Heya, sorry it took so long to write this chapter, but, ya know how it all is when you have writer's block and then you become busy and what not, but anywhoot. Tigercub, I'm glad you like the story so far . Yes, there probably is some spelling mistakes, I tend to only use the dictionary on the big words and when I'm not sure, some of the mispellings are probably my normal mispellings when I miss a key or something lol. Yes, I will be bringing in the farmer, of coarse, not until later on lol. Parisidea, one of my favoritest reviewers! Thank you for the review sniffle you're so loyal lol. Anywho, on with the story!
Chapter 2
A Grande Tour
Mayor Thomas decided they would begin by visiting the farmhouse where an old man lived with his animals and harvested crops in the various seasons. Karen was talking to Ann about how she usually visited the old man in his old age, she told her she usually brought along cookies and warm milk that her mother, Sasha, always baked for him.
Popuri joined into the conversation, explaining to them how she also visits the old man, bringing his dog, Nancy, and her pup dog biscuits that her mother, Lillia, sends her with everytime she gos.
Ann was glad to be making friends so soon, she thought it would be difficult to meet new people and make new friends, being how she was the new girl and all. Coming into a new town as small as this one isn't much different then being the new kid in school, Ann recalled.
Doug was talking with Mayor Thomas about our new home, which would be called, Doug's Inn once they fix it up and arrange for everything to be put in place. Doug kept telling Thomas that it was all Ann's idea, Ann couldn't help but overhear all this, and blushed each time she was complimented and addressed as the inventor.
They had reached the old wooden sign above an arch that read,'Bearings Farm.' Ann was curious is to how the old man came up with the name. The five of them walked past the arch and into the farm, where different crops grew in a large patch of farm land. It looked as if most of the plants were turnip, which Ann learned only grew once and had to be harvested, then you had to plant a whole nother bag of turnip seeds.
Another plant Ann recognized was a cucumber, there were only about two or three squares of those, the second most plant visible, were potatoes, which also only grew once, like the turnips. There were of coarse, other plants, but Ann could not recognize them unless she was up close enough to them where she could almost taste them, she wasn't an expert on plants after all.
To the right of the arch, was a farm house that looked like a toolshed, Ann guessed since the old man lived by himself, he really didn't have any need to build on more levels. Karen walked up beside Ann and Popuri came to her other side"To the left of the arch is a barn, that where all the cows and sheep go," Popuri explained, in her soft melodious voice.
Karen pointed to a small house down at the bottom of the crop land"That there's the chicken coop, that's, of coarse, where all the chicken's are." Popuri smiled,"That's where I come in, me, my mother, and my older brother, his name is Rick, we all work the Poultry Farm, that's the farm where you buy chickens and chicken feed, also, that's where you can get medicine for the chickens are as well."
Ann smiled, Popuri looked very proud of what she did and where she worked. Who could blame her, her entire family raised and housed chickens. Karen smirked at Popuri,"Popuri gets a little...well, lets just say proud, when it comes to chickens," she said, as if reading Ann's mind.
Popuri blushed and puffed out her cheeks,"Humph, you're just jealous because I have a decent job while you're family runs a supermarket," she countered, saying supermarket as if it were something detestful. Karen rolled her eyes and looked around the farm once more, the three girls waited for Mayor Thomas to continue with the tour.
"I see Karen and Popuri has already told you about where everything on the farm is and what it's for." Mayor Thomas beamed at the pink haired fragile looking girl and the sandy blonde haired butch looking girl. Doug had been told everything during his and Thomas' little chat they had been doing while the girls waited to continue.
Mayor Thomas led the way out of the farm and over towards the Blacksmith's House, Doug beside him, the girls behind them,"This is where Saibara the blacksmith and his grandson, Gray, work, they upgrade the tools, give you cheese, yarn, and mayonaise makers for the farm, and also, he makes jewelry and such for the women here in Mineral Town." Mayor Thomas then continued down towards the Poultry Farm, where who Ann assumed was Popuri's brother Rick, was outside feeding the chickens.
Popuri smiled and waved at Rick, who smiled back and waved in return,"Hey there everyone, fine weather isn't it?" Rick asked, then looked at Ann,"You must be the new girl who took over that building by the Winery, my name's Rick." he introduced, sticking his hand out for Ann to shake. She did so and smiled,"I'm Ann, and this is my father Doug."
