It was raining hard that next day, and thunder was clapping a few miles away but it seemed to be getting closer by the moment. Eve woke up a little later than normal as she had grown accustomed to being woken up by the rooster. She groaned and sat up, rubbing her eyes to try and focus. She let out a yawn and looked at her phone. She sighed as she put it down and got out of the bed.
"I guess a late start is better then no start I guess." She said and went into the bathroom. After a quick shower and some fresh clothes; Eve went to the bed and reached under it. She pulled out a box of granola bars that she had bought. She took one of the bars out and started to eat it, looking out the window. "I guess the chores were going to be easier today." She said as she looked over the crops. She couldn't see everything clearly, but maybe some of the crops were done. She let out a sigh as she threw away her trash as she really wasn't excited for the day. In truth, she was scared. Eve had no idea who this 'wizard' was, and it could have been a prank by someone trying to scare her off. She shook her head and took in a soothing breath. "No time like the present." She mumbled as she went to the door. When she put her hand on the door, she heard a small squeak right outside her door. "Huh?" she let go of the door handle for a moment. Did the door make that noise? She put her hand on the handle again and it was quiet. She opened the door and a small creature ran past her legs and into the home.
Eve yelped and let go of the door, letting it close. She turned and started to look around the house. Under the table near the bathroom was a tiny, dripping wet, shivering kitten with orange fur and yellow eyes. The little kitten was curiously looking around the new environment but stayed under the table where they thought it was safe. When Even saw the kitten, she knelt down to the floor and looked under the table. "Aww…hey there little one…" she said very gently and put her hand out for the kitten to sniff. The kitten paused and looked curiously at the hand before giving it a few curtesy sniffs before letting out another little squeak. The kitten rubbed its head on her palm and started to purr. Eve smiled and went to the bathroom to grab a towel. She went back to the table and slowly coaxed the kitten into a toweled embrace. Eve slowly wrapped the kitten in the towel and started to dry the animal off. It was then she could get a closer look at the kitten. First off, the kitten was a him, and he was still pretty young, maybe a few weeks old. "I wonder if you have a mom out there trying to find you…" she mumbled as she looked outside. "And where did you come from?" just then there was a knock on her door. Eve carried the swaddled kitten with her and opened the door. It was Marnie.
"Hello Eve. I see you found the kitten. It ran ahead before I could catch it, silly bugger." Eve smiled, and the kitten's head looked over at Marnie and was trying to sniff her. Marnie put a hand out for the kitten to sniff and much like before, the cat started to rub his head on the hand.
"Yes, he's very cute…where did you find him?" Marnie pointed toward the south.
"I found it sitting outside in the rain, near the entrance to your farm from the forest. I think it's a stray…poor little thing." Eve nodded and looked at the kitten. She kissed his little head and he looked up at her curiously, letting out another little squeak.
"Do you know if the cat's mother is nearby or something? This kitten is still small; it has got to have been born recently." Marnie shook her head.
"I didn't see a mother cat, only this little one. But I think it likes this place. I watched it explore and look around the farm despite the rain. Don't you think this farm could use a good cat?" Eve nodded and cradled the cat as he closed his eyes and started to purr.
"But wait…maybe you're more equipped to take care of the kitten. Do you want him?" Marnie shook her head.
"Ah, I can't. Jas is allergic to cat fur so having one in the house would be bad. I want you to keep it, or him." Eve looked down as the kitten closed his eyes and let out a yawn. Marnie reached over and gave the kitten's head a scratch.
"Wait…Jas?" Marnie looked a little shocked.
"Oh, my niece. You haven't met her? That does make sense, she isn't too fond of strangers. But she hangs out with Vincent a lot. She's got purple hair, you can't miss her." Eve nodded and looked at the cat again, thinking if she really could handle a cat. The nights were quiet, and she would be safer with something around her at night. Nodding to herself, she looked at Marnie.
"Well…it has been lonely a bit these last few days. Sure, I can handle a kitten." Marnie gave a thumbs up.
"Alright, why don't you give him a name?" Eve thought about it for a moment and then looked at the kitten.
"I like…Miso. I don't know why, it just sounds like a cute name for a kitten." Marnie chuckled and pet the purring kittens head.
"Well little Miso, you be a good cat now, alright?" She looked up at Eve. "Have you ever owned a pat before?" Eve shook her head.
