Subtle Variations

The wind was blowing.

Then again, the wind was probably always blowing here, as this was Zephyr Town.

A young woman stood at the entrance to what seemed to be a large bazaar area, stole a glance down at a map, and looked up. This place – Zephyr Town – was in need of some serious help. If it was indeed a bazaar, it needed several coats of fresh paint, new stalls built, and a good gardener to come in and mow the grass. Though somehow, the place felt like home. It had been a long journey here, and she'd been standing in this particular spot for quite some time now, wondering when someone would finally speak up to her. One man stepped out from them all; he was blond and wearing a vest and top hat, and extended a hand to her. She shook it, smiling.

"Ma'am, the bazaar isn't until Saturday," The man boomed. The woman smiled brightly, shaking her head.

"I'm not here for the bazaar. I'm here for the farm."

"You're the new farmer? You're…"

"I'm what?"

"You're…you're…Ruby?"

"Yes, I am Ruby."

Said Ruby was a young woman who stood a little over five feet tall, had long, wavy brown hair, dark green eyes, and wore jeans and an old, too-large sweatshirt. The man she was talking to towered over her – she believed he had introduced himself as Felix – and was the mayor of this little town. All around them, people were whispering, and watching Ruby intently. She waved, unfazed by the attention, and looked back up at Felix.

"I believe we talked over the phone, and you said everything was in order, and I could move in without any problems?" Ruby asked, noting the dumbfounded look on the mayor's face. "Are there any problems? I'm sure I meet the qualifications to run a farm; I grew up on one,"

"Tha-that's not the point," Felix replied. "You're just not what I expected for a farmer! And you do understand the terms of our agreement, correct?"

"Of course," She stated. "I wouldn't have come otherwise."

The townspeople were all smiling now, excitement buzzing through them. It reminded Ruby of home, and of the gossipmongers that met every afternoon to discuss the nonexistent drama of the town. She was sure it would all clear up in the coming days.

"Well…then…Ruby, welcome to Zephyr Town! As you can see, we have the bazaar set up, but unfortunately, since the previous owner of the farm passed away, we've really been suffering," Felix said, removing his top hat. "And that's where you come in, fair Ruby! You will take over the farm and bring prosperity to our small town!"

"Shouldn't be too terrible," Ruby said. She had, after all, called and specifically stated that she planned to do all that already…

The look she received was nothing short of shock. Silence rang out as jaws fell.

"My family has too many farmers and ranchers to really keep track of," She explained, running a hand through her hair. "I suppose some of the more important ones to mention are those that I'm directly related to. My great-grandparents brought an entire island out of debt in two years, and were married because of the relationship they developed while running the farm. One of their sons, my grandfather, was given a farm in Forget-Me-Not Valley when a family friend of theirs passed away, and he maintained a successful farm with the wife he met in town. Their only daughter out of five children, my mother, moved to Mineral Town when she was twenty, saved Mineral Town from destruction, and married the town doctor. And, well…that leaves me, and here I am!"

The whispers returned, ecstatic now. Ruby felt her cheeks coloring; she deserved none of the praise they were giving her, as all of it belonged to her relatives.

"I…I…don't know what to say!" Felix boomed, looking down at her again. "I'll show you to the farm."

As they walked through the town, Ruby took in all that she could. The last remnants of winter were falling off the trees and bushes, and the new buds and blooms of spring were breaking through the last stubborn layers of snow. The river that ran through the middle of the town was beginning to thaw, and through the thin layer of ice that still covered it, Ruby could see fish swimming. The winds seemed to be blowing them towards wherever the farm was, and Ruby decided once and for all that this was home. The air was crisp and refreshing from the previous weeks of confusion and chaos, and it made her heart sing to know that she would never have to return to that state of being.

Finally, the pair reached a low hill, and as they climbed it, Ruby could see the large clearing at the top. As the farm came further and further into view, she saw a small field, a windmill, and in the distance, a neat little house sitting square in the middle of the property. It was gorgeous.

"The farm! Would you like to give the farm a name, Ruby?" Felix asked, surveying the land once more.

Ruby looked into the distance for a moment, then smiled.

