# TBT's Winter Short Story Contest



## Chris (Jan 15, 2021)

Our Season of Giving may have come to an end but the snow hasn't melted on The Bell Tree's winter fun just yet! While we venture through one of the dreariest months of the calendar it's good to keep your mind active and your spirits up. So grab a cup of coffee—_or hot cocoa if you prefer_—and prepare to flex your writing skills for your chance to earn some frosty community favourite prizes!


*How to Participate*

Your task is to write a short story that meets the criteria outlined below.

Your short story must fit at least one of the following themes: *winter* and/or* Animal Crossing*.
Word count must be between *500 - 2,000* words.
Must be a complete short story. No poetry, scripts, or a chapter of a larger piece of work.
Must be fiction. No non-fiction or personal accounts.
No fan fiction outside of Animal Crossing. Completely original works are accepted. 


*Rules*


Only one entry per person and entries must be your own work.
You cannot collaborate with another person whether or not they are a TBT member.
Must be a brand new piece of writing.
Serious entries only please. If we think your entry lacks effort, or has just been submitted as a joke, then it will be disqualified.
Keep content suitable for a PG-13 audience. If it would breach our Rules & Guidelines then it is not suitable here.
Entries that go outside of the word count guideline will be automatically disqualified. Word count often differs between word processors, so we will be using this word count tool as the official guide for this event. Please use this to check the length of your entry before submitting it.


*How to Submit*

Submit your entry by posting it in this thread by *11:59pm EST* on *January 31st 2021*.


*Prizes*

*First Place*







 Gold Trophy Collectible
150 TBT bells

*Second Place*







 Silver Trophy Collectible
125 TBT bells

*Third Place*







 Bronze Trophy Collectible
100 TBT bells

*Participation*
Every accepted entry will be entered into a raffle drawing for one of the thirteen prizes listed below. Every single person to have an entry accepted will receive a participation prize. The first, second, and third place prize winners will also receive a participation prize in addition to their trophy and bell prize.


#PrizeChance1





 Aurora Sky5%2





 Snow Bunny5%3





 Aurora Easter Egg5%4





 Frost Easter Egg5%5





 Cool Feather5%6





 Blue Feather5%7





 Blue Hybrid Pansy10%8





 Blue Hybrid Rose10%9





 Blue Hybrid Violet10%10

 100 TBT Bells16%11

 125 TBT Bells12%12

 150 TBT Bells8%13

 175 TBT Bells4%


*Frequently Asked Questions*

*Q. Who will decide who wins? The staff or members' votes?*
A. The staff will vote internally to nominate entries. The entries with the most staff votes will then go forward to a public poll within *two weeks* of the contest closing. The recipients for the first, second, and third place prizes will then be decided on by the community.


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## Emolga59 (Jan 15, 2021)

Those prizes though


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## xSuperMario64x (Jan 15, 2021)

brujhhh those prizes 

I haven't written an AC fanfic in a long time so this ought be fun!


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## King Dorado (Jan 15, 2021)

sounds fun!

i hope nobody takes my idea to write about the snows of Kilimanjaro....


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## xara (Jan 15, 2021)

xndknxnxn i’m genuinely so happy about this?? i love writing so, _so_ much and i’ll 100% be participating!!! thank you for doing this; i wasn’t expecting another event for quite a while but i’m super excited!


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## glow (Jan 15, 2021)

HELLO staff do u even have time to breathe,,,, omg the aesthetic with these prizes are gorgeous

i love all the writing based events, they're rly fun


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## JellyBeans (Jan 15, 2021)

okay but those prizes... cool feathers are really taunting me huh    suddenly school is irrelevant and I need to find some creativity somewhere


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## 6iixx (Jan 15, 2021)

ohmygoodness, finally!  something that's going to reward all those years of writing   

you staff are absolutely unbelievable - don't you all know how to take a break?


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## tessa grace (Jan 15, 2021)

Sounds exciting! I'm not very good at writing (I get too carried away) but it will be fun to participate!


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## ForeverSoaring (Jan 15, 2021)

Wow! I’m more of a visual artist, but this sounds really fun, especially with those participation prizes!

	Post automatically merged: Jan 15, 2021

Does the entry have to be posted here directly, or could we link to a google doc or something?


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## Sara? (Jan 15, 2021)

Oh my dee-ar! a story, im really looking forward to read everyones stories since i love reading but writing? uf hahaha the prizes are very compelling so i might truly try this out but also a bit scared, feel like back in elementary when you had to write a story and read it out loud in front of all your classmates hahahah, anyone relate? aah jeee


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## jiny (Jan 15, 2021)

ooh this sounds like fun !! def gonna try and participate bc those prizes are so good omg


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## Chris (Jan 15, 2021)

ForeverSoaring said:


> Does the entry have to be posted here directly, or could we link to a google doc or something?


Please post entries directly into the thread. This makes it easier for us to compile entries for staff voting.


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## That Marshal Fangirl (Jan 15, 2021)

Definitely wasn't expecting another event so soon!  There are some very nice prizes in there, so hopefully I'll find time to participate. c:


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## Foreverfox (Jan 15, 2021)

Those prizes though


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## Roxxy (Jan 15, 2021)

Wow, sounds so exciting  I want to take part but atm a mind blank 

Such an amazing new event and I look forward to reading entries and staff and as always you are incredible


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## Blink. (Jan 15, 2021)

them prizes tho   now to actually find 500+ words in my vocabulary


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## Midoriya (Jan 15, 2021)

Ah, a writing event.  This looks like it will be right up my alley.  Those prizes are really cool too.


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## Nefarious (Jan 15, 2021)

This is super exciting, thank you staff!

I love reading fanfiction, so definitely looking forward to reading everyone’s entries.


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## _Donut_ (Jan 15, 2021)

Never wrote a story before so this will be interesting... 

**Picks up ink and quill**


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## Che5hire Cat (Jan 15, 2021)

Me, trying to write a story without having any experiences about this topic whatsoever:







Jokes aside, this sounds like a fun contest and the prices looking neat. Thanks for making so many fun events!


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## Imbri (Jan 15, 2021)

This will be fun! I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with. The biggest problem will be keeping it to 2,000 words! LOL


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## Rio_ (Jan 15, 2021)

I'm trying to decide if the humiliation of my terrible writing being seen is worth it for those fabulous raffle prizes


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## Cosmic-chan (Jan 15, 2021)

RANDOM CONTEST TIME BRUH

	Post automatically merged: Jan 15, 2021

Also I'mma do this just for another chance at a snow bunny I'm terrible at short stories tho


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## xara (Jan 15, 2021)

*I’m Glad We Met*

Sprinkle moved in about a month ago. She claimed that it was an impulsive decision and while she never really talked about the home that she’d left behind, I could tell that she was anxious about starting a whole new life. It took a few days for her to begin unpacking (turns out she’s a procrastinator) but seemed at ease once she was no longer encased by emptiness.

She wandered around the island for a week, trying to mesmerize every inch of it. She inspected the signs and chased damselflies around. Sat beneath coconut trees and fished. She was constantly taking pictures, her eyes filled with awe at every new discovery. For a while, I didn’t think it possible for her to like anything more than her dream of becoming famous.

But then she met Whitney.
——
It didn’t take long for Sprinkle to introduce herself and once she had, she took one for the team and decided that she and Whitney were to be best friends. I thought that Whitney would be annoyed but with how much Sprinkle talked, I don’t think she had much time to think, anyway.

Sprinkle apparently has a pet pill bug that she named after herself. She wants to be a figure skater one day. She’s a pisces and turns out, pisces and virgo have great compatibility. Within a week, Whitney could probably write an autobiography about Sprinkle if she wanted to.  At first, I thought she was just still nervous about having moved here and was just trying to make a friend but then I saw the look in her eye and suddenly, I understood.
——
The holidays were over and the process of taking down the decorations had begun. While Isabelle did most of the work, by the time she was done, there was broken glass everywhere since she kept dropping the ornaments. At one point, Marina tried to help her out but of course, her tentacles were slippery, the upbeat 11am music replaced by the sound of things breaking.

This didn’t bother Whitney, though. I watched as she did her daily yoga at the plaza, her eyes shut in concentration and her breathing relaxed.

“Whitney!”

Her eyes shot open, a frown on her face from being interrupted. We both turn just in time to see Sprinkle waddling towards us, something green clutched to her chest.

“Oh god.”

Sprinkle stops to stand right in front of her, a wide smile on her face and a gleam in her eye. Clutched in her flippers is a piece of mistletoe.

Whitney raises her eyebrows, “What exactly do you think you’re doing with that?”

Her smile turned mischievous and she stood on her tippy toes so that they were almost the same height, the mistletoe hanging above their heads.

“You know what the rule is.”

With a blank face, Whitney looks up at the mistletoe, analyzing it and for a moment, she looks like she might actually consider the possibility of giving in.

But even when Whitney suddenly grabs it and clunks her on the head with it, Sprinkle never stops smiling.
——
The first few weeks of January brought about a few snowstorms, the temperature cold and the ground icy. One day was particularly cold and even though she was bundled up, Whitney was still visibly shivering.

When Sprinkle notices, she immediately goes home, returning after a bit with a cup. She approaches Whitney and before she can say anything, the cup is being extended towards her.

They stare at each other silently for a moment before Sprinkle explains, “It’s hot chocolate.”

A flicker of surprise washes over her face before she carefully takes the cup into her grasp and while she’d never admit this out loud, she was pleased to see marshmallows swirling around in the chocolatey drink. She goes to take a sip when Sprinkle interrupts, “By the way, I may or may not have forgotten about it after drinking some of it so it might be more like warm chocolate now … I didn’t touch the marshmallows, though!”

Whitney stares at her for a moment before a smile appears on her face. She gestures for Sprinkle to move back a bit, scooping one of the marshmallows out of the cup. Sprinkle obliges with a puzzled look on her face but by the time she understood what was happening, the marshmallow had already bounced off her beak and landed on the ground.

Her cheeks flush with embarrassment but when Whitney begins to giggle, she can’t help the overwhelming fondness that she feels for the beauty in front of her, understanding that she’d do anything to hear that laugh for the rest of her life.
——
Three days later, Sprinkle was feeling under the weather. Even though she was positive it was just a mild cold, Whitney still worried, taking it upon herself to nurse Sprinkle back to health. She brought over medicine and made soup. Sprinkle protested but she couldn’t deny the warmth that she felt from being cared for.

Once the soup was devoured and the dishes were done, the teasing began. “You’re a penguin. How on earth did you catch a cold?”

Sprinkle’s laugh triggers a cough and so she settles for shrugging her shoulder instead, “I don’t know. Maybe I’m just special.”

She turned away so that she couldn’t see her smile, “You definitely are.” she thought.
——
Once she felt better, Sprinkle discovered that she really enjoyed running around on the beach, her extended flippers making it feel like she could fly. Whitney almost always watched, as if the sight was just about the most important thing she’d ever see but one day, she approaches Sprinkle, her paws behind her back and her steps uncertain. Upon noticing, Sprinkle immediately stills.

“What’s behind your back?” She questioned.

Whitney looked just about ready to faint or flee and quickly presented her with a bouquet of hand picked flowers. The arrangement was beautiful; white and blue flowers in a tiny vase, a snowflake on the front. At the sight, Sprinkle’s eyes began to water, which didn’t go unnoticed by Whitney.

“Don’t get all emotional. It’s not a big deal.”

She smiles, her chin wobbling, “It is, though,” she gently takes the bouquet, hugging it to her chest. Whitney has never been one for sappy stuff; romance never interested her and Hallmark movies made her gag but she’d be lying if she said that the sight in front of her didn’t make her heart flutter.
——
The next snowstorm had Sprinkle dragging Whitney out of her house to build a snowman; she did her best to remind Sprinkle of what had happened the last time she frolicked around in cold weather but when her attempts appeared fruitless, she decided to just go with it.

Sprinkle was shooting off instructions as if it were a professional sport; she would be responsible for the head while Whitney would take care of the body. Sounds easy, right?

It wasn’t.

The first attempt, Sprinkle accidentally rolled the snowball into a bush, destroying it. She was distracted throughout the second attempt and by the time she was ready to focus, a dung beetle had already pushed the snowball into the nearby river. Whitney also learnt very quickly that Sprinkle wasn’t good at dimensions when she made the snowball the same size as the body.

The snowman was not pleased. At all.

“You have got to be kidding me,” he deadpans.

Whitney refuses to look, her cheeks ablaze with embarrassment. Meanwhile, Sprinkle was laughing. _Laughing_. The snowman was definitely not amused and Whitney felt as if she had landed herself a role in a low budget Frosty The Snowman movie.

“If I could turn my head, I’d be glaring at you so hard right now.”

Ignoring his complaints, Whitney and Sprinkle locked eyes and just like that, all of the embarrassment faded away.

“I’m glad we met,” Whitney confesses.

Sprinkle’s eyes light up with surprise but most of all, love, “I’m glad we met, too.”

“I’m not,” the snowman chimed in.

Laughter fills the air once more and despite the cold, Whitney feels an intense warmth spread through her. For the longest time, she was appalled by the thought of vulnerability, unable to figure out the appeal in love but when she looks over at Sprinkle again, she finally understands.​


Spoiler: <3



i finished this _way_ sooner than i thought i would but honestly,, i’m pretty proud of it. writing is one of my biggest passions and i love doing it tremendously but with all of the personal stuff that i’ve been dealing with for the last several months + writer’s block, i haven’t really written anything in ages. even if i don’t win anything, i’m happy with how this turned out and it felt really nice to write something again. :’^)



edited 1/29; fixed a few grammatical errors. >_<


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## Aniko (Jan 15, 2021)

Makoto said:


> I'm trying to decide if the humiliation of my terrible writing being seen is worth it for those fabulous raffle prizes



LOL same, those prizes are very tempting, but I'm not sure I can do it with my level of English and writing skills


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## Cosmic-chan (Jan 15, 2021)

xara said:


> I’m Glad We Met
> 
> Sprinkle moved in about a month ago. She claimed that it was an impulsive decision and while she never really talked about the home that she’d left behind, I could tell that she was anxious about starting a whole new life. It took a few days for her to begin unpacking (turns out she’s a procrastinator) but seemed at ease once she was no longer encased by emptiness.
> 
> ...


BRUH YOU'RE ALREADY DONE HOW THE HECK


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## xara (Jan 15, 2021)

Milky star said:


> BRUH YOU'RE ALREADY DONE HOW THE HECK



HDJKSJSJXJ IDK MAN,, I’M USUALLY STILL STRUGGLING TO COME UP WITH AN IDEA AT THIS POINT BUT IG MY ONE (1) BRAINCELL FELT LIKE WORKING TODAY.


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## Jacob (Jan 15, 2021)

Cool contest! Wish I had time for this one :] Good luck people


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## ReeBear (Jan 15, 2021)

I‘m not sure if my wish to get a participation prize can compete with my inability to write and my fear of people reading my writing  Thanks staff as ever for all the events you give us  I’ll consider taking part if any wintery inspiration hits me >>

	Post automatically merged: Jan 15, 2021



Makoto said:


> I'm trying to decide if the humiliation of my terrible writing being seen is worth it for those fabulous raffle prizes


I feeeeeel this so much


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## Nefarious (Jan 15, 2021)

xara said:


> I’m Glad We Met
> 
> Sprinkle moved in about a month ago. She claimed that it was an impulsive decision and while she never really talked about the home that she’d left behind, I could tell that she was anxious about starting a whole new life. It took a few days for her to begin unpacking (turns out she’s a procrastinator) but seemed at ease once she was no longer encased by emptiness.
> 
> ...






_Bro, that got me so emotional. I love their dynamic, they're so cute. _You're over here making me ship them haha.
Your writing is superb!


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## ReeBear (Jan 15, 2021)

xara said:


> I’m Glad We Met
> 
> Sprinkle moved in about a month ago. She claimed that it was an impulsive decision and while she never really talked about the home that she’d left behind, I could tell that she was anxious about starting a whole new life. It took a few days for her to begin unpacking (turns out she’s a procrastinator) but seemed at ease once she was no longer encased by emptiness.
> 
> ...


Oh my god Xara, this is so beautiful and adorable, I’m gonna cry


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## xara (Jan 15, 2021)

NefariousKing said:


> View attachment 351869
> _Bro, that got me so emotional. I love their dynamic, they're so cute. _You're over here making me ship them haha.
> Your writing is superb!





ReeBear said:


> Oh my god Xara, this is so beautiful and adorable, I’m gonna cry



 you’re both so sweet, thank you so much!!


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## Yanrima~ (Jan 15, 2021)

*Raymond and the trial of a Ticket*

It was night, the clock is ticking, the moon gleams at the dark sky, and the snow blankets the island. The villagers during this time were in their houses, snuggling comfortably in their beds.

Raymond was in a deep sleep on his bed. As a result, he began to have this recurring dream. An ominous figure in that dream began speaking thoughts of what test will he give to Raymond.

“Raymond, do you ever think about your fears?” asked the mysterious figure.

”No, I haven’t” Raymond stuttered.

Raymond, knowing that he had a weakness looked on to the shadow with feelings of remorse. He wanted to admit his fear of losing things but he held back last moment. The ominous figure then gave him the ticket.

”here, with this ticket, you must not lose the ticket. Without it, you will never find your destination” The figure warned.

The figure gave the ticket to Raymond, knowing full well that he will fail the trial.

It was morning, the sun is shining and the villagers had their breakfast and began cleaning the snow off the road. Raymond was still tucked in the bed, with the ticket now on his hand began to wonder what use will the ticket have for him. Later, he went outside with the ticket now tightly secured on his pocket. He saw Lolly tending the flowers at the park. Knowing that he wanted advice, he ran towards her while paying no heed to the ticket.

As he ran, the ticket began to fall of from his pocket. But he didn’t pay attention to the now lost ticket.

“Lolly, I need your help!” Raymond shouted.

“What is it that you need, Raymond?” she asked curiously.

“About the dream I have and the ticket, are they connected? what should I do with the ticket for the destination?” he said.

Raymond reaches for the ticket only to found out that it fell of from his pocket. In the state of shock, Raymond pleads Lolly to help find the ticket. Lolly then agrees because of her curiosity of the ticket he’s asking about. They thread around the island for the fabled ticket. And they searched high and low for the ticket. After hours of searching, Raymond and Lolly are tired. With no ticket in sight, they are on the verge of giving up. Soon, the figure from his dream showed up with the ticket in hand.

“Looking for this?” the figure taunted.

”You.....you made me go through your trials...just for you to declare yourself a winner in the end?” Raymond growled.

”As expected from a cat with such low standards, you would be lucky if it wasn’t for your _nine lives_!” the figure scowled.

”If that’s the case, then I will fight you for a trial instead!” Raymond answered.

”Very well, that is...if you are sure of your victory” the figure scoffed.

Raymond drew out his two daggers, while the ominous figure drew out a powerful scythe. the figure swings out the scythe with his massive power and distance. Raymond with his speed and light footwork managed to dodged the first swings.

He dodged swiftly to its left and right swings. The scythe swings hardly keep up with his speed. 

But the figure soon catches up to Raymond. Raymond was then hit by the scythes’ power slowing down his speed. Raymond fell to the ground paralyzed in the process.
As the ominous figure laughs at Raymond’s futile attempts, 

Lolly then decided to help Raymond by distracting the figure. Raymond took advantage of the figures‘ distraction. Finding the weak spot, he saw a dark orb on his chest. 
Raymond then takes aim towards the weak spot with his dagger. He knew that orb was the key to its existence and the only way to defeat it is to break the orb. As he threw the dagger towards the dark orb, it pierces the orb

and the orb releases pillars of light. The villagers soon took notice of the blinding light at the park.The rest of them arrived, looking at the dark fragments scattering towards the sky. Raymond, looks up with the faint smile. 

“You are safe now, it will never trick you anymore.” Raymond assured.

”Raymond....” Lolly said.

He smiles to Lolly that he is thankful of her help. Lolly cried as he began to close his eyes. With an hour passed, the ticket fell from the sky and on to Raymond’s hand. Raymond soon opened his eyes.

He can’t believe that the ticket is back in his hands. He smiled as he looked at the ticket. Lolly smiled too. With Raymond’s foot yet to recover from the fight, they walked slowly towards home happily.


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## Cosmic-chan (Jan 15, 2021)

xara said:


> HDJKSJSJXJ IDK MAN,, I’M USUALLY STILL STRUGGLING TO COME UP WITH AN IDEA AT THIS POINT BUT IG MY ONE (1) BRAINCELL FELT LIKE WORKING TODAY.


HSHSHSHHDBSBDBD I JUST NEED INSPIRATION DHDHHDDB IM JUST GONNA WRITE WITH NO BRAINCELLS


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## Stella-Io (Jan 15, 2021)

The odds are not stacked in my favour. Also gotta brush up on my writing, I've technically never done fanart writing before, only my own created stuff.

What determines some 'winning points' amongst staff? Like, does the story need humor can it be anythin as long as it's a 'good story?
Also when I put my entry in can I put the entry itself in a spoiler? Just so it keeps my post short I don't want to clutter the web page with more long posts.


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## skarmoury (Jan 15, 2021)

omg new event, super exciting!!
my writing is very very rusty, but I'm thrilled to at least have an opportunity to try ❤ cant wait to take all the headcanons i have out for a spin!


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## Chris (Jan 15, 2021)

Stella-Io said:


> What determines some 'winning points' amongst staff? Like, does the story need humor can it be anythin as long as it's a 'good story?


It doesn't need to fit a certain genre. It could be well-written. It could make us laugh. The most important thing is that it engages us and makes us feel something. I have the emotional range of a rock so good luck.


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## ReeBear (Jan 15, 2021)

Stella-Io said:


> The odds are not stacked in my favour. Also gotta brush up on my writing, I've technically never done fanart writing before, only my own created stuff.
> 
> What determines some 'winning points' amongst staff? Like, does the story need humor can it be anythin as long as it's a 'good story?
> Also when I put my entry in can I put the entry itself in a spoiler? Just so it keeps my post short I don't want to clutter the web page with more long posts.


If I'm reading the rules correctly we're allowed to do original work or animal crossing fanwork as long as it relates to the themes


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## Chris (Jan 15, 2021)

ReeBear said:


> If I'm reading the rules correctly we're allowed to do original work or animal crossing fanwork as long as it relates to the themes



This is correct. As long as it relates to either of the two themes (winter or Animal Crossing) we will accept it. Meeting both themes is accepted too, of course!


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## Stella-Io (Jan 15, 2021)

ReeBear said:


> If I'm reading the rules correctly we're allowed to do original work or animal crossing fanwork as long as it relates to the themes



Oh I know I could not do an Animal Crossing writing, but being on an AC forum and all, I feel it would be better to do AC plus it's more 'relatable' for lack of better words. Plus, I gotta start writing fanfic soon since I do plan on doing that at some point in time. I can just use this contest as practice first.


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## Aronthaer (Jan 15, 2021)

Been a while since I've done any writing, I hope you guys like this! It's a very personal piece, so it's a little nerve wracking to post it publicly like this, but maybe some of you mirror the sentiments expressed here.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Man, that weather looks brutal_, Flip thought as he peeked out the window of his island home. Still, no weather could stop his morning walk, part of his rigorous training regimen. Sighing, he draped his scarf around his neck and slipped his coat on, mentally preparing himself for the blistering cold.

    As Flip stepped outside into the wind-swept snowy isle of Juperu, he couldn’t help but marvel at how far the island had come. It had been how many months since him, Zach and Phoebe arrived here? Ten, maybe eleven? But the change from the deserted isle they once knew was drastic. Brick roads paved the island, flowers blossomed at every corner, every inch of the town painstakingly and deliberately decorated.

    It baffled Flip how one person could change an entire land mass so drastically. The entire island was an undertaking of Zach’s- his labor of love. He would often see him running from place to place, uprooting trees, planting flowers, pushing furniture. As beautiful as everything now looked, Flip couldn’t help but look back on the beginning of the island fondly: Just Phoebe, Zach, himself- and the Nooks of course- living off the land: gathering fruit and sleeping in tents. It seemed so long ago now: but it invoked a strange emotion in Flip when he thought about it.

    As Flip passed by Zach’s house, he had a sudden realization that perhaps it wasn’t the tents or the ruggedness that he missed. It was the sense of community: Zach coming by to say hi every day, watching buildings and public works being built before his very eyes. As time went on, he found less and less time to speak with Zach: he was always running about the island with that construction hat on his head and shovel in his hand.

    Granted, Zach had turned this little island around for the better: and barring the small frustrations, such as when he couldn’t decide where Whitney should live and he moved her house 3 separate times, no one seemed to mind him sprucing things up too much. Flip hoped that when the town was as developed as one person could make it, things would slow back down, but he soon noticed a troubling change in his old friend. As the island neared completion, Zach was seen around the island less and less. At first it started with the occasional day spent indoors, but it quickly worsened. Soon Zach would be absent from the island for days or even weeks at a time: People wrote letters checking up on him, and he would occasionally be seen opening his mailbox to read through them before stepping back inside. He never wrote back.

    During major events, such as Halloween night, Zach would venture out of his house for an hour or so and say hello to everyone, but there seemed to be a massive change in his demeanor. There were dark circles under his eyes: His smiles seemed to fade a little quicker: his laughs seemed shallower, less genuine. Flip was greatly concerned for his friend: this change was drastic and troubling. Was he losing sleep over the layout of the isle? Everyone loved what he had built, that couldn’t possibly be it. Perhaps he had received troubling news from back home? He was often found standing still, staring out into the distance.

    Flip came to the conclusion that whatever was troubling him was a greater turmoil, something outside of their small island community entirely. His sudden absence from their island community and his weary and tired expression pointed to some greater turmoil in his life, invisible to anyone on their small island home. There was nothing more he and his friends could do but continue to write, continue to spend the time they got with him, and hope that whatever cosmic issue was causing their friend pain would eventually be resolved.

    Flip jolted to. He had been lost in thought, and the biting wind had chilled him to his core. He shivered and continued on his walk, still contemplating everything on his mind. He waved hi to Celia as she strolled past, and even stopped to talk to Pinky, who was watering the bamboo shoots sprouting near her home.

    As flipped headed towards the town center, he was suddenly shocked to see none other than Zach: and in the morning, no less. He was always a bit of a night owl, and it was still pretty early for him. He wondered if he should say hello, but before he could decide, Zach turned around, and, seeing his friend, his face lit up and he ran over to say hello.

    Flip noticed a change in his appearance: he was dressed warmly, and the bags under his eyes were still there, but beginning to fade. Zach smiled, and it felt genuine to him: and, reaching into his pockets, Zach handed him a small bundle wrapped in colorful paper. Opening it, Flip found a few peaches: his favorite fruit. Zach looked at him strangely: he couldn’t quite understand the emotion pouring from his face. Whas it embarrassment? Guilt? Flip gladly accepted, giving Zach a small trinket in return-a hat he had been trying to give him for weeks, before he vanished. Zach smiled again, and Flip felt strangely comforted as Zach thanked him. But, even more comforting were the words out of Zach’s mouth as he walked away:

“See you tomorrow.”


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## moo_nieu (Jan 15, 2021)

pumped for another event and the raffle for these awesome prizes  it's always so fun to look over everyone's entries
staff, you are too good to us


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## LambdaDelta (Jan 16, 2021)

I like how the 175 bells prize odds are less than any one of the big collectible prizes lol

now time to try to figure me out something to write, I guess


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## LadyDestani (Jan 16, 2021)

I'm so excited! A writing contest! You all are really putting in a ton of time and effort for us with all of these events. Thank you so much!

Now, I've got to come up with a good idea.


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## _Donut_ (Jan 16, 2021)

_*~ Waiting for first snowfall *_

It was the end of winter on Isl. Tropico and the season had treated its villagers with a magical time. Just outside of town, a joyful spirit named Lolly called the forest lands her home. Her favourite season had once again given the area a beautiful blanket of snow and made the white trees and bushes glinster at night just as much as her home did when evening falls. Afterall, Lolly had once again decked out her home in the most beautiful lights and decorations.

But the most magical one of them all perhaps stood right outside her window, a perfect snowboy rolled all the way from the forest up to her house. She had given him a bright orange nose so he could enjoy the delicious smells coming from her kitchen as she made her famous seasonal winter stew. Two black button eyes placed on him so he could look over her as she once again had fallen asleep infront of the fireplace. And a mouth created from twigs so he could greet her on her ways to and from town.

It was not the alive part of this snowboy that made it special amongst the others that filled up the town this season but rather the interest it had taken. You see, perfect snowboys each have a distinct purpose given to them during the season, a purpose of looking over those who had given them life, and in turn give life to the nature they were surrounded by. However, this snowboy had taken a particular interest in the home it was guarding. Each evening when he glanced through the window, he watched over Lolly reading in front of the fire. The room filled itself with a warm orange glow and yet he wondered... how that comforting sensation must feel like to someone like himself, made from snow. He saw the blanket her mom made for her this Christmas keeping her warm and yet he wondered... what that cozy sensation must feel like. 

In front of the window, there was a small flower resting in a vase. Lolly would always go to the flower fields up on the cliffs during 
spring and bring one with her. It was always the smallest one in the fields but for some reason they would always last all four seasons. Although faded, it still proudly showed its red color in front of the window.

The snowboy would always search for such colors around him but even though the snow was slowly starting to melt as winter came to a close, no such coloured flowers would appear outside. It was just as usual, the white covered fields. And yet... he wondered.

The next morning on the final day of winter, the magestically tall snowboy had aready melted down to half its size and knew that once again, his duty was slowly coming to an end. However this particular morning he decided to ask Lolly as she set out for town. Ask her about the little flower in the vase and why he could not find them outside. Lolly explained that the flower would not survive outside
during winter and had to be kept warm. The snowboy was confused about this, how could his purpose be to bring life to his surroundings, yet his cold would cease this flower from living. Is the warmth and color I gaze upon each night not meant for me to feel, he wondered.

"Each season brings life with it in its own special ways", Lolly said. You do too. But one could notice the black buttons stayed filled with troubles. On her way to town she suddenly came up with an idea, one that would let him show, let him feel the warmth he was looking for. The snowboy kept pouting as his surroundings melted further down. As the last winter sun started to set on the horizon, he knew his final greeting to Lolly came closer.

Not much later, Lolly appeared in the distance carrying with her a wheelbarrow she borrowed in town. "What is that for?" the snowboy asked. I've always travelled up the cliffs to the flower fields by myself, but this time I want you to come with me. Up there on the cliffs, the first rays of spring will light up the valley as the sun appears over the ocean. This year, I want you to be there with me. That night, she placed the snowboy in the wheelbarrow and brought him up to the flower fields. The snow carpet that once covered the area was melted down to not more than some patches.

In the middle of the flower field, she placed him down overlooking the ocean. The snowboy was still confused as to how he could give life to his surroundings, afterall the fields had no resemblence to the colourful flower he gazed upon through the window. "Each season has its own special contribution to life" Lolly reminded him, as they both sat on the clifftops waiting for the sunrise to bid the season of winter farwell.

By the time the warm sun on the first day of spring had appeared, from the snowboy only a bright orange nose and two black buttons remained surrounded by water. However, in the middle of the puddle a small flower starter looked to be the first to welcome in the new season. Lolly scooped some soil in her wheelbarrow and took it home with her. The flower in the vase who had now lived all four seasons
started to fade away its last bright colours of red. She replaced it with the one she brought back from the fields, tucked it in warm soil and placed it in front of her window while whispering "Thank you for the season".

_For the year to come, that small flower in front of the window gazed to the outside waiting once again, _*waiting for first snowfall. *

----​


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## Imbri (Jan 16, 2021)

This idea came to me last night, just before I fell asleep.


*The Snowboy*


*KICK*

Something thudded into the snowball, waking it from, well not really dreams, but perhaps remembering what it was like to float around as many glittering snowflakes. It rolled forward a little.

*KICK*

Again, that thud and roll. It didn’t hurt, but the snowball was a little annoyed. Who was doing this, and why were they picking on it?

After a few more thuds, it began rolling smoothly, steadily pushed. Each turn added more snow to its size. It heard a voice from nearby, “That’s good. Now to make the body.”

Things got quiet for a bit, but soon the snowball heard crunching snow and the voice again, humming a little tune.

“Just a little more… that’s it. Now, get the head up on there.” Another push from behind, and the snowball gave a little hop up into the air. As it came down, something amazing happened. It merged with the larger snowball and suddenly…

“You did it! Perfect Snowboy, at your service!” Snowboy? Was that his name? And how could he suddenly talk, see, and hear? “I have a special item to give you – a large snowflake. You’ll need it for crafting.”

The snowboy didn’t know what he was saying, but somehow, he produced a large snowflake and handed it to the… what was that in front of him? His creator? Such a strange little creature.

The creature took the snowflake with a smile and ran off, busy with other projects. The snowboy tried to follow, but found it could no longer roll.

“You can’t follow her. But we’ll keep you company.”

Looking around, the snowboy saw several others like him, in various stages of melting. They each greeted him, explaining a bit of what had happened.

For the rest of that day, the snowboy watched as his creator rushed about, catching fish and bugs, and also beautiful snowflakes. He saw some of the items made from them, glittering ice sculptures in all different colors. He was proud to know that he had helped make some of them possible.

There were other creatures moving about. These were different, but he couldn’t quite place it. Asking the oldest (and most melted) snowboy, he learned the difference.

“They are animals. There are many living here, and several more who visit each day. They are nice, and won’t do you any harm. They are friends of the one who made us.”

“But why is she different?”

“She is a human. The only one who lives here, although friends like her come once in a while to visit. It doesn’t seem to matter, as they all get along nicely.”

This was true. And as night fell and the stars dotted the sky, the snowboy was happy that he had been made here.

The next morning, the oldest snowboy had vanished, melting back into the world. He saw that he had begun to melt, as well. The human came running over, kicking a small snowball, and then rolling it into a larger one. Repeating the process, he watched as she made a new snowboy. After talking to all of them (and getting more snowflakes), she ran off to take care of things in other areas. The snowboy was happy to see a new friend, but he missed the old one, until he heard soft chuckling.

“Miss me, did you?”

Taking a good look, he saw that it was indeed the oldest snowboy, remade.

“There are actually four of us, and we get rolled up again after we melt. Most of us remember, but you might have been kicked up against a tree when she was trying to make you. That always messes with the memories.”

This second day, the snowboy had much to think about. He tried, but he could not remember being here before. All he knew was that first time his little snowball had been kicked, to start it growing. It didn’t matter, because there was so much to see now. He didn’t want to miss a thing.

Later in the afternoon, a gentle snow began to fall. It was lovely. Puffs of white came from the animals’ mouths as they ran here and there, looking at all the things the human had done to decorate the island. Sometimes they would stop and talk to each other, and the conversations were rather funny. The snowboy had to be cautious not to laugh, since none of the animals realized the snowpeople were aware. He learned some of their names and stored the memories away, hoping he would have them again when he was remade.

The third day brought more melting. It was a strange feeling, but not uncomfortable. Another snowboy had melted overnight and the girl (he had heard one of the animals call her “my girl”) rolled him up again. She was a little off on the size, so this time, there were no snowflakes, but she still talked to him and seemed happy with what she had done. The newly made snowboy sighed as she ran off, but said that it was better than not being made at all.

The day was very stormy, and the wind drove the snow almost sideways. There were more of the glittering snowflakes, and the girl laughed as she caught them in her net. Sometimes, one of the animals would run after a snowflake, tilting their head, looking at the pretty shape until it faded away.

New sounds drifted over from the right, and the snowboy wondered what they could be. He wanted to rock, but was too melted to do anything.

“That is music. There is a special animal who comes to play it. I think he is called a ‘dog’, but we like him because he looks like the snow.” The snowboy didn’t know what that meant, but later, he saw an animal all in white fur walking toward him. The eyes and nose were coal black. Ah, this must be the Music Dog. He knew he shouldn’t talk, but he couldn’t help it.

“Music Dog, thank you for the lovely sounds.”

The dog didn’t seem surprised. His eyes twinkled and he winked at the snowboys. “Anything for the fans. Stay cool.”

With that, he turned and walked back the way he had come. Soon, the music could be heard again.

Night came, the storm subsided, and the snowboy watched the stars.

On the following morning, he had melted so much that only his head remained on a slushy pile. He still smiled and gave the girl a snowflake when she came to see him. She stood looking at him for a little longer and he could see that the smile was a bit sad. He wanted to tell her that he would be back, but before he could try, she turned away to one of the animals who had called her name. It was probably better that way.

It was a quiet day. The girl and animals all seemed to be busy elsewhere, although he saw them running about. He spent most of the day chatting with the other snowboys. The one imperfect one sighed and said he was glad to be melting, and hoped to be made better next time. 

The sun set and it grew dark. As the stars came out, the snowboy saw some bright lights streaking across the sky. They were glittered more than the prettiest snowflakes. Turning to his neighbor, the snowboy asked about them, but another voice answered, “They are shooting stars. If you make a wish on one, it can come true.”

A pink owl, wearing a large pink ribbon, stood beside him. She also looked up at the sky. When one of the stars raced across the sky, she closed her eyes for a moment. Opening them, she smiled, “Give it a try. Shooting stars are magical.”

They both saw the girl coming toward them, so the owl winked and held a wing to her beak. She waddled over to the girl and began talking to her about the stars.

Another star appeared, and the snowboy made his wish. He was tired, so decided to doze. Sometime in the night, he felt himself melt away. Then it was quiet.

*KICK*

The snowball moved, slowly growing. Another quickly formed, and then…

“Hello, did you miss me?”


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## Serabee (Jan 16, 2021)

Ah, man... I'll hate myself if I don't come up with something! Time to put my degree in creative writing to good use


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## daringred_ (Jan 16, 2021)

ahhhhh, writing is literally the one (1) thing i'm half good at, but i don't know if i have the confidence for this. 

still, i might as well ask for clarification: i'm allowed to write about my two (animal crossing unrelated) ocs so long as they do something winter-themed or the story is obviously set during winter, right?


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## Chris (Jan 16, 2021)

daringred_ said:


> ahhhhh, writing is literally the one (1) thing i'm half good at, but i don't know if i have the confidence for this.
> 
> still, i might as well ask for clarification: i'm allowed to write about my two (animal crossing unrelated) ocs so long as they do something winter-themed or the story is obviously set during winter, right?


Yes, that is correct.


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## John Wick (Jan 16, 2021)

Mine would be the shortest story of them all.

-> Winter sucks.

The end. 

(Good luck to the folks entering!)


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## Giddy (Jan 16, 2021)

You lot are doing amazing with these events~
Figures my writing block is giving me trouble this month, but I shall try my best!!


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## corlee1289 (Jan 16, 2021)

AURORA EGG!


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## Mistreil (Jan 16, 2021)

i wanted to write lately and this popped up at a good time 'w')b... im not used to writing with lots of imagery, but i really like reading stuff with it so i wanted to try ywy)9 good luck all!!


*The Good in a Day*

I looked towards the sky and sighed.

Could this day get any worse?

Snowflakes were falling gently, and the sky was a soft blue. The familiar grey winter skies were nowhere to be seen, instead being replaced by a picturesque sky. Certainly, the evening view would be beautiful: a few clouds in sight for the moon to illuminate, stars aplenty, ornamenting the evening. But for now, it was noon, and I was left wondering to myself.

Could this day get any worse?

In the distance was the sound of a guitar. Acoustic. Atmospheric. The snowflakes themselves seemed to be dancing to the tune. I wasn't immune to the music either, as I began humming along subconsciously. As I closed my eyes and enjoyed the music amidst my stroll. Note after note played, slowly growing quieter, and quieter. While the distant guitar could no longer be heard, the song continued on within me, a beautiful stain upon the quiet world.

Could this day get any worse?

As the wind brushed passed me, I noticed my fingers were starting to grow noticeably cold. My warm breath against them was evidence enough of their state, and yet, they weren't quite cold enough. My thighs, too. Underneath my layers, I'm sure they'd have a tinge of pink. And yet, the sting of winter was nowhere to be found. It was cold today, but not too cold. 

Could this day get any worse?

Perhaps if I stayed out long enough, it would get colder. And yet, I doubted that. As I traversed these ever familiar streets, I stared at the road ahead. Snow had blanketed the area, but the sidewalks were neatly paved by footprints: evidence that many others walked the same path effortlessly. Mixed among the tracks were a few paw prints, and even a few very tiny footprints -- perhaps from a pair of puppy boots? How cute.

Quietly, I wished that the day would get worse.

The smell of cocoa wafted through the air, as if denying my wish. Light chatter mixed with a hint of jazz music emanated from a nearby café. My hand retreated into my pocket, met with emptiness where there should have been a wallet. After a moment of confusion and panic, I recalled my own foolishness.

"I'll just go for a quick walk," I told myself as I zipped my jacket up, "I probably won't buy anything, so I'll just leave this at home."

I had left my wallet at home. Deciding to make my way past the alluring warmth of a café, a bitter smile began to paint my face. Yet, no sooner did the corners of my mouth turn than a voice called out to me.

"Excuse me! Would you like to come in for a drink?" There came the warm, gentle voice of a barista.

Shaking my head lightly, I returned their greeting with a polite smile.
"Thanks -- I'd love to, but I'll have to decline. I left my wallet at home today!"

"Oh, it's alright!" They called out, holding the door open for me, "It'll be on the house! It's awfully cold out today, isn't it?"

To decline further felt like a slight to the other patrons. Surely, they mustn't like the cold air entering the warm atmosphere of the café for too long. Resigning myself to my fortune, I entered with the barista.

"It's not that cold," I shrugged, tapping the snow off my boots as I entered, "The weather itself is pretty nice today. Clear skies, light snow, not too windy."

"Is that so? It was pretty cold a few hours ago, but I've been in here for the past while. I suppose the outside is pretty cold in comparison -- Ah, you can sit down if you'd like."

As the barista made their way behind the counter, I shook my head lightly.

"It's alright, I was planning on continuing my walk."

"Suit yourself! Is there anything you want to drink in particular? Tea? Coffee?"

"Hot chocolate would be great, thank you," giving a polite smile, they returned my answer with a nod. In the air was ambience: the sound of a paper cup being separated from its stack, strangely clear amongst the light chatter of other patrons, "So... Why the free drink? Is something special happening?"

"Oh, no, nothing of the sort," they laughed lightly, the sound of liquid filling a cup overlapping with their voice, "You just seemed awfully chipper! -- Oh, would you like whipped cream?"

"Is that so? Oh-- no, thank you."

"Okay -- anyways, yeah. It's a bit quiet today, so why not, right?"

The warmth of the café was slowly permeating my body. What were once cold fingers with rigid movements had eased back into their natural state.

"That hardly seems like good business," commenting half-jokingly, I watched as they stirred the cocoa, a cloud of steam lifting from the cup.

"A single cup isn't going to bankrupt this place! It's fine -- and if you're that worried, you can just drop by some other day and we'll call it even! Anyways, here! Your order of hot chocolate!"

Nodding in response to their words, I took the paper cup into my hands, "Thank you. I'm sure I'll be back, then."

"Enjoy! And have a good day!"

"You too." Giving a wave as I left, the tiny jingle of the bell by café's door bid me farewell. Soon, I was met with the familiar cold of the outdoors. The warmth that had returned to the surface of my skin began receding once again. The sensation made the surface of my skin feel even warmer, if only for a moment.

My hands lightly twisted the sleeve surrounding the paper cup. The warmth of the drink had melted the adhesive slightly, making the sleeve stick. As I twisted, a little snap could be felt: a sure sign of the sleeve's freedom. As I continued to twist it back and forth slightly, now free from any adhesive resistance, I continued my walk.

Could this day get any worse?

Resigned to my fate, I decided to make my way home. The day was simple, but beautiful. Clumsily-made snowmen decorating one's yard, giving the atmosphere a certain charm. Patches of snow that hadn't been tread, and footprints along the edge belonging to someone who wanted to leave their mark. The intersection that was normally hard to cross due to an puddle of slush was missing its regular trial.

The day was normal. Exceedingly so. The day had no spice to it, no hint of trouble. A very normal, beautiful, boring day.

Sighing resignedly, I took a sip of cocoa. And yet, it was too hot -- the burn lingering on my tongue. A feeling that would remain for longer than one would hope, yet disappear before you realize it.

"Finally," A small cloud of vapor escaped my lips as I muttered to myself, "Something to get angry about."

Could this day get any better?


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## Snowesque (Jan 16, 2021)

*A Not-so-Icy Friendship*

It was another winter day on the island, though increasingly more special than the last. Two friends, Gwen and Aurora greet each other on their morning strolls. Though rather snooty, Aurora thinks of Gwen as an elderly sister to her. Lately, she has pondered on what to do for Gwen's birthday the upcoming twenty-third.

"Ms. Gwen..." Aurora asking sheepishly. "Is there anything you are thinking about?" Gwen, still sleepy from the early morning glosses over the request.

"If my eyeshadow looks alright, h-h-hon! My eyes still seem to be opening to check." Aurora, initially suprised by the response lets out a kind smile, allowing both to break out into light laughter.

"Be seeing you, b-b-baby!" Both wave to each other as they go on there way to start the day. Once Gwen is out of sight, Aurora lets out a small sigh. How could I ever get her to tell me what she wants while keeping it a surprise, she thought
Since it is winter, she started to think of ways to throw a party fitting for the season. At the beginning of the season, Aurora managed to save some recipes from building snowmen over the holidays; she even built a bed of ice she was so handy! Though, there was one problem; she did not nearly have enough materials and would not enough it time for Gwen's birthday.

After (too) many hot cocoas and thinking later, Aurora looks out the window in frustration to notice Gwen chasing around snowflakes. "Maybe if we catch them together, I could get enough materials in time!" she realized to herself. "Hopefully she won't catch on..." thinking sheepishly as she grabbed her net, heading out the door.

"Ms. Gwen!" she shouted, grabbing Gwens attention as she dashes for another snowflake. "Mind if I catch with you?" Gwen nods in approval as they start catching the swirling flake together. After some time of catching, the two decide to take a small break to admire the sunset.

"You know..." Gwen said as she seemed to be trailing off in a thought. "I really appreciate your help today." The phrase transitioning into a kind smile. "There is no other person I would rather spend time with, h-h-hon!" Aurora replied with a kind smile.
With the sun now down, the two wave to each other and return to their homes to rest for the day.

During the course of days leading up to Gwen's birthday, aurora starts building the furniture for the outdoor-themed ice party. Though she does not have all the recipes to complete the set, she feels confident that Gwen will have an enjoyable time at least with the juice bar she's adding to.

Then, the day of Gwen's birthday came. Aurora had already set up the decorations the night before and excitedly went to knock on Gwen's door. A quite sleepy Gwen appears. "It is... so early, h-h-hon" she said as just finishes putting her mascara on.

"Come with me!" Said Aurora barely containing her excitement. She pulls Gwen away and they head to the town square. Once they arrive, Aurora is in total surprise as there is completely new and far more decorations than what she put out last night. "Gwen..." she said so quietly. "Did you do this?" Gwen let out a small chuckle into a smile.

"It's your party too after all, h-h-hon! I had some neighbors help me add to your decorations last night." Gwen signals to the ice sculptures. "Hope you don't mind a earlier party together!"

"I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate than with my friends...!" Aurora smiles wiping her eyes.

"Now..." Gwen said, putting party hats on each other. "Let's have that juice, h-h-hon!" Aurora nods and smiles wholeheartedly.


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## Asarena (Jan 16, 2021)

I'm not very good at writing, but here's my entry! It was 2053 words at first, but I managed to cut it down

A Cake for Blathers

Celeste and Blathers, both being quite busy, didn't have much time to sit down and catch up on things, but the night after tomorrow would be different. Blathers' birthday was in two days, and Celeste was going to make him the best cake ever! There was just one problem. She'd never actually baked a cake before. As she rifled through the pages of a cookbook, the corners of her beak began to take on a distinct downward curve and a dull headache began to build behind her temples. After reading through the ingredients and baking instructions for multiple types of cake, she closed the book with a sigh and buried her head in her wings. It was hopeless. Maybe she should just buy a cake from the store? No. She was going to do this. She just needed some help.

Tomorrow night there was going to me a meteor shower on Aria, the island her brother was living on, and it would be the perfect opportunity for her to get some help from the residents there. They always had nothing but good things to say about him when she visited, so they were sure to help out. She'd been planning to stay two nights anyway, given that her brother's birthday was the day after the meteor shower, so it wouldn't be too suspicious. She might have to miss out on seeing the shower, but it was worth it if she could see her brother's smile. He'd been working hard at his museum, and an incident with some escaped bugs the previous week had caused him a great deal of stress.

When Celeste woke the next evening, she headed straight to the airport and boarded a plane to Aria. After a brief flight, she landed on Aria and began her search for someone who could help her. She'd seen Lily post about some raindrop cakes she'd made on her blog, so she decided to head to Lily's house first, but on the way she ran into Peck. He waved to her with one wing while lifting a dumbbell with the other. "Hi Celeste! Are you excited for the meteor shower tonight? I'm getting some last minute reps in so I can look extra buff for the stars!"

"Oh, hello Peck! Well, actually, I'm looking for someone who knows how to bake a cake."

"A cake?" Peck tilted his head. "Why not something healthier, like a salad?'

Celeste shook her head. "Blathers' birthday is tomorrow, and I want to make him the best birthday cake ever! But... well... I've never baked one before."

Peck relaxed, pausing his exercising for a moment to think before responding. "I see. Are you sure he wouldn't prefer a birthday salad?"

Celeste sighed. The last time her brother had eaten a salad there'd been an ant in it, and he still trembled just watching someone else eat one. "I really don't think he would. Thanks for the suggestion though. I'll think about it." She exchanged goodbyes with Peck and continued on her way to Lily's house.

She'd just reached the base of the hill that Lily lived on when a voice called out to her. She turned to see an anteater with wavy hair and a very distinct pair of eyebrows. It was Olaf. "Hello!" She said.

"Were you going to Lily's house?" He asked, glancing from her to the hill she'd been about to ascend.

"Yes, I wanted to see if she could help me with a cake I need to bake," she replied. Olaf frowned, and Celeste felt her chest tighten. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Well, I don't think she'll be able to help you. She's sick today. Ashley gave her some medicine, but she's still recovering," Olaf said.

"Oh no, poor Lily! I hope she gets better soon. Today just keeps getting worse." Celeste's eyes filled with tears as she tried to blink them away.

Olaf patted her on the shoulder. "Hey, look, don't cry. Maybe I can help you with the cake?" Olaf offered. "What do you need it for anyway?"

Celeste took a deep breath to calm herself before replying. "Blathers' birthday is tomorrow, so I wanted to bake him a cake... but..." A sob escaped her as more tears began to spill from her eyes.

Olaf pulled a black and gold handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. "Don't give up yet. I know just the person to help! Follow me." Olaf said, beginning to walk toward the west side of the island. Celeste trailed behind him, dabbing at her eyes with the handkerchief. 

They walked for a couple of minutes before arriving at a blue house. The exterior looked a bit different than it had the last time Celeste had visited, but she recognized it as the house of Aria's resident representative, Ashley. No sooner had Olaf knocked on the door than it swung open.

"Oh, hello Olaf, wha- Celeste?" Ashley ran over to Celeste, looking at the crying owl with concern. "What's wrong? Why're you crying?"

For the the third time that evening, Celeste explained how she wanted to make a birthday cake for Blathers but didn't know how. Ashley nodded as she listened, and once Celeste had finished speaking, she clapped her hands. "Celeste. My mom makes me a birthday cake every year, and every year it's delicious. I might not bake as well as she does, but she did teach me a bit before I left home, so I'm sure we can figure out something!" And with that she ushered Celeste and Olaf into her home and to the kitchen.

Once they were all in the kitchen, Ashley pulled out three aprons, handing one each to Olaf and Celeste for them to put on and wearing the third one herself. "Okay, so have either of you ever baked before?" Ashley asked them.

"I baked star cookies with my mom once when I was little, but I just stirred the batter and ate the cookies. It was hard to eat them though. They were so pretty..." Celeste's eyes went all wide and sparkly as she remembered the cookies. Her mother had decorated them to look like glittering galaxies.

"I auditioned for the role of a baker in a play once!" Olaf said. "I didn't get chosen for the part though. I must have been overqualified."

Ashley smiled at their stories. "Yes, I'm sure both of your experiences will be... uhm... helpful." She made her way around the kitchen, pulling ingredients and items out of the fridge and cabinet. She placed a large bowl on the counter and gestured for Celeste and Olaf to come over. "Before we get started, what kind of cake does Blathers like?"

Celeste tilted her head back for a moment before responding. "I think he likes all kinds of cake, but chocolate was always his favorite."

"Chocolate it is then!" Ashley opened the cabinet once more to take out some cocoa powder. With all of the ingredients assembled, she smiled. "Now, let's start baking!"

-

About an hour later the three pulled a fully baked chocolate cake from the oven. Other than a minor incident with the flour, some of which could still be seen in Olaf's hair, the whole process had gone pretty smoothly. Celeste smiled as she inhaled the scent of the freshly baked cake, and her eyes started to tear up once more. "Thank you both so much for helping me! I never would have been able to bake this on my own!"

Ashley pulled Celeste and Olaf in for a group hug. "After helping out tonight I think you'll probably be able to bake your own next time, but I'm always happy to help!"

"The only thing left is to decorate the cake, but we should do that once the cake has cooled, and it's getting pretty late for Olaf and me, so how about we do it first thing tomorrow evening? And I was thinking, why not have a party for Blathers tomorrow night in front of Resident Services? It might be a bit last minute, but I know everyone on the island would like to wish your brother a happy birthday," Ashley said.

"A birthday party? My brother hasn't had one since he was little. Yes, let's do it!" Celeste's eyes sparkled and she wiggled happily.

-

Blathers fiddled with his bow tie for the tenth time as he made his way down the path. When he'd woken up that night he hadn't expected to find a note written in his sister's handwriting telling him to go to Resident Services stuck to the museum wall, but there he was, heading to Resident Services. It was his birthday, and most years he had a birthday meal with his sister, so maybe she wanted to eat outside this time. She did enjoy looking up at the stars after all. It was oddly quiet though. Most of the islanders were usually still awake at that time, but he hadn't seen a single soul since he'd left the museum. As he neared Resident Services, however, he began to hear the sound of voices. Finally, he rounded the corner and the front of Resident Services came into view. He froze at the sight before him.