"No, I never did grow up with a pet, but I do like animals. It's not like I didn't want pets…just didn't have the ability to take care of them." Marnie nodded. Eve invited Marnie inside and they sat down at the table. Eve put Miso onto the ground and let the kitten explore his new home before they continued to speak.
"Well, it's not too hard to take care of a cat. Just have to make sure they have food and water. I think the cat could eat some wet food, then move to dry food later. You'll need a litter box too if you plan on keeping the cat inside." Eve looked at the cat and shook her head.
"If Miso wants to roam outside, I don't see a need to stop him. But I'll get one just in case." She leaned over and started to click her tongue to get the kitten's attention. Miso looked over and gave another meow before walking over and rubbing on Eve's hand. Eve picked him up and inspected the wriggling cat. "I'll need to find a vet to get him fixed and microchipped though…there isn't one here in Stardew…and I don't think Dr. Harvey would appreciate it if I asked." Marnie chuckled a little at that.
"Yeah, he's a bit of a stickler when it comes to that. Though…I have a vet who comes to the valley who looks after my animals. I'll call him up and have him visit the farm to fix Miso." Eve looked over at Marnie.
"Really? That would be great! I think I can manage getting food for him. Does Pierre sell pet food?" Marnie nodded and smiled.
"He sure does. You might have to order the litter or get it from JojaMart." Eve shuddered as she heard that and forced a smile on her face.
"I'll order, and have it delivered. If he's going to be an indoor and outdoor cat, I'm sure it'll be okay." Marnie got up and smiled.
"You'll be a great cat mom Eve. I have faith in that. I gotta get back to work, but you take care now." Eve got up and walked Marnie over to the door.
"Thank you again Marnie. I'll take care of Miso for sure!" she called out as Marnie was walking away. Marnie turned back and waved.
"I know you will! Have a good rest of your day!" she kept walking, but then paused and looked down. "AND I THINK SOME OF YOUR CROPS ARE GROWN!" she yelled before disappearing in the tree line. Eve shut the door and turned around, seeing Miso was perched on the bed. Eve walked over and started to pet the cat, who arched his back as her hand glided over his back. Miso then laid down on the bed and curled up on the comforter for a nap. Eve smiled and left the home to get her work done.
In the fields, some of her potatoes were done but weren't good quality. She knew that if she were to make this farm the best it could be, she'd need to learn how to make the vegetables she grew better. Right now, they were passable but not the best. As she was picking the vegetables, she had an idea. "I bet the library has plenty of books on farming! I'll check a few out and get some tips." She smiled and saved a few of the potatoes while putting the rest in the shipping bin. Eve was not wanting to go and see the wizard, but she knew that chores wouldn't distract her for long. She had to go and see what was going on in that community center, and if this wizard was the one to do it, she'd go.
One trip to Pierre's later, Eve set out a bowl and placed some wet cat food in it. She then set out a water bowl right next to it. Miso obviously smelled the food and lifted his head. Eve went over and picked up the tiny animal and brought him over to the bowl.
"Look, tasty food…right?" she asked. Miso eyed it again and then got closer to sniff the contents of the bowl. After a few tentative seconds, Miso started to lick the food before really eating it. Eve sighed as Miso scarfed down the wet cat food as she was happy that he was eating properly. When the food was halfway gone, Miso started to lick his lips which had food everywhere. Eve smiled and picked up the kitten and went into the bathroom to wash his face. After a quick bath and towel dry, Miso was exploring the house again and looking for something to play with. Eve was relieved that the kitten liked the food and was about to throw away the wrapper to her granola bar when Miso spied it and jumped to try and get it. Eve looked down and chuckled as she threw the wrapper on the floor. Miso almost immediately started to play with the wrapper and bat it around the floor. Eve chuckled and left the house, locking the door behind her. It was now or never, so with trepidation, she headed into the forest.
Eve entered the southern forest, otherwise known as Cindersap Forest according to her map. She looked around and saw what she believed was Marnie's ranch to the left and the large lake before her. She looked at the letter and recalled where this tower of the Wizard's was and started to make the trek in that direction. As she walked, she was startled by an unfamiliar voice.
"Hey, you!" a female voice called out. Eve jumped and looked toward where the voice came from. There was a large cart like vehicle with a green haired lady waving at her from a window. "Haven't seen you in these nicks of the woods before, but welcome! I have some exotic goods from the other continent that you are welcome to look through." Eve walked over and looked at the woman waved her over. She had never seen anything like this before.
