Lunastus Farm.

Estelle stared at the land before her, only vaguely aware of Robin and Lewis chatting at her side. She had never seen so much green. The farm was a sprawling sea of lush grass and thick trees, like the forest had crept in to reclaim the land that Grandpa Murray had tamed so many years ago. The field nearest the house was dotted with fallen branches and rocks, punctuating a maze of thick weeds and shrubbery that concealed the ground beneath. Even the house itself was partially consumed, a layer of blossoming vines climbing up the faded wood and spiraling around the window frames.

Estelle breathed deeply, feeling the fresh air cleanse the city smog from her lungs. It tasted herbal and sweet, like drops of undissolved honey at the bottom of a teacup. She closed her eyes and felt her body and soul warming in the sunshine. The birds singing, the breeze tousling her hair, the perfumed scent of blooming flowers and ripening fruit surrounding her, everything about this place was just so full of… life.

Is this even real?

Robin laughed, pulling Estelle back from her reverie. "It's crusty, Lewis! And I'm not just saying that so she'll hire me to fix the place up!"

"Robin! Maybe we should try not to offend our new neighbor on her first day here?" Lewis said, shooting Estelle an embarrassed glance.

"Oh no, it's fine," Estelle said with a reassuring smile, "the farm definitely needs some work. I hope I can do it justice."

Robin patted Estelle on the shoulder, like it was the most natural thing in the world. She immediately stiffened at the touch, but Robin didn't notice. Or at least she pretended she didn't. After a lifetime of living in Zuzu City, it had been ingrained in Estelle's mind that people didn't casually touch strangers unless they were up to something shady. Trying to steal your wallet, usually. Or trying to get you into their bed. Estelle was fairly certain Robin wasn't working towards either of those outcomes, and forced herself to relax.

"You'll do great," Robin said, giving her shoulder a light squeeze before pulling her hand back. "And while it may not look like much, there's some good soil under all that mess. It'll work out."

Robin glanced down at her watch and made a face. "Anyway, I have to get to Pierre's before he closes up for the day. If you need anything, I live right at the end of that trail over there," she said, pointing to a narrow path leading into the mountains. "Feel free to stop by if you need anything. I have two kids about your age that I'm sure would love to meet you."

"I will. Thanks Robin."

"Anytime!" she called, hurrying down the path that led to the bus stop. Town must be that way then. Estelle waved at her retreating form, surprised to find herself wishing Robin had been able to stay a little longer. They had only just met, but there was something about Robin that reminded her of her own mother in a lot of ways. Kindness. Warmth. That feeling like no matter what you do or say, she'll still look at you with acceptance and love.

Maybe that was just how moms are. Good ones, anyway.

"Speaking of introductions," Lewis said as Estelle turned back around, "we've all been eagerly awaiting your arrival for some time now. It might be a good idea to walk around town tomorrow and meet everyone."

"I know that folks would appreciate that," he added at the end, giving the distinct impression that this little meet-and-greet wasn't exactly optional. Well, whatever. She'd have to meet them all someday, might as well not piss off the mayor by declining his suggestion.

"Of course, Lewis. I'm looking forward to it."

Lewis nodded, satisfied with her response. "Alright then. I'll let you get some rest. Have a good night Estelle, and welcome to Pelican Town."

Estelle was up at sunrise, pulling Grandpa's old tools out of a weathered chest she found behind the house. Too full of adrenaline to rest after Robin and Lewis left yesterday, she had spent the day exploring the property. Though the land itself was huge, there was a lot of unusable space that nature had claimed for good. A dense patch of well-established trees cut through the middle of the farm, nearly blocking access to the west side entirely. Estelle found a path around the far side of the large lake in the middle of the farm, and was able to discover a few spots of interest. Two small clearings lined the perimeter, filled with berry bushes and tree trunks so wide she couldn't reach across them. The wood was redder than the other trees she had seen, and when she tapped her knuckles against one she was shocked to find that it felt like knocking on steel.

North of the clearings Estelle came across the decrepit frame of a long-destroyed building, filled with shards of glass and rotting wood. She tried to figure out what it might have been once upon a time, but the damage was too severe to even make a guess. She moved on towards the path to Robin's house, but just before reaching it she saw a large hole carved into the solid wall of rock making up the northern boundary. She took a few hesitant steps inside, and felt a mixture of relief and disappointment when she saw that the small cave was empty. It was still really neat to have a natural cave on her property, and Estelle wondered about how she might utilize the space.