All of the residents of the island were standing in the plaza, and it was covered with tables of food, streamers, balloons, and a banner reading "Happy Birthday Blathers!" He'd only had a moment to wonder at what he was seeing before Celeste spotted him and called out to him. "Blathers! Happy birthday!" Her cry was echoed by the other attendees of the party, and Blathers' vision started to blur as his eyes grew wet with tears. He stepped onto the plaza and was quickly bombarded with hugs and pats on the back.

"W-what is all this?" He asked Celeste once he had a moment to breathe.

"Well, it seems you've made a lot of friends since you moved here. Honestly, I was worried that you'd be all alone, cooped up in your museum all day, but I guess I was worried for nothing. Everyone here was so excited when they found out it was your birthday. They spent the whole day running around gathering food and getting the decorations set up!" Celeste said as she gave her brother a hug. "Oh, but there's one more thing! Close your eyes!"

Blathers didn't know what else there could possibly be, but he closed his tear-filled eyes and allowed his sister to lead him over to a corner of the plaza. He stood there for a minute as he heard everyone crowd in behind him before Celeste finally said,  "Okay, open your eyes!"

He opened his eyes to see a rectangular cake covered in chocolate icing and decorated with frosting fossils, fish, and even some objects he recognized from some of the paintings and statues that were on display back at the museum. He also couldn't help but notice the lack of any bugs, which he greatly appreciated. And there, in the middle of the cake, was the same message from the banner "Happy Birthday Blathers!" 

Tears spilled down Blather's cheeks and Celeste's eyes widened. "B-brother? What's wrong? Do you not like it?"

Blathers shook his head, rubbing at his eyes with the tips of his wings. "No. I-it's not that. I just... Celeste... everyone.. thank you. I've never had such a wonderful birthday before. This is better than anything I could have imagined."

 "Oh, you silly birdbrain. That's what friends and sisters are for!" Celeste smiled, wrapping her wings around her brother. She peered over his shoulder at all of their friends before calling out to them, "Come on, group hug everyone!" And they huddled in, wrapping wings and arms around each other while Blathers continued to sniffle in the center.

Oh, and the cake? It was delicious of course.


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## Kattea (Jan 17, 2021)

*Sincerely Yours, Chevre*

Most goats wouldn’t be looking to re-locate during the winter, but I come from a family of mountain goats and we can withstand a bit of cold. Plus, I’ve got my favourite red poncho coat to keep me warm. With all my belongings packed neatly away in boxes, I headed over to the local diner to get one last milkshake before I leave.

“Tomorrow’s the big day, isn’t it kidders?” This diner just happens to be owned by my best friend Pashmina, who slid a tall glass across the counter towards me. At this point, she always knew what I was in the mood for and no longer needed to take my order. I took a sip and tasted nostalgia. Classic vanilla, the perfect choice for my last day. Pashmina's secret ingredient? Sweetened with honey from Ellinea's local lavender farm, so it had a nice aroma.

“That’s right, tomorrow’s the day I bid farewell to Ellinea.” It still feels surreal saying it out loud, but I had been craving a change in scenery for a while and knew it was time to make the leap. Still, I would miss this quiet town with its sleepy atmosphere. It has been a good home to me for a long time.

“I really envy you, Chevre. Not everyone would be able to pick up and move just like that.”

“What can I say? I love a good adventure, especially a spontaneous one!”

We chatted late into the evening, until Pashmina had to close up shop for the night. I took one last look around, trying to memorize the decor inside this little red diner where I spent so much of my time. I pulled out my bells, but Pashmina waved them away.

“Don’t be silly. This one’s on the house, kidders.”

I smiled, and gave her a parting hug. I was really going to miss the way she called me kidders.

“I’ll send you a letter as soon as I’ve settled in.” I promised.

“Now you’ll have two penpals!” She said, squeezing me back.

She was talking about Nan, of course, who I had been writing to since I was in grade school. It was for a class assignment, but we continued to write to each other even as we grew older. Now it was like we’ve known each other our entire lives, even though we’ve never met. And since we’ve been able to maintain our friendship all this time, I felt confident that Pashmina and I would never fall out of touch as long as we wrote to each other.

The moon was high as I stepped out into the crisp winter air. It smelled of lavender, as it always did on Ellinea. The snow crunched beneath my hooves as I walked home for the last time. Tomorrow would be the start of my new life on a new island.

~~~~~​
As I stepped off the plane, I was greeted by the warm sun and lush greenery. This island must be really far away from home, as it was summer here. The breeze carried the scent of citrus and I remembered that this island was well known for its large fruit orchard. On the ground sprouted breeds of flowers I had never seen before. The colors were vibrant and the island felt alive with energy.

_This is so refreshing, it’s just what I needed!_

I wanted to go out and explore right away, but I had to unpack my things first. I followed a dirt path until I reached my new house, tucked away in a secluded area of the forest. More wildflowers spotted the front lawn. It was the perfect location, and I couldn’t help but sigh in satisfaction as I gazed at my very own cottage in the woods.

_Well, Chevre. You’ve made it. This is home now._

I spent the rest of the afternoon unpacking, until everything was arranged exactly as it was in my old house. It was my familiar little sanctuary on this new island where everything was different. As I hung Nan’s photo in its usual place above my bed, a thought occurred to me.

_Maybe I should ask Pashmina to send me her photo too._

I decided I would write to her tomorrow after I check out the town, so that I can tell her all about my new surroundings. As I climbed into bed, exhaustion from the long day suddenly took over and I had no trouble falling asleep.

~~~~~​
I woke up early the next morning, unable to contain my excitement for the day ahead. I decided to locate the store in case I later realize I forgot to pack something. This would also give me the opportunity to ask for directions and meet my new neighbors. Maybe I could find a place to have breakfast as well. I set off in the direction of resident services, but along the way found myself distracted by a grove of fruit trees.

_This must be the orchard!_

I found an opening in the fence and stepped in.

_It’s even bigger than I thought it would be!_

I wandered aimlessly between the trees, enjoying the morning sun and fresh air. It was so tranquil, the sun peeking through the leaves to warm my face. I was glad I called it an early night yesterday, so that I could experience the orchard before the daytime rush disturbed the calm atmosphere which reminded me so much of Ellinea. I was just thinking of how I would describe this scenery in a letter, when I heard a rustling. Someone was already here, up on a ladder, reaching for peaches and dropping them into a basket. As I came closer, I saw that it was another goat.

_Hey, a goat! Maybe we can be friends!_

I approached hesitantly, not wanting to startle them.

_What are the chances, finding another goat on this island._

I cleared my voice, hoping to make a good first impression.

“Hello, pardon me. My name is Chevre. I just moved here and I was wondering-“

Just then the figure turned around and I saw a familiar face, one I’ve only ever seen in photos. We both blinked at each other a couple of times. Although she was always smiling in the photos she sent, I now saw different emotions pass through her face. Surprise, recognition, then radiant joy. Nan smiled as warm as the sun.

“Hi there, kid.”



Spoiler



Ahhh, I really enjoyed writing this. I think it's so sweet how Chevre and Nan have photos of each other in their homes. I let go of Nan recently, but really wanted to write from the POV of Chevre because I love her name. I like to imagine that my Nan found her soulmate on another island.


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## xara (Jan 17, 2021)

Kattea said:


> *Sincerely Yours, Chevre*
> 
> Most goats wouldn’t be looking to re-locate during the winter, but I come from a family of mountain goats and we can withstand a bit of cold. Plus, I’ve got my favourite red poncho coat to keep me warm. With all my belongings packed neatly away in boxes, I headed over to the local diner to get one last milkshake before I leave.
> 
> ...



 wait i actually love this sm! this was such a cute story and i loved reading it! <3


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## a potato (Jan 17, 2021)

Finding Friendship
It was a cold winter night. A sudden wind blew through the quaint town of Glimwood. Everyone was sleeping—or so it appeared. In the central forest, a single villager, Sherb the lazy goat, was wide awake in his small, dimly lit cottage. He was sitting at his crafting table working away at his project. His new crayons were strewn about his desk. Most of his markers had rolled onto the floor. He was working quite hard on his creation. Finally, he stood up, looked at his project with glee, and went to bed.

The next morning, everything went as normal. The villagers all stirred out of bad at their normal time, checked the stores, greeted one another, and then began exploring the town they adored. Sherb eventually ran into his neighbor, Clay. The two began talking, and Sherb whispered something into Clay’s ear. The small hamster grinned from ear to ear as he followed Sherb inside his house.

Inside, Clay looked at Sherb’s project with amazement. It was way better than he had expected. The two immediately began working on it again. They were both filled with enjoyment. The project was important to both of them. Eventually, Erik the deer walked in to ask Sherb if he knew how to craft a frozen pillar. “Woah!” Erik said, looking at the project covering half of Sherb’s floor. “This must’ve taken you forever!” Sherb replied, “Yeah! I worked on it all night! I was just going to ask if you could help with it.” “Definitely!” said Erik. The three worked into the night. Before the two neighbors left for the night, Sherb asked them to invite the other residents to his house to help with it, as well. He knew everyone should have some input here. They agreed and left for the night.

After Sherb woke up, he began getting everything ready for the big day. One by one, his friends came to his house to put their mark on this mystery project. It had turned out even better than expected. “This is perfect!” exclaimed Sherb. He jumped up an down in delight. He couldn’t believe how his dream became a reality and began planning his next steps.

The rest of the night went as normal. Sherb ate dinner, watched the sun set, and counted stars with his fellow neighbors. After everyone went to bed, though, Sherb began working on his plan. He rolled up the poster, found some tape, and walked over to the resident representative’s house. After a few attempts, he successfully hung the banner. The next step was to go back gone and wait. Sherb could hardly contain his excitement.

The next morning, Sherb woke up extra early to ensure he can work on his final preparations. He gathered everyone and waited behind the rep’s house. Everyone was excited. Eventually, they heard the rep wake up and leave the house. Quickly, they ran around the corner and yelled, “Surprise!” The rep was completely taken by, well, surprise! “What is this?!” he said, “it’s not my birthday or anything!” Sherb said, “we know! Turn around!” Without knowing what to expect, the rep turned around. Atop his door hung a large banner that read “Thank you for making Glimwood the best it can be!” It also included personal drawings from all the residents. “Do you like it?!” Sherb asked. The rep replied, “Like it? I love it! It’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me! I love you all.”

For the rest of the day, all Glimwood residents sat around a warm fire roasting marshmallows and exchanging stories about their favorite moments. Just as everyone was about to leave, though, a shooting star appeared in the sky. Everyone made the same wish. “I wish to never leave.”


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## Kattea (Jan 17, 2021)

xara said:


> wait i actually love this sm! this was such a cute story and i loved reading it! <3



Omg wait tho, it was lowkey inspired by yours. <333


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## xara (Jan 17, 2021)

Kattea said:


> Omg wait tho, it was lowkey inspired by yours. <333



dndjsjsk i love that!! fr though, your story was honestly so cute,, nan and chevre’s friendship is so pure. :’)


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## kiwikenobi (Jan 17, 2021)

It doesn't get cold enough for snow where I live, so this is my personal take on a winter theme.


Winter Solitude​
    It was a dark, cold, rainy winter day--just the way I loved it. No one else seemed to understand, and some even thought me insane, so I went out alone. I took a long walk beneath the heavy clouds that softened the sunlight into the gentlest of gray glows, accompanied by the song of raindrops on pavement and puddle. I didn't carry an umbrella. How could I get rained on if I hid from the storm?

    I tilted my head back to the sky, closing my eyes and feeling the rain pattering against my face. The cool, damp scent of new rain--like nothing else in the world--wreathed around me, and I breathed deeply of that smell of the mingling of earth and clouds, the smell of life itself.

    For a time, that was all I needed: the rain, and the world beneath it to walk upon.

    But after a while, my hair was dripping wet, my socks and shoes were soaked through, and the rainwater had trickled down my neck despite the best efforts of my raincoat, turning my clothes clammy and heavy. The winter cold seeped in, and I shivered.

    I made my way home, grateful to have a warm, safe place to take shelter from the rain. After changing into clean, dry clothes and giving my hair a vigorous drying with a towel, I made a fire in the fireplace. The dancing flames radiated heat, wonderful warmth on my hands and face, and perfumed the air with the scent of woodsmoke.

    Leaving the fire for the moment, I went to the kitchen and turned on the coffee machine. While the machine burbled and whispered to itself as if it were brewing a magic potion--which, truth be told, is not far from the truth--I warmed some milk and poured it into a mug. Rich, coffee-scented steam wafted up from the pot, the trickle of the coffee a tiny echo of the steady sound of the rain outside.

    At last, it was ready. I poured the coffee from the pot into my cup, watching it swirling together with the milk for a moment, dark and light, bitter and mild, until both became one. Then I scooped sugar into the coffee, three spoonfuls, for my sweet tooth would not be satisfied with any less, and stirred.

    I wrapped myself in an old quilt, curled up in an overstuffed armchair near the fireplace, and, with the murmuring of the rain outside and the crisp crackling of the fire in front of me, I had my coffee.

    I looked at it for a moment before doing anything else, admiring its mellow, pale-brown color, feeling its heat through the sides of the cup in my hands. As I slowly brought it up to my face, I closed my eyes and breathed its aromatic scent. And finally, feeling utterly cozy and content, I took the first sip.

    What chill remained from my walk in the rain melted away as the hot, sweet coffee worked its magic on my cold, exhausted body. In that moment, I needed nothing else, no one else. Coffee was my one true friend. Warm, sweet, dependable. A hug in a mug. It asked for nothing and gave me everything I needed, invigorating me, comforting me, understanding me. Of course it understood me, it had to. It didn't call me crazy for loving the rain, and how else could it provide exactly what I needed if it didn't understand?

    I snuggled down in my quilt in my chair by my beautiful fire and listened to the music of the rain outside.

    "This is all I need," I said to no one, taking another sip of coffee. "This is all I need."

THE END​


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## ivelostmyspectacles (Jan 17, 2021)

*Winter Welcome*​
He's been told it's not the first snowfall of the year, but he wishes it would go away.

It isn't that Dobie doesn't like the winter; it's more the fact that the cold seeps into his bones and makes his body ache in ways that he despises more and more the older he gets. And the trip around the world hadn't made things better. He wonders what had possessed him to decide to pack up and move so suddenly. His old bones can't take this. He's not a young wolf anymore, and all of this hullabaloo for his arrival on this island has really ruffled his fur.

This island is nice, but winter... he doesn't think he likes it much.

He's used to warmth, to tropical weather. What's the point of island living if it isn't warm? He's used to the sunshine, a pile of books and the swinging bench outside his home. Hours spent whiled away bathing in the sunlight, sipping tea and breathing in the smell of the ocean. It had been warm, at his previous home, with grass so green he'd almost say it was _too_ vivid, and neighbors so removed it was easy to get consumed by the silence. Dobie likes his silence.

The new island is nice. He isn't ungrateful. The island representative had been kind, almost overly so, when she had asked him to come live on her island. He hadn't been able to say no, and even if he had wanted to, he hadn't had a plan of where he would have gone otherwise. So, he'd agreed, made a phone call, bought a home, and started out on an ill-advised adventure he was far too old for.

He'd stepped off the plane to snow.

Now, it isn't that Dobie doesn't like the snow. It's a beautiful thing, and he has had time to learn to appreciate the smaller things in life. And, all in all, it isn't so bad if you were cooped up in your house all day. You just needed a roaring fire and a cup of cocoa. But when you had to walk to the store, and your fur got soaking wet from traipsing through the ice, well: it's not his idea of a good time. 

The snow melts on his paws and the cold freezes his ears when he walks to Nook's Cranny the first day. The ice seeps into his bones, and his body starts to ache.

He'd say that he's homesick, but, well, there's just no need to be so dramatic like that.

He's three days in with this new island life when the next snowflakes start flying. And Dobie stares out his window, feeling the cold radiating off of the glass, and grumps and groans about how he's going to freeze on his way to Resident Services today. Maybe he can put it off until later. Maybe the snow will stop later.

It doesn't.

To his dismay, it piles up instead, building and building on his windowpane as he decides, no, he doesn't need to pay on his loan today. He's not going out in this dadgum snow.

The knock at his door startles him. Who would go out in this weather? He'd had his fair share of visitors on the first and second day here, all of the townsfolk ready to greet him. They had been... kind, but Dobie wasn't a wolf for attention. He didn't mind getting to know them, but he was just a cranky old wolf, and why would they want to? And why, of all things, would someone be at his door now?

He answers it, and finds their island representative standing outside. She's dressed in a long blue coat, the kind with a fuzzy collar and little baubles on the bow. Her auburn hair falls in the same wavy curls down to her shoulders, but this time it's half hidden beneath a knit cap with a colorful, wintery design. And she's covered in snowflakes, because it's a veritable blizzard out there. But she's standing there on his doorstep like she's got nothing better to do, smiling like she had when she'd invited him to move in.

"Morning," she greets, always cheerful, always... running around, doing this thing and that thing. Dobie has barely been able to keep track of her, these past few days. "Sorry to bother you, but I wanted to bring this over." She holds up a neatly wrapped package, a nice beige wrapping paper concealing something inside. "I, er, figured you might need it. I know it's crazy trying to get a foothold when you first move, and of course Tom is great with the loans, but... consider it a housewarming gift! Even though it's... more of a _you-_warming gift."

She never stops, even now. Standing in his doorway, the cold air ruffling his fur, Dobie huffs and ushers her in. "Don't stand in the cold. You'll freeze solid," he says by way of greeting. "Why're you out in this dagblasted weather to begin with?"

She laughs, stomping the snow off her shoes before she steps in. "It's just a little snow. And I think we need more snowboys in town, don't you?" Her eyes are sparkling, and that means they're resigned to meaningless conversation by either the snowboys who think they are perfection personified, or the ones bemoaning their misshapen existence. Dobie still doesn't quite know how to speak with them. He thinks he's too old for that. "But, no, I wanted to give you this." She holds out the gift, and Dobie stares.

"Why're you giving me something?"

"Just take it, Dobie," she laughs.

He does. It's heavy and malleable in his paws, and peeling the paper back neatly reveals a thick sweatshirt. It's well made, and has a smart argyle pattern in a deep blue that's darker than a choppy ocean, or the clouds before it starts to snow. It feels warm, much warmer than the vest he's wearing now.

"I wasn't sure if you'd like it," she admits, "but I wanted to get you something warm since it's been so cold here. I know it's not summertime, but, until then..." she trails off, and then nods. "Like I said, I know it's a pain to find the bells for things when you first move. Did I tell you I lived in a _tent_ for awhile? By the time I felt financially secure, I was _really_ ready to have a whole wardrobe!" She laughs with a humility he finds refreshing, although he's still mostly baffled by the thoughtful gift. "But only if you want it. If not, you can sell it, too. No skin off my nose, I promise!"

He doesn't want to sell it. The thought doesn't even cross his mind. In fact, he very much wants to put it on. "I'll try it on now," he says, and their island rep looks surprised, and then pleased.

She laughs again, nodding. "Okay!"

It's an easy fit, and impossibly warm. It feels good from the moment he slips it on, cozy in ways that lets him forgo smoothing down his ruffled fur. The fabric is thick, and soft, and catches his body heat to retain it so he doesn't freeze when he knows he'll go back out in the snow to explore. He's instantly warmer, but it's mostly from a glow in his chest he absolutely refuses to put to words. "Well?" he prompts, and she turns from inspecting the wall to inspect him instead.

The attention still makes his elbows feel squirmy, but he's... actually touched, dang it.

"You look cozy," she says, approving. "Hopefully a little warmer?"

"A little warmer," he echoes, and runs his paws along the nice, comfortable fabric. "You didn't need to, but... thank you."

"Nope, don't thank me." He'd lecture her on learning to just say 'you're welcome,' but she's already heading the few feet back towards the door. "Now, I'm sure you're busy, so, I'll just get out of your fur-"

He steps forward. "Get warm at least." She stops and looks over her shoulder, so he continues, "you came all this way. Do you think I'd be such a bad host? Take a load off."

She looks curious, and then intrigued, and nods as she scuffs her boots on his mat again. "Just for a bit. I really _do_ have snowboys to make."

Dobie stops himself from rolling his eyes. Only just. Kids these days. "Have some cocoa in the meantime."

"I'd love that," she says warmly, and takes a seat.



She goes through his bookcases with his permission, hemming and hawing over the titles she finds that interest her. She warms her hands around one of his old mugs full of hot cocoa, chattering away, and Dobie, huddled down warm and snug in his new sweater, decides that winter on this island might not be so bad at all.



Spoiler: author's note!



I just got Dobie to move in and he had quickly become one of my dreamies... I picked him up from a summer island and I'm in winter, and I just feel like crankies would be so bad with change and I wanted to write a little fic with Dobie finding his place on this new island  I wish we could have proper visits in NH but until then, we are hanging out and having quiet conversation and cocoa in my heart


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## Giddy (Jan 17, 2021)

kiwikenobi said:


> It doesn't get cold enough for snow where I live, so this is my personal take on a winter theme.



same here, well it does get cold, but snow is non existence where I live. Man I miss snow!


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## Lt.Savior (Jan 17, 2021)

Dreams of a Popstar...

Festivities are over. Christmas was fun and i did receive so many presents. And on top of that, the New Year's party was the best i ever had. But then came January. Nothing fun in store for the coming weeks and to be honest, i'm fed up with winter. I'm really a warm weather type of an animal. Hamsters do normally go in hibernation you know. But then i have to miss all these celebrations. And that's the thing i love the most, having a party!

With our new years party well behind us, i was getting a little bit depressed. Nothing cheered me up anymore. I've spend all my bells on light sticks and party outfits. So whats the point too give Nook's or Able's a visit. I'm totally broke!

I decided to pack my bags and go on a nice long vacation. Away from all this dreariness and to have a little fun! I went early in the morning. Hoping i'd avoid all my friends and especially the island representative Lt.Savior. I crossed the bridge and the coast seemed clear. Just a few steps and i would be at Dal Airlines. And hopefully i'd arrive on my fun party destination around lunchtime.

Just as i crossed the bridge and quickened my pace, i heard melody's coming from the plaza. I recognized it immediately. It was my favorite song Bubblegum K.K. It was Fang behind the piano playing this song.

Fang noticed me and greeted me with a wave. "Hey there Apple", he said. "Why are you up so early this morning?" I Didn't know what to say and i was getting red cheeks. "Oh nothing." I replied and was dead in my tracks. "Why do you have that suitcase with you?" He answered and now i wanted to disappear entirely. I really didn't want to admit to the fact i wanted to go away from Savi Sands without telling my friends. I felt so ashamed.

"Well then don't just stand there grab the mic and sing along!", Fang said. For a moment i didn't know what to do. But then i dropped my suitcase and grabbed the mic. And i sang, and Fang played the piano. It was so much fun. I realized that this is the thing i like to do most. This is what i'm dreaming of every night. Becoming a popstar!

After the song was over i asked Fang if we could do another song. "Yea let's do that Apple. What song would you like?" But then he already began to play on the piano again and it was like he was reading my mind. It was K.K. House my second favorite song. And i sung like i never sang before.

Then suddenly the mic went dead. And in front of me is Bella with an angry look on her face. She has a scissor in her hand and said to me: "You think you can sing all of a sudden? Well think again. You'll never become a popstar!" And she dashed away with tears in her eye's.

I was stunned and Fang also was in shock. "What was that all about?", Fang said. I replied i didn't know and this is nothing like Bella. Sure she can be cranky sometimes but i generally like her very much. Why is she denying my dreams of becoming a popstar?!

I decided to go to her house and thanked Fang for his beautiful tunes on the piano. I knocked on her door but there was no answering. But i knew she was inside and i opened the door. There she was crying on her bed. I rushed at her side and put my arms around her. "Why all these tears sweet Bella?", i said to her. She dried her tears and told me of her encounter with K.K. Slider.

One day Bella woke up having that dream again of becoming a singer. A popstar! Now she was determined and rushed out of her bed and went too K.K. Slider and said to him: "Hey Slide! I'm so sure now. I want to be a popstar! And you are going too write me a song! We are going too be so successful and we'll travel from island to island. Just you and me! This is gonna be so totes!"

K.K. Slider was in the middle of rehearsing his new song and felt a little bit ambushed. He said: "You? A popstar?! I don't know about that? I think it's better...." But he couldn't finish his sentence cause Bella stormed away and was in a deep sorrow.

Apple could not believe K.K. reacted this way. "Did he really say that to you? Are you sure he didn't want you to be a popstar?" But Bella was positive and gave Apple a big hug. "I'm sorry i was so jealous earlier. I shouldn't have cut your mic. I'm so sorry Apple! You're a better singer then me and i'll stop dreaming of becoming a popstar."

Apple felt so sorry for poor Bella. And she was sure this was all a big misunderstanding. She said: "Dear Bella. Please stop crying and let's go to K.K. I'm sure he didn't mean this. Let's convince him otherwise! We together will sing for him and then he surely will change his mind. We are both good singers and maybe he'll help us achieve our dreams of becoming popstars!"

Then a smile came on Bella's face. She never thought of an duet. Apple is such a good singer. We both could have so much success. Two is better then one, she thought. And gave Apple another big hug. "Thank you for cheering me up lovely Apple. You are such a good friend!"

Apple grabbed her hand and said: "Let's go to K.K. immediately and we'll tell him of our plans." Bella was hesitant but could not resist the pull of Apple on her arms and before she knew it she was on the plaza eye in eye with the great K.K. Slider.

With big eye's she looked at K.K. and was very scared of what was going to happen. She didn't want to be hurt like the last time she met him. But Apple took initiative right away and said: "Dear K.K. Slider. Great musician and the one who we love so much! Bella and i have a proposal. We both want to be popstars and we hope you can help us out!"

"Sure i can!" Slider said. Apple and Bella were so happy they jumped of joy! "But the other day, you told me i couldn't be a popstar?!" Bella said and she was staring at the ground, fearful of what K.K. was going to say. "Oh you didn't listened to what i had to say. Before i knew you ran away. All i wanted to say to you Bella, was that you are indeed a star. But most of all you are a rockstar!"

Bella couldn't believe her ears. A rockstar? Off course... I'm a rockstar! "Oh dear Mr. Slider. So that's what you wanted to say. You are totally right. I love rock music and my voice is much better suited for the rock genre!" And she gave Slider a big hug.

"And I've already have something for you both!" K.K. Slider said and began to play music on his guitar. "This will be the new song for you both. This is my new Pop-rock song, called: Motorcycle Fairytale! And tonight it will be performed by you both, Apple and Bella! They were so ecstatic and Bella and Apple screamed at the top of their lungs. "We are pop-rock stars Jippie Jee Jippie Joo!"

K.K. didn't waste any minute and began to practice with them inside the town hall. This has to be a secret from the other villagers. Because tonight there will be a great performance of the new Pop-rock sensation Apple and Bella and there will be a great party!

That evening everyone was summoned to the plaza. Clyde, Bitty and Melba were all excited and speculated on what was going to happen. They saw the mic and lights set up so they thought this was going to be a concert of their favorite: K.K. Slider. But then the doors opened of the town hall and there was Bella and Apple, hand in hand, singing: Motorcycle Fairytale.

Everyone was so happy. And after the performance the villagers cheered and clapped and gave lots of prezzies to the famous pop-rock duo: Apple and Bella!

The day's after the performance everyone talked about that special night full of music and they sang along with it's catchy tunes. Savi Sands was a peaceful place again and everyone was excited for the coming year. Especially Apple and Bella. They became best friends!


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## Che5hire Cat (Jan 17, 2021)

*Nobody is perfect*

"W-what... Where... Ohh...". The sound of strong waves going through the ears of the weakened seagull, a chill breeze made his whole body shiver, wet sand stuck on his feathers. It's save to say, it happened again, he feel from the ship, now stranded at some unknown location. "Stop being so clumsy and watch your steps, dummy!", the captain always warned him. As strong and fearless the seagull claims to be, it's his kinda imprudence and silly behavior that brought him many times in this kind of situation. Nobody knows how often his crew mates had to save him and how often they made fun of him because of this. The captain is not pleased by this either, the seagull's misfortunes costs him valuable time and often his nerves. He's a quite good sailor, that's for sure. But with the way he acts, the crew along with the captain doesn't take him really seriously at all. As much as he tries to get the respect from the others, it feels like for him as if everyone sees him as the ship's own jester, rather than an actual sailor. It's not easy for him, he tries to cover his sadness about this fact by being joyful and laughing over it, yet it still bothers him.

Slowly, he open up his eyes half and moving his head around as much as he could, blurriness restricts his view. From what he can detect, it seems to be a inhabited island. "T-thank goodness!", he thought. At least not another abandoned place where it's too difficult to get off it again. The body still in pain from the rough cold ocean which shook him up for who knows how long, his mind starts to fill with thoughts. Does his crew knows what happened to him? Are they looking for him? More important, what will they think about this? "They are probably more than annoyed to save yet again the 'clown' that is me", he thinks while tears start to rise in his eyes. But before he could continue with his sorrows, he noticed the sound of something that could be footsteps. The noises coming closer and closer to his direction. "...Someone's coming?", the seagull's wondering. 

Suddenly, a kinda squeaky voice speaks to him: "Hey! Hey, you! Are you alright? Please, say something!". Adrenaline going through the seagull's body, with his eyes wide open he puts all his strength together and standing up from the beach's ground. Still a bit weak on the legs, he spots a colorful creature in front of him. A bit smaller than him, shaped like a teddy bear from what he can tell, as his eyesight is still limited through the blurriness. "Oh, you're awake!", the bear cub said with happiness in his voice. "I was catching bugs when I saw you lying there on the beach, I was really worried about you, but guess you seem to be okay now, stuffin'!". "What a strange little fellow", the seagull thought. Before the sailor could say or do anything, the little teddy bear like creature continued: "My name's Stitches! I'm a villager from this island! Nice to meet ya! And who are you? You have a really cool outfit on, stuffin'! Huh, wait, are you a sailor?". "Wha- oh! Oh, indeed I am, kid!", the seagull proudly confirms. "I'm Gulliver, the travelling sailor! A pleasure to meet you, kiddo!". "Whoa, a real sailor! How cool, stuffin'! Say, what happend, what are you doing here? Did you took a nap on the beach? And where's your ship?", Stitches questioning while being fully excited over the visitor. 

Gulliver started to become nervous, it's already embarrassing for him to be in such a situation, explaining to someone he just met how he ended up in said situation is too humiliating for him. What if this kid starts to laugh him out just like his crew mates already doing? He can't take it that some stranger now makes fun of him, even if it's just a kid. Should he maybe lie? No, that would be rude and not helpful at all. Jumping over his own fear, Gulliver decided to tell the painful truth. He was cleaning up the ship as he most of the time does and somehow ended up slipping on the floor, falling directly from the ship and right into the ocean which flushes him all the way up to this for him still unknown island. Not quite an amazing story a sailor would like to tell to somebody, as it sounds more like the plot for some kind of sketch from a comedy show. And while explaining and forgetting his sorrows about the reaction he might get, he admits that he's not the greatest sailor, how he has to deal quite often with defeats although giving all the time his best. Coming to the end of what seemed to be a short explanation of his life, Gulliver took a deep breath and look to Stitches, who stand there, not saying a word, listening carefully what the seagull has to say. "Well, and here I am now. That's the story of good old Gulliver! Pretty dumb, right, haha", Gulliver finished nervously while preparing himself in the same time for the mockery he could get from his new acquaintance. 

"Dumb? That's not dumb at all!", Stitches contradicts. "First of all, not everyone could work on a ship, being surround by the ocean the whole time, stuffin'. I know plenty of people who can't even go on a ship while getting seasick after being on there for just a few minutes. And you are there, the whole time! Even working, putting all your effort into it while also traveling around the world, far away from home! That's so cool! You might have some faults, but nobody is perfect! I mean, if I am being honest, I'm also kinda clumsy and put myself in all kind of funny situations. For example, I can't go alone into the water anymore without supervision after that one accident with that shark happened a while ago, hehehe." The teddy bear blushes, as he scratches with one paw the back of his head while showing a bit of embarrassment. "I think you are a great sailor, stuffin'!", Stitches finished with a big smile in his face. "I... I... huh...". Gulliver was in fact surprised, for the first time someone didn't make fun of him, instead someone appreciates his work and even understands what he feels. All the time, he saw himself as a sort of loser. Perhaps he put himself way too often in a negative light? Yes, he has faults, but Stitches is right, others have faults too. And when the seagull thinks about it, the crew and even the captain made mistakes in the past. He might be clumsy and silly, but the others are also not better. A smile comes up in Gulliver's face, his eyes sparkles and a feeling of happiness comes up. "Thank you, kid!", Gulliver responds, "that cheered me up a lot". 

Stitches smiles, then asks: "So, what are you going to do now?"."Oh, right! Wait, where did I... Aha!". Gulliver searches in his pockets and pulls out his communication device which he got from a dear friend a while ago. "I will just call the crew using my handy-dandy... oh... M-my, uh... OH MY GOSH! My handy-dandy communicator is broken! This isn't handy OR dandy! Aw, sardines! It's all cracked and busted, even missing some parts too. They must be somewhere here on the beach, oh what am I going to do, this will take forever to find them!". "Don't worry, I will help ya!" Stitches replies, full of confidence to find the missing parts. "Oh, really? You would help me?". "Yep! I'll go grab my shovel and will start searching, just wait here and leave it to me, stuffin'!". The bear cub starts with the search while Gulliver waits at his spot and turns his attention to the ocean. After all what happened, he was glad that he ended up here and he promised to himself to be more confident. After a while, Stitches returns with a handful of parts, Gulliver was able to fix his device and called the crew. A hour later, a huge elderly ship arrived on the beach, Gulliver says goodbye to his new friend and promise to write him a letter before he enters the ship where the captain and the crew already waiting for the seagull. Stitches waves goodbye while the ship slowly takes it's direction, behind him a crowd of other residents of the island, wondering what's going on.

Two weeks later, Stitches walks around the beach when he spots yet again a person lying there, not sure what their condition might be. He runs to the person, takes a closer look and ask with his squeaky voice: "Hey, hey you! Are you alright?". The mysterious person suddenly jumps up, looks around and gets shocked when they spot the colorful teddy bear. "Oh, you seem to be alright, stuffin'! I was worried! I'm Stitches, nice to meet ya! And who are you?".

"...Arrr! Ahoy, youngster! I be Captain Gullivarrr, legendary pirate, feared for all manner of dreadful gullduggery!", the person respond. "Arrr! So tell me, where am I?".

Fin~



Spoiler: Note



Phew, finally finished this. I wrote more than I planned to write, lol. First of all, sorry if this story is not so great and may contains grammar errors etc., I'm not good in terms of writing long texts. In fact, this is the first time where I made a fan fiction/short story (whatever you would like to call it). The idea came up while playing NH this morning, where I found Gulliver on the beach. He's probably my all-time favorite NPC and I always wanted to know more about him. I decided to pick Stitches as the second character because he's right now a villager I would like to get for my island. Besides I always saw him as a curious kid who says what he thinks. I hope you like my attempt and thanks for reading!


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## Chris (Jan 17, 2021)

I've had a couple of messages about this so figured I'd clarify: yes, the fact the rules for this event are missing the usual "no editing" rule is deliberate. This means you can edit spelling and grammatical errors without being penalised or needing to contact me first. Keep in mind that this is applicable only to this contest.

I'll add this to the FAQ when I am on a computer.


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## JellyBeans (Jan 17, 2021)

*the first snowfall* (Erik's pov)
I've never really been one for early mornings; I much prefer to stay wrapped up cozy in my duvet, absorbing every last bit of good dreams and warmth that I can. I mean really, what joy do people find in waking up before the sun has even risen? What's the point? I'm perfectly content in my routine of waking up a bit later than everyone else, and it's great because by the time I'm ready for the day everyone else is already awake and outside! Much more fun that being alone for hours on end. Besides, the bugs under my bed would get lonely if I left them too soon.

But today something is different. I wake up and there's no light fighting its way through my curtains, not even the feeble grey rays that push through on a gloomy day. I check my clock. 6:54 am. Way, way too early. I turn over in bed and pull the duvet firmly around me, cocooning myself in. And yet for some reason sleep doesn't drag me down like it usually does. I find myself lying on my back, staring at the ceiling, thinking, waiting. Is this what it's like to wake up early? Olive's always telling me I should try it sometime. She says "the world is so much quieter before everyone's awake, sweet pea". I listen closely, and all I can hear is the sea gently lapping against the shore. No soft crunch of paws against the grass, frosty from the cold nights. No gentle hum of activity from visitors setting themselves up in front of resident services. No thud of a seagull washing up ashore.

I lie there for a while, taking in the silence, and decide to pull back the curtain a little. To my astonishment, small flakes of snow are being whipped around in the air, before clinging gently to the blades of grass. This feels like the sign I needed to get out of bed. As I scramble to find my warmest jumper, I have vivid flashbacks to being a young deer, my mother dragging me out to play in the first snow of the year. She insisted it was the true sign winter had finally arrived.

Jumper now on, I open the door and am immediately greeted with a blast of cool air. I welcome it, feeling it enter my lungs and wake me up more. I am, after all, still very much not a morning person. I leave the house without a plan but find myself inexplicably drawn towards the mountains, away from the usual hustle and bustle of the neighbourhood and the shops. I walk slowly, slowly, marvelling at the snow that's falling more and more heavily as I go. I tilt my head up to the sky and stick my tongue out, childishly trying to catch as many flakes as I can. Once again I am reminded of my childhood, chasing my siblings around as I ducked away from the onslaught of snowballs. I grin fondly and continue moving, across the river and up the ramp to the highest point of the island.

It's still very early, the darkness enveloping me like a cosy hug as I look out over the cliff and beyond, the sea stretching out as far as the eye can see and further. At a loss of what to do now that I've made it here, I decide to further indulge my childhood self and build a snowman. Enough snow has built up now to make some decent sized snowballs, and it continues to fall thick and fast. It builds up on my antlers, weighing them down, my eyelashes, causing it to tickle my cheeks when I blink, my jumper - everywhere. Before I know it I'm heaving the head onto the body. I gather some sticks and rocks from the nearby orchard and use them to give my new friend a face and some arms. I consider going home to get him a scarf and hat, but I've suddenly lost all my energy the initial excitement of snow seemed to fuel me with. I sit on the edge of the cliff, feet dangling over the edge, and just look. The sun is beginning to peep over the sea, painting the sky a hundred different shades of pink and orange. As my snowman and I watch the sun rise over the island on the 'official first day of winter', I feel entirely at peace with the world. I lean against a neighbouring tree and feel my eyes begin to drift shut, the early start combined with utter relaxation overwhelming me all at once.

Maybe early mornings aren't so bad after all.



Spoiler



I had a second idea I was going to try out but I *know* that if I write that too I'll never decide which to enter so hopefully this was the right choice! everyone's entries so far are amazing though, I'm just hoping for that cool feather  or an egg.. anything really


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## piske (Jan 17, 2021)

*“Little Star”*​
The leaves of the trees began to turn from green to yellow, then to brown, before silently floating down to their resting place on the ground. A small nest of twigs and hay was perched high in an oak tree. It was a cold, clear night in autumn, a shooting star sparkled through the air, and a small hoot rang out into the quiet.

The mother owl peered into the nest, the tiny speckled egg shook, a small crack appearing on the surface. Another shake, and the crack opened wide, a small yellow beak protruded through the opening. The mother owl ruffled her feathers in anticipation and anxiousness, though she dare not help. The beak poked along the large crack until finally, jagged pieces of porcelain shell fell into the nest, and a petite magenta owl emerged. The small owlet quickly spied her mother, her bright black eyes shining like little pieces of obsidian. The mother owl stepped delicately into the nest, wrapping her wing around the owlet. From her other wing, the mother owl produced a thin strip of pink satin. Using her beak and talon, she expertly fashioned the piece of satin into a small bow. She gripped it with her beak and gently placed it onto the owlet's downy head. The little owlet beamed up at her mother, as she gently nestled into her warm wing.

A small shadow could be seen in the distance, a slightly larger owlet was haphazardly zig-zagging through the air, heading towards the nest. "Dear, oh, dear! Sister is here!", the boy owlet cried. The mother owl looked up and let out a small coo, like a laugh. The boy owlet landed precariously on the edge of the nest, nearly losing his footing. "Sister!" he cried. The mother owlet tapped him with her other wing, "Calm down, Blathers, you'll scare your sister". Blathers took a deep breath and smoothed his feathers, using his talons to adjust his green bowtie that had gone askew. He peered down into the nest, two little obsidian discs staring back at him.

Another shooting star fell through the sky. "Mother", he started, "What will you name her? It's quite fortuitous to see so many shooting stars on the night of her birth!". The mother owl smiled and the girl owlet emerged further from under her mother's wing. Blathers gasped. "My! Her bow! Mother, how talented you are!", he shouted. The mother owl tapped him again. "Ah, yes, my apologies, Mother!" he whispered. Blathers moved closer to his mother and she gently extended her wing and pulled him close to her. "My two lovely children'', she cooed. "My little professor, and my little star". The girl owlet looked out into the night sky and saw another star dance down from the sky. "Welcome, Celeste'' said the mother owl. The girl owlet attempted to hoot, a sound like a tiny ringing bell. Blathers giggled. "Celeste," he said with a smile, "how wonderful".

The night grew colder, and the stars continued to cascade around them. The small owl family nestled together, a perfect night in autumn.


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## SpaceTokki77 (Jan 17, 2021)

*True Happiness*​ 
         It was a very dreary day. The snow from the previous storm hadn’t melted yet, and therefore was now a dark gray color due to all the footprints and mud. I had no motivation to get out of bed, so I stared out the window. Frost covered the thick glass in a tear shape. Life on the island wasn’t at all interesting. There wasn’t anything exciting, except betting on how many days the turnip prices would be only 63. And even that was negative because the prices were so low all the time. While staring blankly at the cloudy horizon, I noticed that the plot of land that I placed last week was now a house. A cute little cottage with smoke coming out of the chimney. Out of curiosity, I decided to go greet the new villager. I quickly got dressed in a warm sweater with flowers embroidered on it -the one my mom gave to me- and headed out the door. The dirty, gray snow crunched as I walked.

“Knock knock? Hello, i’m Lavender! Nice to meet you!,” The door of the new home creaked open, and there stood a pink octopus. She was wearing a pastel shirt with stars and a rainbow. She had a curious, yet cheerful expression on her face.


“Hi Lavender! I’m Marina,”


She invited me inside and held out a shiny tray of freshly baked chocolate peanut butter cookies.


“Help yourself! I made them with love,”


         My eyes widened and my mouth watered. Chocolate peanut butter cookies were my favorite! I stuffed two cookies in my mouth at once. They were so delicious! Marina giggled.

“You look like a squirrel storing acorns in it‘s cheeks!” She said.

We chatted for a while about books, techniques for growing gold roses, and baking cakes. Marina mentioned that she dreams of opening a bakery some day. I told her that I’d be the first customer.

Walking out the door, I noticed things that I hadn’t noticed before. The flowers that I planted last week had grown a lot! The sun came out! There was a spring in my step. I was thinking positively. All because of Marina.

         Every day after that, I stopped by Marina’s house. She was always baking, so I got to try a vast variety of goods. Pumpkin spice muffins, glazed lemon cookies, and chocolate banana bread, to name a few. Her house always smelled like fresh baked goods, yum! Whenever I was with her, I was happy. I had a reason to keep going. A reason to be glad. Things on the island were exciting now. They were colorful. They were happy! Marina also seemed cheerful. She was getting along with the other villagers very well, especially Coco. They had weekly book clubs and baking meets together, and sometimes Lolly even joined in on the fun. Everyone seemed joyful with Marina around, even old, cranky Octavian. It was then I knew that Marina had restored not only my happiness, but everyone else’s, too.


Spoiler: Author’s Note



I spent so long planning out this story! It took me a while to get it on the page too. I put my soul into this (Like Marina puts hers in her baked goods !) and I really hope you enjoy reading! Good luck to everyone


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## TheRevienne (Jan 17, 2021)

Mine's quite long, so I've put it in the spoiler below, hope you all like it!  It is less than 2000 words though! It’s about 1984 I think 




Spoiler: The Snow Child and The Fox



*The Snow Child and The Fox*

In northwest Russia, close to the border with Finland lies the Khibiny Mountains. Vast and tall, they stretch for approximately 500 square miles and are in a circular pattern. Nearby lie the villages of Khibiny, Apatity, Kirovsk, and Titan in the south, to the east lies the villages of Koashva, and Oktyabrsky, and the Lake Umbozero, to the north, lies Revda, and to the west lies Imandra and Lake Imandra.

On the outskirts of the village of Imandra, at the base of the mountain, lived a couple in their 60s. The couple had lived in Moscow for the majority of their lives, and seeking to enjoy the remainder of their years outside of the big cities, they moved to the Kola Peninsula, outside the arctic circle. Having visited the area on holidays when they were younger, they decided that this was the area where they wanted to settle when they retired.

Natalija was 61, she had grown up on a farm on the outskirts of Moscow, raising pigs and cows with her family. She moved to Moscow for her studies at university, she wanted to become a lawyer. She saw how her family struggled to make ends meet if the harvests were bad, and so she wanted to help them in any way she could. It was at university where she met Sergei, her eventual husband, he was a year older than her. He was tall and strong, his shoulders were broad, and he could carry a hefty amount. His temperament was nothing at all like his appearance, he was soft and gentle, and volunteered at animal charities in his spare time, helping raise the babies who had been orphaned. He empathized with them, he was an orphan too, his father who was a miner was involved in a mining accident, and his mother a few years later fell ill and passed away. He was taken into the care system at 12 and grew up with a couple in their 40's.

Children were important to Natalija and Sergei, they had known that they wanted to be parents since the relationship got serious, and tried many times to have a child of their own, Natalija had a problem with conceiving, and the couple was too busy with their jobs to consider fostering or adoption, as they wanted to be able to give the appropriate time and care to the child, and not just leave it up to a nanny.


It was Natalija and Sergei's first winter in the country, they had heard how dark, and cold it got in this part of the country, but they hadn't expected it to be quite so sudden, or severe. It was midday, and Sergei was chopping wood in the forest nearby when something hit him square on the back of his head. He turned in all directions, but couldn't see what had hit him. A figure appeared from behind one of the trees, and he was hit this time in the stomach. He squinted as the sun was getting quite low now, but he could see his wife falling about with laughter. The forest wasn't too far from their home, so he headed back, walking past his wife, he scowled, and muttered;

'You think that's funny do you?'

He put the ax down by the side of the shed, and the firewood by the front door as his wife headed towards him, her head low, and worried she had upset her husband. However, Sergei bent down, scooped together a clump of snow, and leaned back with his right side, and threw the snowball at his wife, who was quite surprised by the cold hitting her thigh as she walked. She stopped, looked at the pile of snow by her feet, and up at her husband, and laughed so hard.

They continued with the snowball fight for quite a while, ducking and hiding behind trees, when both of them appeared, holding up a white tissue as a means of surrender. Their noses and cheeks were red with the cold. They came towards each other and embraced, keeping each other warm.

'I've not felt so young in a long time Sergei!'

'Neither have I, now let's head inside and warm up!'

Natalija nodded, as they both headed inside, she put the saucepan on the open fire and filled it with milk, and added honey and spices. The smell of cinnamon and cloves filled the cabin where they lived. They sipped on their milky beverage when Sergei started to speak;

'It's coming to that time of year again Natalija, it'd be nice to have a little person to share Christmas with, imagine their little face when they see their presents, and that St. Nikolas has been for his brandy and Rudolph has eaten the carrot!'

'I know my sweet, how lovely that would be, but we're not getting any younger, and I don't know how we would cope looking after a little one now. If only we hadn't been so focused on our work...'

They both looked solemnly into the fire, and then as if a lightbulb had gone off in Sergei's mind, he sat up, grabbed his wife's hand, and led her to the door where they put on their coats and headed outside.

It was dark outside now, and bitterly cold, the only light came from the moon, casting her silvery glow over the land.

'What are we doing husband?'

'If we can't have a small person visit us, we shall make our own!' Sergei said with a smile.

The couple started to gather snow and roll it into a ball for the snow child's body, Sergei started to work on the child's head, as Natalija went inside to fetch one of her old coats, some mittens, a scarf, and a hat. After they had put all the clothes on the snow child, they realized they were missing the features. Sergei got some coal and a carrot for the eyes, mouth, and nose, as Natalija gathered some blonde straw for hair.

The couple stood back and admired their snow child, she looked perfectly imperfect. Her blonde straw hair, flowed down past her sides, the coat too big for her, but looked comfy and cozy all the same. The couple hugged their snow child, and got two of the kitchen stools from inside, and sat with her for a while, telling her their names, who they were, and they had their dinner outside, pretending to feed the snow child and share in the meal.

After a while, the moon had moved to the other side of the forest, and it was then they realized how late it was. They hugged and kissed their snow child goodbye, and headed inside to bed. Both went to sleep with smiles on their faces as they finally had the child they had wanted for so long.

Sergei awoke first the next morning, he got out of bed with a stretch and a yawn and headed to the kitchen to put water in the saucepan to boil. He looked out of the kitchen window, and the snow child had gone!

He knew it couldn't have melted as it was far too cold for that, nor was there any sign of it on the floor, or having been destroyed by an animal. He did see however a set of small footprints that headed through the forest. He didn't want to worry Natalija, so he put his coat, hat, boots, and scarf on and headed out himself to follow the footprints.

He followed them for a while, and soon the footprints became two sets of footprints, a small child’s, and pawprints. He continued, following the footprints, and ahead of him, he saw a flash of yellow and red. He called out, but what he had seen had gone. Sergei was getting colder, and hungrier, and the sun had moved to the other half of the sky, and so he headed back to the cabin, where he told Natalija all about the footprints, and the flash of yellow and red he'd seen.

Natalija wondered whether it was the magic of the moon that had brought their snow child to life, so the couple left clothes and some food by the edge of the forest for the child, hoping she would come back to get them, and that night they stood at the window and waited, and sure enough, she did.

She was small and slender, with long straight blonde hair. Her skin was pale, almost white, and her piercing blue eyes were almost the color of the sky. She had the large coat on which Natalija had given the snow child, and the large mittens, which were too large for her to be able to hold anything, so she took them off to eat the food. By her side was the culprit of the pawprints Sergei had seen. A small red fox was by her side, as she shared her food with it.

Sergei and Natalija debated about opening the door and going out, but they didn't want to scare her, so each night they set food out for the snow child and her fox. They did this for a few nights, and the last night they left her a note which read;

_'Hello little one,

We made a snow child a few nights ago, and we think it's you! We would very much like it if you would come inside to our cabin where it is nice and warm. If you would like that, then please knock on the door.

Sergei and Natlija'_

That night, the girl and her fox read the note, she came closer to the cabin than she had ever done, and pondered about coming inside. Sergei and Natlija had decided to not stand by the window as to scare her off, but Natalija, as she was stood washing the dishes, caught eye contact with the little girl, and smiled at her, the girl smiled back, and walked to the door, and knocked.

Sergei opened the door and welcomed the girl and her fox in, and Natalija cooked a hearty meal for them all with the spiced milk to drink. The foursome sat in silence while they ate until the little girl spoke;

'Thank you for the food. It's very kind of you to help us.'

The couple smiled and told her it was not a problem, Sergei was the first of the couple to ask her a question;

'What's your name little one? Does your fox have a name too?'

The girl nodded, and spoke softly;

'I am Irina, and this is Boris.' She said as she rubbed the fox's head.

'It's lovely to meet you Irina, and Boris, we're…' Natalija started to speak, but Irina stopped her,

'You're Sergei and Natalija, I know. I also know you made me because you can't have a child of your own. The moon saw how much love and care you put into making me, and with her magic, I came to life.'

Irina continued 'I was scared at first, the world was new and scary, but I found Boris here, and then saw you, Sergei soon after, and knew it would all be alright.'

Irina paused for a while, looked at Boris, and then the couple, and started to speak again,

'If it would be alright with you, could Boris and I live here, with you both?'

Sergei and Natalija couldn't contain their excitement, and immediately said yes!

From that day on, Sergei and Natalija lived with Irina and Boris in the cabin, Natalija would spend hours braiding, and playing with Irina's hair, Sergei taught her maths and science, and in the evenings they would play games, or go on walks to the village or around the forest.

All in all, they lived very happily together, and forever after.


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## oak (Jan 17, 2021)

"Old Friend"


Spoiler



Dim light from the morning sun was appearing along Usagi's island horizon. The early rising villagers awoke to a fresh blanket of snow settled outside covering the dirt paths around town. Gaston sat up from his straw bed, taking a second to peer out the frosty window. He grumbled to himself, seeing all the new snow that needed to be shoveled. He knew the other towns folks relied on him to keep the paths clear and safe during these harsh winter months.

Gaston let no time go to waste that morning and quickly headed out the door with his snow shovel. He worked his way on the paths around Usagi's park, taking a moment to stop half way and look across the river. On the other side sat a big house with over grown weeds outside and the mail box packed full. Gaston could see dust settled in the windows. It had clearly been a few months since the home owner had come to visit the villagers of Usagi. Gaston knew who owned the house, for he was one of his oldest friends. "Will you ever come back Noah?" Gaston said out loud to himself. No one in Usagi had seen the home owner, a human named Noah since before winter, leaving all the villagers feeling sad and forgotten. "Maybe he's just too busy to play with us anymore", Gaston thought sadly to himself. He knew Noah was taking time away to soul search but the island felt empty without his best human pal to spend time with. It was hard on the animal crossing villagers when it came time for their human friends to take a break or even possibly move on forever.

Gaston had let too much time past reminiscing over his friend Noah. He could see the other villagers leaving their houses in the distant yet their paths still left snow covered. Gaston knew he had to work fast shovelling the remaining snow around Usagi or else Nan might slip and hurt her hip. He worked surprisingly fast for an old rabbit, using work as a tool to forget his problems. It was just about lunch time when Gaston returned back to his humble house. He noticed his mailbox flashing, a fresh new letter waiting inside for him. "Now who could this be?", Gaston thought to himself as he dug around inside his mailbox. He pulled out a postcard, quickly looking to see who had sent him this unexpected mail. "To: Gaston, From: Noah" the postcard read. Gaston felt a smile grow on his face as he continued to read. 

"My grumpiest friend Gaston, how I have missed you and everyone in Usagi! Please forgive my absence for I have been busy working on the mainland. Tell everyone not to be sad without me, for we have all our great memories together! I will be returning to play again in the spring with all my animal friends. Spread the word!", wrote Noah on his post card.

Gaston felt relieved holding Noah's postcard in his paw. It had been the perfect timing. Even though these friends had spent months apart, he knew once they were all together again it would be like nothing had ever changed. His days of worrying whether his human friend would return to the island were over.