"I'm sorry, but who are you? And what is this, a mobile store?" the cart lady chuckled and nodded.
"That's right my friend! I don't know if giving my full name would be a good idea, but I go by Cart Lady of course! And this is my store, smuggled goods from the Gotoro Empire across the Gem Sea! I have a variety of items that you can look through." Cart Lady then pulled out a white board and handed it to Eve. On it were the names of various items and their prices right next to it. Eve looked worried at the white board in front of her.
"Are you sure this is legal?" she asked. The Cart Lady shrugged and smiled.
"Rest assured, I keep my cliental a secret, especially since I come to the Ferngill Republic. I'm not a huge fan of this war we have going on and I like my customers to be safe. So, I won't ask or give your name." Eve let out a sigh and shook her head.
"Well…I don't mind giving you my first name. It's Eve." The Cart Lady smiled back and gestured a bow.
"Pleasure's all mine Eve. Again, I don't think giving my name would be a good idea. I'm sure you understand. So, can I get you anything today?" Eve looked through the menu and saw a few things. Fish, different fruits and vegetables that she was pretty sure she could grow herself, furniture, a coffee bean that was far more expensive then she thought it should be, and a few recipes. She pointed at something called a 'rarecrow' and looked up at Cart Lady.
"Excuse me? What is a Rarecrow?" The Cart Lady chuckled.
"Ah, a fantastic choice! The rarecrow is a type of scarecrow you will never see on this side of the Gem Sea. I try to keep these in stock, but they do fly off the shelves. This one is 2,500 gold! Interested?" Hearing the price, Eve shook her head. Even if she was, she had nowhere near the amount of money that she would need to purchase that.
"No thank you, I was just asking…" she mumbled, and then handed the white board back to Cart Lady. "I don't think I can afford anything today, I'm sorry." Cart Lady took the menu back and nodded.
"Hey, I had to smuggle these out of the Gotoro Empire for goodness sake, why do you think their so expensive? I'm not working a charity you know?" Eve put her hands up in defense.
"I'm sorry! I just started a new job and- "Cart Lady then laughed and brushed it off.
"Hey I understand. I was kidding hun. We're all a little short on gold these days, what with the war effort and all. But, if you ever want to comer back, I'm here on Fridays and Sundays. And of course, I'm here during the Night Market as well so you can catch me there." Eve had no idea what the night market was, but she would look into it for sure.
"Thank you. Please be careful if you're going back over to the Empire. I heard it's really not the best place to be." Cart Lady leaned on her window and blew some stray hairs out of her face.
"Don't I know it. These are dangerous times we live in, but someone must do the work. Good luck on the new job Eve." She smiled at the farmer girl. Eve smiled back and started back to head toward the Wizard's tower. This was, of course, when she noticed the pig in a fez and glasses at the front of the wagon. She looked at it the animal gave her an oink, which made her jump.
"Ah! You're real?" she heard the Cart Lady laugh.
"Of course he's real! That's my trusty steed Herbert! Let me tell you, he's gotten me out of more than a few scraps. More than just a pig wearing a fez you know!" Eve looked confused, but then gave the pig a gentle pet, which he seemed to like. Eve shook her head at the oddity and then turned again.
"Well, I wish you well Herbert…Cart Lady." There was a pause before the Cart Lady rose her voice up.
"It's Rosetta!" she called. Eve turned and saw the green haired woman smiling at her. Eve smiled back and waved before continuing to head to the Wizard's tower. She finally found it, which wasn't difficult as it was the only stone tower to the west of the forest. As she walked up the stairs, she felt a sense of dread all about her. She got to the door and took a cleansing breath before opening it and going inside. As she walked in, the bubbling and gurgling of a cauldron was to her left and table with some candles was on her right. She crept inside, looking around as she did.
"Hello?" she called out, but then looked further in and saw what looked like a magic circle drawn in chalk on the exposed stone floor. Looking down and studying it was a man with purple hair and black robes. Immediately, she thought of Abigail, but only because of his hair color. She was quiet as the man looked up at her.
"Ah, come in Eve Turner." He said, his voice was surprisingly soothing and calm. He walked away from the circle and came closer to her. "I am Rasmodius, seeker of the arcane truths. Mediary between the physical and ethereal. Master of the seven elements. Keeper of the sacred cha-…you get the point." He took a breath in as he walked closer. "And you, Eve. You're the one whose arrival I have long foreseen." Eve took a step back in worry. She put an arm up to protect herself.
