It was a beautiful sunny day, just a few days after the Spring Goddess Festival. Jack had worked himself day and night for over a week and decided it was time for a break. He ventured into the back hill.
Jack walked up towards the hot springs and sat down on a tree stump. Next to him was some green grass, so he picked it up and began to eat it. It wasn't too bad tasting, he decided.
"Ick! You actually eat that stuff?!"
Jack looked up to see Popuri standing next to him. She was making one of her weird faces at him. "It's not too bad, you wanna try some?" he asked.
"Yuck! I don't really like that stuff." Popuri walked over to the hot spring and paced back and forth in front of it.
A few minutes later Ann walked up the steps and smiled when she saw Jack sitting on the tree stump. "Good morning Jack!" she said cheerfully.
"Hey Ann." Jack replied. "Want some?" He held up part of the blue grass he was eating.
"I love to eat but.... nothing that's just found on the ground!" She giggled a little. "I've never seen you come up here before Jack. Are you taking a break?"
"Yeh, I really needed one. I thought this would be the perfect spot to relax. I didn't know that you and Popuri came up here in the morning." Jack replied.
"Oh cool! Can I umm.. 'relax' with you??" Ann asked.
"Sure." Jack said.
Popuri overheard Jack's conversation with Ann and suddenly felt herself becoming jealous. She didn't really like him, but for some reason she really wanted his attention. Popuri walked over to where Jack and Ann were sitting and tapped him on the shoulder.
Jack turned around. "Yeh Popuri??"
"Will you tell me about the city?" Popuri asked.
"Sure. What do you want to know about?"
"Everything!" Popuri got an excited look in her eye. She always dreamed about going to the city, and anywhere that wasn't Mineral Village.
"The city.. well I grew up there. And I have one thing to tell you first. Living in the city was different, but not better than living here. You have a good life here Popuri. This town is really great. Don't you think so Ann?"
"I love it here." Ann replied.
"That's nice. Tell me more about the city." Popuri demanded.
"Well..." Jack began. "It's never quiet. It's too crowded and noisey. I like it better here."
"I know that! Tell me something good about the city." Popuri was getting a little impatient. Why couldn't this guy just answer her question?
"The good things about the city? Uh well.. there are nice parks there. And the street vendors always have good food." Jack grinned.
"It sounds like a great place!" Popuri said, thinking about what the city would be like with her in it.
"Just remember what I said about it. It's different, but not better than living here." Jack replied.
"Hey it was nice talking with you guys, but I gotta get to work now." Ann stood up. "Bye!"
"Bye Ann!" Jack and Popuri said at the same time. They turned to look at each other. Popuri had a wide eyed excited look on her face. "Tell me more!" she demanded again. So Jack told her more. He told her things about his childhood, and his favorite places in the city he grew up in.
When afternoon arrived Karen walked up the stairs towards the hot spring. She went there every tuesday afternoon, and this tuesday was no exception. But to her surprise, when she got to the top of the steps she found Popuri and Jack together. Now she usually didn't feel like this, but when she saw them together she felt a little jealous.
Karen walked over to them and smiled. "Hey guys, what are you talkin' about?"
"The CITY!" Popuri said.
"That's interesting. Didn't you used to live in the city Jack?" Karen asked him.
Jack grinned. He loved when Karen talked to him directly like this. "Yeh I did."
"Tell me more!" Popuri demanded once again.
"Alright Popuri. You want to join too Karen?" Karen nodded and sat down with them.
The more Jack talked the more he began to like spending time with Popuri. She might have been very demanding, but no one else loved to hear his childhood stories as much as her. He found it interesting that she was so interested in going to the city, and seeing other places in the world. Unlike her, Jack was content on living in Mineral Village.
Karen sat down next to Jack on the side opposite of Popuri. She starred up at him the whole time he talked. Jack was kinda cute, even with that giggly Popuri hanging all over him. His stories were even more interesting than Rick's.
After talking for about an hour Karen looked at her watch. "Oh no, I have to go home now. It was nice talking to you guys. Hey Popuri, if you want to know more about the city maybe you should go to the library. I think Mary and Gray could tell you some things about it." Karen got up and walked away.
Jack watched her walk away. He really thought she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. She turned around a couple times to look back at him, then continued on her way. That's when Popuri began tugging on Jack's shirt.
"Can we go to the Library?!" She asked, and gave Jack the sad eyes.
"Yeh I guess so. "
"Yay!" Popuri jumped up and pulled Jack with her. Together they walked through Jack's farm and towards the town library.
When they walked into the library Mary almost fell out of her chair at the sight of other people other than Gray coming into the library. And of all people, Jack and Popuri. Mary slide off her chair and walked over to them.
"Welcome to the Library. It's nice to see you Jack, Popuri. You guys don't usually come here..."
"Hi Mary!" Popuri said cheerfully.
"What brings you here today?" Mary asked.
"Popuri wants to know more things about the city." Jack replied.
"Yeh! Karen said you and Gray might know some stuff since she heard you guys lived there once." Popuri told Mary.
In the very back corner of the library Gray overheard their talking. He did once live in a city. He even thought that he liked it better. But even so, after living here for a few weeks and meeting Mary, Gray decided that he liked living in a small town better. Even if he had to put up with his grouchy grandfather.
"Hey Gray," Mary said quietly. "Will you come here for a few minutes. Popuri wants to know some stuff about the city. Will you tell her about the city you are from?"
"Uh sure." Gray said plainly. Gray walked over to where everyone else was standing. "What do you want to know Popuri?"
"EVERYTHING!"
Gray sighed. "Alright." He began to tell her things about the city he grew up in.
Jack turned around and looked at Mary. "I haven't forgotten about your story. Will you let me read it now?" He gave her one of his biggest grins.
Mary blushed a little. "I-I'm not done with it yet."
"Alright, but don't forget, you said I could read it." Jack winked at her.
"I know, I know." Mary was still blushing. Even though she had a thing for Gray, Jack still made her blush bright red.
"Uh that's all I can tell you about the city I grew up in. I like this village better anyways." Gray told Popuri.
"Geeze! You sound just like Jack. This town bites. And his stories were more interesting anyways!" Popuri started to pout. "Can you take me home now?"
Jack looked at Mary and Gray. Gray groaned and walked to the back of the library. "Well I guess we'll see you guys around." Jack and Popuri walked out of the library and towards the Poultry Farm.
Outside the Poultry Farm Rick was standing in the street with a stern look on his face. "Popuri!!! Where have you been?!" The look on his face changed when he saw who Popuri was with.
"I was with Jack all day! I didn't want to work today." Popuri replied.
"Popuri! You know you are supposed to work on tuesdays. We only have Sundays off!" Rick scolded.
"Oh Rick I hate you!!" Popuri ran past Rick and into their house.
"So what did you guys do today?" Rick asked Jack before Jack had a chance to get away.
This guy's real nosey, Jack thought to himself. "She asked me to take her to the Library. I have to go now, bye Rick." Jack walked away.
"The Library huh?" Rick looked confused. He thought Popuri hated that place...
~~
Later that night Jack was getting ready for bed. He played with his dog a little and checked out the weather forcast. It was going to rain for the next couple of days. Then Jack went into his bag. He wanted to make sure he brought in all of his tools.
After searching through his bag Jack realized that his hoe was missing....