Loki fell backwards through the time door onto a cold, damp tile floor. Flashing green eyes framed by golden curls disappeared from sight as the glowing portal closed – separating him from Sylvie and He Who Remains. He lay still, staring blankly up at the fluorescent light that flickered half-heartedly from the ceiling. Water seeped through the back of his shirt causing the fabric to cling to his skin like a freshly bathed labrador puppy.

Mobius!

He needed to find Mobius! Loki jumped up and made for the door, running past a few empty bathroom stalls and some disgusting looking urinals. He had to warn Mobius about who was actually behind the Time Keepers. He pushed open the rusted metal door and stepped into a brilliantly bright spring day. As his eyes adjusted to the glare the hazy shapes around him turned into a small, remote bus stop sitting patiently by a vacant country road. Wherever Sylvie had sent him it certainly wasn't back to the TVA. He looked about and noticed a weather beaten bench to his left. A leather satchel sat all by itself on the worn wooden seat, as if the inanimate object was itself waiting for something. Not seeing anyone else around he sat down next to it and carefully rifled through its contents hoping to find a clue to where he was. The first thing he pulled out was a letter. The strange purple seal that adorned the envelope had already been broken by the letter's owner.

Dear Grandson,

If you are reading this then you must be in dire need of a change. The same thing happened to me long ago. I'd lost sight of what mattered most in life…real connections with other people and nature. So I dropped everything and moved to the place where I truly belonged. I've enclosed the deed to that place…my pride and joy: Thistle Heart Farm. It's located in Stardew Valley on the southern coast. It's the perfect place to start your new life. This was my most precious gift of all and now it's yours. I know you'll honor the family name, my dear. Good luck.

Love, Grandpa

P.S. If Lewis is still alive say hi to the old guy for me, will ya?

The rest of the bag's contents included a deed to the mentioned farm, a one-way bus ticket, a partially filled diary, a bottle of expired milk, 500 gold coins and an ink pen. Loki looked up and down the empty road and surrounding fields, not another soul could be found. As if in response to some silent cue a large bus pulled up to the bus stop, the door opening up right in front of him. He hesitated.

"You getting on?" The bus driver asked with barely a look in Loki's direction. Getting to a town would be his best bet at getting back to the TVA. Maybe he could cause a timeline variation and get back to Mobius that way. Loki grabbed the satchel, perhaps the owner had simply forgotten it and was already in the next town, and boarded the bus.

"Ticket please…Pelican Town. Best you settle in, we're about 50 miles out from the valley."

Loki slipped into a row at the back of the empty bus. As the adrenaline faded and the fatigue finally caught up with him he thought back over the past few days and all the crap he had been through. As he slipped into unconsciousness a conversation echoed in his memories: "I escaped to a far off planet and hid there for years. The TVA never found me." Loki finally slept for the first time in what felt like forever, lulled and comforted by the low hum and gentle rattle of the bus.

"Next stop, Pelican Town!"

Loki stepped off the bus and onto a small, paved unloading area. The only other soul was a middle aged red headed woman who stared at him pointedly before breaking into a wide grin. She wore a warm, yellow long sleeve shirt with a brown cotton vest.

"Hello! You must be the new farmer!"

Before Loki could even react she shook his hand vigorously "I'm Robin, the local carpenter. Mayor Lewis sent me here to fetch you and show you the way to your new home. We've actually been expecting you for a few days. Those dang buses can be so fickle, makes travel time difficult to predict I'm sure. Is that all you brought?" She gestured to the leather satchel hanging from Loki's shoulder.

He gripped the strap "Uh yes, I travel light."

Robin nodded "I'm the same way. My husband on the other hand…he packs enough to clothe Genghis Khan's entire family." She laughed, a low pitched earthy giggle, before turning away and gesturing for Loki to follow her "Right this way…um. Gosh, where are my manners? I haven't even asked you your name yet."

"Loki." He inwardly kicked himself, by the gods why would he use his real name?

"Loki, huh?" She paused for only a moment, but it made him nervous all the same. "Cool name! Glad to officially meet you, Loki. Come on, your new farm isn't too far from here. Mayor Lewis is actually there right now. He took the opportunity of your delayed arrival to tidy up the place a bit." Apparently the owner of the letter had not made it to the farm ahead of him. The thought gave Loki a small sense of relief.

He followed her out past the gate and to the right, down a quaint dirt road. The late afternoon sun was shifting into a warm evening glow as it sank slowly behind the horizon. The trees were covered in the bright green of new spring foliage and tiny yellow buttercups dotted the grass running alongside the little road. A rabbit darted across the path in front of them and dove into a cluster of bushes while the persistent knocking of a woodpecker echoed through the trees.