"What…do you mean by that? You knew I was coming here?" the Wizard nodded.
"Of course I did. While I keep to myself here in this tower, I also keep up with the outside world. I knew of your Grandfather, the farm, and that while on his deathbed, he bequiffed this land to you. Your arrival was destined from the moment you took up that envelope in your hands." Eve felt her eyes widen.
"Did…you know my Grandfather? I know he would have said something about a wizard if he had." The bearded man shook his head.
"No, I never spoke to him. I just knew that he was here, and that you would come. And now, you have!" he looked at the circle. "Here, I'd like to show you something." His hands started to glow with an unearthly light. "Behold!" he lifted his hands up and there was a bright light from the circle. Eve closed her eyes and shielded herself with her arms for a moment, but then looked at the circle. Inside was the same creature she encountered at the community center. Eve gasped as it looked like it was struggling, and it made the same noise as it did previously. Eve couldn't help but just…gape.
"That…that!" she said pointing at it. The wizard glanced over.
"Ah, so you've seen one before, haven't you?" he asked, as the creature kept making the chirping noise. Eve nodded and started to get closer to it.
"Y-yes…in the community center…how did-?" she then thought back and remembered the shadow. Was that him? Was he spying on her? "You-!"
"They call themselves the 'Junimos'." He replied, basically ignoring her reaction. "Mysterious spirits these ones. For some reason, they refuse to speak with me." He then snapped his fingers and the apple creature disappeared from the circle. "I'm not sure why they've moved into the community center, but you have no reason to fear them. I hope that clears up your…rat…inquiry." Eve took a calming breath and felt herself relax. She was glad that those creatures weren't out to get her, but there was still more about that old building she wanted to know. She took a few steps closer.
"Okay, so they are harmless…but there was something else in there." The Wizard looked over at her with a curious look. "In one of the rooms, there was a book or a scroll or something. It looks old and I couldn't read what it said. I tried to lift it, but it was stuck to the floor. Do you know what that is?" The wizard folded his arms and thought about it.
"Hmmm…so you found a golden scroll written in an unknown language? Most interesting." He nodded and looked at her. "You stay here. I'm going to see for myself. I'll return shortly. Please do not touch anything." He said and lifted his hand up. It started to glow and suddenly, his form was engulfed in light and he was zooming through the wall and toward the town. Eve looked stunned as she watched, and then let out a huff.
"I can't believe this…there really is a wizard. But why of all places is he here…and how did he know all this about my Grandfather?" she looked around the tower and figured she could look at the things. She saw a bookcase with lots of books, none of which had titles that she could really grasp. She got a closer look at the magic circle, inspecting how it was drawn and looking at the candles all around it. Finally, she went to the lone book that was on the pedestal. She was about to take a closer look at the cauldron when she heard footsteps coming up the steps. She jumped and went back to the table only for the wizard to walk in.
"So…you can magic your way out of here…but not back?" The wizard shrugged.
"I needed the exercise. Anyway, I found the note. The language is obscure, but I was able to decipher it." He took out a little piece of paper. "It reads as follows: We, the Junimos, are happy to aid you. In return, we ask for gifts of the valley. If you are one with the forest, then you will see the true nature of this scroll." The Wizard went to his cauldron, clearly in deep thought. "Hmm…one with the forest? What do they mean?" he mumbled and started to sniff the air a little. Eve looked over as he was mumbled and pitched in.
"Maybe…they want someone whose attuned with nature?" she asked. The wizard nodded and still thought for a moment. Soon, his eyes nearly popped out of his head and he jumped. "Ah-hah! Yes! That must be it." He then turned to Eve. "Come here. Quickly!" Eve was hesitant but moved over toward the cauldron right next to the Wizard. Instantly, the smell caught her off guard and she winced as she got closer. Not wanting to be impolite, she was forced to deal with it as she was next to him.
"What is this…" Eve asked, and the Wizard stirred it a little.
"This cauldron is bubbling with ingredients of the forest. Baby ferns, moss grub, caramel-top toadstool…can you smell it?" Eve nodded and coughed a little from the strong scent.
"I…sure can…" she said. The wizard then took a cup and dipped it into the goo. He handed it over to Eve. Eve looked at the cup and then over at him.
"You…can't be serious…" she said, refusing the cup. "Sorry, I can't this…this is too much." The Wizard insisted however.
