The Other World | Stardew Valley meets Papers, Please

Chapter Eight: Connections

It's been a week since Sergiu arrested the Premier of Arstotzka. He has been promoted to Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Information, the position that his late comrade Georgy Valentin once had. He personally visited Georgy's family at that time and informed them of the loss. Mikhail, on the other hand, did not have any family left. But a memorial was put in his and Georgy's name in the middle of Eagle Square to commemorate their sacrifice for upholding the truth.

There was still a large problem hanging over the entire world though: The Organizers. Malenkov hadn't given up much information about the outside world, but he did give a list of names to cut down the Organizers in Arstotzka. Nearly 400 people have been apprehended, interrogated, and executed for their affiliation with the group.

On a much smaller scale than that, however, Sergiu received permission from the new Premier of Arstotzka, Anastasia Golubeva, to return to his previous mission and continue mediating an end to the conflict between the Ferngill Republic and Gotoro Empire. Other agents have been distributed to other parts of the world to investigate the situation regarding the Organizers. In the meantime, Sergiu was on a plane with six bodyguards to the capital of the Ferngill Republic.

Meanwhile, in Stardew Valley, Jessie had just returned to his home and put his coat on a rack near the door. He shakes his body of snow and quickly paces to the fireplace where he attempts to warm himself.

"Did you check the mail today?" Emily says, working on her sewing machine. "Not yet. Why?" Jessie replies, still fixated on the fireplace. Emily giggles, "I'm supposed to have a shipment of more colored thread being delivered. I saw it in the catalogue for only 2000g!" Jessie shakes his head, "No, nothing like that on the porch. Where's Penny?" Emily shrugs, "I think she's out with Jas and Vincent today."

Emily sighs, smirking, and looks back to Jessie, "Hey, Jess, could you come help me out with this?" He finishes warming up, wiping his hands. He walks over to Emily and her sewing machine, "Of course. What's up?" She is holding the fabric on the machine and looks behind the machine itself.

"Hold this, will ya? I think it's back here," she says, Jessie obeying and holding the fabric down. She ducks behind the machine and gets quiet. "What's the problem? Do you see it back there?" Jessie says after about a minute. Suddenly, her hand wielding a bouquet of flowers erupts from behind the sewing machine. She slowly rises behind it with a face as red as a strawberry.

"This... It's been sitting on my mind for weeks now," Emily says, her heart racing so hard that her shirt begins thumping. "Jessie lets the fabric go in complete and utter shock, "I uh... You..?"

Emily shakes her head, "N-No shh... Ever since... Haley... I've had nobody. I've been so so alone. I've been pretty sure my parents aren't coming back since we haven't heard anything about them. You've been here though, Jessie. I've just been looking at you from time to time and remembering how you held me that night... It was so warm... You were a light in my darkness. I've felt such a deep connection with you the moment you moved to Stardew Valley. I want to try this with you... Please?"

Jessie scoffs in disbelief. He nods slowly, his heart flaring off and sending all sorts of signals to his head, "Y-Yeah... Emily. I've thought the same with you... But l-listen, what about-" Emily interrupts him, "Shh... Just let it happen..." She leans across the sewing machine and grabs his cheek, kissing him on the lips.

~~ Hours Later ~~

Sergiu would be marching towards the main government building in The Capitol. There, a meeting is taking place which would hopefully mediate a peace with the Gotoro Empire. Sergiu is serving as the only Ambassador from Arstotzka, while an Ambassador from the Gotoro Empire and Ferngill Republic will also be present.