Several small lakes claimed the majority of the acreage on the east side of the farm, clear blue water that, even with the fish, looked more potable than Zuzu's tap. One of the lakes was in the center of a small clearing, surrounded by wildflowers and soft grass. Estelle immediately decided it would be a swimming hole, and made a mental note to have the water tested as soon as she could.

The field in front of her house was the obvious choice for crops, despite looking like a tornado had picked up half the forest and dumped it in her front yard. It was flat, there was water nearby, and Robin had been right about the soil. When Estelle pushed her fingers into a rare patch of bare ground, the dry top layer slid away easily to reveal rich brown compost underneath. All she had to do was clean it up and give it a good tilling, and the land should be ripe for planting. Or so she guessed, anyway.

Circumstances being what they were, Estelle had found herself on a bus to Pelican Town only days after reading Grandpa Murray's letter. She hadn't stopped to think about how she would live on the farm – she was too busy thinking about why she needed to live on the farm. Now that she was finally here, Estelle was presented with the consequences of her rash decision-making.

She didn't know the first thing about farming.

She had never tilled dirt, or planted crops, or chopped down trees before. She didn't know how to milk a cow or shear a sheep – hell, she didn't even have a puppy growing up. Seeing how much work the land needed, and recognizing how ill-equipped she was to do it, was the first time Estelle had stopped to question if this was the right choice.

Though it really didn't matter. Right or wrong, it was her only choice. She had to make it work.

With that thought fueling her motivation, Estelle headed out into the field, Grandpa's axe in one hand and pickaxe in the other.

Everything hurt.

It's not like she was out of shape or anything. Estelle may have sat on her ass all day in Joja's soul-sucking cube farm, but over the past few months she had been going to the gym regularly and taking rigorous self-defense classes three days a week. By city standards she was pretty damn fit, and she had a small sense of pride that all the drinking and takeout meals hadn't yet affected her figure.

Still, city fitness didn't equal country fitness, apparently. She'd spent the morning using muscles she didn't even know she had, and now her body was making her pay for it. Estelle lay sprawled out on a patch of freshly cut grass, watching the clouds pass as she tried to muster the will to get up. The mid-day sun beat down on her, and the gentle warmth felt oppressive on her overheated skin. Strands of hair that escaped her bun were plastered against her sweaty face, and though her breathing had slowed a while ago, she felt like she could easily have a heart attack at any given moment.

How did Grandpa Murray do this shit?

With great effort, Estelle dug her phone out of her pocket and checked the time. 1:00 pm. Seven full hours had passed since she set off to clear this field, and all she had to show for it was a trimmed lawn and a patch of worked soil barely large enough to plant the few dozen parsnip seeds Lewis had left her.

Lewis. She groaned, remembering her promise to go into town today. It wasn't that she was against meeting the villagers. On the contrary, she was actually very curious about what sort of people Pelican Town had to offer. She just didn't know if she was emotionally ready to build any meaningful relationships yet. Or if she was even able to anymore.

Estelle was well-versed at being sociable, and she was convincing in whatever role she decided to play. Concerned friend. Flirty co-worker. Intriguing stranger. Lusty hookup. But she didn't want to act anymore. She came to the valley to move past that life, to have a fresh start in a new place. She wanted – no, she needed – to form some kind of real human connection here.

But with real connection comes real pain. And Estelle was walking on thin ice already.

Still, she couldn't hole up here forever. And it's not like she was going to find her soul mate today or anything. All she had to do was get out there, meet some new people, and just be a friendly, genuine person.

Right. Maybe a drink first.

It was a compromise, she told herself as she trudged back to the cottage for a much-needed shower. She could schmooze with the people in the bar to keep her word to Lewis, and hopefully she'd get tipsy enough in the process to actually enjoy it. Win/win.

Estelle sat up with a start, looking around the dim room in confusion. Had she fallen asleep? She swiped her phone awake and cursed at herself when she saw the time. It was already quarter to six. Her entire afternoon had been wasted. She took a moment to roll out her neck and shoulders, and then made her way to the cottage's tiny bathroom.

Despite her annoyance at the unexpected nap, Estelle did feel considerably better. Still sore beyond belief, but the utter exhaustion had been lifted. Besides, there was still plenty of time to get to town and continue with her original plan. It probably even worked out for the best. The bar would certainly have more customers at night, and she wouldn't look like an alcoholic for drinking at lunchtime.

