Cultivating Friendships

Violet tended to her garden first thing Saturday morning, having gone to bed early the night before. Sebastian canceled the usual Friday pool match due to a family obligation for Demetrius' birthday. It was disappointing, but Violet could not exactly fault him for it. According to Sebastian, Demetrius' original plan had been to go camping to find a particular bird on another near-by mountain range, but that idea had been ruined by the rain. Sebastian assumed they would just do a family dinner and he would be free to go to The Stardrop Saloon, but instead Robin demanded they do something as a family. So, in an attempt to try an activity catered to his step-son's interests, Demetrius requested "Solarion Chronicles: The Game."

The farmer wondered how that went, but Violet supposed it would be better to hear about it in-person next time they hung out. So, instead of pool, Violet spent the evening chatting with Elliott, Leah, Sam, and Abigail. However, the couple among the group immediately disappeared after Violet mentioned that the empty guest cabin would have a new resident. She had a feeling they snuck off to make use of the place one last time. At least they made sure to leave the guest house in the condition they found it. Shane was supposed to move into the empty dwelling later that day and there were a few chores that Violet still wanted to complete before helping her new tenant move into his house.

First, she needed to create a simple twine-and-stick fence around the mutant plants just so Shane would remember not to touch them. The farmer did not want to be responsible for accidentally irradiating anyone and if a barrier were already present, and in case Shane forgot her instructions regarding the care of the crops, he would think twice before attempting to water or touch them. While she planned on telling Shane specifically not to touch or tend to the magic crops, Violet had to plan for the possibility that he may arrive while she ran errands.

Secondly, Demetrius sent mail this morning asking for a melon and Violet fully intended to use the opportunity to try to speak with Sebastian. Not only did she want to apologize for panicking him but Violet also thought it might be a good idea to compare notes on abilities they each had discovered. Maybe they could help each other practice.

But, despite her pure intentions, Violet caught herself thinking about her time on the pier with Sebastian. How his touch made her shiver. The sparkle in his eyes that made her feel weak and breathless. Even this shirt that he offered to her, warm and soft. Violet had jumped to the conclusion that Sebastian's silence was a bad thing after she word-vomited a compliment. It was possible she just caught him off-guard the way he always managed to do with her. Maybe Sebastian was trying to feel out how she felt before he responded. The cultivator growled in frustration. If only that stupid, old dock had not snapped underfoot.

Still, the unexplained occurrences made Violet determined to get to the bottom of them. Did her grandmother have these abilities, too? Did her mother? What about Zach? And if her mom and brother did not share the magical abilities, how did she broach the subject with them without sounding like a crazy person?

Elliott held his breath as he slid the final copy of his manuscript into the mail slot and heard the muffled thud on the parcel hitting the bottom of the metal box. He cringed slightly, though he was confident he had packaged the documents with care so they should not be harmed from a little rough handling. The author's heart was aflutter and a great burden was now lifted from his shoulders.

How shall I celebrate? Elliott contemplated as he turned heel to head back toward the beach. But immediately he rejected the notion. No, no, I mustn't hex myself with festivities until my published novel is in hand.

Truth be told, this was the first time Elliott finished a novel. Previously, he only wrote short stories or poems that would occasionally be picked up by rather niche independent magazines or otherwise completely ignored. No, this time he had encouragement from another person who believed in his ability and it made a world of difference. Elliott knew that he could not have made it this far without Miss Penelope's help and wanted a tangible gift of appreciation. Yes, of course, he had already made a small hand-bound notebook, but that was not enough to repay her for the hours she poured into the project. But what?

If memory served the author correctly, Miss Penelope's birthday was early next season. Only three days before his own, though Elliott assumed she was her senior by a few years. Perhaps if Elliott planned ahead enough, he could do something on a grander scale to show his appreciation in addition to honor her day of birth. The long-locked poet did not own anything suitable to give a lady, so he would have to either purchase a gift or craft it himself. Other than binding books and wood craft itself, Elliott acknowledged that he did not have many skills to draw upon for the task.

The man paused on the stone bridge that crossed the river toward the beach to gaze at the churning waters below. Little minnows played in the current, their tiny silvery bodies catching the sun every so often, like bits of precious metal below the surface. Elliott sighed heavily. Miss Penelope would undoubtedly claim to like whatever gift he gave out of politeness. She was a genuine lady in that regard.

