Seeing Clearly

So much happened the night before that Violet's head was still reeling, even after she started her morning chores. To start, there was the relief that no one had seemed to care about her dating history. Maybe it was because they did not know Kyle, unlike her old friend group, and were more drawn to his version of events by his charismatic personality. Here in Pelican Town, the villagers got to know Violet and judge for themselves whether or not she was worthy of their friendship. In a way, the farmer felt a weight lifted from her shoulders. Violet could feel the shackles of her past slowing corroding, her mind snapping free from its iron grip.

Then there was her friendship with Sebastian. Somehow, it seemed strange to think they had only known each other for less than half a year, but being with him just felt right. Violet could be herself around him and although he always seemed to know exactly what to say to fluster her, the young woman could not help but wonder if this meant she was ready…

Her heart palpitated at the recent memory of Sebastian pulling his shirt from his torso and handing it to her, still warm from his own body heat. He even called Violet "cute." The agrarian seriously considered leaning her head to rest on his shoulder, but she chickened out after complimenting Sebastian did not respond when she complimented his figure and seemed generally discomforted by her remark. I messed up! Violet had thought in a panic and immediately sought an exit to the situation.

But then came the magic that healed her after the wooden board snapped and ravaged her leg. Violet could not quite fathom how she managed to heal herself. She only remembered the sharp, intense pain and the sight of her own blood and the far-off sound of Sebastian's voice. The woman had been blinded by the green light and instantly the pain subsided, leaving perfect, unbroken skin. Violet assumed Talla was teasing her when the syren referred to her as kin. But maybe… that really was the case? Could it be true that her ancestor was a goddess of the earth?

Violet felt a warm tongue lick her hand, and realized Bruno was trying to get her attention. The German shepherd sat on his haunches and looked up at his human with bright eyes and bushy tail. Blinking, Violet recognized she must have zoned out while tending to her crops, since she was standing in the middle of her field overwatering one of her tomato plants.

The floral-haired female chuckled as she stroked the large dog's head. "Sorry for worrying you, boy," Violet apologized to her loyal canine companion. "There's just… a lot on my mind right now." Violet was having a hard time focusing on the task at-hand.

Bruno's triangular ears flickered to one side, detecting approaching footsteps. He sprang into action, galumphing toward the path leading from town to Fairy Rose Farm to greet the source of the sound. "Why hello, Bruno!" Emily's voice greeted the dog, as the fluffy canine barked a friendly response.

Violet had not been expecting Emily, so the farmer wondered what prompted the visit from the local waitress. "Hey, Emily!" the dog's owner hailed their guest, closing the gap between them. "What brings you all the way out here this morning?"

"I actually came to see if I could borrow your axe." Emily knelt down in the lush grass to properly pet Bruno, who welcomed the attention with a rhythmic thump of his hind leg against the ground beneath him. "Oh, does that feel nice?" the sapphire-haired woman cooed, running her fingers along the dog's spine. The crop grower laughed as her dog surrendered himself to the pets and rolled over to expose his belly.

"My axe?" Violet repeated the request questioningly. "I'd be happy to do whatever it is myself, if you want. I've gotten stronger since I started farming here, you know." It was hard to take herself too seriously, but the farmer rolled up her sleeves to show off her hard-earned arm muscles with a chuckle. "See?"

Emily beamed. "That's so generous of you, Violet," the red-clad woman replied. "Do you remember how Shane said he had never been camping during that game last night?" The agriculturalist nodded to indicate she followed. "Well, I was thinking I might invite Shane to a special place I like to go, but it's completely blocked off by a huge log!" she explained. "I was hoping I could use your axe to remove it."

"I'll help any way I can," Violet assured her neighbor. She picked up her watering can to retrieve more water. "Let me finish with these crops quickly and then you can show me where to find this log."

The sapphire-haired woman clapped her hands together. "That works out splendidly, Violet!" she agreed. "Would you like some help watering your plants?" Violet froze. She did not know if she should let just anyone touch, let alone see her magically mutated crops.

"Uh, no thanks," the farmer uttered, deflecting Emily's offer. "It would take you more time than it's worth to go get the other watering can from the guest house. I'm almost finished anyway." That was not entirely untrue, Violet only had one more row of crops to tend. The gardener finished quickly and grabbed her axe. "Where to, Emily?"

