Harvest Moon:

"I'll always be there."

Spring Two: Adjustments, A New Shining Me!

Dear Diary:

Well I made a fool of myself today! I mean, I'm the one that's going to take care of the farm right? I must have looked so stupid when I told him that I knew nothing of planting seeds. I might as well just put myself on plate and serve it to him with the note "Foolish city girl needs help. Help her or she'll go crazy."


"Amy? Amy…Amy! AMY!"

Brown eyes flew open. The farmer sat up and looked around the room. "Where…Where am I? Who are you? What's going on?" she asked quickly. Takakura stared at her as if she was a barn animal switched to different farms.

"You're at the farm. I'm Takakura. You're going to bring this farm back to life. Sound familiar?" he asked as he crossed his arms.

Amy blushed brightly. How could she have forgotten? She had promised to Gustafa that she would bring the farm back to its former glory. Then there was Celia. Oh! Celia was the sweetest girl she had ever met! So different from regular city girls, it shocked Amy to meet someone like Celia.

Of course there was Marlin. The man who sent chills up her spine and a healthy blush to her cheeks. Was her face reddening just thinking about him? Amy covered her cheeks in case Takakura saw them blush more. "Right." She said to him, now rubbing her eyes of the sand. "You're right, I have to this whole farming thing right now…"

Takakura sighed to himself and shook his head. "Are you absolutely positively sure you want to be a farmer?" he asked her. "It's not a farm thing as you so kindly placed it. It's about being a hard worker and loving the farm as if it were your ownchild."

Amy blinked, staring at Takakura confused. A smile came to her lips and she laughed a little. "My apologies Takakura, I didn't know the farm means so much to you. I'll tell you the same thing I told Gustafa. I promise, I'll bring this farm back to life! No, it's not just a promise it's a vow!"

"I'll believe it when I see it start to happen." Takakura muttered and walked to the door. "The tools are in the shed and I bought a cow for you just before you came here. I'm warning you, she's only good to milk for three months then you'll have to impregnate her."

Amy's jaw nearly dropped to the floor as Takakura left. Im…Impregnate a cow? How was she going to do that? Would she have to buy a bull or something? Slapping her face, she shook it slowly. "What have I gotten myself into…?" she asked herself, not expecting an answer.


"Now which tools do I need?"

Amy stared at the display of tools Takakura had for her. "These things are rusty.." she commented. Taking a deep breath, she blew a good amount of dust off the tools. "Takakura must be really too old to work here. These haven't been used for god knows how long!" the farmer commented.

"Well, I mightas well till some ground!" Amy said to herself cheerfully as she picked up the hoe. Her eyes widened as she fell to the ground. Wincing a little, she glared at the hoe with an intensity to rival that of a bull. "How heavy are you!" she shrieked. "How am I going to till the ground if you're so freakishly heavy?"

Getting up, Amy dusted herself off. The overalls she had decided to wear overtop a black t-shirt were already dirty now. And they'll only get worse, she thought dreadfully. Picking up milker and the brush, she decided that the least she could do was care for her cow.

Amy walked briskly to the barn. Opening the doors, she was greeted by an angry loud moo. The cow, reaching Amy's shoulder height was standing beside the fodder chute. Hearing the farmer walk in gave the cow someone to moo at angrily. There was no fodder in its tray! What kind of injustice was this for the cow? The cow was simply not happy! First day on the job and you're on my bad side was probably what the bovine was thinking.

Cautiously, almost aware of the aura of anger that surrounded the cow, Amy went to the fodder chute. To teach the farmer not to mess with her, the cow swiftly bit her hand. Not hard enoughto seriously damage it, but not too soft that she would easily forget. Amy shrieked and jumped away from the cow. "You! You!" she stuttered for words that would not form. Was the cow smiling? "I guess you should get a name…" Amy grumbled. "How about Grouchy?"

The cow went to bite her again but Amy was prepared this time. Quickly, she took some fodder and switched her hand for the bovine's meal. The cow munched on it contently as Amy reached for her brush. Slowly, she brushed the cow and it seemed as if she liked it. Maybe things will work out, she thought, now how about some milk?