Running her fingers through her hair to untangle the knots formed during her nap, she decided against pulling it back into the messy bun from earlier. Her dark waves were still slightly damp from the shower, and she was hoping the breeze would finish drying them on the walk to town. She put on a quick swipe of mascara to hide the fact that she had literally just rolled out of bed, and after staring at her reflection for a long moment, decided she was ready to leave. It felt strange going out for the night without heavy makeup or tight clothes, but she didn't want to come off too strongly in a small town. These people were expecting to meet a farmer, not a club kid in stilettos and winged eyeliner. Besides, she wasn't looking to bring anyone home tonight.

Stuffing some cash in the back pocket of her jeans, Estelle closed the door to her house and started down the path towards Pelican Town.

The moment Estelle stepped foot in the town proper, a little boy no older than 7 or 8 came barreling toward her, big eyes sparkling with innocent curiosity.

"Hi Miss! My name's Vincent! What's yours?"

Estelle grinned at him. She loved how honest kids were, how they always just said whatever they were thinking and didn't mince words. It was incredibly refreshing, when so much of adulthood was trying to read subtle cues and infer meaning out of vague responses.

Before she could reply, however, a stern voice made both of them turn around.

"Vincent!"

A slim redhead rushed over, hardly sparing a glance at Estelle as she narrowed her eyes at the boy.

"How many times have I told you not to run off like that? You know you're supposed to stay where I can see you!"

Vincent's head dropped in guilt. "Sorry Miss Penny."

She sighed, face softening. "It's alright. I know you were excited. Just please listen next time, okay?" A touch of pink rose to her cheeks as she regarded Estelle for the first time. "I'm so sorry about that. You must be the new farmer, right?"

Estelle smiled, waving it off. "That's me. My name is Estelle."

"I'm Penny, and this is Jas," she replied, motioning to a little girl behind her. Estelle hadn't noticed her at first, and she gave the girl a little wave when she peeked out from Penny's legs.

"Your kids are cute. Are they twins?"

"Oh, no, they're not mine! I just teach them a few days a week. The elementary school doesn't send buses to Pelican Town, so we have to home school."

It was Estelle's turn to blush. "Sorry, I didn't mean to assume."

"No, it's okay. Well, I have to get these two home. It was nice meeting you Estelle," she said with a warm smile.

"You too." Estelle waved to the children as Penny led them away.

She smiled to herself as she walked through the town square. Her first three introductions had been mercifully easy, and she was hoping the rest of the evening would go as smoothly.

Naturally, it did not.

After walking past a medical clinic and a general store, Estelle came to a fork in the road and decided to go straight. It would be easier to find her way back if she didn't make a lot of turns, she reasoned, and kept walking until she came to a stone bridge crossing the river. On the other side was a sight she knew all too well – an obnoxiously large, glowing Joja sign sticking out of the rustic landscape like a sore thumb.

"They're like fucking roaches," she muttered to herself, crossing the bridge toward the Joja Mart. For as much as she never wanted to step foot inside a Joja establishment again, there would definitely be someone there who could give her directions. She comforted herself with the thought that at least she'd never have to shop there.

As she reached for the door of the Joja Mart, it suddenly swung open and a man stepped out. He was pulling off a blue Joja shirt, but even without the uniform Estelle could have guessed he was an employee by the look of utter misery on his face. She had worn the same expression during her tenure at the company. So she didn't take offense when he stalked past her without a hint of acknowledgment.

She was still better off asking this guy than going into the store.

"Excuse me!" she called after him, taking a step in his direction. He didn't turn around, or even break stride. "Hey, excuse me!" she tried again. No reaction.

Maybe he was hard of hearing? She jogged a few steps to catch up with him.

"Hey, can you help me?"

The man spun around suddenly, frowning in annoyance and frustration. "I don't know you. Why are you talking to me?"

Estelle blinked in surprise, before her eyes narrowed in defensive anger. Who the hell does this guy think he is?

"Look dude, I don't know what crawled up your ass, but I'm just trying to find out where to get a drink in this town."

The man appraised her for a long moment, steely blue eyes locked on her defiant greens. She expected him to tell her to fuck off, and she was prepared to return the sentiment. Instead, the side of his mouth jerked up into a half-smile.

"A woman after my own heart. C'mon, saloon's this way," he said, nodding in the direction she had come from. "Name's Shane."

