AN: A few of you may not know this but I've been playing Stardew Valley since it first launched last February. After sinking over 300 hours into this amazing game and with the news that the multiplayer will enter open beta on Steam at the end of the year I thought I might as well try my hand at doing a fic for it. This is effectively Spring 0 but at the same time not really cause I am going to be using a 12 month calendar but with increased growth rate for crops and whatnot. I hope you all enjoy the first chapter! Enjoy the journey, keep moving forward, and don't feed the guard dogs! - Phoenix Commander signing off!

Stardew Valley is the sole property of Concerned Ape and Chucklefish Games

Chapter One

Mr. Joja, founder and C.E.O of the Joja corporation, struggled to free his neck tie, and an envelope, from the staple that held him to his desk. The angry employee that had put him in his current position set the stapler aside. "I have had enough of this company and it's despicable practices! Find yourself a new Director of Human Resources!"

"What the Hell is the meaning of this, Director Matthias?! Do you have any idea what you've done?!" Joja shouted, his head twisted at an uncomfortable angle by his stapled neck tie.

"I know what I've done, my resignation is stapled to your tie. Why don't you take a moment and read it?" Matthias replied, outwardly trying to appear calm but internally he wanted nothing more than to add the weight of a chair to restrain his employer further. I wouldn't have to keep looking at him if I did that.

With a few grunts followed by a ripping of cloth Mr. Joja finally freed his tie and tore open the envelope, quickly reading through it. "So Matthias, you're quitting over having to fire one person?! I don't see why you should care, after all you've terminated people before!" Mr. Joja retorted, as he slammed the paper down onto his desk, outraged at what he considered an overreaction.

"You don't get it you up jumped paper pusher! I did not terminate her! She was still on medical leave, she didn't need to be fired! You went over my head in order to clear her desk so you could hire someone else to help line your pockets because she couldn't work for a month! I will not have anything more to do with you or this cancer of a company!" Matthias retorted, now dropping all pretense of formality that he had developed working with Joja Corporation.

"You do realize that I can press charges for this against you for assaulting me, correct?" Mr. Joja asked, his sneer turning into a small smile at the idea of the leverage, I could possibly keep him on with that information. It would be a waste of time and resources to find another HR Director.

"Let me guess, you'll file charges if I quit but not if you terminate me? Am I hearing that right?" The irate Joja employee clarified.

"Correct, but there is a third option. We sweep this under the rug and you keep filling cubicles with people you think are best suited for them. After all, reading people was, excuse me, is your job. One, I might add, you are quite accomplished at." The C.E.O said, the small smile growing into a smirk.

"I stapled my resignation to your tie, I didn't staple your ears. There are only two options because I'm done here." Matthias growled, his hazel eyes narrowing, insulted that the C.E.O would even make the offer.

"Well then you have your options, you quit and possibly spend a year or two in jail for assaulting me, or we terminate you. Choose one and quickly, I'm behind on a meeting because of your concerns." Mr. Joja said, steepling his fingers to hide his scowl behind.

Matthias slipped a hand into his pocket, gripping the letter he had held onto since his grandfather had passed away when he was a child, If I quit I'm stuck in this town for a few more years, but if I let them fire me I can leave sooner. Sooner would be better, I need something in my life more fulfilling than this and I won't find it here. After a few breaths Mathias gave his answer by picking up his resignation. "Go ahead and fire me."

"You know you'll never work in the city again?" The Joja corporation owner asked, as Matthias started to leave the office.

"I won't be in the city by the end of the week. Mr. Joja before I leave the premises, did Morris ever find out where his next assignment was? I never did see that file." The former Joja employee said, his hand gripping the door handle.

"He did, yes. You were right, it was a good fit for him. But you don't have the right to know where he is now, after all I have to protect my employee's privacy." Came the snide reply.