"It's on the far end of the Cindersap Forest," the woman in the candy-red dress enlightened Violet. "I'll show you the way." The cultivator fell into step alongside Emily as they made their way south toward the forest. As the two made their way, Emily made an unexpected comment. "Did something good happen lately, Violet?"

The farmer flushed, flustered by the several options that ran through her head from the day before. "W-why do you ask?" Violet stuttered, trying not to completely shut Emily down, but also get more details before she embarrassed herself by answering what she assumed Emily meant. Robin teased her about liking someone in the village last season which resulted in Violet confessing that she believed Sebastian was attractive. The awkward woman vowed not to make the same mistake twice!

"Your aura is so much stronger than it was yesterday!" the saloon employee reported happily. "And the color has changed a bit. I've never seen someone with an ombre aura. It's quite unique!"

Violet tilted her head as they entered the clearing just east of Marnie's ranch and headed westward. "You can see auras?" Thinking back, Emily had mentioned her aura before, though the pastel-haired woman had written it off as just an aspect of Emily's quirkiness, just as Violet had originally dismissed Talla's tales about divine lineage and goddesses. Maybe she should pay more attention to these sorts of things.

"Of course, silly! Everyone projects an aura out into the universe," the spiritualist responded. "It's as much a part of a person as the body or mind."

"So it's like your soul?" Violet declared quizzically. "Or maybe your spirit?" She was not sure which vernacular to use in this situation.

Emily hummed ponderously at the question. "Not quite," she decided. "It's more like the glue that binds together everything that makes up who you are. Or a bridge between the mind, body, and soul." She hummed softly to the tune of the buzzing insects around them.

"So it's the Sparknotes version of a person?"

Emily giggled. "You're funny, Violet!" She sighed dreamily. "This world is full of spirits and magic…" the young woman stated reverently, gesturing to the gorgeous, lively forest around them. "Some don't believe it, but I know it's true." Emily's rose-colored lips pulled back in a friendly grin. "I can see it in your eyes…" she claimed, holding Violet's hand and pulling it close, "you believe in the other world, just like me!"

Violet was flustered by Emily's perceptive skills. "I-I used to not believe in it, but ever since I moved here…" the farmer trailed off for a moment, trying to sort through her opinions for a suitable reply. "Living in the Valley is different from life back in NuNu City, that's for sure."

"Farming life in Pelican Town agrees with you," Emily professed confidently. Her acorn-colored eyes glanced ahead. "Ah, here we are!" she announced, showing Violet the enormous old log that blocked a pathway beyond.

Violet was shocked she had never noticed there was a trail here, but then again there were bound to be things about her new hometown that she did not yet know. The amateur lumberjack took a swing at the gnarly segment of tree trunk, but her axe glanced off the bark like it was nothing. Frowning, Violet adjusted her stance and tried again, but the result was identical. "It looks like I need a better axe to chop this monstrosity up," the pastel-haired woman chuckled nervously.

"Oh, it's alright, Violet," Emily comforted the newest member of Pelican Town. "I appreciate you trying anyway."

The agrarian realized now was a good time as any to do some equipment upgrades before the fall. Anything Violet could do to make the start of the next season easier on herself would be a welcome change. Only her hoe was an iron one. The rest of her tools, which she had slowly been upgrading whenever she had the funds, were copper-level quality. It would take another trip to the mines to get enough iron to upgrade the axe, though. "If you don't mind waiting a few more days, I can still do it," Violet pledged to Emily. "I just need to gather some ores for some iron bars and then take my axe to Clint."

"You really don't have to do all that," Emily articulated. "You've already done more than enough to try and help me."

"No, I really should upgrade my tools anyway," Violet insisted, packing her axe in her bag. "Otherwise I'm going to be miserable come the next turn of the season. Thanks for the reminder!"

"I suppose we are in the latter half of Summer, aren't we?" Emily confirmed in agreement. Violet nodded, indicating her intent to still complete the job, even if it would be delayed. The red-clad woman threw her arms out to wrap Violet in a hug. "Oh, thank you. You're a wonderful person!" Violet had not been prepared for physical contact, but it was not unwelcome. "Please let me know if there's anything I can do to help!" Emily stipulated before dismissing herself to return to town and prepare for her shift at The Stardrop Saloon.

