Alright, Chapter four, and the final one before Spring finally sets in and the main story can begin. Now, I'm not going to go too deep into everything regarding Stardew Valley, but I'm going to be getting into some of the basic things, such as the Community Center for example. That being said, I DO NOT own RWBY or Stardew Valley and I hope you all enjoy.
With the winter season now at its end, the town seemed more alive than ever before, even with the Feast of the Winter Star's celebration now finished. With people beginning to prepare for the eventually early spring that was on the horizon, gossip and rumors were abound the town. News of a new farmer having arrived in the valley, now taking up residence as well as fixing up the old Archer Farms.
Said source of that gossip, currently sat at the table of the town's museum and technical library, a book holding onto his attention as Jaune buried his face into its many pages while several other books rested in his backpack that Lewis had given him as a good-luck gift for accepting the role as Pelican town's newest farmer. The book in question, one that the museum's curator, an older man with brown hair and glasses named Gunther, had given him. It was one in regard to farming, one that was apparently written by Jaune's late grandfather himself.
'Alright, spring crops will come in many varieties, many of which can produce more than a single harvest after initially planting it. Such crops such as tomatoes, hot peppers, hops, blue berries and corn are all such crops that flourish well in the summer and will regrow over just a few days at a time, so long as the actual plant producing 'the harvest hadn't been damaged or eaten by wildlife. As such, it is important to, much like all other plants, to keep them not only watered each day. While the crops might not be worth much for selling, they make up the profit with less seed costs needed to replace them. This will save people time, as seed makers will turn the extra fruits and vegetables into new seeds for the following year, ensuring that, for Summer, will have abundant seeds as well as fruit throughout the year.'
As Jaune continued to read his grandfather's book, he was left to think on what kind of stuff he could grow on his farm, it seemed that the more he read, the more options he seemed to have. Ugh, if only that greenhouse was repaired, but not even Robin could've fixed that up, it was completely destroyed when he saw it, but he supposed he could make do without it. Still, it was still mind boggling at just how much his grandfather got into with extra notes regarding the crops he planted and took record of throughout the time he spent in the valley. Though, according to Gunther, it wasn't really his writing. His late grandmother, Stella Archer, if he recalled, was the real author who wrote the book, using comments and explanations from Rufous to write it.
Plants like potatoes, and beans he expected to plant, maybe even carrots or something. But in the valley and in the book, there were other crops he could've grown. 'Huh, I didn't know cauliflower could grow here... or parsnips for that matter. Didn't even know what a parsnip was' he thought with a laugh, never really thinking about it. Still, as he read the book describing the spring seasonal crops, Jaune already thought of a plan.
According to Lewis, gardening here was actually a very simple task. If you could put up with the work and labor of making and keeping the uptake of the garden, then things would go really smoothly. Weeding the crops, watering the crops, keeping the wild crows away from the crops. Just focus on the crops. Simple as that. Still, it was going to be a headache, especially when it came to the time of the seasons, and oh boy did the seasons change quickly. Heck, time itself moved differently than anything else.
At first, Jaune was assured he could've done something in the three years, Afterall a total of over a thousand days would be plenty of time, especially if he hunted for food, saved money and had Robin repair the farm and help him bring it up to the standards of the Ferngill Republic's guidelines. But sadly, a "Year" wasn't anywhere near as long as it apparently was back at Remnant. To make matters worse for him, it was only a third of an actual year. twenty-eight days a season, a month for a season to make it easier for him. That brought up his three-year time limit to a total number of only three-hundred and thirty-six days.
That was less than a year back at Remnant, that was only around eleven months at most. And here he was, trying to not only practically rebuild the abandoned land into a "Proper" farm, but needing to adjust to the new world's strange climate, with a time limit at that. 'Ugh... now I know what Lewis meant about the whole "Archer Luck" thing.'
Shaking his head, he still had to chuckle a little nervously, trying to stay in high-enough spirits. 'Heh, so essentially I just have a year at most to make everything' he thought to himself, only to think back about the uphill battle he was actually in. 'And I can't even get freebees or help either, the freaking republic thought of nearly everything' he mentally berated as he knew that all of the crops or other produce would have to go straight through the republic themselves. Sure, he could still sell crops to other places but that wouldn't count towards what he needed to make every season. Not only that but he couldn't buy any seeds from the stores for a cheaper price, but that wouldn't help him at all either. The republic's current policies made that impossible to even try. Hence the second book that remained in the backpack was a yearly value of the different crops recorded on the Ferngill Republic's records, yet another book he would have to study as much as he could now, seeing as the farming book was, while updated with crops, was out of date in their pricing.
Thankfully though, he still had a good idea on what he'd have to do to make enough money to keep going, aside from his knack of tactical thinking, it seemed that proper budgeting was in his general skill sets as well. Sure, he wasn't a genius by any means, but that's what the books were for. He'd learn as the year went by, or years if they were going by this world's time frame.
Despite his nose still in the book his mind however wandered back to the guidelines he had to follow. He had two obstacles to make sure the farm was fully recognized now. The first one was money, the million gold still needed at the end of the years he had. The second were the five guidelines, which in all honesty was a lot easier than they might have thought before, all while also recalling his first conscious arrival and inspection to the Archer Family's farm.
"Well, it's not too far now... just passed the bus stop" called out Mayor Lewis, the man smiling as he was happy to see Jaune decide to accept the farmland, despite the struggle he'd be put through as a result. Still, Jaune stepping up and refusing in backing down at the prospect of money from Joja's offers, he couldn't help but have some hope as times with Rufous came to mind. "Still, I'm sure you understand that it's going to be quite the workload for you just to get started." Jaune said nothing at that however, not knowing what really awaited him.
