Gamer To Farmer

Chapter 17: Tint's Trip To Forget-Me-Not Valley

A/N: Congratulations go out to Kirjava Deamon for being the one to give review number 100. My first reviewer also did number 100. Thanks to everyone who reviewed and I'm sorry that you couldn't be number 100. Maybe you can get number 150…

Sorry about taking so long for this update. I had no access to the internet over the holidays, so I had to wait for school. The holidays haven't been the kindest to me, but I will explain that after the chapter.

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"So, what should I call you now that we're married?" Elli asked as she looked around the building. It was her first time inside of my new house. The ceremony had ended shortly over an hour ago and we had already dismissed the guests.

I shrugged my shoulders as I opened up the fridge. "I don't really care. I'd be happy if you just kept calling me Tint."

"Awww… Where's the fun in that?" Elli commented with a slight laugh.

"What? You want me to start calling you sexipegs or something like that?" I called out as I grabbed a can of beer from a case inside the fridge.

"Ok, ok. I understand. I'll just call you Tint, like I've always been doing." She sounded slightly disappointed.

"If it's that much of a big deal to you, you can call me dear every once in a while. But, not in public." I warned.

"What's the matter, dear? You don't want to be embarrassed in front of your friends?" Elli came up behind me and draped her arms around me. I gave her a quick glare that showed her my disgust. "Ok, fine. Tint it is."

"Much better." I said with a smile as I relaxed myself into a chair. Maybe this marriage thing wasn't as bad as I had feared.

The two of us spent about a week as a sort of honeymoon. We spent the entire time locked away inside the house with nothing but each other. I felt that we had spent nearly every moment of the time in the bedroom. It was really a time to remember.

Neil did an amazing job taking care of the farm during the honeymoon phase. The fall crops were off to an astounding start. We decided that it was about time for me to head off to Forget-Me-Not Valley to retrieve my animals from Jack.

Today was the sixth of Fall. The trees had turned a peculiar shade of pink. I didn't even know that was possible. I swear, in the seventeen years that I had lived in Canada, I never once saw a pink leaf. Maybe, the people over here injected their drugs into the trees instead of themselves. I don't know, but no harm could come from thinking up a piece of wild reasoning.

Mayor Thomas was kind enough to provide me with a very detailed set of instructions that I needed to follow to reach my destination. "My guess is that it will take you about two hours each direction. Say hello to the villagers for me." Thomas bid me farewell as we reached the outset point for my trip.

"Sure thing, Thomas. I'll try to be back before nightfall. Tell Elli not to worry if I'm late." I gave a short wave as I started along the trail.

The directions to Forget-Me-Not Valley were very extensive. Climb Mother's Hill. Hike through the forest until you reach the main road. Head southward along the road. Find the road sign and follow its directions. Find the second road sign and do the exact opposite of what that one says.

Exactly seven hours later I found myself standing at the top of a hill, overlooking a small, quaint looking village. It was so much more spacious that Mineral Town and seemed to be a bustle of activity. A bunch of people were gathered around a rather fat man in a red jacket who was running a vendor stand.

The sun was just barely showing a tiny sliver over the far tree line. It was so nice to spend an entire day wasted away. Maybe I could do it more often.

I decided to ask for directions to Jack's farm. There was a lady wearing a yellow sundress and was working in a field of crops. She seemed like a suitable person to talk to. She caught sight of me, stopping her work and heading towards the fence. "Excuse me, Ma'am. Can you help me?" I called out to her as I leaned against the fence.

"Sure thing, stranger. What can I do ya' for?" She asked in a rather gruff voice.

"Can you point out where I can find Jack's farm?" I inquired.

"Of course I can. Just across the river and on the other side of those trees. You can't miss it." She pointed in the direction and smiled brightly.

"Thank you." I gave her a curt nod and followed her directions. The farm was in plain sight once I crossed the tiny bridge. I was nearly knocked breathless at the sight.

I was shocked by the sheer size of the farm. A huge pasture of lush green grass sat in the center of the farm. There were definitely more buildings on his farm, not to mention the fact that he had three fields for crops. I felt a tad envious.

"It is quite the sight." A voice sounded from beside me. I looked over in surprise and was relieved to see that it was only Jack. I was about to say something when Jack interrupted me. "Come, I'll introduce you to my wife. She's just inside, making supper." He beckoned for me to follow him as he headed towards one of the buildings.

The building turned out to be his house. Standing over the stove was a gorgeous woman in a green dress. She looked up slightly from her work when we walked in. "Tint, this is Celia, my wife. Celia, Tint." Jack quickly stated.

Celia gave me a short curtsey. "Thank you so much for lending us your animals. We needed that little extra bit of income to prepare for our next addition." Only now did I realize that her stomach protruded quite a fair distance.

"Oh, it's nothing. When are you expecting?" I inquired.

"Before the weeks end. We were thinking of calling it Tint, if it's a boy. That is if you don't mind." Jack explained.

"I'd be honored." I stated with a smile. This trip had taken a rather pleasant, but unexpected turn.

"Hey, Tint. Why don't you join me for a drink? You've had quite the journey." Jack suggested.

"That doesn't sound too shabby. Don't mind if I do." I replied. I bid farewell to Celia as I exited the house. She reminded me so much of Elli. Just thinking about it made me want to head home as soon as possible. "Better make it a quick one. I want to get home as soon as possible." For some odd reason, I was having an odd foreboding, as if something bad was happening.

"I don't think that it is safe for you to travel back to Mineral Town during the night. Bandits are said to roam the trail, just waiting for the opportunity to strike an unsuspecting victim." Jack warned.