"Estelle."

He grunted in response, and they walked the rest of the way in silence.

Stardrop Saloon. It was an interesting place in that there wasn't anything notably good or notably bad about it. Estelle had been to dozens of bars ranging from upscale lounges to trashy dives, but Stardrop was unique in its utter neutrality. Still, her drink was cold and the bartender was friendly, and that's all she could really ask for in the end.

The saloon was still mostly empty when Shane and Estelle arrived. A middle-aged blonde who had clearly seen better days was slumped over the far end of the bar, but Estelle didn't bother approaching her. No point in talking to someone that shitfaced.

The owner, Gus, treated her to a basket of zucchini fritters, which she gratefully accepted. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until he offered, but as soon as he set the food down she descended upon it like a pack of wild dogs. She vaguely realized that Shane was watching her with a bemused expression, but there wasn't a single part of her that cared. She was starving, and that marinara was fantastic.

Gus beamed with pride when she told him so, and promised to make his famous spaghetti the next time she stopped by. He also used a heavier hand when mixing her next drink, and Estelle marked him down as a good egg in her book.

The bar slowly filled up as the sun went down, and Estelle was the main attraction of the evening. She found that she didn't really mind though. The people she met seemed genuinely interested in meeting her, and she found herself genuinely interested in them in return. It was so different from going out in Zuzu, where people only approached you if they wanted something. Pretty faces, pretty lies, using people and being used in return. For the first time in a long while, Estelle realized that she was having a legitimately good time.

The buzz probably helped. Despite his beer-and-whiskey vibe, Gus knew how to make a damn fine Paloma.

Estelle leaned back in her chair, sipping her third round of the evening. "Okay Leah, tell me the truth. Did you carve that gigantic bear statue beside the bar?" she asked the other woman, who had quickly been dubbed her official Pelican Town drinking buddy.

Leah laughed. "Hell yes I did! Gus gave me a month of free drinks as payment for it too. He loves that awful thing."

"It's not awful!" Estelle insisted. "It's just...big."

"No, Leah's right. It's awful," a third voice chimed in. Estelle turned to find Robin standing behind her, grinning.

"Aww, that hurts Robin," Leah said playfully. "I'm going to grab another drink to wash away my sorrow. Need anything?"

They both shook their heads, and Leah left for the bar.

Robin turned to Estelle and smiled. "So! How are things going?"

"It's… a lot different than I'm used to, but in a good way. Everyone has been really welcoming."

"Oh, I'm so glad to hear that. I was worried that leaving you alone with all that mess was going to send you running right back to the bus stop."

"I'm afraid you're stuck with me for now," Estelle said. "I have 3 dozen parsnips in the ground and a sore back to prove it."

"Already? Wow. Guess I had nothing to worry about," she said with a smile. "Why don't you come meet my family? We just got here a few minutes ago."

Estelle followed Robin across the room, to a table where a man and a young woman seemed to be waiting for them.

Robin started the introductions. "Estelle, this is my husband Demetrius and my daughter Maru."

"Good to meet you both," Estelle replied, shaking Demetrius' offered hand.

"And you, Estelle. It will be good to have someone bring that old farm back to life," Demetrius said with a polite smile that didn't reach his eyes.

Maru, on the other hand, was grinning from ear to ear. "Estelle, I'm so glad you're here! A new person totally changes the dynamic of the town. I'm so excited to see how you shake things up!"

Estelle couldn't help but laugh. "Congratulations Maru, that's the most enthusiastic welcome I've received yet."

Maru looked a little sheepish, but still pleased. "Sorry. I get a little over-eager sometimes. What I'm trying to say is that I hope we can be good friends."

"Yeah, I'd like that."

"Not to break up this budding friendship," Robin cut in, "but have either of you seen Sebby?"

"No," Demetrius said simply.

Maru rolled her eyes at her father. He pretended not to notice. "He's probably in the back with Sam and Abigail," she said.

"Right, duh. Thanks sweetie. Come on Estelle, I'll introduce you to them."

Estelle said goodbye to Maru and Demetrius and followed Robin to a game room just off of the main bar area. It was small and dated, like the rest of the place, but there were a few old school arcade machines that looked promising. An ancient CRT television played cartoons along the opposite wall, and there were a number of couches and lounge chairs lining the perimeter of the space. In the center of the room was a large pool table, surrounded by three people in the middle of a game.