"Hey, Emily!" Violet shouted after the woman, prompting the local spiritualist to turn and face her once again. "You said I have a unique aura," the farmer indicated nervously, her fingers twisting around one another to occupy her hands. "What does it look like?"

Beaming, Emily shared her knowledge. "Before it was a bit faint and matched your hair," the sapphire-haired woman explained. "But now it radiates out much further and it starts out as green at the core and slowly transitions into a vibrant purple." The barmaid twittered. "Like a field of wildflowers!"

Shane parked himself at the kitchen table, nursing a giant glass of ice water. It was not his favorite drink being so bland, but maybe he should work on it becoming just that. It was good to hydrate often, right? Doctor Harvey always tried to harp on him about the benefits, but quite frankly Shane could not remember them at the moment.

Either way, Shane needed a pick-me-up. His muscles screamed at him from both the punishment from training with Alex earlier this week and from the volleyball game the night before. He really ought to stretch or do some gentle exercise to help with the soreness. But looking around, nothing really motivated him. Shane felt trapped. For some reason, it was easier to make progress when he was out of the house, but the instant he walked through the front door, his motivation evaporated like rain on a hot summer day.

The dark-haired man sighed audibly and rested his head on his arms and leaned over to flop his upper body onto the kitchen table. It was not particularly comfortable, but Shane did not care.

"Is something the matter, Shane?" Marnie asked, pulling out the chair opposite him and taking a seat. "You seem down, nephew."

Shane peered over the fern at the center of the table toward his aunt. "I'm just an exhausted heap of pain right now, Aunt Marn," he explained with a miserable groan. "I've been more physically and socially active in the past four days than I have been in ages." He heaved a heavy sigh. "I just need to recover…"

The rancher rose from her chair and grabbed a banana from the hook on the countertop. "Here, one of these should help," she told Shane, peeling it for him and sticking it in his open mouth to silence his protests.

Chewing pensively, Shane downed the first mouthful. "You don't need to coddle me, Marnie," the grown man explained. "I need to find a way to feel more in control of my life right now." He grunted, resting his forehead on the tabletop. "I feel like I'm still stuck in a holding pattern until I find whatever the hell it is I'm supposed to do with my life." He took another bite of his banana. "And for now, I don't even have my job at Joja Mart to fall back on until my mandatory sick leave is finished." Shane had a feeling the policy was to ensure no further attempts on his own life were made on company property or attributed to their abysmal working conditions, rather than the kindness of the upper administrations hearts.

"Jas has really appreciated all the extra time with you," Marnie pointed out, to which Shane imparted that he was aware. "You've been doing well with all the animals and preparing shipments for our customers."

"The goats are out to get me," Shane asserted, raising the tattered end of his shirt. "Giddy tried to take a chunk out of me this morning."

Marnie chuckled. "She's just trying to be friendly!" she defended the old goat.

Shane shrugged. "They like you better because you secretly favor all the barn animals - the cows, pigs and goats…" Marnie hushed him, so the other animals would not hear and become jealous upon discovering her bias. "But that's okay, I actually really like caring for the coop animals…" Shane finished. "Charlie has really grown on me."

Marnie let her nephew's words sink in for a moment. "Are you suggesting we split our duties on the ranch? Or that you want to break off and start your own fowl farm?"

His dark eyes met Marnie's warm chestnut orbs. "And move where?" he queried incredulously. "It's not like there's any land for sale - or that I have enough money saved up to move out and start my own business."

The livestock farmer's face contorted as she considered the issue. "I'll see what we can do for you, Shane." If Shane split off and took over the coops on his own farm, Marnie would not make as much profit, but then again, her operational costs would also be reduced.

"Don't trouble yourself too much," Shane demanded, finally lifting his head from the table. "It was a crazy idea to begin with. I just thought it would be good to get a change of scenery. My room is still so depressing even after I got the layer of dust and grime off everything, but I don't want to leave Jas."

