The spare room of Sunshine Acres could be more readily compared to a greenhouse than a bedroom. 

The room's two large windows faced the back pond, and on their long windowsills sat a multitude of small potted plants crowded together, all vying for the sun's attention. Many of the unlucky saplings were crowded into old food containers or broken teapots, as if whoever had planted them had run out of flower pots for them all.

Sadly, most of the plants sat half naked in a pile of their own withered leaves. Suffering in silence in the forgotten spare room.

Despite the neglected foliage, Robin found the room very comfortable. The bed was small but well-maintained, unlike the many plants it shared the room with.

This old guest room was a significant upgrade from train seats, which Robin had become accustomed to sleeping in over the last couple of weeks. As soon as Robin laid down on the creaky mattress, he slept the best he had since leaving London.

The morning light trickling through the room's large windows slowly woke Robin from his much needed slumber. As Robin rubbed at the lingering sleep in his eyes, his stomach growled at him, mad at him for missing supper the night before.

Robin shot out of bed as he remembered where he was, realizing he was meant to start as the house cook for a sorceress and her apprentice that morning, if not last night. Not sure what kind of punishment he might receive from the friendly, yet intimidating, sorceress for making a late breakfast, especially after missing yesterday's supper, Robin hurriedly dressed himself and rushed to the kitchen.

As Robin hurried down the stairs and into the kitchen, he stopped short once he found Jo sitting at the table doing her homework, the small dog creature dozing in her lap.

"Good Morning, Mr. Not Pear Man!" Jo greeted, as she glanced up at Robin in the doorway. The dog quickly jumped from the girl's lap and trotted over to greet Robin as well.

"Good Morning, Miss Jo," Robin replied, clearing his throat as he entered the kitchen, "and- why, I don't think I ever got this creature's name," Robin observed as he reached down to pet the dog, ruffling the hair on the small dog's back.

"That's Sugar Cookie," Jo explained. "She looks like a normal dog, but she's actually a descendant of Nanabozho."

"Nanabozho?"

The small girl rolled her eyes and let out a sigh, as if explaining something obvious. "I mean, not technically, but that's what people call them. You probably heard them called 'Nanahouds'. They are pretty common in these parts. You might have heard some of them howling last night. They like to cause trouble and keep people up sometimes."

Robin didn't want to admit it, but he had slept so deeply that a Nanahound could have been howling in his room, and he wouldn't have heard it.

"There is actually a pack of them in the forest past the acres," Jo continued, "but they are scared of Sugar Cookie, so they keep away. Many people around here don't like Nanahounds. They can cause trouble to farmers and travelers, but they aren't that bad. They only give trouble to those who mean trouble."

Jo shuffled over to pick up Sugar Cookie from Robin's feet and brought the squirming Nanahound to back to her seat at the table.

"Miss Holly found Sugar Cookie at the local animal shelter," Jo continued in her childlike ramble while Robin washed his hands in the kitchen sink, "and nobody noticed she was a Nanahound, 'cause she was such a cute puppy," Jo explained as she massaged the dog's ears. Sugar Cookie looked up at the girl and tried to lick her face, causing the child to reel back with a giggle.

"You know, they say Nanadogs are great at judging people with bad intentions. Apparently, they only attack those with evil intent, which is why Holly decided to keep Cookie after realizing she was a Nanahound. I don't think that Cookie minds being kept here; she likes being spoiled. Miss Holly said Cookie can leave anytime she likes, but she prefers this life of getting treats and being lazy. Better than being a fearsome creature in the forest. Personally, I think Cookie wandered over to the animal shelter as a puppy just so she could find someone to spoil her," Jo monologued as the dog continued to lick her face.

Robin turned and looked at the little dog on the small girl's lap, seemingly basking in the child's attention. He could believe the small girl's theory. 

"What a smart little Cookie," he muttered with a grin.

"She sure is!" Jo cooed as she squished the small dog against her face. Cookie's tongue hung out as if smiling, completely unbothered. "The smartest and the sweetest! Just like a real sugar cookie!"

Robin couldn't help but chuckle. He wiped his hands on his trousers and headed over to the large cabinets to begin the house's breakfast. "Let's see...what food do we already have here..." Robin muttered to himself, searching the overhead cabinets that were filled with pans before turning to the large pantry door that sat near the hearth.

