Part 6: The Game of Frogs
Maia wakes up the next day, half expecting to find that Luna has disappeared sometime during the middle of the night. But instead, the cat is stretched out on the pet bed next to the TV. Maia smiles, realizing that Luna has officially made herself at home.
Maia cooks another excellent breakfast and sits on the couch to watch the cooking channel. Today, she hopes to complete her challenge and needs to be at a higher level of cooking skills to get that done.
But bringing Luna into her home means another mouth to feed. Maia started hiring herself out as a freelance crafter shortly after relocating to Brindleton Bay. She initially saw it as a hobby – something to do when bored. But now, she needs the money, so she gets on her computer to find a quick job.
A few are available, but most are way above her skill level. A few people are requesting rugs. Maia should be able to make one using the equipment available at the Skills Academy. That’s where she’ll go.
But before she leaves, she begins to feel her mood shifting slightly. It’s a day-to-day battle for Maia to keep the odd thoughts at bay. There was a time in her past when she’d sit in the house all day and stew in the mixed emotions, allowing them to pull her up, down, or any which way. But not today.
Maia: *determined* You’ve got this, Maia girl. You are in control of your emotions. They don’t control you!
She has to stay strong, and the affirmations help. However, completing her household chores and caring for Luna gives her the mood boost she needs to get her through her morning.
Dressed and ready to work, Maia arrives at the Skills Academy an hour later. She goes to the Science Building and finds the big recycler machines in the back.
She gathers everything recyclable from her inventory and tosses it into the machine. She hopes she has enough material to complete the rug for her client.
Next up is the fabricator, which is near the Art Building. Maia approaches it, immediately feeling intimidated. She’s never used this machine before. Maybe she should have taken a candle-making job instead. That seems much more manageable.
But she has to finish the rug or risk upsetting her client. The last thing Maia needs is a bad review.
Maia: *to herself* How hard can this be? You’re smart and capable, Maia girl. Let’s get this done.
Maia may be smart, but she has no idea how to use this machine. She pushes a few buttons, and the next thing she knows, paint shoots out of the fabricator all over her new outfit.
Maia: *to herself* I should stick to frog collecting.
Maia is embarrassed, but luckily, no one is around to witness her mishap. She looks down at her outfit, which is one of her favorites, and bursts out laughing.
Maia: *between giggles* I need to remember this. Perfect time for a selfie!
Maia pulls out her phone and snaps a picture of her paint-covered face and ruined clothes.
The paint begins to dry, making any movement of her arms or legs uncomfortable. The rug will have to wait for now. Maia runs across campus, hoping to avoid anyone she knows. She goes straight home and hops in the shower. Maybe she’ll stick to frog collecting after all, at least for today.
Maia is close to completing her Frog Fanatic goal and entire frog collection. If she’s lucky, she can finish them both today, and Oasis Springs is where she hopes to accomplish it.
Maia remains near the pond in the park, studying the water, looking for any frogs she hasn’t caught yet for hours but has no luck. The last few frogs she needs have eluded her.
As night approaches and it gets too dark to see more frogs, Maia gives up and returns home. As her disappointment peaks, she receives the call she’s been waiting for! It’s Eleanor Elderberry, the director of the Deadgrass Museum and Aquarium, and they are interested in her frog collection.
Maia speaks with Mrs. Elderberry for a while, giving her new hope. Afterward, she looks at the twenty-two frogs she has so far. If Maia completes the collection, the museum wants to secure all of Maia’s uncommon and rare frogs. Maia is only three frogs away; if she can’t catch them, maybe she can breed them. But going that route can be time-consuming and doesn’t guarantee she’ll get the results she wants. Maia will have to sleep on it and hopefully come up with a solution tomorrow.
Maia may not be able to catch those last frogs tonight, but there is one goal she can complete before bed. But it’s the one item on her goal list that she’d rather avoid: to prepare a Boiling Frog Hot Pot.
When Maia first saw this on her list of goals, she didn’t see the point in killing an innocent frog and making a meal out of it. But now that she’s studied frogs and what overcrowding can do to a habitat, she approaches the mission differently.
Whenever an invasive frog species is introduced to an ecosystem – it leads to an imbalance. It causes problems for native frogs and other animal species in an area. Many frogs suffer, so maybe finding a way to decrease these numbers can help.
Maia harvests some vegetables from her garden and then takes a moment to care for her bees and collect honey. She plans to cook a lot tonight and wants to have as many ingredients as possible available to help increase her cooking skills.
Maia prepares several different meals, including a fish and beef dish for Luna, until she reaches a level 7 cooking skill.
Now she has the skill but has to work to build up the nerve to cook a frog. (I’m traumatized trying to write, justify, and do research for this. Why is this even one of the frog fanatics’ goals? So let’s skip the details). When it’s all said and done, Maia checks another item off her list. The meal comes out perfectly.
(Frog Scenario Chapter Summaries)
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[…] Part 6: The Game of Frogs – Maia is so close to completing her goals, yet so far away. […]