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## The Pennifer (Jan 18, 2021)

*A Winter Mystery*​

It was early winter morning on Pen’s island, cold and snowy outside, but warm inside her cozy kitchen.
Stretching and yawning Pen padded around the room on slippered feet.
As she turned her head and glanced out the window she noted the thickly falling snow against heavy grey skies. Switching on the espresso machine brought the welcome burble and the fragrant coffee aroma, which filled her senses with pleasurable anticipation. However, this morning Pen’s mind and heart remained heavy.
There was a problem that was deeply troubling her and it now came rushing up into Pen’s mind robbing her of her morning peace.
There was a thief on the island! Someone was stealing her golden roses!
At last count nine of her precious, coveted and carefully cultivated gold roses were missing. They had been ripped up from the garden bed each time leaving only a gaping ragged-edged hole!
Who could have done this!?
Pen loved all her island villager friends so much ... could one of them be guilty, and if so, who and why? This was indeed a sad and painful problem.
She needed to go out to check her gold rose bed again. Perhaps it had all been a horrible mistake and her precious roses would still be there, nodding their golden heads at her from their garden bed, right where they should be.
With her coffee warm in her belly Pen belted on her stylish Gracie Labelle coat, donned her lace-up boots and winter hat and stepped out into the snowy morning. Her warm breath made puffs in the air as she hurried over to check her garden, her footfalls crunching in the snow and sending up little frigid whiffs of cloud with each step.
As she passed by several of the villager houses she automatically looked upward to check which way the chimney smoke was drifting. She customarily did this for indication of balloon travel direction. Merengue’s chimney was sending soft smoke billows westward and her pretty pink curtained windows glowed warmly. Further along Raymond’s house was still and dark but Reneigh’s windows were lighted up invitingly, as were Diana’s.
Up ahead was the waterfall with its thundering cascade. Pen paused for a moment to admire the beauty of the winter icy mist that appeared and then dissipated above the stillness of its created plunge pool. It never failed to delight, but today she hurried on, too full of anxiety and with no time to linger in appreciation.
Around the corner and just over the bridge was her prized rose bed and as she approached her heart sank to its lowest depths. Another gaping hole! One more missing rose! This was the tenth golden rose to vanish in as many days.
A sob caught in Pen’s throat as she surveyed the garden bed in dismay. Anger, confusion, and sadness overwhelmed her. She hardly knew what to do or what to think.
With her head bent low she kept on walking. Maybe she would find some answers somewhere. Scanning the ground revealed no clues. Any kind of tracks would have been covered over with the fresh blanket of snow that was still coming down. Absently Pen noted the bigger dancing snowflakes in amongst the thickly falling smaller flakes but this was not a time for netting attempts.
Near the courtyard she saw Marina and Marshall with their heads together in conversation but she trudged on past them.
Heading for the beach she began to pass along in front of the steep cliffs lining the north part of her island. Tall cedars dropped little drifts of snow on her as she brushed past them, when suddenly; Pen caught a golden glint out of the corner of her eye. She stopped dead in her tracks and backed up a step or two. Yes! There it was again! A flash of gold. Peering at the cliff wall she could just make out a tall, upwardly narrow crevice and the glinting gold light seemed to originate from there. What could this be!? She knew she needed to try and squeeze through in order to check it out. Flattening herself as much as possible and taking three sideways steps through the almost imperceptible and narrow crevice she squeezed through and found herself in a small clearing she had never seen before - one bathed in golden light. The golden light was being reflected from her missing gold roses! And something else! Rather, someone else!
There was Raymond!
Blushing and stammering he faced the incredulous Pen. “Oh d-dear! Hullo, Pen!”
“So this is why your windows were still dark!” Pen exclaimed. “And this is where you are, and here are all my missing roses! Raymond, what is the meaning of all this!?”
He peered earnestly up at Pen through his heavy glasses, his one green and one brown eye expressing the conflicting emotions of shyness, embarrassment and love.
“Please don’t be angry with me, Pen!”
He stepped to the side and gestured to his work, and there were all of her missing roses, yes, but this time Pen noticed that they were planted in the shape of a heart!
“I was preparing a special surprise for you because I love you so much, and am so happy that you invited me to live here on your island!
I didn’t think you would mind a few missing roses since they will propagate and fill in after a while ... they will do that, won’t they?”
Pen hardly knew what to reply to Raymond. “Oh you little silly Billy! No, sadly, golden roses don’t self propagate but that’s okay. When I see what you have done and why you did it, how could I be angry?
And now, not to worry! I will simply try to grow some more, and meanwhile we can just relax and enjoy your creative handiwork. This has been a truly wonderful surprise, in fact delightful! ... It has greatly eased my troubled heart!“

And with that Pen and Raymond linked arms and gazed around the small clearing bathed in the golden light of her precious roses as the falling snow sifted in from high above, completing a perfect little hidden winter landscape.


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## Pokey_Games (Jan 18, 2021)

Loving everyone's entries so far. Here is mine, it's 1,995 words and I'm calling this Second Chances.

☺
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A buzzing of static came over the intercom. “Welcome to Athena airport. The time is 7.30pm and the storm still wages on. Please collect your luggage ASAP and you will be escorted to Residential Services where Mr Tom Nook will show you to your new home. Delta Oscar Delta Oscar is go.
        A smile of pure excitement swept over my face as I peered out of the rain covered window one last time.  A feeling of calm swept over me, as I remembered seeing the ocean as we landed, and I felt my shoulders begin to relax. I had done it; I had actually managed to leave the buzz of the city behind. Here I could be anything I wanted; I had a new chance at life. 
       I grabbed my small bag from the overhead compartment, swung it over my shoulder and walked down the plane. The plane wasn’t overly packed, a few faces scattered in the row of seats here and there. I had met a lovely squirrel earlier named Hazel as we had boarded the plane, I chucked to myself remembering the story she had told me about her family, and how she had ended her story with a mighty ‘uni-wow’.  

“Hey Pokey! Make sure you come and find me once you’re settled in okay?”
       I smile and wave goodbye before stepping out of the door. Big fat juicy droplets of rain immediately hit me in the face, and my glasses instantly becoming unbearable to see through. Grabbing onto the side of the railing I carefully headed down the stairs of the plane and headed towards the airport exit.

*****​
I jumped as an awful clap of thunder sounded far too close. Now what way was I supposed to go? I could have sworn that the man behind the desk had told me to go left. Somehow the rain seemed to come down harder as I tried to make my way through the bamboo trees that were scattered around my path. Shielding my eyes into the crook of my arm for just a moment to try and get them to stop stinging but it was no use. I didn’t see the large thing in front of me as I crashed into it and tumbled to the ground sending my glasses flying onto the ground somewhere.
       “Arghhhh! Watch where you’re going!”
I panicked realizing I hadn’t just crashed into just anything; I had crashed into another being. “I’m sorry! I can’t see” I shout over another loud burst of thunder, clenching my eyes tightly shut and swatting the ground to try and find my glasses.
       “Can’t see? Can’t see? I gathered that when you crashed into me! I’ll be having words with that trash panda in the morning about the type of no goodens' he lets in here.”
       “I’m sorry. Can you help me find my glasses? Please?”
The voice mumbled in front of me but I could only just make out some of the words that they were saying. “Sorry…See… Glasses…For nothing…I oughta…” after what seemed like an eternity I felt a hand on my own. “Here.” Snapped what I had bumped into.
       My glasses where cracked but I could now see the shape in front of me was a green goat with brown hair. Even though he only had three eyelashes on his blue eyes he had no problem with seeing through the rain. The man stared down at me grumpily. “You’re trespassing. Get off my land.”
       “I’m lost. I didn’t mean to walk on to your land.”
“They never do.” He stomped off in front of me and had gotten a couple of feet ahead before he stopped, and let out a huff. “Are you going to follow me or not?” 
I scrambled to get up off the muddy and wet floor and ran after him.
       “Stupid Nook. I’ve been on at him for months now to put up better signs around the airport, but will he listen to me? No, never does. Super crook more like.” He huffed again under his breath, as I struggled to keep up with him. 
       “Have you lived here on Athena long?” I tried asking the goat but he ignored me and carried on his ranting as we were finally clear of the bamboo and I could see a large field full of wet flowers and bright lights. The goat stopped suddenly as I was admiring the flowers, not noticing I crashed into the back of him. He spun to face me angrily and pointed his stubby hoof in my face. “You! Go right up this path and then go right. Even you can miss the building; it’s the big one with the big purple roof!”
       “Thank you, and I’m sorry about-”
The goat cut me off with a “Bleh eh eh” and pushed past me. I watched him as he disappeared through the bamboo trees. Great, I thought to myself. I’ve not even been here 20 minutes, and I’ve already made an enemy.

*****​
After my eventual arrival on Athena the time that had passed was uneventful. I had settled into life on Athena, and it was now winter time. I had eventually learned the name of the mysterious goat that I had crashed into on my first night on the island. His name was Gruff. Gruff was one of the islands oldest villagers, he owned Athena’s largest farm and produced most of the grown items on the island. Of course ever since that night Gruff had avoided me at every chance he got. Well Gruff avoided everyone, he didn’t like anyone and I soon stopped taking offence to his cranky nature and let him get on with it. Hazel and I had become thick as thieves. Our homes and gardens had come on beautifully, and I was grateful to have a friend like her on the island. Lots of people seemed to come and go on the island. Some people moved in for a few days, others where here for longer, and for a while there seemed to be a thick aurora of uncertainty on Athena and buildings randomly moved and reappeared randomly overnight. Hazel assured me that she had no interest in moving off the island no matter how homesick she got or how much she missed her nieces, Athena was our home now and we were honorary sisters. That’s why when she told me she was going home for our first Toy Day on the island I was saddened. My first Christmas on the island and I would be spending it alone.  

*****​
“You know…” Begun Hazel. “You and I are our lucky, we found each other at the beginning but not everyone here is as lucky as us. Sometimes those who have the meanest exterior are often the loneliest uni-wow.”
       “Where are you going with this?” I asked her as I put down one of the bags that I had been carrying for her in front of the airport. 
“I know you’re sad about me going home and even though I’m going home to be with my family I don’t want you to be alone. So I got this”
        She paused while she dug into her red bag and pulled out a small box that was neatly wrapped. “You already gave me my present?” I reminded her. “I did. This one is for someone else.” I took the box from her. “Say it’s from you.” I looked at her confused and glanced down at the label. “Gruff? Hazel I can’t he hates me, you know that!” I told her sounding like I was almost whining. “He doesn’t hate you, he’s just misunderstood and you’re wonderful! So what your first meeting with him wasn’t the best, but that doesn’t mean you both can’t be friends. I can’t be your only friend on the island, as much I would love to be, but look how sad you are to be left alone here.”
       I knew what she was saying made sense, Gruff and I had gotten off on the wrong foot, and months had passed and it really did seem like he hated me but maybe that’s just how the cranky old goat was, and he must be just as lonely pushing everyone else away all the time. Maybe we did have something in common after all. If Hazel hadn’t approached me before we had gotten on that plane that bought us here, I would have been Gruff. I knew I would have been. Me and others never really got on and I did always seem to push others away to avoid being hurt. 
       “Fine, just for you. What is it anyway?” I asked her as I passed her the other bag I was holding. “It’s a small flute. Rocket told me she helped deliver a bunch of musical equipment to his house when he first moved to the island. Just one last thing uni-wow. Make sure to bring him one of your peach pies. If the flute doesn’t win him over then the pie definitely will!” She chuckled as she picked up the first bag I had dropped on the floor, hugged me and headed into the airport.

*****​
The smell of the warm peach pie I had freshly baked filled the air from the basket I was carrying on my arm. I felt nervous as I made my way through the bamboo trees and up the path on to Gruff's farm. The farm was beautiful, there appeared to be turnips, cauliflowers, watermelon, cacao trees and so many other crops. I laughed as I saw 2 little puppies barking at bugs as I walked through the pumpkin patch and up the ramp to his house. I stood nervous in front of his door for what seemed like an unnecessarily amount of time. Just when I was about to knock, the door whooshed open. “Well? Are you going to stand there all day staring at my door or did you want something?” Gruff glared at me, his face softened as the smell of the peach pie hit his nose as I lifted the basket off my arm. “I have a Christmas gift for you, and I thought you might like one of my peach pies.” I smiled.
       “Ah so you’re the pie maker. I had heard some of the others talking and had wondered….”
“Yup… that’s me…” I muttered off. “Well then, I suppose you had better come in.” he stood to the side of the door and signaled for me to come in. Hazel had been right his house was of musical instruments. I pulled the gift from off the top of the basket and handed it to him as he closed the door. “Here.” I muttered putting down the basket on the grey counter and turning to face him.
       His eyes lit up as he opened the small present and pulled out a small box and revealed a small flute. “How did you know?” “Just a lucky guess, I guess…” “I had one just like this when I was small child my brother Billy and I each had one just like this…Thank you”
       “You’re welcome… Anyway I should be off. Please let me know sometime how you like the pie and keep the basket, it might come in handy around the farm.”
       “Nonsense. No way am I going to eat a delicious pie that big to myself, bleh eh eh! Stay.”

*****​
The stars where twinkling brightly in the sky as we said our goodbyes. Gruff and I had laughed and talked for hours as we shared the pie and had gotten to know each other properly. I apologized again for our first meeting, and he apologized for being cranky and promised to take Hazel and I fishing in the New Year.
       “Thanks Kiddo.” He said smiling, as he waved me off at his door. 

*****​That night I fell asleep happier than I had in the longest time ever.


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## Lt.Savior (Jan 18, 2021)

I've read all the stories now. Oh boy the jury is getting a hard time selecting the top 3. I'm glad i'm up-to-date now. And am excited to see all the new entry's. All entry's gave me such a warm and positive feeling. Winter and Animal Crossing is a perfect for match for stories!


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## Roxxy (Jan 18, 2021)

Ok, I tried so hope its good enough for participation 


Spoiler



New Year's Eve

Whitney looked into her dressing table mirror and smiled at her reflection. How was it possible to feel happy and sad at the same time? It has been such a lovely day.

Julian and Whitney had been the closest of friends for many years. They had somehow, over the years, ended up neighbours and built up a strong friendship. They were opposites who brought out the best in each other. Whitney was always shy and insecure and hid behind a cool frosty façade. She was always in awe of Julian’s natural confidence. It drew her  like a moth to a flame. He was a very special person in her life who she would always adore.

It was New Years Eve and the residents of Bayside had all been in a joyful mood. In the morning everyone had met up by the town hall to find Isabelle giving out party hats! The party atmosphere was contagious and even though it was early morning Stiches decided to set off some fireworks and Audie handed out the party poppers. Erik suggested that everyone went ice skating. It was such fun and that deer could certainly skate. He whizzed over the ice at the speed of light. Whitney was a little unsteady on her feet as she had never been able to skate and was frightened of making a fool of herself. She shouldn’t have worried as her good friend Julian was always beside her to look after her. He took her hand and guided her slowly over the ice. She felt so carefree and safe beside him that, for a moment, she didn’t feel awkward or self- conscious.

When it began to get dark, everyone went back to their homes to get ready for the New Years Eve fireworks. Whitney decided to knock on Julian’s door so they could walk to the town square together. He opened the door and she caught her breath, he looked so handsome in his midnight blue velvet jacket that matched his gorgeous eyes. She took a deep breath and smiled as they walked and chatted together.

The fireworks were spectacular, everyone gasped as they lit up the night sky. The islanders were all caught up in the excitement and were in a party mood. It was a happy fun night enjoyed by all. As the countdown to Midnight began, Whitney became quiet and thoughtful. What a year it had been. She felt content and happy surrounded by her friends in her new home. 5-4-3-2-1 HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Julian appeared beside Whitney and hugged her from behind. “Happy New Year dear friend”. He handed her a glass of sparkling cider and they clinked glasses. Her very dearest friend. She felt totally blessed to have him in her life.

As they walked home together, Whitney took Julian’s hand and glanced up at him. Moving to Bayside, meeting such a wonderful group of friends and having Julian back in her life. She was a very lucky wolf. Smiling to herself she let out a small sigh, 2021 was going to be a good year, she just knew it!


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## onionboy98 (Jan 18, 2021)

I decided to make a short story for children with a winter theme. Hope you like it.

*Roscoe and Bun-bun Play in the Snow*


Hello humans. My name is Roscoe. I'm a baby snake. I love my best friend Bun-bun. He's a bunny. I also love my mommy. She's a doggy.
It's snowing today. My mommy said I can play in the snow with Bun-bun. So we're going to play today.
Let's go sledding. First we go up the hill. I have to carry Bun-bun because he doesn't like to walk up the hill.
Next we get on the sled and push push push. My mommy pushed me and Bun-bun so we don't have to. My mommy is so nice.
Now we go down the hill. We were going really fast. I was really scared, but Bun-bun had a lot of fun. I like it when Bun-bun has fun.
Now it's time to go skating. First we need to put on our skates and our helmets. I can't wear skates because I don't have any feet.
We need to be safe because the ice is slippery and hard.
Next we got on the ice. Bun-bun wanted me to hold his hand because he doesn't know how to skate. We fell a few times, but we kept trying.
Now it's time to make snow angels. We have to lay down and spread out our arms and legs. But wait. I don't have any arms or legs.
Oh no. I'm so sad because I can't make snow angels.
Bun-bun said I can make snow snakes. Now I'm happy. Snakes are cool, and Bun-bun is even cooler.
After making snow snakes, me and Bun-bun went inside. It is very cold today. My mommy made us some hot chocolate with whipped cream and marshmallows. It was so yummy that Bun-bun wanted more.

When we finished our hot chocolate, me and Bun-bun went back outside to make a snowman. First we rolled up three snowballs and put them on top of each other. Then we gave him two eyes made out of buttons, a nose made out of a carrot, and two arms made of twigs.
Bun-bun wanted the snowman to come to life like Frosty, so we looked and looked but couldn't find a magic hat anywhere. Our snowman didn't come to life, but we still named him Frosty.
After we played with our snowman, my mommy said it was almost time to eat dinner. Me and Bun-bun both went inside. My mommy ate steak, I ate a mouse made of marshmallows, and Bun-bun ate some lettuce.
Me and Bun-bun felt sleepy after we ate. We went straight to bed. My mommy tucked me and Bun-bun under the blanket. Then she kissed me on the forehead and said good night. Then she did the same thing for Bun-bun.
I said good night to my mommy and to my best friend Bun-bun. In a few minutes, I was fast asleep. I dreamed about what tomorrow would be like. I really hope it snows again tomorrow. If it does, me and Bun-bun can play again.
Good night humans.
-Roscoe


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## justina (Jan 18, 2021)

Haven't written anything in a while but I had fun with this!


It was a rainy afternoon.
My sister is coming over!” said Chrissy to Whitney.
Chrissy turned on the music to Bubblegum K.K. and started to dance as she stirred the pot of potato soup on the stove.
Whitney rolled her eyes at the music.
“You and her would get along great!” Chrissy said in a high pitched voice.
“If she talks like that I doubt it...” Whitney said.
"You both really would, she’s actually just like you” Chrissy said
“How so?” Whitney asked
“Let me tell you one of my favorite stories....”

One day we both decided to take the train and go shopping at the Marketplace. It was a beautiful sunny day. Francine was very excited about shopping at this very expensive clothing store owned by this rich Giraffe named Gracie. It was all she could talk about. Francine loved fashion and Gracie sold only the best. The store was even having a special sale for the end of the season- 50% off! Well on the way to the store there was a little pink kangaroo that was crying and running in circles.
“Help! I can’t find my mommy!” She cried in distress.
Francine decided to stop and talk to her.
The little kangaroo said “Help! I’m lost I can’t find my mommy and I’m hungry!”
“Where did you last see her?” Francine asked.
“I don’t know!” She cried
Francine took her hand and went to get her something to eat. After we ate we went over to the police station but the officer on duty Cooper was going to put the little kangaroo with the lost items and didn’t want to call anybody!
Francine and I feeling hopeless left the station. Outside the station we saw a missing child poster with the little girls face on it! Francine got out her Nookphone and called the number. The girls mom, named Marcie answered the phone. Marcie had been looking for her for hours and was happy to hear that she was safe. She wanted to thank us with a cup of coffee and meet us at the Roost. We ended up talking for hours and Marcie was very appreciative and happy her little girl was safe. By the time we got out Gracies store was closed, and our train was leaving.
“Aren’t you upset you missed the sale?” Chrissy asked
“There are more important things than fashion Karat” she said.
Chrissy was happy that even though at times her sister seemed stuck up she was always willing to help other animals in need.

“See she is just like you, into fashion and always willing to help others!” Chrissy said
“I can’t wait to meet her” Whitney said
Chrissy portioned the soup in the bowls and heard a knock on the door.
Whitney went to answer it and Francine had brought gifts for both Chrissy and Whitney. Before dinner they both opened up the gifts and inside were cream colored sweaters from Gracies latest line!
“I love her already!” Whitney said smiling.
Whitney ended up talking with Francine for hours about everything fashion to how annoying and uncultured they thought some villagers were.


Chrissy smiled as she cleaned up and was happy to bring two friends together.


The end


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## xara (Jan 18, 2021)

@Vrisnem, i’ve got a quick question; hopefully you haven’t already answered it and i just missed it >_<. i was wondering if the method that’s been used to accept contest entries in the past (the “A” symbol) is going to be used for this event as well or if it’s safe to say that all stories have been accepted so far? hopefully this makes sense aha.


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## Chris (Jan 18, 2021)

xara said:


> @Vrisnem, i’ve got a quick question; hopefully you haven’t already answered it and i just missed it >_<. i was wondering if the method that’s been used to accept contest entries in the past (the “A” symbol) is going to be used for this event as well or if it’s safe to say that all stories have been accepted so far? hopefully this makes sense aha.


None of the entries so far have been reviewed. I have exams this week so I won't start reviewing entries until Friday at the earliest. When they are accepted the green 'A' react will be used on your post to let you know.


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## Blink. (Jan 18, 2021)

Gonna slip this here then run back to lurking in the museum.

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Lloid works hard.

For quite some time, we call on a gyroid. With such short stature, you'd think he would be a small part of the island community. A polite pocket-sized fellow, a lighthearted little guy. Atop his head, a yellow hard hat. With a blank face and hollow eyes, he dances, and dances. 

Springtime. The cherry-blossoms tumbling in the wind, villagers mingling under pink trees. A local museum curator enjoying his sleep in the shade, two aspiring business tanukis frolicking on the grass, and the resident secretary enjoying the fresh air. You wouldn't think that across the river, there was a certain gyroid doing his best.

There stood a gyroid of tan complexion, maybe an inch or two taller than the red tulips beside him, half the height of most of the villagers. His eyes were blank, his mouth agape. Unlike other gyroids, however, he was much more unique. He had a construction worker's helmet, he could even speak, but he'd be spoken to only a couple of times a day. Though the island was large and bustling with life, Lloid the gyroid would quietly take care of the local's construction donations.

He'd stand next to the bridge plot, which was comfortably close to the river, as the weather was kind with the gentle breeze, sweet aroma of the flowers, and warm hugs from the sun throughout the day. The nights were peaceful and the crickets were just pleasant noise. So for days at a time and sometimes more than a week, Lloid would hold 1 or 2 pouches of bells given to him by several residents. Holding the pouches tightly and guarding them every night, it'd only be until the island representative came by with a hefty contribution to get construction finally started. Spring wasn't too bad.

Then summer would come along as the weather could not make up its mind. Lloid was tasked again with guarding the construction plot and collecting donations, but the heat was unbearable. Several of the villagers would greet Lloid and donate tens of bells, but at the end of the day, they'd be cooling off at home while Lloid would stay at the scorching plot, protecting a bag as heavy as a bug. As summer went on, so did the humidity. The island was no stranger to rain, and boy did it rain. The winds would be harsh, tossing and turning the foliage around Lloid. The tree branches falling all around him as water pelted onto his face. Lloid did not fret as he merely wrapped his arms around the bell pouches and survived through summer storms.

Lloid even knew it was just the beginning as autumn came around. Autumn was rude to Lloid. To a gyroid of small stature, the leaves would pile onto him. The storms would return as it'd get increasingly bitter while the rain was like ice on your skin. The fall season seemed dreadful to Lloid, but there he stood. Just below the orange and red leaves, his little arms holding the pouches of bells as if holding on for dear life.

It's winter now as the villagers are all in their homes for the holidays. Layers upon layers of snow rest on the island as Lloid is resting by the construction plot. It may be cold, but it's silent.  A slightly chilly breeze and snowflakes fall by the tired gyroid. Winter has unexpected tidings for Lloid. The island brought no snowstorms, but the sun would greet him with warm hugs and clear skies, the villagers would come by with hot cocoa and carols, even the snow would softly fall around him as he quietly watched. 

He'd hold the 1 or 2 pouches of bells with care and make sure the residents get their bridges and their inclines because he, too, is a resident of the island. The island representative will come by soon and donate the rest of the construction fees and even give Lloid a nice break. The island wouldn't have all these bridges if it weren't for him. Plus she heard he loved spring. 

With all the bridges built and inclines made this year, he deserved a break.

For you see, 
Lloid worked hard.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Spoiler: author's note



this short narrative was based on a comic I made when ACNH was first released. Lloid is my favorite NPC and he deserves so much love ;~;


​


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## SpaceTokki77 (Jan 18, 2021)

Blink. said:


> Gonna slip this here then run back to lurking in the museum.
> 
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------​
> Lloid works hard.
> ...


omg qhwisndjsisjd i never thought about Lloid like that 
tysm for blessing us with this amazing writing piece!


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## OtakuTrash (Jan 18, 2021)

A Sisterly Snow​
         Ramen sat, looking out her window. The flat expanse of her small-but-loved island was covered in pure white. Snow sprinkled from the sky like falling, icy stars. Watching her villagers frolic in the snow outside, Ramen sighed. She wanted to go outside and play in the freshly fallen flakes very badly, but she didn’t have anyone to play with. Of course she had her villagers, but Ramen could never work up the courage to ask them if she could join in on the fun... It didn’t occur to her that she could call Lavender, her sister, until a bright yellow plane landed by her airport. 
“Hello there, BALD-” Lavender started to say, but was cut off by Ramen blowing a tweeter to silence her. 
“Silence, MORTAL!” Shouted Ramen. Lavender picked up a cold, white snowball, and hurled it at Ramen. Ramen looked at her in frustration.

 “Wow, Ramen. That face was unnecessary. I came to build your snow-boy for personal profit.”

 “It’s MY ISLAND! I didn’t even open my gates!”  

 “Well someone did. I bet it was the ghosts. Well, I’m going to pick your flowers now... BYE!”

 “GET BACK HERE!” Ramen screamed with anger. 

“Can we at least play in the snow?” asked Lavender.

 “Fine.” 

        Slowly, the chaotic pair stepped off the shoveled entrance and onto the snow-covered grass. It was so freezing, that Ramen was able to feel it through her boots. So much for those “Cold-proof slip ons!”, 100,000 bells, wasted. While Ramen was mourning over her money, Lavender scooped up a handful of icy frost. She shaped it into a round sphere, and threw it at Ramen with all of her might. 
“Ouch! What was that for?”

 “Crying ain’t gonna fix those boots or get your bells back, you know!”

 “Okay, just don’t throw those things at me. Let’s try to have a fun time without hurting each other,”

  To shelter from the cold, the sisters went inside Ramen’s house. 

“I’m bored,” Sighed Lavender. 

“It’s literally been two seconds,” 

“I’m still bored,” 

“Whatever,” 

          Ramen turned on the TV, hoping it would silence Lavender. To her relief, it did. A show called “Cooking With Raymond” came on. “Hm? This looks interesting.” said Ramen, intrigued. 
“Welcome to, Cooking With Raymond...yay,” said a bored announcer. He wasn’t doing a very good job being enthusiastic. Or maybe he just wasn’t trying to be… A  grey, smug-looking cat stepped out on stage. 
“Hello, everyone! Today, your beautiful host Raymond will be making amazing, perfect, delicious spaghetti!” He took out a bowl, and filled it with water. 
“First, you need to dump the box…” said Raymond. He dumped the entire thing in.
 “Then, you boil the water…” Raymond cranked up the knob, and turned it around. It was too hot. 
“AH!” shouted Raymond. The bubbles had gone over the stove, and the bowl turned red-hot. Raymond ran away, screaming. “TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES!” was shouted, before the show simply turned off. Another one began in its place with some guy singing.

 “Never gonna give you up, never gonna-”

 “NOPE!” 

       Ramen yelled and shut the TV off. “How about we...do something else?” Suggested Ramen’s sister. Lavender turned on the fireplace, (to Ramen’s dismay), and they took out some hot cocoa to share in Ramen’s cherry-blossom room. Petals fell from trees in a faraway dimension that was Ramen’s wall. The fire crackled in the fireplace as the sisters sipped their warm drinks. Huddled under soft blankets, Lavender and Ramen clinked their cups together. 

“Cheers, to a new year!”


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## Aliya (Jan 18, 2021)

*Searching for Snow Bunny*

_Mother Bunny would always say "Remember you are important to me, Snow Bunny. 
You are clever and you will always find your way home to our family."_​
Snow Bunny was the youngest of five siblings born in the cold month of January. All of the baby bunnies lived with Mother Bunny in a burrow underneath a beautiful willow tree. His ears were a little on the stubby side, he couldn't hop as high as his siblings could, and his white coat was slick against the icy environment. He stood out compared to his siblings who were shades of brown and gray. He wondered why he was different than them.

Mother Bunny loved all of her babies and taught each of them how to find food and how to stay away from predators. It was important for the young bunnies to learn these skills and to always stay alert. Playtime outside could become dinner time in seconds as prey easily could take advantage of a young bunny. A worried Mother Bunny would watch from afar as the young bunnies explored the world around them. She especially worried about Snow Bunny as he was easily left behind when his siblings ran off to play in the piles of snow outside of their burrow. 

The oldest bunny challenged the others to another game of hide and seek. Snow Bunny struggled to find a good hiding place whenever he played with his siblings and he knew he had to find a spot that no one would find. He reasoned that since he was smaller than his siblings that he could wiggle into the tiniest locations and the white snow would mask his fluffy coat. He ran off as far as his paws could carry him. Quickly he hid amongst a fallen tree where the snow was quickly falling into a pile as his ears were the only part of him that stuck out.

Snow Bunny eagerly waited as he heard his siblings being found in their hiding spots. He could hear their little paw steps come closer and closer.....until they stopped and turned around. He let out a sigh of relief as he realized he finally won a game of hide and seek. He patiently waited for his siblings to return so he could hop out of the snow and surprise them, but no one came. 

After waiting a few more minutes, Snow Bunny began to run after his siblings, but the surrounding environment was unfamiliar to him. In the distance he noticed the rusty outline of a fox moving amongst the trees. His mother taught him all about foxes and how they are quick to attack young bunnies far from their burrows. The fox picked up his scent and began tracking him through the dense forest. Snow Bunny felt his jaw clench as he braced for the jaws of the fox. 

Without a warning, the discouraged fox halted and turned away just as he was closing in on the young bunny. After coming to his senses Snow Bunny realized the falling snow had completely covered him just like in hide and seek. It saved him from being devoured by a hungry fox. Engulfed in fear all he could do was crouch in his snow pile beneath a large fir tree as he struggled to stay warm. He tucked in his paws and pressed against the tree for little warmth as the impending snowstorm began to blacken the sky. All he could do was hope to find his home in the morning if the fox didn't return to get him first. 

Suddenly a soft nudge on his side startles his thoughts as he glances up to see his mother looking down at him. She had somehow found him in the midst of the storm and she quickly led him back to their burrow where his siblings eagerly greeted him. All he could do was apologize for running off and for almost getting eaten by a fox. Mother Bunny could only reassure him that he was safe now and that he did exactly what she taught him. Snow Bunny snuggled up against her and he promised her that he would never make her worry again.


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## LadyDestani (Jan 18, 2021)

*The Ice Maiden*​
He trudged through the thick snow, sinking up to his knees with every step. On a make-shift sled behind him, he lugged a block of ice as long as he was tall. The sun was just cresting over the treetops, dissipating the light fog that hung in the air.

Reaching his cabin, the only man-made structure for miles, he hoisted the ice block onto its end and set to work with his chisel and hammer. His art consumed him for the entirety of the day. He took no breaks for either food or rest. Finally, by the light of the waxing moon, he stepped back to survey his completed piece.

Before him stood a sculpture of a beautiful woman, soft of expression and graceful in manner. She seemed to glow with an otherworldly light beneath the twinkling stars. He placed a hand on her cold, smooth cheek and looked longingly into her soulless eyes. As the heavens looked on, he made a wish that his loneliness would end, that he would be blessed with a companion to love and cherish.

Sighing, he turned and entered his house, exhausted from the day's exertions.

The following morning, he peeked from his window to gaze once more upon his creation. But it was nowhere to be seen. He rushed outside and, as he approached the location of his sculpture, he stopped in shock. Where his ice maiden had stood, a woman now lay unconscious in the snow.

Her hair was pure white and glistened in the sunrise. Her skin and lips had a pale bluish hue. She seemed small and vulnerable amid the endless snowy landscape.

The man scooped her up and carried her inside. Wrapping her in his thickest blanket, he set her by the hearth and hastily started a fire to warm her. Within moments, her eyelids fluttered open to reveal eyes as bright and clear as the midday sky.

Confusion wrinkled her brow. The man quickly explained how he had found her and that he meant her no harm. The mysterious woman could not remember anything of her past. She knew nothing of how she came to be passed out in the snow. She did not even know her own name.

Brushing aside these concerns, the man fixed her a warm meal and assured her that she was welcome to stay with him as long as was necessary. The road into the nearest town would not be clear until spring so until then he knew of nowhere else for her to go. Thanking him for his kindness, she gratefully accepted his offer.

Over the following days and weeks, the couple found themselves growing closer. They felt comfort in each other's presence, as if they had been together all their lives, as if they belonged together.

During the day, the man worked on his sculptures and the woman was greatly impressed with their realism. His heart swelled with pride each time she expressed her awe and admiration.

At night, they sat in front of the fire, conversing. He withheld nothing from her and, although she could not share any details of her past for she still had no memories prior to the day he found her, she was open and honest regarding her thoughts and feelings.

In the warm glow of the firelight, with their eyes gleaming and their cheeks flushed, it did not take long for the topic of marriage to be broached. Both were eager for such a union to take place. However, they could not make it into town until the first thaw, which was still many weeks away. This did not dampen their spirits, though, as they found so much joy in each other's company that the wait merely heightened the anticipation.

Their lives went on in this manner until spring drew near and the woman began to grow increasingly weak. The day came when she could not even muster the strength to leave the bed. The man tended to her lovingly, providing all the care she could possibly wish for. All the while, he was anxiously watching for the tell-tale signs that winter was coming to a close so he could get her to a doctor.

One day, the man awoke to the sounds of birds chirping outside the window. Looking outside, he was thrilled to see a strong morning sun bearing down on the snow, causing it to melt. By the time he could ready everything for their journey, the remaining slush should be passable.

He rushed to the woman's bedside only to find it empty. In despair, he threw back the covers and discovered they were soaked clean through. Nothing remained of the woman, his love, except a few slivers of ice. Gathering them up in his hands, the man wept.

**********​
The chill in the air had grown harsh. That evening, the man pulled his winter bedding from the wardrobe and left the fire going until he was ready to retire. As he sat before the flames, he remembered the woman who had once sat beside him, the woman who had laughed with him, the woman who had loved him. A single tear came to his eye and he did not bother to brush it away.

The next morning, he could see a heavy snowfall through the windowpanes. Pulling on his coat and boots, he opened the door to grab some firewood from the porch but froze in surprise. Standing there in the snow, beaming at him blissfully, was the woman. She had returned to him.

Overjoyed, he ran to her and drew her into his embrace. Clutching her tightly and gazing into her luminous eyes, he vowed to take pleasure in every moment that they were granted, this winter and in all the winters to come.


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## ``` (Jan 18, 2021)

*An Everlasting Memory*

One very cold day in the isle of Wackiki, the wind-driven snow brought freezing temperatures and a blustering wind that made the trees leaves shake abruptly. The grass was clothed in a cloak of snow and the stars twinkled among the night sky as the clouds strolled by. Most of the villagers from the island were still resting from the winter days, comfortably cozy in their beds and tranquil homes. All except one, a rabbit named Hopkins who wasn't able to get sleep due to the harsh noises of the breezy wind. 

He proceeded along the pathway, with nothing but his arms folded to keep himself warm. His ears were cold and the poor visibility made it difficult for him to view his surroundings clearly. Hopkins wandered all on his own, without his friends, who slumbered in their homes. Suddenly, he heard strange noises from behind him. As the mysterious creature drew closer, it perked up its ears and revealed two round, beaded eyes. It was Flurry, who was unable to get rest due to the harsh howling of the wind. Flurry explained to Hopkins that she too couldn't sleep, traveling around the island on her own while her friends slept in their own abode. "I almost transformed into a frosty Snowboy!" Hopkins told Flurry as he shivered atop a pile of icy cold snow. 

As his teeth continued to chatter because of the weather, Hopkins gazed upon Flurry as she revealed something hidden behind her. It was a neatly wrapped gift, with small decorations shown around the wrapping paper. Flurry smiles, "I had an extra one of these tucked away in my house, so I decided to give this to you!", she said as Hopkins gently opened the gift for him. With an astonished look, Hopkins held the fluffy coat that was wrapped within the gift that Flurry had given him. He immediately shoved his arms into the warm sleeves of the coat and let out a sigh of relief as he felt the warmth of the coat surround his chilly body. Hopkins sprang towards Flurry with open arms and gave her a heartwarming hug as he tried to hold his tears back. 

The snowfall left a scene of snow-clad trees, as Flurry led Hopkins towards her residence among the hills. She kindly opened the front door and invited Hopkins into her house. Hopkins mentioned how magnificent the interior of Flurry's house was after he brushed off the snow attached underneath his cold feet on the welcome mat. The scent of pine cones permeated the room while the song "Stale Cupcakes" played on a music player. There was a wintry sight of snowfall visible through the windows as the curtains gently swayed amongst the tranquility inside the home. Hopkins attempted to play his favorite song from the piano that Flurry had in her room. Flurry let out a burst of laughter as she noticed Hopkins playing the piano with only his long, blue ears. "It's a natural talent of mine to play the piano like this!" mentioned Hopkins while Flurry had an outburst of laughter. 

After the comedic performance, Flurry decided to stir up a delectable meal for the night. She prepared a nice, steaming bowl of soup for the both to enjoy. It was the most scrumptious meal that Hopkins had ever consumed. His eyes sparkled with joy with every sip of the soup that he devoured. Once the meal was finished, both of the villagers spent the rest of the night listening to a soundtrack of soothing winter tunes. Hopkins was delighted to become friends with such a compassionate and caring villager on the isle of Wackiki. He couldn't wait to tell the rest of his friends all about his new friend named Flurry. While the winter music provided a mellow ambience, Hopkins's eyelids soon became as weary as a buried pitfall seed. Everything was absolutely peaceful and it was the perfect time to take a nap. Flurry took a quick peek behind the curtains and was glad to see that the weather condition outside had calmed down. The wind was no longer as frigid as before and it began to snow moderately. "What a wonderful scene to admire"; Flurry said to herself as Hopkins suddenly began to snore as he slept upon the bed. 

Nighttime came and went and it was time for the sun to rise. Hopkins awoke to the sunlight hitting his face, the yellow rays shone brightly through the window. He looked around the room in concern after realizing the disappearance of Flurry's presence. "She was here not too long ago..." he thought as he zippered up the coat that Flurry gave to him the day before. With a worrisome expression, Hopkins twisted the doorknob to depart outdoors in search of his friend. A large snowball was hurled directly at his face, only to leave him falling face-first upon a pile of snow in front of the house. "It's that time of the season to have a snowball fight!" said an unknown voice in excitement. Other voices were also heard as Hopkins lifted his face out of the snow. Standing in front, was Flurry, extending her hand out to help Hopkins who had just fallen onto the ground. "Come and enjoy this winter wonderland with us all!" Flurry said as she formed a snowball with her paws. 

To his enthusiasm, Hopkins displayed a smile of excitement after seeing all of the villagers outside having snowball fights and enjoying their time altogether. He greeted them all and also introduced them to Flurry. Portia, Pecan, Ankha, Vladimir, and the rest of the villagers were joyful to meet Hopkins's newest friend on the island. They proceeded their snowball fight and launched multiple snowballs across the air at each other. Flurry threw a snowball towards Vladimir, leaving him covered with a layer of cold snow atop his head. He shouts "What in tarnation?!", while wiping away the snow as the villagers howled with laughter. Pecan and Portia sat next to a campfire while warming themselves with a cup of hot and creamy chocolate topped with white fluffy marshmallows. Perched high on a hill stood Ankha, where she took her time taking photos on a royal throne made of freshly fallen snow. 

The cold morning outside had been a frosty, fun time. The villagers had an enjoyable snowball fight, and crafted a Snowboy that was displayed at the plaza. They got to sled down a snowy hill and raced against one another. To top off the morning, everyone sang an assortment of K.K. Slider songs, with their jolly singing loud enough to be heard throughout the entire island. It was the most amazing wintry experience that ever happened on the isle of Wackiki. Right after the joyous entertainment with the villagers, Hopkins left to his home with a grin as bright as a star fragment. He thought of the wonderful moment when he first met and introduced his friend Flurry to his other friends that he spent time with and how everyone got together and celebrated such an entertaining day. His mind longed to have another fun-filled day again. As Hopkins strolled next to his house, something peculiar drew his attention. The corner of a handwritten letter peered out of the mailbox front from beside his home. 

Without hesitation, Hopkins grabbed the letter and unfolded it. He perceived the smell of pine cones that pervaded the air around him. "That scent of pine cones..." Hopkins thought to himself. It was a scent that he recalled while staying over at Flurry's house. He began to read the letter in its entirety. In the letter, Flurry had described how amazing of a friend Hopkins was to her and the other villagers. It was such a pleasant experience that will never be forgotten. The fun that she had with her friends made her day even brighter and cheerful. After reading the letter, a framed photo that was attached to the letter presented the moment when all of the villagers built a Snowboy to commemorate the exciting time they had altogether. A tear of joy as glistening as a snowflake streamed down Hopkins's cheek. 

After admiring the photo, Hopkins entered his house and displayed the photo up on the wall to remember the memorable moment that he had with his beloved friends. Before Hopkins decided to get some rest, he took another look at the photo as he suddenly realized something that made him giggle with laughter. A grumpy Vladimir was stuck inside the Snowboy, with his fluffy head peeping out the top of the snow, leaving his hair looking like a chaotic mess. It was an experience that will forever be cherished on the island of Wackiki.​


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## Emmsey (Jan 19, 2021)

Authors notes: I'm in no way an Author nor do I tend to write all that much but I wanted to get involved and yesterday things seemed to flow so here we are. Please forgive my less than professional style!

*A little unsteady*

Pietro awoke from what had been a less than restful sleep the curves of the crescent moon chair had shaped his back in a less than forgiving position. Slowly unfolding like a cat awaking from a nap in front of the fireplace he stretched his already aching limbs. He silently cursed those who took joy out of reminding him that crescent moon chairs almost certainly didn’t make an appropriate bed. Pietro had never been one to follow the crowd, in fact if anything he took pleasure in creating a group all of his own far distant from ‘the crowd’. His house contained things that brought him pleasure, sure a candy floss machine wasn’t exactly a slow cooker when entertaining but it was almost certainly fun! His hooves instinctively went to smooth down his multi-coloured woollen coat that had gathered in an unfortunate shape over his stomach as he had slept. Side glancing the mirror on the wall he forced a smile to form. He was a clown sheep – let’s face who wouldn’t smile at that. Turning to face the outside world he felt it slipping slightly. It was ironic but the tear drop under his right eye perhaps most accurately reflected how he was really feeling inside.

It wasn’t that he didn’t love his life on Hobbiton – it had in fact been one of the best decisions he had ever made but amongst the business cat and silly orange deer he had felt quite alone. The island rep Emmsey had been sure to visit him every day since he had moved here and whilst he was touched by the sentiment it still hadn’t helped him feel any less alone. He had come from a large extended family of course he was one of six lambs so there wasn’t all that much chance to feel alone and that was before next lambing season brought him another handful of brothers and sisters. It of course had been his choice to go out into the world alone, his choice to move to an island he knew next to nothing about. He sighed audibly forcing back the smile that threatened to fall from his red lips took a swift intake of air pulled open the door and stepped out into the winter morning.

The sky was clear for now at least, the relentless snowfall however had left Hobbiton and its rooftops shrouded in a blanket of white. Grateful for the warmth his multi-coloured coat would offer he shook off the breeze and headed out down the path towards Nooks stopping only momentarily to water a white pansy which sat alone just off the path. ‘Pietro!’, he heard the call even before he saw a smiling Raymond crossing the plaza towards him. Stopping as he reached him Pietro couldn’t help but watch as the business cat expressed joy in just waiting for him to acknowledge him. ‘Raymond! That’s it I’m getting a publicist. Honk Honk’, even as the words passed his lips he grimaced. ‘Sorry, I don’t know why I said that. What’s up?’, he questioned.

The business cat’s brow furrowed with confusion a tuft of his blonde hair falling it his eye. Swiping out of the way with a paw a smile passed his lips. ‘Did you hear?’, he questioned barely pausing for longer than a beat before following with, ‘Emmsey found someone off island, they move in today’, he added with excitement. Pietro cast his mind back to Agent S’s leaving do only days earlier, the peppy squirrel had left to pursue her solo career or some such thing. He was happy for her of course but it was one less member of Hobbiton’s chorus line. He almost certainly hadn’t stopped to consider the one out one in thing that seemed to be the case with Hobbiton’s population. Of course, that had where he had been found, spiral island had always been nice in summer when the tarantulas had finally disappeared. The sunset had always been one of his favourite sights, he had found himself lost in it. So much so that it had taken him quite by surprise when Emmsey had vaulted over asking him to move to Hobbiton. Naturally he had agreed and had moved in the next day working into the wee hours to get the positioning of those crescent moon chairs just right.

Lost in thought he had quite forgotten the business cat opposite him, ‘I thought you might want to stop by and say hi. I’m off to Nook’s to pick up a present – something practical of course’, he added breaking the sheep’s thought trail. With that the cat disappeared as promptly as he had arrived headed in the direction of Nooks. Pietro watched as he finally disappeared from view swallowed up by the doors of the shop. His hooves sought to bypass Nook’s altogether and made across the bridge to the plot that only yesterday laid unoccupied. In its place now stood a house, pale logged exterior with red roof. Through the slightly ajar window the unmistakeable tones of KK Country. He paused at the boundary to the property summoning what could only be considered as the confidence to knock on and open the door.

As was customary without waiting for a reply he stepped inside the house hooves finding a familiar almost comforting green lawn beneath them. His eyes fell down to it holding on to the way it made him feel for a few moments. The memories of home, of family, of completeness before looking up to observe the properties sole occupant. His gaze paused following the familiar line of a hooved leg until it hit the unmistakable line of a woollen coat. His brain was momentarily confused not entirely sure what exactly it was expecting to observe but least of all expecting that. Skipping up to the woollen occupant’s face he was aware of that his jaw was somewhat ajar as he took the form in.

‘Hi, I’m Dom’, the voice shattered the stunned silence. The smile which had earlier been faltering returned to Pietro’s face as his brain pieced together the clues he was faced with. This woollen figure had been a sheep, a fleece as white as snow and pink faced with eyes the size of UFO’s but a sheep none the less. The sheep’s smile matched his own. ‘Hi, I’m Pietro, Welcome to Hobbiton’, his voice sounded pitchy, underused and he felt suddenly embarrassed at the sound of it a shade of red colouring his pale cheeks. He hadn’t stopped to consider that Hobbiton’s newest resident might be actually be a sheep. He took a breath a weight falling away which until now had been holding him down, perhaps today would be a good day after all?​


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## Masenkochick (Jan 19, 2021)

*The Kitten Who Lost Her Mitten - **an Animal Crossing Winter Short Story
(632 Words)*
It was a sublime January afternoon, the sun poked through the silver sky and the sound of snow fluffs falling made a faint crunching sound only the ears of the feline residents of the isle of Keet Largo could hear. Many of the residents went about their days in the usual ways; practicing singing like popstars, lifting weights to get swole, shopping, and making projects from their dreams of _Maglevs in Love_. But one kitty, Lolly, was not so calm. This gray stripped tabby went about the island with a streak of seriousness, as she had only one of her white striped mittens!

Lolly tried to remember when she lost her toasty mitt but couldn’t recall. She decided she would  retrace her steps over the island. The first place she went to in the morning was Cozmie Cakes bakery to grab a pastry for breakfast with Rosie. She went to the pastel shop looking for her mitten but found nothing but cupcakes, cakes, and crumbs left from Rosie’s donut. Next she went to the clifftop Zen Garden where she had done yoga with Tangy. The only thing she found there were outdoor baths and lanterns. 

She retraced her steps to the snowy lavender farms where she met with Kiki for the outdoor book club. Though she searched the bench and the fields, she only found a white pillow and purple blooms that prospered even in the winter. She didn’t mind the strangeness of flowers surrounded by snow and continued quicker as her toe beans began turning rosy from the cold.

She made her way to the beach, past the fish bait shop and down main street, and finally came to Koi Cat Sushi. She had eaten lunch with Kabuki here and he spoke to her about his time sailing on a fishing boat and tried to recruit her as his first mate. Lolly looked under the tables and around the hearth but found nothing but bento boxes filled with sticky rice and pots of soy sauce. Lolly grew worried having only one place left to check, the campsite where she had built snowmen with Punchy and Rex.

The gray kitty searched through the snow and near the little campfire trying to remember when her paw first became bare, but found nothing but paw prints pressed into the snow and the three freshly built snowmen. Lolly scampered in place trying to warm her paw pad, her toe beans like icicles where they were exposed. She whimpered a moment and started to cry, afraid that her mitten was lost forever, when the voice of a less than grateful snowboy called out to her. 

“What. Is. Going. On” The snowboy with a large head and small body called out to her, his voice dripping in dissatisfaction. 

Lolly held up her two paws and only one had the white mitten on it, “I lost my mitten when I was playing today. I looked everywhere I went, but it wasn’t anywhere!” Her face pouted again.

The snowboy shifted a moment, “I haven’t seen your mitten, but would you scratch my back? Something feels itchy.”

Lolly helped scratch the snowman’s back and her claw caught on a piece of thread. She carefully pulled her paw back and out from the snowboys seam, came a white mitten!

The snowboy rolled slightly from side to side, “I’m so embarrassed! Turns out I had this white mitten stuck to me.”

Lolly took the mitten and dusted the snow off it before sticking her paw inside and she hugged the snowboy before she parted and headed back home, with a bounce in her step. She hung her mittens to dry and went to bed and dreamed of how warm and cozy all her toe beans would be on the adventures she’d have tomorrow.



Spoiler: Author's Note and Inspiration



I wanted to write a winter animal crossing story that showed off some of my favorite residents and the features on my island, Keet Largo. We have a pastel dream bakery called Cozmie Café, a beautiful cliff-top Zen Garden, a lush lavender farm, a gorgeous brick boardwalk, a sushi shop called Koi Cat Sushi, and a natural campsite where snowballs spawn and snowmen are built. I really had a lot of fun with this writing prompt and tried to include references to the game (villager activities, peronalities, past conversations with villagers and the infamous imperfect snowboy conversation lines, etc.) I hope you enjoy it!


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## LittleMissPanda (Jan 19, 2021)

*~The Starkeeper’s Friendship~*​

In an enchanted clearing secret to humans the most extraordinary creatures would appear during winter. They were known as the Starkeepers. Large celestial birds with long, shimmering tail feathers, wings as dazzling as starlight and eyes more exquisite than jewels, the Starkeepers would soar across the night sky like comets, but there was one Starkeeper who was the smallest of his kind. He was not a strong flier and his feathers were not quite as dazzling, but the light in his heart was sincere and true. Even so, the other Starkeepers paid him no heed. It discouraged him, being such a small thing...and as the wistful little Starkeeper continued to watch the world, he sometimes wondered if anyone would watch him, too, somewhere in that world.

As all the kingdom took to peaceful slumber, one bedroom light in all the palace remained on. Sitting upon her windowsill, the princess gazed at the starry sky, expression pensive. Though her room was brimming with all sorts of wonderful gifts from her suitors, such trivial gestures could never win her heart. How could she care for such things when all she could ever want was right here, watching the stars she admired so.

The king, however, was pompous and greedy. He was very pleased to have all the gold and treasures that he had. The princess did not think the same way like her father; hers was a virtuous, charitable heart. Where the king would take, the princess would give. The king saw fine, loyal young men ready for marriage, but the princess knew their wily ways.

“Think of the alliances that could be forged!” he would beam with pride.

“And what of my happiness, father?” but she would shake her head. “Is that not of greater value? I cannot marry a man whose mouth speaks of love and promises but whose eyes speak of my title or my money,” and would return to her windowsill. Often the princess would wonder, as she wistfully looked out at that vast night sky, if there was a star out there watching over her, too…

One night as the princess slept a gentle light flooded her room from the window. Stirred from her slumber, she went to close the curtains but stopped. When she took in the sight of that distant aurora all thoughts of sleep at once dissipated from her mind, face filled with wonder. Putting on her coat, the princess snuck away from the palace and went into the snowy woods, following the light of the aurora. Everybody knew the trees of the woods played tricks, but the light guided her down the path like a tender hand holding hers, a path no human had ever tread before.

Soon the princess came to a clearing, and that’s when she saw them—the Starkeepers. She watched in astonishment as the marvelous creatures joyfully flew about in the sky, the glittery glow of their tail feathers trailing ribbons of light, creating the aurora. Their calls were hauntingly beautiful.

The Starkeepers were incredible to see, but then she noticed one all by himself. He was so small and looked so lonely that the princess had nothing but compassion for him and went to console him.

“You dear creature, what’s wrong? Why do you not fly with the others?” she asked, but the little Starkeeper only gave a despondent cry. For a moment the princess’s face fell but then her blue eyes twinkled with an idea.

“Please don’t be so sad,” she smiled. “I’ll come visit you every night, then we could make this our own secret place.”

The little Starkeeper was touched by this girl who spoke so kindly and sweetly to him, and so every night that winter the princess returned to the clearing. She showed him how she could make snow angels and he showed her how he could glide about, wanting to try his very best for her, and it didn’t matter that he was one thing and she another—he sang his jubilant song, she laughed her cheerful laugh… The woodland animals all agreed they were the happiest pair there had ever been.

