Haunted by Secrets

Amethyst/Amy Petalvine POV I’ve been struggling in the woods for a week. I barely have enough money for a tent, I’ve had to ‘fertilize’ a bush as a bathroom, I forge for food, dig on rocks, and plant my own food so I could sell them in the market. I’ve noticed this town likes to rain a lot when it’s spring and summer so sleeping in the rain is always fun. The town itself from afar is adorable! It’s like something out of a fairytale! A European cottage town with beautiful gardens, a lake which I’ve fished in, and a bustling town. I’ve heard people shouting out prices for their goods. I’ve been focusing on not starving and figuring out shelter rather than going into town. Stray animals have visited me on my small lot and they’re adorable. I wish I could take them in and out of the rain, but I need to help myself. I don’t mind the company since I haven’t made any friends yet from the locals. I hear some chatter nearby and it's a welcome wagon from some of my neighbors… great. I have nothing to show them and it’s kind of embarrassing. “Uhhh hi…” The neighbors all look around kind of wondering where the house is and I just give them a bashful smile. They all just talk to each other and ignore me, but there is a cute guy in the crowd. Didn't pay attention to me but I tried to at least say hi to everyone. They stayed for a few minutes and left. I'm just left with my thoughts and it can be lonely. Two of the strays came back, a cat and a dog. The dog I can't figure out what he is, but he's a yellowish-gray scruffy and long fur with a grayish-black stripe down its back. The cat is a normal calico but mostly black with some brown and white fur. Her face was mostly white with some black and brown around her forehead and ears. I sat down with them and just gave them pets and scratches. “I have little food but you're more than welcome to stay with me.” I continue to scratch their ears and they seem happy. I make a mental note to save up some money to get them the stuff they need. I had planted some spring plants. Strawberries, peas, broccoli, carrots, asparagus, tomatoes, potatoes, chamomile, daffodils, mint, and basil. I'd just randomly find some on the edge of town and plant them in the beginnings of my new garden. I hum to myself trying to get better at singing since I know I suck at it, but you gotta start somewhere. I go for a walk into town and the dog and cat follow me. Well, I guess I have pets now. I’ll think of names for them later. I make it to the tavern and it’s kind of busy, but not the dinner rush left. The bar is so cute it reminds me of a Lord of the Rings bar except for normal people and not short. An all-wooden wrap-around bar with stools. Arched cabinets are full of different drinks, even mead I think. Tables all around and a mic in the corner for karaoke. Tudor stained glass windows and some lanterns all around the room. “Hello, young lady! You must be new to town! I’m Pippin Haywood and I’m the bartender! Welcome to my tavern, The Crowned Rabbit!” He had a honey blonde, light brown wavy hair, full curly brown beard, but dreamy brown eyes. He’s decently strong for a bartender but hey maybe making drinks helps with the muscles. He has a puffy shirt and hunter green vest, a brown belt, pants, and shoes. “Nice to meet you, Pippin. I’m Amy, and I’m new to town.” I shake his hand and he has a firm handshake. “I figured so. You didn’t look familiar. What brings you here?” “Just trying to figure out life. I don’t really remember much about my life and if I remember it's bits and pieces. So I literally have nothing except for what clothes I barely have, and now I apparently have a dog and cat as pets now.” I point out the new pets outside and he laughs. “Oh, those two are town favorites! They’re very familiar with this town. We call them Harry and Maple.” Cute names. I’ll work with it. “I leave some bowls outside for them for food and water.” “Oh, thank goodness they have some way to get food and water! I don’t even have a tent to live in!” “Where do you live?” He asks me worriedly. “I sleep on a bench or wherever is comfortable.” “Tell you what, kid. How about you do some odd jobs around the bar and maybe sing over at that open mic you can keep the tips.” I sang Thank You For The Music from Mamma Mia. I did that for hours and I actually got some tips! I count out the tips and it’s like $430 petal dollars! I see a cute old lady but she’s been kind of butting herself into everyone’s business. Well, every town seems to have a cute grandma. “Hi sweetie I’m Mary-Ella Thistewyte, but you can call me Mary-Ella. I think I’m one of your neighbors. There’s another party coming up so why don’t you sing for us and you can keep the tips.” The sweet old lady smiles at me. Her white hair lightly curled and at her cheeks with holly in her hair. A green sweater, a brown apron, brown pants, and loafers. “Sure thanks!” Great, another gig I can practice at. “See you there, sweetie!” As she leaves, she drops another tip in my little tip box. “Not a bad night!” Pippin looks in the tip box he gave me and I beam with pride. “I can finally get a tent or some new clothes and maybe some food bowls for Harry and Maple!” “Whatever makes you happy and makes you feel like you have a home now.” I go to the thrift store to find a tent that I can finally get out of the elements in and I got food bowls for my pets! It feels so good to get out of this dumb rain! I try to find a thrift store. I walk around and I find Treasure and Trinkets thrift shop. Works for me. The store was really cute. Surrounded by flowers, benches, and birdbaths. The shop itself was stone and the French double door entrance looked like it was painted a light blue at one point but has faded with time and just being outside in the elements. I walk in with what little money I have and see if I can find what I need. “Hi there, I’m Ruby Jane Frostdust! Welcome to Treasure and Trinkets. Need any help?” “Hi there Ruby, I’m new to town, I literally have nothing and I need something as a roof over my head. Do you have a tent, pet bowls, and some clothes?” “Women’s clothes are near the windows, camping wear are in the back and pet accessories are on a shelf kind of close to the camping wear. Feel free to look around and see if anything catches your eye.” Ruby didn’t want to hover which is fine and I didn’t want to show how low on life I was right now so I’m kind of glad she didn’t stick around. I found some farming clothes in various colors that I’ll definitely use, two pet bowls for Harry and Maple along with small bags of dog and cat food, a tent, and even some brown flats that could match my dresses. I made my way to the very vibrant red desk where Ruby Jane was waiting for me. “I’m glad you found the things you were looking for! Let’s see… some dresses for being outside, some pet supplies, and that tent you were talking about. Oh, before I forget there’s a sale every day on various things, today happens to be women’s clothes so if you need more clothes feel free to look.” I debated since I only got two. I left my stuff at the desk and got two more simple and practical farming dresses. They seemed to be of different times, some of the early 1800s and some of the late 1800s/early 1900s but clothes were clothes and I wasn’t complaining. I got two short sleeves, one three-quarter sleeve, and a long sleeve in various greens and browns so I don’t look like a complete mess while gardening. “Perfect. Looks like you’re going to be doing some farming and these will definitely help you move around and not feel restricted while doing it. All of this will be $100 petal dollars.” I looked at her in shock but gave her the money. “Thank you and have a nice day! Happy gardening!” She put everything in a cute tote bag I could reuse for selling my goods and went back to my spot where I hoped a house would stand someday. For now, it’s just my tent. I laid out the bowls of food for my animal friends and set up the tent which came with a free sleeping bag and pillow and finally went to sleep comfortably for the first time since I’ve been here.