Panic. At the moment, Vicky felt like panic was a pretty good description of what she felt as she clutched her backpack to herself, sitting in an uncomfortable seat on the bus ride to Stardew Valley. The last few days had been a blur, getting out of her lease, selling her car to the first person who'd expressed interest, calling up someone named Lewis to inform him that she was taking possession of the farm. He'd sounded ecstatic, just glad that someone was finally going to come take care of 'the old place' as he'd put it. The way he'd expressed relief didn't exactly paint a favorable light on the way she thought of how Grandpa's old farm looked nowadays.
Getting out of her apartment had been more of a mess than she'd anticipated. She'd had to waive her deposit and pay off three months of her lease, leaving her with very little cash, some of which she'd had to spend on the bus ticket out here. Selling her car hadn't gotten her as much as she wanted either, and with having to buy luggage, lodging at a motel for a night while she waited for a bus to Stardew, food, as well as the other fees she'd have to pay when she arrived, it left her with very little to her name other than her backpack with a few books and clothes, and the larger bag she'd packed that currently resided under the bus in a storage compartment.
Some clothes, some pictures, a few knick knacks, and not much else were all that were accompanying her to the Valley. She'd gotten her hair trimmed, putting it into what was commonly referred to as a 'pixie' cut, something she thought would mean less personal maintenance while she worked on the farm, and it'd mean she wouldn't have to worry about keeping her hair out of her face while she was working. A black t-shirt with a pink heart on it, a pair of loose-ish jeans she'd found in a closet- the only pair of 'working' pants she actually owned, as well as a new pair of brown boots.
Lewis had advised her to buy boots rather than wear sneakers or something of the like, apparently the Valley was due for a thaw in the next day or so, and spring mud was 'like quicksand' according to him and would have sucked her sneakers right off her feet. She'd decided to trust him and spend a bit on a nice, quality pair of boots for her new home, rather than risk losing less-appropriate footwear. It'd placed her at exactly 500G for getting started on the farm, not counting what she'd have to pay for legal fees, which had lead to her current state of mild panic.
She'd looked up seed prices at Pierre's, the only store she was able to find information on in the town, only to find that the cheapest seeds were something like 20G. It left her very little to work with, and she'd have to find some way to make things work and stretch herself while plants grew. It might be a tight couple of months once she arrived, and she was starting to have second thoughts.
Grandpa's voice sprung to her mind unbidden though, reminding her of his last words. I trust you, Vicky. You'll do what's best for you.
Clearly he thought she'd have what it takes to make it here. He wouldn't have left her the farm otherwise. He never did anything without a reason, always a plan or some kind of insurance making sure things would turn out his way. Until he got sick, anyway...
She tried not thinking about that anymore. She didn't need thoughts of Grandpa's final days on top of her urge to run as soon as she stepped off the bus. They were currently climbing through a series of mountains, and the bus driver had informed her that they'd arrive in the valley shortly. She was the last person here, everyone else having gotten off at Calico a few hours back. Apparently there was a casino or something in the town that they'd all been excited to visit, they kept mentioning someone named Mr. Qi.
The bus driver, a woman named Pam, seemed friendly enough, but somehow she reminded Vicky of some of her coworkers. She smelled slightly of alcohol and gave off an air of something being wrong with her, that sort of tired desperation that she knew all too well. Like someone strung out on too little life and hoping the line doesn't snap along the way. Despite that she was doing her best to make conversation, and had even invited Vicky to move closer to the front of the bus so they could chat.
Vicky had decided to keep mostly to herself, however, not wanting to distract the possibly-intoxicated driver from the road. It wasn't too treacherous, and didn't seem particularly steep or winding, definitely the sort built for a bus and truck traffic, but she still didn't want to die on a mountainside because her bus driver got distracted... maybe she shouldn't have sold her car after all. She'd told the driver a little about herself, how she'd up and left all of a sudden to come down here, where she'd worked, where she was going. Apparently her Grandfather had been pretty well-known in town, since Pam still appeared to remember him.