According to Lewis and Robin, the land was abandoned for well over twenty years or so. With that being said, he had to wonder just how over-run the area was. He had remembered seeing pictures abandoned settlements during Professor Port's lectures, lectures that didn't involve the tales of his youth. Tales that, in comparison to Rufous Archer, probably held just as much merit to them now. Still, he digressed.
"Even if it is a lot of work, you can find some great wood and stone there, and the farmland is still really good from what I recall" Robin said, happy to help Jaune and Lewis help clear out the property. "Still, Lewis is right, it's going to be a lot of work for you" she said, turning towards the swordsman with a frown.
"I'm sure I'll make do, somehow" he tried to reassure. Jaune noticed the orange-haired woman smile at that. Lewis had a small smile on his face from the enthusiasm the younger man tried to show. Similar to Rufous it seemed. Well, let's hope it lasts. Minutes later, the three of them noticed a sign hanging above them, two large posts sticking up with two chains holding up a weathered and aged sign with the letters barely eligible. 'Archer... Farms...' Jaune read the sign, slowly making out the faded letters that weren't buried under the gathered snow. '...Guess we're here' he thought as he noticed Lewis moving into the farmland.
Following the man, Jaune seemed confused, the area around him looking more like a small acre of greenwood and dead forest trees covered in snow. Stones having been sprinkled across the ground followed by weeds, bushes and more. The ruins of what looked like a building barely visible beyond some of the brush, and what looked like a small shack near the road with an old wooden bin that matched the shack's aged appearance.
"Well, it's not too much, but here we are. The old Archer Farms" Lewis said as Jaune frowned. Slowly understanding what Lewis meant by the "Workload" he meant.
"T-this is the farm?" he asked as Lewis nodded solemnly. Indeed, it was, the once-proud farmland now turned forest had seen much better days. Nothing really remained since Rufous and Stella left.
"You have to understand that Rufous has been gone for a long time, and sadly we haven't had too much time on our hands to keep it cleared out" the mayor said, not that Jaune would blame anyone. "There was someone keeping the bills paid, but... now that you'll be taking over, I doubt the Ferngill Republic will accept the money outside of what you'll be growing and selling..."
"Which makes no real sense" Robin commented out of the blue. "Money is money, so I still don't see why Jaune would have to pay it all off himself" she commented slightly, saddened at that fact. Jaune was still, Afterall, just a kid in her eyes, maybe a little older than Maru and Sebastion. She knew how much work it took to keep a house and business in working order. Still, she didn't have a choice but to let the young man try his best.
"I suppose, what exactly do I need to do again?" Jaune asked with a frown. "I mean, with the guidelines?" he clarified as Lewis nodded.
"The Ferngill Republic's Land-Owner's Guidelines, nothing too bad to be sure. Still, from what I recall there are only five main areas to keep in mind" Lewis said. "First of all is that shack of yours... it's not too much if anything, but it's something to get you started" he said but frowned slightly. Looking at the shack, Jaune frowned as well. Already he could tell it was in desperate need of repair. The wood piled up that was left in the small garage-like section of the building seemed incredibly old, no doubt unusable now unless it was for kindle. Meanwhile the rest of the wood that made up the exterior had been rotten, and hole ridden. The steps looked like they were ready to crack under his weight, the window dusty and dirty, Jaune unable to see the interior since two wooden window panels partially covering the aged glass. The wood itself was chipped, paint peeled, the small chimney seen at the top looking somewhat crooked and unsafe for use until someone took a proper inspection to the entire building.
He knew not to judge books by their covers, but the more Jaune looked at the small shack, the more he felt like wincing from the thought of what it's interior looked like. Twenty years he reminded himself, twenty years of abandonment and more. Seeing this, Lewis shook his head while Robin seemed to smile at him.
"Chin up, Jaune... we won't let you sleep in there as it is. We'll make sure it it's at least livable for you, and we have all the resources we need here" she said. Jaune turned to her as Lewis had to agree.
"Robin is right. While you aren't legally allowed to live here... for one reason or another, you can still clear out some of this overgrowth and use it to refurbish the old place up." Lewis reassured but frowned a little. "Then again, it's not like it's the actual house" he muttered, earning a confused look from Jaune.
"The actual house?" Jaune asked with a frown as he looked at the small shack and back at the older man. "...This isn't the house?" he asked. "If that's not the house, then where is it?" This seemed to only earn a deadpanned expression from Robin.
"You won't believe us if we told you..." she said bluntly as Lewis couldn't help but agree with the orange-haired woman. Oh, wasn't that the truth.
"...Why?" Jaune asked, not sure if he wanted to know. This time it was Lewis who answered.
"Damn Archer Luck" was all he had to say at first, already indicating it was something that would be hard to believe. Jaune looked at the man, deciding to make his guesses.
"...Fire?" he asked, earning a deadpanned look from both the mayor and his current assistant. "...Flood?" Jaune guessed again, their expressions hadn't changed. "Rockslide?" Jaune just said at random, throwing logic out the window to see if he was any closer, Lewis this time muttering something Jaune couldn't hear under his breath, Robin having thankfully decided to answer him.
"Yeah, try a meteor" she said, no hint of amusement, no hint of any real sarcasm or emotion other than dullness, as if she was forced to accept what she was saying, no matter how ludicrous it was, to be nothing short but the truth. Hearing that, Jaune just turned for a second, dumbfounded before he nearly decided to chuckle at the joke.
"A meteor?" he asked with some amusement in his tones, a stark contrast to Robin's own tired response to his question. "Really, you're telling me that the farmhouse was destroyed by a meteor?" he tried laughing it off. Sadly, he was the only one. Robin's deadpanned expression hadn't changed in the slightest, Lewis's own expression became just as so to match the expression of the Carpender. By this point, Jaune's laugher at the light-hearted joke turned to that of nervousness, realizing they weren't amused. "Heh, uh... you're... not joking, are... you?" Jaune said, drawling for a second as he too just looked at the two of them, slowly but surely coming around to it. "...You're not joking at all are you" Jaune decided to ask again. Soon enough he pointed at the sky, a similar expression as the others now forming to his face. "A meteor, from space... an actual meteor... what?" he asked.