"Please here. Drink. This is the only way to commune with the Junimos. You must let the essence of the forest permeate your body!" Eve shook her head.
"No, look see, I have a lot of health issues and…" The Wizard was not having it.
"It is all-natural ingredients, it will not harm your heart. Now drink." Eve looked over in surprise.
"How did you-?" The Wizard shoved the cup in her hand.
"Not important. Now drink!" Eve gulped and looked at the still bubbling cup. She gulped and let out a sigh.
"Well…down the hatch I guess…" she said, and slowly drank the entire cup in a few gulps. It tasted like wheatgrass with some sour notes and certainly things that were not normally made in juice. She burped and covered her mouth as it tried to come back up out of her body. She swallowed and kept the contents down, but soon that didn't matter. Her eyes became dilated, and her body started to shake uncontrollably. Visions started to flash before her eyes.
All around her were trees of all different kinds, and they were rushing past her even when she wasn't moving. She saw leaves and flower petals raining down on her even though the sky above was clear. She turned and saw a blotch of darkness with a Joja Corp neon sign flashing brighter then she'd ever seen. It almost hurt her eyes and she had to turn away. She saw giant birds nesting in the tiniest trees that were like twigs compared to them. She saw the granola bar she had ate this morning dancing around her and singing in a 'la di dah' tune over and over.
"…ey! Wha…?"
This combined with the wind howling through her and everything else made it impossible for her to hear her own breathing. Eve covered her ears, but that didn't help as the wind seemed to go through her head and howl even louder. She could see parts of the valley swirling in her vision. The beach, the mines, the town, it was all moving so fast until…she arrived at a building she didn't recognize. She looked around once she was on solid ground and found it was where the community center would have been. Another look, and she knew that this building that looked new and vibrant WAS the old community center.
"…ve! Can you-…"
Eve drifted to the door and put her hand on it. Suddenly, she started to hear a voice. A soft, but very gentle voice.
"We, the Junimos, are happy to aid you. In return, we ask for gifts of the valley." The door opened and inside were people chatting, laughing, and being generally happy. She could recognize Mayor Lewis, though he was much younger and his brown hair was only speckled with grey, talking to a shaggy looking man who was new the fish tank. The shaggy man was feeding and checking on the fish as Lewis was talking.
"Willy…" Eve mumbled, and then turned to see a red headed woman walking out of the crafting room with a blonde man, both of whom were laughing. A brown-haired man with glasses was chatting with a green haired woman on the couch over some tea and snacks. Eve knew these people as the villagers who had been so kind to her. "Jodi…Pierre…Caroline…" Soon, flashes to the now destroyed community center started to overtake her vision, and she was blasted out of the building. She screamed as she landed on the ground and looked as the community center started to return to how she knew it. Eve reached out toward it with tears in her eyes. The people started to drift apart from each other and age rapidly and the community center got worse and worse. "N-no!"
"…ve!"
"No! Wait but why!?" Eve called out.
"EVE!"
A voice finally broke through her hallucinations as she opened her eyes finally. She looked around and found that she was in a house she didn't recognize. The rain was still pouring outside, and Eve knew pretty quickly she was back in reality. She groaned as she blinked again, finding the walls an almost blinding shade of blue with what looked like an easel right near the bed. Eve slowly sat up and looked to see a familiar face next to her. It was Leah. "Oh thank Yoba you're okay. I was really worried about you."
"What? Where am I?" Eve asked, now fully conscious and aware of her surroundings. Leah let out a sigh and got up from her bedside.
"You're in my cottage. You had me scared to death you know!" she walked to her hearth and picked up a kettle she had over the fire. She came back with a nice hot cup of tea. "Here, try and drink this." Eve smiled and took the cup. She sipped the tea and felt it go down her throat. It was warm and soothing, and she honestly felt better.
"I'm sorry Leah…what happened to me?" Leah sat down and sighed.
"Well, I was outside looking around for inspiration for my art. Plus I try to take walks daily because this place is beautiful, and the exercise is good for me. I was out walking when I see you stumbling toward me with your eyes huge and your skin completely pale. I called out to you, but not only did you not answer, but you threw up and fell over. It was the most violent bout of sickness I had ever seen!" she paused to collect herself. "I ran over and brought you to my home to let you rest and you started to mumble to yourself. Something about…Jumino and an old building. I kept trying to talk to you, but soon you were reaching for something and shaking. I had to shake you awake and yell before you snapped out of it." Eve looked at Leah and felt awful. She didn't want Leah to have had to go through something like that. She sipped her tea and then placed it on the floor next to her. She leaned over and hugged Leah.