 As quickly as he pulled the door open, Robin stepped back and slammed the cabinet door shut. Inside was nothing except several large bags of pears stacked on top of each other, the pile seemingly teetering on the brink of collapse.

"Yeah.." Jo mumbled shyly at Robin's shocked reaction. "We have too many pears... the pear salesman from the town over won't leave us alone."

Robin slowly scratched the back of his neck. It's no wonder Jo tried so hard to get rid of him; they definitely didn't need any more pears.

"But fear not!" Jo exclaimed with youthful exhilaration, before running into the mud room and returning with a basket.

"I already went and got some eggs from the chickens! We can have eggs for breakfast." Jo announced proudly as she sat them on the table. "Mr. Robin, could you please make mine sunny side up? I've always wanted to try them that way!"

"Ah...I'm sorry, but I don't think I know how to make eggs sunny side up," Robin replied, slightly embarrassed. "I think the best I can do is scrambled."

"Oh... well, that's fine," Jo said disappointed, slinking back to her seat, her round face filled with dejection.

"But, I'll see if I can figure it out by the next time we have eggs for breakfast. Okay?" Robin offered, trying to cheer the child up.

A big smile grew across Jo's face, her spirits suddenly rejuvenated.

"Oh yes! Thank you so much, Mr. Robin! We have eggs for breakfast tomorrow!"

"No, we will have to have something different tomorrow. We can't have the same thing every day," Robin chuckled, mentally noting to put off their next egg breakfast as long as possible.

"Why not? We would eat the same thing every day if you weren't here... Miss Holly only makes toast for breakfast these days," Jo grumbled.

Robin walked over to the stove, and cracked a few of the eggs in an old cast iron skillet. Robin quickly stirred the eggs to make them the only way he liked, and knew how to cook: scrambled.

"Can you add some sour cream? Jo said, coming up from behind him. "That's how Miss Holly usually makes them."

"I thought you said she only makes toast?" Robin said, glancing at the girl sideways.

"Yeah, well...Lately, it's been toast, but she made really good scrambled eggs for a while...until we got sick of eating them." Jo shrugged. "She's too focused on her jewelry magic and teaching me stuff to have the time to try food recipes. When she does have the time and tries something good, she doesn't stop making it 'til we get tired of it."

"Ah. I see." Robin said, walking over to the ice box to grab sour cream. "And how did you become Miss Holly's apprentice?" Robin asked, trying to uphold the conversation with the young girl as he continued to cook. 

Jo returned to her seat at the table, cuddling up to Cookie once again.

"Well, my dad is an engineer for the Transcontinental Railroad. When my family came through town with the railroad, my dad heard about a jewelry sorceress and found Miss Holly to ask if I could stay on and be her apprentice. I wanted to attend a sorcerer school, but my dad doesn't trust sorcerer specialty schools. He thinks they are planted by the government to help control sorcerers... or something like that." Jo explained with a shrug. "Miss Holly agreed because my dad has a connection back in Tang that helps her get stones for her jewelry that aren't as easy to get here in the Great Plains. In the end, those stones are much cheaper for my family than sorcerer school. Plus, I get to go home in the winter and be with my family. Which is also something I wouldn't be able to do if I went to sorcerer school." Jo explained, her tone growing more excited. "I leave for home in a couple of months or so. Which is great because the winter here is terrible!" Jo explained as she mimed a huge shiver.

"Oh really?" Robin asked absentmindedly, trying to focus on both his cooking and listening at the same time.

"I come in the spring and stay 'til the beginning of fall. I go to school here at the schoolhouse, and then study magic with Miss Holly. And actually, Miss Holly is one of the strongest sorcerers in the world, so I am actually really lucky. Even if her food is bad."

"One of the strongest in the world, huh?" Robin chuckled at the child's bold claim.

"Yeah! I heard a rumor that she once had one of the largest Sorcerer's Hearts ever!"

"Oh?" Robin said with a laugh. "And what's a Sorcerer's Heart?"

Robin had heard about a "Sorcerer's Heart" in passing, given his brother being a sorcerer himself. The only thing Robin knew, was that these "hearts" had something to do with a Sorcerer's power. However, Robin had to admit he wasn't very well versed in sorcerer's terminology, especially for someone whose older brother had a doctorate in the field.

