BROKEN STAR

Chapter 1: Exodus from Heindoism

Yin stared blankly out of the dingy, tinted windows of the bus. She didn't want to think about why she had choosen to take on a farm in the middle of nowhere or the fact that this may just be the challenge that kills her already dying soul. She didn't have a choice. She'd been burned too many times back in Zuzu city to back out now. Even if she hadn't, she would still be here.

The city life had been slowly killing her: the smog, the all night benders, the one night stands, the soul crushing drudgery that was Joja Mart, and Steven. She'd fallen into massive debt as a result of her recklessness over the years. She had ran away from home at 14 after her mother had committed suicide. It had been a downward spiral from there. Nova, her drug of choice, kept her going through her heart ache and Joja's insane scheduling. What had happened to her recently broke what little resolve she had left.

Maybe, she'd find peace in Stardew Valley. Open sky, solitude, and the sounds of nature allowing her to find the spark she'd lost. Relying on Nova to keep her going was just too expensive these days and, even working massive overtime hours, she was only able to pay the interest on the massive credit card debt she'd accrued. She could only hope that moving to the farm and quitting Nova would save her and her grandfather's legacy from falling into Joja's slimy hands. If not, well, she had grandpa's other gift; a hand-gun that he'd weilded during the first Gotoro uprising. It had a few more shots left in it but if things got that bad again, she'd only need one. "Perhaps the apple didn't fall far from the tree after all.", she thought bitterly.

Her first day had gone by like a whirlwind. So many new faces and so much work but somehow she'd managed to clear enough area to start growing a few things. She was exhausted and starving but she had accomplished more than she thought she would. She had ventured into town only long enough to find the gerneral store and buy a few more seeds to fill out what she'd already tilled. Her stomach grumbled again but she did her best to ignore it as she tried to quell the doubt that clung to her thoughts. She couldn't go back so she had to make this work. Her fist goal other than crops would be finding a reliable souce of food.

Sunday 7th of Spring

A week had passed and she felt like she was finally making progress. Finding a spring onion patch south of Marnie's farm as well as other forage had been a godsend and she had finally cleared out all but the back and western section of the property. She had made a nice bit of gold between fishing, the newly open mines, and the first batch of crops she'd been able to grow. Not nearly enough but she was able to pay more this month than she ever had in Zuzu. Robin was right about there being good soil underneath all that overgrowth, too bad she failed to mention the monsters that prowled after sunset.

Yin had been clearing out underbrush in the sothern corner of her farm on her second day when the sun's light faded from the horizon. She hadn't been bothered by the lack of light until she heard the russling behind her. The green gelatinous beast lunged and she could barely move as the thick gel it sprayed her with nearly glued her to the spot. She'd made it back to the farm but just barely. Dispatching the creature with her sickle had taken more blows than one would think and had consumed most of her remaning energy.

It wasn't long after that she learned of the thriving monster population in the mines and the barrier that protected the town. Why her farm wasn't protected was never brought up and she was too afraid to ask. A deep sense of forboding washed through her when she pondered it for too long. She couldn't shake the feeling that grandpa had left some key information out of his letter.

"Hey Yin!", called Robin as she walked up to the bar to grab her and her husband's drinks. "I heard from Linus you've been spending time in the mines. Please be very careful down there. I don't see why you can't just buy ores from Clint, but I know I can't stop you from going down into that blasted pit." Robin's tray of drinks wobbled slightly and she turned her sorrowful gaze down to steady it.

Yin sighed as she finished her beer. As much as she appreciated Robin's concern, she was annoyed with how over-protective she could be at times. She didn't entirely blame her though. She had lost her first husband in the mines. As much as Robin had grown to love Demetrius, the death of her first husband had left it's scars on her.

Yin's friendship with her was a strange one to say the least. Robin just assumed they were friends from the first day and Yin never dissuaded her of the notion. Yin wasn't quite sure where she stood on the issue but she didn't mind. Pushy as Robin could be, Yin knew she was a good person who was just trying to look out for her.

Yin nodded solmonly at the woman, not bothering to respond. Robin didn't seem to know her farm was just as dangerous when the light faded. No one in town seemed to realize the danger from what she could gather. She didn't ask anyone outright, fearing the people would doubt her sanity but she did make subtle inquiries about the place in more general terms. The only people who even hinted at anything being amiss were Mayor Lewis, Marion, and Rasmodius, none of whom would give her a straight answer.