Lewis closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Yep, a meteor" he said simply as he could feel the headache at what happened that night. Safe to say Rufous wasn't exactly happy with that, especially when he was inside the house when it happened. "To this day... I swear I have never met another soul as unlucky as Rufous, and I pray to any gods out there, whether it be Yoba or another deity that there isn't some other unfortunate soul out there."
"...Let's change the subject, shall we?" Robin said as Lewis and Jaune nodded, the later having a feeling that there was more to that story he might not even want to know. Alright, so a meteor landed in the former farmhouse, leaving Rufous, and in turn, him, with a small little shack. "But yeah, that shack was originally a tool shed before Rufous converted it into a make-do-cottage."
"Right, and... I need to rebuild the farmhouse.?" Jaune asked, still trying to wrap his head around everything. Luckily, Robin seemed to smile a bit at that.
"Well, not from the ground up" she spoke with a sense of happiness. "With a lot of time, supplies and money, I can turn that little cottage into a grade-A farmhouse" she explained as Jaune turned to her, wide eyes staring at her in what could probably be known as happiness.
"You can?" he asked as he grinned. "T-that's amazing, you can turn that into an actual house?" Jaune asked, Lewis smiling as well as Robin crossed her arms, soaking in the praise she was given.
"Don't let her looks fool you, Jaune. Robin is the best woodworker in the valley. If she wants to make a house out of pebbles and driftwood, she'd find a way" he said with a bit of a joking matter, despite it probably being true enough. "Though, it's not entirely cheap" he informed, earning a look from Jaune. "With a sigh, Robin explained.
"As much as I'd like to fix up that old shack and make it shine, I can't afford to do it for free. The supplies can be found easily, but the Ferngill Republic... they're not going to be all-that-happy on my end if I give freebees" she sighed. "It's a part of my contract for the Ferngill Republic-"
'Because of course it is' Jaune thought sarcastically. 'Honestly, I'm starting to hate the Ferngill Republic' he continued to think before Lewis gave him a small smile.
"Robin is in a similar situation with you, I'm afraid" Lewis explained. "Simply put, any official business located in the Ferngill Republic follow under one of three categories. In cases like Archer's Farms, and Robin's business, you would be considered Co-Dependent, while other businesses would be considered either Independant or Dependent."
"What's the difference?" Jaune had to ask, not sure that that had to do with anything. It was Robin who answered.
"Independant businesses are smaller and personal, like a traveling caravan, or the Night Market for example. These are not located in any one location; thus, they don't get any backing by the Ferngill Republic and are on their own. They are free to make their own prices, sell their own wares and more. So long as their wares aren't illegal."
"Right... so it's like a family business?" Jaune guessed.
"Sort of" she said. "They can be family owned but overall the main differences are mainly "Property," "Taxing" and "Shipping" she said with a smile still on her face. "Essentially, independent businesses don't own any land, aren't paid by the Ferngill Republic or have the benefits that dependent or co-dependent businesses do."
"Meanwhile, places like Archer Farms and Robin's business, as well as Clint's shop, the Saloon and much of the businesses in town are co-dependent. We have the land, but we have to pay for using it. We have our supplies and products shipped and legally supported by the government, but we have to keep it running by their standards." he explained as Jaune nodded as he began to catch onto what Lewis was saying. "The best way to think about it is that independent businesses are freelance while co-dependent ones are more official, so to speak."
"Got it... I guess" he muttered with a sigh. So essentially it was a matter of someone just selling stuff on the street and have a buy at your own risk, against a recognized as "proper," such as farms, restaurants and other establishments. "And... I take it dependent ones are dependent on the Ferngill Republic then?" he asked as Lewis nodded.
"More or less. The dependent businesses are more akin to government buildings. police stations, fire departments, hospitals and the works. The clinic in town is an example. They have to follow the rules and regulations to a much higher standard. Everything is recorded, everything is funded by the government and so on. While other places like supermarkets will often buy products from Archer Farms or what have you, the Ferngill Republic can only ship them out and inspect them, and they have to split the profits with the product's producers."
"Simply put, if you grow some vegetables and sell them, the government will first inspect them and distribute them for you. You would get a value of the product, but the government will determine the worth and take a percent out of everything you sell."
"...Is that even legal?" Jaune muttered to himself, realizing why it might've been better to just travel and sell your own stuff. 'It's practically taxes upon taxes at their call of value. By that logic they could say whatever I sell is worth less than ever and then take a good chunk out of whatever I get for it' Jaune thought bitterly. Robin sighing with her arms crossed.
"I don't really like it too much either, but they have their reasons for it. It normally stops issues from arising like monopolies from forming" she said before frowning. "Well, most of the time it does" she spat out quietly as a certain mega corporation came to mind.
"The reason they have this system is due to mainly because of the war" Lewis said. "Ever since that war started, we've been forced to follow these guidelines in order to keep things running and afloat. They fear that if they don't have some systems in place, then the country's economy could collapse" he stated.
"Collapse... the economy could... how?" he asked in confusion and fear.
"Put it like this Jaune, let's say that there are five farms around the valley. Archer Farms being one of them. Now, let's say that between you and another farmer, you sell a product... potatoes for example, at fifty gold per. The other farm could sell them for half the price, at twenty-five gold. This could cause issues of supply and demand, as many people would normally go for the cheaper products, even if they're the same thing. Unlike places like Pierce's and Joja Mart, places that have more control over what sells at what prices, businesses like Archer Farms can't have that sort of freedom. You could change your prices to ten Gold, and then to Five, and that could be problematic for the economy if people focus too much investment in fewer farms. Those that can't afford to lower their prices, will lose profits, and as such would be at risk of falling under. During times like this, the Ferngill Republic can't afford these sorts of things happening again."
