Harvest Moon: AWL RP SepiaDreams and Animegal92

[animegal92]

Alicia woke up to the sound of the alarm clock her roommate Mark had. She yawned as she got out of bed. She stretched a little as she went to the drawer that had her clothes and she changed into her clothes. "Mark it's time to get up," she said.
-
Mark heard Alicia as he sat up in his bed and he rubbed his eyes. "I'm up," he said as he got out of bed as well. He watched Alicia go into the kitchen to make breakfast as he went to the dresser and he got his clothes out and he changed as well.

[SepiaDreams]

A soft yawn escaped Layla's lips as she and her uncle Hardy finally reached the small valley. It was a decent distance from town which forced the medical duo to wake up rather early. They hoped to buy a house and move to the valley someday but until they were able to do so they just had to cope with the commute. Layla tried not to complain too much.

When the two finally reached town they began to head towards Romana's house. She was their first and most stubborn patient. Layla hoped it would be too much of a fight today but it always was with her.

"Come on. You'll have plenty of free time later." The deep rumble of her uncle's voice pulled Layla from her thoughts and only then did she realize that she had paused to ogle at one of the local farms where two of her friends worked. She hoped to see them after they had all finished work.

****

Marlin woke up early as usual. Though the man was used to waking with the sun and working hard all day he felt particularly tired today. Perhaps he was growing ill -being sick he had his good days and his bad- but he had a feeling it was something else. His sleep had felt restless and it had been ridden with dreams. Usually Marlin's dreams were fairly bland and benign but the sleep he'd just awoken from had yielded one that stuck out to the young farmer. It had been about a woman who'd moved in just a little while ago - a cute red-headed farmer named Alicia. In his dream he and the hard-working young woman had been together, holding hands and laughing. He'd enjoyed it at the time of the dream as well, though now it was leaving him feeling a bit confused. What could it possibly have meant?

"Oi, Marlin!" The loud call of his sister both shocked Marlin out of his thoughts and caused a pink flush to cover his generally pale cheeks, "You're breakfast is gonna get cold if you don't get ready soon. Hurry up, we've got work to do!" Shaking off his light fluster Marlin got ready for the day, dressing in his usual white button down and a pair of worn jeans before sitting to eat the breakfast Vesta had prepared for them.

[animegal92]

"So whose tending to the animals and whose getting the crops?" Alicia asked as she made some breakfast as she hummed a little. Before she went to sleep the night before, she had taken inventory on their supplies and she saw that they needed more seeds. They were nearly done with the spring season, so they only needed something that would grow within at least a few weeks.

****

"I get animals today and you have crops today," Mark said as he waited. When Alicia gave him his food, he started to eat as he thought about what going to happen. Van wasn't coming into town today, so maybe he could sell some of the stuff they had harvested for the past few days.

[SepiaDreams]

It wasn't a long walk up the hill to Romana's house though the closer she got the more nervous she got - the echoing clicks of her feet against the cobblestone path to the mansion doing nothing to settle Layla's worries. Romana had a bad habit of skipping her medication and excersizes despite the admonition of her doctors, granddaughter and her butler. She was stubborn and though generally Layla would have simply been happy that the old lady still had so much fight in her it more worried her in this situation.

"Romana! It's Hardy, open up." The one-eyed doctor spoke, knocking politely on the door to Romana's room to ensure that she was ready to see them.

****

Marlin finished eating a little later than usual. Having had a late start didn't help but neither did his distracting thoughts all centering around the red-haired farmer that lived up the road. He ate slowly and kept getting distracted - something both of his female companions noticed. While Celia just laughed Vesta decided to call him out on it.

"Someone on your mind?" The hearty woman's wording didn't go over Marlin's black-topped head and it earned her a scowl that she easily chuckled off. His recent thoughts of Alicia hadn't gone unnoticed by those he lived with and it had become common knowledge in Vesta's farm. It was a bit of a pain, really...

Once breakfast was done Marlin put his dishes away to be washed later and headed outside to begin tending to the crops. With Spring just about over they were all almost ready. Tomatoes, orange as they desperately worked to ripen in time for the harvest, sprouting through one of the farms lush fields while other plants grew in the other fields that were being tended by the other two farm hands.