Taking out several bottles and the milker from her pack, Amy silently made her way under the cow. "Eww…" she commented. The cow had heard this though and the second Amy tried to touch the cow's udders it kicked the bottle. Amy cried out in surprise and stood up. "Stupid cow!" she screamed as she ran out of the barn.

"Stupid cow?"

Amy skidded to a stop. Gustafa stood with his arms crossed, looking at her with concern. "Well…I'm just having a very good beginning…" Amy muttered more to herself than to the bard. "Why is it so hard?" Her fists and teeth clenched uncomfortably tight.

"In the beginning, everything is hard. Farm life will take some getting used to." Gustafa explained to her gently. "By the way, are you going to plant anything?"

Amy's eyes widened. She snapped her fingers and frowned to herself. "I need seeds…" she muttered. "That means I'll have to go to…"

"Vesta's, good woman Vesta is. She and her brother live there along with Celia. A bit of trivia for you." Gustafa grinned to her, which helped to make Amy feel less stressed. "May I guide you there?"

Amy nodded her head. "Sure! Company in a town where I don't know much of is always welcome. But then again, you're still a stranger almost." She laughed lightly as they started to walk to the other farm.


The scent of spring filling her mind, Amy smiled widely as she walked beside Gustafa. There was just something about the musician that made her mindjust melt. Or was she being giddy? Maybe she was infatuated? Either way, the presence of Gustafa allowed her to be at least comfortable around someone whom she was even more infatuated with.

Marlin!

Oh crap! Amy's mind filled with sudden excuses to bail out on Gustafa. She forgot to feed the cow! She forgot to till the ground! She forgot the rest of her excuses! She forgot the rest of her good excuses! Oh dear goodness, she forgot her head at home!

"Amy?"

Gustafa looked at Amy again with the same concerned face that he showed her before. "Are you feeling all right? Are you sure you're up for this kind of challenge?" To increase the already blushing red face on her, Gustafa laid a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm fine!" she assured him. "Trust me! There's nothing to Marlin about!" Gustafa, though she couldn't tell, blinked confused.

Her hands covered her mouth as they stood on the bridge. "Nothing to worry about is what you mean?" he asked with a smile to ease the tense atmosphere.

Both were silent as they continued the walk to Vesta's farm. Once there, Amy fought the urge to hide behind Gustafa as they were purchasing seeds from Marlin. The bard did most of the talking for her, the shyness getting the better of Amy.


"You're crushing on him aren't you?"

Amy's eyes snapped open. Did she almost fall asleep walking? Looking to Gustafa she frowned lightly. "I'm not crushing on him! Such an immature word." She remarked, folding her arms across her chest as they walked.

Gustafa lightly smirked knowingly. "I've seen it before. It's quite funny to see it again. " He commented. "Now how about we go planting these seeds?" he asked as they arrived.

"Umm…Gustafa…"

"Oh? Something the matter?" The bard turned to the shorter farmer.

Amy looked to the ground, a huge blush on her face. "I don't know how to plant seeds!"

"Ah…not good…" Gustafa remarked, tapping his chin with his finger. "Suppose I teach you?"

The next thing Amy knew, she and Gustafa were in the garden. He explained to her the depth to which to plant the seeds and how much water they needed. The hoe was still heavy for Amy to pick up so both gripped onto the handle hard and tilled the land. This brought a smile to Amy's face. It was like two people were building a foundation for the future.

"Thank you so much Gustafa! I learned so much today! How do you know so much about planting anyway?" she asked curiously.

Gustafa chuckled lightly. "You don't go around traveling without learning the basics." He explained. "Suppose I show you around the village tomorrow?" Gustafa asked her.

Amy nodded. "Yeah, sure thing. I need to socialize more!" she said with a smile.


A/N: Sorry for being so late! But hey, it probably...not it wasn't worth the wait. But I take pride in being the only Farmer/Gustafa fanfic out there! So nyah!