"Again?!" Jaune practically shouted as Lewis had a nervous look.
"Yeah... let's just say this system is warranted. The last time the economy crashed it took nearly thirty years to recover. During that time, anything went, the Ferngill Republic had to make... choices regarding the economy, I rather not get into that now, just know that there are reasons behind all of this" Lewis said.
"So, it's for the sake of the continent then. At least until this war ends?" Jaune asked as Lewis nodded. "How long has this war been going on?"
"Too long, Jaune... far too long" Robin answered sadly as she frowned. She knew a few friends and family that were drafted into it not too long ago, some of them still write to her, others haven't responded in years, captured in camps, just like Kent was for some time. "No one should have to go through that sort of thing, Jaune. It's one of the reasons the Ferngill Republic are as strict as they are."
"I see" Jaune said sadly. Recalling stories of the Great War, and how things had been worse for Remnant as a result. 'Guess this place is in the middle of its own "Great War" now.' Jaune crossed his arms, not necessary liking it, but understanding why this might have happened. Recalling some of Professor Oobleck's lectures, how settlements fell, and the kingdoms nearly followed, if the country fell into debt before...
"So then, these guidelines are just as important as ever then" Jaune muttered. "So, the first one is me having a proper house... I'm going to assume it's because of health and safety reasons?" he asked as Lewis nodded.
"That's right, having a proper farm is important for different reasons. If anything comes from a questionable establishment, people would be less likely to buy it, or it could result to different issues, such as spoiled produce or worse. That being said, the next issue is a matter of genuine land care. Safe to say that this is more in line with the first rule, but like I said, it's a matter of health and safety. I know you wouldn't want your food to come from an overgrown farmland like this." Lewis remarked as Jaune had to somewhat agree. He never worked on a farm before, but he assumed that people didn't have selling crops or animal products located with trees, boulders and weeds all over the place. Especially if there were any wild animals living there.
The thought of that made him a little nervous, especially when he recounted the stories of his grandfather's misadventures with monsters and animals on the farm. It was times like that he really wished Crocea Mors came with him.
"So, clear it out and make sure the farm is in both good condition and safe to operate" Jaune said, so far it seemed reasonable. "What's number three?" he asked as Robin answered this time around.
"A business must make a certain level of profit at the end of each season... thankfully, due to your "Three-Years" grace period, you don't have to worry about that in the first year. But starting from the second year and so on, you'll have to make a profit every season. If you don't then that could cause some issues with your farm's image and reliability. Unlike independent businesses, we have to make a certain profit each season" which honestly wasn't that hard since Robin had a lot of places interested in her work. Chairs, beds, tables, decor. Anything and nearly everything available and she'd just have to work on them in her time. Which was a reason she couldn't afford to help Jaune for free. She had to look after her own interests first. If she spent her time on other projects without the proper payments, it would be her head over anyone else's.
"For your farm, it's probably going to be around 3,000 $G starting next year... for layman's terms that's probably around eighty-six parsnips for Spring, one-hundred and twenty Blueberries for Summer, and fifty eggplants for the fall" he informed. "Keep in mind, that these are the least profitable crops you can sell, but each one has their advantages. Just keep it up and you'll be fine. It's actually remarkably simple in all honesty" Lewis said. 'Heh, how do you think I can afford my little side-project in my garage' Lewis added as he wanted to finish that little golden trophy of his.
"That still sounds like a lot" Jaune said bluntly. "And that's not taking into account of the million I need at the end of the year, is it?" he asked as Lewis and Robin shrugged. Honestly it depended on a lot of things. Whether Jaune wanted to use that money to repair, or in his case, upgrade the farmhouse, buy more seeds or even have other resources on the farm, like a chicken coop or a barn full of cows, that was all on him. He just needed to have at least a million at the end of the three years, as well as enough to make sure the following spring's capable of reaching the profit minimum.
"You'll be fine... don't sweat it" Robin reassured. "Though, that brings us to number four... which I'm sure won't be an issue" the carpenter began with a smile. Lewis, knowing what that was simply grinned.
"Animal-related stuff" he said as he smiled. "Guideline number four is simple. No animals on your property are to be considered abused or in unfit environments. And I'll let you know that Marnie would get to you before anyone in the Ferngill Republic can" Lewis said, strangely proud and nervous at the woman's obsession with animals. Bah, it was just a part of her charm.
"Who's Marnie?" Jaune asked as Lewis seemed lost in thought while Robin noticed and grinned a bit.
"Oh, just a very close friend of Lewis's" she teased, immediately snapping the man out of his thoughts and causing the mayor to give a slight glare at the woman in question. "But she's actually your neighbor down the road" she said, pointing to the south of the area, left of the entrance of the farms that was surrounded by the cluttered greenwood around the area. "She runs a ranch that specializes in eggs, milk and so on. If you want me to build you a barn or a coop, then you can handle some local animals."
"Did my grandpa have any animals on the farm?" Jaune asked, Lewis saying nothing as he gave the younger man another deadpanned look. "Uh, is something wrong?" Jaune asked again before Lewis interrupted him.
"Don't hatch strange eggs, Jaune" was all Lewis said with a frown, earning a confused look from the swordsman. As he looked at Robin for answers, she just shook her head, recalling the havoc Rufous's "Little Friend" caused. "Jaune, promise me, that if you find any strange eggs, you won't hatch them" Lewis said as Jaune just seemed more lost than ever. But after seeing the look on Lewis's face, maybe it was best to heed his warning. Something told him that it was better not to know, and if he did, it probably would've been a wild story in-it-of-itself.