"Then where do you suggest that I spend the night?" I asked.

"There should be an extra room at the Inn. It has been vacant ever since Nami left and returned to her home." Jack explained.

"I still want to head home as quickly as possible. I have a bad feeling that something has gone wrong back in Mineral Town." I commented.

Jack nodded his head in acknowledgement. "I felt the same way the first time I left Forget-Me-Not Valley after I got married to Celia. I'm sure it is nothing more than a sense of longing."

As we left the farm, Jack instructed his partner to get the livestock ready for my departure. It turned out to be a short walk to the bar from Jack's farm. "Hey there, Jack. Who's your friend?" The blond girl asked from behind the counter when we walked inside.

"Muffy, I'd like to introduce you to Tint. He's the farmer from Mineral Town that lent me his animals for this past little while." Jack explained as Muffy filled up two mugs and set them before us.

"A farmer! You know… I've always had a thing for farmers." Muffy stated seductively as she leaded over the counter. She then proceeded to give me a quick bat of her eyelashes.

"Sorry, but I'm married." I apologized.

The girl appeared disappointed momentarily, but quickly recovered. "That doesn't matter. I don't care if you're married or not, I'll still flirt with you." Muffy proclaimed.

"How many times have you been told not to drink while you're working?" Jack chuckled.

Muffy took offence to Jack's statement. "I have not been drinking! I'm just like this normally." She defended. She turned her attention back to me. "You know… I get off work at eleven. If you're still around, maybe you'd like to do something."

"Still not interested." I stated as I took a sip of my drink. At least that was what I was saying. Inside, every muscle in my body ached to give in to the temptations. I am sure that I would have easily surrendered if this had occurred before I had met Elli. But, events had already run their course, and I was not one who would easily betray his word.

"Suit yourself." Muffy commented as she focused on another customer who entered the bar.

"I think that I will turn in for the night. I want to get an early start in the morning." I excused myself as I got off of my stool. "Can you point me towards the Inn?" I asked Jack as I exited.

"Big building to the right." Jack said out of the corner of his mouth. He was engaged in a deep conversation with the new arrival.

The bad feeling in my gut was growing stronger. It was almost like someone was reaching out to me with the Force, a sort mind meld had joined myself to Elli. Sorry… a little Star Wars there. (I don't own Star Wars!)

Just as Jack had said, there was a room available at the Inn. I was directed up the staircase and towards the room by a very kind lady. The room was very orderly and clean, which surprised me for some reason. I was expecting the room to be a disaster area.

I was about to flop down on the bed when something caught me eye. There was a tiny book discarded away in the far corner. I collected the book, interest suddenly flowing through me. I opened up the cover, revealing only a tiny entry at the top. "He is…" followed by five hearts, crossed out with a heavy black marker. I could only wonder at what it meant.

Sleep had trouble finding me that night. I found myself staring at the ceiling, pondering. Why was I having this sense of foreboding? Surely nothing could have happened at the farm. Mother had been banished from the town, so she wasn't the cause of my worry. Neil would be able to take care of the farm; he had proved so much already. The baby wasn't due for another season and Stu was behaving as of late. But there was still something tugging in the back of my brain.

I couldn't handle it anymore. I got out of the bed and quickly got dressed. There was a clock sitting nearby, telling me that it was only two in the morning. Insanity had odd ways of striking fear into the hearts of men.

Jack's assistant was waiting outside the Inn when I exited. "I had a feeling that you would be leaving so early. Follow me, I will show you to the cart with your animals." The man said eerily as he beckoned for me to follow him.

The strange man led me to a solitary tree that stood amid a field of flowers. The scene reminded me of that cursed tree atop Mother's Hill. My animals were waiting patiently beneath the tree. The cart was loaded up and ready to leave. "Thanks for your help." I stated as I climbed into the driver's seat of the cart.

The man simply nodded his head in acknowledgment, returning towards Jack's farm. For a moment I envied the fact that Jack had an assistant to help with the farm. Then, I remembered that I had Neil currently under my employment and had access to the Harvest Sprites during the Spring season.

I pondered momentarily as I started the cart up the hill. Maybe I should have asked for directions back to Mineral Town. I didn't want to spend another day of getting lost amid the wilderness with the rumored bandits in the area. I shrugged away the thought and turned the cart towards the supposed location of Mineral Town.

I arrived, unscathed, at the edge of Mineral Town just as darkness began to fade from the town. Neil was waiting for me. He seemed worried as he took hold of the cart. "I'll take the animals. You just go to the clinic." The tone of his voice told me that something was wrong.

"What is it?" I asked, suddenly becoming very nervous. The gut wrenching feeling suddenly came back to me. My fears were realized when Neil somberly said, "It's Elli. Something happened to her."

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A/N: This chapter is mostly just an inquiry to see if I can write a decent AWL fic. I'm not so sure if I am going to attempt it, mostly because I have two BTN fics planned, including rhe one that premiered today. I hope that everyone had a much better Christmas then I've had. I feel like I'm living through Chapter 1. Mage is in the hospital again. Happened on the 19th. I've been at her side ever since and have been typing my stories on my laptop while she sleeps. The doctors say that she'll make it, but her spirit has taken a really bad hit. She keep talking about everything that she never got a chance to do in life. Above all, she is regretting the fact that she will never be married. I went shopping for an engagement ring on the 30th. It's the least I can do for my best friend and love of my life. I'm giving her the ring on Friday after school. Peace out and keep the prayers coming. We really need them at the moment. Wish me luck…