"I thought as much. If I do find him, then you know I'll happily bury the branch he is working with, anything to put a dent in his pride and your wallet. Oh and one more thing, if you go after me with those charges I will blow the whistle on this." Matthias could hear the smug tone leave Joja's voice at his reply as he opened the door.

Worried confusion filled Mr. Joja's voice. "If you were willing to quit over this then why wait?"

"Call it insurance, I was already helping her find a new job anyway so I don't feel the need to go public just yet. Goodbye Joja, you won't be seeing me again." Matthias said, the door closing behind him with a thud. I just wish it didn't happen over someone's livelihood. Good thing she came to me for help looking for a new place to work before this went down.

An Hour Later

Returning to his apartment, Matthias tossed the box that held his work supplies onto the floor near his front door, not bothering to see if they even remained in the box. Taking a few breaths to steady his nerves again, he sat down at his computer and began writing an email to send to the mayor of Pelican Town. The place that his grandfather's farm, and now his, was located.

Mayor Lewis,

We've never had the chance to meet but my grandfather always considered you a friend. I'm writing to let you know that before he died he passed the deed to Serenity Farm to me. He said that when I felt that I needed to escape back to a simpler life, to leave the city behind, that I should claim the farm. I was happy here at first, but as my grandfather suspected I have lost the fulfillment that my work here in the city gave me. I need something more, something to make me feel fulfilled and happy again. I'm hoping to find it on my family's farm. I will be taking the first bus out to Pelican Town and should be there in a few days. I don't expect life working Serenity Farm will be easy. In fact I know it won't be, but I'm willing to learn and if it was easy it wouldn't be fulfilling. I'll see you in a few days.

Best Regards,

Matt

Matthias had started to write out his full name but erased the last half, "Still a little too formal than I want but it's a start I guess. I want to keep myself open and less distant from now on, I don't want to have to be serious. That damn company really did a number on me if I have to try and flip a switch to be open and friendly instead of formal, cold, and analytical."

Turning from his computer, Matt went to his closet and pulled out a suitcase to begin packing. He was going to be leaving with only what he could fit into the case. He packed simple, a few pairs of jeans, a few short sleeve shirts, a few long sleeve button ups, a few matching vests and a small harp. "If I need anything else I will pick it up when I get there." Closing the suitcase with a snap of the latches the prospective farmer glanced once around the small apartment, as he walked to the door with his suitcase "Good riddance to this place." Matt turned off the lights, closed the door and didn't look back as he dropped his key off with the landlord.

Four Days Later

Matt stepped off the bus just on the outskirts of Pelican Town, "Finally made it, thought I'd go stir crazy after the third day." He said looking around slowly, a smile starting to form as he ran a hand through his light brown hair and taking a deep breath. Without the sounds of the city or their stifling smells assailing his senses, the new comer already felt far better than he had in a long time.

"Hey! Over here!" An orange haired woman called, trying to get his attention.

Guess my email did make it, Matt thought as he walked over to the woman.

"Hi, I'm Robin, I take it you're Matt?" The woman asked, offering her hand.

"I am, you got it in one. I've been here only a few moments but, I have to say I already feel better here than I did back in the city." Matt said, switching his suitcase to his off hand and shaking the proffered hand warmly.

"Glad to meet you Matt. And that would be thanks to Stardew Valley itself. We have the sea at one end guiding fresh air up throughout it to the other end keeping all the pollution from funneling down into town or the other areas around." Glancing quickly at her watch, Robin noticed the time, "We'd better get moving, Mayor Lewis is waiting for us on your family farm. And we are late!"

"So is there anything important I should know about the area? Other than the fresh air we get of course." Matt asked as the pair walked to Serenity Farm.

"Well, other than me being the local carpenter, plants tend to grow faster here because of the soil. Take a parsnip for example, normally it'd take about eighteen weeks to grow but here you'd see them fully harvestable in about a week." Robin replied, thinking about the valley.

"I, wait, what!?" The hazel eyed man exclaimed, almost dropping his suitcase in shock.

