Chapter 02: Visiting Family
Jazz visits his aunt, and meets someone new.
He'd stayed up later than he'd wanted, reading and attempting to digest everything about farm life that he thought he needed. What grew during the season, how long it'd take to grow, where best to plant things so they got the most sunlight...
What he didn't learn was why he suddenly went from dreading it to being impatient to see the first sprouts. He would watch the dirt from his window, eagerly waiting to see if anything had peeked its head from the tilled earth.
Of course, starting antidepressants probably helped with that, at least in part. If nothing else, it kept him awake long enough to be excited about the possibility of hand-picking his own crops... He shook his head, walking over to the bathroom and looking at himself in the mirror.
He'd found a box of outfits in the corner of the living room, by the toolbox. Every outfit in there seemed to fit him perfectly - he'd figured that his mother had just been shopping while preparing this place for him. He decided today he'd wear a red hat, with black overalls and a red shirt, all topped with a gray bandana - just in case. His hair, unmanageable as ever, was barely tamed by a ponytail sticking out of the hat's back, a fringe of hair covering his left eye. He smiled at himself, for the first time in a very long time.
He walked out of the bathroom, walking towards the front door; going outside and socializing would probably be more beneficial than just sitting inside all day, he thought to himself as he departed. The sky was beautiful, clouds lazily drifting by as he walked down the hill and into town proper. He wasn't sure exactly where to go, of course, but it didn't matter all that much to him. He walked to the west, turning at the first place he could.
Walking up another, steeper hill, he found himself at what looked like a park. A large tree provided shade, and a few people were sat at the edge of a pond. Plants grew along the path, each topped with what looked like a glowing crystal. Jazz walked towards the pond, sitting on the edge. At the bottom of the pool was an assortment of random things; vegetables, flowers, grass, coins... Jazz grabbed a flower from the patch of grass near him, tossing it into the pond.
It bubbled, the flower dissolving as everyone else froze in place - before him stood a tall woman, seafoam green hair reaching down the length of her body as her skirt flowed around her, making it seem like she was one with the water's surface.
"My, my... I haven't seen you since you were a child." She started, her voice... well, not exactly pleased, Jazz thought, but not outright malicious either. "To see you finally giving me another offering after twenty years..."
"I'm just glad you're not trying to kick me out." Jazz laughed. "How have things been here?"
"Bountiful as always." She sat on the surface, closer to Jazz. "Tell me... why has your mother brought you to my territory? Has she even explained why she encroaches on my valley?"
"Well, I... uh..." Jazz's voice trailed off; he really didn't want to admit what had happened in winter. "I needed help. Bad. So she sent me here... and didn't really give me a reason why she lives here. Not that I'm upset about it - she said she could pick up supplies for me."
"Yes, sure, with that insufferable pollutant generator." She scoffed, "I am glad those within the Valley can get most everything they need by walking."
"Hey, I'll probably be shopping in Mineral Town, too..." Jazz chuckled, "It's just until I get the ball rolling at home."
"You took over Pete's farm, I saw."
Jazz nodded, "I'm still getting the hang of things, but I planted my first turnips yesterday evening. The book said they take four days, but I'm... impatient." He said, laughing. "I want to see the fruits of my labor already!"
"In due time, Jazzebel, in due time." She laughed. "If it helps any, you may call on my Harvest Sprites for help on the farm - and pray to me if you need advice!" She folded her arms, "After all, your mother's no good at farmwork - she'd rather have you kill your animals and be a menace to society, you know that."
Jazz chuckled, shaking his head. "Thank you for hearing me, Aun-- Harvest Goddess?"
"Auntie is fine, Jazzebel - nobody else can hear us, after all. Though, before you leave..." She tilted her head. "Have you named that farm yet? Pete never decided on a good name for it - could you believe, he'd named it the Farm Ranch?"
"...Rainbow Acres." Jazz said after a moment. "I don't know why. It just sounds nice." He smiled, the Goddess smiling back and giving him a thumbs-up.
"Beautiful. Now, I suppose you should return to your normal business... Toodles!" She waved, sinking back into the water as everyone started moving again. It was as if she wasn't there at all...
Jazz stood up, yawning as quietly as he could as he looked around. The sun was still high in the air, though the faces he'd seen had been replaced by two new ones - A woman with long, hay-colored blonde hair tightened into a long braid, and a man with wavy, messy black hair. They both wore glasses, and both seemed to be very focused on their meal, chattering between each other as they ate some... upsettingly charred fish.
"I've got to return to the university in a month or so..." the man sighed, taking a bite of the poor fish and trying not to grimace. "Give them the latest update on our study. Although... not that there's a whole lot to report." His voice was deep, accented in a way that sounded like honey to Jazz's ears.
"How so, professor?" The woman asked, tilting her head. Her voice was more soft-spoken, not accented like his but still carrying a knowledgeable demeanor. "I mean, we've found plenty of things - jewelry, clothing, even ancient facial remedies."
"But nothing so significant as that damn crown." He grumbled, "My father found the most important lead for any of us, but none of us have ever been able to tie any of our findings to our family. I still have hope, sure, but what's hope without evidence?" He sighed, "I suppose I should be glad my goals are secondary to the research trip overall. You did log what we've found today, yes?"
"Eighty-seven ancient coins, four brooches, one pair of earrings, and a dress." She smiled, "Not a whole lot, but still progress."
"For you, perhaps." His brow furrowed. "All of the earrings and dresses tell me we were, in those times, probably a matriarchal society. Or at least, one where more people wore dresses and jewelry than not." He said plainly, shrugging. "It's a wonder the boxes are still in such spectacular shape after all this time."
"It's the cave itself," she explained, "at least in theory. The heat and humidity in the cave are just right so that anything that ends up in there simply... refuses to decay."
"Fascinating." He sighed, "I apologize, Flora, today is just... not my day."
"Don't sweat it," Flora shook her head. "We've still got the rest of the day, and tomorrow's a fresh start. I'm sure something will come up."
"I can only hope you're right."
Jazz looked at them as they started to pack up their things, waving at them in greeting. Flora waved back, while the man raised an eyebrow before turning fully and nodding at him.
"Um... good luck with your project!" Jazz said after a moment. "Sorry, I couldn't help but..."
"No, that's quite alright." He gave his head a slight shake. "Usually, we eat our meals in our tent, but... oh, this is heavy, why don't you walk with us?"
Jazz got to his feet, following behind the two as they walked.
"So you two work for a university?"
"I do," the man replied, "Flora's one of my students. We've been doing research out here for... what was it, three years now?"
"Just about. We'd gotten here a day before the farm boy did." Flora counted the fingers on her free hand. "And he left at the start of winter, so... yeah, three years."
"...What university?" Jazz looked down at his feet. "Just... outta curiosity."
"Trinity Summers, one of the biggest ones over in Eagles. Were you..."
"Not in your classes, no. I dropped out a while back; things got too intense, and... yeah."
"That's a shame. If you'd like, you're welcome to stop by the excavation site and see what we've been up to." He smiled, the three stopping in town. "If you go past the other farm and head north, you'll find the place - we're next to the waterfall."
"Maybe I'll stop by." Jazz smiled back. "I'm, uh, Jazz, by the way."
"Carter."
The two shook hands as the group split up; Carter and Flora walking south as Jazz carried on towards home.
The turnips still hadn't sprouted; Jazz chuckled, shaking his head and heading inside.