She hurried up the path, past the rundown bus stop, praying she'd make it back to the relative saftey of her home before the last of the sunlight faded. She needed to find someone or something to clue her in about the farm but she was getting fustrated. She slammed the door behing her, panting in fatigue, as the lengthening shadows began moving outside her door in unatural ways. Her campfire out front, the only source of light she had due to her limited rescources and skill, flickered in the slight breeze. The creatures didn't like the light but would creep out of the shadows for a swipe at her if she lingered too long.

Yin sat wearily at her rickety desk, dropping the books she'd take from the library with a heavy thud. Despite Robin's sales pitch her first day here, she chose not to upgrade her house. She missed having a kitchen but she just couldn't justify the cost with how much debt she was in. Her side ached from the gash that had only recently stopped oozing from the day's mining excursion. Medical care was another expense that she was loath to pay unless she was activley dying. The valley's strange magic aided her in it's own way in this regard. She was surprised that the food and drink that came from this place had such astonding healing properties, even more astonded that Joja hadn't sucked the valley dry of the mysterious power.

As she understood, it wasn't for lack of trying. They had been a major reason for the mines being in the shape they were. They had been trying to deepen their pockets, pushing the workers deeper into the caves and blasting everything that got in their way but, in their haste, they had release the horrors that now dwelled there. The elder townspeople had warned them. The church of Yoba had warned them. Her grandfather had warned them 30 years ago but their greed would not be satisfied. George didn't visit the tavern often but on the rare occasion he was there, he'd been a gold mine of information.

Morris's father Carghal, had been the one to break the original contract with ruthless abandon and little concern for anything other than profit. When George had his accident, he had lost not just his legs but both his brothers in the resulting cave in. He sued the pants of Joja, gathering others who had suffered under their ruthless mining practices. Morris had been assistant supervisor at the time and was shaping up to be just like his father. Unfortunately he didn't have the experience to recognize the danger of that weakened support beam nor the runic warding seal.

After 15 hard fought years, George had triumphed. Morris had been thrown under the bus to help the company save face and now he was just a manager of one of the least profitable Joja marts in the region. It was cold comfort to George, who had to see the man he personlly held resposible for his brother's deaths, slithering through town like he owned it. Morris himself took no responsibility for the accident and would tell just about anyone who confronted him that it wasn't his fault.

Yin rewrapped her wound before gently laying down on her bed. She was exhausted but her mind wouldn't slow down. Going off Nova cold turkey was not easy and sleeplessness was one of the milder problems. But tonight her luck was better than most, and, inspite of the shuffling footsteps and occasional screech of the monsters outside, sleep found her.

-Dream-

A great star fell from the heveans, shattering as it burned through the atmosphere. Twelve starshards pulsed with light around her before falling dim in the grey void. A shadowed specter touched her arm and pointed west. A young heart-broken wizard knelt on the ground sobbing over a purple haired baby as the woman before him turned away being swallowed by the grey, her skin turning green as the tendrils wrapped around her. A strange darkness enveloped Yin and she tried to reach out to the woman. The light started to fade from Yin's vision. Twelve shards flickered reaching out to her with tendrils of faint white light but the grey mist was draining her. She fought and kicked and cursed with no results and finally, with no other option left, she reached out for the tendrill of light energy but just before she could touch it...

-End Dream-

Saturday 13th of Spring

Yin woke slowly, fog still enveloping her mind. She turned, hoping to get a few more minutes of sleep but the sharp pain that gripped her drove any reminents of sleep from her mind. The dream was fading but she wrote down as much as she could in her dream journal. Her wound had closed ove,r but the now closed gash was still painfully tender. Any hope of even just lying in for a bit longer shattered when she heard a heaving knock on her front door. Sighing, she reluctantly dragged herself out of bed. The bright sunlight creeping through her window seemed to mock her with it's cheery golden glow.

"Yin!" She heard Robin exclaim, the voice muffled through the wood of her front door.

"Just a minute.", she groused, struggling to pull her shirt over her head as she exited her bedroom. Throwing open her door she glowered at her friend.