Elliott racked his brain, trying to recall if Miss Penelope mentioned a desire for anything he could obtain before he received his payment and royalties for the book. Alas, staring at the river-dwelling fish did not inspire him, so he returned home to sit at his writing desk to brainstorm ideas. The man's honey-colored eyes rest on the miniscule, ruby-red rose bush on the table top. "Of course!" Elliott exhaled quietly before he leapt to his feet, heading toward Fairy Rose Farm.

"Sorry I had to bail last night," Sebastian expressed to Sam regretfully, settling down on the chair at the blond's computer desk. The aspiring musician laid on his bed, his feet propped up on the wall next to it as he strummed a few chords on his guitar, searching for the right progression for a new song.

"No worries, fam," Sam assured the programmer, adjusting his grip on the pick before running it across the guitar strings again. "Family comes right, right?"

Sebastian scowled in complaint. "The whole game felt so forced and awkward..." To make the situation worse, he really wanted to talk to Violet last night but was blocked by his step-father's demand to play Solarian Chronicles. "We were literally all in the same house the entire day," Sebastian added. "It's not like we didn't have a chance to spend time together beforehand."

"But how did they do?" Sam inquired with a teasing grin, generally curious how the rest of his best friend's family dealt with role playing games.

Sebastian heaved an exasperated sigh. "About how you'd expect," the DM replied with a groan just thinking about it. "Demetrius took forever to make any decisions and wanted to know more behind the statistical likelihood of any outcome he could think of before coming to a conclusion." The hoodie-wearer leaned back, balancing the stool on only two of its legs. "And he didn't understand separating player knowledge from character knowledge!" Sebastian lamented in irritation.

"What did he try to do?" Sam wanted to know.

"He wanted to essentially poison the water supply for the orc settlement, but of course his warrior did not have the skill set for it." Sebastian pinched the skin above the bridge of his nose. "I had to argue with him that even Maru's sorcerer couldn't accomplish that with her spells."

Sam burst into laughter. "So no help from the rest of the family, huh?"

Sebastian's face fell. "Mom and Maru were equally bad in different ways." Sam discontinued plucking the strings of his instrument and sat up.

The older of the two shook his head and elaborated. "Maru tried to leverage minor ambiguities in the rulebook in her favor, which normally wouldn't be a big deal if her ideas didn't break the game."

"Meaning what, exactly?" Sam questioned aloud, now leaning forward with interest in Sebastian's account of events.

His best friend groaned. "Since the rules don't explicitly state you have to choose between the suggested actions I present to the party, Maru came up with her own original answers to each problem," Sebastian explained. "Which is usually fine in a campaign where I've already had to do all the world-building, NPC backstories, and general set-up, but I don't have a lot of experience improvising off-the-cuff like that for a pre-made scenario that I didn't make!"

Sam's smile only widened as Sebastian continued his rant. "And mom insisted on giving her healer an inconsistent 'quirky' accent that was like nails on a chalkboard to my ears."

"The only thing that would make this better would be if they asked you DM for them again," the blond hooted.

Sebastian's expression was a mixture of crestfallen and agonized. "How did you know?" he groaned miserably.

Violet gently packed a melon for Demetrius and shouldered her backpack, ready to head up toward the mountain trail when Elliott came into view. The farmer was beginning to wonder what made her so inexplicably popular lately with the rate at which visitors came to Fairy Rose Farm.

Elliott's crisp attire looked so out of place on a farm, but the former modern aristocrat held himself in a dignified manner all the same. "Oh dear," the poet began. "I see you are heading out," the silky-haired man observed sheepishly. "Shall I come back at another time?"

The floral-haired woman shook her head and stifled a sigh. "No, it's okay," she promised her friend. "How can I help you, Elliott?"

Brushing a bit of sand from his cuff, Elliott made his request. "I was hoping I might use a small plot of land to grow a melon."

Violet tilted her head in confusion. "A melon?" she repeated quizzically.

Elliott flushed in embarrassment. "You see, Miss Violet. Miss Penelope was most helpful in my efforts to publish a book and now that everything is complete, I wish to give her a present I have made with my own labor." He smiled in a charming manner. "I discovered at the Luau that she is quite fond of melons."