The princess told him of her hopes and dreams, her ambitions and sorrows. She told him how she would be left heartbroken, for she felt certain nobody loved her, all the while shedding big tears. And the little Starkeeper listened and looked at her and only her, for he did not see riches or even the crown upon her head. He only saw a young woman he would not hurt for the world.

On the final night of winter, it was time for the Starkeepers to return to the realm of the cosmos.

The princess was sad to see him go, but then the little Starkeeper did something wondrous. Using every bit of his power he made a star, a small yet beautiful star that emitted a comforting glow. The princess was simply captivated. It would mean everything to him if he could always make her smile like that, but how could she ever love such a small, sorry creature? This made him feel discouraged, but to the princess his eyes spoke more sincerely, more beautifully than any words ever could and thought that was a silly thing for him to think about, for of course she could.

“I see no small, sorry creature,” she told him, “but the grandest, sweetest creature in the whole world,” and she placed a tender kiss upon his petite head. “My darling Starkeeper, I’ll always be thinking of you, and no matter how far we might be, as long as we look at our star, we won’t ever be lonely.” And so, the princess let the star go into the sky where it shone brightly over the kingdom.

The princess continued to dream of the stars, looking out at the night sky as she tucked some of her wheat-gold hair behind her ear. And whenever her gaze fell upon their star she couldn’t help but miss her beloved friend so. She wished strongly upon the star every night from her windowsill, longing to be with her friend again.

Then suddenly, one winter night, when the princess was sure she heard familiar calls in the distance she hastened to the balcony. It was her greatest pleasure to behold the wonderful return of the Starkeepers. The creatures flew gracefully in the sky, but there was one Starkeeper who flew strongly and proudly—he was the biggest, most dazzling Starkeeper of them all. Landing on the balcony, the charming creature bowed before his princess, earning another one of her radiant smiles. No matter what the princess could always recognize those gentle eyes, and so, reunited at last, the two fondly pressed their heads together.

“My darling Starkeeper, how good it is to see you again,” she said, stroking his long neck.

Her heartfelt wishes had given the little Starkeeper the strength to become mighty. His wings were filled with the strength to fly across vast galaxies, further than he had ever gone, but he would always return, for this world was the loveliest place he knew, where a princess and a Starkeeper could meet in perfect happiness.

But as the king watched the Starkeepers, desire gripped his heart. Such exquisite creatures… He must have them, then he could admire their beauty whenever he pleased.

“Prove your loyalty to me! Capture the Starkeepers and bring them to me!” the king ordered the suitors and at once they readied themselves. They raised their weapons and threw their nets, caring not if they hurt the creatures. The Starkeepers, who knew only peace, were so frightened they didn’t know what to do and one by one they were captured. How the princess pleaded, but her father only ignored her. He was especially interested in the biggest, most dazzling Starkeeper, but the creature would not let himself be so easily captured. He swiftly dodged their weapons and not a net could brush his feathers, but one young man took careful aim and let his arrow fly, striking him. Down tumbled the creature, and it seemed he would at last be captured, but using his remaining strength he flew away to the woods.

The suitors gave chase, but because of the wickedness in their hearts the trees of the woods confounded them with illusions. The princess, however, knew the way, for the goodness in her heart would always take her to the secret path of the woods, reaching the enchanted clearing first. There she found her friend lying upon the snow in much pain.

“Oh sweet creature!” cried the tearful princess, rushing to his side. “Look what’s happened to you…!” The Starkeeper couldn’t move, so deep was his wound. He could only think about the plight of his fellow Starkeepers; to have their freedom suddenly taken away from them...

Suddenly the sound of footsteps became louder and the princess’s face became pale with terror. “No! They shan’t have you!” she gasped. “Please! You mustn’t stay here! Fly away!"

The Starkeeper refused, giving her a pleading cry.

“You must. Even if I am to never see you again, then so be it, but I must know that you will be safe…!” Her voice broke with emotion. “Please! I cannot bear to lose you!”

Within moments the suitors appeared, along with the king.

“My daughter, you will give the creature to me,” he ordered.

“I won’t,” said the princess firmly. She spoke not only to her father but to the suitors as well. “Have you no sympathy for these creatures? What you have done is shameful and wrong. By taking the Starkeepers, you have taken the beauty of the night sky. This beauty is not there for your selfish desires and it is no one’s possession. It is there for all to see."

The Starkeeper stood faithfully by his princess's side.

But the king’s covetous heart could not be moved. “You dare to defy me as well, creature? Very well, does your happiness mean more to you than the glow of your feathers?”

“No! I won’t let you give up the glow of your feathers!” the princess protested, but the Starkeeper gave it and as soon as he did he dazzled like starlight no more.

“Now give me the might of your wings."

“No! You mustn’t give up the might of your wings!” Once again the princess protested and once again the Starkeeper gave up what was his. As soon as he did all the strength left his wings, never to fly again.

“And your eyes… How they gleam with beauty. Give that to me,” was the king’s final command.

“Not that, not your beautiful eyes! I won’t allow it! You noble creature, you gave and you gave but now I will give. I will give all that I have and all that I am if it meant we could take this happiness far away with us.”

And then, a truly extraordinary thing happened. In answer of this profound wish a brilliant light enveloped the Starkeeper, his form slowly changing before everyone’s eyes, and where a creature of feathers and wings once was now stood a resplendently dressed prince with long, flowing white hair. The king was astonished. He did not believe this could be that very same creature, but the princess never doubted, for she needed only take one look into those gentle eyes.

Hand in hand they walked up a path of stars, higher and higher to the realm of the cosmos. With their freedom restored, the Starkeepers soared alongside them. The princess and the Starkeeper never gave the thought of marriage any mind. And why should they? There was no better way of delighting in their love than simply being together, laughing together, and dreaming together.

And every winter, whenever an aurora appeared in the sky the people of the kingdom were sure they saw two happy figures playing in the stars and couldn’t help but feel happy themselves for some reason.


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## Rowbowkid800 (Jan 19, 2021)

It was Christmas in animal crossing and Erik had just moved to a island but there was someone special about him he was a rain deer and he didn’t know it but he always thought he was weird because nobody liked him because he was a rain deer but it was really just jealousy he could fly but he didn’t know it but Christmas morning something special happed he saw jingle outside and he knew it was him once he saw the hat he got so excited he jumped out of bed and ran outside but so see something sad jingle had lost his bag so he immediately ran around the island looking for it about 40 minutes of looking he found it he brought it back to jingle and jingle said thank you and said you have saved Christmas and as soon as you knew it the entire island was thanking him in the afternoon of Christmas they all brought nice food and they all thanked jingle and Erik for such a nice Christmas they ate the food and did a Christmas tradition and went around the island looking at the Christmas light on all the houses Erik knew that he had  finally fit in and they kept walking around and they came to his house and said to him that he had some nice decorations and they said that they were proud of his house they reached the park and stopped for a break and just admired the beauty of the season after they were done they all went home but as he walked in he was surprised it was his mother and father standing in front of him he rushed to them hugging them he was so happy they pulled out the gifts for Erik and said merry Christmas they were some new sweaters he was so happy he showed them around his house and then they went outside he showed them the island and all it’s beauty’s and they thought it was wonderful he showed them the pond the park the neighborhood and the best of all the beach it was cold but it was lovely at the sunset they decided to head home they sat by the fire and told stories about their life as usual Erik told the story about when he and his friend knocked down the Christmas tree and they tried to fix it but it got messed up and his mom told the story about when Erik and his brother ate all the Christmas cookies and his dad told the story about when he ate a bunch of ice and was freezing cold that night 485 and they laughed at all the story’s but there was one very special to them the one where he made a wooden tree and painted it with his friends that was very special to them all it showed Erik that he could be giving by making stuff instead of buying stuff he sat down for dinner and ate all the wonderful things he had made with his mother and he felt very great full about his life and his family his friends he went to bed that night content in his heart because he did something good


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## KipperDen (Jan 19, 2021)

A Lonely Winter Night​Pietro sighed, it looked as though he was going to spend yet another winter evening alone. And he just knew that it was his own fault. After all, he was the one who told Beau off for running in his garden, and he definitely shouldn’t have sniped at Maple who was only trying to be nice by offering to babysit his pet squid while he was away. He never understood his neighbors, and to be honest he felt as though they didn’t understand him either. 
Snow cascaded down outside of his sitting room window, heavy and utterly silent. Isabelle had predicted a deep snowfall this evening and it looked like she was right. The night was cold and dark, his porch light remained unlit. As much as he would like to have visitors over for supper, he knew that the chances of that happening were slim to none. Even Apollo had given him a dirty look at the Able’s Shop today. 
Working stiffly, Pietro managed to go through the motions of heating up a frozen TV dinner before parking himself in front of the television to watch something mind numbing. Or so he thought. With a sharp DING-DONG his front door bell rang. Giving it a suspicious glance he slowly got up and walked over. 
“Who is it?” he called. 
    A quiet voice answered him, “uhm, Mr. Pietro? It’s me, Beau.” 
    Beau? Why would he be calling this late in such a snow storm? Especially after what had happened this afternoon. Pietro quickly undid the latch and swung the door open. Indeed Beau was standing on his stoop, but he wasn’t alone. It seemed as if the whole town had shown up on his doorstep tonight. All of them bundled up to their necks in thick scarves and wooly hats.
    “W-why, whatever can I help you all with?” Pietro asked, stepping aside so that everyone could come inside out of the cold.
    Apollo spoke first, “well, actually, we thought we could help you. I’m a bit of a grump myself, I know what it’s like to want things a certain way. But, we’re all neighbors, and it’s the neighborly thing to do to not let you spend such a dreadful evening alone.” He held up a paper sack. “I made my famous macaroni salad if you’d like to share.”
    Beau smiled, thrusting forward a tray with quite an ugly cake on it. “I wanted to ‘pologize for running in your plants so I made a carrot cake for you.”
    Then Maple came up carrying jars of what looked like honey. “We all wanted to have a big dinner with you tonight. I hope you don’t mind!”
    Pietro didn’t know what to say, everyone was taking turns placing the food they brought onto his kitchen table and before long there was a party in full swing. He sniffled and thanked everyone for being so kind to him. “I daresay I don’t deserve to have friends like you.” He mumbled quietly.
    “Course you do, Mr. Pietro. You’re so cool and smart. You make everyone here look cool and smart too!” Beau was slicing into his carrot cake. “We’re glad you live here in town with us, it especially makes cold nights that much warmer.” Pietro found that he couldn’t agree more. His home and his heart were warm, just what he needed. Now he just had to hope that his nights would never be lonely again.


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## moonbyu (Jan 20, 2021)

welp, let's see where my 6th-grade writing skills get me this time.


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## Valzed (Jan 20, 2021)

On a cold Winter’s day in Cutetown, three unlikely best friends were gathered in one of their homes. Molly, a duck with the sweetest personality, was hosting her friends Ankha, a sophisticated (and a bit snooty) cat, and Muffy, a loyal and caring if a bit rough around the edges, sheep. The three friends lamented about the cold and the snow while sipping Molly’s homemade hot cider.

Molly asked her friends if they had seen the pamphlets in Town Hall advertising Tom Nook’s Desert Island Getaway Package. Ankha stated that Isabelle and she had been chatting about how nice it would be to be on a warm beach. Muffy said she’d run into Mayor Val and they had joked about all the places sand could get into. Molly sat quietly listening to her friends. She then tentatively asked if either one was thinking of investing in the Getaway Package. Both Ankha and Muffy became quiet. Molly knew their answer.

Molly admitted that she too had been considering her options but her one sticking point was the thought of leaving the two of them. Ankha blurted out that she felt the same way and that she didn’t know if she would bear to be without her “dahlings”. Muffy said she could move to the island but she knew she wouldn’t be happy if her two “buds” weren’t there. Molly’s big brown eyes welled up as she said she knew she’d be much too lonely to ever enjoy island life without her friends.

The three were quietly pondering their situation when Muffy cleared her throat and said she had had an idea but wasn’t sure of how her friends would react. Ankha and Molly encouraged her to share what she was thinking. Muffy asked, “Well, what if we ALL invested in the Getaway Package and ALL moved together?” Molly & Ankha thought that was a splendid idea! The three decided that before they each uprooted their lives that they should get more information. Ankha volunteered to ask Tom Nook for more details and report back to her friends. The three parted ways feeling both excited and nervous.

The next day the friends met at Brewster’s in Cutetown to discuss what Ankha had learned. She shared that the island was named Amity and already had some residents. Molly pointed out that “amity” meant “friendship”. The three thought that was a good sign. Ankha explained that there were three residents. The first two residents of Amity were Flip, a monkey who was also an exercise enthusiast, and Hazel, a no nonsense but friendly squirrel. Ankha said the third resident was a human whom Tom Nook thought highly of. Mr. Nook said that this person was so friendly, helpful & hard working that The Nooklings, Flip, Hazel and himself had appointed this person the island’s Resident Representative. He explained the island already had many improvements and it was all due to the dedication of this one individual.

Molly said she was relieved the island wasn’t still totally “deserted” and Muffy said she liked that “this Rep person” was on top of things. Ankha said the person was a girl and that everyone called her by her last name, Brody. Both Molly & Muffy were curious as to what Brody’s first name was. Ankha’s beautiful eyes sparkled as she said, “Well, that’s the most amazing part of all of this. Brody’s first name… is Val.” When the three friends realized Resident Rep Brody had the same first name as their beloved Mayor they knew that Amity was in good hands and that they were meant to move there.

Muffy, being the most adventurous, said she’d move to Amity first to “get a feel for the joint”. Molly & Ankha thought this was a good idea because they knew Muffy wouldn’t mince words about whether she liked Amity or not. Knowing Molly would be lonesome being alone in Cutetown for a bit, Ankha suggested Molly be the second to relocate to Amity. Molly said she would feel braver knowing Muffy was waiting for her and that Ankha would be coming soon. This meant Ankha would be moving to Amity last. Molly & Muffy secretly knew that Ankha also wanted to be the final one to move so she’d have more time to pack as Ankha was a bit… fussy about her belongings. Plus Ankha could make a big entrance to Amity if she knew her friends would be there waiting to greet her.

The three friends each contacted Tom Nook to sign up for the Desert Island Getaway Package. They also each made sure to stop by Mayor Val’s to let her know they were moving. Mayor Val told each of them she’d miss them deeply and made them each promise to write. Mayor Val also let each of them know that if life on Amity wasn’t all they had hoped for that they’d always have a home in Cutetown.

Within a few weeks time all three friends had arrived on Amity. Resident Rep Brody had personally greeted each of them. Brody made sure to make them all feel so welcome and offered to help them with anything they might need while settling in. Brody gave them each a tour of Amity and a beautiful wreath as a “welcome” gift.

Molly, Muffy and Ankha were sitting on the beach together watching the gorgeous sunset. As the waves gently rolled in Molly smiled at her two best friends and said, “Amity really does mean friendship.”



Spoiler: Just a bit of info...



I thought I should mention that Cutetown is the name of my main town in New Leaf. I really do have Molly, Muffy & Ankha living in both Cutetown and on my island, Amity. Thanks for reading!


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## KateyLC (Jan 21, 2021)

Here is mine, based on starting my island recently during winter:

*Advice from a snowboy*

I wake; the light is filtering through the thin canvas of the tent. I can see my breath forming clouds above me as I pull my sleeping bag tighter around me. A desert island getaway package sounded so tropically enticing with swaying palms and postcard perfect beaches. Instead, I arrived in the grip of winter, snow covering the whole island and weighing heavily on my somewhat insufficient tent.

Heading out I pull my hat down tight over my ears. My feet crunch onto the soft snow and I survey my new home. It’s very basic, a few brightly coloured tents on an otherwise bleak landscape. I set out to explore, eyeing up the clifftops around us. It looks like there are flowers growing up there, specs of colour under towering pines but I can’t find a way up. I wonder if I can makeshift some form of ladder from the fallen branches off the trees but I’m not sure how to. Yet. I’ve got a feeling I’ll figure it out.

I idly kick at a ball of snow, as it grows, I start to roll it. At least building a snowman will warm me up I think to myself as I energetically throw myself into the task. One done, that will do for the body. It is almost as high as me. I start to roll a second pushing it through the soft snow, watching it grow in size. I roll it up to the body and heave it on, puffing with the exertion.

I stand back and stare at my snowman, feeling a sense of accomplishment and then fell back in surprise… the snowman was speaking. I looked around, was another villager playing tricks on me. I peered cautiously behind my snowman.

“I… I can’t believe it! You got everything right!” declared my snowman.

“I… I can’t believe I’m talking to a snowman!” I spluttered in shock.

“Talking to pure snowfolk perfection” corrected my snowman, looking as pleased as a snowman could possibly look.

“Erm… you’re welcome?” I ventured. I mean what is the etiquette when talking to a snowman you’ve built? Especially one who seems slightly big headed.

“Now just point me in the direction of the nearest snow museum and I’ll be on my way…” he continued.

“Erm, we are on a desert island. There isn’t a museum here. There is nothing. This was a huge mistake.” My emotions started to get the better of me and a salty tear drop rolled down cheek.

“DO YOU NOT KNOW HOW DANGEROUS THAT IS?” Bellowed my snowman.

He caused me to hesitate because as far as I was aware, crying wasn’t in any way dangerous.

“Salty warm tears will melt snow” he said a little kindlier, “You don’t want to spoil your perfect creation now do you?”

“I’m sorry, I’m just finding it overwhelming being here, on this island. I don’t know what to do, I don’t know where to start. It’s not what I was expecting.”

The snowman seemed to lean back and appraise me.

“Well, you have started. You got up, you explored, you built a snowman – and a perfect one at that. I’m going to give you some instructions on how to build a snow bed. You are going to catch snowflakes and make it. Every day you will explore, build, meet people. Soon through your work there will be a museum on this island, this place will grow from nothing into a thriving community of friends.”

I threw my arms around the snowman.

“Thank you I whispered, that was just what I needed to hear.”

I brushed the snow of my coat, waved goodbye and continued my exploration of the island, my new home, my new project. After all if I could build a perfect talking snowman on my first day, who knows what else I could achieve on this island.


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## Ace Marvel (Jan 21, 2021)

*We Built this Island on K.K. Bubblegum*​

Not everyday you get the chance to tell a story that changes your life, a story so big that it can’t be held for long, so amazing that it will leave people in awe. Well at least it left me that way, don’t worry, I’m getting started, if you are ready, this is the story.

It’s been almost a year since this all began, and let me tell you, it was not easy, but like any story this one starts with someone looking for a new beginning, a fresh start. I took my chances, jumped into the opportunity and looked into new horizons. While I was taking that plane, I was nervous, well, excited, because I knew the destination was going to be perfect. 

The wild unknown was waiting, a deserted island they called it, but for me, I knew it was going to be home. Tom was there with just a tent and big plans. I just wanted to settle in and relax, boy I was wrong. The votes came in and I was voted to be the resident representative, and just like that, I was ready to create something great, the best part was that I was not alone and together we started getting this island ready for more to join us.

It didn’t take long for new residents to arrive, the town was growing and everyone was happy, in the blink of an eye, we weren't a deserted island anymore, we became a thriving little town full of stories and happiness. This attracted shops and even a museum was established, can’t you believe we appeared on the map. This caught the attention of the famous K.K. Slider, he wanted to perform a concert on our island, we were so excited, we didn’t lose a second and started to get everything ready.

Seasons started to fly by and new characters started to arrive. Festivals, fireworks, egg hunting, to name a few, but with each festivity we grew closer and the island was getting better and better. Bridges and Stairs connected all the island, our plaza was the spot to be in, and there was not a day we didn’t have something new to do.

We kept going and going, and one day Isabelle gave us the best news, our island got the recognition of being  5-Stars, can you believe it, not even a year ago and now we are at the top, in that moment I thought to myself, I want this to stay forever. Sadly, life always comes with changes. 

Some came, but some also left, the very first residents were no longer here, but know that they will always be a part of this island. “I want to explore the world”, “I want to train in another place”, “If i'm gonna be the biggest popstar in the world, I need to travel”, this were some of their reasons, they wanted to live their dreams, and who am I to stop them, after all I was living mine. 

Just know that I will always remember every orange sunset, every purple night full of stars, and every blue winter day we had to spend together, and all those letters, I still cherish them. Friends like this will last for a lifetime. New friendships were made and I have to admit that change is not always bad, in the end I’m really happy for everything that happened last year.

While I’m writing this to you, I know you already knew this, because you lived it, and I’m sure that the future is great, and I really wish you could tell me about it, but I guess I will just have to live it.  All I really want to know, is Vanille still as awesome as it is right now? 5 years will have passed as you are reading this, but dear future Ace, don’t ever forget that we have a responsibility here, and that this island needs us, we have to be on our A-game always.

I leave the future of Vanille to you, I will make every new day the best yet, and I hope you always do the same.

Always yours (because I am you),
Ace


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## Toska (Jan 21, 2021)

*A Not-So-Normal Toy Day*​*DING, DONG, DING, DONG*

     The loud clock had rung all over Laverre. Filbert came running out of his house, full of joy. "It's Toy Day, bucko!!" He yelled at his neighbors. "It's Toy Day!!" Filbert ran to Diana's house across town, as he knew that she had gotten him a present.

     He was obviously the first one awake that morning. The skies were still somewhat dark, but he knew that Diana would open the door if he knocked hard enough. However, something stopped him along the way.

     "Jingle? What happened to you?" Filbert questioned the black-nosed reindeer. Jingle was lying on the floor of the plaza, snoring. He was not wearing any of his typical clothes. Rather, he seemed to be wearing his pajamas! They were red and green, but that was not enough to convince Filbert that those were Jingle's Toy Day clothes. Filbert shook Jingle, hoping he would wake up. But no such luck. "The people of Laverre won't get their special toys if Jingle doesn't wake up, bucko!" Filbert looked around with his wide eyes. Still, nobody else was awake. Filbert decided to make a big decision.

     "Bucko, these clothes are kinda big..." Filbert writhed in the outfit; he wasn't used to wearing a reindeer's clothes. Regardless, Filbert was ready to be Jingle for the day. By this time, a few of the other residents were awake. First was Molly.

     "Happy Toy Day, Molly!" Filbert handed her the wrapped gift.

     "Aw, thanks, quackidee!" Molly opened the present. It was what she had asked for from Santa: a new writing set. "How did you know?" Molly pondered. Filbert said nothing in response. He liked the idea of being Jingle. The only thing to worry about was making people happy. Filbert waved goodbye to Molly, and left. Next stop.

     After an hour or so, Filbert was ready to go to the last house. It was Diana's. Filbert always looked up to Diana, as she had always cared about him more than the other residents. He was curious to see what Diana wanted from Santa.

     "Happy Toy Day!" cheered Filbert for the 9th time. He handed her the present.

     "Happy Toy Day, no doy!" Diana accepted the gift with pink wrapping paper. "You must've spent a lot of time wrapping this... it'd be a shame to rip into such a good job!" Regardless, she unwrapped the present. Inside was a small, silver box.

     "What didya get?" Filbert asked. Diana didn't say anything yet, but she showed him the gift. There was a necklace inside. A sparkling, diamond necklace. "Well, that's suuuuper pretty, Diana!" At this point, Diana was teary eyed.

     "Thank...you, Filbert. I simply cannot believe that you would know that I wanted this." Diana was in awe. It was something that she had wanted for many years. She put it around her neck. "It's astonishing..." she said. "Thank you so much." Diana kissed Filbert on the cheek.

     "A huh...huh huh..." Filbert made his already pink cheeks red. "No problemo, bucko." he smiled, waved, and walked out the white door.

     Filbert never forgot the day he got to be Jingle. The joy he brought to those around him truly changed his view on things. From that point forward, Filbert always made sure Jingle was ready early Toy Day morning.


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## duckvely (Jan 22, 2021)

*The Little Fox*​It was that time of year. The time of holiday cheer.

Pompom and Molly were strolling around different stores looking for Toy Day gifts. Apollo was shyly singing along to Toy Day carols. Everyone was happy—everyone, except one person.

From his run-down boat, a lonesome little fox peeked out his window to see that the holiday season was in full gear. 

Redd sighed. “Nothing for me again this year. I've always gotten a kick in ripping people off. At this point, I have no idea how many cousins I even have." 

Tears began to fall down his face.

"But… am I happy doing this? At a time like this, I'm all alone."

The next day, Colton had come to buy something from Redd.

“What can I do for you today, cousin?”

“Do you have a twinkling painting in stock today?” asked Colton.

“Sure I do! That will be 4980 bells for you, cousin. What’s it for? Trying to decorate your house?” asked Redd as he got the painting ready.

“It’s a Toy Day gift for Julian. I figured he’d like something like this with stars,” replied Colton.

A surge of loneliness filled Redd. “How sweet of you.”

That night, Redd thought deeply. “I want to be happy. But how do I get started?” He remembered an ad he saw around the island.

_“Ask Jingle for anything. He’ll get you whatever you want, as long as you’re on the nice list.”_

“That’s right! Once I’m on the nice list, I can ask Jingle for happiness.” He sat down, grabbed a pen and paper, and began writing.

_"Dear Jingle, 

It's Redd. What can I do to get on the nice list?"_

The next morning, he found a letter on his desk. “This wasn’t here last night.” He took a closer look at it.

_“Dear Redd, 

It’s not hard to get on the nice list! Do a few good deeds and you’ll get there. How about you try spreading the holiday joy? You can be one of my official helpers.

Regards,
Jingle”_

“That was fast. Well, I better get started.”

He looked around his boat for anything he could give to villagers. He found some interesting wares--a rotary phone, a cute bed, and a Nova light, among other things.

“_Hmm…_” Redd thought to himself. “_Wouldn’t Julian like a Nova light?_” He took the Nova light, wrapped it, and headed out of his boat. 

On his way to look for Julian, he passed by a group of villagers having a snowball fight. “_That looks like fun_,” he thought. He arrived at Julian’s house and knocked on the door.

“Who is it?” Julian asked. 

“It’s me, Redd.”

Julian felt a sense of confusion, but he opened the door anyway. “What is it?”

“I have a gift for you!” Redd said, with a bright smile on his face. “It’s from me. I thought you’d like it.”

“This isn’t a trick, is it?”

“Of course not! I’m one of Jingle’s official helpers, you know?”

Julian hesitantly took the gift and closed the door.

“That’s one good deed down!” said Redd.

“What’s someone like Redd doing as one of Jingle’s helpers? Did Jingle get scammed?” He opened the gift from Redd to see a Nova light. “Wow… this is really pretty. Redd really got this for me?” Julian smiled.

On his way back to his boat, Redd passed by Lloid who was gathering donations for a new bridge.

“Hi Redd. Care to donate any bells to fund our new bridge? If you can spare even a single bell, great!” said Lloid.

“I’m in a good mood today, so here you go!” Redd gave over 198,000 bells, with a grin on his face.

“Wow! This is enough to build our new bridge. Thanks Redd!”

“Redd, is that you?” said a voice from behind.

Redd turned around and saw that Isabelle was standing behind him. “Hey Izzy! Nice to see you on this fine morning.”

“What are you doing here?” Isabelle asked curiously.

“Redd here just paid off our new bridge!” Lloid replied.

“Wow! Really? That’s very sweet of you, Redd,” said Isabelle.

“It’s the least I could do!”

“Would you like to grab some coffee at Brewster’s with me, Redd?” asked Isabelle. “If you’re not busy, of course. It’ll be my treat.”

Redd contemplated whether he should return to his boat to open up his store for the day. “I’d love to, Isabelle.”

The two walked over to Brewster’s and ordered coffee. “Let me pay for the drinks,” Redd insisted.

“No! I said it would be my treat. This isn’t even enough to repay you for what you did back there.”

“It was no big deal!”

“So, what’s going on with you? You seem a little different today.”

“Me? Well, I’m one of Jingle’s official helpers, and I’m trying to spread the holiday cheer in his stead.”

“How cool! Let me know if you need anything. I’d be happy to help. Well, I’d better get going now. Resident Services needs me.”

“Of course! Thanks for this, by this way. It was really kind of you.”

“It was no big deal,” Isabelle said as she left, with a slight chuckle. Redd smiled and headed back to his boat.

“Let’s see… what can I do?” He began examining the prices of his goods. He then grabbed a red marker and drew a strike through all of his prices. “Everything will be half off for the holidays!”

At the end of the day, Redd sat down and wrote another letter to Jingle.

“_Dear Jingle, 

It’s Redd again. Am I on the nice list yet?_”

The next morning, Redd checked his desk. There was no letter. “Maybe he’s busy. Toy Day is in just a few days, after all.”

All of a sudden, Redd heard a knock on the door of his boat. “It’s me, Isabelle!”

Redd hurried to open the door to greet her. “Hey, Izzy! What are you doing here?”

“The bridge that you paid for yesterday was completed overnight! We’d love to have you at the ceremony.”

“Y-you would?” Redd asked shockingly. “Hold on, let me get ready first!”

“Of course!” Isabelle replied. The two headed over to the new bridge. 

“Welcome to our dedication ceremony honoring our island’s brand-new bridge! We’d like to give a special shout-out to Redd for making this bridge possible,” said Tom Nook.

“Yay Redd!”

“Redd’s the best!”

“That’s it for our ceremony. We’d like to thank everyone who came today.” The group of villagers dispersed, leaving just Redd and Isabelle behind.

“What’s wrong, Redd?” Isabelle asked. 

“I feel… weird.”

“Oh no! Should I get you medicine from Nook’s?”

“No need! I’ll just head back to my boat for now.”

Redd returned to his boat and checked again for a letter. Nothing.

“Why is it taking so long? I still have that weird feeling. Maybe I should take a nap…”

The little fox dozed off. He was awakened by a knock on the door hours later.

“Redd, it’s me again! Are you in there?” asked a voice belonging to Isabelle.

Redd got up to open the door. “What is it?”

“Sorry to disturb you! The islanders are having a small get-together in front of Resident Services. Would you be interested in coming? K.K. Slider will be there!”

“I’d love to come! Let’s go,” Redd answered enthusiastically. He had never seen K.K. Slider live before because he never had anyone to go with.

When they arrived, Pompom, Molly, Apollo, Colton, and Julian were there, all jamming to K.K. Slider’s live performance. Isabelle and Redd joined them.

“I like this song,” Redd remarked.

“This? It’s K.K. House! I love it too,” Isabelle replied. “By the way, are you feeling any better?”

“I still have that weird feeling from earlier, and it’s only growing. It started after that ceremony earlier today.”

“I think I know what that feeling is.”

“You do?” Redd wondered. 

“You must be happy!” Isabelle exclaimed.

Redd was taken aback. “No… that couldn’t be it.”

“Whatever,” Isabelle chuckled. “Let’s just enjoy this performance.”

When Redd went back to his boat after the performance, he was surprised to find someone waiting in front of his boat. As he got closer, he saw a black nose and antlers. “_It must be Jingle_,” he thought.

“Jingle, is that you?”

“Oh yes, Redd! Sorry that I wasn’t able to reply to your letter. I’ve been so busy with Toy Day quickly approaching. Anyway, I came to thank you in person for the high levels of holiday joy coming from this island. I checked the nice list, and you’re on it! Great job! What would you like to ask for?”

Redd thought long and hard. He had been meaning to ask for happiness once he got on Jingle’s nice list. He suddenly remembered what Isabelle said during K.K.’s performance.

“_Am I… happy?_” he thought to himself. _“Is that really what this weird, new feeling is? So, what am I supposed to ask for now?_”

After giving it some thought, he made up his mind. “I would like to ask for a nice gift for Isabelle. Something that she’d really love.” 

“Isabelle? Let me think.” Jingle reached into his sack of presents and pulled out a wrapped box. “This will be perfect for her.”

“Thank you Jingle! For everything.”

“No need to thank me! Happy holidays, Redd.”

As the little fox fell asleep that night, he whispered softly to himself, “I am happy.”

After a few long days passed by, Toy Day was finally here. That evening, he left to meet Isabelle by Resident Services after work, bringing along his present for her. 

“Isabelle!” Redd called out when he saw her. “Happy Toy Day!”

“Happy Toy Day, Redd!” 

He handed her the gift he’d asked Jingle for. 

“Wow, thanks Redd!” Isabelle smiled brightly. “Here, I have something for you too.” 

“F-for me?”

“Of course, Redd!” Isabelle said.

“But why?”

“The holidays don’t just have to be about giving. Receiving is also part of it! Even though it isn’t much, I hope you like it.” A short silence ensued. “Although I do like gifts, my favorite part about the holidays is spending the season with friends and family.”

“But I don’t have any family…”

“Of course you do! Right, cousin?” Isabelle joked.

The two smiled at each other.

“Hey, Redd?”

“Yeah?”

_POW_! When he turned to look at her, he was hit in the face with a snowball. He was reminded of the group of villagers he had seen a few days ago having a snowball fight, when he was all alone. He rolled up a small ball of snow and threw it at Isabelle. The two spent the rest of the night playing in the snow.

The lonesome little fox was lonesome no more.


----------



## Chungus (Jan 22, 2021)

*Building Bertha’s House (In a Day)* - approx. 1,956 words.





In life—especially in toe-chilling weather as this—Bertha preferred to read a book in bed, her plush pink blanket tucked firmly over and under her feet. 

But she knew the satisfaction of bundling up only came in the wake of the cold. 

Though she didn’t like it, the hippo needed the freezing tingle in her two front teeth and the near-frostbite in her fingertips as she held the flier out. She needed to put herself out there if it meant moving on in life like her sisters before her.

Against the snow, Bertha blinked blearily at the flier and turned back at the bright yellow paint of DAL Airport. The paper creased and grew damp in her grasp; in a panic, Bertha ducked under a cherry tree. Now, she could clearly see the advert she’d hastily printed out with the airport’s printer:

_Seeking: Protégé to pass on this old wolf’s research. Must be fresh out of school and have a genuine interest in biology. Serious offers only. Ask for “Dobie” at Seven Star Beach Resort in Kame._

Bertha gulped, her eyes falling on Dobie’s portrait. Though the wolf didn’t have teeth, there was a grave look in his eyes. Bertha knew she was going to screw up somehow.

Just past the tree was an empty plot—_her_ plot, Tom Nook told her. Bertha felt like the tarp blowing in the wind over the wood planks that would make up her house.

Bertha found herself stumbling on her way to the beach resort. With a loud yell, she slipped and just barely caught herself, her fingers digging into the beach resort kiosk. 

“Oh dear!” Someone laughed above Bertha. “Someone needs to stop by the Able Sisters for some très magnifique boots. They have cute pink ones that’d match your _adorable_ coat perfectly!” 

A bright orange fox leaned at her place behind the kiosk. “Welcome to Kame, stranger!” She tilted her sunglasses (though there was no sun) up into her bangs.

Bertha mumbled under her breath but quickly stood up straight. “Sorry, m’am. Do you work here? I—”

“I run the resort! Can’t ya tell?” There was a glimmer in the fox’s eye as she adjusted her sunglasses some more. “What’s your name, new girl? I’m—”

“Bertha,” the hippo cut in, tears burning at the back of her eyes. “Please lead me to Dobie.”

“Cheer up! You’ll fit in well here.”

_Doubt that one_, Bertha wanted to say.

“I'm Audie! It’s always scary moving somewhere new,” the fox said. “But no worries! You’ll be in great paws. Dobie told me about you.”

“_Did he?_”

“He’s a permanent resident in our resort, actually,” Audie continued. “A retiree and all. He’s a cute old man, though he’s way cranky and definitely doesn’t like me—”

“Directions, please!” Bertha cupped her mouth and glanced down at the flier. She would rather look at Dobie’s awkward portrait if it meant avoiding Audie’s scrutiny, but the fox was talking again.

“To the right!” Audie pointed to a row of two houses. “And up ahead,” she said, turning now to a fancy bungalow nestled on top of a waterfall, “is where you’ll be ‘til your house’s built. Tom’s orders.”

“Great.” Bertha turned her back on Audie as she called happily after her.

“Good luck!”

***​
It took Dobie ages to open the door after she’d knocked a few times. Bertha wanted to assure him through the cracks to take his time—but Audie, waving so eagerly in the distance, made her want to cry. It didn’t help that, from all of Bertha’s knocking, a mound of snow fell from Dobie’s roof and caught her by the tail.

But finally, the door opened. Warm light fell on Bertha’s face, but she stood in the cold of the day and the shadow of the wolf. Dobie smiled at her, and for a moment Bertha was tempted to forget her unsease.

“‘Big’ Bertha, is it?” Dobie laughed, showing the gums of his toothless maw. “A pleasure to finally meet you, ohmmm. Come in.” 

“That’s, uh, what my eldest sister used to call me,” Bertha stammered as she squeezed past Dobie. “Thank you for that. It’s, um, a pleasant memory, and—”

“Don’t thank me.” Dobie tutted, shutting the door behind her. “We haven’t started yet.”

“Um. Yes, sir.” Bertha sniffled and stood stiffly at attention while Dobie raised a brow at her.

“Your coat?”

“Oh.” Bertha unbuttoned her pink coat and forced it over a hook beside the desk she assumed would be their workspace. “Of course. I’m so sorry…” As she smoothed her coat down, her hat fell from the top of the stand and onto the desk. She let out a little peep.

“Never mind that,” Dobie said, his voice tart as he snatched the hat back up. “Your résumé stated that you hope to go on to criminology…?”

“No,” Bertha said, her hands behind her back. “I want to be a professor at the college I graduated from, sir.”

“Oh, right.” Dobie scoffed, thumbing through pages. “I’m thinking of another candidate. My brain’s a mite fuzzy, but still sharp around the edges. Good,” he murmured. He found and smoothed out Bertha’s résumé. “On an uneventful island as Kame, we need not focus on such things. You have a noble and decidedly more useful goal, Bertha.”

“Oh.” Bertha blinked. “That’s… good.”

“Anyways.” Dobie cleared his throat. “I was a professor, myself. I’m happy to see a youngin’ eager to learn from her elder and pass all she knows onto her juniors. I hope the cycle of learning continues with you, my dear.”

“Yes, sir,” Bertha said. She glanced out the window and saw a familiar fox tending to the neighboring bungalow, straightening a wreath on its door. “Do you like Audie?”

Dobie blinked as he extracted a book from his shelf. “She’s young and naïve... Why?”

“Um.” Bertha tugged on the ribbon on her collar. Dobie continued to glare at her, so she stumbled over her words. “She said you were cranky and didn’t like her.”

There was a hint of a snarl on Dobie’s face.

“It’s not like that,” Bertha stammered. “She likes you! I was just wondering if—”

“Bertha,” Dobie said, so slowly, he might have thought she was stupid. “You just arrived, correct?”

“Correct.”

“Why don’t you come back tomorrow? I see your mind’s wandering. Like old Dobie’s!” He laughed, though a chill went down Bertha’s spine. “Explore Kame in the meantime.”

Bertha’s eyes widened. She stood at attention with her mouth agape even as Dobie handed her coat and hat to her. “Did I do something wrong, sir?”

“You still have a lot to learn,” he said, gesturing towards the door. “I can’t teach you anything if you’re not present. Sounds like a breath of air would do you good.” He smiled, though his eyes didn’t seem to smile. “Come back tomorrow.”

***​
Bertha rubbed at her face; her tears stung on her cheeks and threatened to freeze in place. She didn’t want to be like the icicles hanging from Dobie’s roof or even the now-trampled snow that fell from it. But her mentor had left her hanging...

Why wouldn’t Dobie explain to her what was going on? Wasn’t this the point of Bertha flying to Kame? So she could learn in a new environment, like her sisters before her?

The back of Bertha’s legs were chilled as she sat on the cold metal of the bench, but she didn’t care.

“Bertha!”

Across from the out-of-order beach resort fountain, Audie stood with a worried look on her face. She waved to Bertha and, after setting her box of wreaths to the side, hurried over. But just before she made it to her, Audie nearly slipped.

Bertha laughed through her tears. Where were those “très magnifique boots” when they needed them?

“What’s wrong?” Audie sat down and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “What did Dobie do _this_ time?”

“Huh?”

Audie nodded to Bertha, focused on her in a way that both frightened her, yet touched her.

Bertha sighed. “He seemed happy to take me on as a student, but I mentioned you, and…” She wiped her eyes on her sleeve.

Audie chuckled. “Dobie must still be mad at me for this, that, or another. I put up a wooden sign ‘cause Shari wanted to advertise her secondhand-from-Leif’s flower business. It was on Dobie’s lawn, I _guess_.” Her chuckle turned into a howl. “It was hilarious, ‘cause Walt came up to me and wanted to advertise something, too. Get this…” Audie prodded Bertha. “He wants the poster in the same spot! Knowing Dobie will hate it!”

Bertha nodded. She had no idea who “Walt” or “Shari” were, but Audie seemed happy to talk about them as if Bertha knew them. It made her feel somewhat included.

“And did you know? Dobie and Walt, though they’re next door neighbors, are constantly fighting.” Audie wheezed and wiped a tear out of her eye. She looked to Bertha and frowned a little. “Your tears better be of laughter, too!”

Bertha smiled. “I wish. But…” She sighed, wiping her eyes again. “Dobie seems so stern. I’m not sure if I can work in that environment.”

“You won’t know until you try again,” Audie said, her voice taking on an unexpectedly softer tone.

“I know. But this is too much, you know?” Bertha sniffled. “And I’m so cold.”

Audie rubbed Bertha’s shoulders. “Why don’t we get some hot cocoa going?” 

Bertha couldn’t help but smile a little as Audie took her by the hand, raving about how good Kame’s hot cocoa was.

***​
Audie and Bertha were sitting at the kitchen island in Bertha’s bungalow, their hands around their steaming mugs as Audie talked about the history of Seven Star Beach Resort and how she came to be its manager.

Bertha was happy that the pain in her fingers wasn’t from the cold, but the reassuring warmth of the mug. The steam of the hot cocoa on Bertha’s face could have been the “fresh air” Dobie was talking about, but Bertha wasn’t sure.

Audie was talking about the construction of the bungalow when Bertha mused aloud. “Nook told me the construction of my house will be finished tomorrow. Can you believe that?”

“Yep!” Audie chirped. “Kame wasn’t built overnight, sure, but each house? All in a day’s work with enough willpower.” She licked up a marshmallow in her cocoa.

“Just a day? Seems a little fast.”

“Progress may seem fast sometimes,” Audie was saying as she downed her cup. “But I say ride the wave!”

Bertha stared down at her mug. “Dobie wants to take it fast, yet slow at the same time. He wants me to get into it, yet wants me to take a day off to explore the “uneventful” Kame. I don’t understand.”

“True,” Audie said. “But didn’t he say to do it in a day? Maybe he wants you to ride today’s wave and see where it takes you tomorrow?”

“Maybe.” Bertha smiled. “Maybe, in his weird way, he wants me to learn from another naïve girl trying to make her way in Kame.”

Audie sputtered. “Did you call me ‘naïve’?”

“Dobie did,” Bertha said, smirking a little. “Looks like I’m learning from him already!”

Audie shoved her playfully. Bertha’s mug clinked against Audie’s as they laughed; Bertha believed they were toasting to her arrival in Kame.

More than that, Bertha wanted to toast to the wealth of experience that was to come. Like the bitter winter air, Dobie’s words would push her out of her comfort zone and into the wilds of Kame. Her new house would be ready tomorrow, and by then, Bertha would start leaving her own mark on Kame—whether _she_ was ready or not.


----------



## Plume (Jan 22, 2021)

*Would You Like Cocoa With That?*​
    "71? It feels more like 61," Molly muttered as she checked the thermostat, wiping her cold, flour coated feathers across the festive themed apron her mother had sent her for Christmas. Although often referred to as "tacky" by certain, snooty friends, Molly adored the gift. The color of the apron was a distinct milk-bone red, like the biscuits frequently snacked on by her neighbor, Bones. It was denim in texture, with an assortment of snowflakes, snowballs, and a cast of snowmen stamped throughout. Her favorite character, of course, was a snow-duckling with two potato chips forming its beak and little polka-dotted mittens growing straight from it's cold, spherical body. Molly thought about building her own snow-duckling, "What's beneath the mittens? Little wings?" Not the most exciting conclusion, she decided that the mittens were probably held up by two, twig-like sticks. Her fluffy tail waved as she spun toward the oven, which she set decisively to 350°.

    Glancing at the clock, she noted the hour. It was the morning of December 31st, and there was a considerable chunk of time between now and Felicity's New Years Eve party. Humming along as K.K. Ballad blasted from the yellow boombox atop her dresser, she lined a pan with parchment paper, before combining the wet and dry ingredients. Using a wooden spoon, she was careful not to over-mix the batter, as she knew such actions could result in flat, lifeless cookies. She deposited the spoon into her pocket and began rummaging through the drawers below, where she retrieved a combination of sugary toppings. She lowered her beak and at once, the humming ceased. She observed the selection that sat deliciously glistening before her cocoa-colored eyes.

    Chocolate chips of all sizes and flavors (white chocolate, peanut butter, creamy milk, and dark chocolate...), gumdrops, rainbow sprinkles, chocolate jimmies, gummy bears (gummy birds and worms, too!), vanilla, pastel, and chocolate nonpareils, M&M's, marshmallows, shredded coconut, crushed walnuts, Oreos, and candy-cane...

    Molly knew one thing. Tough decisions would have to be made. "Chocolate nonpareils are Mint's favorite topping", she considered, "but Sherb's least favorite." Crushed candycane, favored by all, was excessively festive and out of season. There was no way that a Gummy-anything would stick, and gumdrops just didn't seem to belong in the cozy assortment that is the chocolate-chip cookie. She wasn't a fan of marshmallow, herself, and she knew Cyd wasn't keen to it, either. Felicity and Ruby hated nuts.

    "Oh well," she shrugged, as she poured the milk chocolate chips into the batter. Perhaps, it was best to avoid uncertainties. Retrieving the wooden spoon from her apron, she stirred in a wingful of colorful-shelled chocolate candies, and set aside a mixture of rainbow sprinkles and chocolate jimmies to add later, while the cookies cooled. She knew that if she waited, the sprinkles would melt just enough to be warm and gooey, while holding enough shape to appear decorative. Molly grabbed wingfuls of cookie dough, and while still thinking about the snowmen on her apron, she formed perfect dough balls of uniform sizing. She wondered if Snowboy would be proud.

    Suddenly, she heard a beep. The oven was up to temperature, and Molly was ready to bake.


----------



## oranje (Jan 23, 2021)

Wintertime Sadness ​
It wasn’t Del’s first winter. It wasn’t his twentieth, thirtieth, or even fortieth. In his lifetime, the alligator endured fifty-four winters. This year was to be his fifty-fifth. Even after all these years, it didn’t get any easier.

On one chilly, windy afternoon, the alligator went on his usual walk around the plaza. The brisk, cold air made Del shiver and he pulled the collar of his peacoat closer to his neck. As he made his round, he stopped to watch the residents play in the snow. Doc was busy making a snow angel, while the island’s resident jocks, Tybalt and Rod, were engaged in a heated snowball fight. Raymond and Jacques were sizing up their designer winter hats while Piper sat nearby, chatting nonstop to a dozing Eunice.

Del envied them. They just looked so _happy_. Even on a day as cold and miserable as today, they had the energy to run around and _smile_. All the island trees were bare, the grass was dead, and the sky brought down a flurry of freezing snowflakes that loved to cling on to Del’s scales like icy fleas, making every joint in his body ache. There was nothing happy about winter and he grew more and more irritated as he watched the festivities.

The crunch of footsteps approached from behind him. A voice, smooth and smoky like an aged whisky, pulled Del out of his brooding.

“Hello darling. Out for your daily walk? It’s such a pleasant day today, isn’t it?”

Del turned around to see Tiffany the rabbit with a smile on her face. With a parasol in her gloved paw, Tiffany looked as elegant as always, dressed to the nines in a faux-fur coat and her signature red lipstick. She always looked like she was about to go to a fancy gala, even when it was just a quick stop to Nook’s Cranny. A lady no matter the occasion. Del thought Tiffany’s formalities were ridiculous, but over the past months that they’ve lived as neighbors on the island, her little quirks had begun to grow on him.

But today wasn’t a good day for Del and he didn’t have any patience left, even for a friend. Tiffany’s smile faltered when her eyes fell on her friend’s sour scowl. “Is something the matter?”

Del huffed. “Nothing’s wrong.”

Tiffany tilted her head, her kohled eyes studying his face. “Are you sure? You look a little…”

“I’m fine!” Del snapped, baring his teeth. “Quit pestering me! Just leave me alone!”

Tiffany jumped back, a paw at her chest. “Goodness! I just wanted to know if you were okay! I’m concerned about you, that’s all.”

Del said nothing and continued to scowl, turning away and walking through the slush to his house.

Tiffany sighed as she watched him go. “What has gotten into him?”

Tybalt bounded beside her, Rod riding piggyback. They both were covered in snow.

“Don’t worry about him Tiff!” said Tybalt through icy whiskers. “He’s always a grump!”

“Yeah!” squeaked Rod in agreement. “He’s cranky ‘cause he’s old!”

“Boys, that isn’t polite.” The rabbit crossed her arms as she thought. “But I will get to the bottom of this. I can’t stand to see my friend in such distress.”

That evening, Del was huddled on an old armchair, swaddled in layers of blankets like an onion. The heater rattled nosily as he buried his snout in a worn, dog-eared adventure novel. The book was almost as old as he was and it was one of the few possessions that he carried with him no matter where he went. He read it so many times that he knew the words by heart. It had helped him through many dark nights, but on this winter night, the familiar story of the swashbuckling hero that he loved so dearly rang hollow. He couldn’t concentrate, no matter how much his eyes scanned over the pages.

He closed the book, placed it beside him, and sunk deeper into the chair. The wind outside shook the windows and howled through the cracks in the tiny house. Del wished he could hibernate through the winter. He wanted to leave this season of ice and snow and death far behind him. Why did an island this far south even have a winter season? Where did that island paradise that Nook promised him disappear to?

Suddenly he heard a knock at the door. He didn’t want to leave the warmth of his blanket hideaway and was about to tell them to go away, but then he heard a voice through the blowing frost.

“It’s Tiffany darling. Please do let me in.”

For a moment, Del’s eyes softened. He couldn’t believe his friend braved a blizzard to check up on him. But then again, Tiffany was always one for dramatic gestures.

He peeled himself out of his blankets and stomped to the door. Opening the door, he was greeted by a smile that lit up the darkness.

“Del!” Tiffany exclaimed, giving the taller alligator a hug. “It’s so good to see you! May I come in? It’s freezing out here!”

“It’s good to see you too.” Always a little awkward with affection, Del hugged her back, ever so lightly as to not crush his more delicate friend. “Yeah, no kiddin’. Come on in.” Tiffany followed Del into his house, her boots crunching with ice.

The little rabbit took off her boots near the door and placed her cloak on one of Del’s utility racks. The reptile loved to tinker with his various tools and metal bits and bobs. Tiffany had to take great care not to step on any of the cogs and circuits that littered the floor. Was his house this messy the last time she visited?

Tiffany placed a basket on his iron table, making a loud clang. “I brought some goodies for you.”

Del turned around, his face scrunching into a frown. “You didn’t have to Tiffany. Like I told you today, I’m doin’ okay.”

The rabbit shook her head. “No, I absolutely insist! You know that I don’t like cooking, but I actually made something for the occasion! I know chili is your favorite so-“

“What occasion Tiffany?” Del folded his scaly arms across his chest. “Are you here to just to nose around? Gather some intel so you can gossip with the other villagers?”

It was Tiffany’s turn to frown. “Heavens no! I thought you knew me better than a gossip! I care for you darling. I want to know what’s going on with you. You’ve been crankier than usual and I want to understand you better so I can help!”

Del growled under his breath. She was right. He did know her better than that. He knew Tiffany was being sincere.

“Fine.” Del retreated to his blanket fort, huddling back into his armchair. “But don’t expect much from me.”

Tiffany laughed as she pulled two thermoses from the basket. “Oh, don’t worry. You and I both know I can talk for the both of us!”

She handed him the thermos. He thanked her. It smelled of coffee, black. No sugar, no milk. Just how he liked it.

Tiffany perched in a chair across from him, legs crossed as she took a drink from her bedazzled thermos. “Del, darling, please tell me what’s troubling you. I know this winter in particular has been harsh. Is it the weather that’s been bothering you?”

“Who likes winter anyways,” replied Del as he glanced at the growing icicles outside. “It’s cold. It’s ugly. It’s too darn quiet all the time. I hate it.”

“Well! That’s a first. I never thought you’d complain about something being too quiet! But winter doesn’t last forever! Spring will be here before you know it!”

Del looked back at his friend. The creases around his eyes betrayed his weariness.

“When you’re in the thick of it, like we are now, winter feels like it’ll never end. Every day feels the same.”

Del’s baritone voice wavered as he continued. “You know, you get to be my age and you’re bound to have some kind of past. And when I watch the snow fall outta the sky, it just stirs up some bad memories I’ve been carrying around.”

“That’s part of the reason why I came here, you know? I wanted to leave all of that behind me. But then winter comes …and…”

Tears began to well up in the old alligator’s eyes. He cursed as he wiped them away, embarrassed. “Gosh darn it! I’m sorry Tiffany I just-“

The sound of a chair scrapped across the floor, followed by a gentle but firm embrace. When Del opened his eyes, his gaze met Tiffany’s. She radiated so much kindness and serenity, that he felt almost shy to be in her presence.

Tiffany then took off one of her evening gloves and leaned close to wipe away his tears.

“Hush now darling. No need to apologize. I understand you completely. I’ll be here for you, through this winter and all winters to come. And this island community supports you too! Believe it or not, we all do adore you, even if the boys are a little coarse at times.”

“I’m not an easy friend to have Tiffany,” replied Del. “I reckon I have a lot of bad days ahead of me.”

The rabbit gave him a wink. “Ha! Who said I like it easy?” She placed her dainty paws in his claws. “If I make your days even a little brighter, it’ll be worth all the effort. And before you know it, the snow will have melted and from out of the doom and gloom comes fabulous Spring! We can plan a flower garden, maybe have a nice picnic to celebrate.”

Del gave a toothy smile in return. For the first time in this entire winter he felt a spark of hope. The weather outside was grey and freezing but in his tiny house, there was a glow, a promise of renewal and of wonderful things yet to come. And he hoped that this silly, bold, and wonderful rabbit would be a part of his life in winter and in all the other seasons that followed.

“That’ll be real nice,” replied Del. “I’ll be looking forward to it.”