"Thank you…you saved me." She mumbled. She knew going into a story about how she met with a literal Wizard and he made her drink forest goo wasn't going to pass as a good excuse. She had to think of something else. "You see…I was walking this morning, and I have a bad heart. I guess…I had a really bad attack just now…but I do feel better now." Leah returned the hug and looked at Eve with wide purple blue eyes.
"Do you need me to call the doctor?" she asked. Eve shook her head and leaned back onto the bedframe.
"No, I'll be okay. I just need to rest." She said, and then looked around the house a little more. It was a pretty standard little house with paintings on the walls and a wooden sculpture right in front of her. She decided to turn the conversation to avoid talking about what had happened. "So…what were you doing before your walk?" Leah looked at the wooden sculpture and got up. She went over to it.
"Oh, I was just working on this sculpture here." She said with a smile. "Here, watch this." She said and started to use a mallet and chisel to carve more pieces of wood off the sculpture. Eve smiled as she guessed talking to Leah about her art made her feel good. She watched intently as Leah worked.
"That's really cool. I was never really an artsy type, more of a music nerd. So, what are you doing?" Eve asked. Leah looked back over to Eve with a large smile.
"See, I'm revealing the essence of the wood. Once you get past the outer layer, the true nature starts to show." Eve thought about those words and slowly got out of the bed. She took her cup and walked over to the sculpture.
"It's the same with people…" Eve said as she inspected the sculpture. "Once you peel away the outer shell that people put up, then you start to really see the true nature of them. Of course, this could be good and bad since some people seem nice on the outside, but their nasty on the inside…but by the same token people who are mean and use that to drive people away…just want to be loved and protected." Leah stared for a moment as she was processing those words.
"What…?" she asked, but then started to really think about it. "You know…Oh man, yeah! Yeah that's absolutely right!" she said and started turned back to the sculpture. "…you know, I first visited this valley as a little girl, while on vacation with my parents. I knew I had to come back some day…this place has great artistic potential!" Eve smiled and sipped on the tea again.
"I visited here too when I was little. I would stay with my Grandfather and play on his farm. Now, I live here trying to do what he did. I guess we're similar in that regard." Leah nodded and then became a little downtrodden.
"Yeah…although I have to admit…it's not easy to pay the bills as an artist…so you got lucky huh?" she said with a sigh. Eve thought for a moment and then suddenly had an idea.
"Hey! Why don't you have an art show in town? Show people what you've been doing and get some attention to not only you, but the town itself? I think that'll bring in potential clients, right?" Leah thought about it and a small smile crept onto her face.
"That's interesting. I guess that could set the wheels in motion to making Pelican Town a true art destination…but…" she paused, looking worried. "But what if no one likes my sculptures? I'd be crushed…" Eve walked over and placed a hand on Leah's shoulder.
"Well, for one, that's the life of art. Some people will love it and think you're the next DaVinci and others will think you're no good and try to bring you down. That's just how competitive the world of art is, right? But the townspeople are good people. I'm sure they'll like what you have." Leah looked up at Eve and then nodded a little. She let out a sigh.
"I'll think about it…" she said and then smiled at Eve. "Thank you though…you're right. The people of this town are good in nature…and I need to believe in them, right?" Eve nodded and finished up her tea. As Eve put her cup on the table, Leah was cleaning up her sculpting site.
"Again, Leah, I'm in the same boat. These people…I've never really met anyone like them. They're nice, yes…but they're also earnest and kind. They speak their mind. They've been through hard times, but they live one day at a time. It's…admirable really." Eve smiled at Leah. "I love it here…and I want to help this place. I want to protect it…you know?" Leah nodded.
"I get that. This is where I want to stay…you know, get married and have some kids. But first, I need to stabilize myself." Eve nodded and gave a thumbs up. Eve sighed as she looked at the clock. It was afternoon now, and she had completely lost track of time after passing out.
"I should go. But thank you for saving me Leah. I really appreciate it." Leah smiled and opened the door for Eve. The smile was then replaced with concern.
"Are you sure you can make it home? I can walk you home today if you want." Eve shook her head.