"What, in Yoba's name, are you doing banging on my door at this ungodly hour? It's not even 7 am yet. For your sake, the town better be on fire or overrun with monsters because there's no other reason for anyone to be up this early."

"Good one Yin." Robin smiled, walking past her into her house as if she owned the place. "You're not a morning person then? Neither am I usually, but today is important and I am not gonna let you stay hold up on this farm like a hermit. Besides, I brought Gus's finest coffee to kick your ass into gear."

God, Yin hated this woman right now but her ears perked at the mention of coffee. She grabbed the cup from her hand without a word, taking in the heavenly aroma. Oh Yoba, she had missed coffee so much since moving here. It was a luxury she hadn't allowed herself since it was so pricey. Robin wouldn't die today, but even with the liquid focus flowing through her system, she was still not happy about being woken up this early. She finished her cup before speaking, Robin hadn't bothered to draw her out in conversation yet, instead choosing to poke about her living room curiously, giving her friend time to absorb her offering

"Now that I'm less likely to beat you up, why are you here at the crack of dawn anyway?" Yin asked, noticing the beeming smile she was being given as she wiped the stray drops of coffee from the corners of her mouth.

"Today is the first festival of the year and it's a great oppertunity to meet everyone in town. I've noticed you haven't been engaging much with anyone outside of the shopkeeps and the mayor. I know you're trying to get the farm up and running but you need to make some friends. Just come to this one festival today and I promise you won't regret it."

Yin sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. She appreciated what Robin was doing, she really did, but she was not thrilled with wasting the day with people she barely knew. There was so much she could be accoplishing but as she looked at her friend's emploring expression, she relented. Damn woman would be here dragging her from sleep every festival if she didn't.

"Fine, you win, but you have to swear that you won't ever wake me up before 8 ever again. I don't care if the entire valley's ablaze or you have an entire keg of coffee. I am not a happy camper in the morning, at the best of times, and down right evil otherwise."

"Deal! I'll even be extra nice and help you water and harvest you crops today. Besides, this festival is good for business too since it's the only time Pierre will part with his strawberry seeds. I'll finish here and you till a new row to plant them in. If you have some speed grow you might get an extra harvest of of them before the summer heat kills them."

Egg Festival

Yin smiled as she walked into town, the atmosphere of celebration was infectious and erasing the slight dower mood her rude awakening had caused. Robin had left an hour before the festival was to begin so she could get ready. She caught up to her at the woodcarving station and admired her handiwork before perusing the other booths. The blacksmith, Clint, had put in a good showing despite his shyness. His crafts speaking more fluently of his skill than he could.

Pierre was cheerfuly advertising his wares for the event and she purchased a few of the strawberry seeds. She'd only get one, maybe two harvests out of them if she planted them tonight with speed-gro but she knew they'd be worth the investment.

She walked around for a little while, sampling the wonderful buffet. It was the first time since leaving Zuzu that she felt full. Foraging was enough to keep her from starvation but wasn't quite enough to make her feel satisfied. She never ate any of the crops she grew, knowing that every last bit of gold she could make needed to go toward her debt.

She studied the people as she let her meal settle. She'd introduced herself to the people she hadn't run into at the tavern or Pierre's but felt no inclination to get too close to anyone socially just yet. She was never shy around people before, but, she reminded herself, she hadn't been sober in a social mixer enviroment in a long time.

An umfamiliar itch crawled through her veins as her chest constricted. The wide open plaza seemed too crowded and the sweet cloying smell of flowers was suffocating. She was falling... Breath in... too many bodies around her. Breath out.. Everyone get back and give her space. She clawed at her bicepts, the pain of her nails ripping the flesh gave her a jolt but the terrible feeling that had overcome her was fading. She focus on the pain and the voice guiding her to breath as she fell back into awareness. Oh god, what had happened to her. She was on the ground curled into the fetal position.

She looked up trying to get her bearings and locked gazes with the most alluring green eyes she'd ever seen. She couldn't do this. She rolled away from the concerned gaze and got up, ignoring the slight sting in her side and the prickles of pain in her bicepts and ran. It was all too much and she didn't stop running until she reached the saftey of her cabin.