Another level was added to her panic as the bus began to make rather odd noises as they approached the bottom of the pass, sputtering and coughing, and she thought she could vaguely smell ozone or something very much like it... When they pulled into the bus stop it died altogether, the engine choking one last time before grinding to a halt with a rather pointed grinding noise. As Pam pulled herself out of her seat and off the bus, Vicky followed, still clutching her bag tightly to her chest. She definitely should have driven... maybe someone here would have bought her car off of her.
Vicky was left to pull her larger bag out from under the bus by herself, as Pam was near the back where she could see smoke rising out of the engine. She thanked Yoba that she'd made it to her destination before the bus died, though given that she'd been informed that was the only bus in and out of the area she was probably stuck for a while...
Waiting for her near the bus stop was a small old man wearing a brown hat and a pair of suspenders, a large bushy white mustache on his face, a green shirt and pair of worn boots finishing off his outfit. He stood with his thumbs hooked into his suspenders, a friendly smile on his face as he waved to the newcomer. "Welcome! Welcome, you must be Victoria." His voice was fairly deep, but with a charming sort of authoritative tone that took the edge off. It reminded her of her father for some reason.
"That's me, yep." She tried to sound less afraid and nervous than she was, but she wasn't entirely sure she was pulling it off. Late afternoon sun barely crested the mountains surrounding the valley, lending everything around a golden sheen. The air here smelled different, sweeter and cleaner, especially once a light breeze rolled through, blowing away the acrid scent of the failed bus engine. As the wind ruffled Vicky's shorter hair, she felt herself calm. Something about this area just seemed... right. It helped put her roiling stomach at ease.
"Great to meet you! My name's Lewis, we spoke on the phone." He held out a hand, taking her backpack from her hand to carry as he gestured for her to follow.
"That's right. You said you were an old friend of my Grandfather."
"I did! He was a good friend. I'll have to drink to his memory at the Saloon later. We're going to set you up at Pierre's for the night. They have an extra room you can sleep in."
"I can't sleep at the farm?" She didn't really want to impose on anyone, especially if it meant sleeping in the house of strangers. And... "Isn't Pierre's the general store here?"
"I see you've been doing your research! And no, unfortunately. It has to be cleared, the power restored, and the water turned back on. We can't send you to the old place without making sure something harmful hasn't moved in. It should all be ready tomorrow. Some of the people from town are clearing it out as we speak, and everything should be ready for you to move in bright and early tomorrow morning."
She knew the farm was probably in rough shape, but people from town having to physically clear the building? That just added yet another layer to her emotions, practically sending them into full revolt as she had to remind herself that she didn't have anywhere to return to in the city. She'd have to at least make some kind of go at it here before she could even attempt to return. "So I'm just sleeping in a spare room?"
"Actually there's a bit of a common area? Some of the women in town use it for aerobics on Tuesdays, and there's a shrine to Yoba in a connecting room. They'll have set up a little cot for you in the common area and you can bed down there for the night. You'll be meeting Pierre, his wife Caroline, and their daughter Abigail. She's about your age, I think?" He glanced back to Vicky with a smile, looking her over a few times.
"What?" He almost seemed like he was searching for something, the way he scanned her.
"Nothing. You just remind me of your Grandfather. I think you'll fit right in."
They were currently walking through a bit of woodland along a dirt track. The air here was cold but not quite frozen, and she could still see signs of Winter around here and there, snow drifted into melting banks. Behind her, the path seemed to disappear into the forest, and ahead she could see lights and a cobblestone road off in the distance. She'd spotted the town from her vantage point on the mountain road through the windows of the bus, right on the coast, a small sleepy hamlet separated from the rest of the world. She wondered if they even knew there was a war on.
A few minutes of walking saw them on the cobblestone road, a short distance outside of town. She could see people going about their business, and surprisingly a few of them sported oddly colored hair. She saw purple, green, even blue. She almost felt out of place with her dark black short cut, maybe she'd have to consider coloring it while she was here... As they stepped into town proper, some of the lights began to come on. A wooden sign hung on the front of a building, backlit by floodlights read 'Pierre's', and she could make out a neon sign reading 'Saloon' further off across a large paved area with a raised dais in the middle, probably the town square.
