When the Spring Comes

"I would bring you happiness
Wrapped up in a box and tied with a yellow bow
I would bring you summer rain and rainbow skies to make your garden grow
And in the winter snow my songs would keep you from the cold."

- If I Thought You'd Ever Change Your Mind by Agnetha Fältskog

Mymble's Daughter woke up to the brightness of the world. There was a new scent in the wind, she could smell the moist soil in the wind. Suddenly the world was filled with promise. The Spring was here and it was the time for little creatures like herself to wake up from their deep slumber.

Her sleeping bag was also gone, instead a rug was wrapped around her (if she recollected correctly, she had seen this particular carpet previously at Moominmamma's living room). Courtesy of her little sister, surely.

Oh well. That couldn't be helped. Surely the Moomin family had other carpets as well.

Mymble's Daughter stretched deliciously, like a cat, with a satisfied sigh.

Then she got to her feet, the rug still wrapped around her small frame.

She absentmindedly wondered where her little sister was and if she was once again up to some kind of mischief. Well, knowing Little My, that was the most likely case, but luckily she would always manage on her own.

Mymble's Daughter started trekking her way towards the Moominhouse as if her feet had a mind of their own. Soon she realized that her feet had started to follow a faint melody coming from the same direction as the Moominhouse itself.

On her way, she witnessed other small beings fumbling their way around the Valley, their eyes still blurry from the deep and long winter sleep and their limbs still heavy and disoriented.

The sky was so brilliantly blue that it made her eyes ache. Suddenly the world was filled with light and warmth and life. It all made still sleepy her head swim.

Mymble's Daughter continued her dazed journey over the small hill, finally reaching the bridge by the Moominhouse. Then she finally noticed.

A hand organ. The music was coming from a hand organ.

A figure with a blue hat over her blond mop of hair (the hat was colored with the same mind-numbing blue as the sky above) was playing the hand organ. A jubilant yet strangely melancholic waltz filled the Valley as she played.

Mymble's Daughter saw her little sister slipping towards the Moominhouse, clutching to some rag in her small hands. (A tea-towel, perhaps?) Moomintroll had already woken up, and he was there, standing next Snorkmaiden, who has wearing her pretty Spring-hat with flowers.

There would be time when Mymble's Daughter needed to greet them, but not just yet. She still wanted to enjoy this lingering moment between what had been and what would follow.

Mymble's Daughter decided to sit on the edge of the small bridge, just next to the playing figure. Sitting down, she propped her arms against her knees and left her head resting on her hands. She closed her still heavy lids, enjoying the music.

The notes flowed fluidly, one following after another one. Mymble's Daughter subsided into a strange state of consciousness and unconsciousness at the same time.

Then, suddenly, the music stopped and Mymble's Daughter opened her eyes.

"Hullo," Too-ticky greeted her.

"Hullo," Mymble's Daugther greeted her back, feeling somehow strangely conscious of herself, almost shy.

"Did you sleep well? Your sister told me that she replaced your sleeping back with a rug," Too-ticky asked, eyeing the rug around the shoulders of Mymble's Daughter.

"Oh. I did. I hope my little sister did not cause you too much trouble," Mymble's Daughter felt her face flush, suddenly feeling curiously warm.

"Little My keeps things interesting, that is for sure," Too-ticky replied, sitting right beside Mymble's Daughter.

"True. That's a habit of hers," Mymble's Daughter agreed, stealing looks of Too-ticky.

"So, what now? I assume you cannot stay at the Swim-house any longer?" Mymble's Daughter asked as she played with the worn out end of the carpet.

"I go wherever I go. Swim-house is mine for the Winter. It's Spring now and time for a new Adventure," Too-ticky replied.

"I would like to go for an Adventure as well," Mymble's Daughter sighed, a dreamy look glossing her eyes.

"Why wouldn't come along then?" Too-ticky offered, scooting closer. Mymble's Daughter, uncharacteristically for her, felt loss for words.

"But, how could I? And who would look after my little sister?" Mymble's Daughter replied with the first objections coming to her mind.

"She survived on her own during the most harsh winter months. Besides, Moominmamma has also woken up along the other members of Moomin family, I'm sure they would be more than happy to keep an eye on Little My," Too-ticky reminded her gently.

"Two eyes, if possible," Mymble's Daughter mumbled drily.

Then she took a breath in, looking at Too-ticky and nodded.

"Alright. Let's do it. Let's go for an Adventure. Together," she agreed.

"Together," Too-ticky too nodded.

The clouds languidly passed over the sun and after a small moment of shared silence, Too-ticky noted quietly:

"Huh. Now that the clouds have covered the sun, it's still rather cold in here, isn't it?"

"True. Here, you can come under my rug," Mymble's Daughter offered, lifting the other corner of the rug and Too-ticky scooted even closer, their elbows touching under the rug.

When quickly glanced upon, their two small frames looked almost like just one under the heavy rug. At some point, they took hold of each other's paws. Neither of them remembered who had initiated it, but they felt quite happy as they were, so it didn't really matter.

The Spring had truly arrived. The perfect time for an Adventure.

-A/N: A small drabble I felt like I needed to write down. Tove Jansson might be my favorite writer of all time. The world is going crazy, I hope you all will stay safe and well!