From June Till Fall - Stardew Valley

Chapter 24 -- Friends

2. October 2020

***

I sat up from a clean white mattress, this time I didn't wake up from the hospital, but I wasn't at home, either.

"June?" I whispered, trying to wake her up. She was laying on another mattress just next to mine.

The room had sky blue wallpapers and the mattresses were placed on a lilac wall-to-wall carpet. It looked like some kind of playroom.

"Ah, our little hero is awake" Lewis laughed, entering the room.

"What?"

"You're our hero!" Marnie repeated from Lewis' behind. "The place looks better than ever! How did you do it?" Lewis continued.

"I did what?" I asked, trying to remember what they were babbling about.

~

"Here" I pointed. "Give that to it, and it should be done" June handed a small red crystal to one of the Junimos. She watched it jump for a while and slowly disappear. 

~

I had brought her to the community center to introduce the Junimos. Only room that was still missing items was the old basement. I had already given the Junimos what the scrolls had asked, but nothing had really happened.

"Where are we?" I asked, tilting my head. Lewis just started laughing at my 'silly' question, but then turned serious when he realized I wasn't kidding.

"We're at the community center" Marnie said. "We found you from the main hall with your sister and carried you here" 

"You had been preparing this whole night, everyone is here to celebrate you!" Lewis added.

The community center? Nooo, we can't be there. The whole building is nearly falling on the ground. I only gave the creatures what they wanted and- Wait.

I shot up and rushed to the main hall. The fireplace had been lit up, and all the holes were gone. On their place stood bookshelves and maybe a bit too comfortable looking couches.

"What is this?" I mumbled, stunned.

"There she is!" Someone shouted and people started clapping. Some even whistled.

"I don't know how you did it, but you're incredible" Lewis patted my shoulder few times. "Everything ok?" He asked.

Turns out I had started crying. I tried a bit shamefully brush the tears that had fallen on my cheeks away. "It's nothing" I laughed.

"There's cake in the kitchen. It's your day, enjoy it." He said, going back to Marnie.

Penny and Emily were first ones to talk when he left. "How did you do it?" "Was it hard" "Did you like the cake?"

"Where's June?" Vince asked. "She's at the playroom. Still sleeping" I told him and he headed there Jas behind him.

"I actually haven't tried it yet, you wanna go?" I suggested. "Yeah! Wait here. We'll get you a piece" Penny said and they too, left.

I saw Jodi chatting around by the bookcases, and Robin was putting more logs to the fire. Most of the townspeople seemed to be there, most of them.

The trio was nowhere to be seen. I checked the office, nothing. The basement was also empty. I went back to the main hall, and Emily had already came back. She was holding three pieces of the cake, and seemed to really struggle with them.

"Thanks" I said, taking one of the plates.

"No, no. That one's for Penny" She laughed, handing me another plate. "This one is bigger" She explained. "We agreed to get you a bit bigger so you can get more letters"

"Letters?"

"Yeah, it said; 'Thank you Ciara!' With a light pink cream" She told. "Look. You got letters 'ara'"

"Okay, thanks I guess" I smiled and Penny took the other plate. "Do you happen to know where the trio is?" I asked. "Didn't they come?"

"I don't know" Penny shrugged. "Haven't seen them" 

"Same" Emily agreed.

Weird.

I mean, I'm not here to force people to come. Even I didn't know about this and I can hang out with others. Penny and Emily are the best, but..

We're friends, right?

***