Epilogue

On the first floor of the Moonlight Cave Mines, a familiar bespectacled young man with black hair found an adventurous young lady with a red ponytail, more than ready to explore its depths.

"Ann! I didn't know you'd be here! I thought you'd still be busy at the Work Shop!" the young man exclaimed.

The young girl named Ann chuckled. "I got lucky today! Dad let me out early, so we can go explore the mines together, Louis!"

Louis grinned back in earnest as he bashfully rubbed his head. "Really?"

Ann swiftly whipped out a huge Gold Hammer and grasped the handle end by her chest. "It's only been a few seasons, but you're mood's really been improving lately! At least, I hope it is." she mentioned with a nervous laugh at the end.

Louis took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I guess so. Still, I wish it didn't have to end that way..." he sadly admitted.

Ann titled her head slightly and gave her friend a curious look. "You still got Lyla on the brain, huh? That's a bummer. For everybody's sake, Lou, just forget about it. Your lovely lady's committed to Jack, but you have your whole life ahead of you! Besides, you really shouldn't dwell over someone who did such an inconsiderate--"

"No," Louis interrupted "You weren't there with us when I went out with her, so you don't completely understand.

Ann glared at him in surprise.

"It's strange. Despite how I suffered when our relationship ended, I was happy to be with her. I was overjoyed to learn how compassionate she was at heart. Her beauty truly radiated when I finally got to know her. I could see in her eyes how much she didn't want to hurt me, but she was much too sincere a person denies the truth. In a funny way, I learned that day how selfish I was before. It still hurts, but I believe I grew as a person because of it." he confessed.

Ann slowly nodded as she made a silly grin. "Oh yeah, I remember how much you used to obsess over her looks before you two started going on. It was like, "She's oh-so beautiful!", or , "She's like a princess from a fairy tale!". I'm surprise you started acting more sane when you two got together! I was worried she'd reach "Goddess" status when she was your girlfriend!" she teased.

Louis gazed at the cavern's ceiling in deep thought. "Well, I was able to get a few things off of my chest thanks to her. I had... a few issues to work out from before I moved here" he softly uttered.

"Yeah. I remember in your sobbing period, when you told me a few things you told her, like how the people from the city thought you were gay! Just hearing that made me wants to march down there and punch those jerk's lights out!" she cried.

Louis chuckled. "I guess that's why I'm glad to still have you around. As my dear friend, you always find a way to cheer me up and inspire me." he responded.

Ann's face blushed slightly. "R-really? You've been feeding me compliments like that ever since we started working together, but Jack's been telling me how much you've been praising me behind my back! Geez, if I didn't know any better, I would've thought Lyla and you broke up because of me!" she said with a slight tone of anxiousness.

"Jack... yeah... I'm sorry I snapped at him for not being with you more. I sincerely thought the two of you were seeing each other, and I thought he started cheating on you with the other ladies in the village--"

"Just stop right there before you start rambling, Lou. Sure, the two of us had a lot of fun at first, but I knew neither of us had any romantic feelings like that. Still, getting to float that little boat down the river during that festival was fun. I also really enjoyed getting to make the little sucker!" she grinned.

"I guess... the two of us really care about each other, huh?" Louis calmly uttered.

Ann gave a slow, simple nod. "I guess we do..."

The cave became silent for a moment, as the two exchanged awkward glances.

After a long, Ann broke the silence with another chuckle.

"So, Lou, uh... you've been single for quite a while now. Don't you think you think you should be getting back in the dating game and find somebody? I mean, there are still plenty of single women around, so you have plenty of opportunities. Maria's still holed up in the Library, Nina's still prancing about like a little girl, and Eve's managed to stay single for a surpringsly long time. Well, there's Gwen, too, but I have feeling she's not really your type. See? There's still plenty of ladies around! Come to think of it, there could actually be one more lady that comes time mind..." Ann proposed in a suggestive tone.

Louis thought to himself for a moment, then looked deep in to Ann's expressive eyes. "Speaking of which, how's it going between you and Blue? I know the both of you have been fighting a lot lately, but everyone's been saying how well you secretly enjoy each other's company. And I agree. You two really look out for each other when something serious comes up, and I'm actually quite thankful to Blue for that!" he exclaimed.

Ann's face suddenly turned completely red, but she didn't seem one bit embarrassed. Both her fists clenched tightly, and a vein suddenly popped from her forehead.

"Wh-wh-what! Have the villagers really been spreading this lovey-dovey crap about me and Blue?" she shouted.

After seeing Louis' puzzled expression, Ann cooled just a little as she gazed at Louis with desperate eyes. "A-ah! Louis! You... you gotta listen to me! None of it is true! There's really nothing going on between Blue and me! To be honest, Lou, I---"

"Yo!"

The flustered couple turned their heads towards the stairs and see a perfectly content lady in her trademark green blazer making her way up.

"Rothe!" The two of them shout in unison.

"Yup!" she answered with a grin, "It is I, the young lady from the City of Asgard, come to mine for some minerals! And I've received quite a haul in this session!" she boasted as she opened her rucksack to reveal pieces of gold ore, topaz jewels, and, most notable of all, emeralds.

"Whoa! Rothe! You must've gotten really deep into the mines to get this kind of fortune! You're gonna be rich!" Ann shouted while trying to regain her breath.

"I guess I'm done for the day! If the two of you are ever need another buddy in exploring the mines, go ahead and let me know! I'll be more than happy to lend a hand!" she exclaimed. Inexplicably, she then turned away from the pair and waved her hand at a patch of darkness. "You too, Jill!"