All the buildings seemed old, at least older than her, save a newer-looking blue building further south that appeared to be someone's house. Interestingly enough, she could just barely hear guitar being played off from that direction. The Saloon and Pierre's appeared to be the two older buildings in town though, judging by the wood cladding along their sides and the way their roofs were built. Maybe her architect studies weren't completely worthless after all...
"And here we are!" Cheerful as ever, Lewis stopped in front of Pierre's to hand her backpack back to her. He turned to gaze out over the town with a smile, placing his hands on her hips. "I still can't believe I'm the Mayor of this place sometimes, even though it's been twenty years."
"Twenty years? Wow." Her eyes went a little wide at the thought. She couldn't imagine having the same job for twenty years, much less running a town for that long.
"Yep. I guess I'm just doing something right. Nobody ever seems to run against me. Or maybe nobody else wants the responsibility." He glanced toward her with a shrug. "Anyway." He began to gesture toward buildings. "This is Pierre's, and just next door is the Clinic. Over there's the Saloon. Just to the left is Evelyn and George's house." He gestured to an old pale-blue building. "Back across the square is Emily and Haley's house, that peach building. To their right is Vincent, Jodi, and Sam. Their father Kent's off fighting in the war."
Seems like the war reached them after all. Even a place like this...
She sighed internally as Lewis continued.
"The big manor over there is my house. Mayor's dwelling, with my own little office. I act a bit like the post office and tax collector and everything else here in town, so you'll probably see me quite a bit. I'll also pass by your farm in the morning, pick up anything you've managed to produce the day before." He glanced back toward her to make sure he hadn't lost her yet, then gestured back off east. "Across the river is the Library and Blacksmith", she could just see smoke rising from the forge, though there was another building...
"What's the blue building over there?" She gestured almost directly east from Pierre's, where most of the light she'd noticed from before seemed to be coming from. They even had a big neon sign like she knew from the city.
"Oh. That." His mouth drew down, smile all-but disappearing from his face as he turned back to look at it. "That's the JojaMart."
That made Vicky frown too. Even out here? Seems like even when she moved hours away to a tiny town in the countryside she just couldn't get away from them.
"They moved in a few years ago. Pelican Town's never really been the same ever since. The Community Center closed down, Pierre had to downsize. He used to have a staff. A few people work there, but we lost the hardware store, the grocer, the housing supplies store... all we have left is Pierre's and JojaMart." He let out a quiet little sigh, and it was the first time since she'd arrived that she'd seen him look genuinely somber and sad. "They just out price everyone else. The only reason Pierre's managed to stay open is customer loyalty, and he still sells seeds cheaper. Apparently they don't want the competition for their own produce sources."
He placed his thumbs in his suspenders again, pulling them out from his chest slightly as he gazed at the JojaMart, then out across Pelican Town. He almost seemed wistful, like he was lost in a happier past, and for the first time his face appeared genuinely drawn and weathered. He seemed to realize that Vicky was watching him, however, and his smile returned, though it seemed more forced than last time.
"Sorry. Just getting lost in the memories. Here, I'll introduce you to Pierre, and then I should get going so I can call the utility company before they close. They'll have everything turned on in the morning, and you should get internet in a couple of months once the run the cables."
"It doesn't have internet yet?"
"Well, your Grandfather lived here before all that existed, and he left without buying service." He offered her a knowing little smile. "I've already arranged to have it set up, free of charge, but it'll take a while. You'll survive." He winked, then turned and took a few steps to knock on the door to the store. "Pierre! She's here!"
The door pushed open a few moments later, revealing a man with bright blonde hair cut somewhat long, wearing thick-rimmed glasses. "Hey!" His voice was cheerful and friendly, wearing a thin leather jacket and a blue shirt beneath, with what looked like khaki pants and loafers. "My name's Pierre." He pushed out of the door and extended a hand, giving Vicky a firm and friendly shake. "You'll be staying with us tonight. Come on in!"