[animegal92]

Soon the two farmers finished eating breakfast and did the dishes. When that was done with, Alicia went to the field while Mark went to the farm. Alicia harvested the crops as she hummed a little to herself. She soon finished and went to the cooler to sell what they wanted Tanaka to sell in the city and she left aside what Mark would sell in town. Afterwards she made her way to the seed farm down the road from Moonbeam Farm.

*****

Mark went into the farm and started to work on the animals. The first thing he did was fill up the feed boxes with fooder. Afterwards he brushed the animals and let them outside. After he let the main animals outside, he milked the cows and then went to the chicken coop. After filling up the feeder and getting the eggs, he went to the cooler and placed in what he wanted Tanaka to sell and he gathered what Alicia wanted him to sell in town. Once that was done he went into town.

[SepiaDreams]

As Layla had expected it was a fight to speak with Romana once more. She had been taking all the medication prescribed to her and she was generally being pretty good but she did seem to be pushing herself a little and denying herself the rest her old body needed. It was a bit of a struggle to get Romana to submit to the tests they needed to do on her once again, the rich old woman voicing short-tempered protests and glares but between Hardy's insistence and Layla's pleading and convincing they eventually got her to sit still so they would work on her. It didn't take too long to finish the check up but it would have been much shorter if Romana had been more cooperative.

"Alright that's all for today. Here's your refreshed prescription. Be sure to let us know if anything changes." Hardy said as he always did at the end of their visits.

"Oh I know I know. We go through this every visit." Romana waved him off in a way that was simultaneously displeased but pleasant.

"See you later Romana. Enjoy the spring while it lasts!" Layla smiled before heading off. With that done she now had some free time before she had to return to the city.

****

Marlin had been working diligently at the crops since he'd gotten outside. He gave them their first water of the day before kneeling to better inspect them. He ensured that the plants were in good condition before beginning to pick the herbivorous bugs from the leaves of the plants. Marlin had nothing against bugs particularly but they sure could be a pain sometimes. They could completely ruin a crop, rot it and tear it to pieces. Even one crop gone would cost them in the long run and Vesta had drilled it into Marlin's head that he had to be very through when he looked over the plants. If bugs brought one to ruin she would surely skin him.

"Hey there Alicia!" Vesta suddenly drew Marlin from his thoughts once more today. Turning his head to look, Marlin found that Alicia was indeed standing there, a pretty smile on her face. More than likely she just needed some seeds but seeing her was still enough to make Marlin feel a bit of a swell in his chest.

"Looking for some seeds?" Vesta nodded at her answer before her smile took a bit of a devious tint, "I've got my hands a bit full here, but Marlin can probably help you out." Vesta turned her attention to her brother as she volunteered him. Swalowing thickly Marlin stood, dusting his dirtied jeans before walking over to Alicia.

"Hey. So, what do you need?" He wasn't usually sociable but he could at least speak when he had to. With Alicia though he found himself wanting to talk and that somehow made it so much harder to do so...

[animegal92]

Mark had finished setting up shop as he smiled a little. He stretched as he waited for someone to come by. He stretched a little as he yawned as well. He had been up for nearly 2 hours now and wished that the work part of the day was done by now. He spotted someone familiar and he smiled a little. "Hey Layla," he said as he waved at her. He knew that she came with Dr. Hardy to check on Romana as usual.

****

"Well since spring is ending pretty soon I want something that will be ready by the time the season ends the crops are ready for harvesting," Alicia said as she smiled. She had been living in the Valley for a while now and she thought that Marlin was pretty cute and Muffy, Celia, and Layla practically teased her about it.

[SepiaDreams]

Layla had just rached the bottom of the hill that led to Romana's lavish home when she heard a voice call her. It was a familiar one that she had come to know well since his arrival in the village - it was the voice of none other than Mark, one of the local farmers. Layla felt a smile come to her face, a warm feeling rising in her chest at the mere sound of her name coming from his lips.

"Hey Mark! What's up?" The training nurse asked, walking over to where the man had laid out a large blanket to showcase his wears.

****

"Hm..." Marlin scratched his chin as he tried to think of a crop that would well suit Alicia for the moment, "Tomato and watermelon are always a good bet since they can thrive through the summer too and you wont have to worry about any sudden changes in weather or growing time." Marlin suggested. Sometimes the valley could heat up a little early and spring-exclusive crops didn't always fare too well at the end of the season. It was a lesson he'd learned from Vesta early on in his work.