"That's sweet of you, Elliott," Violet praised the man. A melon seemed like an odd gift, though Elliott was a bit eccentric himself. "But it's too late in the season to start growing any melons. Only established plants are going to supply any fruit to harvest at this point."

The man's face fell. "Oh, how silly of me to forget such a thing," Elliott lamented quietly. His gold-brown eyes glanced at the agrarian hopefully. "Do you know of anything I could grow in this short amount of time?"

Violet chuckled. "Well, there are peppers, radishes," the farmer saw the poet's frown deepen until she ended with, "and a few varieties of flowers."

Elliott's eyes began to sparkle with possibility. "Oh, the language of flowers is such a rich and ancient art!" he declared. "Could I perhaps grow agrimony?"

Smiling, the planter had to lower her friend's expectations a bit. "Your choices are spangles, sunflowers, and poppies," Violet informed the aspiring gardener, holding up a finger for each species.

The poet tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Spangles are not elegant enough for Miss Penelope," Elliott reasoned aloud. "Sunflowers would convey my adoration most accurately, but…"

"But what?" Violet queried the well-dressed man as she shifted her weight between her legs.

He looked down at the farmer, clearly distressed. "I wish to make these flowers last longer in some manner - the most simple technique is of course pressing the blooms, but with a sunflower that would be difficult."

Violet nodded. They were a bulky flower, even if they were bright and cheerful. "What about poppies, then?" the woman suggested. "Their blooms are relatively easy to flatten and they come in a variety of colors."

Elliott beamed with approval. "Oh course, a poppy would certainly complement Miss Penelope's refined nature." He paused briefly, "Though I hope she would not misinterpret my intentions should she read into their meaning."

"Flower language stuff?" Violet clarified. She knew a little bit since she loved plants so much, but never delved into the subject or history of it all.

The author bobbed his head. "Each color has a different significance and then of course the meaning is not consistent throughout the cultures of the world."

"So give her at least one of each and that way she knows you simply enjoy the look of them," Violet advised Elliott. "If the meanings contradict one another, I'm sure Penny would realize they're purely for aesthetics."

Elliott considered this for a moment. "Yes, I suppose that would do it," he conceded. He clapped his hands together. "Does this mean you will allow me to lease a small portion of your land, Miss Violet?"

Violet shrugged. "It's not like I'm using it all right now," she responded, gesturing to the portion of land she had yet to clear. "Besides, I plan on making some bee houses once I have the necessary iron and I'm sure they would love the nectar." The agrarian was sure there would not be enough time for the bees to provide any specialized honey, but Violet wanted to assure her verbose friend that his request was not a major inconvenience. Though she wondered if she would get around to delivering the melon to Demetrius before it was time to move Shane into the guest house. Violet exhaled audibly. I suppose this is the introvert's cost for having friends, she reasoned as she watched Elliott tied up his fine hair with a decorative scarf before she instructed him on how to properly hoe the designated plot of land.

Moving was always a pain in the ass, but Shane was comforted by the fact that did not have many possessions worth moving. Fortunately for the chicken man, Violet prepared for his arrival the day before by clearing a new pathway through the pine tree grove in the southwest corner of the farm where his new home stood so it was more easily accessible when coming from the southern entrance to the farm.

This, in combination with Emily and Violet volunteering to help him carry his things to the cabin on Fairy Rose Farm, made the whole process much smoother than Shane anticipated. Haley, on the other hand, who was voluntold by her older sister to assist with the move, did not particularly care for physical labor of any kind. Despite her griping, the blonde did help move the boxes from Shane's room to the new house for a while before she disappeared to do other things. Shane was not sure where Emily's sister went, but the larger items were already in the house anyway.

Marnie had removed the couch cushion covers on his red sofa and washed them thoroughly along with his jade green rug. The rest of the upholstered furniture had been mainly stain-free and luckily some soap and hot water got out the worst of the beer stains for the affected items. Once their team of three got the couch in the house, Emily added her own touch with a few pillows she made herself. They depicted cute little farm scenes featuring chickens, mainly. Charlie was especially noticeable on one and Shane was pleasantly surprised by the gift. "They look great, Emily," he told her appreciatively as she fluffed the pillows before setting them on either end of the couch.

Emily beamed with delight. "I'm so glad you like your housewarming gift, Shane." The sapphire-haired woman sat on the couch and leaned against a pillow for a comfort test. She dipped her head in satisfaction. "Oh yes, this will do nicely!"