"Well," Jo started, clearing her voice as she sat up on her knees. Placing her hands in front of her as if preparing to give a presentation on something she was well versed in.

"A well-trained sorcerer can build a Sorcerer's Heart, or Heart Stone, which is a stone built and maintained by their magic. Some say the stone even becomes a sorcerer's life force. A Sorcerer's Heart works as an amplifier of a sorcerer's magic, and can help them hone their magic to be more specific with less training." Jo explained, quickly clearing her throat again before continuing,

"As you may already know, Magicians have one precise power they can use without training, such as being able to grow pear trees that always grow perfect pears. Sorcerers can do a wide range of magic, and are often more skilled in one area of magic...However, a Sorcerer's magic will never be as precise as a Magician's singular power. Not without a lot of training. So, for example, a sorcerer could learn magic that makes a tree grow fruit on command, but it would take years of training so that pears grow perfectly. Even if the sorcerer specializes in that area of farming magic. For this reason, many sorcerers make a Sorcerer's Heart to help hone their magic, which helps make them stronger. Does that make sense?"

Jo paused and raised her eyebrows at Robin, waiting for his confirmation.

"Yes, that does make sense," Robin replied, flipping the eggs in the skillet and nodding at the young girl's explanation. He knew the difference between sorcerers and magicians, being a magician himself, but he had no idea that a Sorcerer's Heart had that much capability.

"Good." Jo continued. "A Sorcerer's Heart is also rumored to have health benefits and can give those who carry it strength. If a sorcerer gives their sorcerer's heart to someone else, it magnifies the power of the sorcerer, because it can use the energy of the wearer to make the stone's power even stronger. This is why many sorcerers give their heart to their significant other instead of keeping it to themselves."

Jo suddenly hesitated in her speech, causing Robin to turn to look at her. "However... there are always downsides to that," She whispered, leaning forward with wide eyes as she lowered her voice even further.

"...like what happened with Miss Holly."

"What happened t-"

Footsteps sounded on the stairs, as Miss Holly made her descent. Jo gave Robin a look to drop the subject, and Robin turned back to the stove to mind the food he was cooking.

"Oh man, I am hungry this morning." Miss Holly declared, entering the kitchen with a stretch. "I finished all the new pieces I'll add to the store this morning. So, Jo, before you head to school today, I need you to help me with some of the displays. I'll teach you a new teleportation spell as payment."

"Okay, Miss Holly," Jo said, cleaning up the mess of homework papers in front of her, jumping down from her seat, and hurrying to the mud room to put the papers away in her school bag.

Miss Holly sat herself at the table, and gave Robin a sunny smile in greeting as Sugar Cookie jumped onto her lap to lay down with a huff.

"Good Morning, Cookie, I'm sorry I didn't give you much attention this morning." Miss Holly cooed, stroking the small dog.

A jolt of embarrassment passed through Robin as he realized that he was the last person to wake up that morning. He made a note to wake up earlier tomorrow. Robin hoped the two of them weren't upset at waiting for their breakfast this morning.

Robin finished cooking the eggs and set them on a large plate in the center of the table before returning to the cabinets to grab three plates and silverware.

"Jo, could you be a dear and grab some pears too." Miss Holly called to Jo as the girl walked back into the kitchen.

"Of course!" Jo replied, running to the pear cabinet, and snatching a pear for each of them before returning to the table

"When it comes to meals, we here at Sunshine Acres like to say that 'Pears Always Pair.'" Miss Holly explained jokingly, shooting Robin a cheeky smile as she shook the pear in her hand.

Robin cringed and raised an eyebrow at the horrible pun. "Yes, I hear you have quite the pear salesman problem. I was scared for my life when I first arrived yesterday. Jo gave me quite the fright when she assumed I was one."

"Oh, really?" Miss Holly mused, turning a proud smile to her apprentice. "Good work, Jo. I've trained you well." She added, patting the little girl on the head.

"Thanks," Jo replied smugly. "Just wait 'til the real pear salesman shows up..." Jo threatened, aggressively taking a bite of her bacon and letting out a growl.

Miss Holly laughed, shaking her head at her apprentice's antics. 

