After that emotional conversation, I retreated to my room. Alright, I need to start the garden and get some farm animals, I thought to myself.
"Oh wait, how am I supposed to tell them?" I muttered. Knowing my family, it's going to be hell... Sigh... I'll deal with that when the time comes. For now, I need to focus on the future.
Still dreading the inevitable confrontation, I sat down at my computer and began searching for people willing to sell and ship animals.
Hmm... we don't really need a horse right away. At least not in the beginning. A horse would be a major vulnerability during the Fall.
I paused to think. What animals are most crucial for survival in the future? What creatures will help us thrive during the Fall?
Donkeys are excellent guards for cattle, but once mana starts mutating the environment, they'll become difficult to control without specific skills. A better option would be livestock, generally docile animals that, as long as they're treated well, should behave even after the Fall.
With this in mind, I narrowed my search to low-maintenance livestock. Sheep could be very beneficial, especially if they undergo an elemental evolution, making their wool even more valuable.
Next, chickens. They're one of the easiest options for quick food, and their evolution would only enhance that. In my past life, chickens became one of the biggest threats due to their ability to reproduce rapidly and the sheer randomness and bizarre nature of their evolutions. They became one of the top 20 mutant animals we had to hunt down at all costs.
*But in the early stages of the Fall, chickens are indispensable for food,* I reminded myself, sighing.
Moving on, I considered the next vital resource: water. With a cow, water shortages shouldn't be an immediate concern.
Alright, I decided, I'll get sheep, chickens, and cows. Just two of each, anything more would be a hassle to manage once the Fall begins.*
With that settled, the search became much simpler. After an hour, I finally found the farm animals I needed. It was tricky because I wanted to buy them as babies; they'll be easier to raise and will offer more options for evolution.
With that task done, I moved on to the next one: picking out crops that would be easy to grow and control for mutations. I opted for already-grown plants like beans, radishes, sweet potatoes, and lettuce. But why stop there? If Dad or Rose gets a plant-related class in the future, we could grow a wider variety of crops.
Satisfied with this idea, I purchased seeds for several crops, including corn, watermelon, apple trees, and lemon trees and others.
Next on the list: a chicken coop and a shed for the cows and sheep. For placement, I decided on a 500-square-foot garden, which we could expand later. The shed would be nearby. I don't have much land to work with, but once the Fall starts, they'll be plenty more available.
With everything planned out, I stretched, got up, and readied myself for bed. As I lay down, a sudden thought jolted me awake, startling Koda.
"Hmm, Koda, I feel like I'm forgetting something important."
"Woof?" Koda tilted his head, clearly as confused as I was.
Laughing to myself, I lay back down. But it kept nagging at me, as if it was just out of reach, like an itch I couldn't scratch. But sleep was pulling me under, and I figured... if it was truly important, I'd remember it in the morning"
With that, I finally fell asleep.
The next morning, I checked my phone. "Alright, the animals should be arriving later today. I need to head out and buy a metal fence, hay, a hoe... I think we already have a shovel."
Getting up, I woke Koda. "Hey, Koda, I'm heading out. I'll be back soon."
"Woof!"
It was 8 a.m. If I hurried, I'd be back with all the materials by ten.
The morning air was crisp, the sun barely peeking over the horizon as I slid into the driver's seat.
The hum of the engine filled the silence, and soon, I was pulling into the Home Depot lot, the smell of fresh-cut lumber and gasoline lingering in the air as I walked in to rent a truck.
After loading everything up. Fencing, hay bales, and a few tools. I double-checked my list. That should be everything. Satisfied, I hopped into the truck and headed home, already thinking about how I'd set everything up.
But the moment I pulled into the driveway, my stomach dropped.
"ALBERT, WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"
Oh. Crap.
A wave of dread crashed over me as I realized exactly what I'd forgotten. And judging by the sheer fury in that scream, my peaceful morning was officially over.