Violet picked up one of the pillows to inspect it. "Emily, you made this?" the pastel-haired woman asked in shock. "It's adorable!" she squealed.

The textile crafter laughed. "I had very cute models to help inspire me," Emily enlightened her admirers. "And once you cut out the shapes, the detailing is actually pretty easy!"

Shane grinned and fished a photo out of one of the packed boxes. "In that case, I think Charlie's picture should go right here above the table," the poultry rancher stated, holding it up along the wall for the others to see.

"It looks great there," Emily agreed, taking the pillow back from Violet and placing it beside her.

"Very thematic," Violet chortled, grabbing a hammer and a nail for Shane to affix the portrait of his loyal hen on the wall. "You would think this is a chicken coop."

"All it needs is a hay trough," Shane cackled, tapping the nail into the wall and hooking the loop on the back of the frame to it. He adjusted it to one side, making it level before stepping back to appreciate his work. "And somewhere to roost."

"If you want to add a loft to the house, that one's on you," Violet notified her new tenant, with a pat to his shoulder.

"Nah, I'd probably fall and break something," he replied with a jocular smirk. "I'll keep my feet on the ground where they belong." Shane began to take a few belongings out of the boxes around him to unpack the rest of his possessions and Violet took that as an opportunity to excuse herself.

"I have some errands to run, but let me know if you need anything when I get back," the farmer instructed her closest neighbor as she headed out the door in the early evening sunshine. "Remember not to touch the plants until our lesson tomorrow!"

"Yeah, yeah," Shane returned dismissively, but Violet was already on the porch and headed north toward the mountain path.

Emily stood to join Shane in unpacking his things. "It was nice of Violet to lend her guest cabin out," the red-clad woman thought aloud.

Shane could not help but agree. "I was surprised when Marnie came to me with the news," he admitted bashfully. "I didn't think it was possible to move out somewhere and get a fresh start."

Emily hummed happily. "Well, the energy of this place is much brighter, so I'm sure you'll thrive from here on out!" she proclaimed with an air of confidence that made it sound like an undeniable fact. Her warm brown eyes scanned the room. "It's small, but places like this are much easier to keep clean," the barmaid mused. "My parents' house is too big."

"I like simple things, too," Shane concurred, tucking his clean clothing away in a drawer. He did not used to do this, but with Emily around he felt the need to tidy up. "But Marnie's place needed to be big enough to accommodate Jas and me, too. Not to mention the shop."

"Jas is a little sweetheart," Emily expressed with a smile. "She has a wonderful imagination!"

Shane opened another box of clothes. They looked surprisingly clean, but then again, he supposed he basically lived in his Joja Mart uniform for ages. He glanced down at the shirt in his hand. Would Emily notice if he started sporting a normal wardrobe again? He held a shirt up to his body, curious if it would even fit anymore. It had been a while and he gained some weight since he last wore it.

Emily seemed to notice something was on his mind. "Oh, we should talk about what you're going to wear when you announce your mayoral candidacy!"

The stubbly man blinked in surprise. "Is Haley actually serious about being my campaign manager? It's only a small town local election, after all."

"While my sister is a bit more materialistic than I am," the amateur fashion designer began, "she doesn't make a promise lightly." Emily removed a few shirts from the boxes and held them up to Shane. "So rest assured, Haley means it!" She shook her head at a series of plain t-shirts.

"Whereas I see we'll need to get to work on your wardrobe!" Emily proclaimed with excitement. The woman gently grabbed Shane's wrist and led him toward the door. "Come with me, all my supplies are back home."

"I still have some unpacking to do!" Shane protested half-heartedly. He really did not mind waiting until later, but he was nervous about being alone in Emily's house with her again.

Emily rejected the excuse. "Oh, there's not much. Besides," she reasoned, "I'll need time to properly tailor everything so the sooner we start, the better!"

"I'm just a new mannequin to you today, aren't I?"

The woman in the ruby red dress snorted, and the bright smile reached her soft brown eyes. "Don't be silly, Shane," she told him, tapping her finger to his nose, and making his heart flutter. "You're also an adorable blue chicken!"