"I can make it. But thank you." Leah nodded and Eve exited the home and the door was closed behind her. As Eve trekked through the woods, she felt…different. Much more at peace with the nature around her. She felt like she could hear the wind much more clearly, the rustle of the trees, the pounding of the rain. The atmosphere was much different then when she had walked into the forest the first. As she made it to her farm, she thought about what happened at the Wizard's Tower.
"Maybe…I did get some sort power…or magic attunement…something. Though I'm not sure how much I really believe…" but then a thought popped up. The Community Center. The reason she even went to the tower was because of that place. Eve started to head over toward the old building as quickly as her body would allow. She needed to know the truth now that she had this new potential power.
Finally, Eve had made it to the Community Center. Thankfully due to the rain people weren't as out and about as they normally would be, so she didn't really need to explain to anyone why she was hurrying to the old building. Without a second thought, Eve flung the door open and walked inside. What replaced the mystical aura of foreboding was a calm and gentle feeling, one of pure serenity and peace. Eve let out a cleansing breath as she felt at home in the old building. But she knew she had a job she needed to do. Eve walked into the crafting room and made a beeline for the scroll on the floor. When she looked at it, it was far different then what she saw the first time. There was a tree on the front page with little colorful bundles on them. She was amazed that now this was far different then what she saw the first time, and it held a lot more meaning. These Junimos really did just want to help. She touched one of the bundles and the scroll transformed. It had pictures and little holes for what the Junimos wanted. Eve studied the pictures closely. They looked like…normal things she could find around the valley. Even during this time of year.
"I…I think I have all of these from all the walking around I've done…" she muttered and got up from the floor. She ran out of the community center and quickly went back to her farm. She got into the house and saw that Miso was on a chair and had curled up to sleep. Eve sighed and walked over to the kitten. "I'm sorry to have woken you up. You get some rest now okay?" she said to the cat. He started to purr and rubbed his head on her hand. Eve smiled and kissed the little kitten before going to the chest. She opened it and located what she needed. Some wild horseradish she was saving for when she had a kitchen to make some proper horse radish, a daffodil she found and was looking for a vase to put it in the house, a dandelion she found on the upper path and kept because…well she wasn't really even sure, and a leek she was saving for a sandwich when she wanted one. She took all of these things out and put them in her bag before running back to the community center. Upon coming back, the calming aura immediately returned and she felt almost refreshed. She walked into the building and made a beeline for the crafts room.
"Alright…let's see what happens…" she said as she knelt down to the scroll. She tapped on the bundle with the pictures of the foragables and studied it again. What was she supposed to do with this? She took out the horseradish and put it above the scroll. Almost immediately, a light erupted from the book and grabbed the horseradish. Eve yelped and let go as the horseradish was dragged effortlessly into the scroll and into the box it was meant for. The outer edge of that box became gold. Eve studied this change and thought that maybe…the Junimos had accepted the gift? She sighed and looked around, but she saw nothing. The only thing she heard was the creaking of the building and the rain tapping on the roof. Eve took the rest of the items out of the bag and one by one, held them over the scroll. And, one by one, they were taken into the scroll. Soon, when all of the boxes were filled, the green bundle blossomed into a flower on the tree and the scroll filled with light. Eve shielded her eyes from the light and when it faded, she looked again. She gasped as the same green bundle pack was right next to the scroll. And, as if on command, a little Junimo came out and picked up the bundle with little effort. It started to move toward the door and Eve got up.
"Where is it going?" she asked herself and decided to follow it. As she did, she found herself in the main room with the hut near the fireplace. The Junimo walked into the hut and disappeared. Eve looked curiously for a moment, but then a sound as if some magic was cast and another bright light engulfed the room across from the crafts room. Eve went to investigate and found another scroll. It was the same design, but the requirements were different. This scroll wanted vegetables and fruits that she knew she'd have to grow. Eve sighed and rubbed her temples as she got up. "Good grief, this is getting a lot of complicated." She said to herself. As she was about to leave, she felt like her bag was a lot heavier then it was previously. She opened it and found that there was a bag of 30 seed packets labeled as 'Spring Seeds'. Eve knew that wasn't there before and turned back to the Junimo hut. "So, if I give them what they want and…complete those bundles, I'll get rewards?" Eve thought about it and then smiled to herself. Looks like she had some incentive to work on these aside from what the visions showed her. After waving goodbye to the Junimos, she left the community center and headed for home.