"Macondo."

A quick survey of the newly-dubbed Macondo told Ruby that this was nothing like her mother's farm. Felix had left, humming to himself about a New Year's party, but Ruby was far from interested – she'd just escaped the parties and was none too eager to return. The house was nothing to complain about, as it was fully furnished, right down to the bed being made and flowers in a vase. A note from a woman named Nellie was taped to the vase, welcoming her to Zephyr Town and wishing her well. Felix had helped her carry her trunk and suitcase in, and as she knelt to open them, she noticed that some of the floorboards were unstable. She walked to the front wall and flicked the lights on. There was only darkness under the floorboards.

"Can't have it all, I suppose…" She muttered. She popped the locks on the trunk and took out the topmost items, then rifled around inside for a pen and piece of paper. Once she had found them, she sat down at the dining table, thinking of what to write.

Winter 31

Dear Mom and Dad,

I left the circus about a week ago and found a new place to live. It's small and pretty far away from your place. I'm calling it Macondo; I hope at least Dad gets my reference, and if Mom does, then cool. I have everything I need, and I have every intention of leading a happy, wholesome life here. I know you didn't approve of the circus, but money was money and you know how I felt about the town back then. But anyway. Hope the farm and the clinic are doing well, and send my love to everyone. I'll try to call as soon as I can, now that I'm not with the monsters.

Much love,

Ruby

p.s. I did not leave the circus to be with a guy, or a girl for that matter. Do not even think about that. I am also not pregnant, nor am I dying. I am in excellent health. The gossip circle can be disappointed all they want, but I am fine. I do not even have a cold.

Ruby sighed. Claire and Tim would be absolutely delighted to receive the letter, no matter how short and vague it was. The news that she had left the circus would be all over town the moment the letter was read, and undoubtedly bring her mother to tears. She hoped vainly that she wasn't the subject of the old gossip-mongers, as Aja had been so long ago; even if she was, she owned her own farm now, and could do whatever she wanted. There were new people here, and they weren't going to force her into tight bodysuits and makeup and order her to perform, nor were they going to gossip about her and throw her out of the town. That thought alone made her want to jump in the air and somersault, but she refrained, instead settling on unpacking her clothes to celebrate. All the leotards and sequined tights had been left behind, and the headdresses and makeup were all vacant, save for a single large, white feather. Ruby beamed at the trunk. It was a whole new life.

Tomorrow, she'd go and meet the townspeople. It would be wonderful, she was certain of it.

Morning was just like she'd expected the first day of Spring to be – cool, with a strong breeze blowing. The field had thawed, and overnight, seemingly, all the snow had melted and green had exploded across the farm. Ruby grinned and set out to find flowers around the town; there were probably a lot near the waterfall she'd passed with Felix the previous day.

With armfuls of flowers, Ruby knocked on the door of the largest house in the town. It was huge, and sat on a hill above all the others. A woman close to Ruby's age answered the door, beaming.

"Oh, good morning! You must be the new farmer! I'm Sherry, Felix's daughter. It's a pleasure to meet you!" She gushed, smiling all the while.

"I'm Ruby, and it's wonderful to meet you as well," Ruby answered. "I brought you some flowers as a gift…I guess a kind of 'thanks for taking me' gift?"

"That's so nice of you! My father and I will enjoy these." Sherry said, accepting a small bundle from Ruby.

"Well…um…I'm going to go visit everyone else now. Have a great day!" Ruby said, turning and leaving.

Much the same words were given to nearly everyone that answered the door at the other houses; Nellie was home and Ruby thanked her for the beautiful flowers. There was a woman named Claire here who was married to the town carpenter, and the lines around her mouth from years of smiles set Ruby immediately at ease. The lovely Marian and her grandmother Joan ran a restaurant on the town square, and a kind young man named Dirk helped out. Dirk explained that his older brother, Ivan, was working in the city, and if Ruby wanted to meet him she was welcome to stop by. A similar answer was given to Ruby by a young woman named Antoinette about her father, and about another woman named Freya – Antoinette seemed completely passive about it, almost to the extent of not caring. The shop in town was run by a small man who identified himself as Raul, and as she was leaving, another man by the name of Lloyd entered and welcomed her. Stuart and Ethel greeted her warmly at the front desk of the inn, and called out their granddaughter Daisy to meet Ruby. Daisy was thrilled that there was another girl in town, and asked if she had met Angelo yet. Upon Ruby's negative answer, she was given directions to the artist's house, and an invitation for tea at some undetermined time.