"I know, that's most people's response. It's part of the reason more produce comes out of Stardew Valley than anywhere else. We are still restricted to normal growing seasons though. Three hundred sixty five days a year four seasons and all that." The ginger haired woman said with a shrug as she tried to suppress a smile at Matt's surprised face.

Composing himself the new farmer answered his smile returning. "Just means I've got plenty of time to learn how to do things right then. And I'm definitely going to have to learn the hard way. Should be fun!"

"That's the spirit! And here we are, welcome to Serenity Farm, Matt!" Robin said as they passed under an arching sign onto the property.

Looking around Matt could see the farm was in shambles after having been neglected for the last decade. "Well… this was not what I expected. It looks like the forest reclaimed most of the land."

"That may be the case, but there is still some good soil left, and with the forest so close you can always find things worth some use." An old man said from the front porch of the shack that was the main farmhouse. "I'm Mayor Lewis, and correct me if I'm wrong but I think your letter said you we up for a challenge, Matthias."

Matt winced at hearing his full name, "I did Mayor, but I don't think I signed it with that name."

"No you didn't, but you still look like a Matthias." The mayor replied.

"I prefer Matt. Matthias is... too impersonal for my taste." The brown haired man replied, his smile waning a little. Not the best first impression I've made.

Hhmmm, good that means you are serious about this, in a good way. Lewis thought, he'd known Matt's grandfather for years and had kept in contact with his grandmother after she moved to the city when he passed away. She had been keeping tabs on Matt for Lewis just in case the man felt the need to move to the farm, he wanted to make sure he would fit into the community. "If that's the case, then just call me Lewis and I'll stick with Matt." Lewis said stepping off the porch and offering Matt his hand.

"You've got yourself a deal, Lewis." Matt said, setting his suitcase down on the porch and taking the hand in a firm grip.

"Good. Well you see what you have to tend with when it comes to your family's farm. Overgrown definitely, but as I said there is still some good soil around and the wilder produce seems to thrive here too so that's another bonus to what you manage to cultivate. Your farm boundaries encompass thirty five acres, which normally wouldn't be much to work with but as Robin here probably told you our produce is a little…different." Lewis said gesturing at Pelican Town's carpenter.

"That's right, plants here take a fraction of the time to grow so space isn't too big of an issue." The farmer clarified.

"Indeed, your farm's southern boundary is shared with our resident rancher Marnie, who'll you probably see later today. If you get the urge to start raising animals she'll be the one to ask about it." The town mayor gestured to a silo that Matt could just barely see through the treetops.

"Animals, huh, that would be a good idea but I should probably stick to plants first. I don't have much of a green thumb yet." The hazel eyed man chuckled.

"And if you want I can give this old shack of yours a makeover into a proper house too." Robin interjected, pointing at the old building with her thumb.

"Robin!" Mayor Lewis, cried mortified at his friend's comment.

"What? It's what I do for a living." Robin said, shrugging.

"Maybe I'll take you up on that later, but for now though I think this little shack will be fine." Matt motioned, brushing the comment off. She is right, a remodel at some point wouldn't be a bad thing. After Lewis calmed down Matt asked, "So Marnie's ranch is to my south, what about the rest of the town?"

"It'd be better to show you than just tell you." Lewis said starting to head to Serenity's gate.

"Lead the way, Lewis!" Matt said, following the mayor, "You coming, Robin?"

"Sorry but I can't. I have to get back to my shop. Welcome to the valley Matt. And do take me up on that offer even if it is a ways off, or just come by to chat." Robin said waving off the offer as she followed them to the road.

"Thanks for the welcome and I will." Matt said waving goodbye as Robin turned and started up a hill. Yeah, this was definitely the best decision I could've made.

Pelican Town

"Here we are Matt, Pelican Town. As you can see we are certainly a lot smaller than most." Lewis said, motioning to a few of the buildings as he and the farmer crested a small hill.