Rick shook Doug's hand"Nice to meet you both, but I better get back to the chickens and check up on my mom, she's not feeling well these days, you never know what's gonna happen," he said in an apologetic tone, then went back to feeding the chickens and soon went inside the house.
Mayor Thomas beamed,"Such a fine boy." Karen rolled her eyes,"Then, Mr. Thomas, I'm sure you don't pay attention to the people in your own town, because he's a total different boy with me," she said, looking at Ann with a tight smirk on her face, as if it was a secret to what Rick's behavior was really like. Doug chuckled and they continued on their way, arriving in front of the Yodel Farm.
Mayor Thomas stood just in front of the arch which read the name of the farm,"This is where you buy your cows and sheep, you can also get medicine here as well, this place is run by an old man named Barley and his grandaughter, May," Thomas explained. Soon, the door to the house near them burst open, and an old man stood peering out at us,"Come now Thomas, I'm not that old, I can still tip a cow."
He didn't sound angry at all, in fact, he had an amused glint in his eyes when he said this,"Ohhhh, I know Barley, just trying to give you a hard time, so, how's May?" Thomas replied, with the same amused glint in his eye, Ann saw. Barley walked closer to the group, his wooden cane supporting his weight,"She's mighty fine in her young age, she'll be a heartbreaker that May."
Karen and Popuri smiled of appreciation, apparently, they were awefully fond of May and Barley. Doug and Ann intoduced themselves and shook hands, then Mayor Thomas sent them all on their way up a ways towards a chapel where a cemetary on the left side of the building sat, graves with markings were glistening in the warm spring sun,"This here is Mineral Town's one and only church, where our preacher, Carter, lives and works in, protects this building with his life he does."
Ann looked up at the tall chapel with its white pointed top and its windows that could show everything and everyone in the building they were so clean. Popuri smiled proudly,"I come to church every Sunday, Karen comes sometimes, espeicially on the third of Autumn, that's the Music Festival," she explained. Karen smiled,"Yea, I sing in the festival, I come here sometimes like Popuri said, but I mostly go to the Harvest Goddess Spring and give her offerings and talk to her, of coarse, never face to face." she said the last part bitterly.
Ann took this all in, nodding once in a while to let them know she comprehended. Doug and Mayor Thomas got engraved into a conversation about this Harvest Goddess, and continued this conversation until the group got to the next building, which was the Clinic,"This is where the Doctor and Elli work, no one really knows the Doctor's real name, so we just call him Doctor," Karen explained. Ann admired the huge red cross emblamed on the front of the building.
Mayor Thomas and Doug continued on their conversation, this time about health needs and issues. The group then stopped again at another building, the Supermarket. Karen smiled proudly up at the small petite, but homey looking building,"And this is where I work and live, my dad, his name is Jeff, works the counter of the store, we figured that would be his job since he's better at math then me or my mother, my mother, who's name is Sasha, maintains the shop, which means she makes sure the customers are happy and well looked after, and me, well, I sweep the floors, clean the counters, all the chorey stuff, oh, I also get to help Ellen, who lives next door, with her groceries," Karen explained.
Ann raised both eyebrows, 'so everyone had a job in this town, I wonder what I'll be doing once the Inn is finished and prepared,' Ann thought. She snapped out of it when they started walking again, continuing with the tour. Doug smiled at an old lady in a rocking chair who was sitting out on her porch, knitting what looked like a pair of socks."Good morning, I'm Doug, and this is my daughter Ann, we just moved here," he introduced, shielding his eyes from the sun with his palm.
The old women looked up and beamed, glad of the company since Stu was at church, and Ellie was out working at the Clinic."Good morning, my name is Ellen, welcome to Mineral Town." Ellen then spotted me and smiled even wider."Well, lookit you, you're just the prettiest thing I've ever seen." Popuri giggled when Karen looked hurt, Karen was used to getting all the attention when it came to being pretty, she had always been first.
Ann smiled and blushed slightly,"Thank you, Ellen," she replied. Doug beamed and Mayor Thomas chuckled,"So, how've you been Ellen ol' girl, feeling better this morning?" he asked. Ellen went back to knitting and rocking while she talked."Oh, these legs never know what they're gonna do, but I'm feeling ok right now, thank you for asking Thomas," Ellen replied, smiling.