What Ruby assumed to be Angelo's home was stunning. It was crafted from wood and set back into the trees, and had vines growing all over the exterior, with some poking into the windows. There was a deck that looked out onto the river, with vines growing across it as well. The door was wide open, and with a small knock, Ruby entered. Inside was a large, wooden statue of what appeared to be a man, and pacing around it was a young man wearing a checkered orange cap and green vest. He glanced up and saw Ruby gawking.

"Oh, you're the new farmer, aren't you?" He asked, wiping his hands on a rag. "I'm Angelo."

"Ruby," Ruby stated, returning Angelo's handshake. "Did you make that?"

"I did," Angelo said, smiling bashfully. "And have done a few portraits of Felix, too. Were you here for any specific reason, or…?"

"Oh! I just came by to introduce myself, and I've been giving everyone flowers," Ruby said, offering one to the artist. Angelo smiled again and accepted it.

"That's so nice of you! Hey, I know we just met, but would you want to take a walk with me? I paint up by where your farm is pretty frequently, I mean, it's so beautiful and it's so hard to not be inspired…" Angelo said, already reaching for his sketchbook and bag. Ruby giggled.

"Sure, why not? I need to head back anyway and plant the turnip seeds that Felix left me," Ruby explained, turning to head back outside. Angelo followed her, closing the door behind him.

"So tell me, Ruby, how did you come upon Zephyr Town? The bazaar isn't famous any more, and we can barely be considered a farming town. I haven't turned out any paintings that I've been proud enough to sell in a while, and there are no tourists that come through here. What brought you here?" Angelo asked.

Honesty is the best policy, Ruby reminded herself. "Well, Angelo, to be quite honest, I ran away from the circus, and there was an old posting at one of the bus stops that said something about a bazaar in Zephyr Town, and…"

"Wait wait wait wait. You ran away from a circus?" Angelo asked, gaping at her. "But – what – how – why?"

"After a while, you learn to not like it so much any more," Ruby explained. "I had run away from home, and they were the first people to take me in. When I tried to leave a couple years ago…I decided against it. This time, it was too much to bear, and I packed my things and left in the dead of night. The bus driver had to take out a map to find this place, and dropped me off laughing.

"At the circus, I had worked as an acrobat, and I was able to use the skills I had from working on my mom's farm to help with the animals when I first started working. After spending some time with them, I had a routine on the high wire, and got to the point that I never even flinched. Yes, it was amazing…but it came with so many difficulties that it just wasn't worth it any more. I came here to really start living – maybe to find what my grandfather found when he moved into the valley, and maybe for what my mom found when she moved over the hill and into the opposite town. But trust me, you don't want to get involved in the mess that is the circus."

They were standing at the top of the waterfall, and Angelo marveled at her. "You're amazing. Would you mind it if I sketched you here? And maybe if you come by some time, I'll draw you,"

"That'd be great!" Ruby said, enthused. "But, hey, I kinda have to get back to the farm and plant these sooner rather than later. But the next time I'm free, I'll definitely swing by your place again!"

"Not to worry," Angelo said, lost in his work. "Take care, and we'll see each other around."

Ruby continued to the farm, tilled the soil, and planted a row of turnips. When she had talked to Raul, he had mentioned that more seeds were sold at the bazaar, which would be held on the upcoming Saturday. According to Felix, she would have her own stall, and she was free to sell whatever she could. There was no doubt in her mind that there were some things that were off-limits, such as adult products, but anything else was fair game. Sure, the turnips and some flowers wouldn't make her a millionaire, but she had to start somewhere.

Once the seeds were watered, Ruby decided to head back to the bazaar area and look at her stall. The sun was beginning to set – a day had already passed! – and despite that fact, Ruby did not feel that the day had been wasted. As she crossed the bridge, she passed a man dressed in a purple overcoat. He stopped and studied her.