That feeling of shyness overcame him again as he fiddled with a blanket. For all his gumption, grit, and cankerous ways, Del had the hardest time spitting out the words that left him most vulnerable.

“Tiffany…I know it’s late and all but…” His eyes met hers again. He could see her eyes crinkle in delight as she anticipated his words. “Would you like to stay a little longer?”

She beamed at him, throwing her arms around his neck. “Oh darling, I thought you’d never ask! Of course I’ll stay!”

Del was thankful she couldn’t see the blush on his cheeks. After that night, winter was a lot more tolerable for the both of them.


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## Cosmic-chan (Jan 23, 2021)

*Snow of His Love *

How long has it been? A month? Six? A year? Two? I’m not sure. I’ve lost track of time. This winter on my island has been the roughest it’s been in years. The snow seems to be non-stop. The beautiful crystal sculptures pile high like my love for you. Between my island and my heart all they seem to know is eternal crystal snow. Every night I go up to my window and look for the brightest star and wish for you to return by my side and hold me tight and keep me warm at night but, it seems as if though no matter how many wishes I make they never seem to bring you back to me. I wish harder and harder every night but no matter what I say you’re still missing. You seem to gone away. I wake up everyday hoping you’d appear at my side but that hope seems to grown smaller as time goes on. I try to write you letters everyday rehearsing what to say when the truth comes out but, I can’t seem to get the right words to tell you how I feel.



...

“Milky? Where have you gone? You’ve been gone an awful long time..”

I know..I’m sorry I just need time alone. I just need to lay here and wish for him to return. Doesn’t he know I love him? Why would he leave me in this eternal crystal snowstorm all alone? I wish he’d hold me tight and make this all right.
Just come back home and we can be together alone. We’ll be happy once again.
Hurry and come home before the snow piles too high up to the sky.
I want you. Please won’t hear my prayers?
Had I done something wrong? Is that why you’re gone?

...

“Milky? Where are you? Please come home. It’s only getting colder.”

I can’t come home. I must lay here and stay with him until he comes back like he promised.
Don’t you know I miss you? Maybe you don’t know how much I miss you. That’s quite okay it’s more than the millions of crystal flakes of snow that blow over my island. My love for you is more than anyone will ever know. I don’t think even the trillions of stars in the sky can measure my love for you darling. There is not a number that can even remotely measure my love for you. Hopefully this night will be the night you’ll hold me tight and make things feel right.

…
“Milky please be okay wherever you are. Please come home soon safe and sound okay?”

I hear you but, I don’t want to go home. Not until he comes back. I’m here with you please just take me away. My home is with you so please just take me with you. On my island it’s only revenge and chaos but I won’t lose hope you’re the reason why I still believe that even through the most chaotic things something so beautiful can come from it. It’s like our love. It’s a love that’s so beautiful and gorgeous it keeps my heart so warm even if it’s below freezing outside.
The cold doesn’t bother me not nearly as much of not having you.
The snow looks beautiful tonight can you see it from where you are at? I hope so you always did say you love watching the eternal crystal snow fall high from the sky.
…

“Milky we’re going to find you just hold on tight okay?”

Maybe I don’t want to be found not until he comes around.
Don’t you know you’re still on my mind and in my dreams? How long are you going to stay? How long before you let me sleep soundly again? I miss you but, I wish we never met so my heart could forget you. I love you but I wish it wasn’t true. I really wish it wasn’t true at all my heart only knows eternal crystal snow.

…

“Milky ! There you are..you’re back here again this year? Every winter you always come back to this place and lay on his grave crying beautifully sad crystal tears. You know no matter how much you sing and plead he’s not coming back dear. You won’t be satisfied until you die and be with him again and you know that. Come on darlin get up let’s go home.” An older looking red and white feline said as he scooped the cold and silently sad young Milky off the tombstone in a bridal style making sure Milky’s arms wrapped his neck and his tiny dainty head laid just perfectly against his warm chest.
“Silly boy you had the whole island looking for you. You had us all worried sick. I guess I can’t blame you. You lost a little thing called first love and your soul mate. I just hope one day you can find someone that can sooth your pain again. It seems between our island and your heart all they seem to know is eternal crystal snow.”


My story is 849 words. I wrote this at 1am the other day sorry if its bad xc​


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## lieryl (Jan 24, 2021)

*she*​

She came by again today. Always bathed in moonlight, always under the snowfall. She would walk through the gentle rain of ice, her boots leaving behind a trail of dainty footprints as she clutched at a faded leather knapsack. Perhaps today she would greet me with a quick wave, or maybe with a little bow. Either way, under that small bus stop canopy, neither of us ever said much. It was always, “Some weather we’re having huh?”, and a response in the form of prolonged silence. I did not know how long she waited at this stop, nor did I know where she would go from here. We were two passing strangers, not that it mattered much. She didn’t know me and I no longer really knew her.

Sometimes I wish I could go back. Winter wasn’t always such a desolate plane of blinding white snow. Having the sun out during the cold season didn't seem so stifling back then. After all, she used to be so radiant. Maybe not blindingly so, but she was warm, kind, so genuine. I still remember the homemade candles and the burnt sugar cookies. All of our kitchen furniture forts and that one very misshapen snowman. I didn’t have a lot back then, but I had her. And she, of course, had me. Actually, she probably had more of me than I did and it’s tragic how I sometimes think she still does.

We used to go bus hopping in the dead of night, her and I. Never actually had a destination, but we liked it that way. With nothing but us under a starry sky, the world felt a little more bearable. I guess even after all of the stupidly delirious conversations, all the, “You’re brighter than any star in this whole damn galaxy”, or, “You’re my moon, my sun, my literal everything”, the two of us would never again get lost together. A sappy sentiment, but the snow had to melt away at some point, and ultimately, so did she.

My thoughts continued to stray further into the past as the bus pulled up in front of me, a few minutes early as it always is. The wind was now painfully wailing and I started to wish I’d brought a heavier jacket, or at the very least some warm mittens. But of course, I hadn’t. I was never prepared for anything in life. Not for this hellish weather and certainly not for delicate matters of the heart.

I’d oftentimes wonder how people move on so easily. How they could just walk away from the love of their lives and be somewhat okay. I don't think I'll ever be okay. The thought of going forwards without her, god I’d chastise myself for even lingering on the idea.

Looking back, she truly was my sun. I don’t mean my sunshine, or sunlight, sun rays. There’s this warm feeling of being under a clear sky, where your heart is unbelievably full and your body feels the embrace of an entire galaxy. That was her. She was my warmth, my world. Me, I guess I was the winter that took her away. I was the gray skies that stole her radiance. The footprints in the snow, the harsh downpour of ice, it was all a painful reminder of what I had lost. She could never come back, but winter always did. It would taunt me with her ghost, as if I didn’t already see her face at every bus stop, hear her voice in the cries of the wind.

The crystal powder had now begun to fall faster as the gales picked up their paces, effectively snapping me out of my delusions. With the bus driver’s impatient glare pointed at me, I shoved my hands into my thin pockets and boarded a bus I’ve boarded so many times before. The doors shut tight behind me and I laid my head against the chilled window, tears already frozen upon my cheek. Under a boundless night sky that used to be ours, I was once more off on a journey to nowhere.

As the snow continued to pour down in torrents and as the cold spread throughout my entire body, I no longer wished to think, especially not of her.

I didn’t dare admire stars that no longer seemed that starry and I certainly didn’t dare look back at the girl who was my entire galaxy all those years ago.




Spoiler: A/N



so like i am in no way a writer and this was written late at night as i attempted to finish in time to beat up a cube with my friends like pls this sounds like the diary entry of a 12 year old wannabe emo kid going through some things im


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## Pintuition (Jan 24, 2021)

*A New Year Wish*​

“Hootie toot!” hooted the red owl, her eyes sparkling like stars as she looks up to her elder brother, “Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve! We ought to make a wish for the new year, don’t you think? If you could have anything in the world, Blathers, what would you wish for?”

“Hoo, well, erm- I don’t know, Celeste,” Blathers stammers, “You know I’ve never been the type to…”

“I know, I know, you’re not the type to make a wish on a falling star,” Celeste sighs, her sharp exhale fluttering her feathers, “We’ve been looking off in different directions our whole lives. Me, up to the stars, and you to your studies. Will the new year truly be no different?”

Celeste, the bright-eyed dreamer, was very different from her unwaveringly serious brother. Ever since Blathers moved to the deserted island to open up his own museum the two siblings had made it a point to see each other at least once a week. Tonight was one such occasion.

“What would you wish for, Celeste?” Blathers changes the subject, breaking the silence at long last.

Celeste considers for a moment, wondering if she should tell her brother. Deep down she knows he’d never deign to laugh at her, no matter how foolish her wish, but still she wavered, “Oh, I dunno,” Celeste starts shyly, “It’s silly.”

“How do I know that if you don’t tell me?” Blathers’ brow wrinkles.

“Well, alright,” Celeste sighs, “Ever since I was an owlet I’ve dreamed of seeing the northern lights. The meteor showers we have on the island are certainly beautiful but could never compare to an aurora, don’t you think?”

“Hoo hoo! Well, the aurora borealis is a rare sight, indeed!” Blathers exclaims, “I should like to study one someday!”

“Unfortunately our island is not at a latitude where seeing such a display would be possible,” Blathers adds hastily, “Alas, we’d have to be much further north to see one.”

“I told you it was a stupid wish,” Celeste hangs her head slightly.

“I think not! A wish to observe a rare phenomenon is not a wish wasted, Celeste,” Blathers smiles. “Nature is complex and often quite beautiful,” Blathers continues, “As beautiful as it is it would be quite impossible to experience here I’m afraid.”

“I know, brother, I just thought it would be nice to see the sky lit up with colors tomorrow, like nature’s fireworks,” Celeste clasps her wing upon his shoulder gently, “It looks like I’ll have to find something else to wish for.”

The two owls sit silently together upon the museum roof for a long while after that, the quiet only occasionally pierced by the familiar ring of falling stars and the soft pats of island residents walking home through the snow. Blathers knew not what to say to his sister but could tell her heart yearned to the sky lit up by the polar lights. But how could he bring them to the island?

As Blathers continues to ruminate on Celeste’s wish the stars begin to subside. As the last few fall clouds begin to roll in and Celeste finally stand. “Well, I think I’d better be off,” Celeste smiles, “I’ll see you tomorrow at the fireworks show, right?”

Blathers nods. They say their goodbyes and Celeste flies off into the night. Blathers remains seated, thinking a long while, but at long last he stands, fixes his emerald bowtie, and flies down to the airport to speak with Orville. If he couldn’t bring the aurora to her he’d bring her to the aurora.


"Dodo One, this is Dodo Tower, Wilbur do you copy? Got a walker that needs wings. Blathers here is looking for a flight up to the north pole, over."

The voice of Wilbur through the tinny airport radio sounds, “Roger. That is a negative, Orville. There’s no flights to the north pole due to poor weather conditions, over.”

“I’m sorry, Blathers,” Orville says, still frantically typing on his computer, “There doesn’t seem to be any way we can get you there. Was there something else I could help you with?”

Blathers hangs his head, “No, thank you for trying, Orville.”

He’d have to look elsewhere for help. He knew just the man to talk to. With that he flew down to resident services to speak to the man of the island himself, Tom Nook. If it was possible, Tom could make it happen. And so Blathers asks for his help, “So, what do you think? Is it possible to help us get there?”

Tom considers Blathers’ request for a long while. “Have you spoken to Redd? He might be willing to lend you his boat. If you can’t get there by air, try by sea!”

“Hoo! Thank you, Mr. Nook,” Blathers blurts out excitedly, “I will search for him at once!”

Redd was never a hard man to find; the thick black smoke from his steamship always clouded the air surrounding the island’s secret beach. Blathers emerged into the dim light of Jolly Redd’s Treasure Trawler and asked for his assistance as well.

“No can do, Blathers,” Redd shakes his head, “Got some genuine masterpieces I need to deliver to neighboring islands tomorrow before the big fireworks show. I’ll be on a far-off island by then.”

“But in the meantime, please look around,” Redd gives one last sales pitch, “I’ll even give you my special cousins discount on some art for your museum, how about it?”

“Hoo, no, well- thank you anyway, Redd,” Blathers quickly glances around at the full set of forgeries Redd had brought with him that day. He hadn’t the heart to tell him they were fake. But the more he thought on it, the more he felt as though Redd already knew. At any rate, he wouldn’t be using any cousins discount, that much was certain.

“I’ll let you buy any of the furniture in here, no questions asked,” Redd gestures to the old projector and a green floor light collecting dusty in the dark corner of his ship.

Blathers shakes his head no and smiles politely. All was lost, Redd was his last hope to get to the north pole. It was already midnight and he’d hardly have enough time to bring Celeste there anyway. “What if…” Blathers breathes, his eyes darting back over the projector and the light. Blathers had an idea.

“On second thought, Mr. Redd, I’d like to purchase those two items there,” he extends his great wing and points.

“Ah, yes. Excellent choice!” Redd exclaims joyfully, “I’ll pack both of those up for you!”

Blathers pays Redd and begins to drag the projector and the light home. The projector was weighty and the museum was quite far from the secret beach. It would take him a long while to reach home.

“Blathers?” a familiar voice calls, “What on earth are you doing?”

“Hoo- who! Hello, Judy,” Blathers called, “I am working on an erm- secret project for my sister.”

“I see,” Judy studies him, “Would you like some help?”

“Certainly, that would be most kind,” Blathers smiles.

“So what is this secret project for Celeste?” Judy asks, her brow furrowed, unsure why Blathers would want such an old projector.

“Celeste told me it was her New Year wish to see the aurora borealis,” Blathers starts, huffing as they descend the ramp down to the museum, “I tried my hardest to get her there but I just couldn’t seem to.”

“What’s that got to do with this garbage?” Judy wrinkles her nose snootily.

“Ah, you see, one man’s garbage is another man’s treasure. Learned that today from Jolly Redd,” Blathers smiles, “Instead of taking her to see the lights I am going to build them for her. The museum is expanding and I am going to build Celeste her very own planetarium.”

“How marvelous!” Judy exclaims, clapping her hands together, “She is going to love it!”

“I hope so,” Blathers wavers, “Only, I’m not sure I have everything I need to build it. That’s why I needed this projector and the light. It’s a start, I’ll need to find more.”

“Well if it’s lights you’re looking for, I’ve got about a dozen of these in my storage you can have. And I heard Bones just the other day say he had a bunch of lights he was looking to get rid of himself.”

“Thank you, Judy. But I hardly think we can gather the materials in time, never mind get everything working. I’m not sure what I was thinking when I bought these.”

“Leave everything else to me,” Judy smiles, “I’ll be back bright and early!”


As the final day of 2020 dawned villagers began to show up, one by one, to the museum to offer Blathers help finishing the planetarium for Celeste. Maple helped put her art skills to work and began drawing glow in the dark stars on the roof of Blathers’ spare room- the room that would become a miniature planetarium for Celeste. Merengue stopped by with lunch for everyone in her picnic basket_. _Chief and Sherb spent the entire morning up on a ladder helping Blathers install the lights.

Minutes turned into hours and soon it was past sunset and Celeste would be due to arrive. Blathers and his friends stepped back to admire their handiwork together. “Well, it’s not the most elegant planetarium in the world,” Raymond remarks, “But I’m sure Celeste will love it.”

“Hoo, I sure hope so,” Blathers smiles, “But I couldn’t have done it without all of you!”

“Oh Blathers,” Maple sighs, “For all you do to make our island a wonderful place to live, this is the least we could do.”

“We should head to the plaza,” Chief says, “Or else Celeste will think something’s up.”

“Right,” they all nod, setting off to Resident Services.



When they arrived Celeste was waiting for them. “I half thought you weren’t going to make it!” Celeste exclaimed.

“We wouldn’t miss it!” Judy smiles at her.

Celeste sighs, “2020 was certainly an unusual year. Do you think 2021 will be as magical as I hope it will be?”

“I daresay you may get what you wish for,” Blathers smiles as the countdown begins.

And so the island rang in the New Year together. The fireworks went off as the calendar flipped to 2021, filling the sky with colors abound. Both owls were bright-eyed now, watching the show arm and arm, together.

“I’d like to show you something,” Blathers says as the fireworks begin to wind down, “Only it’s back at the museum.”

“Sure thing, Blathers,” Celeste smiles.

As they reach the door to the island’s makeshift planetarium Blathers pauses, “I’m not sure if it’s exactly what you wished for, but it’s the best I can manage.”

Bathers pulls the handle and they emerge into the room. He had arranged the colored floor lights to make a mini aurora sky on the ceiling. “Hoo!” Celeste exclaims, “How wondrous. Oh, Blathers, have you done this for me?”

The faux northern lights glimmered in her eyes. “The whole island came together to make sure your wish came true,” Blathers smiles shyly.

“And so it did,” Celeste grins, her eyes glossy, touched by his gesture, “There’s only one problem…”

“What’s that?” Blathers’ brow furrows.

“You never told me what you wished for,” Celeste admits, concerned.

“Ah, yes… _my_ wish,” Blathers places a hand upon her shoulder, “If I had any one wish it would be for you to be happy, little sister.”

“Oh, Blathers,” Celeste beams, “Happy New Year, brother.”

“Happy New Year, sister.”


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## BluebearL (Jan 24, 2021)

*Stranger at the Roost*

Ember Island Diaries- Winter entry:

The old whiskered fellow arrived upon my doorstep in the midst of a horrible snowstorm, he somehow wore a grin on his face and asked if he could stay at the roost whilst the storm was brewing in the wilderness. He was granted refuge on one condition, that he shares a story or two. Something in his very nature caused me such curiosity, he was somewhat of an enigma. His old eyes suggested he had come from somewhere far away, he seemed lost, and yet his presence held something of a quiet contentedness.

Brewster and Hugh drew up the chairs and blankets around the rug whilst I was tasked with crafting a new set of lamps to put around the dimly lit cabin. Puddles came out from her make-shift recording studio in anticipation of the stranger’s words.  It had been a long winter and we hadn’t had company in what felt like a long while.

Seated with our coffee’s and blankets, the whiskered man drew a long sigh and began to speak;

“My name is Dobie, I come from afar, a city that has seen some troubling times. I was a detective, myself, and my buddy Rover who you might have come across over the years. He used to hop on trains and buses to interview people undercover. He got the names, dates, and locations from everyone. He wasn’t bad. My job was to take the information and search for evidence.

Just before March of last year, Rover told me he was growing tired of all the travel and needed to retire after years of investigative work. It’s not that I hadn’t seen it coming, we had been reaching the end of our careers for quite some time. But I realized at that moment that I had nowhere to go, nothing to do anymore. Old mate Tortimer had long since been spending time with his family on an island, they wouldn’t have room for a cranky fellow like me but I didn’t mind the idea. 

Since then I have been sailing the seas with my friend Gulliver. His crew was all very friendly but I had forgotten just how clumsy Gulliver could be. He’d set out to sail to a particular location and then get too distracted. More often than not, we ended up stranded on deserted islands. Just this morning we rocked up here, I have been walking through the storm since in search of a warm place to stay. It’s a while since we have set shore on an island with residents. “

Since then, Dobie has become a full-time resident of our little island. Tom Nook sealed the deal with a fully furnished house full of photographs from some of Dobie’s best cases over the years. Dobie serves the island community by solving crime, the most recent being the mysterious disappearance of Merengue’s famous cupcakes. Hugh denies any involvement in the incident.  Rover even comes to pay a visit at the Roost now and then.

Signing off now!
Ember Island Representative,
Laura.


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## Snowifer (Jan 24, 2021)

*Snowball Fight*

I took a breath and breathed in the cool, fresh winter air. Winter was here! The first thing I had to do was to make my first snowman.

I started walking to Nooks Cranny, taking in the winter sights and the freshly fallen snow. Gone was the sickly grass, replaced by a sheet of sparky white crystals. I spotted the first snowball hidden in a patch of cosmos, walked over to it, and gave it a few good kicks to build its size a little. I then rolled it as big as I could and set off to find the other snowball. Suddenly, I felt something hit my back. It was small and didn't hurt much. A snowball? I stopped and turned around to see Kid Cat and Jeremiah staring back in shock. 

"Sorry, nee-deep!" Yelled Jeremiah.

Sorry? That wouldn't be enough. A smile spread across my face. This. Meant. War. 

I quickly scooped up a pile of snow next to me, shaped it into a ball, and hurled it back. Kid Cat quickly dodged it, but I was ready with another snowball. This one hit Jeremiah in the face, knocking him over. 

"Return fire! Shouted Kid Cat as he threw some snowballs at me.

Jeremiah recovered from the snow in his face and joined Kid Cat in throwing. I ducked behind the snowman body I created as the snowballs rained down around me. Taking a peek over the top, I could see them trying to create a wall to defend themselves. I quickly popped up and took Kid Cat out with a carefully aimed throw and proceeded to hurl another at Jeremiah. However, he ducked under it and hid behind their half-built wall. The snowball proceeded to hit Agent S, who was out on her morning jog. Shoot. 

"Superstar?!" said Agent S giving me a questioning look.

"That was for Jeremiah" I answered, shouting across the field. 

"How could my bestie do this to me?" she shouted as she balled up some snow and flung it at me. 

"She can't win against all of us! C'mon Jeremiah, use those muscles of your and start throwing!" exclaimed Kid Cat.

A barrage of snowballs hit the half-made snowman I was using as cover. I tried a few times to peek for an opening but they were always ready with a snowball. It was 3 against one, I had to do something. I prepared a few snowballs and was ready to charge when I noticed something was off. The rain of snowballs had let up a little. I took a closer look at their makeshift fort. Where was Agent S? I had noticed too late. I turned around and before I could even see her I was met with a cold splat in my face. It was over.

"That's what you get for crossing me, Superstar." said Agent S.

I fell backwards and onto the snow. I stayed there for a minute then sat up to brush the ice away. I looked up and was met with the smiles of my friends. 

"Well, you guys got me good. Hot cocoa for the victors?" I said laughing. 

"Awesome!" replied Kid Cat.
"Totes!" exclaimed Agent S.
"Sounds yummy!" said Jeremiah, already imagining the delicious treat.

I finished dusting myself, stood up and we all headed towards my house to warm up from the cold.


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## Oldcatlady (Jan 24, 2021)

*The First Christmas on Enkidiev*

It was a quiet evening of December where the only audible sounds were those of the crackling firewood and the faint chatter of villagers returning back to their homes. Luna was sitting in her safe place, her beanie chair near the fireplace where the light hit just bright enough for reading and the fire kept her warm during the cold winter in Enkidiev. She had just picked up a new book she had found on the market earlier that day titled “How to Celebrate Christmas”. She was intrigued by the title, having never heard of Christmas. After a long day at work, it was finally time for her to unwind by reading a new book.

“Wow, how can you fit an entire pine tree inside your house?” She exclaimed. She had never seen a pine tree in person before, but she assumed that it was at least a few meters tall. Perhaps it would work if the people used a young tree, she thought. She liked the idea of decorating the tree and exchanging presents under it though. The pictures of decorated trees in the book looked so lovely that she wanted to try it herself. Luna tucked a strand of her blue hair that had fallen in front of her eyes back behind her ears and continued reading on. “Ohh, Christmas is a holiday where you can invite friends and family for dinner.” She liked that thought, it has been a while since she had seen her friends. They had all been busy with work lately, it would be nice to see them again. With that in mind, she sent a letter to her friends Tammy and Sterling, letting them know of her new discovery of this Christmas holiday and inviting them over for dinner and gift exchanges next week.

The next day, Luna had a day off and went shopping. There was no way she would be able to fit a tree inside her house, so she thought that she could make one out of wood, paper, and lights. Her favourite pictures in the book were those with bright lights and she was going to use those as inspiration for her own tree. Her next stop was shopping for gifts. She loved to spoil her friends, so it was difficult finding something that she had not given them yet. Tammy loved makeup and accessories, especially eyeshadows, blush, and hair accessories that complement her brown hair. Sterling is a huge fan of sports and body building, so she will be on the lookout for those on the market. Luna walked through a few dozen stalls before finding something for both of her friends: a nice palette of pink eyeshadow for Tammy, and a protein shake for Sterling. She does not have much knowledge about bodybuilding, but the salesman says that apparently the protein shake was imported from foreign lands and was of top quality. Her last stop was shopping for ingredients for the dinner. She was thinking of making sukiyaki for the main entry and complement it with side dishes.

Her arms full of her purchases, Luna headed back home. She wrapped the presents with a red wrapper and tied them up with a golden ribbon. Now all she had to do was to patiently wait for next week to come and enjoy her first Christmas with her best friends.


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## Corndoggy (Jan 25, 2021)

*Coming home: *

It was so cold. That’s all I knew for sure. That it was cold and I was desperate to find any sort of warmth. This wasn’t a feeling that just crept up on me, I knew for a while I needed to escape this weather, but I had been too lazy to do so. But as I watched the moon appear way up high in the night sky, I knew now was the time to go home. She was waiting for me, she has been for a long time, so I better hurry home. For her. It was always for her.

I got up off of the ground and grabbed my bag, making sure to fish out my keys. The night has been coming a lot earlier these days, especially since It was winter now. My long days out of the house were coming to an end. I shouldn’t be outside once it became dark, I didn’t want her to worry like she always did. I should get home and make a warm cup of cocoa, with plenty of marshmallows. That’s the way I have always liked it.

I unlocked my car and sat inside, putting my key in the ignition. Quickly to lock the doors, I turned on the lights and started the car, making sure to turn the heat on. It was even colder in the car, and I hoped the heat would hurry up and kick in. I started my drive home and made sure to take it slow, as it had been raining and I didn’t want to risk the car skidding on the road. I don’t know what she would do if I got into an accident, who would look after her if I could not.

There was an old song on the radio, one of those ones that everyone always knew the words to but never its name. For the life of me I could not tell you what its name was, but I knew it was one that brought up a lot of good memories from my childhood, the one that made you feel all warm and gooey inside. It was certainly one that I enjoyed greatly.

The roads were quiet as I drived, aside from the few other occasional cars who made sure to leave enough room in case there was an accident. The drive went at a nice pace, as I sung along to the words on the radio, tapping my fingers against the steering wheel. I prayed that the drive was a quick and pleasant one, and sure enough it was. It wasn’t before long that I had driven into my garage and switched the ignition off. I had once again made it home where u belonged.

I opened the door and there she was, sitting on the couch waiting for me. She gave me a look as to say “hey, what took you so long”. I don’t know what took me so long, but I was glad to be at home again. I went over and gave her a pat, which made her tail curl. She purred and rubbed her head against my hand, her fur tickling my palm. “Yes, yes, I will go feed you now” I said, as I went to grab her food from the pantry. “You have been a good girl and waited all day for me”.

I put her food in her bowl and gave her another quick pat before I went to heat up some dinner for myself. Pasta or something in those regards. I was happy to finally be home with her. I was finally safe from the cold of winter, from the chill of the wind outside. I was home with her, and I was happy.


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## BetsySundrop (Jan 25, 2021)

*The Best of Benjamin*

"Reminder! Important meeting today in the town square!"  As he read the bulletin, Benjamin realized that he had forgotten all about the meeting. 

That explains why everyone is here, he thought. And lucky me, I  accidentally made it just in time. 

Tom Nook sure got everyone's attention with his first announcement. "Attention, my good villagers! Can everyone hear me? Yes? Okay, good. I have an important announcement to make. The famous Brewster is going to be opening a cafe, here, on our very own Sundrop Island!"

After the cheers died down, Tom Nook delivered the not so good news. "In order to build this cafe, we are going to need some materials gathered for the construction. I would like for everyone to do their very best and bring all collected items here, to the town square. I will post a list of the needed items on the bulletin board. Thank you, everyone!" 

_Brewster! _Benjamin was thrilled. Brewster might be famous for his coffee with pigeon milk, but his personal favorite had always been the hot cocoa. _This is going to be great!_

Boots and Dom noticed Nook tacking the list to the bulletin board and raced over to read it out loud. 

"Wow!" Dom exclaimed, "That's a big list! It goes right to the bottom of the page!"

Boots read the list out to everyone.
" 200 softwood, 200 wood, 200 hardwood, 100 iron, 50 stone, 100 snowflakes.. maybe he will be selling frozen treats!..and  100 peaches. Peaches?"

"Of course!" Penelope piped in. "For pastries!"

It seemed everyone was looking forward to collecting the materials, and Benjamin was eager to help. He noticed Penelope and Puddles had their nets out and were already catching snowflakes.

"I'll help you catch snowflakes," he said. 

"Awesome!" Puddles gratefully accepted. "Can you believe it?! Brewster's Cafe is going to make this island famous! And when Sundrop is famous...."

"We'll be famous!" Puddles shouted, laughing. 

Benjamin started chasing snowflakes. They sure were hard to catch! It seemed they slipped right through his net! After a while he could hear that the others had nearly finished. He had to catch at least one! There! That one.... sneak up...got it!

He caught one! But just then his net broke. "That's ok Benjamin," Puddles said. "We've got them all!"

So Benjamin decided to see if Boots and Dom needed help collecting wood, although there was already an impressive pile started in the square. "Hey guys, can I offer some help gathering wood?"

"Of course," accepted Dom. "Boots and I are having a contest to see who can chop the most, and who can carry the most at one time!" 

"Yes!" Boots interjected, "You really need that core strength to chop and haul. And my abs, Abigail, Abner and the others, are performing quite well today!" 

"As are mine," stated Dom. "But we aren't quite sure which of us is demonstrating the MOST impressive performance. That's where you come in."

"Me?" asked Benjamin.  "Well, I'd sure love to help, but I don't know if my abs can compete with yours..." Benjamin had never seen his own abs, but was sure he had them... somewhere.

"Erm.. well no, of course we wouldn't expect you to compete with us. We want you to watch our performances and then decide who does the best," Boots said, puffing up his very well muscled chest.

"Oh!" Benjamin offered the best excuse he could think of, "Well I'd like to help, but I'm really not qualified at all to help out with such a big decision. I'm really not trained for it."

Leaving them to their contest, Benjamin decided to have a cookie break and think about what he could contribute. It seemed that everyone had jumped right in and most of the materials were close to being gathered. After eating all of his cookies, he decided to try to collect some stone or iron. He pulled his shovel from his pocket, and noticed how rusty it was. Well, he thought, I'm sure it will work just fine. 

He ambled to the nearest rock, swung his shovel, and clunk! Someone must have hit that one already. I'll find another one...

Several rocks later, almost ready to give up, Benjamin struck the last rock with his shovel and "calink!" Out popped a gold nugget!! _My lucky day! _He thought. But then his shovel broke! So he picked up the gold nugget and stuffed it into his pocket, finding a few tasty cookie crumbs in the bottom of the pocket. Then he meandered his way back to the town square to check on the progress of the others.

There he found Tom Nook counting huge piles of materials, and checking them off of the materials list held by Isabelle. "Check!" Tom proclaimed. "The wood gathering is complete!" 

Isabelle checked it off the list. "Let's see," she said. "It looks like we only need the 100 iron..."

"Here's the iron!" shouted Betsy, bringing in a stack of iron."I got an absolute TON of this stuff on some islands. "I just need help hauling it over from the airport." That was quickly taken care of by Boots and Dom. 

"So the list is complete!" Tom announced happily. 

"Wait!" Isabelle shouted. "We still need one more item."

"Are you sure?" Tom asked. "This completes the list on the bulletin board." 

Isabelle checked the bulletin board list. "Aha! Here is the problem. The list on the board is missing the last line. It must have gotten cut off somehow. We just need one final item- a gold nugget!"

At that, everyone groaned. Gold nuggets were exceedingly rare and very difficult to obtain. And, they had whacked all of the island rocks already! This was going to be a pain...

Benjamin was ecstatic. "Ah huh huh!" He laughed. "Here! I have one right here!" He pulled the nugget from his pocket, wiped off the lint and cookie grease, and handed it to Tom Nook. 

And with that, all of the villagers decided to have a party to celebrate the coming of Brewster's Cafe. And Benjamin was more than happy to celebrate his very lucky day.


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## IonicKarma (Jan 25, 2021)

No thoughts, head empty. 

*Snow Boy's New Years Eve*

A light flurry descended upon the small island, blanketing the town with a soft white sheet of snow.  A variety of animals milled about on their daily lives on the island, some stopping to admire the intricate snowflakes floating through the air from the first large snowfall of the year.

In the center of the town in front of the town hall, a large glowing sign slowly counted down the time until the new year.  As the countdown hit fifteen hours, a familiar chime of the town's theme echoed across the island, signifying the start of a new hour.  The only person present at the town hall at this early hour was a girl dressed in a light pink jacket and skirt slowly rolled two snowballs across the ground.  The glowing halo hovering above the girl softly cast its light upon the girl as she carefully rolled each snowball into its correct proportions, stopping occasionally to measure the size of each snowball with the long end of a shovel.  Satisfied with her work, she carefully placed the smaller of the two snowballs on the larger one.  As she stood back, the snow swirled around the unfinished snowman like an unseen sculptor, adding defining features to complete the birth of a snowboy.

The Snowboy looked around at his new landscape and his creator and immediately began to marvel at how well he was made this time around.  In many previous lives, he has been made imperfect or even completely inverted but this time, he could enjoy his brief life on this island to the fullest!  Maybe he could finally be the perfect snow boy model that he always wanted to be! After expressing his joy to his creator, the Snowboy then handed the girl a crafting recipe as is tradition.  She than ran off with a quick wave, seemingly to run an important errand but promising she would be back.

As time passed, the Snowboy continued to stand there and observe the island scenery around him.  How he wished he could sprout legs, explore the island, and craft his own clothing and accessories to be the best Snowboy model ever!  But alas, he was confined to where he was built until the day he melted. As he began to lament his fate, the the local deer resident, Fauna strolled into the town square and upon seeing the new visitor at the square, immediately rushed over to greet him.  After learning of his modeling aspirations, she was struck with an idea.  Like the girl before her, she too promised that she would be back before running off on an important errand, leaving the Snowboy alone once again.

The hour continued to grow later as the sun set in the horizon and the countdown timer continued to tick down, now below three hours. Still, everyone on this island seemed to be nowhere to be found. Where were they all? The Snowboy thought, surely this island couldn't be that deserted?

A moment later, the girl came running back, carrying a bundle of green leaves like they were some sort of national treasure.  As she tossed each leaf onto the ground, a new piece of winter furniture materialized in seemingly out of thin air.  In a split second, the town square was transformed into a formal winter party.  The Snowboy even his own specialty crafting item he had taught her just not long ago, a beautiful frozen statue of a bear.  The statue looked perfect just like he was, it was simply incredible how fast the girl was able to master crafting it.

As soon as the villager was done decorating the town square, the rest of the island inhabitants arrived at the square, led by the fashion designer Label.  It wasn't immediately apparently to the Snowboy what they were all doing until they all started crowding around the him, each attaching a new piece of clothing to the Snowboy under the direction of Label.

Once they were done, the island residents took a step back to admire their handiwork.  The Snowboy was now dressed with a matching pair of knitted winter themed boots, scarf and sweater, with a pair of snow crafted wings on his back. Finally, the girl stepped forward, removed the halo floating above her head, and placed it on top of the Snowboy, completing the new Snow Angel look.  Once she stepped aside, the ever enthusiastic CJ stepped forward and began snapping photos of the Snowboy in rapid succession like he would the catch of the day.

As the photo shoot concluded, the large illuminated display started beeping, reminding everyone present that only a minute remained until the new year.  The residents and visitors quickly shifted gears, pulling out their light sticks in preparation for the final countdown.  The girl carefully attached an extra light stick to the Snowboy's side before taking her place among the crowd.  When the countdown hit ten, all of the attendees waved their light sticks in unison with the countdown, this time accompanied by their very own Snowboy.  At the stroke of the bell, everyone let out a coordinated cheer as fireworks exploded in the sky, signaling the begin of a new year.

As celebrations began all around him, the motionless Snowboy stared up at the fireworks.  Though he knew his remaining time here was short, he knew he would forever remember this day where the residents treated him as family and fulfilled his wish of becoming a Snowboy model.  He could only hope that one day, he would be able to visit them all again.


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## Dog (Jan 26, 2021)

_Our Resident Representative Lives In A Hole_​


Spoiler



"I can't believe they're content to live like that." 

Seated on a stone bench beneath a large tree, barely taking in the buzzing and warmth of the insect section of the museum, Gigi was ranting to Purrl.

The little lavender frog and calico cat had just fought the wind and snow to arrive there, and the hot, humid air was a blessed contrast to the chill and ice outside. Still, their attitudes hadn't thawed. 

"You know what Ronnie said to me when I asked them what on earth they were thinking?" Gigi scoffed. "That they thought it would be _funny_ to live at the bottom of a hole, so they built the whole island on the highest cliff they could. And stuck their house at the center of it, but at sea level. Can you imagine?" 

"I wouldn't live like that for a million bells," Purrl quipped. "And what's with that mask?"

"The paper bag? I think they think it actually looks _good_." Gigi snickered at the concept.

Purrl shook her head. "And the statues... the ice sculptures. Did we really need twenty? There aren't even any bears on the island."

The pair, still shivering slightly, wordlessly watched a damselfly scoot lazily through the mugginess. Hesitating, Gigi said, "Speaking of bears, have you... heard from Curt at all? I wrote to him at his new island, but…" 

"Same here," Purrl said sadly. She scrunched her face, then burst out, "Oh, things are so different here now! Curt moved, then Vesta, and we never heard from them again! And Ronnie's weirdness makes me want to move too, but then I'd just be somewhere new to do it all again."

"And it always goes the same way," Gigi said, nodding sadly. "You forget about the last place, sort of, because it's all the same."

"My last resident representative didn't terraform the whole island with a single tent-sized hole to live in as a joke," Purrl said slowly. "She upgraded her tent to a house much more quickly, too… Say, Gigi, when did you move here?"

"November. A few days before you did, actually." She paused. "Ronnie invited me, actually. I was fed up with my last island. The resident representative… that jerk never even came to say goodbye to me. Or hello, for that matter. I really only spoke to him to tell him I was leaving."

"Gigi, that's awful!" Purrl grabbed Gigi's hand in both her paws. "Goodness… You know, the last resident representative I had didn't talk to me much either. She didn't really come out to play after a few weeks. One day in September, Nook called me and told me that she had left-- her house was gone, and the island was going to be put up for sale." She looked away from Gigi. "She didn't say goodbye. And the kicker is that I heard she just… started fresh on a new island." She dropped Gigi's hands to wipe her own eyes on the back of her paws.

"That's dreadful! What a jerk!" Gigi was fuming. "I bet you our old resentatives would be two peas in a pod. Why did you choose this mess of an island, though?" 

Purrl thought for a moment. "For the same reason as you, honestly. Ronnie showed up to one of the little islands I was staying at-- a deeply unpleasant experience, I loathe sleeping on the ground --and they..." Purrl smiled sheepishly. "They were so kind! They wanted me to move here, and I told them to promise to chat with me when I got here, and, well, they do. Nearly every day, in fact."

"And it's such a drag," Gigi said hastily. "They are impossible to understand."

"Oh, of course," Purrl said, sitting up a little straighter. "I find speaking to the ice sculptures more stimulating than speaking to Ronnie."

"Right. Yeah."

The longest span of silence yet passed between them. The steam in the air began to feel stifling and over-warm, like a straight jacket rather than a cozy blanket.

"Did Ronnie invite you to their little house-upgrade-celebration?" Purrl, lost in her increasingly guilty thoughts, jumped at Gigi's voice.

"What? Oh, yes." Purrl said hastily. "_So_ stupid." 

"Yeah," Gigi said, absently. "I was thinking about skipping, but… I was also thinking of bringing them some more snowflakes."

Purrl looked at her friend, then laughed. "That's so funny, honestly." She relaxed for the first time since they had arrived at the museum. "I had the exact same idea."

Blushing, Gigi shrugged. "I'm getting a little flushed from the heat. Shall we go catch some snowflakes while it's still snowing like wild?"

"A lovely idea," Purrl said, following her friend to the door.


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## ForeverSoaring (Jan 26, 2021)

Wendy the Wannabe Pop Star 

        Wendy knew that she didn’t fit the image of a typical pop star. The idol groups on tv were full of thin humans, cats, and bunnies with shiny hair or silky fur. Their eyes were always large and sparkling—their perfect white teeth shining underneath spotlights. There were times when Wendy had looked at herself in dismay—her thick wool covered her chubby body in a way that made store bought dresses fit incorrectly, and her buck teeth and squinty eyes didn’t fit with a pop star look at all. But as she grew older, that insecurity all seemed to fade away under the guidance of body neutrality. That was because she remembered why she loved idols in the first place: the singing, the dancing, the frilly costumes, the energy of the crowd, the joy on the performers’ faces—that was what she wanted. It was all she ever wanted. Ever since she was small, Wendy was transfixed by their light. She would sing along with the music, and memorize the dance steps in her living room until she was able to keep up with the performers. As she followed along, Wendy wished that she was the one on the stage. But she never had a chance to make that dream a reality. 

One day, in the bleaker part of winter, Wendy spotted Cherry and Muffy singing in the plaza. Wendy went up to them, standing on the other side of Cherry. She jumped in at the chorus of _K.K. Rock_. Their voices mingled together, Wendy’s voice adding a harmonizing layer that the duo needed. When the song concluded, Muffy turned to Wendy with a playful glint in her eye.

        “I never knew you could sing like that, nightshade! I thought that your pop star thing was all talk!” She said.

        Cherry excitedly added, “D-do you want to join our band?! Though...I don’t know if metal is really your thing.”

        “Maybe we could combine genres,” Muffy said thoughtfully, “too much screaming DOES make my throat hurt...”

        Wendy was stunned. She half expected that ladies as cool as Cherry and Muffy would be annoyed at someone like her joining in. Finally, she was able to get out, “I would love to join your band!”

        A month later, after a lot of practice at Cherry’s house, the three of them stood on a temporary stage built on the plaza. In front of them stood all of the residents of the island, including Isabel, Tom Nook, Timmy and Tommy, and the Abel sisters. Above all else, K.K. Slider was in the crowd. He graciously allowed them to open for him, and watched them with curiosity. The lights came on as the first note was played of the original song they worked on together. This time, Wendy sang the melody. She stood center stage, Cherry and Muffy on either side of her, with enough room left for Wendy to dance. Instead of overtaking Wendy’s voice, they harmonized with her and their instruments. 

They were far from perfect. They missed notes, Wendy stumbled on a dance step, and the glitter on their costumes fell more easily then they would have liked. But it was magical. The spotlights hit their glittery outfits and the gently falling snow. The crowd was wild for such a small group as they jumped along to the fast beat and attempted to sing with the chorus. The singing, the dancing, the frilly costumes, the energy of the crowd—it all invigorated Wendy. She didn’t need to be the perfect famous pop star she thought she had to be—just her unique self. She had everything she wanted, everything she needed, right here. And throughout the whole song, Wendy knew that her face was shining as much as any idol on tv.



Spoiler



I've never written fanfiction before, and it's been years since I've attempted to write a short story (that wasn't in, like, comic format). Sorry if the paragraphs a bit too long—making this readable in tbt's formatting was a bit tricky! I know this is far from perfect, but I hope you enjoy it anyway! c:


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## Mad Aly (Jan 27, 2021)

*Spring Sun and Winter Moon* ❄​


Spoiler: Story



One could say this ordeal was quite the unordinary tale of _Little Red Riding Hood and The Big Bad Wolf._ Or, perhaps, a coincidental series of events. But _not_ an unfortunate one.

Not like the original tale, at least. No tragedies or terrors here. Not the kind that leaves anything _red_ behind, anyway...

Though, our story _does_ begin and end with red. (Maybe another color or two as well, because variety and growth are critical in any story!) And what a red, indeed...

The bold redness of perfectly spherical apples, shining like brilliant Christmas ornaments against the lush green foliage of the abundant apple trees in late springtime. 

Running amok through them is another form of red, indicated by the classic satin of a giant red ribbon, bobbing atop the head of an unsuspecting visitor.

She wears a generous smile on her cherry-red lips, glimmering under the soft and warm sunlight above. A true young beauty to behold among all the fresh new blooms of the season.

She is one with nature, _quite literally,_ considering she is passionately perusing through the apple orchard at this very moment. But, she is clearly not animal. Not _quite,_ anyway. _Human_ is a... _different_ kind of 'animal.' But that's besides the point.

She is foreign, nonetheless, but friendly. And definitely not _furry._ The only 'fur' was the one on her scalp, with soft waves of burgundy-brown coming down past her shoulders, accented by the aforementioned ribbon of red.

The sole detail of her that remains and that one only wonders is: _Who is she?_

Is she the bad girl in town, coming to chase out the big bad wolf? Assuming there _is_ a big bad wolf in this town. Regardless, there are, in fact, a girl and a wolf here. But whether either of them are 'bad' in the traditional sense is another topic entirely.

Our human girl's name is Madeleine, and her favorite color is probably red. (Just a gut feeling. Those things are often important to listen to.)

Our wolf's name is Fang. (Yes, yes, there were many potential 'big bad wolves' for this story. But there was absolutely no bias when selecting this wolf. Not even the fact that he and the author share the same birthday.)

And this particular wolf is particularly fond of the color blue. (No, this is not meant to be a pun for the Nintendo Switch's colors, either; that's just poetic irony.)

_‘Why are these details important?’_ you might be asking. Well, you see, dear reader, there are quite a few factors...

For one thing, Madeleine's giant red ribbon symbolically resembles pointy wolf ears, which Fang, of course, has.

Secondly and most prominently, apples are the fruit of fate, as well as sin, both of which are central themes for this story. (Yes, you are being walked through a literary analysis of this very story. But it also just so happens to be important to the sort-of plot, so, you're welcome.)

That is to say, these are all signs that our contrasting color duo is fated to meet in the apple orchard, for better or worse, for good or evil...

Near the end of the orchard of fruit trees is a house colored a creamy white, as pristine and pure as snow. This would be Fang's house. And as well-put-together as he and his home are, he _does_ have a bit of a bite. He _is_ a wolf, after all. And a cranky one, at that.

As such, he will _not_ stand for someone casually wandering about his apple orchard, much less _picking_ the apples, which is exactly what Madeleine is doing. The girl is about to find herself in some trouble...!

While Fang typically wouldn't stand for such behavior, he is currently sitting outside his lovely home with a book in silver paw and specs on lavender-tinted eyes. Though his sharp eyes are currently preoccupied with the pages, his nose and ears alone could detect presence and movement from miles away. _What big eyes, ears, and nose he has!_

"You there, girl! What do you think you're doing here?"

"Oh!"

Madeleine gasps and stops in the middle of sorting through her basket of freshly-picked apples, as she jerks her gaze to the deep voice directed at her.

"I-I'm sorry! Is... there a problem?" Madeleine slightly tilts her head with an innocent, questioning look.

Fang wasn't sure if she’s playing dumb with him, as irritated as he is.

"Don't give me that! What are you doing picking my apples?"

"Oh... These are all _your_ apples?" Madeleine fawns over at the luscious fruit dangling all around her like a little kid in a candy store.

Her cheeriness irks him more. Fang retorts back, preceded with a small growl.

"You bet they are! And I don't want no stranger just grabbing at 'em. So, get lost!"

Fang internally twitched with the sense that maybe the way he delivered that last line was a bit harsh. So much for survival instincts...

To his surprise, though, he hears child-like giggling.

"You're a grumpy one, aren't you?"

Fang pouts and lets out another growl, trying to mask his embarrassment with irritation.

_"Urr..."_

Madeleine giggles again. "You're so cute! Are all the residents here this adorable?"

Fang can't help but stifle a blush. "I'm not cute! I'm just a grump, like you said. N-Now get lost already!"

"I _could_ get lost..." Madeleine's eyes wander before they settle back on Fang. "But, I'm already kind of lost?"

'Figures…' Fang thinks to himself.

"Turns out it was a blessing in disguise, though, 'cause it's so pretty everywhere, and everybody here is so kind!" Madeleine beams. Her smile and gaze soften towards Fang. "Well... _Mostly_ everybody."

Fang's eyes travel down to the ground with awkward silence that now settles upon two of them.

"Tell you what!" Madeleine chimes in again. "If you let me keep some of these scrumptious apples, I won't bother you anymore. Promise!"

The wolf's ears slightly part to opposite ends in a mixture of surprise and exasperation.

‘Hmm… Eh, why not? Might as well save 'em the trouble,' Fang muses over in his head. 'Came this far, too. I'll just…’

_...Let her go._

Why didn't that idea go down so smoothly, though? He was upset enough. At first, anyways.

What about now? _What changed?_ And _why?_ He couldn’t put his paw on it...

Fang's thoughtful gaze wanders and settles upon his abandoned book, now sprawled on the grass of his home's front yard. And then, the answer dawns on him, exactly as a red sun rises into a silver sky of a misty morning.

The thing is, wolves are creatures of the moon, and Fang is no exception. So much of his life is symbolically, if not literally, within the shadows and solitude of the night, that daybreak is but a secondary world to him. Just out of reach.

It's his choice to turn away from that world, though. And the sun always shines for the moon, day and night. At this moment, the sun shamelessly and eagerly hovers above him. But it also stands before him.

That is who Madeleine is – the sun.

It is only natural, then, that he would turn away from her, or try to turn her away. But today, the sun brings him warmth, though not uncomfortably so. Not unless he thinks too much about it.

It is also early spring, which means new beginnings and, of course, the thawing of winter. From hard ice, to soft snow, to water flow.

Where is Fang in that process? How far thawed in is he? How ready is he for spring, for summer, or even fall? Or was he forever a winter wolf, only made for and from the glassy ice and glittering snow of December?

Ice can be brittle or brutal, but it is inevitably vulnerable in the face of spring. The moment of truth is now.

And the truth is, Fang is a lone wolf by the textbook definition, and his grouchy disposition certainly doesn't help with that. He has his sunny days, just like this one, and he does try to make the most of those. But cloudy days are hardly uncommon for this wolf.

Still, he has turned away from the sun too many times before – _but no more._ His brittle-brutal heart just might crack and break into sharper pieces – as sharp as fangs – or, it could melt into a clear and bountiful river for all to drink from. And, oh, how they would drink after an infinitely icy winter...

For only few could tolerate that iciness which threatens to (frost)bite their skin if they get close enough to the wolf. The town villagers approach him – or simply _accommodate_ him – with this in mind, always.

But to say that Madeleine _tolerates_ Fang would be a grave understatement. An injustice, even.

Her warm, genuine, and curious nature speaks for itself. But just as the sun must shine, the girl must speak.

"I could see myself settling down here..." Madeleine muses.

Of all the things she did and said to catch Fang off guard today, this had to take the cake. Though, he doesn't have much of a sweet tooth.

While part of him jumped in surprise, another part of him jumped in... _hope?_ 

Was that right? But hadn't they just met?

What was going on with him, anyway?

_A change in heart. _And this girl's sunny disposition was the culprit. It's contagious and consuming, like a seasonal flu.

Fang can't say whether it's harmful, but it makes him... _curious,_ nonetheless. And that's more than enough.

_"Mmrph..._ Do whatever you want--" 

Fang catches himself.

"--I mean!"

Madeleine gives him a gently perplexed look.

"You should... consider that..." Fang stammers. He mentally kicks himself for it.

The girl stays silent for a moment. But, inevitably, the ice breaks yet again with her warm smile and laugh.

"Do you really mean that? I'll totally take you up on your offer if you do!"

Fang paces his response.

"Well, it's not really up to me to decide if you can move here or not. But I won't complain if you do land it here."

Fang turns his eyes back to the apples in Madeleine's basket, where they have been silently resting and listening to the wolf and girl's measly exchange of words. They say that trees have eyes (and maybe ears), so naturally the fruit they bear ought to be the same.

"As for the apples... keep 'em."

Madeleine's eyes glow at Fang's sudden unexpected shift.

"They're all yours, from my orchard to... wherever you plan to take them."

"Well, I don't plan on taking them anywhere in particular for now. Here!" Madeleine takes an apple from her basket and holds it out to Fang, who gawks at her for a moment.

"Go on! I don't bite," Madeleine insists with amusement in her voice.

Fang sighs and takes the apple. Their first shared token of trust, and the beginning of a new journey, where winter and spring meet. A new dawn within a new sky, promising new horizons.





Spoiler: A/N



Needless to say, and to say the least, this "short" story was my rather ambitious and experimental attempt at incorporating my love for Animal Crossing, Fang, nature, symbolism, and writing_..._ I deeply appreciate you taking the time to read through all *1,855 words*! Hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it~


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## Firesquids (Jan 27, 2021)

Well I'm no writer, but I tired my best!
This is the first time I've written anything even close to fan fiction, so I'm stepping out of my comfort zone a bit here, I hope you enjoy it 



Spoiler: Colton's Confession



He plopped down at his writing desk as the snow storm began to pick up in intensity.
“Alright, here it goes”, he thought. He gazed though his window to the golden glow of Julian's porch light on the freshly fallen snow, then down to the blank paper in front of him. “But how do I put it into words?” Colton had admired Julian since they were young but he never showed it well. As a foal, Colton had always been told he was a handsome stallion and that he could get any mare he wanted. His mother always pressured him to invite his neighbor Cleo over for dinner or tea, she had it in her head that they would end up together. His mother's assumptions bothered him, not only because he didn't see her in that way, but because his mother was once again trying to control his life.

*'The first time I saw you' *He paused, considered erasing it, but then continued.
*'I felt something... new. Something I didn't understand'*

They were friendly as adults, but he wondered if Julian had ever truly forgiven him.
As foals, Colton saw a lot of Julian. They were in the same classes year after year, and he lived pretty close by, so they always went to the same stores, same park, and even a few of Cleo's birthday parties. Every time he caught even a glimpse of the strange blue haired foal, he felt a pit in his stomach and a knot in his throat. “Oh great, horny boy is here? He's probably gonna make us all play makeover”, he winced at the words of his younger self.

*'Things were different then... I was different'*, he paused again

He looked over what he had written so far, “Great, I'm already making excuses for myself.”

*'I'm just so sorry for how I treated you, it was'*
*'I didn't know what I'*
*'I was confused, I just...' *

“Who am I kidding? I'm still confused...”

When Colton had decided to jump on the 'Nook inc. Island Dream Home Package' he received in the mail last year, his only goal was to get away from his mother. All he knew is that he would never be able to find out who he truly was with her prying hooves involved. He thought back on the night he left, they had a fight about him leaving town. The last words his mother spoke to him echoed in his head,
“Fine then, go ahead and move on and leave me here, just like your father did.”
It broke his heart to leave. Sure, she was manipulative and always made him feel like he was hurting her just by being himself, but he still loved her, she was his mom after all.

