Chapter Text
Angela awoke to the loud slam of kitchen cabinets, the worn wood jostling her out of a restful sleep. Blearily, she glanced over her shoulder to see her brother rummaging through the little space available.
"Kev...?" She murmured.
"Now I know why we got a deal on this house," he huffs, peering below the counter, "There's nothing! No oven, fridge--not even a microwave! How are we supposed to eat?"
Angela stares, shifts onto her other side as the grogginess quickly leaves her. Despite arriving yesterday, the two hadn't had a thorough look-through of their new home and soon-to-be farm. The trip on horse drawn cart had been long, winding and uncomfortable.
It was hard enough keeping conversation with Cain as the rickety wheels mowed over rough, uneven path--tossing Angela left and right. Five grueling hours on the road and by the time she could make out the house on the hill top, rest was all she craved.
"It's not a five star hotel, I'll admit. But at least its something." She replied.
"Oh, come on, Ange. This place is unlivable. A few holes in the roof and water stains is one thing, but this is another." He turns, heading for his shoes near the front door.
Angela is up on her feet, "Where are you going?"
"Into town," he replies, "I'm talking to the mayor."
Hastily, she follows him out the door, slipping on her old worn flats. She's not sure what time it is, but judging by the overcast skies and fresh, earthly smell of dew, it couldn't possibly be a reasonable hour. As they trod down the dirt path, she takes notice of the few crops already sprouting in the plot in their yard.
The ground looks dry and dull, cracks forming and splitting the soil. The barn and chicken coop lie beyond, with the rusted metal of the roof beginning to cave in, boards on the foundation misaligned. She can see gaps showing through the walls of what's left, water leaking through the pipes. As they make their way right on the fork in the road, Angela can't help but feel like they've been cheated.
They started this journey with little money, a choice she knew would turn out for the worst. While their dream of starting a farm had begun young, their parents had never had the funds to help make it happen. Head in the clouds, their mother would say, while everyone else is lookin' to college, you two are too stuck on what could be and not what should be.
As it was only a ‘children's’ dream, it was soon forgotten and they grew up with average lives and worked average jobs, but after the strange dreams and Kevin showing up at Angela's apartment with a flyer of Castanet and a look of anticipation, it was too good to refuse.
Yet here they are and her mother's words had never rung louder.
"Mornin'!" A voice calls, leading her from her thoughts. Looking up, she spots a girl by the upcoming bridge leading into town. Her blonde hair is drawn back into a high ponytail, a wide smile spread on her fair skin. Angela gives a small wave as they pass, the fierce winds making her shudder.
Kevin spots a green civil looking building not far from the ending of the bridge. It's conjoined with another store with a large camera sign above it, both tucked into the corner under the hill that sits behind it.
Her brother gives a swift, hard knock on a blue door with Town Hall engraved upon it, and they stand waiting under the arches adorning the exterior. Beyond the property, buildings are stacked and cascade down, each a different shade of color. The ocean waters of Castanet push and flow in the far distance, the sun coming to rise high in the sky.
They wait for a few minutes. After no answer, Kevin knocks again, louder this time.
Nothing.
Kevin lets out an annoyed sound, "Real classy, giving us a beaten up house with no appliances and then not even answering the door. We were completely ripped off!"
"Calm down, you're going to give the locals a bad first impression of us," Angela says in her best attempt to calm her brother, "plus if you used your brain for once, you'd see it opens at eight. You've got us here thirty minutes before opening time, dimwit." A small oh could be heard from Kevin's direction.
Angela lets out a sigh, "Why don’t we go look around? We’ve got time to kill."
The first building they come across is a worn out salmon pink, a striped white and pastel green awning covering the magenta door and two windows with green frames, one rectangular and the other arched, both displaying hats and accessories. A white sign sits atop it, a pair of red scissors in the middle of two red curvy lines on either side of it, under those are two thicker lines with purple bubbles sitting on top.
The siblings see a woman out front of it watering the plant on one of the window sills, her long royal blue hair in two loose twin braids.
"Hello!" Angela greets her with a smile, she turns around her bangs sway slightly with the movement her sky blue eyes look at the twins shyly, "Ah, you two must be the new farmers who moved into the ranch across the bridge?" the woman says meekly. "Yeah, I'm Kevin and this is my sister Angela." Kevin answers with a smile, Angela nods her head.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Candace, my grandmother runs the accessory shop right here. I also…work here," Candace says softly giving them a small smile.
"If you ever have some time on your hands feel free to stop by, we don't get many customers. Our quality isn't the best either, for some reason lately the produce we've been getting isn't on par. We don't have many materials, but you're always welcome." She says, sounding a little embarrassed. Kevin takes note of her fingers fiddling with the hem of her pastel cardigan.
“For sure! We'll definitely take up the offer." Angela says, delighted.
They waved Candace goodbye and she turned back to her previous task. They continued down the line of buildings.