Haley was headed back toward Marnie's ranch to retrieve another of Shane's moving boxes when she spied Leah acting strangely under the big fruit tree in the Cindersap Forest. She was hopping like a rabid rabbit, so the blonde went to go make sure the artist was alright.

The ginger startled when Haley got close, jumping slightly upon realizing she was not alone. "Oh! Haley! You scared me," she cried between pants.

"What are you doing?" the woman in the blue dress inquired, trying to tone down the judgement in her voice.

Leah's slate-colored eyes gazed up toward the branches of the enormous tree. "See that fruit up there?" she answered, pointing up at the lower limbs. "It looks delicious, doesn't it?" Luckily, the sculptor did not wait for a response from Haley. "But I can't reach it!"

Haley thought for a second, then dropped her hip to one side so she stood in a lateral lunge, confusing Leah as she reached out her hand. "Stand on my thigh," the blonde instructed, tapping her quadriceps. "Once you're confident in your balance, I'll make a foothold with my hands and push you up."

"You're going to… lift me?" Leah repeated doubtfully.

The blonde rolled her baby blue eyes. "I used to do it for cheer all the time, you'll be fine as long as you remain calm and keep your posture straight." Haley's hand tapped her leg again. "C'mon," she urged the red-head. "I don't have all day, you know."

Leah took Haley's hand and stepped up, wobbling slightly before finding her balance. The artist beamed. "That's not so bad!" she acknowledged, but her arms still did not reach the fruit she desired.

Haley grinned encouragingly, "Now, see what I'm doing here with my hands?" she said, cupping them together close to Leah's knee. "Put your left foot on my hands and when you're ready, I'm going to stand using my legs and push you upward." She cautioned Leah, "I'm not going to be able to hold you up like that for long, so make sure you're prepared to land safely on your own."

"Okay…" Leah nodded in understanding, gently placing the ball of her foot into the foothold Haley created for her. "Ready when you are!"

"One, two, three! HA!" Haley counted, catapulting Leah upward in one fluid motion. Leah reacted quickly, snatching the fruit from the branch and prepared herself to fall. But Haley caught her and instead of falling with a hard thud, the ex-cheerleader allowed Leah's body to slide down on her own, reducing the force of her descent.

Leah laughed in surprise. "You're stronger than you look!" the forager disclosed, handing Haley the fruit they successfully obtained. "Here, have a piece."

Normally, Haley did not eat strange food, but it was such an inviting shade of pink. The blonde shrugged, accepting the fruit, and took a small bite. Her bright blue eyes grew wide as saucers. "It's delicious!" she announced, handing it back to Leah, who immediately took a bite herself.

"I knew it!" she proclaimed triumphantly through a mouthful of fruit, wiping the sides of her mouth to keep in the juices. Leah handed it back to Haley. "Want another bite?"

Haley looked dubious. "Isn't that kind of…" her voice trailed off, not sure how to finish her question politely.

Leah assumed she knew the answer. "Oh, I'm not sick so as long as you aren't we're probably fine," the ginger clarified. "I should have checked to make sure you were feeling well beforehand." The taller woman beamed at her. "Besides, good food should be shared!"

Cerulean blue eyes rolled in their sockets. "It's not like I would have lifted you if I were feeling sick." She accepted the small fruit and took another bite before handing it back to Leah. The blonde felt the heat rise in her cheeks as she did so, however. Why did this feel so intimate while Leah just blew it off so casually? The blonde's fingertips brushed her reddening cheeks. Maybe she was sick after all.

Violet handed off the melon to Demetrius and received her payment for delivery. "This is an excellent specimen. Thank you, farmer Violet!" the scientist declared happily before taking the fruit and disappearing around the corner toward the kitchen.

The agrarian's cobalt eyes scanned the surrounding area before she headed toward Sebastian's bedroom door. Violet turned the knob as quietly as she could so not to draw attention, but her cover was blown the instant she shifted her weight onto the first stair. "He's out with Sam," Maru informed the floral-haired woman. "He usually doesn't get back till late on Saturdays."

Violet's heart was racing from Maru's sudden appearance. "Oh, in that case I'll talk to him another day," she verbalized, turning her body back toward the main floor of the house.

Maru lifted her shoulders. "I know you didn't come here to see me, but you're welcome to hang out until my brother comes home." She tilted her head toward her room. "I was just going to look at the stars with my telescope if you want to join."