He then remembered when he first moved to this island. After the plane landed, he headed straight to resident services to work out the details of his new home with Mr. Tom Nook.
“I'm glad you decided to make the move to our fine island town, it's come a long way in the last few years, you wouldn't even recognize it” Tom handed him the island's villager registry,“These will be your new neighbors, go ahead and add your information to the registry, I have a feeling you'll fit right in here, yes yes.”
Colton quickly glanced over registry of colorful faces, then felt a familiar knot in his throat, “J-Julian lives here?” He knew Julian had moved from their hometown a few years back, he just figured that was the last he would ever see of him.
“Oh have you two already met? Excellent, you'll actually be living right next door to mr. Julian”
“That's great news!” Colton felt a pit form in his stomach.

*'I didn't know what to do with myself, all I knew is that when I saw you I felt different. That feeling... I was scared of it'*

Colton wished he go back and tell himself that he didn't have to hide from himself his mother's sake. That she was wrong to make him feel bad for who he who he was, that he wasn't his father leaving her for another man.

'*You don't deserve excuses, and I don't want to make any. I was wrong for treating you so horribly back then, I'm sorry'*

“How could he forgive me, let alone want anything to do with me?”

*'You've been so kind to me since I moved to this island, I honestly didn't know life could be this good.
I no longer live day to day waiting for a fight to start, it's been so nice just enjoying life'*

Colton gazed out though the window again, this time to the curtains hung in Julian's window, they were a rich navy blue color adorned with small stars connected by silver threads to make constellations, he could see light seeping out through the gap under the curtains.

*'When I saw that we we're going to be neighbors, at first I was terrified. I was worried about what you thought of me, I was so terrible to you when I was a foal. I wanted to... no, I needed to prove to you that I've changed. 
Now I know that you weren't the one I needed to prove it to.'*

He thought back to meeting Julian again, not only as his new neighbor, but for the first time as an adult.

*'When we met here, it felt like it was for the first time. You didn't skip a beat and welcomed me to the island with just as much exuberance as you had when we were foals.*' Colton smiled thinking about it.
*'It drove me crazy when we were growing up that you never seemed bothered by what others said about you. If that was directed towards me, I don't know what I would've done. I really admire that about you and, I don't know how to say this but here it goes, I uh, have feelings for you! I'm sorry it took me a while to realize it. You always see the best in people, even if they're only showing you the worst. I wanted to say thank you for accepting me, I think you're the first person who ever truly has. I figure if you can accept me after all the stupid things I said, I can accept myself for who I am.*

*Maybe we could go to Brewster's for a coffee sometime?
Sincerely, Colton*​
He looked over his letter.“Well if I don't send it now I might never.”
He sealed it in an envelope, and grabbed his winter frock coat, then headed out the door. He trudged through the snow, his heart pounding as he approached Julian's mailbox. He hesitated for a second before sliding the letter inside then felt a sense of relief as the letter disappeared into the slot.“That's that, no turning back now”. Colton headed back to his house, and sat by the fireplace to warm up. He thought he would be nervous, waiting in anticipation for a response, but here was no knot in his throat nor pit in his stomach.
Colton wrapped himself up in a blanket and smiled, he felt whole.


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## Kirbyz (Jan 28, 2021)

this is literally so fun ahh!!

love writing stories and those prizes are 

gl everyone!! im just imagining how different everyone’s stories are gonna be, this is gonna be interesting


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## daringred_ (Jan 28, 2021)

@Vrisnem stupid question but am i gonna be ""graded"" on whether or not i used capital letters because i decidedly Did Not do that, but i can go back and manually add caps if it's preferred.


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## Chris (Jan 28, 2021)

daringred_ said:


> @Vrisnem stupid question but am i gonna be ""graded"" on whether or not i used capital letters because i decidedly Did Not do that, but i can go back and manually add caps if it's preferred.


Proper spelling and grammar will impact the readability of your story, so I would recommend using them.


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## daringred_ (Jan 28, 2021)

Vrisnem said:


> Proper spelling and grammar will impact the readability of your story, so I would recommend using them.



good thing i checked lmao, i'll get on it.


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## cIementine (Jan 28, 2021)

*Blue Monday*

When your suitcases have become a permanent fixture and the only thing blocking the cold draught from seeping in is a haphazard stack of unopened boxes, it's hard to feel at home. When you move to a tropical island only to find out it still experiences the winter you were avoiding, it's hard to even want to feel at home. Was it a good idea, uprooting the life you had so carefully calculated, just to leave it all behind? As far as New Year's resolutions go, this was pretty big. And impulsive. And irreversible.

But you have a good feeling, and you can't quite shake it.

-

A knock at the door disrupts both your unpacking and your doubts. You consider leaving it unanswered but you can envision yourself in two weeks - freezing and alone and drowning in packing peanuts because you were too stubborn to get to know your neighbours - and decide braving the storm of overeager squeaks desperate to know who exactly is living in the cottage by the cliff is probably a good idea. So you peer through the peephole and don't see a thing. Doorbell ditch? The tanuki who gave you the keys to your house seemed so clinical in his delivery, so eager for your down payment that you didn't think any of the residents would be the type to play practical jokes. Especially considering there were only nine of them.

However another reserved knock gently rattles the door; feeling rude, you open it immediately, met by the quiet panicked expression of a dog clutching so tightly onto her clipboard you wonder how it hasn't exploded into splinters in her hands.

"...Can I help you?" You chime, feigning enthusiasm through your tired drawl.

"You're our newest resident! It's wonderful to finally meet you," she responds in a way that leaves you out of breath even though you aren't the one talking. "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner, I was visiting home for the holidays. My brother works for the HHA and he broke his arm climbing through windows to do home observations, so I ended up staying longer than anticipated to take care of him."

She pauses, but you're not quite sure what to say, or if you're supposed to say anything at all.

"But I digress! I dropped by to tell you that there's some documents at Town Hall for you to fill in whenever you're free."

You're too distracted by her beaming grin to even ask why she couldn't have just called you about this. "Oh. Okay. Thanks. I'll be sure to head down tomorrow."

As she chirps and almost skips away, something compels you to stop her in her tracks. "Hey!", you yell half-heartedly.

She turns around, staring at you in anticipation.

"I'm free now?"

-

It's only when you're walking through the plush snow, the moon the only thing illuminating you, that you realise she had come all this way in the dark. She tells you that her name is Isabelle, that she's been working as a secretary for Nook inc. since it started and in some small town halls before that. She tells you more about her brother, and how she wanted to be an engineer but it never quite worked out.

You tell her how much the city wore you down, how unsatisfying your work in finance was, and how you moved here because you felt like you were waiting to live a life you'd planned for yourself but didn't even want. You tell her how coming here cost you everything you ever had, but you know that a quiet life is what you need.

As you walk side by side with this stranger who knew more about you in five minutes than people you'd known for years, you felt a sense of warmth and comfort, even amidst the harsh winter wind.

Isabelle pointed at the houses of residents as you made your way past them, giving you kind insights into their idiosyncrasies. Fauna likes waking up early. Hornsby will eat anything, especially things from the floor that he shouldn't be eating. Diana is stylish and sophisticated.

Suddenly, you felt like stepping out into the world you were meticulously avoiding.

-

"Isabelle, how did you feel when you moved here?", you enquired as she stirred two cubes of sugar into the cup of tea she was making you.

"Horrified! You know, it looked nothing like this when I arrived. Only a handful of people lived here and it was completely deserted, like a campsite," she explained. "But it's what I wanted to do, and I knew everyone around me was in the same boat."

You were missing out on life because you were scared to live it, but moving here, and vowing to be a part of everything, felt like a good place to begin.

Music played beyond the doors as you watched snow drift past the window, a peaceful backdrop to the night that made you realise what you were missing.


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## SpaceTokki77 (Jan 28, 2021)

Vrisnem said:


> Proper spelling and grammar will impact the readability of your story, so I would recommend using them.


dang it. My story had some lower-case letters where capital ones should be. May I go ahead and fix that?


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## kiwikenobi (Jan 29, 2021)

@SpaceTokki77 I think you may.



Vrisnem said:


> I've had a couple of messages about this so figured I'd clarify: yes, the fact the rules for this event are missing the usual "no editing" rule is deliberate. This means you can edit spelling and grammatical errors without being penalised or needing to contact me first. Keep in mind that this is applicable only to this contest.


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## Chris (Jan 29, 2021)

SpaceTokki77 said:


> dang it. My story had some lower-case letters where capital ones should be. May I go ahead and fix that?


Go ahead! You're allowed to make corrections to your entries up until the time the contest closes (Jan 31st, 11:59pm EST).


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## xSuperMario64x (Jan 29, 2021)

I keep forgetting to do this lmao, maybe I'll do it today sometime :>


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## Cosmic-chan (Jan 29, 2021)

Wow so many grammar issues in my story so glad I caught them in time. My own story almost made me cry how the heck- I really wrote that ?  Bruh going back to bed


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## Sharksheep (Jan 29, 2021)

*Winter Star*

Diana was taking an evening stroll on the cliffs on Yarn Isle. The clock struck midnight a few moments ago and she normally would be in bed with a good book by now, but she was having trouble falling asleep. The argument she had either with Whitney weighed heavily on her mind.

“Maybe I should haven’t told her that her plants would have been fine before she left to visit her family. The books say that monstera plants are very easy to take care of and don’t need a lot of watering. How was I suppose to know that she hasn’t watered them for weeks before she left! ”

Whitney came home earlier that day to a sad looking monstera. The leaves were wilty and brown at the edges. It was the first plant she bought when she moved to Yarn Isle and although she never had much of a green thumb, she tried her best at keeping this monstera alive.

“I hope Leif visits soon! He should know if there’s anything she can do to save it,” thought Diana.

After reaching the top of the ramp, she sees a familiar figure gazing up at the sky near the Stonehenge. Diana didn’t want to startle the owl so she walked a little more heavily. 

“Good evening, Celeste. I didn’t know you were visiting the island tonight,” Diana called out.

“Hoot hoot, the weather forecast said that there will be no clouds tonight and I’m glad to see they are right!”

“Isn’t it too cold to be stargazing tonight? I’m bundled up in this coat and hat and I’m still getting chills.” 

“I always love stargazing in the winter. When my brother and I were young, he would make me a cup of hot chocolate and we would sit out in the yard huddled under a blanket and glaze up at the stars until we couldn’t feel the tips of our feathers anymore.”

“That sounds lovely, my dear. You couldn’t convince Blathers to join you tonight?”

“He is going to join me soon. He had to finish feeding the fish and he’ll give me a call.”

“Can I keep you some company until then? I would love to learn more about the constellations.”

“Oh yes! You are in a treat for tonight!”

“Is it a meteor shower tonight? I remember the first one I saw when I moved here. There were so many shooting stars I couldn’t believe my eyes.”

“If we get lucky we might be able to see some shooting stars but this event is rarer than a meteor shower. Tonight we get to see the Winter Star! Do you see the very bright star to the right? It’s not a star at all but two planets! When Jupiter and Saturn are aligned. The next time those two planets will be this close together won’t happen for hundreds of years.”

“It’s so beautiful. I never would have known how special tonight was if I didn’t run into you tonight.”

Suddenly, the first few seconds of Cafe K.K. started playing. Celeste pulled out her nookphone for a brief moment and put it away.

“Looks like my brother is just leaving the museum. I’m going to meet him halfway. It was nice chatting with you, Diana. Please share with your friends that tonight they can see the Winter Star if you come across them.”

“Have a good evening, Celeste.”

Celeste walked down the ramp and out of sight. Diana pondered on how to resolve her troubles with Whitney when she remembered Celeste’s words.

“Even though Whitney is upset with me now, she would be even more upset if she missed out on a special event tonight like seeing the Winter Star.”

Diana stopped by her house first to make some hot chocolate to fill up a thermos and walked over to Whitney’s house. Luckily, the curtains were lit up meaning that Whitney was stilled awake. She knocked on the door and Whitney’s answer. Whitney was still in her day time clothes so Diana wasn’t interrupting her night time routine. 

“I’m sorry about your monstera plant and telling you not to water it. I have some hot chocolate and was wondering if you would like to stargaze with me tonight. The Winter Star is out tonight and Celeste said that another one wouldn’t be visible for hundreds of years.”

“It’s ok, Diana. I don’t have much of a green thumb so this was bound to happen eventually.”

“Maybe Leif will stop by soon and you can ask him if there’s anything you can do for your monstera. I’ll stop by the plaza first thing in the morning for the rest of the week and let you know if I see him.”

“Thank you, Diana. I really appreciate that. Let me get a blanket so we can be more comfortable.”


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## Snek (Jan 29, 2021)

*A Celestial Dilemma*

Celeste stared at the island rep's sleepy house and sighed in defeat as she headed to the museum. The sky had a beautiful aurora stretching across the snowy winter landscape. 

"Oh diurnals…" Celeste sighed in resignation
As an avid stargazing owl, she was used to being up all night while other animals went to sleep. However, the island rep has never once stayed up for the night when Celeste decides to see her big brother, Blathers. Blathie, which she secretly likes to call him, was in charge of the museum on the island. He also made really good coffee, surprisingly, that helps her get through the night. 

Celeste glanced in her pocket and saw the orange DIY recipes all in neat, little stacks. What was the point in carrying all these DIY recipes? Maybe Tom Nook lied to her? Or... Maybe her brother would know what to do, but then again...maybe he wouldn't...

"Big brother, I'm here!" "...huh what are you doing?"

Blathie had on an explorer hat and was swatting the air with a net. He was sweating profusely and had that all-familiar look on his face of fear and disgust. Blathie and his entomophobia always caused problems in their childhood. Why he decided a bug exhibit would be good for his museum still amazed and amused Celeste to this day. 

"Little sister!" "One of THEM, escaped!" screamed as Blathers was looking around restlessly. 

"Oh no!" Celeste feigning concern, "Which one, the scorpion or the tarantula?"

"No! Its a musca domestica!" Blathers eyes dilating bigger and bigger

"In Animalese, brother"

"A FLY!!!" Blathers continuing swatting maniacally

"Oh no…" Again, it was almost like clockwork. Celeste started to feel tired for some reason. "I'm going to get a coffee"

Celeste grabbed the coffee pot on a table and poured into the pink Virgo cup next to the blue Libra cup. Why shouldn't she be surprised? Blathie was acting silly again, and of course, she was always the patient and reasonable one, well at least around insects. Blathie does make a very, VERY good coffee, though. Being positive always helped her in these sort of situations. 

"Brother, I'm here because I have a REAL problem…"

"Real problem?! Any bug without a cage is a real problem! I don't mind when the octopus escapes each day but one these...filthy arthropods...I shudder at the thought" 

"Brother...the island rep is asleep again. At this rate they'll never see a shooting star or an aurora in the winter sky. Auroras are so beautiful at this time of the year. I wish…" 
Celeste suddenly felt a bit emotional, "I wish at least once, for all the animals to be awake and see an aurora together." 
Celeste began feeling a little sad, "Your museum is open 24 hours a day, but I only come here when you say there are meteor showers and when you run out of fish in the freezer"

"Sister," Blathers stopping to catch a breath,
"You've always had your eyes to the sky. Maybe the solution is more obvious and closer than you think. For example, when you see a cockroach, you step on it! And then you wash and sanitise your talons for 2 straight hours" 

"I don't understand...brother...the fly...its on your bowtie..." 

"AHHHHHHHHH" Blathers fell to the ground and angrily got back up.
"NO! No, no, no, no, no!" Blathers screamed as he began swatting the air again.

Celeste sat down, sipped her coffee and stared at it. For someone so knowledgeable, sometimes her brother never makes any sense. Especially when it comes to insects.
"More obvious than I think? I wonder..."

"Right in front of me, eh, and I can't catch you?! These bugs are the death of me…ahhh" Blathers sighed as he missed again. 

"In front of me..." Celeste again looked at her coffee. The coffee was a Blue Mountain blend of very high quality. Celeste knew that Blathie made really great coffee, but how??  How could he have made rich coffee that energised her every night? If this coffee can energise her then maybe...

"By Jupiter I got it!" 
"I GOT IT!" Blathers yelled as he lifted the cage.

"Brother, who taught you how to make coffee?"

Blathers began blushing, as he walked away from the cage by the entrance of the bug exhibit "An old pigeon friend of mine in my university days. He studied Ancient Gyroidology, but had to get a part-time job, so he started a coffee business. Needless to say, he was very successful and taught me everything I know! I can probably get him to come here but it all depends on him."
"I also need help dealing with these foul insects, hoo hoo" he muttered to himself

"Thanks brother for teaching me the lesson. Sometimes the answer is right in front of you!" 

"Lesson?"


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## Plainbluetees (Jan 29, 2021)

Water Landing Birthday​
          “We’ll be making a water landing, but that’s OK because this is a seaplane.”
          Wilbur thought he was good when it came to comedy. His routine catchphrase might get a bit boring at some times, but he always knew how to crack a joke about anything.
          As Resident Rep. James disembarked the plane after a successful trading visit, Wilbur saluted him and ran off to take a quick break. Being a pilot was rewarding: seeing all the beautiful sights and travelling all over were some of Wilbur’s favorite things.
          But the best thing about it all, the thing that kept Orville going, was his brother Orville.

          Orville’s’s birthday was coming up, and Wilbur wanted to get something spectacular for him. He decided to browse the stores one night.
          “Hello, Wilbur!” said Mable as the dodo strolled into the tailor’s shop. “Funny seeing you here! What are you looking for?”
          As Wilbur looked around, he saw the perfect present almost immediately: a bronze pair of pilot’s glasses that Orville had been eyeing for months.
          “How much for the glasses?”
          “Oh, those are 460 bells,” said Mable.
          “Whiskey Oscar whiskey! These will make a great present,” Wilbur thought out loud.

          The next day, when Wilbur went into work, he saw Orville sitting at his desk, wearing the exact same glasses.
          “Hey, Wilbur! Like my new glasses? I got them after you went out yesterday.”
          Wilbur’s expression soured. With a price like 460 bells, of course Orville went and got himself a pair.
          “I left you something on the desk in the back. I thought you might like it,” Orville mentions before going back on his computer.
          To Wilbur’s surprise, he found another pair of the glasses with a handwritten note from Orville. Orville wrote that he found them on sale for a really good price and how we decided to get Wilbur a pair. It was signed with “What would dodos do?” and a smiley face on the bottom.
          At that point, Wilbur knew what he had to do. He had to talk to Tom Nook.

          The next day, on Orville’s birthday, Wilbur radioed him and asked him to come to the plaza.
          “This is Whiskey India Lima Bravo Uniform Romeo, I need you at the plaza.”
          “Oscar Romeo Victor India Lima Lima Echo, Roger! Leaving November Oscar Whiskey!”
          “Hey, he stole my line,” Wilbur jokingly thought in his head.

          When Orville was distracted last night, Wilbur went to talk to Tom Nook and James. They both agreed that Orville needed something special for his birthday. So, they asked K.K. Slider, Orville’s favorite singer to come out and perform. K.K. happily agreed and Wilbur gave him a plane ride, dropping K.K. off at the secret beach so nobody else noticed.

          As soon as Orville got to the plaza, he was bombarded with confetti. Wilbur had worked with all the other residents to create an amazing birthday bash. Sydney had made a sweet-smelling coconut cake shaped like a seaplane, Zucker shared some tasty Japanese food and brought a card from the bugs on his floors, James gave him a wreath he had made himself, Antonio pledged to put him on his sponsor list for when we gets on Great Anteater Ninja Warrior, and Francine sewed him a fuzzy bomber jacket to keep warm. Orville was astonished and couldn’t believe everyone’s generosity!

          After a bit of partying, Tom Nook got up on the steps of the Resident Services building with a microphone.
          “Hello, thank you all for coming! Guava Bay is developing wonderfully, but we wouldn’t have gotten as far as we did without our two pilots. To celebrate Orville’s birthday, we’d like to do something very special. Please welcome the very own K.K. Slider!”
          Orville’s jaw dropped so much that it must have hit the ground. Wilbur had gotten his favorite singer to perform! He couldn’t believe what was happening! 

          K.K. walked up to the stage and began to perform K.K. Birthday, followed by Orville’s favorite, Drivin’. Everyone sang along, and Orville could have never felt so good in his life. This was the best birthday present ever!

          At the end of the day, after the festivities, Orville walked up to his brother in the airport and embraced him in a hug.
          “You are the best brother I could have ever asked for.”



Spoiler: Spoiler



I realize that this is very far from the word limit. I really wanted to write more, but I've been stressed from school and I've had multiple big assignments recently. If you've gotten this far I want to thank you for reading my story, even if it's a short one.


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## corlee1289 (Jan 29, 2021)

It wasn’t that long ago that I was invited to an island named Ceresia by a person named Corrine. She looked a little funny and didn’t seem to be like any of the other villagers I have met before. But she told me that she was a hoo-man… I’ve never seen one before. She was busy running around digging up flowers and catching fish around the campfire I had made. 

“Come visit and stay at Ceresia!” she exclaimed! “The native fruit is cherries, which is why the name of the island is called Ceresia! You’ll love it there! It’s a little run down at the moment, but I’m doing my best to make it comfortable and a place to come and relax.”

It took me a bit of time to settle into her island and she had assured me that she was doing the best she could to make me comfortable. Wouldn’t you know it! That’s what she did! She put me near a waterfall and I met other villagers that I got along very well with on our little quaint island.

Corrine started to come to see me every day to see how I was once I started exploring the island, bawwww. Isn’t that nice of her? She always made a habit of greeting whenever she saw me before she zoomed past me… Once, I even saw her bury some bells in the ground with her shovel! How crazy is that? Who has that many bells to spare to put in the ground? Such a strange hoo-man, indeed.

Eventually, when she and I got friendlier, she started gifting me fruit every day! Isn’t that nice of her? I could never seem to reach any of the fruits on the trees scattered on our island. I’m not sure how she managed to reach so high up in the tree. But she never gave me the same fruit in a row. One time, she gave me something called a co-co-nut. It was really hard to eat.

Corrine gave me so many fruits to eat, that I decided to give her the nickname of Chef! Get it? Because she gave me so many fruits to eat! She even gave me a fruit wreath which I went to hang outside on my door! She also gave me a fruit infused-water dispenser for me to put in my house to help give it some color. Such a thoughtful friend she is that chef!

One time, when I was cleaning my room, I found some artsy stuff that made my brain hurt when I stared at it too long. I thought maybe Chef would be interested in it and I decided to give that to her. I heard Blathers say that Chef was doing her best to fill the art section in our museum.

Another time, I was looking for a piece of candy that I dropped under my bed and thought I had found it. But when I went to bite down on it, it was almost as hard as a rock! That wasn’t fun at all and it hurt my teeth. I remember Blathers said Chef had donated some big rocks that were called dino-zars. That’s a funny word to say. Dino-zars. I thought maybe perhaps Chef would like to have some more rock stuff. But if it ended up being really hard toffee instead, I kindly asked her to bring it back to me.

I’m not sure how long I’ll stay here in Ceresia before I head off and continue on with my grand adventure called life. So, I thought I would give Chef a picture of myself for her to put on display to remind her of our everlasting friendship. So that even when she isn’t able to see me every day, she can see my photo and think of me. Just like how I think of her every time I see the fruit infused-water dispenser in my house or when I see the fruit wreath hanging on my door when I go home for the day. 

“Forty winks is never enough.” - Sherb

*According to the word count, I'm at 682 words :3


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## Peach_Jam (Jan 30, 2021)

*Bear-Shaped Clouds*​The sun and clouds had an agreement today, allowing the sky equal parts sunshine and shade. Inside a snow-caked cottage, a warm and fluffy teddy bear is facing an identity crisis. Stone gray in color, Orion bears a striking resemblance to...no one. One of his arms is partially torn, with stuffing peaking out. One of his eyes is a black button, while the other...is missing. Suffice to say, Orion is not like most bears. Or even most _teddy bears_, for that matter. "_Deformed. Not a real teddy bear", _the other bears would say_. "You have none of the cuddly qualities a child looks for in a teddy bear. You're terrifying. Who would want to play with you?_" they pointed out. Orion pushes the thoughts away. The weather was nice today, so he decides to go for a walk.

Outside, the bench Orion usually passes by is occupied by a duck. The duck has a doctor's coat on, and appears to be drinking hot cocoa. "Oh hello...! I don't believe I've seen you here before. What's your name?" Orion asks. He was never one to initiate a conversation, so Orion felt briefly at odds with himself. "You wound me, Orion. My plumage might have changed slightly due to the cold weather, but I'm still the same duck you rescued last week!" the duck replied. Ah, right! How could Orion forget Meru? She had just arrived in town, struggling to navigate the campsite, when a delivery truck came careening into the sidewalk. Orion had jumped into the scene to shield her. In doing so, he tore another stitch from his arm. Meru had expressed her gratitude, determined to pay him back in the future. They parted ways, and that was that. "Oh, hello Meru! How are you feeling? Have you settled into your new home?" asked Orion. "I have indeed! Besides the heavy snow, this place is quite lovely. The townsfolk are all very friendly as well!" Meru beamed. Orion's paws began feeling clammy, and he felt his anxiety returning, so he cut the conversation short and headed home.

The sun is shy today, hidden behind an array of clouds. Orion hated cloudy weather. Inside the cottage, he snuggles under a blanket with a mug of marshmallow-topped cocoa. Eventually, he gets up and heads out to check his mail. Inside the mailbox, he notices a letter from Meru. Hurrying back inside, Orion begins to read the letter.

_"Dear Orion,

Being a duck, and being a doctor, I hear interesting remarks about myself all the time. There have many instances where a patient will question my abilities and ask "Why is a duck a doctor? Are you even a real doctor? I bet you're just a quack. Ducks can't be doctors." You probably don't know why I'm saying this. My point is, stick up for yourself! Some people only believe what they want to believe. They think there's a set way for certain people to live and that no other way exists. Those type of people never last long. They're just scared of what will happen when they go against their ideals. You, my friend, should not limit yourself to the role of being a cute toy or used as decoration on a dusty shelf. You shouldn't let another teddy bear tell you how to live your life. That's for you to decide. In case you're confused, I...might have overheard some other bears gossiping about you at a cafe. Don't worry though, I definitely taught them a lesson with my beak. When you're feeling better, maybe we can do something together? Perhaps you have a dream or goal in mind you'd like to discuss? Or maybe you can teach me how to get better at writing letters? I know that’s definitely a goal of mine. I'd be surprised if you managed to read this in its entirety without falling asleep.

Take care,

Meru”_

For the first time in his life, Orion felt a surge of courage. 

-1 month later-​The snow is gone, and the clouds have taken over today, rain thudding heavily along the roof. Inside the dark cottage, the occasional boom of thunder scares a sodden and shivering teddy bear. But make no mistake; this bear is quite ecstatic. By the fireplace, Orion recounts his exchanges with Meru. They had become the best of friends ever since Orion gathered the courage to open up, and they did fun activities with each other often. Orion is thankful for that letter everyday. He may not have the cuddly qualities of a traditional teddy bear, but he was special all the same. At some point during the last few weeks, Orion decided he would find out where his passion lies. For now, he would focus on drying his fur. On the TV, the weather forecast for the week is displayed, indicating that tomorrow will be cloudy. Orion loved cloudy weather.



Spoiler: yuh



i am rich in fatigue but poor in brain cells


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## corlee1289 (Jan 30, 2021)

Please let me win that Aurora egg. It’s literally the last collectible I need. *crosses fingers*


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## sleepydreepy (Jan 30, 2021)

*A Snowy Surprise*

Flora’s eyes fluttered open. She saw sun peaking through the corners of her window curtains. She sat up and stretched her arms over her head.  Another beautiful day on the tropical island of Maui!  Though there was a slight cool breeze in the air... Flora reached for her robe as she planned out her day.  Ever since she took up a directing job at the island’s luau and dance center, her life had been very hectic, especially since she was preparing for a special upcoming performance outside on the beach.  Maui was gaining more and more attraction for its luau shows, and there was a rumor going around that the famous K.K. Slider, Flora’s idol, had bought a plane ticket to Maui so he could attend one of these shows himself.  Flora decided to put on a special luau show in hopes that K.K. would come and see her work.

She looked at the long to do list on her bulletin board and sighed.  She had been putting off setting up the outdoor venue because of the weather.  The decorations she wanted to use were not weather proof, and Maui had been getting a lot of rain recently. PING! Flora took out her Nookphone and gasped excitedly- her package was delivered! Two nights ago she was up late and impulsively ordered a giant bad of seaweed chips and dip for herself. It was her favorite snack growing up and reminded her of lazy summer days at the beach.  Flora flew to her front door and was about to step outside, when she froze mid step. Her jaw dropped to the floor as she stared at her front yard.  Snow!! Where there was once deep green grass there was now a blanket of glittering white snow!  She didn’t know what to do except stare at the winter wonderland in front of her. Her neighbor, Snake, walked by and waved.

“Hey Flora!” he shouted, “Can you believe it? A freak snow storm hit Maui!”
“No I can’t believe it!” laughed Flora nervously as she shivered.
“Chester and I are going sledding,” said Snake, jogging in place to say warm, “Would you like to join us?”
“Hm, maybe later,” said Flora, “I have a few things to do first."

She stepped back inside and closed the door.  The truth was, she didn’t know what she was going to do now.  She had experienced snow once before and absolutely hated the feeling of being cold and wet.  Decorating the beach for the luau show was definitely off the table. How was she going to complete her mountain of a to do list now? She flopped on her couch feeling defeated. She turned on the TV just in time to see the end of Isabelle’s morning announcements.

“…and even if you don’t want to roll in the snow all day, there is still lots to do indoors," Isabelle said with a dreamy look on her face. "Drinking hot coco, making paper snowflakes, baking cookies, and cuddling on the couch with friends are some of my favorite snow day activities! Sometimes it's nice to take a break, even if you don’t want to. This is Isabelle signing off, have a great Thursday everyone!"

Flora tilted her head. Maybe Isabelle was right, snow didn’t have to be such a bad thing. She glanced back at her front door where her package was still waiting for her on the front steps. She _had_ been working pretty hard lately, and was under a lot of pressure to make this luau show extra special.  Maybe this was Maui’s way of forcing her to take a break.  Her mind wandered to her friends… Suddenly she sat up as she remembered something someone had told her. Ankha!! Ankha hated the snow too!! She whipped out her Nookphone and dialed Ankha’s number.

“…..hello?” said a sleepy voice.
“Ankha!” Flora practically screamed in excitement, “Guess what!! ItsnowedtodayandIwaswonderingifyouwantedtotakeadayoffwithmeandIwasthinkingwecoulddosomethingfunlikeeatchipsonthecouchohandpaintournailsandwecoulddoaspadaytooorsomethingandwatchourfavoriteshowsormoviesandnotdoanyworkatallandyoucouldinviteotherfriendsifyouwantedand-"
“Woah, woah, woah, slow down,” Ankha said as she took off her sleeping mask and sat up in bed, “Wait, IT SNOWED?!”
“YES!” screeched Flora, “Isn’t it great!!”

What started out as a cold and dreary snow day turned into one of Flora's happiest and warmest memories yet. She and Ankha spent the entire day indoors pampering themselves and having fun.  Flora took a much needed break, and returned to work the next day feeling refreshed.  Sometimes the most unexpected moments create the greatest memories.

_- by sleepydreepy_


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## Kattea (Jan 30, 2021)

corlee1289 said:


> Please let me win that Aurora egg. It’s literally the last collectible I need. *crosses fingers*



My fingers are crossed so hard for you and @Peach_Jam , you guys have been looking for way too long. And I'm sure those who win one and have no use for it will keep you in mind.


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## daringred_ (Jan 30, 2021)

writing fluffy slow burn content for unknown characters probably wasn't the smartest move to make here, but oh well.
introducing: two detectives that are hopelessly in love with each other but both think it's unrequited because they're dumb.




Spoiler: wrapped up



No sooner had she stepped through the door than she was enveloped in a pleasant warmth, and it was quick to chase away a cold she hadn't even noticed until then. Lisa shivered slightly at the feeling, nudging the door shut with the toe of her boot. “Did you really leave the heating on again?” she said, a teasing edge to her voice as she paused at the base of the stairs to briefly offload the weight of the shopping bags she’d carried in. 

“Maybe,” Claire answered, easing her coat off. She left it on almost permanently during winter, averse to the cold as she was, and had no intention of breaking the habit any time soon. Lisa rolled her eyes, unraveling her scarf -- or, rather, Claire’s scarf, forced upon her when she’d arrived in only her usual leather jacket. 

“Your bill’s going to be through the roof, y’know,” she warned, recollecting the bags at her feet as she nudged her shoes out of the way beneath the stairs. It was stupid, but she almost felt naked without them on. 

Claire shrugged, turning to her with a bright smile. “Totally worth it for a warm house,” she countered, grateful that she could afford it. Coming home to the cold didn’t sound the least bit appealing. Lisa shook her head fondly, unsurprised by the answer. Claire liked being warm almost as much as she liked sleeping. 

“Right, where do you want these?” she asked, pointedly lifting the bags slightly. 

“Front room,” Claire said, gesturing to the doorway on the right as she stepped around her to reach the stairs. “Just let me grab the wrapping stuff, and I’ll be right with you.” Lisa watched her disappear from view, taking the steps two at a time, before turning away. She wasn’t sure where _exactly C_laire wanted her but decided the center of the room was as good a place as any, and she kneeled down to carefully set the bags on the rug in front of the sofa. 

Once she was without purpose, however, she immediately felt out of place instead. She curled her fingers against her legs, awkwardly surveying the room in silence and admiring the Christmas tree in the corner while she waited. She was relieved when Claire reappeared less than a minute later, now laden down by a bag half her own size, and quirked an eyebrow as she approached. 

“You sure you’ve got enough there?” she joked, resisting the urge to reach out and help her as she slowly lowered herself to the ground. 

“Hey, it’s better to be over-prepared than under-prepared,” Claire argued, setting the bag down nearby with a faint sigh. Especially given that she never knew just how many presents she was going to buy everyone when the holidays inevitably rolled around. "Right.” She clapped her hands together before reaching over to retrieve a long tube of snowflake-patterned wrapping paper. “I’ll wrap, you tape?”

Lisa nodded in agreement, wordlessly taking the tape machine when it was passed to her a moment later, and they quickly lapsed into a comfortable silence, opting to focus more on the task at hand as they began tackling the myriad of presents. Much like always, they worked together seamlessly, following an ever familiar rhythm that came naturally to only the two of them. As suggested, Claire wrapped, humming quietly to herself as her fingers made gentle folds with the paper, and Lisa taped, securing them in place without ever missing a beat or needing to be asked. 

In one unbroken stretch, they wrapped Abby’s new softball bat and Tyler’s box of mint condition comic books, Chris’s fancy (albeit needlessly expensive) bottle of red wine and Morgan’s set of fountain pens. Claire was just cutting the exact amount of paper needed for Pixie’s unicorn figurine when Lisa finally broke the silence.

“So where are my presents?” she said, already knowing there was nothing for her waiting to be wrapped. Not that she’d expected there to be. Claire never would’ve invited her to go Christmas shopping if she’d intended to buy her anything. Whether or not that meant she already had was a different story. Claire smiled slightly.

“Nowhere you’ll find,” she told her, carefully setting the figurine’s box dead center on the square of paper at her knees.

“Who says i’m going to look?” Lisa countered, hand resting patiently on the tape machine.

“I’m sure you won’t,” Claire said as she pulled the wrapping paper neatly across the top of the box, hiding it from view. She barely had to hold it in place for a second, however, before Lisa secured it with a length of tape. “That’s more Tyler’s thing. It’s why I don’t let him over during the month before Christmas anymore.”

The corners of Lisa’s mouth twitched slightly in amusement. “You learn the hard way?” she asked, watching as Claire’s lithe fingers effortlessly folded in the leftover wrapping paper. Tyler could be a nightmare during Christmas, and if he knew someone had bought him a present, he wouldn’t hesitate to try and find out what it was. Fortunately, he at least had the restraint not to open anything early. 

“Yeah, but he never found anything,” Claire revealed, moving her finger out of the way just in time for it to be replaced by another strip of tape. “My present-hiding skills are unrivaled.” Not that she’d left him alone long enough to do any significant snooping anyway.

“The same could be said of your wrapping skills,” Lisa pointed out, resting her hands idly in her lap as Claire methodically stuck both a label, and then a bow, on the middle of the gift. She sighed, unable to help feeling somewhat in the way, and wondered if Claire would finish faster on her own. “Do you really need my help with this?” 

“No,” Claire admitted, reaching for the pen at her side, “but I want it. Anyway, what about you?” She paused, glancing up from writing Pixie’s name on the label in perfect cursive to offer Lisa a playful smile. “Have you bought _me _a present yet?” 

Lisa shrugged, impassive as ever and giving nothing away. “Maybe. Maybe not.” 

Claire pouted slightly. “Spoilsport,” she said, ending her message with a simple x before capping her pen and sitting upright again. “Still, if you haven’t-” She lifted the newly wrapped present and placed it carefully in the bag with all the others. “-I know what you can get.” She turned back to Lisa with a fresh bow in hand, peeling off the back of it to reveal the sticky surface beneath. 

Lisa quirked an eyebrow, watching her curiously. “Oh yeah?” She didn’t know what sort of response she was expecting, really, but it certainly wasn’t the one she got, and she recoiled instinctively when Claire leaned forward and planted the bow she was holding on Lisa’s forehead. It took a moment for her to realize what had happened, and she briefly looked up, barely able to see the purple bow where it sat just beyond her line of sight, before her gaze flickered back to Claire, struggling to suppress her amusement. Lisa narrowed her eyes slightly, but the faint curve of her lips gave her away. “Now what? Gonna wrap me up too?”

“Don’t tempt me,” Claire warned, leaning forward to remove the bow from Lisa’s forehead -- they still had several gifts to wrap, and she wouldn’t be able to focus if it stayed there. She was surprised when Lisa grabbed her wrist before she could take it, stopping her hand in mid-air. “What’re you-?” 

“I thought you were against unwrapping presents before Christmas,” Lisa said, a mischievous glint in her eyes. 

“You’re not wrapped!” Claire exclaimed, rising up on her knees and reaching forward with her other hand. Lisa immediately grabbed that one too, smirking in triumph when Claire scowled at her. 

“Specifics,” she said with a light shrug, leaning back right as Claire leaned forward, pushing against her grip in a vain attempt to reach the bow -- Lisa held her at bay with ease, both the unstoppable force _and _immovable object. 

“_Semantics_,” Claire corrected, stubbornly leaning even further forward when her current efforts produced no results. It was a bad move, however, and she quickly lost her balance. If she hadn’t been leaning in the opposite direction, Lisa would’ve been able to hold her steady. Instead, she was knocked back when Claire inevitably collided with her a second later, and they both unceremoniously hit the ground together. 

Lisa recovered no sooner than she tensed, all too aware of Claire’s body resting directly on top of her own. The room was suddenly filled with such a deathly silence that she could’ve heard a pin drop, and she barely dared to breathe when Claire lifted her head, face framed by her dark red hair. Lisa swallowed thickly. They were close, too close, lips within dangerous inches of each other, and she could feel Claire’s breath hot against her mouth in a second that seemed to stretch on for an eternity. For a fleeting moment, Lisa wondered if there would ever be a better time to kiss her, but the opportunity passed her by in a heartbeat when Claire abruptly pulled back, finally convincing herself to move. 

“We should take a break,” she breathed, throat dry. She looked for an excuse to leave and ran with the first idea that came to her. “I’ll get you a drink!” She summoned a faint smile, shakily getting to her feet, and almost tripped over Lisa’s leg in her haste to leave the room. Lisa watched her go in silence, propped up on her elbows and left to wonder whether or not kissing her really would’ve been the worst outcome in the world.


​


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## tessa grace (Jan 31, 2021)

Are we allowed to reference other shows and media? I want to talk about my town tune but its the theme from naruto- am I allowed to say its from another tv show? Thanks!


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## Miss Misty (Jan 31, 2021)

*The Crime of the Season*​
"If we can pull this off, we'll be, like, the kings of the island. You know that, right? No one else has even come close."

"We can do this. We were _born_ ready."

"He never leaves Resident Services, though. At least, I've never _seen_ him leave. And I've been paying super close attention."

"He has to leave eventually. And when he does, we'll be ready."

- - -

Sunday morning started off like any other. Daisy Mae strolled around the island, leaving little footprints in the snow. For once, the dribble of snot hanging out of her nose didn't seem out of place. Around noon, as usual, she departed.

The residents continued milling about, their steps packing the snow in as more flurries fell about, swirling in the gusts of wind that seemed to blow into the island from all sides. Balls of snow that grew steadily larger rolled around, seemingly under their own power, secretly pushed by the dung beetles that infested the island during its winter months. Sundays were lazy days around the island, and yet the lights in Resident Services stayed on, should any resident need assistance at any time.

The flurries of the morning later transitioned to a full-blown snowstorm that darkened the sky. Most of the residents retreated to their homes for hot mugs of cocoa and a cozy fireplace to curl up next to.

Two residents, however, eyed each other and nodded. Their fur was a natural camouflage in the snow; they could locate each other only because they knew where to look. Warmth and coziness were not for them, not this night. Not until they had their prize.

Still, the lights in Resident Services stayed on.

Minutes ticked by into hours as the gray snow clouds gave way to a darkened night sky after the sun sank below the horizon. There!

The door to Resident Services opened.

It was Isabelle. They knew it would be Isabelle. They remained hidden, not giving away their positions. Isabelle never bothered to hide her comings and goings. She always left first and arrived second. "Goodnight, Tom!" she called into the building. "I'll see you tomorrow, bright and early."

"Bright and early! Yes, yes." Tom Nook's voice could be heard in reply.

The tinkling bells indicated that Isabelle shut the door behind her and began trudging off in the snow back to her home.

Any minute now.

"_Oof_!"

"_Arrrghh_!"

The lights in Resident Services clicked off. Tom Nook carefully locked the building behind himself as he set off on his way to the home he shared with Timmy and Tommy. On his way out, he noticed two curious lumps of snow, each laying on top of an animal with white fur. One had blue toe beans, the other pink.

- - -

Monday morning rolled around and Kicks was off the plane in bright and early. He noticed that a new sign had been hung up in the window to Resident Services: 

Tom Nook
Snowball Wars Champion
Twentieth Year Running​
Tom Nook strolled up to Resident Services past where Kicks was busy setting up his display. If Nook noticed the sign in the window he gave no indication. Kicks barely glanced up as Tom Nook passed by.

"Morning, Tom."

"Morning, Kicks."

Kicks finally looked up from his display. Tom Nook had unlocked the door to Resident Services and was paused outside for their conversation. "Who was it this year?" the skunk asked with a flick of his tail.

"Rolf and Bianca."

"Wow. Natural camouflage and everything. If anyone was going to get the better of you, I'd have thought it'd be them," Kicks replied, impressed at Tom Nook's skill.

"They certainly came the closest. But it takes more than camouflage to beat the master." And Tom Nook smiled a little smile, meant only for himself, as he shut the door to Resident Services.


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## OswinOswald (Jan 31, 2021)

As the first rays of light fell upon Kaitlin's eyes, she fought to hold onto the tail end of another cozy dream. But the ephemeral wisps of that overnight reality scuttled into the remaining dark corners of her consciousness as the bright morning sunshine crowded the room. Sighing, Kaitlin let her eyelids flutter open. With a sharp intake of crisp frigid air, she realized winter had finally come. Turning her gaze outside the window, she saw a world frosted in a soft inviting blanket of snow. 'Now where was Katie?', she thought to herself. This would be Katie's first winter and she couldn't wait to show her a fresh snowfall.

Kaitlin yawned, extending her arms far above her in a satisfying stretch as she began to move her muscles for the day. She rolled off her bed and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, scanning the room for Katie. Katie had to be around somewhere, but Kaitlin had been so exhausted prior to going to bed and just couldn't remember where she had left her last night! 

"Katie?" she called out carefully into the room, her hoarse morning growl slowly reverberating in the air. Clearing her throat, she called again, slightly louder, "Katie!" No signs of life stirred.

Kaitlin puttered about the bedroom, checking every corner for any possible sightings of the little kitten. With no evidence of Katie to be seen, she stumbled out into the main hall to explore further.

The entryway was also devoid of life, but she did she Katie's hat and backpack hanging by the front door so knew the kitten must be in the house, if she could only figure out where! Kaitlin passed through the foyer and wandered into the kitchen. Maybe Katie had gotten hungry in the middle of the night and sought out a midnight snack?

"Katie?" she inquired, as she crashed still slightly sleepily into the kitchen. Her voice echoed across the dishes in the cluttered sink. Gosh, Kaitlin had gotten scatterbrained and forgot to put those away last night. But they'd have to wait while she found Katie. She peeked under the table, and in the pantry, but there was no kitten snuggled away anywhere to be seen.

Heading back into the entryway, she turned her attention into the playroom. A model train was lazily chugging away along its track around the floor. A few other plushies were dispersed across the floor as well. Apparently Kaitlin had forgotten to help Katie clean up yesterday, so she chased down each free item and dropped them back into the toybox. No Katie in the playroom, unfortunately.

Back to the main room she went again, scratching her head. Where else might Katie have gone exploring? 

Kaitlin trundled down the stairs into the basement, pushing small cobwebs from the ceiling as she turned down the narrow staircase. She wasn't sure why Katie might come down into the storage room, but to be thorough, she thought she ought to check. 'Achoo!" she screeched and the dust tickled her whiskers. Behind all the boxes were more boxes that Kaitlin had forgotten to unpack from their last move, but no sign of Katie. Sighing, she wandered back up the stairs.

'Well,' Kaitlin thought, 'Katie's always in the last place I look, isn't she?' Only the attic was left, so hopefully she'd find Katie there. As she ascended the flight to the attic, her heart lept. In the tiny attic she saw Kaitlin's kiddie table covered in little maps of towns she had explored. But in the back corner, near the window was a humming tuft of fur. A small telescope was set up on the table next to the window. Katie must have been stargazing last night! Kaitlin tiptoed over and gently nudged the small furball.

'Katie? Katie?' she whispered as she poked the young kitten. 'Katie, you have to get up, there's something magical I want to show you!'

Groaning, Katie opened her eyes. 'What is it mom?' she moaned. 'I was just having such a nice dream about chasing Cygnus across the Milky Way.'

'Well, you'll have to come downstairs to see! Here, let's bundle you up in a blanket because it's going to be cold outside!' Kaitlin warned, as she ushered the little one down the stairs.

She flung open the front door, and Katie felt a crisp gush of air greet her button nose. Everything was so... bright! And completely covered in white! 'It snowed!' she purred. Katie pounced into the yard, laughing as the flecks of snow covered her. It was so messy and slightly wet - she didn't realize the cotton candy looking layer of white would have so much moisture.

Kaitlin smiled. 'Let me show you how to make a snow angel, or build a snowperson. And maybe we can go stalk some dung beetles. There's so much to see now that winter has finally arrived!' Indeed, the solstice had just passed, and Kaitlin knew the days would only get brighter from here on out. She couldn't wait to be there as Katie discovered all the offerings winter had in store.


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## CasualWheezer (Jan 31, 2021)

*Against Cold Winds*

I was on yet another of my daily walks. This world moves around so fast everyday so it's nice to walk at my own pace here for a change. Not even the winter stops me from my strolls outside. It's honestly part of my life, one way for me to be in peace. As I walked around the park, I focused on the pond, frozen like the air. The snow crunched beneath my feet. I always enjoy these sights of wilderness after all, what would we be if it weren't for nature?

I felt a vibration in my pocket. My instincts got the best of me and I took my phone out. As I scrolled through the depths of Instagram, I saw that my last post got only ten likes. My friends always receive at least ten times the likes than I would ever dream of. I don't know what it takes to be accepted honestly, everything that I try never seems to work. As I looked up, my eyes fall upon a herd of deer. Now this will be perfect for my next post, it'll make me look like the adventurer everybody wants to be. I took out my phone and snapped a picture and then turned to look at the herd again. I noticed the sense of community that the members of the herd had with each other. It was like they belonged somewhere, were safe and secure in their little family. And I thought to myself, was this something I genuinely had in my life?

As I continued my walk, I wore a smug grin on my face. I took that picture and surely this will make me look like I have a life. Yet as time passed by, I still could not stop thinking about that herd that I had seen. What did it mean to be accepted into a community, a society? Was it about showing off yourself to the entire world, to be validated by people who you don't even know? Or was it something else? The air around me grew colder and more bitter. I thought to myself, why even try to be someone that I think that some random people will like? They don't even know who I am as a person. What I put out there is all a facade, something that I want them to see. The thought of faking myself to everyone just so I could fit into this shallow society crept into my mind and the anger that I had long set aside rose up from deep inside. Is this how I have to live? Betraying everything that I care for and who I am just for the chance to get more likes on my posts, to be accepted into some cold community? No! 

The snow started to trickle down from the sky and land on the ground. I watched carefully as each snowflake settled down. They're all unique, no two are the same. Yet in spite of their differences, they all still cluster together. So this is what it means to genuinely be accepted. This is what a true community looks like. Why should I try to fit into a rigid mold? I'm only human, not some machine after all. So it's decided. I'll walk the other direction from where those cold winds of this world want me to go!


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## Cadbberry (Jan 31, 2021)

*Snow to Snowboy*

Drifting through the air, oh how free I feel, the bright sun glimmers off my sides, the warmth spreads over me for a second before I find my home. Grass, green, soft, how pleasurable of an existence to be here. Snow continues to fall yet I feel no warmer. The ground becomes plusher and I drift slowly from the air to the ground. One by one the collection of pure white snow and flakes begin to grow, flowers and trees glimmer with excitement as they too become heavier with a multitude of beautiful crystals.

I feel heavy today, where is my delicacy? Oof, there comes the first push. Oh, who is that? Who is pushing me forward, why must we be headed towards the water, is this my fate, to be destroyed upon my creation? Another flake falls upon me, dirtying and growing duller with each round we make, I feel like I am growing yet I suppose my greatness will never be peaked alone. One, two, three four, five, six- Six legs touch me, moving me forward and out of the way. Oh, you small beetle, how you doom me so, for what? I suppose the cycle has to begin a knew some time, today must be that fated time.

Crunch, what is this crunch, Thawp, what is this thwap? There is stillness once more, oh how I wished for this moment to last. The soft flakes that I know, the soft flakes that were once all me, they are coming back together. Who does this, who saved me from the currents? One, Two- two hands, an animal? A person? Who is moving me away from the water, who moves me back in circles, taking me away from my fears? Am I growing larger, me, is this truly my destiny?

My body grows, the safety I feel is immeasurable as we become one once more. Thank you kind stranger for caring about me. For creating me. I pause, the world pauses yet the crunching does not. I know they are around me, my self, I am everywhere, yet nowhere. The snow gathers at my base, the anticipation grows with me.

I wait as the crunching continues and starts, stopping around me. Please, make me at peace, please, make me what I long to be. Close the crunching of steps gets, the closer the sound of slush draws near. Something is shoved next to me, then the crunching moves closer to me. Push, I feel the push, I feel the struggle to get me up onto this other orb of porcelain snow. Slowly you place the coal, two large eyes, a wide grin that I can feel, I can truly feel. The carrot of a nose protruding perfectly. Oh, how bright the world is, the flash of white of snow, the green of the trees, amazing out here.

Ah how wonderful it feels... but what is this. How could this happen, I am not right, this is all wrong. You should have just let me fall into the water. My immortal memory of water will remember.

"Ohhhhh! So close!"


----------



## Chris (Jan 31, 2021)

thetessagrace said:


> Are we allowed to reference other shows and media? I want to talk about my town tune but its the theme from naruto- am I allowed to say its from another tv show? Thanks!


If you feel it's relevant and advances your story, then of course, but keep in mind that your audience may not know the references. I certainly am not familiar with this TV show! 

*The submission phase for this contest ends in approximately 21 hours. *


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## Heyden (Jan 31, 2021)

The Snowstorm


Spoiler



The Snowstorm

The snow becomes dotted across the view from her window, becoming denser and denser by the hour. Pillows of snow begin to form above her roof, muffling the sound of any outside noises. Chevre begins to worry, as this isn’t the first time the winter has been this harsh. She feels a shake around her, but shrugs it off.
She pulls out her NookPhone, in hopes that one of her neighbours would answer her call.

“Hello Nan?”

“Kidd can you hear me”

“Pashmina...?”

Only to be greeted by a long beep call after call, a reminder that the signal was dead and interrupted due to the storm, but also because Nook Inc had not spent a large deal of money on proper infrastructure and technology to further the island’s quality of life.

With no contact with the outside world, and no indication of how long the storm may reign, Chevre had to keep her mind off things. She stared into her snowglobe, featuring KK Slider playing his guitar amongst the trees. She gave the snowglobe a little shake, just to see the freckled snow bits fall down upon him, mimicking the snowfall that was going on outside. She sighed, remembering this was the snowglobe she received from the mayor of her old town, truly wondering to herself if moving to a deserted island and leaving her life behind her was truly worth it. “Of course it was” she thought to herself, but she really wasn’t sure.

After a few hours of staring at trinkets, inspecting things in her house she had forgotten about and rummaging through old photos and papers, she begins to feel cold. With the heated at the maximum setting, she worries, wrapping herself under layers of blankets to retain her warmth. Only to throw the blankets off her within a few minutes to the run to the kitchen to make a cup of hot cocoa. First the cocoa, hot milk, and marshmallows she tells herself. Only to realise she’s out of marshmallows. She sighs once again, peering out the window to see no chance of the storm stopping anytime soon, completely white.

“7 o’clock, dinner I guess” she mumbles, and so does her stomach, however is not too enthusiastic to cook in this weather. Rummaging through her pantry, she discovers old tins of food that have been untouched for years, with long expiration dates thankfully. She pulls out a can of tomatoes, some tomato paste and dried pasta. The pasta was past its expiration by a few months, but she wasn’t too fussy given her lack of options. The cold consumed her body, and she was now shivering, but turning on the stove radiated warmth around her. She placed the pasta in a pot, admiring the curly shape of the pasta swirling around as it boiled, with tomatoes and herbs in an adjacent pot to create the complementing sauce.

Becoming so invested in her cooking, she barely realises her house shaking and knocking. She fears the snow is starting to cave in in her house, before hearing a familiar voice.

“Are you okay Chevre” Nan screams, before hearing the clanking of shovels

“We’re almost there” Kidd shouts.