"It's actually my fault the salesmen are like that." Miss Holly confessed, turning to Robin. "I used to buy lots pears from the town over, but these days, I have more than enough. Maybe for the next couple of months, if not years. However, some greedy men have picked up on my love for pears and now buy them from local farmers and head to Sunshine Acres and try to up-sale them,"  she explained with a sigh. "They won't take no for an answer, and they think we can be intimidated because we are two women alone. They especially like to come if they think Jo will be home and I won't. She had to buy pears from them a couple of times just so they would leave her alone and stop throwing themselves at the door." Miss Holly grumbled with her teeth clenched, stabbing her eggs in annoyance.

"Mr. Robin," Miss Holly added, glancing at Robin with pointed green eyes. "If you are ever here and they come by, just ignore them. They only mean trouble," 

Robin had never met a pear salesman before, but he was sure they couldn't be that bad. Still, he noted to not buy any pears if the salesmen happened to come around.

"Jo and I are going to head to town to set up the shop after we finish breakfast. So, before we leave, a few housekeeping things ." Miss Holly announced, finishing the food from her plate before getting up to clear the table.

"I'm sure you noticed, but the room you are staying in could do with some maintenance. If you want to clean that room and do your laundry from your travels, you are more than welcome to start that first. But today, if you don't mind, go ahead and look through the recipes and figure out what you want to make for the next couple of days. If you create a list of what you need from the market, I'll grab the items tomorrow on my way home."

Miss Holly put the dishes in the sink and walked over to where Robin sat as she continued her instructions.

"Any cleaning supplies you might need should be in the bathroom or the mudroom. Again, if you need anything else for cleaning, just write it on the list for me to buy tomorrow."

Jo quickly finished her food, and jumped up from her seat at the table, skipping into the mudroom with Cookie leaping after her . 

"Oh, and feel free to help yourself to as many pears as you want!" Miss Holly added with a wink, following after her apprentice and Nanahound.

Robin suddenly felt a pang of guilt in his chest, as it was apparent they had been waiting for him to make breakfast this morning, and now hurrying to get out the door.

Robin could hear their muffled voices in the mud room before the sound disappeared with a slam of the door.

Suddenly, Miss Holly opened the back door into the kitchen, and Sugar Cookie walked confidently back in.

"She's gonna stay behind to keep you company." Miss Holly explained with a smile, blowing  a kiss to the small dog. "Bye Cookie! Be good," she cooed, before closing the door again.

Sugar Cookie turned in a circle, huffing in response before walking over to Robin's feet and wagging her tail.

"Are you here to keep me company, or keep an eye on me?" Robin questioned the creature at his feet.

Sugar Cookie huffed in agreement.

Robin hummed; he was going to assume the latter. 

Fortunately, he had no intention of stealing, snooping, or whatever the nanahound had been left to keep an eye on him for.

After Robin finished the dishes, he wandered back upstairs with the small dog in tow. 

As Robin looked around the spare room, he noted that the poor plants looked even worse in the daylight than he first thought. Robin searched the room and found a record player in the closet. Pulling the old contraption out, Robin looked through the records tucked away in an old leather bag. Robin didn't know a single one, so he put on a record with the most intriguing name to listen to. 

The comfort of the slow country music cackled in the background as he watered the plants around him. Sugar Cookie seemed to like the music too, as the dog  hopped onto his bed and snoozed as he worked, lulled to sleep by the old records.

After an hour or so of watering the plants, Robin had to admit he was satisfied to see a number of them already looking perkier due to his care. As he worked, Robin also made sure to dust the window sill that the plants sat on, and clean off some of the dustier leaves on the larger plants.

Robin never cleaned back home. His family had hired maids who managed the cleaning for his home his entire life, so there was never the need. Even if he had been curious to try it, cleaning was treated as something below his position. 

He regretted that idea now. 

Robin was thankful for the fact that he had always tried to keep tidy, so cleaning wasn't that far of a leap in his skillset.

Still, there were some things he did not know how to do...like his laundry.

In the hot September sun, after much trial and error, Robin struggled to get a few of his travel-worn clothes looking clean again.

Robin hastily hung his clothes to dry in the backyard of Sunshine Acres as the sun set. A full day of cleaning had flown by, and he had a new appreciation for this kind of work. Robin had hoped he might have a moment of downtime to relax after such long travels, and a full day of cleaning, but unfortunately, he needed to start on dinner for when Miss Holly and Jo came home.

Robin wiped his sweating brow as he clobbered back up to the old farm house. 

He really hoped Otto got his letter.