"Definitely not in the city anymore. Not a bad thing different yes, but better than it was in the city." Matt mused aloud, not noticing the slightly confused look on Lewis' features at first, "Sorry, old habit I developed working with Joja. I'm trying to break it."

"Let me guess, manager of one of their stores?" The mayor asked as they continued to walk, curious about what Matt had done in the city.

"Worse, Director of Human Resources for the entire company. The average HR rep's bosses bosses bosses boss. I made sure people fit the right jobs that they could work. If they couldn't and another option wasn't available, then I was the one who terminated them. But I was more often an overpaid shrink, being analytical and reading people was what I did best." The hazel eyed newcomer said, shaking his head as if to clear the memories.

"Your email said you'd lost the happiness and fulfillment of the job, so I'd hazard a guess you had to terminate one too many people at Joja Co's request?" The older man asked.

"Not exactly. I had planned on quitting months ago but a few things held me back, then the C.E.O went over my head to fire someone who shouldn't have been. That was the final straw, I left the day it happened." Matt sighed, wondering how the woman Mr. Joja had fired was getting along.

"Well you should know they opened a store here too. It's not been good for the community as a whole either." The grey haired mayor said, gesturing to a distant blue roofed building that was taller than the rest.

"Do you know who the manager is?" The farmer asked, arching an eyebrow quizzically.

"A slime ball called Morris. You'll probably see him around at some point." Lewis huffed as they passed the clinic, its small sign swaying slightly in the cool spring breeze.

"Morris, you said? Well if it's the same Morris then I may have made the best decision of my life and the worst for Joja Co." Matt chuckled, an amused smile crossing his features.

"What do you mean?" The mayor asked, surprised at how well his new friend was taking the news.

"I was the one who hired him, I know how he thinks and what makes him tick. I had him transferred a while back, but never found out where the company sent him, but if he is here then I should be able to make a dent or two in Joja's wallet." The former Joja employee said, a small laugh escaping past his lips, the clinic far behind them as they approached the general store.

"I am both scared and intrigued. The Joja Corporation is a big company, even if you know the inner workings do you think you can do anything to them?" Lewis asked a little hopeful.

"Not right now. I don't know a thing about farming, but I'm always willing to learn. I want to feel fulfilled about my work again. And if Joja is hurting this town and I can help stop them, then I should. It won't happen overnight it make take years. But if I can at least lessen Morris and Joja Co's drain on Pelican Town until they're gone then I think I can be satisfied in the meantime." Matt said regaining his composure as his laughter subsided.

"Who have I brought into town?" The mayor asked, looking over the farmer. Matt had stepped off the bus dressed in a pair of decent jeans, a dark red long sleeve button up shirt, a black vest and a pair of work boots. What have I brought indeed? The way he's dressed he looks like a farmer dressed to go around town after a day's work but acts like the most shrewd chess player I've ever seen. I guess he'll always have a small part of the city in him, but that's not a bad thing.

"Just a man tired of the city who wants to be nothing more than a farmer, but I'll be a shrink too if needed. My business degree can rot in the trash for all I care, but my psychology degree can still help a little." The prospective farmer said, glancing at the general store. Closed already? Well with the way the produce grows I can't be surprised that shops around here close earlier too.

"Dual major? Didn't do too bad for yourself. Oh, look at the time!" Lewis said, nodding in appreciation as he checked a small pocket watch, "Most of the shops around town close around four in the afternoon. The best place to get you to meet a good number of our fellow townsfolk would be our local pub Stardrop Saloon."

"Well lead the way Lewis, I could use a drink or two. I can start planning out what to do with Serenity tomorrow." Matt said, following the mayor to the pub. I will worry about Joja only if I have too. I'm here to find my happiness and fulfillment, I'll help the town because I want to and if doing so happens to get rid of the store then so be it. I should probably spend the next few days meeting the rest of the residents too. Yeah Joja being here is a damper, but I think I'll still be happy here.