"Here we are, Thistle Heart Farm!"

Loki's first impression of this poor, unknown grandfather's pride and joy left much to be desired. They stepped off the dirt road onto a small, overgrown footpath – rutted and washed out from multiple rainfalls over the years. Old, gnarled trees bent over from years of exposure to the elements guarded either side of the farm entrance. A broken gate had been pushed off to one side, overgrown with briars and ivy. The open space beyond was riddled with weeds, rocks, patches of knee-high grass, sticks and branches. Trees of all sizes and growth stages dotted the property in the most random and inconvenient locations.

Robin glanced over at Loki's face "Sure, it's a bit overgrown but don't let that fool you, there's some good soil underneath that mess! Why, with a little sweat equity you'll have it cleaned up in no time." She turned and pointed "And here we are, your new home." Just past the entrance and to the right sat a tiny, rundown cabin tucked away into the corner of the lot. A small curl of smoke wafted lazily up from the chimney and a happy little candle burned in the single window by the door. The vertical, natural wood siding was broken in places and a few sections were missing. Jutting off the left side was a small wood shed filled to the top with stacked firewood.

The front door opened and a jolly looking, rotund man stepped out. He had a bushy grey moustache and unusually shrewd grey eyes. He wore a dark green shirt with a yellow tie, brown leather suspenders, and a worn brown tweed cap on his greying head. "Ah, the new farmer! Welcome, welcome. I'm Lewis, the mayor of Pelican Town." He walked down off the porch and extended a hand to the newcomer. Loki shook it, the man's grip was endearing if not a bit overbearing. He scanned Loki carefully from head to toe before continuing. "Glad to see that you finally made it here safely. We were all starting to get worried. Everyone in the valley has been asking about you, you know. After all it's not every day that someone new moves in. It's quite a big deal!" Lewis' face broke into a friendly smile and he chuckled.

Loki returned the smile "Surely it hasn't been that long since someone new came to town. A place this unique must be popular with travelers and tourists."

Lewis scratched his chin "I appreciate the compliment but we don't really pull in much tourism. Twenty years ago, maybe. But it's almost like people have forgotten that this little gem exists. You're the first person to travel here since Elliott moved in a little over a year ago…and he was the first in over ten years."

"So you weren't expecting anyone else?" Loki asked carefully.

Lewis shook his head "Nope, just you." He turned and waved a hand vaguely in the direction of the small cabin "So, you're moving into your grandfather's old cottage. It's a good house…got good bones. It's what the kids these days call 'rustic.'"

Robin huffed loudly "Rustic? That's one way to put it…crusty might be a little more on the nose." She broke into another earthy giggle.

Mayor Lewis glared at her before turning back to Loki and shrugging "Don't pay her any mind, Loki. Robin's just trying to upsell her remodeling services. A dissatisfied homeowner is a paying customer, right Robin?"

Robin stopped giggling and rolled her eyes. She leaned in and whispered to Loki "I'm just saying, if you want to fix the place up I'm more than willing to take the job."

Mayor Lewis cleared his throat and slapped gently at his pockets. "Anyway, we've talked your ear off long enough. You must be tired from the long journey. You should get some rest. But tomorrow you ought to familiarize yourself with the town and introduce yourself to everyone. Folk would appreciate that. Welp, Loki, welcome to Stardew Valley and good luck!"

Lewis and Robin turned to leave. As they neared the footpath Lewis looked back and yelled "By the way, if you have anything you would like to sell you can just leave it in that wooden chest over there. I'll come by each night and pick it up for you."

Loki whipped around, momentarily lost for words "Wait…what? No, no, that won't be necessary."

Lewis shrugged "Well, if you change your mind just put the items in there. I'll come by and check each night in case you do decide to use it. And don't worry about me making any noise, I'm sneaky."

"No, no, no, no." Loki shook his head, "Thank you but that won't be necessary. I would rather you did not sneak onto the property every night."

"Why not?" the Mayor asked. His innocence seemed genuine.

"Because…because it's a bit odd, don't you think? Trespassing on people's property and rifling through their boxes in the dead of night."

Robin looked at Loki as if he had two heads "Why would that be odd?"

Loki pursed his lips and pinched the top of his nose, what strange alternate timeline had Sylvie stranded him in? "Never mind, have a good night." He watched the pair walk off into the twilight.

The interior of the cabin was quaint but comfortable. And he rather liked it – except for the hideous yellow painted paneled walls. Vertical paneling, who does vertical paneling anymore? It was a small, one room cabin. The worn, pine flooring was scratched and scuffed, warped here and there from age. An old tv on a cabinet sat up against the wall in the far left corner, right next to a window. Next to the window was a small dining table with a single wooden chair. A small microwave sat atop the table's stained wood surface. A red brick chimney stood empty in the back right corner and across from it was an old twin sized bed, one side pushed up against the wall. On the other side lay an old, faded red rug. A large, potted Snake Plant stood tall next to the door and a tiny painting of a tree graced the paneling above the dining table.

