Percy woke up to the sound of a blaring alarm playing through his phone, which did little to alleviate the pounding headache reverberating through his skull. He groaned, pressing his palms against his temples, trying to piece together the fragmented memories of the previous night. He remembered arriving in Stardew Valley, meeting a few locals, and then... a drinking contest? He winced as a sharp pain shot through his head, followed by a wave of nausea.
Sitting up slowly, Percy realised he was still in his clothes from the night before. His mouth was dry, and he felt as if he hadn't drunk water in days. He struggled to recall specific details of the previous night. Flashes of a confrontation and a blonde girl with an arm injury came to mind, but everything was hazy.
"Gods, what did I get myself into?" he muttered, forcing himself to his feet. He needed to get dressed and start his day, even if his body was protesting every movement.
After a quick shower to freshen up, Percy dressed in a clean pair of shorts and a t-shirt. He stepped outside into the crisp morning air, hoping it would clear his head. His first task was to water the crops he had planted yesterday. The field looked better now, with neat rows of parsnips having being planted the previous day.
Percy knelt beside the crops, closing his eyes and focusing on the nearby pond. He willed the water to rise, feeling the familiar tug of his powers responding. Streams of water arched gracefully through the air, descending gently onto the parsnips. The soil darkened with moisture, and the plants seemed to perk up instantly. While the act of using his powers was against his current mindset which was to forget about his mythical life, at his current state he really could not be asked to legitimately water all the crops. Within minutes, all the crops were watered, and Percy felt a small sense of accomplishment.
With his farm duties out of the way, he decided to head to Robin's shop to discuss renovations for his farmhouse. He grabbed the map Robin had given him and set off down the path, nursing his hangover by drinking sips of water.
By the time Percy made his way to Robin's shop, he was feeling more grounded. As he entered, the bell above the door jingled, and Robin looked up from her workbench with a smile.
"Morning, Percy! How's the farm coming along?" she asked cheerfully.
"It's getting there," Percy replied, returning her smile. "Although I was hoping to talk to you about the farmhouse."
Robin nodded, pulling out a set of blueprints. "I figured you'd be in soon. Let's take a look at what we can do."
They spent the next hour discussing various options for the farmhouse. Percy was amazed at Robin's expertise and the range of possibilities she offered. Her blueprints were truly advanced, something Athena would be proud of. They settled on a plan to repair the roof, reinforce the walls, along with increasing the house's surface area.
"This will make it much more comfortable to live in," Robin said, jotting down notes. "It'll take a few days to get everything in order, but we'll get started right away."
"Thanks, Robin. I really appreciate your help," Percy said sincerely.
"Happy to do it. It's what I'm here for," Robin replied with a grin. "And don't worry about the cost." Percy let out a sigh of relief. He was dreading the possible costs that came with the renovations due to his limited financial budget.
"Although I'm going to need a favour done in exchange." Robin added, to which Percy berated himself for his naivety and rolled his eyes in reply. This was feeling like an interaction between a god.
"Listen, I wouldn't ask you to do this if I knew you weren't capable. I need you to get me some iridium ore from the mines for a project I'm working on." Robin said, scratching the back of her neck although whether that was because of itchiness or nervousness, he couldn't tell.
"The mines are east of this house, you won't miss it. It's been abandoned for years, but you should still be able to find good ore in it. You'll have to go really low though. The mines have an elevator, and you should be able to find Iridium ore near U-100. I'm sure your farmer strength will translate to your mining ones." She added, before handing him a pickaxe. Percy agreed to her terms, because he really didn't see how her terms were unreasonable; he'd get a free house renovation, and he'd just have to spend a couple hours mining for ore.
Percy once again thanked Robin for her time, before exiting the shop. As Percy walked back home, he spotted the two people in the valley he least wanted to talk to right now. He spotted the blonde girl from last night, whose interaction had been embarrassingly ingrained in his mind. Next to her was none other than the guy from the salon last night, Alex, who was standing near the fountain with an arm around the blonde girls' shoulders which somewhat confused him for a second, before quickly understanding the type of person he was. Why the blonde girl was with a douchebag like him, he had no idea. He tried to lower his head and keep on walking to avoid them noticing him, but once he heard Alex shout his name, he knew a confrontation was inevitable.
"Hey, look who it is," Alex called out, his tone mocking. "Haley, this is the new guy who thought he could outdrink me."
Percy forced a smile, trying to keep things civil. "Morning, Alex." He then directed his focus towards the girl, who he now identified as Haley. "How's your arm?"
Haley gave him a teasing smile, probably due to Alex's previous remark. "It's fine. I had it checked by Dr. Harvey this morning, and other than a small bruise, it really wasn't a big deal."
Alex's expression darkened. "Not a big deal?" He hissed, before glaring at Percy. "You could've broken her arm," He stepped closer, puffing out his chest to assert his dominance. "Maybe I should put you in your place." He said, clenching his fists as if he were expecting a fight to happen between the two of them.
Percy didn't feel scared, nor was he angry at the threat. He felt like laughing. This guy's reaction was inhumane; his temper was really living up to that of Ares'. "Come on man, if you wanted to fight, why didn't you just ask nicely?" Percy retaliated sarcastically, which to his surprise managed to elicit a giggle from Haley, although she hastily reverted to a neutral expression. Alex's jaw tightened, seemingly infuriated by this response, but before a fight could break out, Percy heard something behind him.
"Hey, you're Percy right? The new farmer?" Percy's head jerked backwards, and he was met with a rather hairy man, with moppy brown hair covered by a fisherman's hat completed with overalls. He briefly recognised him from the salon sitting in one of the corners but truthfully, Percy hadn't paid much attention to him. The fisherman then looked at Alex and Haley, and with an apologetic smile, said "Sorry if I'm intruding, but you guys wouldn't mind if I borrowed Percy for a second, right?"
Alex hesitantly nodded, to which the fisherman smiled and started walking towards the way he came from, motioning for Percy to follow him. Alex scoffed. "You're lucky that old man Willy saved your ass, but next time you're dead." He muttered.
Percy followed Willy in silence, until they arrived at a beach. The beach stretched out before him, its sands soft and golden under the sun. Gentle waves lapped against the shore, their rhythmic sounds a soothing contrast to the bustling town life. Seagulls circled overhead, their calls echoing across the open expanse of blue sky. A salty breeze carried the tang of seaweed and brine, mingling with the fresh, earthy scent of the nearby forests. Needless to say, Percy felt right at home.
Willy sat down on the sand, right next to the shoreline, before gesturing for Percy to do the same. They both stared out to the sea, embracing the tranquillity that was the waves lightly slapping against the sun-kissed sand. "How have you been settling in, son?" Willy asked, continuing his focus on the ocean.
"I mean you saw what just happened between me and Alex, but other than that it's been great," Percy said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Willy just let out a light laugh in reply.
"Don't worry about Alex, he's always been one to initiate fights. He used to be really active in the combat scene, before he had to be relocated here due to family matters. Since then he hasn't really been able to take his anger out on anyone," Willy continued, running his fingers through the sand underneath.
"But you'll get past him, won't you, son? After all, you've already gone through so much in your life. Yet, you always seem to survive." Willy smiled, to which Percy did not return. Suspicions had started to rise, and either he was a professional stalker, or-
As Percy locked eyes with Willy for the first time, he suddenly realised what he had initially assumed to have been a casual nickname was possibly more explicitly implied. Their gazes met, and Percy found himself staring into Willy's sea-green eyes, identical to his own. A gasp escaped Percy's lips.
"D-dad?"
AN: Sorry for the filler chapter, but things will start to pickup fast soon.