It was safe to say that Jaune didn't really bother asking about whatever animal his grandfather had on his farm, the only person who seemed to bother answering was the town's curator, a man named Gunther, and all he did was chuckle nervously and remark that the animal had nearly wiped out the town's eco-system. That was more than enough information to make his own conclusions about the animal that could've been on the old Archer's Farm back when Rufous ran it. For now, Jaune just simply moved passed it, often accepting it was probably best not to think about it anymore than what it was. If it was something as bad as Lewis and Gunther seemed to hint at, then by all means he could say it was some sort of Grimm and yeah, he'd just accept it.
Putting all of that behind him, he snapped back to reality and continued to study on his overall plans for the newly acquired Archer Farms. The fact that time here was completely different was a headache he'd have to keep in mind as he only had a day or two left until he could fully move into the old shack. Lewis and Robin have already done a lot to help him fix it up for him, the small shack turning into an, at the least, livable place. They had already exterminated some termites, had to repair the front porch and replace the rotted wood that seemed to coat the small building. Not to mention cut and clear the overgrown forested areas to use as supplies to repair and replace the mentioned rotten wood and porch. Not to mention the fact they had to fix the chimney that seemed to nearly collapse over the years, patch up any holes that threatened to smoke them out, move a hornet's nest from the corner of the shack, oh boy wasn't that a fun thirty-minutes of their day. They had to repair the windows, the doors, the furniture and the install a bathroom and kitchen into it, which was just a building an outhouse, and adding refrigerator to preserve food for him to roast on a nearby fire outside of his house. It was a lot like roasting fish and marshmallows back when he and his family went camping, so that was a start he supposed. For the rest of his convenience, it was simple enough. According to Lewis, he could buy a heater from Marnie during the winter seasons, he could just get some food off of the land or get food from Gus back at the saloon, or just grow his own while tending to his crops. 'All I need to do is camp out and play it smart, save up money for food and other things and try to survive long enough to get the farm back in order' he thought to himself, wanting to rebuild his family's forgotten farm.
But then what, after he succeeded, or failed, what then?
That was a thought that came to mind more than once a day, the thought of Remnant, and how he could return home. Jaune couldn't help but frown slightly as he gave it more thought. 'That's right, I... have to get home to' he remembered, knowing what came first. 'Even if I do get the farm back up and running, I can't stay here forever.' Jaune wasn't a farmer, that much was clear, he didn't belong here, that much was certain. He still couldn't remember how he arrived outside the small shack in the first place, and that was only the beginning of things that made him uneasy. 'Blake...' he recalled, the black-haired Faunus being with him in the office, but Jaune thought back to it with a frown. 'I... don't know where she is, if she came with me either' he thought to himself. Did Blake join him, or was she left alone in the office when the council came to detain them both. And if she did manage to follow him, then the question was where was she now?
He had spent the time he had to himself, time he wasn't running errands for Robin, Lewis or himself, looking around for any leads. 'She could be anywhere if she did fall behind me...' he thought before trailing off and shaking his head. No, of course she was alright, she was training to be a huntress and unlike him, had the actual skills to defend herself without any problem. If anything, she would be having an easier time adjusting, or at the very least he hoped so. 'If she is somewhere in this world, I hope you're alright.' With that thought, he continued his reading, learning more about the different crops he could grow to help him make a better profit and get the farmhouse rebuilt. 'Now where was I again?' he thought, recalling the line he ended on. 'Some plants, such as Starfruits, are incredibly tasty and serve to make a great seasonal profit. Growing only in the spring and taking up to half of the season to properly grow, and ripen, this fruit is a delicacy that many would wish to grow. While nobody knows why only one Starfruit will grow and flourish on a tree, or why the tree itself tends to wither and day after the fruit is plucked off, people have hinted that all of the plant's life-force will be converted into the fruit, making the trees just as rare as the fruit itself.'
"...Wait, it just... dies?" Jaune asked aloud, not sure if he read that right. How in the heck does a fully grown tree, a tree that bears only one fruit at a time, just outright die when the fruit is picked? No, no. He was. asking Remnant Logic questions again. By this point, he should just easily accept some of the odder things in the valley and leave it at that. Even if it didn't make any sense to him.
"Oh, I didn't expect to see you here" a voice called out as the blond's attention was pulled away from the pages as Jaune noticed two somewhat familiar faces that arrived at the musuem with smiles on their faces. The first being an older man with orange hair, probably in his mid-twenties, a red jacket-coat with a pair of green pants approached him. "Though it is good to see you again, Jaune."
"Hello, Jaune" a woman's voice called out from behind the older man, a young woman, somewhere between both men in age seemed to smile towards her newest neighbor, while she was not as old as Robin, she was still somewhat beautiful, wearing blue jeans and suspenders, a green shirt matching her fellow orange-haired friend's pants with her hair braided in a ponytail. Similar to the other man, she followed and sat at the same table as the two of them joined the blond knight.
"Oh, hey guys" Jaune greeted he said, shutting the book and resting it on the table, the book now aside, the blonde's attention now on the two sitting across from him. "How are you two doing?" he asked, a smile on his face, having met the both of them over the time he spent with Robin and the others.
"We're doing marvelous" the man said, the smile on his face matching his sophisticated tones. "With the winter season almost over, I'm hoping that the spring season will invigorate my creativity." Beside him, the orange haired woman smiled.
"I'm doing alright, not too much to do though in the winter" she lamented for a second. "Though I'm working on a small project at the moment" she informed, looking a bit more confident. "I just need to get a bit more wood and supplies until my next sculpture is finished."
"Really, cool?" Jaune said, looking at the two of them with interest. The older man smiling at his friend with a small chuckle.