Loki collapsed into the bed, exhausted, and sighed heavily. If the rest of the valley was as odd as the conversation he had just been a part of then instigating a variant event might be more difficult than he had initially assumed. It would probably be best to continue on masquerading as this dead grandfather's heir for a while longer until he could come up with a plan. He fell asleep, mid-thought, to the sad duet of an owl and a whippoorwill. The melody reminding him of an old lullaby sung by his mother in his dreams.

The night's sleep was deep, uninterrupted and refreshing. He awoke to a beam of sunlight dancing across his face, the spark of warm light teasing his eyelashes. The yellow paneled walls looked almost cozy and endearing in the early morning glow and the cracked window threw fractured rainbows on the hardwood floor. Loki stretched and ran his fingers through his hair, trying to tame the disheveled waves, and rubbed the hard-earned sleep from his eyes. His eyes fell on a small package on the table across the room, either he had missed it the night before or Lewis had sneaked in to his house while he slept. He made a mental note to buy a lock for the door. Inside the box was a package of parsnip seeds and a handwritten note:

Here's a little something to get you started. – Mayor Lewis

P.S. Your grandfather's old tools are hanging on the side of the woodshed outside.

Morning sunshine is a very forgiving medium and the horrifically overgrown farmland looked almost romantic as Loki stepped out on the front deck. Every weed, log and rock glittered with fresh dew and added to the aura of hopeful potential. Loki grabbed some gold coin and started making his way to Pelican Town for a few groceries and necessities. It was not a very long walk, the entrance to the town was actually just past the bus stop where Loki had arrived the day before. The dirt path transitioned to brick and cobblestone as Loki stepped into the town square and looked about him.

Pierre's was the large building just past the public park entrance on the left, framing in the top edge of the large stone and brick village square. The two story building, covered in older yet well maintained natural wood siding, boasted a large hand painted sign that stretched above the glass front door and an oversized community board covered in outdated announcements and requests. The second floor was adorned with a tiny little apartment balcony with a couple plants crammed into a corner against the metal railing. Jutting off the side of the convenience store was a somewhat newer addition painted white with light blue trim. A lighted red cross hung above the baby blue door, tall cactuses standing as sentinels on either side. Taped to the glass door of the convenience store was a handwritten note:

Store Hours: 9AM to 5PM CLOSED on Wednesdays

It was 8:30. Time seemed to drag, punctuated only by the moments of dulled hunger in the pit of his stomach. A disheveled, tired looking man with salt and pepper stubble, uncombed hair and wearing a worn blue sweatshirt shuffled by like some hungover zombie across the square. The smell of old beer and stale body odor lingered long after the man had gone, tainting the spring air. Loki was soon joined by a tall, portly gentleman with a swarthy face, a giant brown handlebar moustache and busy eyebrows. He puffed up and smiled warmly "Well hello there!" He extended a massive hand and enveloped Loki's in a firm handshake. "I'm Gus, senior chef…well only chef, and owner of the Stardrop Saloon just down the way. You must be the new farmer, Loki right?"

Loki nodded and smiled in return "Ah, yes. That's me…Farmer Loki." The front door clicked and Gus turned to open the door "Good to officially meet you, Loki. Stop by the saloon anytime you feel thirsty. I've always got hot coffee and cold beer ready to go. In fact, come by Friday night and your first beer will be on the house!"

"Of course, looking forward to it." Loki followed his newly met neighbor into the interior of the store. He was overwhelmed immediately with the surprisingly complimentary smells of pine sol floor cleaner, ground coffee and potatoes. Open crates and shelves of produce were to the left, nonperishable and miscellaneous items were crammed onto rows of plastic shelves on the right.

A thin man with light brown hair and large glasses waved to the entering customers with a grin "Hey, it's Mr. Loki, the new farmer. Welcome, welcome!" He stepped away from a crate full of russet potatoes and stuck his hands in his pockets "I'm Pierre, owner of this here local general store. I suspect you're probably going to be interested in purchasing seeds here soon. If so I have quite the seed selection, and am kind of known locally for being the place to go when you want plenty of seeds. Oh, I'll also buy any produce off of you for a fair price! A little agriculture could really inject some new life back into our little local economy." Pierre spoke in a whirlwind of breathless nerves. Loki thanked him before beginning his own shopping.

