Chapter 1- Arrivals

Three girls sat together on the ship, obviously triplets from their exact same looks- it appeared to passerby that the girls had been clones. Their red brown hair was the same shade, and their only difference. Each girl's hair was a different length. The girl in the middle had shoulder length hair, and the girl to the right had short cropped hair that barely curled around her ears. The girl to the left had unnaturally long hair. Their emerald eyes all showed the same excitement.

Just a few days before, these three girls had heard the wonderful news. After their family friend Robert had passed on, his old home, the farm, was theirs for the taking. The middle girl held a copy of the will excitedly.

"I can't believe Rob left the farm to us!" She exclaimed joyously, waving the will around. The girl to the far left snatched the paper from her.

"Karie, you spazz, if you lose the will we can't get the farm." She told Karie, rolling her eyes. Karie glared in response.

The girl to the right elbowed her two sisters. "Lighten up, you two. The three of us are real farmers now. We'll get to meet all sorts of new people…" After an icy stare from the girl to the left, she added hastily. "And run a successful farm."

Karie nodded. "This is so cool, huh, Luisa?" Luisa, the girl to the right, smiled hugely. "Too bad Saja's such a spoil sport." Saja glared at her sisters.

Being the oldest, Saja was the only serious level headed girl of the three. Luisa was the youngest, and all she ever thought about was having fun. Karie was the middle child, and the klutz of the group. She could be quiet and thoughtful, though.

"This is the only Mineral Town stop, folks. Up and at 'em!" The burly captain's aid yelled across the crowded ship, and Karie, Luisa, and Saja all got up and disembarked.

As expected, no one was at the beach waiting for them. They were the unexpected arrival. The sand was bleached almost white from the sun, and the waves lapped lazily onto the shore.

Luisa sighed. "Imagine all the fun we could have here during Summer…" She said wistfully, running her fingers through the sand. Saja shot her a glare, but Luisa ignored it.

Karie adjusted her backpack on her shoulders. Her two sisters were the exact opposites, often leaving Karie to be the referee. "C'mon, you two, let's go find the farm." Karie took the will back from Saja, and lead the way.

The cobblestone pathways were worn, more than the trio had remembered, but Mineral Town still felt like home. The Spring air was warm, and there was a small breeze, just enough to ruffle Luisa's short hair. Saja tucked a wayward piece behind her own ear.

"I have missed this place." Saja admitted, sighing. "I've missed Gray." Luisa rolled her eyes. Gray and Saja had hit it off all too well last time the trio had visited around a year ago. Luisa and Kai had hung out for the most part, but Karie had just stayed close to the farm with Rob. She hadn't felt a need to be with some guy, and the same went for now. Why worry about getting married now? The three girls were only seventeen, and although that was the marriage age in Mineral Town, that type of thing seemed so far off to Karie, who really wanted to work the farm more than anything.

That was the only reason all three sisters had gone. Karie was too much of a klutz, according to Saja, to work the farm alone at first. Until Saja decided Karie could do it alone, she would live with her in the huge farmhouse. Luisa had made it clear from the start that she shouldn't be expected much from. She just couldn't pay the Inn's rent, so she'd work until she could pay rent, or move in with another friend. That left Karie to hold the entire farm by herself after a while, but it was what she wanted. Karie knew it would be weird without her sisters around, but it would finally be her turn to prove she had grown up.

Saja and Luisa had had few restrictions back in their city home with their parents, but Karie had had the most restrictions of all. Her parents would speak in riddle when she asked about this, which was quite annoying. There was something her parents hadn't wanted her to know about, or something, Karie figured. There was no other explanation.

A few of the neighbors had come out of their houses to see these new arrivals. May and Barley had come out of Yodel Farm. May beamed as her eyes fell on Karie.

"Look, Grandpa, it's Karie!" She squealed. Barley smiled, remembering how he had shown her the proper way of taking care of animals. She had been a quick learning.

"Welcome back, Karie." Barley greeted her, and she shook his hand. It was wonderful to be back. Saja had run off ahead, almost screaming with joy. It was the most carefree Karie had ever seen her.

"Saja?" Gray's stunned voice cried as he saw the beautiful girl running towards him. "Oh, I've missed you." They embraced, and Karie watched from afar, Luisa next to her. Saja was so much taller than Gray. They made a cute couple, in a strange way.

"Luisa?" A voice came from behind Luisa and Karie. Both girls spun around to see Kai standing there. Luisa smiled slyly.

"Hey Kai," Kai slung her arm over her shoulder, and Karie edged away, leaving the couple to themselves. She knew what was coming next.

"Karie, I'll be by the farm later." Luisa told her, patting her shoulder. Without waiting for a response, Luisa let herself by lead away by Kai.

"Karie, I'll see you later." Saja nodded, joy written all over her face. Nodding, Karie continued to the farm, wondering how it always ended up this way. Luisa was always so careless, but Saja rarely was, except when it came to Gray. Last time the trio had gone, Saja had promised to help, but after falling for Gray, she hadn't given the farm a single thought.

Turning the familiar corner in the road, the farm lay ahead of Karie. It was a mess, with stumps, rocks, and weeds galore, and it would be a pain to fix up, but Karie had time on her hands.

And, Karie thought glumly, I think I'll have tons of free time if it continues like this.

A/N: Hi everyone! I've had this written for a while, but I keep forgetting to put it up. I especially like this fanfic because Karie, Luisa, and Saja are the three names my penname is made up of. I love these guys! -

Anyway, how is it? It didn't come out as great as I had hoped, but…

PLEASE R&R! KLS