"I'm sure it will turn our great, Leah" the man said as the young woman, Leah, nodded with a smile. "And hopefully I'll be back to writing my novel in a few days" he remarked before he turned to Jaune. "And, have you decided yet, about the farm?" he asked Jaune as the younger man had to nod.
"Yeah" he said, although he was still clearly uncertain about it, his voice filled with some hesitation. "I don't know what though, what to grow, what to do, where to even begin, you know?" he asked as they seemed to nod, agreeing with him a little bit.
"It seems we're still in the same boat then, Jaune" the older man said with some understanding. "Though, I'm sure that you'll figure it out sooner than later. With the spring season nearly upon us, I'm sure we'll all be working hard when it does" he said, reassuring not only him but both himself and Leah as well.
"Elliott is right" Leah said as she crossed her arms, "I'm sure you'll have a plan soon." The man beside her, Elliott, seemed to think of something.
"Well, I have an idea" he said as he seemed to think of something. "Since we're heading into the new season, why not have a toast?" he suggested as both Jaune and Leah looked at him for a second.
"At the saloon?" Leah asked as she thought about it. 'Well, I'm not against it, it is the weekend, and I wouldn't mind a bit of wine and salad tonight' she thought.
"I... don't have much money on me" Jaune said, a bit disappointed. "And I'm still only seven-teen" he pointed out. It wasn't legal for him to have a drink, even if Nora and Yang would be the first to disagree with him on that. 'Then again, under-age drinking is probably nothing in comparison to forgery and branded some sort of traitor to a kingdom for some sort of terrorism chages.'
That wasn't a good thought to have, it only seemed to lower his esteem more than ever. However, Elliott seemed to have the answer.
"Nonsense" he declared. "I'll be buying the drinks, and I'm sure they'll have substitutes other than ale" he admitted. That was true, Gus did seem to have more than just beer there. If anything, Pam could probably have his drink and he'd just toast with the others. It would make her happy in any regard.
"Well, sure then, if you're offering" Jaune said as Elliott seemed happy to hear that.
"Then we'll meet up at the saloon" he said as he made his way up from the table. "To toast the newest season" he suggested as Leah nodded.
"A new year of possibilities" she said as Jaune thought about it, how everything seemed to suddenly change. No longer thinking about what to do with the farm, a familiar sensation began to come to him, filling him as for a second, he could've sworn he saw three others in their places, two girls with red and orange hair respectively, and a black-haired man, each of them smiling at him.
"To... our friendship" he muttered softly, but not soft enough not to be heard.
"Our friendship?" Elliott asked before nodding his head in agreement. "A fantastic idea" he remarked as he headed off to find the book he was looking for. "Then I'll see you both there, once I finished a little reading of my own" he said as he left to another section of the library. As he did, Leah smiled.
"Well, I'll see you there" she said as she left to follow him, both of them having arrived for their own reasons. As he saw the two of them disappear from sigh, Jaune couldn't help but smile, recalling how he met the two of them while reaching for his book once again.
"Excuse me, are you by chance the newest farmer?" a woman's voice called out, earning a curious look from Jaune as he turned around and faced a woman with orange hair.
"Huh, oh... yeah, I am" he said, a bit awkwardly, clearly not expecting to get called out. "Um... I'm Jaune... nice to meet you" he said, extending a handout to the woman who smiled.
"I'm Leah... it's nice to meet you, neighbor" she greeted. Jaune seemed confused for a second before remembering what Lewis said the day prior.
"Oh, right... you're the artist living near the forest, right?" he asked, recalling seeing her cabin when he visited and met Marnie. Leah nodded her head,
"Yep, just an artist trying to make her way in the world. Though I heard you were living with Robin until you can move into that small cottage your grandfather left you" she said with a bit of a frown. Honestly, she heard and seen the small bit of work the three of them seemed to do on that small shack. Still, she couldn't help but wonder just how anyone could live in that little bit of space.
"Yeah, we're still working on it, we nearly smoked ourselves out when we lit the fireplace" he said with a bit of a nervous laugh. Leah had to raise an eyebrow at that, looking at the man in question. Well, it would explain the smoke smell he seemed to have. "How about you?" Jaune asked, trying to change the subject. "I mean, if you don't mind me asking?" he said as Leah smiled.
"Oh, well, I just wanted to get away from the big city, to find a better and more peaceful life. I suppose you know what I mean, being a part of a caravan and all" she said as Jaune nodded, a bit nervously as he gave a small laugh.
"Yeah... the caravan..." he trailed a bit. Oh was this going to be an awkward conversation.
"Well, either way it was nice meeting you, Jaune... was it?" she asked, Jaune nodding as she nodded back. "Great, hope to see you around" she said before heading back to her cabin in the woods. ""By the way, you picked a great time to move here, the spring is lovely here in the valley."
And with that, Jaune watched on as the woman left the general store, leaving Jaune to continue his shopping for Robin and her family.
"Oh, I don't believe we've met before" a man called out, startling Jaune a bit as he turned to face the mysterious man before him. "I'm Elliott, it's a pleasure to meet you" he greeted in a gentlemanly manner, extending a handout towards the swordsman.
"Uh, Jaune Arc... nice to meet you" he said as he accepted the hand, the man nodding as he did so.
"So, Jaune... would you care if I joined you?" he asked as Jaune blinked at the question before shaking his head, indicating he didn't care if he did or not. "Wonderful, I was actually hoping to ask you a few things, if that was alright. with you?"
"Oh, uh... sure?" Jaune asked, a little confused as Elliot realized something.
"Oh, sorry... I must've come on a bit too strong. It's just that I heard about a new farmer taking over the Archer Farms, and I wanted to see what he was like" he explained as Jaune relaxed a bit.
"Yeah, no problems... Elliott" he said, recalling the older man's name. "So, what did you want to ask me?" he asked himself, Elliot smiling as he did.