Marnie bobbed her head in understanding and stood up. "We'll figure something out. We always do," the brunette assured her nephew. She hovered beside him and gave his shoulders a squeeze. "It's incredible to see you like this," the brunette opined with a wide grin. "Even if you are exhausted, you seem to be doing better. The difference from just half a season ago when I got that horrible call from Doctor Harvey…" She swept up his head in her arms and held him close. "I'm so relieved, Shane!"

Her nephew felt a pang of guilt as he felt Marnie's embrace, happy tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm going to be fine, okay?" Shane grumbled, averting his gaze while attempting to gently push away from the physical contact. "You're embarrassing me, Aunt Marnie!"

"Oh, let an old girl be happy for a moment!" the rancher protested, swatting his hand away.

Harvey essentially moped around ever since he abruptly left Sam's birthday party on the beach. Maru had followed him to make sure he was okay that night, but the physician had little to say on the matter. "I failed her," was all Harvey stated.

"Even doctors are just regular people," Maru reminded him before he disappeared into the clinic to head to bed that night. "Medical professionals can do everything right and still lose a patient. Please don't blame yourself!"

But it was far too late for that. Harvey blamed himself every single day for Heather's death. Perhaps that was part of the reason he chose to provide a clinic to a tiny community like Pelican Town. While the loss of a patient was inevitable one day, the fewer the residents in a town, the less likely the clinician was to experience that again. Harvey was unsure whether his heart could take it again. So in several ways, choosing to live in a little coastal village was a safe option. Even if he did not make a lot of money he could bear it.

Maru had done her best to distract Harvey with a lively exchange during her shift. After a few moments into Robin's annual check-up it became clear that his nursing assistant told her mother about the incident at Sam's party. Even as he tried to put on a chipper air about himself, Robin was trying to bolster his spirits and provide comfort in knowing that all one can do is their best given their circumstances.

So, on this rainy Friday, Harvey felt even more down on himself than usual as he stood at the front desk of the clinic, watching the raindrops collect on the window panes. Normally, on days like today he would head to The Stardrop Saloon. But as of this Summer, Harvey visited Talla on Friday and Sunday each week. Would he disappoint the merchant if he did not show up today?

Harvey doubted that Talla would care all that much. He had gone to see her every weekend since the beginning of Summer. But just when he made up his mind to ditch both his usual plans to continue his pity party in the comfort of his own home, the physician heard the strangest sound. It was an eerie cry, like a wounded animal beckoning others for help. It made the hairs on his arms and neck stand on end. It could not possibly be a person, could it? Either way, Harvey did not want to take the risk of leaving someone out in this rain, injured and afraid.

The brunet flung on his raincoat and donned a hat to keep dry as he rushed to get ready. Snatching up his leather travel bag, the mustached man flipped the clinic sign to "CLOSED" before braving the damp weather outdoors and locking the door behind him.

For the second time this week, Violet had an unexpected visitor on Fairy Rose Farm. Marnie, dressed for the rainy weather in a Kelley green raincoat and copper-orange boots, smiled brightly as the farmer answered the door. "Hello, Violet!" the neighboring landowner greeted the young woman. "I hope you're having a good morning, despite the rain."

Violet shrugged, "The rain means I get to relax and enjoy an unproductive morning," she chuckled. "The crops are already watered!"

Marnie nodded introspectively. "Oh, I bet that's nice. The cows and goats need milking, rain or shine!" she reacted, genuinely happy for the younger woman. "But they are wonderful creatures, so I don't mind."

"Are you looking for more cave carrots?" Violet inquired, since that was the last item Marnie requested from her.

The brunette shook her head. "Oh, sorry, Violet. I should really get to the point so you don't keep getting rain in your doorway," Marnie expressed regret at her rude behavior. She tugged at her thick, auburn braid. "The thing is - A little birdie told me that you have a guest house here on your farm…" The rancher fidgeted nervously before continuing. "If it's not too much trouble, I was wondering if you might want some help on the farm in exchange for living in the house that's empty most of the year anyway…"

Confused, Violet furrowed her brow. "You want to live in my guest house?" she asked to clarify.