"WHAT!" Ann and Louis cried out in unison.

Ann carefully laid down her hammer as she quickly took out a flashlight, twirled it around like a Western gun trick, and shone the light where Rothe was facing. And sure enough, the little farmer girl happened to be resting in that precise spot, but for some reason, she wasn't in her usually high spirits.

Instead, Jill was resting her butt on the heard surface with her knees brought close together right in front of her. Her big brown eyes, which usually glistened with merriment, gazed thoughtfully into the distance.

Curiously, the blazer-wearing miner slowly approached the little girl.

"Er, Jill... are you okay? I don't normally see you sitting around without even the slightest bit of pep in you!" said Rothe.

Jill's eyes blinked before turning her attention to the city girl at her sight. "Oh! Rothe, hello..." she answered wistfully.

Her once bleak expression then changed into a calm and gentle smile, which was still very uncharacteristic of the energetic farm girl.

"Okay..." Rothe said in an uneasy tone. "Did you loose sight of Ray or something? You know, he sometimes leaves the village to go fishing on an isolated island off of the coast. Maybe he caught a ride on his Dolphin buddy and is enjoying paradise on that little lump of land!" she explained nervously.

Jill shook her head. "No, I saw Mr. Ray toady. In fact, he was actually quite happy to see me today. He didn't faint like usually when I ran to hug him" she calmly answered.

"Really? That's nice! I guess your relationship with Mr. Fisherman is improving, huh?" Rothe cried in atonement.

Jill paused for a second, then shrugged. "I suppose so..." she answered back in her constantly composed tone.

For a split second, her unusually calm smile nearly dropped.

With her impeccable skills of observation, a concerned Rothe took note of this.

"Uh, okay... well then, did you enjoy yourself with him? Did the two of you get to fish together quietly?"

"N-no... not today..." Jill said in slight disappointment.

"Really, then what was Ray doing?" Rothe asked.

Jill lowered her had and thought silently to herself before delivering a decent answer. "Ray was at the waterfall, painting some lovely scenery. Some time ago, he was talking to Mr. Henry about art, and he's been doing a couple of paintings since then."

Rothe nodded, but still didn't quite understand Jill's sudden change of attitude.

"Oh yeah! I've started to notice that, too! It seems our local vagabond has found himself a new hobby, instead of just running around and fishing of course! By the way, how did the painting turn out? Do you think we have a budding artistic genius in our midsts?" she asked.

Jill's eyes narrowed as she vividly recalled Ray's painting in her mind.

"It was... the most amazing thing I've ever seen... and Ray looked so happy as he showed it to me. I doubt I've ever seen him like that since I first moved here..." she gently uttered.

Rothe then brought her face close to Jill to accurately analyze her emotions. "I don't get it. Jill looks completely touched by Ray's sudden interest in art, and yet I have this strong suspicion she wants to cry out the Amazon River right now! Is... is this supposed to be one of these "tears of joy?" moments?" she wondered.

Rothe grinned again. ""Amazing", huh? Now you've got me curious. After I get these ores and gems shipped, I'm going to find Ray and make him show me this painting of his!" she announced.

She was just about to dash towards the light of the cavern when Jill snatched one of her leg shins. "Please don't do that. He's keeping it for something special" she requested.

Rothe took one more look at Jill, and suddenly gazed at her understandingly. "Oh, okay. I'll do that" she assured Jill.

She then hoisted her treasure-filled rucksack behind her pack and turned towards Louis and Ann, who somehow managed to stay silent during the whole conversation.

"You two should probably move along and dig, already. I'll be loading these babies into the shipping bin and take a break at Cafe Callaway. I've also decided I shall be joining you after my little break. Part of me is curious what lies at the bottom" Rothe said. She then made her way out of Moonlight Cave to appreciate the sunshine once more.

"See ya guys later! And good luck in the mean time!" she cried out before heading towards her home on Flower Bud Point.

After the long exchange, Louis and Ann slowly made their way down the Cavern's first steps.

"Uh, Ann? Was there something you wanted to say to me before Miss Rothe interrupted?" Louis asked curiously.

Ann shook her head violently. "Ah... uh... never mind, Lou! Let's just find us some ores and gemstones, 'kay?"

Louis gave Ann a confused look. "Uh... okay..."

With everyone else gone from the Cavern's first floor, Jill was finally left alone. Her formerly composed smile dropped completely, and her eyes started tearing.

"That painting... wasn't meant for me" she uttered somberly.

At that moment, she could no longer hold back her worries. She buried her head in her knees and sobbed long and hard.

"I've tried so hard to be with Mr. Ray and make him happy. So why can't I say anything? Why am I holding myself back?"

For a long time, Jill could do nothing more then cry in the isolated darkness of the cavern.

Author's Notes: Well, that's it. I've finished yet another one of my ridiculously short stories. What, were you expecting Jamie and Jill to hook up in the end? Of course not. This drawn out Saga with Jamie, Jill, and Ray still has much to be told. I've already read fics where Ray's future is destroyed, where Maria's romance is nullified, and Jamie dies for one reason or another. Will it be up to me to make Jill leap off of Mt. Moon to complete the circle of madness? Will Jamie end up alone and brooding when all is said and done? Who knows? All that matters for now is that I'm done with this story. Now I'm off to add Ciera the Scarlet Witch into the Harvest Moon Mix!