"Well, I was wondering what inspired you to come to Pelican Town in the first place. I had heard the farmland had been without an owner for some time until now. The rumors spreading around claim you're from a traveling caravan." he said as Jaune mentally cursed. Again, with that caravan lie. He should've just said he was from a small village of Doremy from the beginning.
"Yeah, though it wasn't for all too long. I mean my family traveled but we usually stayed a bit in a nearby small village for a while" he said, letting more of the truth leak out in a way that probably made sense. "But I guess I just wanted to leave home and be like follow my family's footsteps."
"I see, a noble pursuit no doubt. Though I'm sure you might have seen quite a lot on your travels" he pondered as Jaune shrugged his shoulders.
"Yeah, a lot more than I thought I would" Jaune said, and oh boy wasn't that the truth. He had his entire world view changed since leaving home, joining Beacon and becoming the leader of Team JNPR. Team JNPR... his friends. Fighting against the forming sadness in his chest, he changed the subject. "How about you, what brought you here?" he asked as Elliot smiled.
"Ah, well... I hoped to pursue a passion of mine, though... not many people really supported me" he admitted. "Still, I'm hoping to keep going and fulfill a dream of mine" he said as Jaune laughed a bit.
"Same for me, actually" he said as Elliot looked at him. "I guess I wanted to leave home to follow a dream of my own" he said as he looked at the man with a genuine smile. "I guess we're both in the same boat."
"Indeed, I wish you luck in your dream, Jaune. It was wonderful to meet you, Jaune. I hope to see you around town. Good luck with your farming" he said, heading out with a smile to another part of the museum. As he left, Jaune was confused a bit but smiled. He seemed like a nice guy, a little strange though. Still, it was like his mom always said. 'Strangers are just friends you haven't met yet' he thought before returning to his book.
Back in the present, Jaune returned to his book apparently now having plans for the night. With a bit more confidence, he picked up where he left off, or at the very least tried to, having no idea what page he was on before closing the book. As he fumbled through the pages, he was unsure what would await him. 'Just a few more days' he thought as spring was nearly upon them. And when it was, then the three-year deadline for keeping his grandfather's farm would begin.
Meanwhile, outside of the town, a man seemed to be thinking, a man with glasses and blue skin, dressed in a strange attire as he sat in his office with his fingers crossed and resting on the desk. It would seem that Jaune had decided to stay and tend to the small farm after all, not like he had another choice but to. As he was left to think about it, the mysterious man questioned many things, his eyes scanning his table and looking at a large computer with differing letters and numbers, symbols not many could hope to understand.
"It seems that my work is about to actually begin" he muttered to himself before a voice seemed to address him from an intercom on his desk.
"Mr. Qi... your, uh, guest is back" the voice said. "She... seems like she had her answer" the voice called again, the man smiling as he pressed the button on the nearby device.
"Thank-you, Sandy. Please, send her in, I'm ready to speak with her now" the man said happily as he stood from his desk to greet his visitor, a little stray cat that got caught up in his small promise to Rufous. Less than a minute had passed until the door opened to reveal said cat. A young woman with black hair, amber eyes and dressed in some slightly different clothing as to when she first arrived. "Ah, Miss Belladonna, is it?" he asked as he greeted her with a smile. "I take it you have your answer for me then?"
"I... I do" she said, hesitantly, a little fearfully for a second but still maintained a sense of bravado. "I'll... I'll do it" she said, having reflected on his proposition for a few days as she was given a choice. A choice to stay, or a choice. to return to Remnant.
"I see" he said with a smile, having already guessed her answer. "Then, I'll take it our deal is still on then" he said, earning a nod from the young woman. As he held out his hand to make their deal official, Blake couldn't help but ask one last time.
"Why though?" she asked as the man paused for a second. "Why, Jaune?" she began, "Why offer me a role in... in whatever this whole thing is" she said, pointing at the computer for a moment as Mr. Qi remained quiet. "You said you owed Jaune's grandfather a favor... but why go this far... to erase his memories, to erase my memories, what is it you promised exactly?" she continued before Mr. Qi held up a hand, silencing the confused guest before him.
"Why, you may ask, did I do what I did, and why I'm doing what I'm doing?" the man asked curiously. "Well, I already told you the reasons why and how, though I never did tell you what. To be fair, that is a personal thing I'd like to keep to myself. The fact is that I have reasons to test dear Jaune, and I suppose you know more than the two of us what Jaune is like?" he asked as Blake frowned.
No, she didn't, she really didn't. In fact, she barely even talked to him at all back in Beacon. Sure, Jaune and Ruby were friends, he flirted with Weiss, trying to woo her if he could... constantly at that, well... until sometime after the dance, and Yang would make small talk with him, although it was mostly teasing him and his attempts in said wooing attempts.
But she never talked to him that much, she didn't hate him, but she didn't know him either. The only thing she really had to some sort of interaction with the blond swordsman was when he nearly outed her, on pure accident, about how she was a Faunus, in front of who knew how many eavesdroppers there where.
"You don't have to say anything, I know you aren't necessary friends, but I am good on my word, and I'll leave it up to you, whatever it is you decide" he said as she frowned at that.
"You aren't really giving me much of a choice" she said as Mr. Qi said nothing. "Y-you won't do anything too badly, right?" she asked with clear issues on trusting the stranger before her. A stranger who she knew could kill her without much of a thought, someone who was clearly neither human of Faunus, something altogether, something that made her fearful, as if she was facing someone like Professor Goodwitch or Professor Ozpin themselves.
"I already told you my plans for you" he said, smiling as he did so. "And I already said I won't force you to go along with it. Merely say you want to leave now, and I'll send you back to Beacon, as if you never came with Jaune to begin with."
"No... I'll go" she said, knowing that she would be swarmed by the Vale Council if she didn't. She knew that and he knew that. "Just... you promise you'll keep your end of the deal?" she asked, if not slightly demanded as the man nodded.
