Fairies Arise (Fairy Tail Next Generation)

Chapter 12: The Investigation

There were three large farms on the same old dirt road near the forest. They walked stealthly in the forest, avoiding the road in case the met up with bandits. Their first stop was a Mr. Grantee's produce farm near a clearing in the forest.

Alette took a deep breath and smiled. Her eyes widened with delight as she took in the vibrant colors of fresh fruits and vegetables, the lush greenery, and the gentle hum of nature. As the two girls walked up a little path to the farmhouse, Alette leaned down to touch some leaves she thought were pretty. She commented a few times about how fresh the air was there.

"Isn't it interesting how everything here is so... orderly?", Nashi remarked. 'It's like nature's trying to break free, but humans keep it in check.

As she walks through the rows, Nashi commented on their imperfections, saying something like, "These aren't perfect, but that's what makes them real."

"Have you ever seen a tomato this ripe?", exclaimed Alette, holding up a plump fruit.

Lucky flew over to the tomate and took a large bite out of it.

Nashi smiled at her friend and opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by an old man's voice.

"How can I help you two young ladies on this fine day?"

"Sir, congratulations on your produce. One can easily tell how much you care about your gardening.", complimented the brown-haired girl.

"We're sorry for intruding, but we were hired by Ms. Tola to find her missing garden gnome. You wouldn't happen to know anything about it, would you?"

"No, ma'am. I don't need no magic for my plants to grow. Us folks out here don't like you magic-using guilds. We prefer our organic ways of living life."

"Ah, I get it. Magic can be a slippery slope, can't it? But let's be real—sometimes a little unconventional thinking can lead to amazing results.", Nashi answered. "But I'm not  here to talk about magic or even convince you to use it. I admire your dedication to the art of gardening. We're just here to do a job, sir. You said that Ms. Tola's garden gnome is magic. How did you know that?"

"Listen here, missy. I know unnatural vegetables when I see 'em. The old fool doesn't even seem to notice it herself. Goes off about her husband's powerful love when you mention her garden."

"Thank you, Mr. Grantee, for the information. Would you happen to know who could have taken it?", asked Alette.

"No, ma'am."

"Ok! Thank you. We'll be on our way."

Nashi rolled her eyes at her friend's naivety. He could be lying to their faces.

"What do you know about the other farmers around here?", she asked.

"Well, there's uh lil' Miss Baxpert who has her orange tree orchard just around the corner. And Miss Gammons and her produce and animals just 10 minutes up the road. Very lovely to work with.", responded the old farmer. "It's almost noon, now. Would you young girls like to come inside for lunch?"

"Thank you for yor kind offer, sir. We brought sandwiches with us. Could you at least let us sit down in your garden for us to eat?", asked Alette.

"Sure thing, missy. There's a gazebo right up that hill.", he pointed off into the distance. 

The girls walked up the hill and pulled out a picnic blanket from their bags. Lucky munched on some tuna while Nashi and Alette had sandwiches. Nashi ate a smoky tempeh and avocado sandwich on sourdough bread and munched on dark chocolate-covered almonds. Alette, on the other hand, preferred a sandwich filled with fresh, organic greens, ripe tomatoes, cucumbers and cream cheese. On the side, she had a small fruit salad. The three drank some water before they headed on their way to Miss Baxpert's orchard