Once she got home, she shipped whatever she could and would make it a point to buy more seeds and get to the library to read some of the books. As she was finishing the harvest and shipping what she could, Eve noticed that some mail was in her box. She opened the mailbox and read the letter. "An Egg festival? I wonder what that means…I guess it's a party or a celebration or something." She said to herself. She decided to call it a bit early and went inside the house. Miso greeted Eve at the door with a chirp and a rub against her leg. Eve smiled and knelt down to pet Miso with her hand, but then stopped. Maybe petting a cat with a soaking wet hand wouldn't be the best idea. Eve went to the bathroom and closed the door, and after a shower and putting on her robe, she emerged refreshed and happy. She picked up Miso and started to provide him with affection, in the form of scratches and kisses. After a bit, Miso started to wiggle and wanted down. Eve chuckled and put Miso down next to his food bowl. "Little wiggleworm." She muttered before sitting on her bed. She dialed a number on her phone and put it on speaker.
"Hello? This is Joyce." The other line said. Eve smiled and let out a sigh. She hadn't heard from her friend in a while and it felt good to hear her talk.
"Hi Joyce. It's Eve." Joyce gasped and one could practically hear her smile on the other side of the line.
"Eve! It's been a few days! How are you, how's the farm, give me all of the deets!" she said. Eve chuckled and saw Miso walking over to her and jumped on the bed. Eve sat up and allowed the kitten to curl up near her pillow.
"Well, I'm okay. The farms okay, I'll be getting some money coming in tomorrow, and I adopted a kitten today." Miso perked up and looked at Eve, letting out another little chirp. As if to say 'don't stop petting me'. Joyce chuckled.
"Awwwww! I heard that! What a cuty! What's its name?" Eve smiled and started to pet the kitten again.
"His name is Miso. He was a stray that just seemed to take a liking to the farm. It's raining right now, but I'm going to let him wander outside and see if he really wants to stay. He's really cute, I think like an orange tabby or something." Eve said and leaned against her pillow. "It's gonna be nice. I've felt a little lonely the past few days, so I feel a little safer with an animal around…even if it's just a tiny kitten."
"Well that's great! Send me pictures please!" Joyce said, making Eve smile.
"I will…hey, I have a weird question." Eve said, looking out the window.
"Sure, what's going on?" Eve let out a sigh.
"Hey, so…do you believe in magic?" Joyce then laughed from the other line.
"Eve, what are you talking about? Magic is certainly not real. It's all smoke and mirrors and just showy entertainment if you ask me. Why do you ask?" Eve tensed up a little bit and thought about what to say.
"Just…I experienced something really weird today. And I don't really know how to explain it…without sounding crazy." Joyce was shuffling on the other line.
"Well…try and explain it to me…and I'll let you know how you sound…" Eve nodded and took in a deep breath.
"Well…yesterday, the Mayor showed me this old building, a community center…" Eve then continued to tell her story. From when she felt the mystical presence of the community center to receiving the spring seeds. It took a bit to tell, but Joyce remained on the line and was quiet for most of the story, only asking the occasional question. After the story, there was a silence between them.
"Well?" Eve asked, and on the other line, Joyce let out a sigh.
"Yeah, I'll be honest with you Eve. You sound insane. Forest spirits and a wizard? Restoring that old building? To me, it sounds like you've planted one too many parsnips." There was another pause. "But, you're saying you experienced all of that in the last few days?" As if Joyce could see through the phone, Eve started to nod.
"Joyce, I don't lie. You know I don't lie unless I absolutely have to…and you know that better than anyone." Eve said, and Joyce let out a sigh.
"I know…I know. You're right. But you do sound insane. Just try and relax with Miso for a bit…it seems like you've had a long day okay? Please? For me?" Eve smiled and laid down.
"I will, don't worry. You can count on that. I'm already in my PJs with Miso on my lap." Joyce rustled around with something before answering.
"Good. I'll let you go. Have a good night Eve…and be careful." Eve chuckled a little.
"I will. Night Joyce." She hung up and put the phone away before looking up at the ceiling. She couldn't help but agree, it all sounded like craziness. But every time Eve thought back to it, the more she was curious to see what would come of it all. What would happen if she gave the Junimos everything they asked for. Eve shook her head and pulled the covers over her. Miso moved around and curled up next to Eve's head.
"I'll just have to wait and see." She mumbled before drifting off once again.
Notes: I know these chapters are coming out slow, but I'm doing my best. I did see that the story has a good amount of hits! Thank you for reading! Leave a comment if you like and I'll be looking forward to posting again!