A loud boom erupts, as the windows lose their white permanency, showing the frosty sky above. Pashmina, Nan and Kidd are now at her door, Chevre still confused, only to realise her house has been covered in snow. With blushy red faces, Chevre notices their fatigue, and is almost embarrassed but touched by her neighbours’ kindness to help her, as they constantly ask her if she’s okay. With only one way to thank them, she asks, “who wants pasta?”


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## StarlitGlitch (Jan 31, 2021)

Spoiler: author's note



Two things: First is that if you've only played NH before Pelly and Phyllis used to run the mail/town hall in past games. There was a love triangle between them and the mail courier, Pete. There's also a scene in the Roost which I based off of the WW/CF version.
Second is that I originally intended on trying to make the story better but oops it's the last day but I still want the prizes so here it is haha I would've tried to clean it up a bit and just, you know, fix it so even though it's embarrassing feel free to read it if you please



The early morning air felt unusually cool as Pelly began to make her way across town. While she had slowly grown accustomed to the cold there were still moments that caught her off-guard. The short-sleeved blouse, vest, and skirt that made up her uniform certainly didn’t help in this regard either.

The crisp breeze seemed to wake up something inside of her though, and the familiar walk seemed to go by a bit slower that day. Maybe this was because it was the first time in a long while that Pelly actually noticed her surroundings, and not in the “where do I turn next” sort of way. While none of what she saw was out of the ordinary it was beginning to take on a new meaning for her and she soaked up what the world was presenting to her.

The town was small enough that you could, without any exaggeration, say that everyone knew each other in town and that meant that everyone knew each other’s business. If two people fought over a forgotten date or someone scammed a neighbor with some phony art the perpetrator would be met with glares for weeks to come. While this did give a sense of community to Pelly she also recognized the immense pressure she was under if she were ever to make a blunder.

As she entered the post office, another familiar scene was there to greet her.

“Do you need anything else?... Uugh…”

“Yes, I just need to find that last letter.”

Behind the wooden counter a purple pelican could be seen rolling her eyes while a customer carefully sorted through the contents of her bag.

“Here it is!”

“All right. Now do you need anything else?”

The woman silently shook her head and made her way past Pelly and out the door.

“Well thank goodness that’s done with. I’m so ready for today to be over. Pelly, you have no idea what I’ve been through.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. But just remember, there’s only so many more days left!”

Pelly and her older sister Phyllis had been working at the post office to since the time they had entered the workforce, working the day shift and night shift respectively. In the past they had also had responsibilities relating to the civic center but the size of our job had shrunk considerably a few years back. While it initially seemed that this change wasn’t anything to be worried about the post office had received notice about a year prior that the enter post office was going to be shut down due to a larger downsizing scheme.

“Finally. I’m so ready to be out of this place… Oh yeah, don’t forget to take inventory.”

“Got it! Have a good day.” Pelly smiled at her sister as she exited the building.

While Phyllis was eagerly looking forward to the end of their time there Pelly couldn’t quite say the same. Not only was this life the only one that she had known but she this wasn’t quite how she imagined the end of her time at the post office to be. She had always thought that such a big chapter in her life would be wrapped up with a neat little bow, that everything would fall into place and she would be ready to move on to something more fulfilling. But each day that passed felt as normal as any other.

It’s not like she needed some grand adventure in her life. None of that interested her, anyways. All she wanted was a quiet, cozy home and someone to share it with. Her sister told her that she needed a bit of growing up to do if this was all she aspired to, and maybe there was some truth to that, but this didn’t stop Pelly’s desire in the slightest. And as her time in town started to come to a close she knew that something needed to happen if she ever wanted this fantasy to be realized.

Taking inventory was a relatively simple task. Since the office was about to shut down they needed to see what supplies were still around to see what would be divvied up amongst the new facilities. Pelly took out the clipboard to see what needed to be checked that day. Ink pads… scales… pens… mail pouches… Most of this she would be able to accomplish right away, but some wouldn’t be able to be checked off until the mail carrier came in that evening.

The next few hours passed by relatively quickly. Having done this for so long it was easy to go on auto-mode for most of the work. As evening approached, though, Pelly started to check the clock more and more frequently.

Right as the sun started to set Pete entered through the front door.

“Hey, Pelly! Any mail to pick up?”

“Yes, we got quite a few letters today. They’re already sorted in the back.” Pelly said while motioning towards them.

“Great to hear.”

Pete went behind the counter and over to the back shelf.

“Before I forget, Pete is there anything wrong with the mail pouch you’re using right now? I need to check it for inventory.”

He lifted the flap and took a peak inside.

“Not that I know of… For how long I’ve been using this thing for you’d think there’d be more wear on it. Now that I think of it, I’m pretty sure I’ve been using this one since we started working together.”

“Wow! That bag sure has been through a lot, then.”

“Sure has.” He said, turning back towards the shelf.

“Pete?”

“Mhm?”

This was it. Sure, they would still cross paths after this but Pelly was certain that this moment wouldn’t come again.

“There was something I wanted to talk with you about.”

“Yeah? What’s that?”

“You know, I’ve really enjoyed working side-by-side with you all these years. I always looked forward to watching you eat the lunches I made for you. We’ve had so many good memories together.”

“Sure. Like you handing me the mail… Me, receiving the mail… No complaints there. I’m definitely gonna miss being able to fly for work. Probably will have to take something on the ground.”

“Right. It’s too bad this all has to end. I wish there was a way we could keep seeing each other.”

“We will, I’ll still be popping in and out for the next couple of weeks.”

“That’s not what I mean. I want to know if I can see you after that.”

“Oh, sure, maybe. Uh, I don’t know really what I’m doing next but I’ll let you know. Hey, sorry to cut this short but I should leave now if I want to make it in time for the 5 o’clock delivery.”

“Actually though I-“

“Really sorry, but I’ll catch you later!”

His gaze seemingly fixated on something in the distance, Pete headed towards the door. Pelly had been so absorbed in what she wanted to say that she hadn’t noticed him putting the letters into his mail pouch. She watched him walk away, hoping that if she kept him in sight maybe this wasn’t the end. Maybe he would turn around. Maybe he would tell her what she had wanted to hear.

The door chime rang out a familiar tune as it closed shut.



The Roost had become a part of Pelly’s routine over the years. Its dimly lit atmosphere and familiar smoky aroma gave her a place to return to when she couldn’t seem to make her way home. Outside of Saturday night when live music filled the room was quiet enough to be left alone to one’s own thoughts.

“…Welcome.” The bartender said without looking up from the glass he was wiping.

Pelly maneuvered her way around the counter to her usual bar stool with the same level of focus.

“I figured you’d be in soon… I just roasted the beans. The usual, right? You know the price: 200 bells...”

“Yes, please.”

The man set down what he was holding before filling up a coffee cup and slowly pushed it to her seat.

“All right then, before it gets cold... One fresh brewed cup… Coo.”

Pelly picked up the cup in her wing and took a small sip. It was still scalding hot, and yet she allowed it to burn the inside of her mouth.

Even though this would be one of her last times here she wasn’t feeling particularly sentimental in the moment. Her once cherished memories started to seen inconsequential, as if she was a foolish for ever thinking that a small-town bar could be in any way significant.

“Hey.”

Pelly nearly jumped out of her seat as a voice from behind shocked her out of her thoughts. She swiveled around.

“Isabelle, hello. What are you doing out tonight? I thought you were in town hall tonight.”

“Well, I was supposed to be, but the mayor surprised me with a night off! Isn’t she the best?”

“Yeah, definitely.”

Isabelle’s beaming face bore into Pelly and she began to turn back around. As much as Pelly appreciated her friendship and believed that her heart was in the right place there were times when it wasn’t what was needed.

“I’m really sorry that I wasn’t able to find another position for you in town. I would’ve loved working with you. Have you had any luck job hunting yet?”

“Not yet. I’m going to go back to my parents’ house for a bit until I can find something. There’s not many options out there right now.”

“That’s too bad. I heard that Phyllis was accepted at main post office branch. She’s going to be aiding with the transition to the new mail system.”

A spike shot through Pelly’s stomach. Phyllis? She hadn’t mentioned anything of the sort. Why wouldn’t she even mention that a job position like that had opened up?”

“I’m glad she was able to find something, I had no idea.”

“Isn’t it great? Pete just told me all about it. I just know whatever you end up doing Pelly that it’ll be something more exciting that what we have here anyways!”

Phyllis whipped herself back to square Isabelle in the face.

“What gives you the right to tell me how to feel?”

“P-Pardon me?”

“How are you go sure that my next job is better than what I had here? I liked it here. I was perfectly content staying here until town hall, yes your town hall, told us to pack up and leave. What if my next job is a step down?”

“Well, it might be.”

“Exactly.”

“And that’s okay.”

“…What?”

Isabelle smiled sheepishly, “I know that things don’t always get better. Your life might not be as good as it is now right away. In fact, it probably won’t be for a while. And that’s okay. Because you need to believe that things can get better in order for you to accept the change.”

“But what if that never comes?”

“If you put in the effort to find the good out there then someday you’ll get what you really need. Something you couldn’t get here. Of course, a little help from your friends doesn’t hurt either.”

Pelly realized that she had been tensing her shoulders and then let drop down.

“Maybe you’re right. I’m sorry I snapped at you like that.”

“I understand. You know what? Maybe the mayor knows about positions in other towns. Do you want me to talk to her about it?”

“You would do that for me?”

“Of course! Now, tell me all about what it is you want to do.” Isabelle said while hopping up on the adjacent stool.

Pelly knew that Isabelle might not actually be able to help her accomplish her dream, but for the rest of their conversation that night it didn’t matter.


----------



## digimon (Jan 31, 2021)

An Unexpected Guest


Spoiler



"Ah..Ahhh...AH-CHOO!" I let out a loud sneeze before turning over to my other side with a groan. I still can't believe I caught a cold from staying out too long the other day. It was the first snowfall and I spent too much time trying to perfect my snowman making skills. All was eerily at home, I miss the sound of my friends laughter as we spend time together. All that could be heard was the faint sound of my wall clock ticking and the occasional drip from my sloppy sink. The soft glow from my muted juicy apple tv casts shadows that dance in the dimly lit room. "I wish I'd hurry up and start feeling better soon..." I let out with a tired sigh. All of a sudden, a gentle knock could be heard from the door.

"Who is it?" I called out, my voice sounding more hoarse than i expected it to be. I was worried that I looked more disheveled than usual. "It's me Honeybun! Puck! I heard you weren't feeling well." I opened the door and couldn't help but smile at the penguin standing at my doorway. "Oh Puck, you didn't have to come all this way." I moved out of the way to let him pass. He waddled in before turning to face me. "Nonsense! I heard from Bob that you were still feeling under the weather brrrrr!" He was all bundled up, scarf tied tightly to protect his face from the cold. "Here Puck, let me take your coat! Come warm up by the fire. You must be freezing from your walk over!" He was holding a purple bag with little blue flowers embroidered onto it. "Wait I came over to come have lunch with you. I figured you were feeling lonely after being cooped up at home these past few days." Suddenly he was ushering me over to the dining room. "I thought I'd try making you some soup Honeybun! It's a new recipe so I figured I would bring some over for you to try!" He beamed. "Here! You go sit down and I'll set the table"

He came back with two bowls, spoons and a ladle. He opened the purple bag he came with and pulled out a ceramic soup container. It was  decorated with little hockey sticks and hockey pucks. He lifted the lid and steam rose from the container, revealing a lovely cream of broccoli soup. "This smells fantastic Puck." I said with a warm smile. "Thanks! It was hard to stick to the recipe! I really wanted to add my leftover jelly doughnuts into the soup but figured I'd save the experimenting for when I cook for myself." He let out a laugh and I internally let out the biggest sigh of relief he followed a recipe for once. He ladled a few spoonful of soup into my bowl before doing the same for himself. "Well, dig in!" I lifted a spoonful to my mouth, taking a bite out of some broccoli. Suddenly, I felt an almost overwhelming sense of relief and warmth. It felt so nice to have someone be kind enough to do something so generous and so thoughtful.

I felt my eyes grow warm with tears. "Honeybun, are you okay? Do you still feel sick?"  I smiled and let out a sniffle. "No, I feel much better now Puck. I'm just so glad to have a friend like you. I can't thank you enough." Puck beamed back. "Of course! After all, what are best friends for?"


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## moo_nieu (Jan 31, 2021)

"Filbert's Snowy Adventure"


Spoiler:  ❄ 



One chilly December morning, Filbert peaked open an eye and drew the blankets over his head. _It's too cold to get up just yet_, he thought. "WAIT!" Filbert exclaimed as he sat up in bed with all the force his tiny squirrel body could muster. "Fang said the weather forecast predicted today would be the first day of snow!" Filbert rushed to his window, pressing his face against the ice cold glass. "The magical forecast was right!" Filbert sprang from bed, grabbed his warmest tobaggan and sweater, and pulled them on. He opened his door, and sunlight and crisp winter air filled the room. "I can't wait!" he yelled as he ran, stumbling through the door and into the snow.

"AAHHH! It's so cold!" Filbert ran through the snow as fast as his little legs would take him. His open smile was pointed towards the sky. In the distance, Filbert noticed Tybalt and Rudy running around like airplanes. Their tongues were stuck far out of their mouths. "Oh, does the cold air taste good?!" Filbert asked excitedly as he ran closer to the two jocks. 
"Tybalt and I are trying to see who can catch the most snowflakes on their tongue!" Rudy exclaimed as he almost ran straight into a tree. "Whoa, that was a close one!" Rudy said as he laughed. 
"Yeah, I had a strong lead of 110 snowflakes, but then Rudy ran into a tree shaking a ton of snow into his mouth. We couldn't count all the snowflakes, but we're pretty sure Rudy is in the lead now. I'm not giving up yet though!" Tybalt gave a look of confidence and a quick flex. 
"That looks fun!" Filbert started to run around with them but quickly got tired. "Phew, you two are fast. Thanks for the game, but I'm off to discover more fun things about snow!" 

Filbert walked to the edge of the neighborhood and headed into the forest._ All that running made me hungry, but this snow is too cold to eat, and it just turns to water when I try. I bet I can grab a few oranges from the trees in front of Turnip's farm! I'm sure she won't mind as long as I save a few for her_. As Filbert climbed the hill, he saw orange trees appearing in the distance. He started running toward them, but stopped in his tracks once he saw a giant black beetle rolling a snowball larger than its own body. "WHOA!!!" Filbert exclaimed, scaring the beetle off. "No, don't fly away!! I'm sorry, Beetle!" But it was too late. Filbert looked down at the snowball and thought to himself, _I wonder what the beetle was doing rolling up the snow_. "He must have been making snowfolk!" Filbert felt a rush of energy through his body as he noticed a second snowball close by. "I'll help you build a snowboy, Beetle!" Filbert shouted to the void. He started by rolling up the ball that the beetle had left behind. _This is cold work_, he thought. The snowball grew larger and larger until it was so big that Filbert could not see ahead of it. "Alright, I think this one is about finished, I'll roll it over by this tree so---" CLUNK. Filbert ran the snowball right into the tree trunk. SHHHRRP. The impact dislodged the snow on the tree, covering Filbert in a frozen pile. 

Filbert was packed in the snow tightly. He tried to dig a way out, but despite his best efforts, he could not move. _Who knew that something so fun could also be so scary.. and cold_, Filbert thought to himself, shivering. _I never even got to eat an orange_, he thought as he wondered if he would ever be warm again. Suddenly, he heard someone running nearby; their footsteps seemed to be getting louder. 
"FILBERT! IS THAT YOU?!" shouted a voice too muffled by snow to identify.
"Yes! Please help! I'm really cold under here!" Filbert replied. The snow started moving around Filbert, and he could feel the pile getting lighter. All of the sudden, blinding sunlight was in his eyes. "Thank you so much!" Filbert exclaimed as he rubbed his eyes, "you saved me!" He looked up to see Tybalt and Rudy.
"No problem, man! Let's get you warm," Tybalt said as he scooped Filbert into his arms. 
"Yeah, Ursula has a huge fireplace; let's take him there!" Rudy offered. The group headed quickly back into town while Filbert shivered in Tybalt's arms.

"URUSLAAA!! Come quick! It's an emergency!!!" Rudy shouted as he repeatedly knocked on the door.
"Grrrr.. What is all this racket?! It's not even 11am yet, Ursula shouted back as she reluctantly opened the door. "Oh no, get him in here quickly," she said once she saw her tiny frozen friend. "I know just how to help." Ursula opened her dresser and grabbed a couple fuzzy blankets. She wrapped two of the largest blankets around Filbert and placed the adorable bundle on her sofa. "I'll make us some hot cocoa now. That should do the trick!" Ursula smirked as she headed towards her kitchen. 
"Yeah!! Ursula is the best!" Rudy shouted as he sat next to the fireplace, wrapping a blanket around himself.
"For sure! Ursula's got the biggest kindness muscles on the whole island," Tybalt agreed as he grabbed a blanket for himself. "It's a good thing we put a hold on our snowflake catching competition to go patrol the island," he offered as he sat on the sofa next to Filbert. Snuggly Filbert sat up, pulling the blankets around him even closer, and pointed his nose towards the kitchen.
"Mmmmm... chocolate."


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## Emolga59 (Jan 31, 2021)

‘Secret’ Area

Every year in the land of Starfall there’s one night in particular where the temperature is always below -25℃. The villagers would always be extremely sad and gloomy that day… well, except for one.

Maple has always loved the extremely cold weather, she’s pronounced to be an expert hibernator, no one has ever figured out her methods of keeping happy and warm during these times.

The day before the temperature dropped, maple was found outside of her house digging up a hole from the ground, Marshal had seen and decided to sneakily follow her inside. He wondered what maple did as she usually was nowhere to be found during this time of day.

Marshal asked Maple, “Hey!! Why are you digging up a hole, you trying to find something?”

Maple then responds “No, I’m not actually. I know you’re very curious so I might as well show you what I’ve been storing in my hole.”

Marshal is very intrigued and eager to figure out what maple does, he and the other residents strongly believe that it’s about the annual cold night of December. 

He then says “I’d love to come! I’ve always been curious about how you can be so positive in such disgusting weather. 

Maple begins to venture inside what seems to be a tunnel she made, Marshal follows her.

Marshal then thinks to himself “I wonder how Maple finds it so easy to navigate her way through, maybe it’s because she’s been here a lot more than I think.” 

As they get further down, the darker it gets and Marshal starts to frequently lose balance, he then trips and falls quite a bit.

Maple tells Marshal “we’re here! Hope you enjoy your stay” but she glances around in confusion because Marshal, is nowhere to be found.

She then worryingly says “M- Marshal?”

Then, from below, she hears a muffled voice which is presumably marshals.

“Maple, Maple, Maple… Get off”

She then looks below and finds marshal crushed beneath her feet and then apologizes to him for being on top of him. 

Marshal says “no it’s ok, I’m not hurt!” To maples relief.

Marshal looks around and sees plenty of food, wood, books and all you can dream of in the underground hole that maple has kept hidden for all this time. 

“Wow” said Marshal.  He then asks, “How long have you kept this a secret?”

She then responds “I’ve had this for about 2 years now, I made it about 4 months after I first moved to this island”

Confused, Marshal asks her “why didn’t you tell anyone?”

Maple responds by “I didn’t think anyone would want to know so I thought, why tell people out of the blue?” 

Marshal then tells her that “the entire island was curious about your frequent disappearances on this very cold day.” He then adds, “we always questioned your excitement, but now I know why you love this day.” 

More time passes and eventually, it’s time for Marshal to depart and go back to his home. 

Marshal tells maple “thank you so much for having me over! This area truly is amazing!!” 

Maple insists “No, thank you for coming! It’s much nicer to have someone else to be there with you!”

Marshal proceeds to head home and tells all the villagers about the wonders of Maples ‘secret’ area and how fortunate he was to be able to experience it on this day. 


                                                            The End


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## Dinosaurz (Jan 31, 2021)

I am very sleep deprived but here u go


Spoiler



I wake up with a sudden startle. I hear the sound of a rhythmic knocking at the front door. *BANG BANG BANG* echoes through the barren walls of my house.
Rushing to the door to open it to a familiar face, Tom Nook stands there with a menacing stare. “This is the 5th day you’re late on your rent” he exclaims to me.
“I’m sorry! Just with business it’s been difficult to keep a job down” I say. “That’s no excuse, I am a very busy man! Lots of powerful connections” he responds to me. “Listen! I’m sorry, I will pay off this debt” I try to convince to him. “I will gladly pay off your debts if you just do one thing.... help me with a few “tasks”” he says. A chill goes through my spine... I remember last time this happened. The manual labour, hours upon hours of hard work. “Do I have a choice?” I respond. “No, not really. Very good! I need you to steal some priceless artefacts from the museum” he tells me. “what? I can’t! That’s illegal I’ll get in trouble” I respond. “Do you really want to be homeless this winter? Is that what you want.” He hands me a note of blueprints and walks away.

With a great huff I grab the note and start reading. The notes are hurried sketches of the layout of the museum and the value of some artefacts. One thing above all stands out... a very expensive painting of KK slider. I can’t do this! I think to myself.
I’m not a criminal! I cannot perform a heist due to peer pressure. But I recall the feelings of being outside during winter. The cold snow. I have no choice I tell myself and start preparing.

The 12th of February.
The big day to finally steal back the painting. I climb in through the window to the museum trying not to set off any alarms. I choice the day as I knew blathers would be asleep. The sun peering through the windows means I have a higher chance of being seen, but I have no option. I tiptoe through the halls of the museum looking at the beautiful objects.
I carefully look at everything until I see it... the painting. I pick out my knife and begin to cut it out. Carefully making sure to not damage the painting while trying to remove the frame.
I successfully achieve my goal and roll up the painting into my red backpack.
Feeling accomplished I go to run away yet out of the corner of my eye... I see a menacing stare.
Two eyes looking at me. I panic and go to run away, but the figure chases me. I run and run until my lungs run out of air. I feel the grab on my shoulder and tumble on the ground.
 “I caught you red handed buddy stop resisting” I hear the deep voice say to me. I recognise his face, it’s Cooper. “Please let me go” I plead to him “I’ll put it back”. “It’s too late for that, you’re going away for a long time”. He says. I curl up into a ball as the impending sirens approach. I stand up and get into the back of the cop car.
I see blathers in front of me disappointed and the cop car whisks me away.


It may be bad but at least it’s not my immortal.


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## tessa grace (Jan 31, 2021)

I've never written fanfiction for anything before but its fine... hopefully-
*Chevre and the Shooting Star *


Spoiler



“Good evening, everyone!” Isabelle’s cheery voice echoed over the daily broadcast. “Today is Sunday, January 31st, and the time is currently 9:47 pm. I can’t believe that it’s the last day of January!”

Chevre’s eyes fluttered open. She gasped. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep! I’m about to miss the broadcast! I hope I don’t…” Chevre quickly jumped out of bed and opened her dresser, digging through the different shirts and coats that Tessagrace had gifted her over the months she had lived here. She grabbed her signature red parka (with little poof balls at the end) and put it on. Then Chevre quickly opened her door and hurried outside.

Chevre’s pink rustic door opened, the town tune “Fighting Dreamers” from Naruto playing softly on bells in the background. Standing in front of Chevre was Tessagrace. Tess was gasping from running too much, and she had grabbed a towel from Chevre’s clothesline to wipe off the sweat.

“Please don’t use my towel like that…” Chevre frowned. It didn’t matter anyway, as her clothes had frozen from the cold snow recently.

Tessagrace laughed. “Oh, sorry.” She set the towel down. “Anyway, sorry for getting here so late tonight. You missed the broadcast. There wasn’t anything important, though. Just Isabelle talking about her stupid TV habits again-”

“Hey, guys! Guess what! There actually is something going on!” Jeremiah ran across the snow towards the two girls on the dirt path, with Tangy closely following behind him. They were always together, hanging out around town, talking about food and pop culture. Jeremiah had an interesting interest for fashion, which was something that Tangy considered herself an expert on. So, they just, clicked.

Jeremiah’s little blue feet were running, almost hopping over the fences to get to Chevre and Tessagrace. “Wait up!” Tangy complained. “Remember, I’m not a frog! I can’t jump like you do.”

They stopped in front of the goat and human, and Jeremiah used his sheepish reaction. “Sorry, I forgot.” Chevre and Tangy laughed.

Tangy then gasped dramatically, her little citrus leaf on her head gleaming with melted snow. “Ohmygosh! I was so tired with that running that I almost forgot! We have something awesome to tell you guys! It’s really important.”

Chevre looked at them expectantly. “Well, what is it then?”

“I got some new gravy and I’m going to make mashed potatoes!” Jeremiah giggled playfully. “Potatoes for days and da-”

“No, not that!” Tangy elbowed Jeremiah. “Something MUCH more important than some gravy. Celeste is here!”

For the first time during the conversation, Tessagrace spoke up. “Really?! Finally! I’ve been waiting for weeks to find her, but Nintendo- I mean fate, just would not cooperate! Where is she?”

Chevre laughed again. “Look at you! You’re wearing clothes that aren’t very appropriate for the weather. Maybe you’ll want to change first.” She gestured to the ‘Elmo on Fire’ tank and black pleather skirt that Tessagrace was wearing. Tessagrace looked down at her outfit. “Oh, I forgot to change again! My bad. Okay guys, I’ll be right back!” Without another word, Tess turned around and left the three animals in the dust.

Jeremiah shook his head. “You guys really just can’t appreciate gravy, can you?”

·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚　　˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙​
Chevre and Tessagrace set out, this time in much better attire. Tess was wearing a froggy dress with a matching umbrella, her braided blonde hair in a brown tulip hair. She was wearing white flower tights and green Mary Janes as well. Chevre was still wearing the same red poncho, but it was cute with her sparkling eyes, nonetheless.

They walked along the stone path on the cliffs for a while, and then up and down the ramps to different areas, even through the orchard and marketplace, but they could not find Celeste anywhere! Tessa ran back and forth, looked through her telescope, and even messaged her online friends to see if they knew what was up. Eventually, though, Chevre and Tessagrace had to give up. Tess sat down on a stool next to her ramen stand and sighed in disbelief.

“I can’t believe we still can’t find her! This is so frustrating!” She cried out. Chevre frowned.

“It isn’t that bad, is it? I mean, its just a silly DIY you barely even need-”

“I know, but I already got my monthly DIY recipe, so I have a chance of getting one of the pretty glowing stars! I have been wanting them for AGES.” Tessagrace complained. “It’s not like you even care though, I mean all you do is walk back and forth for hours and talk about the weather-” Tessa caught herself. “Sorry, I’m just so frustrated but I probably should not have let my anger out on you.”

Chevre looked hurt by Tessagrace’s words. “You didn’t actually mean that… did you? I always worry that I’m so bland.”

Tessagrace laughed. “You aren’t bland at all! Sure, you say the same things sometimes over and over, but don’t we all? You’re doing great.”

They exchanged a hug and then began to dig into the New Years Noodles sitting in front of them. Chevre and Tessagrace talked for hours, laughing and reminiscing about another town with trains and a main street that they used to live on together.

“Remember when Yuka was the only one who dressed formal on New Years’ Eve and everyone felt really bad that they didn’t dress fancy either?” Tessa remembered suddenly.

They both started laughing. “Totally! It was so uncomfortable; you could just tell that Yuka felt bad. Sometimes I wish we both hadn’t moved away from Willow. There were so many good memories there.” Chevre said.

“Yeah, there were. But here in Amaryllis, we have more customization- er I mean, fun times together!”

“You’re right.” Chevre’s eyes went wide. “Look! A shooting star! Quick! Make a wish before its too late!”

Tessagrace but her hands up to her chest and closed her eyes. She was about to wish for the DIY that she wanted but suddenly, her heart changed.

✧_I wish, that I could have more fun times like this with my villagers..._✧

“Open your eyes! What did you wish for?” Chevre nudged Tessagrace gently. She opened her eyes.

“Oh, I’m not going to say. Isn’t keeping it a secret the most intriguing part?” Tessagrace smiled warmly.

The starlight glimmered in Chevre’s eyes. “I guess so.” She said wistfully. The 12:00 am town tune rang, and it began to snow. The tiny snowflakes seemed to sparkle and glimmer more than the meteor shower up above.

“Well, I better get going.” Tessagrace said. “Thanks for stargazing with me!”

“You too, Tess.”

Chevre walked home alone late that night, but when she got into bed for real, she thought of all the fun memories and years that Tessa and she had spent together. She turned on her lamp and pulled out some constellation stationary.

·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚　　˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙​
_Dear Tessagrace,

Thank you for believing in dreams and wishing on that star! Even though I couldn’t find you on the island, I knew you were there. Your wish has been granted. Here is your Starry Garland DIY that you have been searching for! Remember to always believe in stars and enjoy constellations.
Yours,_
✧ _Celeste _✧

Tessagrace set the letter down on her table and smiled. Tess knew that this letter didn’t have Celeste’s handwriting. Instead, it was Chevre’s messy cursive. Tess then whispered to nobody in particular, “Thank you for being a fantastic friend. That matters so much more than some silly DIY.”

✧The end✧​


----------



## empressbethie (Jan 31, 2021)

A story about our islands looking after us   



Spoiler



Emily


Emily sits in her living room, picking at the lacy rug by the fireplace. Really she should be waiting by the door, but having waited hours now for her call from Tom or Isabelle, she’s eager for a change of scenery. From the Town Hall comes the chiming of the Town Tune. Emily isn’t sure what time it’s meant to signal—the clock is upstairs in the bedroom—but she knows it can’t be good. She’d seen the snow out the window this morning, had been so excited to run in it, catch snowflakes, maybe even build a snowman, but she can’t go out—not yet.

By the time Isabelle’s call comes through on her NookPhone, the Town Tune has chimed twice more and Emily has wandered around the house. Emily can tell that Isabelle is disappointed that she isn’t by the door as The Player enters the island, but hears her nonetheless on the official broadcast talking endlessly about the TV show she watched last night, buying Emily enough time to rush upstairs, fill her pockets and get to the door. 

The Player is clearly excited about the snow too, making Emily run around the island a bit before finally dragging her off to Nook’s Cranny. Timmy is his usual excitable self, but she notices Tommy pass her a look, raising his voice slightly higher than usual to finish Timmy’s sentences as they welcome her to the store. She’s grateful for Tommy’s concern, but doesn’t get to enjoy it very long, being wrenched from the store before she has any opportunity of letting him know she’s heard it. She’s often jealous of the animals on the island, mostly free to wander as they please, unless it’s their turn to craft. The shopkeepers, while not controlled at whim, at least understand what it is to be stuck in one place. Emily makes a point of missing a couple of snowflakes The Player wants her to catch and scuffing a few flowers as The Player makes her run around in the snow some more. Eventually she runs into Zucker, but he only talks about bugs. Their preset conversation pieces are getting stale. The Player evidently thinks so too, because only a few seconds later, after turning Emily languidly around the empty plaza, The Player leaves.

At least Emily is already in position to attend the Post-Play Meeting (or PPM, everything around here has an abbreviation of some sort). Isabelle is out of the Town Hall almost immediately with her clipboard and smiles at Emily as they wait for the others to arrive. Soon enough, Bluebear shows up, followed by Timmy and Tommy and finally by Zucker. The PPMs used to be quite exciting when their days had been busy enough for everyone to attend, but now there’s only ever a handful of them there.

“Hello, everyone,” Isabelle finally chimes.”Total playtime was 7 minutes 48 seconds today. What went well today, please?”

There is a moment of silence before Zucker announces that we had a lovely conversation about bugs.

“And the player quit the game right after it.” 

Emily realises a second too late that she’s been too harsh, watching Zucker’s eyes turn wide and dotted, as if he held his own galaxy within them. It’s a reaction he was taught to keep The Player emotionally invested in the island and its inhabitants, but it seems to come naturally to him now. “I’m sorry,” Emily says quickly, “you can only make those conversations so interesting.” The island animals are, in their own way, constrained by the rules of the game too.

Zucker seems happier after this, but still starts to look bored as Isabelle starts her assessment of the day. Emily is bored by it too and zones out until her attention is recalled by a gasp across the group. It takes several more turns of the conversation for Emily to catch up.

“But you were supposed to be on crafting duty!” Isabelle gasps.

“It was only the leaf mask recipe,” Bluebear sighs. “The Player hasn’t even crafted it since I gave it to her last time. Spying on The Player was far more important—she looked so sad.”

“I didn’t see Bluebear at all, so she must have been well hidden,” Emily replies.

“Still,” says an exasperated Isabelle, “that was very unprofessional of you.”

“We need to do something,” Emily exclaims, “The Player has been later and later getting me out the house and spends less and less time here on the island.” This remark prompts the expected lecture from Isabelle about punctuality. Emily hesitates before interrupting Isabelle, but something about this feels important. “I want to have a look at The Player too, we could get some ideas about why she’s not here as much.”

“She hasn’t bought anything from us for so long,” Timmy adds, followed immediately by Tommy’s sad ‘so long’.

“She might have been stung by wasps!” Zucker’s face changes again.

“Exactly!” Bluebear shouts. “We can set something up can’t we, Isabelle? We could blow a flurry of snowflakes somewhere, make something so wonderful that she has to get a picture of it. If she whistles us, we’ll have to look right at her!”

“That Zen Bridge by her house, over the river that comes from the waterfall by all the flowers,” says Emily. “It’s beautiful there, and it’s directly on the path between the house and Nook’s Cranny—we go over it every day.”

“I’m not sure,” Isabelle sighs, “but I must admit, The Player’s current routine hasn’t exactly been great from job satisfaction. It will give us something to work towards at least!”

And so that is exactly what they do. For the rest of the day, they work together to create a wonderful scene by the bridge. They can’t do much to change the area—Isabelle strongly objects to any bending of the rules—but they try. Zucker busies himself watering every flower in the area multiple times, causing new flowers to bloom in the gaps between them. Emily has no say in which flowers are planted on the island, but she must admit that the pink windflowers and purple hyacinths that bloom that night are some of her favourites. Meanwhile, Bluebear recruits Lolly to help her catch snowflakes from around the island and release them there, blowing on them gently to arrange them until Bluebear declares it perfect. Hamphrey, initially annoyed by the noise they were making near his house, soon joins in the project, coaxing bugs to the waterfall behind the bridge, creating a marvellous display, with the delicate common butterflies and magnificent blue emperors. Although they can’t do much about the placed items, Isabelle does allow them to give the Gorgeous Statue by the lake a little polish and to pick up some fallen branches. 

It takes two days for The Player to return to the island, and Emily has to wait till evening at that. The Player takes Emily running over and past the bridge and Emily begins to feel more dejected than ever, when suddenly she is forced to brake, wander back to the bridge, and stare in wonder at the view. The new hybrid flowers have now had a chance to bloom, and Emily is suddenly glad that they waited the extra day. The butterflies have been joined by two damselflies, clearly drawn in by the blooms, while the sky is illuminated by the occasional shooting star and the snowflake lights that had been put up for Toy Day. The Player can hardly refuse to take some photos and she doesn’t, making Emily pull out the NookPhone in no time. Eventually, Emily hears the whistle and turns a little too quickly to look out through the screen and at The Player. She understands what Bluebear meant now—she does look sad, though Emily can’t quite place exactly how. She hasn’t had long to think this through, however, before her thoughts are interrupted by someone calling her name. It’s not a voice she recognises and, wishing she could freely turn her head to look, she is surprised to see The Player herself turn her head to respond.

“One minute,” The Player calls back, before shutting down the camera and forcing Emily to look away from the screen and back to the island. Just then a snowflake floats past Emily’s nose and The Player has her catch it, allowing Emily an extra glance directly at The Player to show it off. She finds that her smile matches her own.

Everyone runs to the plaza for the PPM that day, even though only Isabelle, Emily, and a well-hidden Bluebear had been on screen. They are all eager to hear how their efforts were received.

Isabelle, however, seems uncertain. “Total playtime was only 5 minutes 24 seconds today,” she announces, “did the plan not work?”

“No,” Emily replies, “it worked perfectly. She took lots of photos on the bridge. She just got called away—she’d just whistled me so I saw it all.”

The animals are jubilant, clapping and filling the air with flowers and musical notes.

“Her name is Emily too,” Emily says to Isabelle, after the animals have started to drift back to whatever they were doing before the PPM.

“Yes, it’s quite common for players to give Resident Representatives their own name. She probably made you look a lot like her too. It helps with immersion. Then they want to do more for the island then, you see.”

Emily thinks, starting to see some similarities between The Player’s appearance and her own: same eye colour, similar enough skin tone and hair colour, the blue wallpaper in both rooms, the grey puppy plushie and the real, barking dog she’d sometimes seen with The Player...

After that, I tried my best to make more days like that one, to get more smiles like that one.  The animals on the island helped me, singing, dancing, running after bugs, all things that seemed to make Emily want to pull out her camera. Keeping a safe distance from me, they’d try to send bugs and snowflakes and balloons in my direction. We’d ask Blathers what fossils were still needed for the Museum and make a point to bury them outside the house, where they couldn’t be missed. Tommy looked for new things for the shop. Bluebear even stopped telling me she was bored and playing solo hide and seek, even though there’d been no new clothes in Able’s for weeks so she probably meant it. Zucker asked for more fish and deliveries and with those eyes who could resist? They taught reactions, played games, gave gifts, including their precious photos, which Emily hung proudly in her house. 

Emily may not spend much time on the island, but my neighbours and I who live here are determined to make it count.


----------



## Mick (Jan 31, 2021)

It's midnight. I don't write well after midnight. Going to hit post!
Below is my first attempt at building a story with AC characters. It was harder than I expected, haha.
Hope there aren't too many errors left in there. 



Spoiler: -- Break --



It was dark and it was late as the two islanders strolled along, rain hats pulled down far over their ears to shield them from the downpour. "But this is NOT normal" spoke the cat, shaking her head. "Aren't you worried about it?"

"I don't know, Katt," replied Roald, who did in fact know. Between the neglected, heavily overgrown state of their island, the way new faces were constantly moving in when none of them seemed to stick around, and the strange feeling that certain days were repeating themselves, it was impossible to deny that something was very wrong. They had talked about this so often already, how they both felt something odd about their paradise. It worried him daily.

But Katt was blaming their island representative now. True, she did have a habit of disappearing for several months and returning as if nothing happened, and it was mysterious. Still, Roald wasn't ready to point flippers like that. "How would she cause all this? I think you've got it wrong, b-b-buddy."

The cat stopped walking and held out an arm to stop him too. "All I'm asking is that we tell Rex too, purrty. He's the only other one who stuck around long enough to have noticed. We'll talk later. Just think about it."




Standing in Katt's house, the three of them were talking. To Roald's relief, Rex didn't run off to resident services to tell Isabelle that they had lost their minds, even as Katt moved on from listing the island mysteries to explaining how she felt their representative was the root of all their problems. In fact, the lion seemed rather unfazed by the accusations that were made.

"Makes sense, cool cat." spoke Rex calmly.

"It does?" asked Roald.

"It does." Katt quickly responded. "She's letting the island deteriorate, and selling our friends, and I'm not ruling out that she's a witch."

A lot of discussion followed, their disdain for their appointed representative grew further, and before long they somehow reached the conclusion that their only option was a good old fashioned mutiny. "I say we can take our island back!" Roald said as he dropped several fountain fireworks onto Katt's workbench. "If we use these, and some rusted parts, and some iron too, we can-"

He was interrupted by a knock at the door, followed by the ringing of their familiar island tune. Before a word could be said, Katt flung open the doors to her wardrobe and started shoving both the items from her workbench and her two friends inside it, and there was no complaining, they knew they only had seconds before they would be seen. Sitting in the dark, Rex and Roald could hear Katt talking to the interrupting visitor.

"Oh, this? I'm making an Apple Hat!" she announced proudly as she grabbed a random apple from her fruit basket.




After sneaking across the island, past a sleeping Blathers, and far into the fossil exhibit, the trio found themselves standing in front of a closed door. Why Rex claimed that this was the only place for them to bring their DIY device was still lost on the other two, but he seemed confident enough that they'd stopped fighting him on it.

"Alright, we're safe. Nobody ever goes here" said Rex, looking around. "Although, I don't see the keys around today, maybe we should take a snack break, and-"

"Oh, forget it" called Roald, pulling on the door as hard as he could. It flew open with a bang, and the penguin grinned proudly. "Not even a sweat!" he announced as he flexed, and for once, the other two were slightly impressed.

Behind the now open door was a room that looked nothing like one you would expect in a museum. Near the entrance were tall stacks of books, written in several languages. A bit further, endless shelves that held every single thing the islanders had ever known, and more. In the distance, walls covered in glowing text with lots of seemingly random punctuation. Really, the further they walked into the room, the less it all made sense.

"You've never seen this before?" asked Rex, clearly catching on to the still unasked questions of his friends, who both shook their heads. "The bugs," the lazy lion whispered excitedly. "This is where the bugs live."

Katt pondered the meaning of that as she found and stared at a blueprint of a house - _her_ house, with a scale model of its interior that stood beside it, complete with her new tv and the pile of clothes that she'd dumped there just that morning.

"Rex?" she asked, a shocked expression on her face. "Just explain, please. What is all this? I really don't think we should be in here."

"But this is our island!" smiled Rex. "Or, the parts of it, anyway. This is the base of the simulation. We've got your house, and my house, and a- huh huh! That's the representative home. Roald, you did bring the thing, right?"

Roald didn't respond, instead looking at Katt. Somehow, the casual mention of their reality not being real didn't hit him hard at all, as if he'd always known. And Katt didn't look shocked either, nodding her head instead. "If he's right," she spoke, "this is our chance for a better island, purrty. We won't get caught if we use it here."

After placing the device next to the house, Roald a few steps back, then pressed a button on his phone. The house instantly burst into flames, and for a while they stood and watched it burn.

Then, suddenly, they heard a distant low rumble. As it came closer, they also picked up a hint of loud angry shouting. Roald gasped, and started pulling at his feline friends. "RUN" he shouted. The three villagers escaped as quickly as they could, slamming the door behind them.

"That means we did it, doesn't it?" panted Katt. "It's our island now." For a long while, they sat on the floor leaning against the wall, recovering from their mad dash to safety.

The next morning, an upset voice cried out as a message appeared somewhere far above: "The save data is damaged. Would you like to delete the damaged save data and start over?"

The sound never reached the now thriving island below.


----------



## aericell (Jan 31, 2021)

*Secrets of the Snow*​
The previous morning had been the first snowfall. The residents of Elyxion had spent almost the entire day outside together, playing in the fresh blanket of new snow.

The next morning, Filbert gets up out of bed, eager to once again step foot into the snow, have a snowball fight with Hamlet next door, and perhaps gather at Marshal's for a cup of hot chocolate to warm up. He quickly pulls on his padded jacket and heads to Hamlet's.

"Hammie, let's go play in the snow!" he yells as he knocks on his door, a snowball ready in his hand to throw once his friend opens up. Hamlet's always up before him so he must be awake by now.

But there's no response.

His curtain is open, which would usually mean he's home, but when Filbert peeks through the window, he can't catch a glimpse of anyone.

It's strange, but Filbert shrugs it off. Maybe he'd just forgotten to close it before he left for his jog. He'll probably run into him later, he figures.

He tries Marshal's next, and then all of his neighbors. It's the same thing - open curtains with nobody to be seen inside.

By the time he decides to check the shopping center, it's nearly noon. All the stores should be open, but they're all closed. Resident Services is always open, but there isn't anybody inside.

***​
He hasn't seen a single resident while he's been running around from house to house, building to building. An unfortunate thought suddenly pops into his mind - though it couldn't possibly be true... or could it? Have they all... gone somewhere without him?

He takes off to Dodo Airlines. The plane is still there. Nobody could have gone anywhere. He checks inside just in case, but as he expects, nobody's there either.

There's one left left he still hasn't looked - the museum. Maybe Blathers was hosting an event today he had missed the memo for, and everyone had gathered there earlier this morning.

Sighing yet again, he walks into an empty lobby. It'll take forever to search through all the rooms and exhibits, but he does so anyway. They have to be here somewhere.

Room after room, and it's the same result. Even the bugs and sea creatures are missing.

Feeling hopeless as he exits, he falls to his knees, sobbing to himself. He misses his friends, but he has no idea where they could've gone. He can't fly the plane, and he can't live on this island alone!

Through his welled-up eyes, he sees... movement? All he can see is white, but something's definitely moving. He dries his tears on the sleeve of his jacket, getting up and carefully approaching what seems to be a snowball, rolling on its own.

The breeze isn't very strong today, so it can't be the wind. As he gets closer, he notices something on top of it. Something black, with legs.

A bug!

"I'm so happy to see you here!" he cries, taking the dung beetle into his little arms and holding it dearly, careful not to squish it.

The bug flies back over to the snowball, continuing to roll it as it had been doing before.

"Huh? Do you want to build a snowboy? Now's not the time for that - my friends are missing!" Filbert frowns, picking the bug back up. The bug, once again, flies back to the snowball.

Seeing as he can't seem to find anyone else, and it's getting quite late, he figures he can take a few moments to help his new friend with rolling another ball nearby. After all, if he can't figure out how to get everyone back, this may be how he lives the rest of his life on the island - making snowboys with a dung beetle.

After a few minutes of rolling the snow into a size big enough for a body, he sits beside it to rest. His bug friend rolls its snowball towards him and hops onto his lap.

"All done?" he asks, glancing at the other snowball before he stands back up and places it on top of his own, putting their snowboy together.

"I guess it's just you, me, and this snowboy," Filbert sighs, unable to shake off the empty feeling of not having all his friends around to watch him make it. Just the other day, everyone had been playfully teasing him for making the head larger than the body. This one looks close to perfect.

He and his bug friend pick a few fruits from the orchard and head back to his place, eating those for dinner before falling asleep, worn out from practically running around the entire island today.

***​
The next morning, he's woken up by a familiar voice, yelling outside. As he gets out of bed, whoever's outside starts banging on his door, almost begging for someone to open up.

"Filbert!" Hamlet cries, squeezing his friend tightly as soon as the door opens.

Was that all a dream? Is everyone still here? Why does Hammie look so distressed?

"Everyone's gone!”

After several minutes of Hamlet rambling on about his morning, about going for his morning jog, knocking on a few doors, checking everywhere as Filbert had done the previous day and not finding a single soul until Filbert’s house, the squirrel comforts his friend with another hug.

Now that Hamlet’s here, there’s hope.

“What’s the last thing you remember before today?” Filbert asks.

“It was the first snow yesterday,” Hamlet answers. “We were all outside playing, and then I went home and went to sleep and woke up this morning and all of this happened!”

Filbert shakes his head. “That was two days ago, Hammie.”

***​
After spending the day searching the island again in case they had both missed something, they gather back at Filbert’s house to debrief.

“We still couldn’t find anything, but you showed up today…” Filbert mutters, pacing back and forth across the room.

“Maybe tomorrow, someone else will show up,” Hamlet suggests, biting on an apple since fruits are really the only thing they have to eat right now.

“Huh? Do you want to go outside, buddy?” Filbert asks, noticing the dung beetle flying into the door, and lets it out.

“It’s so weird that you’re just keeping that in here.”

“He’s my new friend. He was helping me yesterday,” Filbert explains.

Not even a minute after the beetle leaves, it’s back at his door, wanting to go inside.

“I just let you out, now you want to come back in?”

***​
The next day, Hamlet’s knocking on Filbert’s door again. The squirrel can’t tell if it’s good or bad news, but it seems urgent.

“I checked everywhere again, nobody showed up!” Hamlet cries, plopping onto Filbert’s bed. “We’re stuck here forever!”

Something has to be triggering it, Filbert thinks, though he doesn’t know what it could be.

“I think your friend wants to go outside again,” the hamster points out, watching the beetle repeatedly fly into the door again.

Having nothing better to do, they follow the beetle outside. Maybe they’ll have better luck finding clues if they weren’t trying so hard to find them.

The beetle leads them back to the same place Filbert had found it, and lands on a snowball.

“You want to build another snowboy?” Filbert asks, locating the other one. “Fine…”

“Another?” Hamlet questions.

“It wanted to build one the day we met,” Filbert answers, trying to find the one they had built the other day. “It was right here, now that I think about it… I don’t know where it could’ve gone. It hasn’t been warm enough to melt.”

After building another perfect snowboy, the beetle seems to have calmed down. The three of them head back home, with Hamlet going back to his house and the beetle following Filbert back to his.

***​
A female voice screams through Hamlet’s door the next morning, startling the small hamster enough to fall off his bed with a loud thud.

“Someone’s in here?” the voice continues to yell loudly upon hearing the sound.

“Blaire!” Hamlet exclaims as he sees a new old face this morning. 

***​
“This all sounds ridiculous,” Blaire shrugs after the two boys sit her down to explain everything they’ve come up with so far. “How are we supposed to get everyone back?”

“That’s what we’re trying to figure out,” Filbert mopes. “We thought we’d just have to wait and someone would come each day, but nobody showed up yesterday. And now, you’re here today.”

“Okay, what did you do yesterday that you didn’t do the day before?” Blaire sets a notepad down with a pencil in front of the boys, who immediately start listing everything they remember doing each day.

She looks through the lists and tries to find something, anything that would help them find out what they have to do to get someone to reappear. She’s distracted, however, by the dung beetle flying into the door.

“Why do you have a bug in your house?”

“It’s his friend,” Hamlet explains. “He wants to go out again. Let’s go.”

The boys get up and Blaire follows with the notepad in hand, still trying to compare them. She sits on a log bench with Hamlet as Filbert helps his bug friend build another snowboy since the other one has yet again, mysteriously disappeared.

“That’s it!” Filbert exclaims as he finishes placing the snowboy’s head. “It’s the snowboy, it has to be!”

He rushes over to Blaire and everyone reads through the notepad as he starts explaining.

“On the first day, I built a snowboy. Hammie showed up the next day, but we didn’t build a snowboy so nobody showed up after that. Then on the third day, we built another snowboy and then Blaire, you came the next day!”

“So does that mean someone will show up tomorrow?” Hamlet asks, glancing at the snowboy that was just created.

“If I’m right, someone has to. That must be why Dungie’s been wanting to go outside everyday!” Filbert concludes, praising and patting his bug friend.

“You named it Dungie?” Blaire raises an eyebrow and then laughs. “Well, Dungie might have just helped us solve this mystery!”

***​
“Filbert, Filbert!” Blaire shouts excitedly the next day, arm-in-arm with a certain cranky-looking squirrel who seems as though he’d been woken up by getting dragged out of his bed this morning. “It worked! Marshal showed up today!”

“It worked?!” Hamlet yells from a small distance behind them, out of breath.

“It worked!” Filbert jumps up, pulling on his jacket and running outside to the same snowboy-building spot, with everyone else trailing behind him.

Hamlet, this time, joins in on making the snowboy as Blaire sits with Marshal to fill him in.

Day after day, they repeat building a snowboy, and day after day, someone new shows up and the island gradually fills up again, coming back to life. Bugs and fish start reappearing along with their neighbors - Hazel, Bruce, Merry, Bluebear, Bettina, and Shep. After that, it’s Blathers, Timmy, Tommy, Sable, Mabel, Isabelle, Tom Nook, Wilbur and Orville - the shops and buildings are back up and running!

***​
“So you’ve been building snowboys everyday to get us all back?” asks the island representative, Joanne, as everyone gathers around a bonfire on that last night of finally getting everyone back. “How did you figure that out?”

“The bug told me,” Filbert answers with a smile, watching as a snowball rolls on its own in the distance.


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## xlisapisa (Jan 31, 2021)

Writing stories are definitely not my forte, but I hope this will suffice.


Spoiler: A Change In Winter



The date was 2017, the air felt very cold and dry. I stood outside my apartment looking down at a scarf that laid still on the ground as if frozen on cold concrete. It looked oddly familiar. There was no doubt I’ve seen this scarf before. It looked handmade and definitely old as you could see the frayed edges. I picked up the scarf and put it in my bag. I’m sure I’ll remember who it belongs to and I’ll be sure to return it when I do.
Christmas had just passed, but it felt nothing like Christmas. What is Christmas? With no family, no friends, and not even snow on the ground, Christmas was just another cold day. New Years is coming up so as I headed down the street to my job at the convenience store I overheard a small group of people talking about their New Year’s Eve plans. I put my head down and kept walking. Another new year and nothing new with me. I stopped right in front of Happy Days, the convenience store I have been working at for the past 3 years. I looked up and sighed.

“A new year, it’s time to make a change. Things will be different this year.” I said to myself as I looked at my watch and the time read 8:59 am.

“Oh man i’m about to be late!” I said out loud as I ran into the store, jumped behind the register and clocked in.

“Almost late I see.” said Tom, the shift manager.

“Almost late means exactly on time.” I replied with a slight smirk on my face.

“Hey Tom? Do you think It’s too late to take off for New Year’s Eve?” I asked

Tom replied just like anyone would when someone asks to take off of work with only one day in advance notice.

“Not a chance!” He said.

I figured as much, but I thought I’d ask just to see.

After finishing my shift I grabbed some food and headed back to my place. With nothing good on TV, I called it a night early and passed out on the couch. I opened my eyes to the beaming sun and the ring of my phone alarm blaring in my ears.

Last day of the new year I thought to myself as I exited my house and headed right back down the road to work.

“Last day of 2017, things will be different for 2018.” I muttered to myself.
5:00 pm is fast approaching and my relief for the night shift still hasn’t shown up. Being the only one in the shop today, I try and call the manager.

Of course he does not answer. I wait until 5:15pm and still no one has arrived. So I called Tom and he answers but I can barely hear him. He’s definitely at a party.
“Tom!” I yelled, “Timmy never showed up for his shift.”

“Oh my god!” He replied, “I hate to do this but can you pull a double tonight? I’ll make sure you get paid double time.”
I wish I had something better to say, but I can’t pass up double time. So, I said the only thing I could.

“Ok”

11:15pm comes around and one of my neighbors stumbles into the store.
“Hey Merry!” I said, happy to see a familiar face.
“Hey yourself” she replied. “Didn’t you work this morning?”

“Of course. Gotta make that money” I said trying to sound cool.

The store was pretty dead, everyone else seemed to be elsewhere celebrating the end of 2017. She ended up hanging around for a little while. After talking for a bit she said she’d hang out with me until the new year.

“Look at that!” Merry said. I turned to look and it was a couple minutes left until midnight, and the snow was starting to fall.
“Now it’s winter” she said, “I wish I had my scarf, I can’t find it anywhere.”

I suddenly remembered who the scarf belonged to. Luckily I put it in my locker when I came to work the day before. Things WILL be different this year. I thought to myself as I went to get the scarf.