He held the door open for her, and even helped Vicky scoot her bag inside, before turning to Lewis. "I'll wake her up in the morning so you can come show her the farm, alright?"
Lewis nodded, and spoke a few more words to Pierre that Vicky didn't hear. She was currently taking in Pierre's store, the few shelves to the right, a few bins on the left, filled with produce, fruits, potatoes, among a few other things. It looked a little bit bare, but she imagined at least some of that was just how difficult it'd be to get fresh produce out here in the winter if it didn't come directly from the farms or a big warehouse freezer... When she turned back to Lewis, he'd already left, just leaving her here with Pierre.
"It's so nice to meet you.", he began, as he picked up her heavier bag and began to lead her back into the store, through a door into a hallway. To her left she could hear quiet videogame noises, like someone was playing an old-school shooter. "When Lewis told us that someone was finally coming to take over your Grandfather's old farm, I thought maybe he'd finally sold it to a produce company. I had no idea he'd died."
"Yeah, he left it to me a few years ago. Told me to come out here if life ever got too much for me." Vicky looked around, the room she found herself in had a few cushions for sitting on near the fireplace, two close together, one further away. She wondered whose was which. There was a larger room off in the corner that she could just see the edge of a pew through the doorway. On the other end of the room was what looked like a kitchen, judging by the tiles on the floor.
Pierre watched her for a moment through his glasses, and she could see some kind of understanding in his eyes, like he knew exactly what she was talking about. "I'm sorry."
She managed a smile, but she found it harder than she'd imagined. "Thanks. But, uh... Where am I going to be sleeping?"
"Right!" He turned away, the little moment broken as he gestured for an item folded up against the wall. "We had an old cot, so I told Lewis you could stay here tonight. Maybe not the most comfortable thing ever but it should serve. Elliott, Sam and Alex..." He stopped setting up the cot and glanced at her. "Some of the guys from here in town. They went out to the farm to make sure that nothing had moved in. They should be getting back soon." He finished setting up the cot as something beeped from within his pocket, and he pushed up his glasses and brushed some of his hair out of his face as he reached in to pull out an older-style flip phone. He scrunched his eyes for a moment to read it, and smiled. "Alex just texted me. Seems like it's all clear, so you're good to move in tomorrow when the power and water are back on."
Vicky nodded, setting her backpack down on the cot. He'd set it up against the wall on the far corner of the room, so she'd be far enough away from the other doors so hopefully she wouldn't be disturbed by people moving around in the night. "Do you have anything I could eat? I hate to ask, but I thought I'd be at the farm tonight and I could order something."
"Oh! No problem at all." He leaned toward the side, cupping a hand to his mouth. "Abigail! Hey! Can you get our guest something!?"
Vicky heared a muffled 'okaaaaaaaaay' from down the hall, then glanced to Pierre for an explanation.
"That's my daughter, Abigail. She'll come make you something."
"Oh, okay. Lewis told me about her. Said she was about my age. Are you sure she won't mind?"
"Oh, yeah. It'll be fine. Don't worry about it. So, uh, I'll leave you alone, she'll bring you some food in a bit. Don't worry about it, we have plenty. Just, uh... enjoy your night. Okay? And, oh!" He held up a hand as he turned to leave, pushing up his glasses again. "I sell seeds and things you'll need for the farm. Wallpaper, flooring, stuff like that. Cheaper than those JojaMart guys too. The seeds, anyway. I can't beat them on the other stuff." He frowned a bit, looking off to the side like he could see the Mart through the wall.
He glanced back to her after a moment and his eyebrows disappeared into the edge of his hair. "Sorry! I just... can't stand those guys." He let out a nervous laugh and waved, somewhat awkwardly, then simply turned and walked off toward what she figured was his bedroom.
Vicky sighed, then dropped down onto her cot with a creak of fabric. A hand on her chest helped stop the rapid fire beating of her heart, nerves starting to get the better of her again. Just a couple of days ago, she'd been laying in her own bed in The City, now she was sitting on a cot in a stranger's house, about to take possession of a farm she'd never seen, and start a new life as a farmer. Starting over from scratch.
Just like Grandpa wanted.