"You must be Ruby," He said, voice gentle. Ruby stood and looked at him, awestruck. He smiled. "I'm Ivan, and it has been impossible to not hear of your arrival,"

"Fantastic to meet you," Ruby said, still in awe. "I believe I met your brother earlier?"

"Ah, Dirk," Ivan said, smiling fondly again. "Ruby, do you enjoy fishing?"

Ruby was confused. "I do. It's very relaxing."

"There are a lot of rare fish around here; I've been doing some reading lately on the subject. Maybe, if you catch anything, I could give you a good recipe," Ivan suggested, staring out at the water now. "That is, of course, assuming you enjoy eating fish,"

"Most of them," Ruby said, at ease now.

"I did hear that you named your farm Macondo – are you referencing a novel, per chance?" Ivan asked, looking back at Ruby again. He laughed at the look of shock on her face. "I'll take that as a yes, but now, I must ask – why Macondo?"

"I'm not planning to start a banana plantation," Ruby said, which earned her more laughter. "I did it because I'm following in the pattern of my entire family, even if I never thought I was going to. I guess I also did it because I fell so in love with the book before I came here, and I wanted to carry something of it with me into this life. I think my poor, ragged copy is sitting at home somewhere in my suitcase. But, now that you've asked me so many questions, I have to ask – what do you do in the city?"

Ivan nodded along to her response. "I teach a class of children, and individually tutor some. It's my way of giving back to those that have given so much to me."

They both looked out at the river for a while longer. Ivan stole another glance at Ruby, and she at him.

"I unfortunately must be heading home to Dirk," Ivan announced, "But, Ruby, if you'd like to come over for dinner this coming Friday, we would be happy to have you,"

"I'd really enjoy that, Ivan, thank you so much!" Ruby said, clapping her hands. "I should head home, too, and make myself something."

"Have a pleasant evening, Ruby," Ivan said, walking off to his house. Ruby watched him go, and once he was out of sight, looked at Angelo's house. The entire town would likely know by the following day that Ruby had been a performing acrobat at a circus, but what did it matter? She worked, owned, and lived on a farm now. She was going to put Zephyr Town back on the map, and back on the bus route permanently. If the townspeople resented her for the decisions that she'd made when she was seventeen, then fine; she was in Zephyr Town to stay, whether they liked it or not.

Ruby jumped off the barrels that had been left at the back of her house and onto the roof. The sun dipping down below the far field's outlook was everything she needed. Even after just one day of really living in the town, she was in love with it – not the delirious, giddy, hyped-up teenage love that the circus had been, but whole, all-encompassing, hopeful love. There was a future here for her, just as there had been a future for all the previous generations of her family. Hope filled her heart as she sat on the roof. The farm may have been empty now, but she'd have the barn filled and the fields overflowing with all kinds of fruits and vegetables. Maybe one day, she'd invite her parents to come and see Zephyr Town…but a decision like that was a long way away. She climbed off the roof, took one last look at the horizon, and went inside.

Spring 01

Dear Mom and Dad,

I understand now, because I think that I found it here. I'll tell you this one day when I see you again.

Ruby

Notes: And there's the first chapter! Hello everyone, and thank you so much for reading! Yes, short, but moderation can be a good thing! I played Grand Bazaar over my last break from school and was swarmed by plotbunnies…and thus, this! I changed the way the protagonist looks for several reasons, foremost being her heritage, and second to that is because she looks like a ten-year-old to me.

If you have any confusion about Ruby's family tree, I'll take this opportunity to clear it all up. Her great-grandparents are the two farmers from Harvest Moon 3 (GameBoy Color); her grandparents are Jack and Celia of A Wonderful Life/DS, and her parents are none other than Claire and Doctor Tim of Mineral Town (GBA). More will be explained as we continue! As to the nature of the name of Ruby's farm, it is named after the town in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's masterpiece One Hundred Years of Solitude. If you enjoy reading, this is one of the most gorgeous novels ever, and I recommend it to everyone.

Thank you for reading! (: