talking.
"But they'll all be rubbing off on her with their old alcohol experience, making everything about it seem so much more blissful. I mean, you know, withdrawal symptoms sound painful, don't they? Knowing Karen, she might run away."
"She wouldn't do that," Jeff argued confidently.
"How would you know that. Like Karen always says, no one controls your life. Even if you make her promise, it's not completely confidential."
Jeff thought about this for a few moments. I brushed my bangs from my face and watched him hopefully.
"She's getting help. What more could she want?"
"Freedom."
"What?"
"Freedom. She'll want to have her freedom. Tell you what, Mr..." I never really found out his last name.
"Just call me Jeff," he replied, adjusting his belt.
"Jeff. If you don't send her to the help center, then I'll help her. On my own. I know I can."
"How can I trust you?"
"How can you not trust me? I've been Karen's friend since...Who knows when?"
Jeff sighed.
"Feisty little one, aren't you? I'll tell her mother and those people at the hospital. I'll call off her flight and we'll see what we can do about that."
Jeff turned back to look at me through strangely angry eyes. "And if you do anything to corrupt her mind and get her into an even worse habit or addiction, you'll be dealing with me."
He walked back into the bedroom, glaring at me as though he feared a several meter walk to the Hospital to deliver the message.
I ran all the way back home to feed the chickens, who seemed ecstatic to see me.
"Forgive me just this once, okay?" I pleaded to them quietly in a soothing voice as I sprinkled grain onto the ground. They clucked in a delighted way and gobbled up the grain after pecking at it. I smiled at the little feathery creatures that I had spent most of my life feeding, caring for, and worrying about. It was quite a relief to know that they still trusted me, even if I had skipped out on them and come back later to feed them, like they mattered less.
"Where were you?" A sweet voice behind me demanded. I turned around to see Popuri with her hands on her hips and frowning. Despite the belligerent cover, she still used that sweet voice that she used every day to greet people.
"I was at the store," I admitted, leaning down to stroke one of the chickens as she paced by.
"The store isn't open yet."
"Well, I had to help Karen SOMEHOW. She's being sent to a help center to aid her in getting off her alcoholism. Now, I'll be the one to help her."
I watched as Popuri's expression softened and she leaned down next to me. I wanted to whisk her off her feet and tell her how much she had worried me when she left. But I didn't do that.
"That's nice of you. Mom sent me out to look for you."
"Okay."
She got up and left for the Goddess Pond where she went every morning to chat with Ann about whatever girls chatted about nowadays. I decided to go and pay Ann a visit at the pond, just to tell her that I was sorry for letting Jack go as far as trying to forcefully kiss her yesterday. I got up, brushed myself off, and went inside the house first. Barley was standing behind the counter, talking to my mom. Mom spotted me walking in and in an instant had me caught up in a warm hug.
"Oh, Rick, I'm so glad you're back! You had your father and I worried sick!" I wrapped my arms around her waist and squeezed, even though the cause of the worry was unknown to me. I didn't think being gone for just a couple of hours would frighten them.
"It's okay mom. I didn't get kidnapped...Or...I didn't run away..."
"Good. Because I don't want to be missing you, too. Popuri's gone most of the time now." Mom sighed in a heartbroken way.
"You have dad," I pointed out intelligently.
"Yes, but he's just not the same. He's got too much energy, so I've made him go outside and get some jobs done." She chuckled and went back to conversing with Barley. You'd think that with that many customers he'd be busy taking care of his farm. But I guess one does get tired of making sure one's animals are in tip-top shape. I sure did.
I found Ann and Popuri standing by the Goddess Pond, both standing on opposite sides of the pond. Well, as opposite as they could get, as a rock wall surrounded half of the pond. Ann scowled at the pond and continually threw bamboo shoots into the pond, like she was expected something to come out.
"I told you that you need to be patient about it!" Popuri yelled to Ann.
"What are you guys doing?" I cut in, standing a foot away from Ann.
"We're figuring out the best way and place to throw items into the pond so the Harvest Goddess will come out. We haven't gotten any luck so far." Ann dropped all of her Bamboo Shoots in frustration.
"Here, let me try," I said, removing a flower with my index and middle finger gently from the ground.
"Rick, don't kill the flower!" Popuri chided, running over.
"I'm not. I'm demonstrating how to get the Harvest Goddess to come out." I tossed the flower into the pond, mentally praying that she would come out. A petal separated from the flower. Another petal.
Suddenly, there was a small splash and the petals flew everywhere.
"Hello, Rick, would you like a wish granted?"
I absolutely glowed as Popuri and Ann glared at me enviously.
"Of course..."
"How insensitive of you!" Popuri breathed.
"Be quiet, I've done this tons of times before. That's why she's advanced onto granting me wishes," I muttered out of the corner of my mouth.
"Then I will grant you a wish. Who do you love outside of your family? A girl, if you please. A young one."
I heard Popuri and Ann both draw a collective breath. I was almost sure that they were going to pelt me with questions and tease me when this was done with.
"...ren."
"Pardon?"
"...Karen..."
To my surprise, I didn't hear any stifled giggles. All I heard were birds chirping in the background, Ann letting out a sigh of relief, and Popuri's breathing continuing where it had left off.
"I see." The goddess waved her arms around in the most stunning ways, suggesting that she was most flexible and magical. She then ended this little presentation with a very strange pose. Her head was tossed back, her hair falling from the buns on the top of her head and her arms raised up to the heavens. "Karen now loves you more," she concluded, disappearing underwater again, giving us one last warm smile.
"How sweet!" Popuri sighed romantically and picked up a flower. "Maybe she can make Kai stay for all four seasons!" She cast me a meaningful look and tossed the flower in.
"And maybe she can make Cliff come back!" Ann chimed in, also removing a lovely violet flower from the ground.
I guess I couldn't tell Ann what I wanted to. By the looks of it, she didn't want to have anything to do with Jack, much less reminisce about what he had done. So, as I left, I thought I'd pay Karen a small visit, just to celebrate a bit over the fact that she wasn't going to fly to Ore City...Hopefully.
Unfortunately, I had to get past her mother and father first.
"What do you intend to do with her?" Jeff demanded.
"Yes, what?" Sasha, Karen's mother and Jeff's beloved wife, echoed.
I thought they were going to trust me, but I guess it wasn't going to be that easy. "I'll show her that there's more to life than alcohol, of course." I replied, thinking quickly about how I would be able to do that. It wasn't very easy to persuade Karen into thinking things that she didn't want to think about.
"And how exactly will you do that?" Jeff inquired, smirking at me. I wondered what exactly he was getting at. He probably knew that I couldn't understand that. I hesitated a bit before answering, afraid that I would say something that would make them change their minds and switch the plans around.
"Well, I'd start off by getting her to know some new people around the town. Get her to extend her relationships a bit. Then start her on some really interesting activities. Show her the wildlife...You know, things like that to keep her away from using alcohol as a replacement for boredom." I shrugged helplessly as they meandered upon this information. Jeff sighed and shook his head.
"Sasha, why is it that today's children are to brilliant that they even stump me? Then it's set. You'll be responsible for what she does most of the time when she's around you. And if I find out that you've gotten her into...uh...NARCOTICS or something, then you'll really get it!"
"Oh, and Rick? She's at the hospital right now. You should see her there." Sasha smiled at me and left.
"Okay."
I stepped outside, just to be greeted a rambunctious fight between several kids. Stu and May were standing on one side of a tree and Manna and Duke's nephew and niece, Kane and Rose, were standing on the other side. The bad thing was that Kane and Rose were only 5. I shook my head and prodded on to the hospital.
I was greeted by a very joyful smile. Atleast Karen was pleased about it.
"Rick, how did you ever persuade them? This is so wonderful! But..." Karen paused for a second, not knowing if she should tell me this or not. "I snuck in a beer this morning in my room," she confided, swallowing hard.
"Why did you do that?" I asked, going pale. This was going to be harder than I thought. How would I get her off alcohol if I can't see what she was doing in her room?
"It's so hard!" She exclaimed, stomping a foot on the ground. She was no longer clutching her waist. I supposed that was a sign that the tissue was healing in.
"I have plans already. If Elli permits it I can take out outside..."
"She says I can go outside and walk now, but if I fall or hurt myself, it's none of her responsibility and she shouldn't be placed under and pressure through that."
"Good. I'll make sure you'll be okay."
We headed outside, rounded out behind the church, and to the Harvest Sprite's hut. Aqua was the only one in there.
"Hey, Aqua, what are you doing her all by yourself?" I asked kindly, leaning over. Karen was observing the decorations on the wall that looked so wonderful and merry.
"They sure know how to put all of this stuff up," she commented, looking at the spare hats that were lined neatly along the wall on hooks.
"Thank you, Madame. Jack hired out all of the other Sprites. I'm the only one left." Aqua's eyes were a periwinkle blue with flecks of silver in them, making them have a very mystical aura about them.
"I have something for you to do, Aqua," I told him. Karen boldly pulled out one of the tiny chairs and sat on them. They were actually quite sturdy for being so small.
"Well, you've given me tons of things," the sprite said thoughtfully. He had to be my favorite sprite, being shy and cute like that. "Sure."
"Is it okay if you go over to Karen's place every night and stay there in her room with her? I need to make sure she doesn't sneak any drinks."
I heard Karen grumble a bit about how I was spreading my overly protective ways to her.
"Of course, Master Rick!" He squealed, delighted.
"Please, call me Rick, won't you?"
"All right, Mas- um, Rick." He tipped his hat shyly and ran outside to tend to the young trees that were just growing slowly out of the ground.
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About Manna and Duke's niece and nephew. The names came from a couple of Fullmetal Alchemist characters, but just pronounce them as you would in English. I suppose they're just vacationing there for the fall.