During the wait for the bus, Leon kept steering the conversation away from certain topics, making the half-hour pass with less agony.
When Pam finally pulled up to the bus stop, Leon and Abigail boarded together, picking two seats side by side. Abigail sat by the window and closed her eyes.
“Leon, I’m going to rest for a bit. Make sure you wake me when we arrive,” she reminded him before drifting off.
“Oh? Stayed up late last night?” Leon teased.
“No, it’s just that I get carsick on buses. If I don’t sleep, I’ll feel awful when we get off,” Abigail explained.
“How come you didn’t say that when we drove here last time?” Leon poked fun.
“A car is not the same as a bus, okay?” Abigail rolled her eyes, then shut her eyes and forced herself to sleep.
Leon was only teasing and didn’t bother her once she’d settled.
He also planned to nap. An hour-long ride with no phone or magazine meant sleep was the best way to pass the time. Last time, he hadn’t been bored thanks to the chatty sandfolk uncle beside him—he wondered if he’d meet him again.
At nine sharp, Pam started the engine, and the bus sped down the wide road. Leon’s eyelids grew heavy until he finally gave in, leaning back and closing his eyes.
When he woke, the bus had already stopped.
Looking around, he found the seats nearly empty. A glance at his watch showed 10:05. If Pam hadn’t been delayed, that meant he’d slept an extra five minutes.
Outside the window, the bus was parked at the Windrise Oasis station. Pam was nowhere to be seen, but since they’d arrived, Leon naturally went to wake Abigail.
Despite her usual bold and lively demeanor, she slept quietly, leaning against his arm. Her long purple hair draped over him completely, which explained why he’d dreamt his arm was pinned under a boulder.
“We’re here.” Leon gently pushed her shoulder.
Abigail batted his hand away with a sleepy grumble and shifted her head to a more comfortable position, clearly not planning to wake up.
Leon sighed, stood up, and let her slump sideways onto the seat without his support.
The sudden loss of balance jolted her awake. She flailed for a moment before Leon caught her arm.
“Awake now?”
“That’s a brutal way to wake someone up,” she complained.
“Well, I did try calling you softly first. You didn’t respond.” Leon shrugged.
“Figures. I should’ve known better than to expect anything from you,” Abigail huffed, standing and straightening her rumpled clothes.
“Hey, where is everyone?” she asked.
“Off the bus already. If you wait any longer, Pam might drive us straight back to Stardew Valley,” Leon said.
“Alright, then let’s go! I can’t wait to see what my own Galaxy Weapon looks like!” Abigail grabbed his arm and hurried down.
They had just stepped off when Pam walked over.
“Oh, you’re up. I was going to use the restroom and then come get you,” Pam said.
“Sorry for holding you up,” Leon apologized.
“No worries. I was headed to the restroom anyway. Didn’t take long,” Pam replied before returning to the bus.
Once Pam left, Abigail resumed pulling Leon toward the desert forge. Though she’d only been there once, her memory of the route was good, and she walked almost the same path as before.
They passed the oasis lake, wove through several bushes, and soon spotted the three stone pillars standing in the sand, unchanged from last time.
Seeing them, Abigail opened her small bag and took out a Prismatic Shard. “Is there anything I should watch out for?” she asked Leon.
“Nope. Just stand in the center holding it. Whether it turns into your Galaxy Weapon depends on you,” Leon said, giving her a push. “Go on. I’ll wait here.”
“Okay.” Abigail nodded, clutching the shard nervously as she stepped into the middle of the pillars and raised it high.
Under the sunlight, the shard glimmered with a rainbow halo. The light grew stronger until it enveloped her completely.
The shifting colors gradually merged into a pure violet glow, then began to contract.
From his spot, Leon took in the whole spectacle. Aside from the dazzling brightness, there wasn’t much else to see.
Still, the shard’s reaction proved Abigail had the potential to become strong. What he really wanted to see was what her weapon would look like.
When the violet light faded, the shard had transformed into a slender rapier. Its crescent-shaped guard and long, slightly rounded blade were edged on both sides.
It carried the same signature violet hue as all Galaxy Weapons, but unlike Leon’s Galaxy Watermelon Knife, the rapier’s starlike specks were denser and more vivid, as if a miniature galaxy coiled along the blade.
Its elegance and beauty left Leon stunned. How could another Galaxy Weapon look so much like a work of art?
“Wow, it’s gorgeous,” Abigail said, eyes wide as she gripped the hilt and swung it twice.
“It’s so light. I can barely feel its weight, and I think it even speeds up my attacks.”
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