Marnie's warm eyes widened. "Oh!" she hooted, her sides shaking with amusement. "Oh, no dear. Not me! My nephew, Shane." The animal breeder explained the situation. "You see, Shane told me yesterday that a change of scenery might help him on his way to recovery. I went to the Mayor to ask about any affordable land for sale, but I'm afraid the prices are out of this old girl's budget." The woman with the braided hair frowned at the thought of the conversation and Violet wondered if she and Lewis might have been reduced to a shouting match.

"Anyway," Marnie verbalized. "Shane wanted to start his own coop and I was hoping that if you agreed to have some help on the farm, he could care for the animals in the coop and maybe do some chores on the farm in exchange for living in the house."

Violet considered the idea. Marnie was right, the house was empty most of the time. She did not expect Zach to visit again anytime soon and if Bex came back, she would probably want to stay with Violet in the main farmhouse. Not to mention it would help a neighbor. While Violet and Shane were not particularly close, there was something about seeing someone at their lowest that made her feel the need to help if she could. If a move out of Marnie's house could help Shane get on his feet, she should help. It was literally not going to cost Violet anything and the farmer would still have the privacy of her own home. She would have bought a coop for herself soon anyway, if only to get the items that the Junimos requested.

"He might have to use his old room again when I have family coming to visit," Violet mused aloud. "And I don't think I can get the coop right away since I need to make a bit more money and some tool upgrades were on my to-do list before that," she told her visitor, "but I'm sure Shane is more than capable of watering some crops. I even have a spare watering can in the guest house." Violet informed Marnie of her decision with a reassuring smile. "If Shane wants to live in the guest house, he's more than welcome."

The brunette's face beamed with delight. "Oh, thank you, Violet!" she said, scooping the young woman up in a crushing hug. "We'll make it worth your while, I promise."

"You really don't have to do anything," Violet finally pat Marnie's back to tap out of the embrace and the woman got the hint. "It's literally an empty house no one lives in, I'd be heartless not to let someone use it."

"Oh, thank you!" Marnie squealed, gathering up the end of her long dress so she did not trip over it down the stairs. "I'll run home and tell Shane! I'm sure he'll be delighted." Violet watched the woman disappear into the mist of the rainy day.

"I guess I need to make a lot of money soon," Violet thought aloud. Both for the tool upgrades and to purchase a coop in the near future. The farmer realized she should prepare ahead of time. I should probably ask the gang if they want to hit up the mines with me, she reasoned. That was always a good way to make money and Violet needed more iron anyway. She did not have enough ore to make the necessary bars so Clint could enhance her farming equipment. The gardener turned on the TV to check the luck forecast. Hm, bad luck day. No good. Still, Violet acknowledged she should ask ahead of time to be polite.

Are you all open to dungeon crawling in the mines the next time we get a good luck day? I need some supplies.* Violet texted their group chat.

*YAAAASSSSS!* Abigail returned immediately. *I NEED to fight some monsters!*

*And I love to watch Abigail in action.* Sam added with a flirty wink emoji. *I'm in, so long as I'm not working that day.*

*Sounds good to me.* Sebastian rejoined. *Just make sure to let us know first thing in the morning so we can maximize the loot.*

*Great! Today is no good, but I'll check on it as soon as I get up in the mornings until we get a good day for it.* Violet told her friends. *See you all at the saloon tonight!*

*Prepare to be crushed, losers!* Abigail declared.

*Says the one who lost most recently…* Sebastian shot back.

*Are you forgetting Violet's brother beat you?*

Sebastian did not accept that answer. *That's only because I had to leave!* Violet blushed at the reminder that Sebastian willingly lost a game of pool to run after her when he assumed she was upset and the kiss to her cheek that followed.

*To avoid the shame of the fallen.* Abigail brutally countered.

*Oooh, fan those flames!* Sam replied, followed by a laughing emoji.

*Alright, you two. enough!* Violet proclaimed, while she was entertained by all this, the farmer had things to do today. *Words are cheap. We'll settle this in person!*

*Now THAT'S the spirit, V!*

Harvey followed the haunting sound toward the beach and eastward toward the tide pools. Is it coming from the ocean? The doctor wondered as he noticed the moaning became louder as he approached the shoreline.

A hand grabbed his shoulder, startling Harvey, and he turned to see an old, bearded man shake his head. "Best not heed the pleas of the merfolk unless ya got fins and a pair of gills, son," the sailor cautioned, lifting the brim of his hat so the practitioner could better see his weather-worn face. "Even then, they might make a meal of ya," he cackled, releasing his grip from the medic's shoulder.