Robin paused in the entryway, leaning against the door frame as she watched the trio with amused interest. Estelle followed her lead. A pale guy dressed head-to-toe in black was bent over the far side of the table, strands of dark hair falling across his face as he stared intently at the arrangement of balls in play. In stark contrast, a sunny looking blonde was behind him, wearing a cheeky grin as he tried to psyche the other man out. A girl sat cross-legged on the couch nearest them, idly twirling a lock of violet hair around her finger as she watched the scene with a bored expression.

The blonde leaned in close enough to be in clear violation of personal space boundaries as the dark-haired guy lined up his shot. His lips pressed together slightly, but there was otherwise no outward sign that the close proximity rattled him. His stick hit the cue with a loud crack, sending it rocketing toward a cluster of balls near the side pocket. Two solids dropped, one in the side and one in the corner, before the cue rolled to a stop in line with a third.

The blonde groaned, eliciting a smirk from his friend as he shoved him out of his space bubble. The girl just rolled her eyes.

Robin took a step forward into the room proper. "Hey guys!" she called, catching the group's attention. "Sorry for interrupting pool night, but I wanted to introduce you all to our new neighbor. This is Estelle!"

"Estelle, this is Sam…" she said, gesturing toward the blonde.

"Abigail..." The girl.

"…and Sebastian, my son," she said, smiling warmly at the dark-haired boy.

The three of them appraised Estelle like she was up for auction, and the walls that she had gradually let down over the course of the evening immediately slammed back into place. Feeling self-conscious and awkward, she fell back on her standard mechanism for coping with those feelings – deny them completely, and masquerade as someone more confident. Fake it 'til you make it, right?

"Hey," she said with practiced nonchalance. She looked at Sebastian and gave a slight smile. "Nice shot."

Sebastian stared at her for a moment, expression indecipherable, before his eyes flicked to his mother and back. "Thanks," he muttered, turning away to pick up his drink from the table behind him.

"Aw man, don't get his ego up any higher," Sam said with a grin.

Robin laughed and excused herself, citing something about Demetrius never ordering her the right food. Estelle was unsure if she should follow – she didn't want to seem like a child tagging behind Robin, but she also wasn't looking to intrude. These three were giving off a strong clique vibe, and she knew better than to mess with that dynamic.

She was just about to make an excuse to leave when Sam approached her with an outstretched hand. "Hey, good to meet you Estelle. You're up in old man Murray's house right?"

"Yep. He was my grandfather," she said, shaking his hand.

"Man, it's gotta be sweet having your own place already," he said with a wistful tone. "You're only what, like 20?"

"22."

"Hey, me too! And Seb. Abby is an old lady."

Abigail shot him a withering look. "24 isn't old, dick," she said, walking over to where they stood. She glared at him for a moment longer before turning her gaze to Estelle. "So. You're from Zuzu right? Why did you leave?"

Well, that was a pretty hard-hitting first question. They all looked at her expectantly, and she struggled to find an appropriate response.

Because living in Zuzu is like being an ant. You're one of thousands of nameless, faceless people, supporting a hill that provides you with nothing in return. But you just keep marching. Working and fighting and fucking until you either leave or die. And when you do there's another ant ready to take your place. No one gives a shit what happened to you. You're nothing, nobody. Totally meaningless.

"I… guess I was just looking for something new. I've lived in Zuzu my whole life. Needed to branch out."

"Huh. Makes sense I suppose…it's the same for us, but in reverse. Don't know why you picked Pelican Town though. There's fuck all to do here," Abigail said.

"Having a free place to live kinda sealed the deal for me."

"Mm. Must be nice."

Abigail's snarky tone irritated Estelle. She had to deal with catty shrews every day in Joja HQ, and now that she was self-employed she had no reason to humor that shit any longer.

"I mean I'd prefer my grandpa to be alive, but yeah I suppose it's nice."

Abigail's mouth pressed into a thin line at that, saying nothing as she turned on her heel and retreated back to the couch, plopping down with an audible huff. Sam and Sebastian exchanged a glance but didn't comment. Estelle raised her eyebrows in mild amusement, and decided that this was a good time to make her exit.

"Well, I'm going to grab another drink. It was nice meeting you guys," she said.

"See you around, Estelle," Sam replied with a genuine smile. Sebastian and Abigail both ignored her.

Oh well. Can't win 'em all.