"Of course we still have potatoes too and you could try them if you'd prefer." Though Marlin would have recommended the tomato or watermelon seeds he wouldn't object if Alicia didn't take his advice. She'd been working at this long enough to have a decent grasp on how things worked.

[animegal92]

"Nothing really, just getting ready to sell some of the hard worked stuff Alicia and I have grown on the farm," Mark said as he grinned. He looked at Layla as he wiped away some sweat. "What's up with you?" he asked as he smiled a little as he felt the cool spring breeze was blowing by. He was kind of glad that summer was coming, mostly due to the beach trips that was coming.

****

Alicia listened to Marlin as she thought long and hard about and she smiled. She looked at him as she tucked back some of her hair. "I'll buy some tomato and melon seeds and some potato seeds as well," she said.

[SepiaDreams]

"We just got back from checking in on Romana." Layla spoke vaguely, knowing that she couldn't disclose too much. As little as Romana would care if Mark was told of her stuborness (in fact she would probably take pride in it) it wasn't something Layla's job allowed her to do.

"What are you selling?" The girl asked, peering at the wares Mark had set out. Her violet gaze wandered along vavrious farm products like milk and eggs, a few crops, fish and various other similar things before they stopped on a flower. It was a goddess drop, likely one of the last of the beautiful flowers of the season. They weren't hard to pick and sprouted wild through the town but Layla seldom had time for such things as plucking flowers.

"Are you selling the goddess drops? How much for one?" Layla didn't spend money often so she didn't mind buying something. Besides, the pretty little flower would make a nice decoration for her room back at her home in the city.

****

"Sure." Marlin nodded, silently proud that she had taken his advice, even if partially. He was happy to be of help to the greener farmer. The feeling was enough to bring a small, crooked smile to the usually straight-faced man as he fished through the seed-filled pouches that connected to his belt.

"How many you want?" Once he got his response Marlin nodded and fished out the correct amount of seeds, putting them into bags for Alicia before handing them to her. He read her out the prices, doing the math quickly in his head before waiting for her to root through her pockets for the right amount of gold.

"Can I help you with anything else?" Marlin checked once she'd payed, hands returning to his pockets. A large part of him hoped she would say yes, wanting to spend time with her but just as much of his doubted that she would. Not only did he doubt that his feelings were returned but he saw nothing more he could possibly help Alicia with, unfortunately.

[animegal92]

"Yeah I am and I'm selling them for 20 gold a piece," Mark said with a grin on his face. He picked up the flowers as he looked at Layla. "How many do you want to buy today?" he asked as he waited. He enjoyed being with her when something that he wanted to ask her pop into his head. "Hey Alicia and I are holding a party for the start of summer and I wanted to know if you wanted to come," he said.

****

"Well I do need some fertilizer if you have any and I was also wondering if you wanted to come to a party Mark and I are holding for the first day of summer?" Alicia said as she felt a faint pink tint appearing on her cheeks as she looked at Marlin. A small smile appeared on her face as she waited for an answer.

[SepiaDreams]

"Ok. I'll take one, if that's alright." Layla nodded. That was about the average price for nice flowers like that but she had enough change to spare. She was happy to help the beginner farmers out too, especially since not many opportunities for sale and trade came to this town. Either the villagers bought goods or Van occasionally came in, though never more than once or twice a month.

"Oh, that sounds like fun. Sure, I'd love to. What day?" Layla figured it would be the first of summer but she didn't want to assume in case the two had decided to do it a little early, perhaps welcoming in the season a day early or something like that. It was easier to get to town on business trips with Hardy but Layla was more than willing to come out whenever to see the two farmers. Besides, a party here sounded fun. It would likely be a milder event considering the townsfolk here but it would still be something interesting to do.

****

Marlin nodded easily when she asked for fertilizer, reaching to grab the packs he carried with him but the mention of a party caught him a little off guard causing him to pause. A party? It had been a long time since he had gone to one. He'd often been too sick to do much while he was in the city and few people held events in this village. The population was mostly older or often working and the laid-back atmosphere gave such a relaxed feel to the village that few people even thought of hosting events like that.

"Sure." All things considered, it actually sounded quite fun. Marlin wasn't always all for social interactions, introverted by nature, but it was nice to get out once and a while. It would give him more time to spend with Alicia as well, hopefully. Vesta was often prompting him to get out anyway so it would make her happy too.