Mayor Thomas tipped his small red bowler hat, and him and Doug led the way, continuing the tour. We walked a short ways, and ended up at the library,"This is the Library, Mary, another girl about our age with black hair and glasses, works here and makes sure all the books are neat and tidy," Popuri explained. Karen looked bored, apparently, by the look of it, Karen didn;t much care for reading, let alone care about the library.
On the other hand, Mayor Thomas looked absolutely proud of the library,"This library has been in Mineral Town as long as I can remember." Doug chuckled and Karen finally piped up."That there is the house where Mary, her mother, Anna, and her father, Basil, live, Basil only comes in the Spring, and then leaves at the beginning of summer, his job is learning and finding plants and such, so the gossip group comes in handy for Anna when he's gone."
Popuri smiled,"Yea, Karen's mother is a part of that gossip group, along with Manna, who runs the Winery with her husband Duke." Ann nodded, remembering the Winery from yesterday from when Mayor Thomas explained to them about it. Mayor Thomas smiled,"Those three get together everyday and go to the Rose Square at two o' clock and gossip about who's doing what and such, which reminds me, we need to go visit Zach and Won down at the Beach," Mayor Thomas remembered, rushing past Doug and the girls, who all had to practically run to catch up with him, you'd think he couldn't run very fast with his short little legs.
They all ran past the church, down back towards Yodel Farm, and then into Rose Square, where Mayor Thomas finally slowed down, huffing and puffing while putting his hands on his knees. Ann, Popuri, Doug, and Karen were all heaving for air when they got there. The sky was starting to turn a slight orange redish color, we all looked up to see that the sun was starting to set, so the group continued on to a small opening that led to the Beach.
Mayor Thomas had finally caught his breath and began telling us about Mineral Town's Beach."This is where majority of the festivals are held, on the first of summer is the Frisbee Tournament, and the twenty-fourth of summer is the Fireworks Festival, and on somedays, we have new arrivals that arrive on that large boat over there, and all the town's people get grouped up, and watch for the boat."
Popuri took this time to talk."Every first of summer, my boyfriend Kai comes to Mineral Town and works at that restaurant over there, he sells pizza, ice cream, spaghetti, all kinds of stuff, and I get some for free," she beamed proudly, her bubblegum pink hair bobbing slightly in the small breeze that had just started up. Karen rolled her eyes and Mayor Thomas pointed to the small shack like house that Ann and Doug had seen when they had first arrived,"That's where Zach and Won live, you met Zach of coarse when you arrived," he continued.
Doug and Ann both nodded, remembering seeing the chinese man in the window, and first seeing the muscular man greet them when they had gotten off the boat. Mayor Thomas looked awefully tired, and declared it was time to take everyone home for a good nights rest, where they would remember today in their dreams. The group decended into Rose Square, Mayor Thomas and Karen said their goodbyes and left the other three, walking up towards their homes.
Popuri, Doug, and Ann all walked to the left, where they parted and said their goodbyes as well, all looking tired from a long day. When Ann and Doug arrived in their home, Ann decided that tomorrow she would go meet everyone she had not met today, and she knew that Mayor Thomas had forgotten to take them all to see Mother's Hill and meet a man who built houses named Gotz. Karen and Popuri had told her about everything on that side of town and promised to give her another tour over there if they hadn't had time today.
Doug decided to make them a simple supper since it was getting late and he had to get up early and start making designs and making plans for their new Inn with Mayor Thomas in the morning. Ann was greatful since she was completely exhausted from the events of today, and couldn't wait to see the Harvest Goddess Spring and Mother's Hill tomorrow.
Doug and Ann hurried and ate their dinner, which was a bowl of macaroni and chesse with dinner roles and lemonade, then headed towards their rooms, deciding they would do the dishes tomorrow. Ann went to her room, while Doug went to his. Ann took down her long braid and let her hair flow out loosely, she then brushed it out and dressed for bed, ready for the dreams of cotton candy sunshine of the events from today that Mayor Thomas had described.
Of coarse, Ann should've known that cotton candy sunshine dreams didn't exist in her dreams she called nightmares.