He had not scanned the shelves for long before an adorable little middle aged woman with a large brunette braid approached him. She wore a brown sweater and a dark green overall dress. "Ah, Mayor Lewis told me you just arrived. I'm Marnie! I guess we're technically neighbors, I live on the ranch just south of you. I actually sell livestock and care products so if you're interested in investing in a few chickens you can swing by any time. Welp, sorry to leave in a rush but it was good to meet you!" Loki got the impression that this genuinely endearing woman might actually be difficult to get ahold of in the future.

He grabbed a few instant noodle cups, some microwavable mac and cheese containers, some instant coffee, and a couple granola bars before going to grab a bottle of wine. He stared blankly at the small selection of alcoholic beverages, he had absolutely no idea which Midgardian wine would be the best. A middle-aged woman wearing a blue striped sweater and bright green pigtails entered the aisle carrying several boxes of powdered baby formula. "Oh hello! You must be Loki, the new farmer." She started stocking the shelf next to him "I'm Caroline. My husband, Pierre, runs this general store. And have you met my daughter, Abigail?" Caroline wiped her hands on her skirt and frowned "She's the pale one with the purple hair."

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Caroline."

"If I were you," the green haired woman reached over and grabbed a bottle of red wine from the shelf in front of Loki, "I would try this one. It has the best flavor considering the lower price."

Loki accepted her suggestion "Thank you, have a good day." He walked over to the cash register and placed his items on the counter. A young woman with purple hair wearing a sleeveless black leather jacket stood off to the side scanning the shelves of candy.

She glanced over at Loki before turning to yell towards the back of the store "Dad! Customer at the register!"

"Thank you," Loki nodded, "I'm Loki by the way."

"Oh that's right. Dad said someone new was moving into that old farm." She grabbed a pack of blueberry licorice and turned to leave "It's kind of a shame, really. I always enjoyed exploring those overgrown fields by myself."

"Thanks," Loki answered sarcastically.

Abigail smirked and walked out of the store as Pierre slipped in behind the register. "No seeds today? Are you sure? I've got the best seeds in the valley and I'll buy your produce off of you at a decent price!"

Loki shook his head "Not today, thank you." He grabbed his bags and headed back to Thistle Heart Farm. Once back inside the cottage he popped some instant noodles into the microwave and turned on the tv. There were only three channels to choose from: a 24/7 weather channel that subsisted of the same 2 minute weather report on repeat, a taped fortune telling show from five years ago on rerun, and a public DIY channel that consisted of two shows – Livin off the Land and The Queen of Sauce. Loki kept it on the farming show and listened to it in the background while he blew on his noodles.

Welcome to "Livin off the Land." We're back again from our commercial break with another tip for ya'll. Now listen up – since it's officially the first day of spring, this one's for all you greenhorns out there. Money can be hard to come by in between harvests, we suggest that you chop wood and search for wild forage while waiting for that first crop to come in! We'll be back after a brief commercial break with a review of our favorite axes.

An overly cheery commercial for some grocery chain called Joja Mart played, the nauseatingly sharp jingle droned on in the background of his brain. Sitting down at the dining table he dug into his instant noodles and glanced at the bag laying across from him. He had tossed the satchel at the bus stop onto the table last night and the previous owner's diary peaked out from the leather material. Loki picked it up and opened it to the first page, even some pathetic log about someone's boring life would be better than this.

I quit my job today, I am no longer one of Joja Corp's mindless goons. And my roommate found someone interested in taking on my half of the lease. I will soon be leaving Zuzu City behind for good. Mom is worried, of course. She's convinced I'll plow up my own foot or something. But Moms are supposed to think of crazy things like that, it keeps children and dads alive longer than they probably should. I'm just glad to get away from that corporate nightmare and back to my roots. Well, back to grandfather's roots I guess. I remember visiting Thistle Heart every summer when I was kid. The place was so peaceful and full of potential for adventure. I hope I can do it justice and make grandfather proud. Maybe I could get some chickens, grandfather loved his chickens and they laid the best eggs. I wonder if the old coop is still there?

I contacted the guy grandfather mentioned in his letter. Turns out he's the mayor of the town in Stardew Valley. He said he would get the place ready for me. I just need to buy a bus ticket and pack up the few things I want to take with me. I can sell the rest of my stuff so that I have some gold to spend when I get to the farm. Gosh, I'm getting both excited and nervous.

Yep, boring. Loki finished his noodles, stuffed the diary back in the satchel, and then tossed the satchel underneath the bed before laying down himself. The gold coins remaining from his shopping trip jingled in his pocket, sounding quieter and lighter than they had that morning. He needed to figure out how to get the TVA's attention, but he also needed to continue eating. Maybe growing a garden and selling the vegetables to Pierre would be a good idea after all.