Yin slid down the door no longer fighting the prickle in her eyes. Hot tears splashed down her cheeks as she struggled to calm her breathing and racing heart. What happened to her back there? She stumbled to her writing desk and searched for the book she thought would have the answer.

Nova is one of the most difficult addictions to fight. Those who stop taking the drug for longer than two weeks experience a miriade of painful physical symptoms including sleeplessness, fatigue, lack of appetite, tremors, and anemia, as the body uses up it B-6 amd B-12 reserves to cleanse the cells. As trying as the physical symptoms can be, it is the psycological changes that usually break the will of the recovering addict if they don't have proper support in place. These symptoms include panic attacks, racing thoughts, depression, general anxiety and in some cases suicidal idealizations or attempts.

She had a panic attack then. She should have expected that but the intensity of it had blindsided her. She heard pounding on her door and closed her eyes. Taking in a deep breath and exhaling she got up from her desk. She knew full well that Robin wouldn't stop until she answered if only to tell her to go away. She threw open the door.

"Robin, I'm fine just please go a...", she stopped. It was not just Robbin at her door. She fought the urge to bang her head on the doorframe in frustration.

"Robin please just take your friend and leave. I appreciate the concern but I'll be okay. I just need to be alone for a while."

"I insisted on comming along. As a doctor, its my responsibility to make sure your okay. My name is Dr. Harvey, please let us come in."

She reluctantly oblidge him, shooting Robin a glare. Robin, for her part, raised her hands in surrender gesturing as best she could that she had not wanted to bring him anymore that Yin wanted him there.

"Yin, please take a seat. I just want to check your vitals." Harvey said, noting the rigid posture and closed off expression. This was his first real meeting with Yin, not counting the brief greetings they'd exchanged at Gus's tavern when she first came in. "Look, Harvey," she said trying to find a polite way to avoid his scrutiny. "I don't need a check-up. My attack wasn't a medical problem. I just paniced a bit being surrounded by so many unfamiliar people. I'll be fine with some rest." Yin stated softly, her posture trembling mildly.

Harvey sighed, he had a feeling she would be difficult but he couldn't shake the utter terror he'd seen in her eyes. He wanted to help her. He didn't know much about her or her life in Zuzu but he suspected things had never been easy for her. Shane had a similar shadowed gaze in his eyes that Harvey knew hid terrible dispair. He was a doctor and his only desire was to aid those that needed help. But he couldn't help someone who didn't want it and it tore at his spirit ever so slightly to see people suffer like this. It reminded him too much of his residency at Zuzu Medical.

"I can't force you, I suppose. If this is something you've dealt with before, I can only trust your judgement. Please know that my office is always open to you." He said, standing and packing his stethescope back into his bag.

"Whether you need my services or not, please keep in mind that Mayor Lewis does require me to have medical records for all town residents. I'll be sending a release form to you in the next few days for you to sign. I promise that I can keep your information with the utmost confidence but as the only certified Doctor in the area, it's important for me to know your medical history incase of emergency."

"I'll keep that in mind, Dr Harvey." Yin said, a tight smile on her face. She really didn't want to let him see her medical history but she knew he wouldn't take no for an answer. She watched him leave before turning to Robin, who had the decency to look guilty, at least.

"I know it wasn't your choice to bring him here, so you can stop acting like a kicked puppy. How many people saw my feak out?"

"Don't be embarassed, if you had told me you had a problem with crowds, I wouldn't have been so pushy about you going to the festival. I'm sorry."

"Look, Robin, don't beat yourself up about this okay. I didn't know I had a problem with crowds either, it had never been an issue in Zuzu City. Don't worry youself about it."

"If you say so. If you need anything just give me a holler. My husband might stop by tomorrow, just so you know. He mentioned wanting to use the cave at the northern part of your farm for research."

Robin showed herself out, fighting the underbrush a bit before leaving her farm through the northern path. It was almost 6 pm and Yin had almost forgotten the strawberry seeds she wanted to plant until she saw the damp, tilled ground next to her thriving potatoes and kale. Cursing softly, she put her shoes back on and ran outside to plant her new crop. It was close to eight before she was done and she crawled back inside her house in exhaustion. Taking out the medical kit she brought from Zuzu she used the last of her gauze to wrap the deep puncture wounds a bat had given her. She never thought she'd miss mosquitoes.