While Harvey would be remiss to believe an old tall tale like that, something in his gut told him that it was unsafe to continue his search. "You're sure it's not someone stranded out there?"

A cackle rang out into the air, despite the rain dampening all other sounds. "My girls are in no danger, I promise, lad." The man's cloud-grey eyes twinkled as he added, "Speakin' of my girls, I hear a lot about you from my eldest guppy. Sounds like you've caught 'er eye - for better or worse!"

"Guppy?" Harvey parroted in confusion. Had he misheard because of the rain or was this man that dedicated to his fish jokes?

The mariner's lips pulled back into a smirk, the sunbaked skin of his face stretching taught in his cheeks. "Ya know my Eshie, don't ya?" he began, whistling out a high-pitched tune of a well-known sea shanty as he stepped onto the pier out toward the water.

"Sir?" Harvey followed the man anxiously, concerned he might lose his footing and fall into the water.

The bearded man's old leather boots clacked onto the wooden boards of the dock and as they approached the edge, Harvey detected movement in the water that did not match the pulse of the tide. A silvery gleam in the water made the bespectacled man curious enough to squat down to get a closer look.

Suddenly, a head popped out of the water, causing Harvey to fall backward. It was humanoid in shape, but the details were all wrong. The creature's skin was glittering silver, like a piece of brilliantly polished metal. In its hair, pieces of kelp and small shells adorned the coral-pink strands. The eyes were unnervingly wide, like a squid and as it opened its mouth, Harvey noticed rows of sharp, jagged teeth. "Yes, father?" the creature asked, looking up at the old man.

The doctor found himself at a loss for words. Surely, this was some kind of practical joke? Elaborate costuming for a movie or other form of media? Was he being filmed so the audience back home could laugh at his reactions?

"Call Eshie, would ya?" the blue-clad sailor requested. "My whistlin' won't reach 'er this far, ya know."

The creature's mouth stretched and its teeth bared in a manner that somewhat resembled a smirk. "Of course, father," it responded obediently. Harvey thought the voice sounded feminine now that he was not so panicked. She took a deep breath, then stretched out her neck and cried out with a blood-curdling shriek. Despite himself, the clinician hid behind the old man so that there was a barrier between him and the sea creature.

"I suppose ya aren't used to this stuff yet, lad," the bearded man laughed, stroking his greying beard. "It'll come in time."

The female in the water tilted her head curiously. "Who is this, father?" Her large eyes scanned the doctor and her mouth hung open slightly as she did. "Is he joining us for a meal?" Harvey did not like the way she worded that question in combination with the hunger in her tone. Not one bit.

But the mariner put a protective hand out in front of him, keeping the monster at bay. "Now, now Neri…"

The creature huffed, crossing finned arms over her torso, but said nothing. Harvey became more curious as the minutes dragged on with nothing occurring, so he slowly crept closer to the edge of the pier, out from behind the old mariner.

After further observation, the mustached man realized that the woman had scales and a tail on the lower half of her body, matching the color of her hair. She tread water effortlessly, chatting with her father about news that Harvey did not understand. He removed his glasses to rub his eyes to clean the lenses. Surely there must be something wrong with his sight right now. As he used the hem of his shirt to scrub the grime off his spectacles, something else broke the surface of the water, startling Harvey. His glasses slipped from his grasp as he tried to scramble out of range.

Harvey instinctively reached out to attempt to save them from falling into the water, but he knew it was too late. It was strange, however, he did not hear them plop into the sea as he expected. Instead, he spied a blurred, golden figure - bright and shining against the grey of the rainy day. "You dropped these, Doctor," a voice advised him. The nearly-blind man instantly recognized it.

"Talla?"

The medic felt something slippery touch his hand and he could make out the shimmering gold form inching closer. A gentle touch to his face made him realize that Talla was putting his glasses back on his face, as a small window from which he could view his surroundings properly slowly approached his face.

Harvey found himself inches away from a golden humanoid creature with thick, curly hair and serrated teeth. Talla beamed at him, cackling quietly at the look on his face. "Hello, Catfish."