Mirroring the Endless Night | Elliott x Female Farmer |

2. First Impressions

Maria stared up at the saloon, puffing out a semi anxious breath as she dusted off her blouse.

After her fishing lesson with Willy she returned home with a bucket of fresh fish, walking through the forest with the hope that she'd find some fresh greens to forage on the way there.

While in the forest she met Marnie, the town rancher who lived just south of the farmland. They had a brief conversation, Marnie mentioning that she had plenty of livestock available for purchase once the farm had coops or barns. Before leaving she'd mentioned the saloon would likely be full on this Friday night and to drop by and say hello if Maria got the chance.

So here she was hours later, cleaned up with her wicker basket filled with foraged goodies in the hopes of making a good first impression to the townsfolk she'd yet to meet.

Pushing all her anxious thoughts aside, Maria reached a hand and wrapped her fingers around the handle, turning it and pushing the door open. Immediately, a jingling bell announced her presence. A few heads turned to look her way, the bartender behind the register, a blue haired girl cleaning a glass behind the counter, and a man stood beside a big bear statue briefly glanced up at her before returning to what appeared to be his third mug of beer.

"Ah, Maria! So good to see you, how's the farm?"

She smiled upon seeing Mayor Lewis seated at a round table near the door and waved a hand, greeting both him and Marnie who were sat beside one another with their respective drinks.

"Hello Mayor! The farm's doing good, I had my first harvest. I've got some parsnips here if you'd like to try." she replied with a smile, lifting her basket to show her small bounty of goods.

"No need, I'm doing just fine. But it's good to see you taking a break," Lewis replied, tipping his drink her way before taking a swig of what looked to be ale.

Following the quick conversation, Maria went around the saloon greeting people and offering small gifts as a way to introduce herself.

The bartender and saloon owner was a man by the name of Gus, a jolly fellow who also cooked all the saloon meals. He was more than happy to receive a free parsnip from the farmer, promising to use it in a delicious dish. Along with him was Emily, who worked at the saloon, and was more than ecstatic to meet Maria and make a new friend (she also happily accepted a daffodil from the basket). There was an attempt to speak to the man beside the bear statue, who Emily said was named Shane, but he just grumbled and ignored her. Robin was there and Maria struck up a quick conversation with the carpenter before she left to dance with her husband, a scientist named Demetrius.

In the next room of the saloon was a pool table with a trio of some of the town's 'younger' people; Abigail, Sam, and Sebastian. Maria had seen Abigail once or twice in Pierre's shop, but had never figured out that she was actually his daughter (*she doesn't at all look like Pierre, but she seems sweet,* Maria found herself thinking curiously). Sam was the son of Jodi, an older lady that Maria had run into earlier that week, and his most notable traits were his love of music and his uniquely styled hair. Then there was Sebastian, dressed in all black as he leaned against the wall coolly and polished a pool stick. He was the son of Robin, who'd mentioned him on her first day, and though Sebastian seemed slightly standoffish, it wasn't in an entirely rude way like how Shane had been.

She'd had brief conversations with Pierre who was sat at the bar, Clint the blacksmith (who she made a mental note to visit next week because her tools needed some serious upgrading), and waved a quick hello to Willy.

And finally, there was one final person to meet, who Maria was admittedly quite curious about. A handsome man sat in the corner of the saloon, scrawling into a notebook. He had long auburn hair which flowed over his shoulders, and his brows furrowed as he took what looked like notes.