"Of course, of course... a deal is a deal" he said, extending his hand again. "And a man like me never goes back on a deal" he said with a sense of finality in his tones. As he did, Blake nodded, extending her hand as well. Once she did, a veil of light covered the room, Blake's startled cries following shortly after until the light died down, Blake vanished and sent to the valley. A smile on Mr. Qi's face as he turned. to face the computer. As he did, new symbols appeared on the screen, symbols that he watched with interest. "Now then, Miss Belladonna, let's see if you and Jaune both have the spark in you or not."
Headmistress Glynda Goodwitch was far from being in a good mood at the moment, having to have yet another conversation with the members of not only Team RWBY, but Team JNPR as well. It didn't help that the council had decided to name two of her former students "Traitors" or "Fugitives" after they mysteriously vanished without a trace. Observing the security tapes, it was clear that whatever. happened was beyond anyone's guess. Not even Ozpin knew for sure what happened.
And such a thing made this entire incident oh so much worse for everyone.
Making her way to her new office atop the clock tower, she thought back to the last conversation she had with Ozpin, regarding not only the Fall Maiden, but Beacon itself. "Take over for a while" she muttered, more annoyed than ever as she walked into the elevator with a frown on her face. "It's only for a short while, I assure you" she complained silently while recalling Ozpin leaving to meet with the council about his recent "Demotion" as she had heard him call it. The man was stepped from his position and didn't seem all-toto bothered at all about it. No doubt him having a backup plan should this have happened at all. It wouldn't surprise her if she was being honest with herself. Ozpin was too experienced, played the game of politics too long to not have some sort of backup plan.
Minutes later, she arrived in the office, only to stop when she noticed a letter on the desk, one she didn't see there the last time, and one she knew couldn't have been given to her since only she and Ozpin had the authority to enter the office. Well, that or the council but she highly doubts they would merely leave her a letter and say nothing else. No, if this was the council, they'd make yet another spectacle about things.
As she made her way to the desk, she picked up the letter and quickly opened it to see what it was about, addressed to her from Ozpin. Without hesitation, she read it, and then again, and then frowned and debated buying something to ease the ensuring headache that was currently on his way.
Glynda:
If you are reading this, then I have made my way out of Vale, for a little "Vacation" of sorts. As I discussed earlier, I have already announced you my successor and entrust Beacon Academy in your capable hands until my return. As for the council, I have no doubt they're paranoid and looking for a scapegoat for all of this. And with rumors regarding both Mister Arc and Miss Belladonna, I can only assume the worst will come to their names.
For now, I have asked Qrow to cover your former position as the combat instructor for Beacon. If this is really her work, then it is important to have a better hand for whatever it is she's planning. I have been talking to James, and understandably he is still trying to sort this out. As much as I wished he wouldn't have jumped the gun on this, it was. something I doubt he even saw coming himself.
For now, I hope you three can handle things regarding Amber, as well as keep an eye out for the students. For now, I'll be taking this time to focus on a few more personal responsibilities. Rest assured I'll be back for the Vytal Festival to begin. As for Teams RWBY and JNPR, while I know you won't like this...
Glynda read the letter and frowned, she read the letter and cursed, Ozpin was going to get something to him when he came back, and for his sake she better hope he brought not only Mister Arc and Miss Belladonna, but managed to clear their names so they would be able to reform the teams. Regardless, she simply took a deep breath, let out a tired sigh, mentally screamed out her leader against Salem, and decided to double down on those headache relief pills. This was going to be ugly, this was going to be a disaster.
And she doubts it could get any worse than this-
No sooner than she had begun to question how things were or could get worse, did her scroll decide to buzz, an incoming call that snapped her out of her thoughts as she looked at the screen to see who was calling. A strange number calling her directly, it wasn't one she knew or recognized, but as soon as the call began, it ended swiftly, a new buzz echoing in the office a second later, this time a message for her.
Curiously, she checked her inbox, wondering what it was. She nearly froze when she read it, taking in a sharp breath as only four words of text were displayed. It was a message from Ironwood, and one that was going to make this entire situation far worse than it already was.
Roman Torchwick has escaped.
And with that, the last chapter of the "Prologue" I guess we can call it is finished. Next chapter will begin the next season and off we go.
Now before that, yes, I'm using the in-game time for the story since, while I could make it more accurate regarding a normal year in terms of time, extending it by four times the amount per year to make it more realistic, there are reasons I'm going with the 28-day seasons, 4 seasons a year sort of thing. One, it will be easier to keep track of for writing since I can just look up on the wiki to see how long plants grow, how long animals can produce certain products and etc. Playing the game for over 300 hours also helps.
Next, I went into some of the things regarding the Ferngill Republic as well as why Jaune has to deal with some of the challenges and issues you normally don't deal with at all in game. I'm trying to find a sort of balance that evens out the "Jaune can do that in a year" and "How can anyone do this realistically at all" sort of thing. The main thing to take from what the "Guidelines" are is that Jaune has to get the farmhouse rebuilt, has to make over a million in revenue he can pay at the end of the three "years," make at least a certain amount of money per season, and finally has to follow the guidelines in doing so. Which is essentially just what the game gives you. Since whatever he ships out is going to be on record and stuff.
That being said, I do have an idea on what kind of farm Jaune's going to have and an overall endgame to the first three "Years" of Jaune's time in Stardew Valley. Second is that there are going to be in-story reasons as to why the year is so short, which will be explained later. So, for now, I hope you understand where I'm coming from in terms of time. That being said, Jaune will soon be the new farmer, and things are about to pick up soon. With Jaune meeting the townsfolk and Blake on her way.
I'm always looking for advice and feedback, and I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. I'll be trying to update when I can, but for now, I hope you all have a great day, or night.