Near the corner of the bar, there are two sets of stairs, one on their right going up onto the next level of buildings and one in front of them going down leading to a dock and fishery. They continue forward.
Their steps loud on the wood as they step down to the dock, the fishery is made up of worn out oak wood with the white paint chipping off, a large sign saying Fishery sits on top of the roof.
They walk in and are met with the strong smell of fish and saltwater. To the far right is a platform, a fence lining the front of it starting from the stairs on the far left of it to the other end of the wall, three pairs of tables and chairs sit on it. Rows of iced boxes with fish and vegetables are in presented in front.
"Welcome!" A man's voice greeted them from the counter a little ways away from them. "I don't think I've ever seen you two around here, you new?"
Angela and Kevin both nod, "Yeah, I'm Angela, and this is my brother Kevin. We just moved here." She said, smiling at him.
"Ah! So you're those new ranchers everyone's talking about! Well, I'm Ozzie, I own this fishery." Ozzie replied, giving them a closed eyed smile.
His tanned skin can be seen under his straw hat, his short gray hair poking out the bottom a little bit, his smile wrinkles his forehead and ends of his mouth on his squared shaped face. He has a yellow button up shirt under his blue vest, his dark green pants are tucked into his black rain boots.
"Feel free to stop by anytime, we haven't been able to catch many fish lately so we don't have much in stock. But buy whatever catches ‘yer eye or you can catch your own fish and I'll buy it from you!" Ozzie says, giving a kind smile.
The two express their thanks and make their way for the door, just after Ozzie can shove one of his trusty fishing poles into Kevin’s reluctant hands. A welcoming gift, one Ozzie ensures will catch them the heaviest and best of rainbow trout.
As the siblings made their way up the stairs to the second level of the housing, a cool breeze blows between them a shiver running down their skin. The streets were starting to get more lively as the sun started to rise farther up into the sky, waves crash into the docks, the smell of sea salt was strong in the air.
Coral Clinic engraved on the awning of the building stacked just above the Brass Bar.
"They have a clinic," Kevin mused, rounding the stairwell, "Kind of strange having it above a bar, don't you think?"
Angela grins, "Most people would be glad after one too many. I think it's a good thing."
As Kevin swings the entrance door open, a bell chimes off, alerting their arrival. An older woman sits behind the front counter, silver hair tied back in colonial fashion. She looks up, drawn out of whichever book she had been reading.
"Welcome in," The woman greets. Fake fawn trees and decorative plants align the impossibly clean linoleum floors, with laminated posters spewing medical facts tacked to the walls. To be expected of a run of-the-mill care center. Angela grimaces at the thought of her worn work boots smudging and dirtying up the sterile floors as she crosses in front of her brother to introduce herself.
"Hi! We're just passing through to say hello—I'm Angela and this is my brother, Kevin."
"Ah, yes. The new farmers, I take it?" The woman smiles warm, eyes crinkling. "We've heard much about you. Not everyday someone wants to take up the old farmland on the hillside. That soil would take a miracle to get fertile again."
"What can I say? We love a challenge." Angela says, leaning on the counter.
"A challenge it will be." The woman chides, "Well, I'm Irene. I'd introduce you to my grandson but he's traveled off for research. Won't be back for some time."
"Very nice meeting you," Angela replies, turning for the door. Irene gives a wave, telling them to stop by anytime before the siblings are welcomed back into the morning air. Angela eyes the mayor's office down below, checking the time on her wrist watch. 7:43 AM.
"About fifteen minutes." She tells him, "Why don't we head up farther down the main road?"
A heavy sigh escapes as Kevin practically throws himself against the railing, hunching over dramatically. "No more roads, no more people. I want justice." He whines, "and breakfast."
"Come on, freedom fighter—" She chuckles, trotting down the cement steps and up the path, "maybe there's a diner in your near futur—"
A harsh force slams into her shoulder, staggering Angela back as she finds her footing in the dirt below.
"Hey!" Kevin calls from his spot, "Watch where you're going!"
Lifting her gaze, she just manages to catch the back of a man stalking away in a haste. Judging by the apron and slacks, she assumes he must be dressed for work. If he heard Kevin, he clearly paid no mind, B-lining up the hill.
"You okay?" Kevin asked, descending the stairs.
"An excuse me would've worked just fine." She huffs, straightening out her belt.
"Jerk," Kevin sneers, reaching down to grab what looks to be a fallen notepad. "Lost his diary."
"Oh, stop it." She waves him off, peering over to take a look. The spiral-bound paper was palm sized, scribbles of ingredients and measurements lining the crinkled page it was turned to. "More like a recipe book."
"More like nothing," Kevin says and wonders over to place the booklet on the edge of the stone hand-rail by the steps.
"Kev, you can't be like that. Someone loses something, we return it. We were headed his way, anyway." Angela goes to follow him, picking the book right back up. Kevin gives her the same look he's had this entire morning, one of irritation, impatience and sleep deprivation.
At the end of the long-winded road rested a cathedral, its towering structure proudly overlooking its courtyard.