The researcher's words made Violet feel guilty. Maru showed her a lot of kindness over the past two seasons and the farmer had neglected their friendship. While Violet was worn out from all the day's physical exertion, she recognized an opportunity to spend more quality time with Maru. "I've never used a telescope before," the woman admitted. "That sounds like fun!"

"Oh, right. I suppose the last time you saw me with it, my mom called us all for dinner before I could show you anything interesting," Maru recollected fondly, though Violet was unsure why. But then the young woman leaned in closer to the agriculturalist to add, "Sebastian told me about his magic after you left that night." She leaned in toward Violet and whispered, "He froze my pencil right in front of my eyes!"

Ah, that explained it.

Maru smiled at her guest and waved Violet over to her room, where they could step out onto the patio directly. The astrophile craned her head upward to determine where to point her telescope and adjusted the knobs accordingly. "I'm afraid I don't have any news about your plants just yet," the overall-clad woman apologized.

"Oh, that's okay," Violet assured Maru, leaning on the picket fence of the patio. "You seem so busy, I can't reasonably expect you to push everything else to the side to figure out my problem."

The younger woman chuckled. "I suppose you're right, I do have a lot of projects going on in addition to my job!" She leaned down to inspect the view through the stargazing device and shook her head, fiddling with the mechanics.

"I'm still sorry you lost your drone when we were looking for Shane," Violet said apologetically, "but it really helped while it lasted. Thanks!"

Maru's lips drew back with a wistful sigh. "Oh, machinery is bound to have some failure at some point, especially prototypes," she insisted. "I'll eventually make another, but for now I'm focusing on seasonal projects - like stargazing."

Violet tilted her head curiously. "What got you so interested in space, Maru?"

The scientist pursed her lips as she pondered the question. "You know, I don't think I've ever told anyone this other than my dad," Maru confessed, "but I once found an empty capsule in the mountainside." Her warm eyes glanced Violet's direction. "It did not seem to match any records of human space exploration devices, so I think it was alien technology." Maru gazed back up toward the dark sky, lit only by the quiet twinkle of the far-away stars and a sliver of the moon. "I guess I keep watch every night I can, wondering if I'll ever see anything like it again."

If someone had said this to Violet a year ago, she probably would have assumed they were one of those silly UFO chasers. But after living in Pelican Town for nearly two seasons, the farmer realized that she needed to keep an open mind. "What happened to the capsule you found?"

Maru sighed forlornly. "I wanted to keep it in my room, but it was too bulky to bring with me and when I tried to bring my dad the next time, I couldn't find it anymore."

"Do you think someone else found it?"

The amateur astronomer shrugged. "Either that, or my terrible sense of direction got me turned around."

"I don't believe it!" Violet teased. "Our resident genius, get lost?"

"That's the part you don't believe?" Maru countered with a grin. "I guess you're officially a local now, Violet." After some final tinkering, the scientist stepped back from the telescope. "Here, check this out and tell me what you see."

Violet lowered herself toward the eyepiece and let out an impressed exclamation. "Oh, it's gorgeous!"

"It's the Andromeda Galaxy," Maru elucidated. "You can see it without a telescope on nights like this, but it's nice to be able to get a closer look."

"I never thought I would see so many stars in one small section of the sky…" Violet reacted breathlessly.

"There are a lot of things we don't know about the world around us," Maru stated confidently. "But I hope to learn as much as I can about as many of them as possible."

Violet straightened her posture and yielded the telescope back to its owner. "Thanks for sharing that with me," the shorter woman uttered, stifling a yawn. She blinked, her eyelids heavy already. "I should probably head home and get to sleep. I've had a busy day."

Maru held out her hand to stop her for a moment. "Didn't you want to see Sebastian?"

The farmer bobbed her head. "I did, but I got to hang out with his cool sister for a while instead." She rubbed her eyes sleepily. "Besides, I can always come back another time when I'm not so ready to pass out."

Frowning, the scientist made the sleepy planter promise to contact her once Violet got home safely. "I just want to make sure you don't fall over from exhaustion before you make it back to the farm."

Her visitor and made her good-bye before disappearing westward toward home. Maru stayed up until she got the text for Violet before heading in and going to bed herself. Even if Violet had not originally come to the house to see her, Maru thought it was nice the farmer stuck around. It was fun to talk to others about the stars.