“I just might be able to help you out with that” I said to her and smiled.


x_x


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## LambdaDelta (Jan 31, 2021)

I hope poetic elements akin to a children's storybook are fine.



Spoiler: A Snowboy's Day



Today! Today! I was born today! How perfectly so too.
Today! Today! Hip hip hooray! Now let me share my joy with you.

The snow so pretty, and winds so chilly.
It's a wondrous land anew.
I may be stationary, but these thoughts are oh so unsteady.
So please, let me ask you:

How's mother? How's father?
And my little sibling too?
It's been ages since I've seen them.
I wonder what they've been up to.

What lands have they seen? Has it been covered with trees?
Or maybe a sprawling cityscape view?
With lights so translucent, and sounds so reverberant.
But is that sky still blue?

Tell me of springtime, of summer,
and of the autumn season too.
I'd love to witness them, but alas.
Only with pictures and words can I make do.

These spring colors, so lovely.
Does the mood reflect this hue?
But the weather, oh the weather.
Much too warm for me, but perhaps cool enough for you?

It's the season of new beginnings, but alas is my ending.
I wish I could see it come to.
Perhaps someday maybe, but the weather would surely be crazy
to bring about a snowy view.

Summer, I dare not touch. Its blistering heat would be way too much.
But I know that there are cold treats to make it subdue.
Do you think if I had plenty, even I could be ready?
Haha, just kidding. But I'd love if that were true.

The bugs and the fish so lively
is quite opposite of winter too.
It sounds so fun and friendly, but please just tell me
if you ever grow weary of summertime nature's brew.

Now autumn, its rustic tint.
The leaves that bid adieu.
The sharp chill of this season, is oh so the reason
I soon look forward for more meetings to accrue.

The pine cones, the mushrooms
and even the acorns arriving on cue.
But my favorite time is the first snowfall.
Because after's when I'll soon be built brand new.

But what have you done? I see flower fields beneath the sun.
Their colors contrast this snowy hue.
Have you made preparations, or perhaps reservations?
For a fun winter event to do.

There's snowball fights, and sledding,
and even ice fishing with a crew.
Or I hear one can get cozy by a fire so toasty.
Perhaps with a warm bowl of stew.

In a few days, I'll go away, but for now just let me say
Thank you! And happy birthday too.
Oh, and before I forget, here's a present.
From a happy me to you.

And be sure to return, before I am gone.
For these thoughts will surely ensue.
Also, I feel I'll sure have more presents, to hand off perchance
to an oh so wonderful you.

Lastly, I hope the next time we meet, I look just as sweet.
But could I ask for a favor my next debut?
I dearly miss my family, and they surely wish to see me.
So if you could make them all, I'd surely say 'Woohoo!'


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## Holla (Jan 31, 2021)

Spoiler: Inspiration (not part of entry)



I drew inspiration for my story from my Crazy Dream Sequence entry I came up with back during the Bell Tree Fair last year. My prompt was “Wave-Tossed Truth”. I was proud of my entry, but looking at it raises some questions. Like how’d they get there or why are they in a boat out at sea? So I tried to answer some of those questions by coming up with a story.






Please note that English was my worst subject back in school (and yes English is my native language ). So the writing probably won’t be great and I’m sure the format will be incorrect at times. I hope you enjoy the story nonetheless though.



Entry:


Spoiler: Wave-Tossed Truth



There was once a young human villager named Charlotte. She had green eyes, a cute round button nose and pink hair tied up in pigtails. When she was only 6 years old a tragic car accident took the life of both her parents. It also left her with giant scar running from just above her left eye across her face and down to her lower right cheek. She grew up in an orphanage but due to her unsightly scar many of the other kids constantly bullied her. They often called her “Scar-lotte” much to her dismay.

Upon her 16th birthday she would finally be free of the orphanage to truly begin her life for the first time. Upon leaving the front hallway of the orphanage for the last time it dawned on Charlotte that she had no idea where she would go or what she would do. Whilst trying to come up with a plan on the fly she passed by the glass window of the local news station. In the widow there was tv screen. It was currently displaying an advertisement for a new apartment complex in town. Unfortunately, Charlotte did not have any funds of her own so renting an apartment was out of the question. Just as she began to feel the hopelessness well up inside her a new advertisement began. A Tanuki-like creature appeared on screen and suddenly proclaimed “Today we would like to present to you the Deserted Island Getaway Package, hm?” The ad then transitioned to showing a beautiful tropical paradise that was free for someone to make their own. According to the Tanuki there was no upfront cost and future loans would be on a “pay when you can” basis. This was the perfect opportunity for her life to truly begin!

Meanwhile on a far away island called Maplegrove, the island rep named Sara was making a scene. Sara had blue eyes, a pointy triangular nose, and long blonde hair. The local frog villager Jambette, bear cub Barold and hamster Rodney were having a peaceful little picnic at the campsite. Sara despised these villagers will all her heart. They just moved in unannounced all within the same month. Not to mention they were hideous creatures that shouldn’t exist according to her. She pulled out her bug net without a second thought and started smacking them all on the head while yelling things like “ugly” and “freak of nature” as well as “waste of space”. None of this was new to the villagers however. All previous islands they had lived on were the same. Constant hate and mistreatment all because they were considered ugly. Enough was enough. The villagers had a plan. The past few nights they had been building a little wooden boat behind the large cliffs at the back of the island in secret. When the time was right they would board the boat in the middle of the night in search of their own uninhabited island to be free from the hate of others.

Charlotte quickly got on Dodo Airlines flight 157 bound for an unnamed deserted island that she had chosen prior. Upon landing she finally got to take in the sights of her new home. There were tall apple trees as well as a shimmering crystal clear river and most importantly not a single other soul aside from Tom Nook. Tom Nook explained that usually two other villagers join in on settling a new island but he deeply apologized that he was unable to get anyone on time. Charlotte was perfectly fine with this though. She wanted time alone. After all, she didn’t like to interact much with others due do the unpleasant experiences in her past. She decided to name the island Nozomu which is roughly Japanese for desire. As days turned into weeks Charlotte worked exceptionally hard. She pitched her tent, collected resources, constructed her own tools and worked off paying her loan to Nook. Which she didn’t mind as she enjoyed working on the island and making money in her own way.

Once the day came for Jambette, Barold and Rodney to leave they waited for Sara and all the other Maplegrove villagers to turn in for the night. At approximately 3:15am the three villagers hopped in their little crowded boat in search of new horizons. Two days passed after leaving Maplegrove and there was still no sign of other islands. Unfortunately for the trio a terrible storm was rolling in. They were already starving and parched to begin with. They closely huddled together praying that they would find land soon. Things were looking pretty bleak. Throughout the day and into the night the trio were tossed around from one big wave to the next. Enough to make any seasoned seaman seasick.

The next morning on Nozomu, Charlotte finally acquired enough Nook Miles to redeem a Nook Mile Ticket. She heard that there were several smaller islands around that would be perfect for collecting materials and that Nook Mile Tickets could get you a plane ride there. Upon landing on one of these islands Charlotte thankfully noticed that no one else was around. She quickly gathered up the peaches growing on the trees that she planned on planting back on Nozomu in an orchard to help pay back her loans. After gathering up all other materials she could find on the island she decided to relax and fish for a while in the ocean.

After about an hour, Charlotte noticed an odd shape out at sea that appeared to be coming closer and closer. Once it got close enough to the island she was able to make out a tattered looking boat. It appeared to be empty though. Once onshore, she pulled a damp dirty blanket out of the boat and inside were three sickly looking villagers. A green frog with large pink lips, a grey bear cub with a beard, and a blue  nerdy looking hamster. She quickly pulled each of them out of the boat and laid them on the beach. Rummaging in her bag she pulled out her water bottle and carefully gave each villager a sip. After about 10 minutes of warming up in the sun the villagers began to stir. Charlotte offered up the stash of peaches that she had just picked to the villagers as she had no doubt they were starving. They gladly accepted. Once well enough, Charlotte led the villagers to the plane that she had come to the island on. Unsure of what to do she decided to offer the villagers to come and stay on her island for a bit at least until they got better.

Back on Nozomu Charlotte helped pitch tents for each of the villagers as well as make sure they each had enough supplies to last them a while. That night she returned to her own tent with a smile. A thought occurred to her that maybe, just maybe other villagers aren’t all that bad after all.

Several months passed and life on Nozomu flourished. Charlotte, Barold, Jambette, and Rodney became fast friends. They helped each other build houses, collect supplies and hold parties. It was all around a good time. They even shared stores of their terrible pasts from which Charlotte learned of Sara and Maplegrove. Sara reminded Charlotte of the very same bullies from her own childhood who she had failed to stand up to. She decided that she wanted to change that. Thanks to bribing Orville with treats, Charlotte managed to get a flight to Maplegrove by posing as an island reviewer. Before leaving Nozomu though, Charlotte carefully covered up her scar with concealing makeup.

On Maplegrove, Charlotte politely greeted Sara with a gift. Sara was delighted and began giving Charlotte a tour of her beloved island. Sara’s island was very well decorated to say the least. It had a beautiful outdoor cafe next to a waterfall, large flower gardens and each villager had a cute little front yard. One upper cliff was off limits though and Charlotte wondered why. Upon looking at the island map she could tell that one of the villagers seemed to live up there in solitude. After confronting Sara about it Sara said “Oh that’s just Rasher. I made him move up there cause I can’t stand to look at his unsightly scars. I can’t wait until he moves out for good. Then I’m banishing him from this island.” In that moment Charlotte quickly looked at Sara straight in the eyes and said “What about me? Am I to be banished from your island as well!?” “Whatever do you mean?” Sara replied. With her right hand Charlotte quickly wiped the makeup off her face revealing her giant scar. Sara froze. “I-I...” Sara began but couldn’t formulate any words. Charlotte sighed “Just because someone is ugly on the outside doesn’t mean that they are also ugly on the inside. Don’t you think you should give Rasher a chance? I’d love to be your friend as well if you’d have me.” Tears began to well up in Sara’s eyes. “I’m so sorry” she said. “I didn’t realize how mean I’ve been to villagers over the years. Is there any way I can make up for it?” “Well for one how about we take down that barricade and give Rasher a visit?” Charlotte said with a smile.

Rasher was shocked to hear a knock at the door. Upon opening the door he saw a teary-eyed Sara. She quickly bowed and fervently apologized over and over for the poor treatment she had given him. She said that she was willing to turn over a new leaf. She offered to relocate his house with the other villagers and to build him a cute yard. She started to send him gifts everyday and quickly became his friend. Charlotte had been right. Rasher was ugly on the outside but on the contrary he was the nicest little piggy she has ever gotten to know.

Years passed on, but Sara and Charlotte remained close friends. Sara made sure to visit Nozomu in order to formally apologize to Jambette, Barold and Rodney. From then on she was open to becoming friends with and being nice to all villagers cute, cool, ugly and everything in-between. Jambette, Barold, Rodney and Rasher all eventually moved on from Maplegrove and Nozomu but they’d always cherish the times they had. Sometimes they’d find islands with less than friendly island reps but just a quick message to Charlotte or Sara about it and they’d come right over. More often than not the girls were able to make people see these villagers in a different more positive light.

Jambette, Barold, Rodney and Rasher always made time to go back and visit Charlotte and Sara from time to time. They also loved meeting other “ugly” villagers who were feeling down. Telling them that they do matter and that there are people out there who will accept them for who they truly are. After all, all villagers deserve to be loved.


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## Midoriya (Jan 31, 2021)

Midoriya said:


> Ah, a writing event.  This looks like it will be right up my alley.  Those prizes are really cool too.



Ahhhhh, I completely forgot about this event with how busy I’ve been.  I have an idea in mind for what I want to write, but not enough time.  Oof.  May try to submit something in the final minutes, but we’ll see.


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## Holla (Jan 31, 2021)

Midoriya said:


> Ahhhhh, I completely forgot about this event with how busy I’ve been.  I have an idea in mind for what I want to write, but not enough time.  Oof.  May try to submit something in the final minutes, but we’ll see.



If it helps I only had a couple hours to throw mine together today. (I also forgot oops ) It’s not the greatest but I put in as much effort into it as I could.

I look forward in seeing what you come up with even if it ends up being a bit rushed.


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## That Marshal Fangirl (Jan 31, 2021)

I don't really share my writing with anyone, so I put this off until the last minute.  My inspiration was that the snowboys in AC:NH are really unhappy if they aren't exactly perfect, so I thought it'd be nice to make one feel better about himself.

*“Imperfect Snowboy”*​
It was a pleasant, crisp winter day on the island of Destiny.  “According to local sources, it’s perfect weather to build snowpeople!” Isabelle had remarked rather excitedly, closing her daily announcement.  I put on my coat and left my house, appreciating how my boots crunched as they met the freshly-fallen snow.  It was a very nice day, despite the cold that nipped at my nose and turned it even redder than usual.  The sky was blue and mostly cloudless, with only a stray snowflake blowing around here and there.  The sun, although not doing a good job of warming the air, made the snow sparkle like it had been sprinkled with a layer of glitter.  I took a deep breath and let it out, watching the cloud of steam that left my lips.  Isabelle’s words from earlier echoed in my mind.  Well, what better way to celebrate a day like this than to make my very own snow creation?  All I needed was the perfect spot.

I wandered about Destiny, waving to my animal neighbors as I passed.  They were all busy with their own wintertime activities.  Sherb and Stitches stood in the plaza, sipping soup out of mugs.  Diana and Judy were sitting on a bench, gossiping and shivering in their designer coats.  Fauna was shoveling snow off the walkway of her house.  Audie, June, Raymond, and Julian were nowhere to be found though, and the lights coming from their houses told me they had decided to stay indoors.  “Good morning!  Doesn’t this weather just make you want a hot caramel latte?” A sudden yet familiar voice behind me made me jump a bit.  “Ah...!  Oh, hi Marshal.  Yeah, that sounds nice but maybe later.  Right now, I’m trying to find a spot to build a snowperson.”  I patted my favorite companion on the head, attempting to cover the fact that he’d startled me so much.  “Oh!  That sounds fun.  I’d help, but the cold is no good for my perfectly-styled fur.  I think I’ll head back home but be sure to come over after for that latte I mentioned.” The little white squirrel hurried off in the direction of his house.  I smiled and made a mental note to stop by later.  For now, I hadn’t even picked a spot for my snowy project yet.

After walking around for what seemed like 30 minutes, I at last found a patch of ground that wasn’t shrouded by flowers or decorations.  Conveniently enough, that same spot had two tiny snowballs already rolled, sitting inches from each other.  Delighted, I began rolling one of the premade snowballs across the ground.  This was going to be an impressively large snowperson.  After awhile, I had just the sizes I wanted.  One was a little bigger than the other, but that was intentional.  With some effort, I hoisted up the smaller snowball and stuck it onto the larger one.  To my astonishment, my creation developed a face instantly.  Black eyes from what appeared to be rocks, a smile made from the same rocks, and a red button nose positioned themselves perfectly on the top snowball.  I was even more surprised when it began to speak, though.  “I...I’m alive?  Thank you so much!  I’ve always wanted to experience the world as a solid form.” The voice had a youthful quality to it, almost like a young teenager’s.  I barely noticed though, as I was thoroughly shocked by what I was witnessing.  “You...you can talk?!” was all I managed to get out.  “Yeah, I guess so!  This is the first time anyone’s ever heard me, though.  I’m Snowboy, thanks again for making me!” The snowperson replied, seemingly quite happy.  “Uh...nice to meet you.  I’m the representative for this island.” I stuck my hand out instinctively to shake, then pulled it back when I realized my new acquaintance didn’t have arms.  “Nice to meet you, too.  I really do appreciate that you brought me to life, but...did you have to make me so hideous?”

“What?” I blinked at this sudden change of mood.  “Well, just look at my body!  It’s so large, and my head is so small in comparison.  I look terrible.” Snowboy, who had seemed so chipper a minute ago, sounded like he was about to sob.  “Um, I think you look fine.  This is my first time making a snowperson, and I thought I did a good job.” I was feeling more than a little insulted at the complaints.  “I’m not trying to be ungrateful, but I just don’t like myself.” Snowboy made a noise like a sniffle.  “Really, I think you’re being hard on yourself.  You look perfectly normal to me.” I couldn’t believe I was having this kind of talk with something that hadn’t existed five minutes ago.  “Wahhh!  I’m so ugly!  Nobody will ever like me!” My snowperson’s voice was teary, and if he had had the ability to do so he would likely have cried.  “No, you’re not!  I like you.  Listen, what if I bought you a hat that made your head look more comparable to your body?” I certainly didn’t want my new friend to be sad, especially since his sadness was really my fault.  “Hmm...ok.  I guess we can try that.” Snowboy sniffled again.  Without missing a beat, I ran off to Able Sister’s to find the perfect hat.

The air inside the tailor shop was almost shockingly warm in comparison to the extremely cold weather outside.  “Hello!  Welcome back to Able Sister’s.  What are you looking for today?” Mabel greeted me, friendly as always.  “Hi, Mabel.  I’m looking for a hat, can I see your winter selection please?” I waved to the blue hedgehog and her sister Sable, who was in the corner at her sewing machine as usual.  “A hat?  Of course!  We have lots.  Here is our current stock.” Mabel gestured to a bin by the dressing room.  It was full to the brim with hats of all kinds.  Fancy top hats, baseball caps, helmets, and many others filled the bin.  At last, I found a bunch of knit winter hats.  I selected a cute blue one with a white pattern and a pom pom, paid, and left.  

Before long, I was back in front of Snowboy.  “What do you think?” I asked, holding my purchase up.  “It’s nice, but will it really make my head look bigger?” he asked skeptically.  Gently, I placed the hat on his snowy head.  “Wow, that looks great!  It definitely does what I said it’d do,” I complimented, feeling pleased with my selection.  “I don’t know...you’re just saying that aren’t you?” the snowperson didn’t seem to believe me.  “I’ll go get a second opinion if it’ll make you happy.” I ran off once again and basically dragged Marshal from his nice warm house, insisting that it was important.  “Oh, hello.  You’re the snowperson I’ve been hearing about, huh?  Nice hat.” The squirrel, now in front of Snowboy with me, made sure to mention the new accessory like I had told him.  “Really?  Well, that’s nice to hear.  Maybe I’m not so bad after all.  Thanks, you guys.” Snowboy seemed a lot happier, which was a relief.  I promised I’d visit him tomorrow and walked off with Marshal, looking forward to that latte.


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## ~Kilza~ (Jan 31, 2021)

Well, here's my short story. Opted not to go for an AC story and instead focused on the winter theme. I wish I had more time to refine this, since I feel that it's very rough in it's current form, lol, but oh well. Participation is the main thing I'm worried about.


Spoiler: The Climb



“I have to do this. These thoughts in my head won’t rest until I do.”

“Just promise me this. You’ll come back alive, okay?”

“I promise.”

Stephen, a man in his mid-50s who was fairly fit and grew up in cold environments, hugged his wife Jennifer at the base of a mountain as a light dusting of snow fell around them. For the past year, Stephen has been tormented by thoughts of how his son Kody, a very athletic man in his early 20s, had disappeared and likely died when he went climbing on Mount Lebnows, a 7,100 meter high mountain, the highest in the Felizard region. With it close to Christmas, he had set forth to bring closure to his disappearance, and to possibly accomplish what his son couldn’t.

As Stephen began his trek up the mountain, he reflected back on how he got his son into hiking. Five years ago, Kody was watching the news with him and Jennifer when they saw the news of the first mountain climbers to reach the peak of Mount Lebnows, where the year-round winter conditions have made climbing it treacherous and claimed the lives of dozens of climbers who dared attempt to reach its summit. Kody became obsessed with the idea of climbing that mountain as well, and had asked Stephen and Jennifer for some hiking equipment for Christmas to get him started. That Christmas, they gave a fluorescent red and blue mountain backpack with his name stitched into it, and also gave him a map of the highest mountains in the world. In addition, Stephen and Kody went to a nearby mountain nicknamed Snowfoot that Christmas Day, where they managed to climbed to the peak in under 6 hours. At the top, Kody said nothing, and just hugged his father. His warmth filled Stephen’s soul, and he let his son know that he will one day climb Mount Lebnows.

As Stephen finished up the first day of his climb, with some snow lightly falling around him and the temperature chilly but bearable, he set up camp for the night. As he sat within his tent, a tent that allowed him to maintain a fire in it to heat up some meals and stay warm throughout the night, and ate some frozen food he warmed up, he couldn’t help but let his thoughts keep going back to that first climb. He remembered how wide the smile on Kody’s face was and how he could feel Kody’s determination to conquer all mountains radiate through his body.

Stephen continued to climb each day, making his way closer to that summit. The weather continued to be on his side, and he even managed to enjoy some cold but sunny days during some of the first few days. At the end of each day, as he warmed up and settled in for the night, he felt like this was doable, that he would manage to make it to the top, and that somehow, he would find his son somewhere on this mountain, alive and well.

Two weeks in, and the weather had taken a turn for the worse. The snow had picked up like crazy and just got heavier and heavier, the wind had become face-numbing and the visibility became poorer. Even when it didn’t feel like a blizzard was happening, the temperature was cold enough to make any person freeze in their tracks. In spite of everything telling him to head back down the mountain and wait until the weather got better, Stephen knew that he couldn’t stop until he had made it to the top. He knew that Kody wouldn’t have stop just because of this, and that just motivated him to keep going.

As he trudged along the snowy path, with his own footsteps being covered by the snow continuing to fall and no footsteps able to be seen anywhere ahead, he thought back to just over 2 years ago. In early January, Stephen and Kody went climbing on another nearby mountain, Winterhead, when the son was home for a brief visit. By this time Kody had managed to become much more experienced in mountain climbing, and had begun tackling many of the world’s tallest mountains with relative ease. It was a nice day outside, with a moderate snowfall providing some nice ambiance for their climb. However, during the climb, Kody kept racing further and further ahead, leaving Stephen struggling to catch up. He soon got frustrated and lashed out at his son, and Kody ended up snapping.

“I don’t have time to wait for you. If I ever want to climb Mount Lebnows, I need to be able to easily conquer mountains like these. You’re just holding me back, I could easily be at the top if not for you.”

“Son, I know that you have climbed tons of mountains, but Mount Lebnows is different. You can’t just tackle it with a cavalier attitude and expect it’ll all work out. You need to be-“

“Need to be what? I’ve climbed some of the tallest mountains, like Valisaj, Mookirook and Yimmer. Do you really think I can’t climb Lebnows?”

“I’m not… I’m just saying, if you approach it the way you’re approaching this climb, you’ll never make it to the top.”

“You know what, Dad? Just go away. Head back down the mountain and wait for me. I don’t need you.”

“Kody, wait-“

Before he could say anything else, Kody was already out of sight. Stephen just sighed and went back down to the base of the mountain and waited for his son to come back, sitting on a nearby bench as the snow fell on him. Once his son came back down, they had a silent drive home, and Kody quietly left during the night. That was the last time he ever saw his son in person.

As those thoughts swirled in Stephen’s head, the trail just kept getting steeper and steeper, and his progress had slowed down significantly. He was only managing to climb half the distance he was at the beginning of the mountain. He was learning first hand why this mountain was so difficult to climb, as the snow made it harder to make it up the mountain, and the cold temperature and high winds made it so you just wanted to give up and never go outside again. But Stephen only had one thing on his mind, and so he kept going, no matter how much snow was in front of him, no matter how cold he was getting.

Stephen was now three weeks into this climb, and the weather was not improving. He realized he had made a miscalculation when he was packing for the climb, and now he had very little resources left. He was likely going to succumb to his fate on this mountain. He had thought about just trying to climb back down, but he didn’t think it would change anything, he was likely a goner either way. He had a flare gun and shot it into air when the snow and wind had calmed down for a moment. He didn’t think there was any hope of rescue before he froze to death, though, so he continued his climb as the snow picked up again, just hoping he could somehow do the impossible and make it up this mountain.

As Stephen continued climbing and prepared for the inevitable, the only thing he could think about was the letter he and Jennifer received last Christmas from Kody. It was short, but it made it clear what he was going to do.

“Mom, Dad, I’m not coming home for Christmas this year, since I will be climbing Mount Lebnows. Dad, even if you don’t believe I can do it, I’m going to climb it. I know I can. I’ll make it to the top, come back alive and immediately head home so I can tell you ‘I told you so.’ Love, Kody.”

While Stephen didn’t really know whether or not his words that day on Winterhead had pushed Kody to pre-emptively climb Lebnows before he was truly ready, Stephen worried that was the case. He realized he was just making the same mistake his son had made, but he was resigned to his fate.

Slowly, Stephen continued working his way up the mountain. A couple more days had passed, and he was completely out of food, and completely out of fuel for his fires. He was running on fumes at this point, and was just hoping he could find someplace on this mountain where he could avoid having his corpse get completely buried by the snow. He trudged along hopelessly, barely managing to drag himself along, when he finally saw a cave. He breathed a long sigh of relief and slowly made his way towards the cave.

Exhausted, Stephen staggered into the cave. He was shivering like crazy, and could barely pull his flashlight out of his backpack. He knew this was probably the end, and slumped down against the wall. With the wind howling outside the cave and some snowflakes drifting in, he mustered up the energy to turn on the flashlight and slowly looked around the room. He spotted a rotting corpse against the opposite wall. There, he noticed the distinctive mountain backpack, colored fluorescent red and blue, resting beside the corpse, with the name “Kody” stitched at the top.

“It’s you…”

Tears began flowing down his face. Stephen, using what little energy he had left, crawled over to the corpse. He took off his knapsack and grabbed a present from it, which he had wanted to give to Kody a year ago for Christmas. As he held onto the present and looked at his son’s corpse, he noticed that Kody’s left leg was broken. He realized his son must have died because he broke his leg and had no way of climbing back down the mountain to get help.

“Kody… I’m sorry… I wish I could’ve taken back what I said… I really hope you know how much I loved you and how proud of you I was…”

Stephen placed the present in Kody’s lap. He sat in silence as he shed some final tears, with no thoughts left in his mind. His eyes shut closed and he passed out, right next to his son.


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## hestu (Jan 31, 2021)

Here's my story! I wrote a fictional ACNH/winter story from the perspective of my resident representative. Thanks for the fun prompt! 



Spoiler



It's the 31st day of 2021. I woke up dazed, wondering how I made it outside already, fully dressed and ready to start the day. I'm wearing the same outfit that I've been sporting for months now, but somehow the other island residents haven't taken notice. Snowflakes fall from the sky, and I wonder how they can be both bleak and beautiful at the same time. I hear the morning announcements—Isabelle has found her lost sock, again. Great, I was losing sleep over that. I think this is the 27th time, and I begin wondering if it's the same sock each time, or 27 different socks. Either way, I make a mental note to mention building a laundromat in town to "take a load off the villagers' minds." I hope she takes the hint, but I have a feeling we'll hear about the 28th found sock within the next few days. I take a look in my mailbox; there are two letters. I open the first. It's from Papi, and it reads, "Do you like how this postcard smells? I dipped it in gravy, then licked the gravy off and sent it to you! Man, I love smells! -Papi." ...What? I rub my eyes, and shove the soggy letter in my pocket. I open the next letter, "Do you like how this postcard smells? I dipped it in gravy, then licked the gravy off and sent it to you! Man, I love smells! -Zucker." Okay, so they're messing with me. I crumple it up and put it in my pocket. I decide that it's a good day to head to the shops, as if I don't do the same thing every day, anyway. I head into Nook's Cranny and wave to Flora, who is intensely eyeing the sandcastle that's in stock. I stop dead in my tracks. That can't possibly be right. I walk over to the shelf that is currently housing a sandcastle with a little blue flag. I stare at it for a solid two minutes before I turn to Flora. I barely get a "hello" in before she starts telling me how desperately she wants this sandcastle. I decide to buy it to send to her in the mail, wondering how I'll get it into an envelope intact but knowing that's a problem for future me. I hand the Nooklings my bells and wave goodbye to Flora, hoping that this will help my chances of getting her photograph. As soon as I step outside, I hear a strange whistling. I look up and see a green balloon with a present tied to it. I pull out my trusty slingshot and take aim. POP! I tear off the ribbon and open the box to find…five pieces of clay. I roll my eyes and toss it into the drop-off box at Nook's Cranny. I head over to the Able Sisters next door. I make sure to say hello to Sable, understanding her quiet demeanor but knowing her desire for real friendship. She tells me that she made some new patterns for me, and I quickly turn my head to wipe away a tear. I smile and thank her, knowing just how much this gesture really means. We chat a bit more and I thank her again for the patterns, then I'm on my way. I decide that it's a good day to go fishing and I pull out my colorful fishing rod. I hustle toward the beach, but I'm stopped along the path by Bill, who insists on buying the sandcastle in my pocket. How did he know about that? I politely decline, and continue on my way to the shore, discreetly making sure that Bill isn't following me. As I walk along the beach looking for the best place to cast my line, I pass by Gulliver, who is completely trashed again. I decide to leave him be, knowing that even if I help him, his bad habits will get the best of him yet again. I find a decent fishing spot and notice large shadows in the water. I cast my line—sea bass. I cast it again—sea bass. Suddenly, my fishing rod breaks, and I realize it's not a great day to go fishing after all. As I head back home, I notice the lights on at Lobo's house, and decide to pop in to see if he's crafting. I knock twice and open the door, not waiting for a reply of any sort before barging in. I'm in luck, though, because Lobo is intensely hammering away at his workbench. I say hello and ask what he's working on. He tells me about the revelation he just had and lets me know that he's discovered the perfect way to build a tall lantern. He asks me if I'd like to learn how to make one, and forces me to take the recipe card, either unthinking or not knowing that I'm the one who crafted the 14 tall lanterns currently scattered around the island. I wave goodbye to Lobo and run toward my house as the snow crunches beneath my feet. Snowflakes twinkle around me, but I'm too tired to get out my net to catch them. I open my front door and drop Lobo's recipe on the floor, scattered with about eight or nine other recipe cards. I know the HHA doesn't like the clutter, but I can't help but think that they're pretty demanding for an agency that willingly breaks into my house in the middle of the night. I empty out my pockets, putting away the things I've accumulated throughout the day and stuffing my storage to the brim. I'm starting to feel tired and begin to power down, ready to do it all again in the morning.


----------



## deSPIRIA (Jan 31, 2021)

Spoiler: the lost dreams of a thousand residents



The Dream Suite was constructed on our island recently and it has always been my favourite place to go. Being an Island Representative is hard work; the terraforming, the advertising, the crafting...doing all of that during winter's wrath, too. Sometimes I just need to go somewhere to relieve all that stress. Today is a lazy Sunday, Nook says I don't need to work.
That's how I'll spend my day off.

"So...what kind of dream would you like to visit this time?" Luna asks.
"I'll leave it up to you," I reply while shuffling my sleeping mask on. "The only thing I request as usual is that I want to see the dreams of other towns, no islands."
"Mmmmm...yes, I can do that for you."
Why would I want to go to a town of all places? There's nothing fresh, new, exciting or interesting to see anymore. Islands are the hot new thing everyone's raving about. Besides, most of these worlds are average at best, if I came here looking for something special then I would be here all day & night, leaving unsatisfied. In most cases, the dreams I visit have been long abandoned by their mayors.
That's what makes it interesting.

"Now...I'm going to...turn down the lights..."

These towns were once bustling with people and animals together, and as the years have gone by they've corroded away, becoming shells of their former selves. Years ago, I and others alike were given the opportunity to upload a splitting image of our towns to some kind of network, mixed with the thoughts of our personal hopes and dreams to create something truly special, hence why they are called _Dream Addresses_. Like the islands, there was a time when every town blossomed with life. I could perceive all of the joy and laughter erupting from every setting, all I can hear now are the echoed voices of my guides and a very faint sense of what their tune once was. As their hopes and dreams towards their town fade, so does the entire atmosphere. Ghost towns. They're desolate, somewhat melancholic. Very rarely are there signs of any villagers residing in these places to this day, left to be forgotten. It's like urban exploration, I'll never know what hidden treasures from the past I may find. Whatever happened to these locations is entirely up to your imagtination.

"One...sheep...
"Two...sheep...
Three..."

While I drift off into the unknown, my mind begins to explore my memories from long ago...

~~
_Well, that's my shift wrapped up. Our final customer has just skipped out of the door. I'll have an evening coffee before I head out.
"The usual, please."
It's always nice to sit down and chat with Brewster. He's so quiet and reserved, the least judgemental out of every animal I've ever met, perfect for cooling off after a busy day. I don't get payed for volunteering here, it's just something I've wanted to do.
"Coo...what are you planning on doing tomorrow?" he utters as he's brewing my coffee.
"Tomorrow..."
Tomorrow?
"The same thing as always...every day..."
Every day.
"I've memorized everyone's favourite coffee...built everything...fulfilled every single one of my villager's requests...I've seen everything there is to see...everything..."
I pause to clear my babbling thoughts, taking some time to reflect on my situation. What do I really want to do?
"Doesn't that get...stale? Doing the same thing over and over again? For years on end? It's driving me crazy."
Brewster nods, but I can tell right away that he disagrees. He's fine just the way he is, always brewing coffee.
"Coo...Tom Nook is having these same questions, I think...Isabelle is planning on holding a ceremony for him...to say farewell."
Farewell? Farewell for what?
"...Haven't you heard?"
I guess my shocked expression gave that away.
"...Nook's established himself as an Island Executive..."
What's that?
"...and he's hiring Representatives for his new project..."
Could this be my dream?
"...embarking soon..."
A brand new adventure.
"...but that lifestyle...isn't for me...coo..."

"...not yet, at least..."


"...your coffee?"

Ah! I forgot about the coffee!
Jeez, it's already stone cold. How long was I daydreaming?
I was so lost in thought...for a moment there...almost forgot to pay too.
"Coo...thank you."
Time to go home.
"I'll see you tomorrow, alright?"
That was the last time I spoke to Brewster._
~~

There's just so much stuff.
Wilted flowers wrap around every corner. Very few plants have survived in these wastelands. The grass has deteriorated so much, too...
The rivers are filled to the brim with various varieties of trash...
This mayor built a classroom for their fellow townsfolk. The radio on the teacher's desk is still working, a bubbly melody surges around the room. But no one's here. No one has attended for years.
This mayor was working on a path to connect all of their structures together. It's beautiful...but then it ends abruptly, leading nowhere.
And this mayor even brought their parents along for their journey! They're all long gone now.
What's left behind are the remains of what used to be their houses along with a dusty doorplate.
Oh, and the mailboxes are completely full...
I've dug up a couple of time capsules in some dreams, they describe their ambitious plans for the future of their towns, their lives. It's so bittersweet.
…A Rafflesia in this one...what a nightmare...
There are probably over a hundred weeds in each town. No, thousands. Hundreds of thousands. At least a million...
I've been exploring these bleak landscapes for so long today that I can't comprehend the concept of time. Keeping all of these mental notes is exhausting too, the only thing I can think of doing is to keep questioning it all:
Who were these people, and why? Why did their dreams eventually wither away?
What is their story?

I've returned from the dream world once again, more restless than ever. Still don't know what time it could possibly be.
"Another dream plea-"
My wallet is empty. One dream is 500 Bells, right? Somehow I completely drained it without realizing...there goes my allowance.
That's all for now. Time to go home.
"I'll see you next week, Luna." I say as I wander outside, back into the harsh cold reality.
I hear a hushed "thank you, sweet dreams" echoing from behind.

I arrived at the suite late in the afternoon, and it's very early in the morning now. I'm so, so tired from my adventure today. Looks like I'll be sleeping in tomorrow, hopefully Nook won't be too disgruntled with me...time to get some _real_ sleep.
I have so much to think about right now.

~~
_I am one of those mayors.
That used to be my dream. Becoming mayor, even if it was completely by accident, felt like I was building my whole life up for that moment. I turned over a brand new leaf! A brand new adventure. I did everything I could to fulfil that dream.
What does that dream look like now?
A shell of its former self.
I didn't tell anyone but I departed shortly after my conversation with Brewster. Life in this town had, to put it simply, gotten old, after years and years of running it. I wanted, *craved* something new, Nook and his little helpers lent me a hand so I could realize that dream.
This wasn't the first time I had disappeared. I took extended breaks, vacations, anything to clear my head. That worked for a while, I would come back with a fresh mindset, ready to lead the town once again. My dream continued on living. But eventually I just had enough. It died.
Everyone is moving on; Blathers departed with us to find new creatures and expand a new museum, then along came the Able sisters, Isabelle, Leif, all of them...Luna just built the suite here. Is Brewster next?
What does that mean for the other villagers?
My villagers?
And what about the people I befriended before that? The folks in the city? Way back when in a wilder world? I stopped thinking about them a long time ago.
Does that make me selfish? A bad person?
I don't know.
This island life won't last me forever, will it?
One day, these will suffer the same fate as the towns.
The same cycle will keep repeating again and again.
...
As life goes on though, you move on from things. And that's what I did.
Like these mayors, I found another dream. I'm living that dream to the fullest right now.
It's not supposed to last forever.
I've moved on from my past, so everyone else must have too.
And if they haven't...
That means they're still happy with they way that things are.



So, I'm okay with that._
~~

I can feel the sun rising on my face through the cracks of my windows.
I'll sleep in just a little longer...
And after that,
I'll continue to embark on my new horizon.

*End*



im not super confident in my writing but i gave it a good go ;__;
the concept i came up with is a fictional retelling of dream addresses and what comes of them in that future.
edits for typos/adding+changing words


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## Snakeisbaby (Jan 31, 2021)

Inspiration for this story came from my villager cycling and wondering what the villagers would make of it haha! The first two sentences came to me and then it flowed on from there. I do hope anyone enjoys and do excuse grammar errors I didn’t pick up as my mind read what it is supposed to say! Now that I finally finished I am looking forward to reading everyone else fab entries 



Spoiler: My short story <3



Snake had noticed the comings and goings of house x. Peculiarly it seems as if time was moving back and forth but of course that was impossible.

Oddly enough Genji who neighboured house x seem very unfazed by it all when Snake expressed his concerns. But he did originally come from the fair land of Squishy so perhaps they did things differently over there?!

Snake had been kicking it at Half-Blood since day 1 and seen the island many changes and lack of changes….. Geez their island representative was sooo lazy… Didn’t they know decorating their island got their arms super buff?! But alas Snake guessed he couldn’t complain, afterall, he had only contributed a measly 5,000 bells to building the bridge. Speaking of bridges Isabelle didn’t even announced the completion which to Snake seem a bit heartless.

Instead opting to blabbering on about a lost sock, Snake didn’t understand the excitement himself but perhaps he was still a TAD bit bitter about Isabelle saying no to the gym.

Anyhoot back to the matter at hand, now Half-Blood had once been a no one leaves EVER kind of island. Oh except for the island representative which hardly seemed fair?! But that what happens when you hastily decide the island representative Snake supposed. In his defence, he may had one too many cups of pear juice and was pumped on all the recklessly changing your life to live on a deserted island. Beside as Hazel and him later explained to the others it seemed like a good idea at the time.

Despite his and many others attempts to leave, the residents stayed exactly the same?! Was the up and leave kind of attitude truly dead?! Couldn’t someone just turn over a new leaf without getting permission?! Snake didn’t even know why he even bothered trying as the island representative had taken a strange liking to him since day 1. He felt watched always which did make sense considering his doorstep was mere feet from them. Still I suppose they were harmless enough, afterall they planted a tree in between our two houses with no room to grow. So there must not be too much going on in their big head….

A chance of escape proved futile until one day Bluebear did the impossible! Maybe it was the constant talk of ‘Maglev in love’ that finally made the island representative crack. We will never know but what Snake did know she was off the island to go live her superstar dreams.

Next poor Victoria moved in, oh she didn’t know what she was in for…. Snake felt like he met her before, another life perhaps?! She settled in well, celebrated her birthday, got poorly taste clothes mostly unfortunately. Snake heard from Coco who heard it from Rolf the island representative wouldn’t stop complaining to Isabelle for months!

Somehow she managed to get out too eventually but not before Rex. He was a nice fella even if he did have a strange obsession with bugs... Judy replaced him! As for house x, Fang or was it someone else, Snake could hardly remember he was there one moment and gone the next! Some random dude he never seen before came and took him.

Things seemed to settle for a while, until the most exciting time of the year came… Toy day normally brought fun and excitement but this year just brought confusion and uncertainly. Isabelle was running on repeat announcing new neighbours and their departure! Somehow Toy day seem to be getting closer and further away all at the same time! Although the lead up prior years did always seem to drag this was just becoming plain ridiculous. And Snake could swear he saw Beau moved in on three separate occasions. But alas, he couldn’t keep anything straight, the days were all muddle in his head!

The final straw was when Judy left, another house x?! What had this island become?! Snake knew he needed to get off this crazy island pronto or last year somehow?! Snake waited carefully for his moment to strike after New Year. Perhaps this will mean new beginnings to the island representative and he will finally get out of her clutches! His mission was a success, on moving day he couldn’t stop singing in excitement.

Snake was peacefully packing up the last of his stuff when he heard a knock! Oh it must be the blasted island representative but instead an unfamiliar face stared back at him. Ohh ohh this seems all a bit too familiar and sure enough they just happened to have an empty plot?!

It all seemed a bit contrived to Snake but I mean what choice did he have?! Here was a person with an empty plot and him packing out to move, what a total coincidence… The person left again who he knew nothing about other than the fact he felt compelled to move to their island. There was a sharp knock, Snake looked up, huh it was Tom Nook and the Nooklings, baseball bat in tow. Oh here he goes, he is going to give me a stern talking about keeping up with my exercise. Did he even know who he was dealing with?! They marched over menacingly, as Tom Nook prepared his bat, the nookling, uttered ‘it is time for you to go! …Go!’

As Snake felt his consciousness drifting away he mused to himself would his house just become another house x….


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## Flyffel (Jan 31, 2021)

*The Greatest DIY Recipe*

And, that's it! My ultimate DIY recipe is done. With this recipe, I am going to make my breakthrough as a DIY influencer on Nookagram!!

... 

87 likes and two shares...

Back to the drawing board.

My goal here might sound shallow and selfish. Why would anyone want to be a Nookagram influencer? Just enjoy your DIY and be happy if someone else builds it, too, right?

I love coming up with DIY ideas, I truly do. But I miss the time when I was a child and I came up with recipes with my two best friends - Bones and Kiki. We were the best team possible! Bones had amazing ideas, I was skilled in turning them into working plans and Kiki was a master of details, coming up with the small stuff that made the recipes truly unique!

Kiki, Bones, do you guys remember? We swore that we would become the best DIY creators in the world!

But it has been years, and Bones hasn't come up with a DIY in ages.

I often talk with him about it, but it seems like he has lost his passion for DIYs. He says that it doesn't matter if you, Kiki, aren't here. Kiki, where are you? What happened to you? Do you still make DIYs? Do you use Nookagram? If I make a recipe that becomes famous, will you see it?

I, for one, haven't given up on my dream! And I believe that we will meet again!!

Coming up with DIY recipes isn't the only thing I have been doing. I have been working hard on this island, doing small tasks this tanuki tells me to to do and earning these points that I can use to travel around the ocean. On my travels, I have been looking for you, Kiki, never giving up hope that your friendly smile might greet me on one of the many islands.

Kiki, I often dream about the day that you told me that you would leave. You said that you felt inspired by all the bottles that washed up at the shore containing all those interesting DIY recipes. You always wondered what you could find on the other side of the horizon. What kind of world inspired all these different recipes.

To be quite honest, I had anticipated you leaving for a long time at that point, already. It wasn't a surprise that you wanted to leave, and I would have loved to tell you to stay, but precisely _because_ I love you so much, I felt that it was the right thing not say anything and let you go and explore the big world.

It seems like I still have to learn a lot more to become famous on Nookagram, huh? I wondered while strolling around the island and walking past a tent on the local campsite.

"Hey, come on in! Do you want to see latest DIY recipe I have created? By the way, do you know if there are any vacant houses here at the moment? Hey, hey, why are you crying? Please say something? It's alright, it's alright... We have all the time in the world to talk. But let me say this first: I'm home!"


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## Giddy (Jan 31, 2021)

Spoiler: Mole cricket, mole cricket, where art thou?



It’s a new year, and a new day in the simple town of Ereta. 

The night before, Jack Frost had visited every house painting the windows with an icy resemblance. A new layer of fresh snow glistened as the first light of morning slowly stretched over the horizon. 
But the bitter cold was not afraid of such light and continued to nip at the tippy toes of Redd the fox. 

He shuffled out of his tent, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he observed the blanket of snow surrounding him. His fur bristled as he barely sunk his foot into the crystalline flakes; but he wore a grin as he remembered his little bet between Lionel, on whether it would snow again that very night. 
Of course, Redd has his ways of winning even if it hadn't snowed that night.  

Redd drags out a shovel and begins shoveling the snow away from his tent. The shovel scraped at the stone gravel painfully causing Redd's ears to flinch back from the noise. 

By the time he was half way finished, the sun was greeting him from above and he thought this was a good time for a break. 
The moment he looked up, he'd noticed the Mayor - Lyric - walking absentmindedly towards him. Her hair was a disheveled mess, but most strands were tucked underneath a comfy hair-bow wig. She had tucked her hands into the pockets of her dress; kicking up snow with her boots. 

She had only just passed Pudge's house before locking eyes with the trickster fox. Redd waved cherrily. 
Lyric could only grimace at the sight of him, and she began to back away and into Pudge, who had only just left her house, and pushed herself and a shocked Pudge back into Pudge’s home and slammed the door shut. 

Redd’s ear flicked in annoyance, but let it go. He was about to go back to shoveling till he heard it. 

_Chhhirrrrrrrrrrrruuururururuuupppp~_ 

He paused in his step and realised the sound was coming from under the snow before him. It was a bug, there was no mistaking it. But Redd had no time for it’s droning racket, and slammed the shovel down onto the snow; the noise stopped immediately. 

Triumphantly he walks back towards his te-

_Chhhirrrrrrrrrrrruuururur chhhhhiiirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr~_

His mind began to whirl with utmost irritation. 

He turned his head and his eyes twinkled with anger; the shovel glistening in the sun. Redd started dashing off in the snow, swinging the shovel into the white land hoping to expose the bug from its hiding place; for only soft flakes to fly in the air in its wake. 

The shovel suddenly made a snapping noise, and Redd could only watch as it broke in two; which only made Redd angrier. 

“What sort of shovel breaks!!?” He cried out in bewilderment, shaking it in rage before throwing it as far as he could. 

The chirping continued to taunt him. 

Redd’s instincts overcame him, and as he sat on all fours, his ears flickered towards the bug’s position before jumping into the air and coming down head first into the snow. He began digging in the snow for the culprit; his tail swishing madly up above. 

After tiring himself out, he felt a small tap on his back that made him jump. He looked up to see Samantha. 

Samantha was the other human living in Ereta, her house sat a little too close to the Town Hall, and to Redd, she seemed more like a version of Isabelle. A more out of Town Hall and pushier Isabelle. 
She wore a more comfier and formal office suit, along with a woolly pom pom hat and gloves. Her bob cut hair bounced as she cocked her head in confusion. 

_Chhhhhhhhhhuuuuuuuuuuuurrrii~_

“Oh blast it all Where is it!?”

Realization struck Samantha, and she began to laugh; a deep hearty chortle. “You know,” She began, bending down to his level. “That mole cricket is pretty devious. The mayor has all but given up on finding it.”

“Shouldn’t the mayor be the one getting rid of annoying pests?”

Samantha hugged her knees, smiling. “Then, why are you still here?” 

“My license is still valid!” 

Samantha frowned at this. Redd was just about to resort back before he heard the mole cricket again. He whipped his head round towards the noise, moving away from the plaza, and jumped back into the snow; kicking snow in Samantha’s face. 

He was on hot pursuit, following the chirping noises, and ignoring the fact that all the snow he had been throwing was attacking any villager that drew near. He was chasing after the noise before suddenly he couldn’t hear it anymore. Redd skidded to a stop once he noticed he had ended up near the edge of the cliff, just by the waterfall. Redd picked himself up to see how far he had ran, and noticed he wasn’t alone. 

Behind him was a green, metal bench and sat upon it with a blanket covering his belly, was Alfonso. He eyelids drew heavy as he gripped his cotton blanket in his claws. Redd frowns at this, and starts shaking his body; the snow flinging itself at poor Alfonso. 

“Agh-please stop, Redd! You’re going to make me all cold!” Alfonso shivered, trying to hide underneath the blanket. “You’ll get a cold, you know. Sitting in the snow like that.” 

Redd could tell the wetness was seeping into his fur. But he put his paws on his thighs, as matter of factly and countered back, “So would you, if you continue to sleep on the bench in the middle of winter!” 

Alfonso just shrugged. “Agree, to disagree.” He replied, patting his blanket with food patterns etched into the fabric. “This blanket is keeping me quite warm.” 

It was a special present from the mayor to him on his birthday. And it seemed to be doing the trick as Alfonso looked to be slowly falling back to dreamland.   

“And what if it starts to snow?” Alfonso’s nose bubble popped in shock from the thought and he quickly scurries off home. 

Redd’s ears heard the faint sound of crushing snow and turned to see Lyric stride on over, holding her Nookphone; not looking pleased with him. 

“Oi, Redd. That’s not nice,” She sits on the bench. “The one time there’s a free seat by Alfonso, and you ruin it...I wanted to take some cool pics of us both.” 

Redd crossed his hands. “And how does that help your mole cricket problem?” 

“My mole cricket…?” Lyric turned her head noticing the noise of the bug was distressing Lionel and Butch’s conversation. She turned back to him. “Oh, I got headphones for that, can’t hear that when I got th-

Redd swiped the headphones and threw them off the cliff. 

Lyric had been so caught off guard by this sudden vandalism that Redd had enough time to change the focus to the dreaded mole cricket situation. 

“Mayor, you’ll be happy to know that I am determined to helping you get rid of this mole cricket for you, for a price of course~” 

“A price?” She gaped, still keeping a watchful glare. 

“Very simple really, now that I’ve realised this awful bug has ruined my sales. So in return for assisting you, I’m kind enough to let you buy all my stock for today!!”

Lyric narrowed her eyes “And if I don’t?”

Redd gleamed, rubbing his hands together. “I’m glad you asked! And if you don’t….well don’t be too surprised if all my stock from this point on turns out to be fake~”

She stares at him in astonishment, and Redd puts his paw up for her to shake. She clenched her teeth, before taking hold of his paw and adding, “And you’ll buy me new headphones.”

“Deal.” 

Samantha stood behind Lyric, with an icy glare. “So you rather make debatable deals with Redd, than do your mayor duties?” She questioned, making them flinch at her tune.

“It was my only way of getting her help in this.” He explained, pointing up at Lyric; to which she pouted at him. “I don’t have a shovel any more, so I need help cornering the bug.” 

“Say no more~” Lyric sang, as she brandished a golden net and shovel from her pockets. 

“Eh, where did you get those from?” Samantha asked, deadpanned. 

“The island has many friends!” She remarked, protecting her tools. Redd looked at them questionably.

“Are you sure these won’t break? I know Lyle’s work you know…” Lyric pulled them away from Redd’s claws. 

“He is right about one thing though.” Samantha smiled, making them look over to her. “This bug is too difficult to get on our own. We’ll need back up.” 

Lyric’s face slowly broke out into a grin once she realised what Samantha meant. And before they could stop her, twirling as she reached into her pockets and bringing out a microphone. Blurting out the names of all their villagers. 

By the time they had gotten everyone ready, equipped with a shovel of their very own - Samantha holding the net - Redd was already in position. Deep undercover in the snow. 

_Sccccccccccccccrrruppppp Scccrrrrrrrruu-_

Redd’s snout popped out of the snow as he lunged for the mole cricket. Running on all fours to keep up with the insect and to guide it towards it’s ambush. 

Samantha noticed Redd running in their direction, and rang the yen bell to alert everyone. 
Alfonso, Pudge, Merengue, Phoebe, Lionel, Freckles, Purrl, Butch, Skye and Coach skittered to place, slamming their shovels down into the snow; creating a wall of steel that any bug would fear. With one golden shovel cutting off any escapes.

The sound of the mole cricket deafened their ears, so sight was their only option to witness the catch. The insect started to panic as Redd jumped into the snow; making the mole cricket airborn. Once Samantha saw it, she swung her net. 

For only Redd to pounce up and snapped his jaws over the cricket; the chirping died on the first crunch. The set of faces looking at Redd were amusing to him. 
Most were either surprised by his chosen actions, others disgusted. Skye had fainted. 

"I’d thought victory would taste less musty…" Redd said to himself. 

Samantha tried comforting the villagers before saying, "Well, now that's dealt with...How about we all go to Phoebe's for freshments and a film!" The villagers cheered.

Redd blinked. "M-me too?"

"Of course!" Lyric cheered, taking his paw and following suit with everyone else. "Merengue made snacks for our tired efforts and Phoebe has the best films for the occasion!" 

Phoebe's house was slightly crowded, but there was enough room on her gorgeous bed, where Redd snuggled into the pillows and was handed a hot cocoa, the popcorn, pumpkin pie and snacks on a low table below the TV where everyone got ready for the film; once they stopped fighting over what to watch of course. 

Lyric bounced next to Redd, relaxing into the sheets with a green tea. They both shared a look before laughing. 

The laughing died down before Redd simply implied: "I do hope you don’t think this gets you out of our deal."

"Damn it!!"


----------



## Chibi.Hoshi (Jan 31, 2021)

Here's my short story, this is definitely not last minute, nope.


Spoiler: Warming Coco



On a distant island, covered by a blanket of fresh snow and snowboys, an unware villager arrives covered from head to toe in an oversized winter coat. Hiding her face in the shadows of her hood, she heads in the direction of her newly acquired house. Enjoying a sip from a travelling cup in one hand, and dragging her suitcase with the other in the thick snow, she trips. A villager off in the distance notices her struggle and makes his way towards her. “Are you alright?”, he cries. “Wait, I don’t recognize you. Are you new to these parts?”, while offering his hand to help her up. “Uh, I-I am fine.”, hesitant and stubbing on her words. “I-I recently moved he-here, today. I-I’m sorry, I must go.”, she quickly gathers her belongs but unfortunately falls over again, face first into the snow. “A-Are you sure? Do you need some assistance moving in?”, with slight confusion in his voice. “My name is Pudgy, I had trouble moving in-“, before he could finish his sentence, she dashes and stumbles into her house. Pudgy, unsure what to do continues with his chores and proceeds to walk back where he came. Our new arrival peaks through her window and watches him moves along. “He’ll understand soon.” she sighs.
⋮
The next day. She shovels the snow outside her lawn, astray in her thoughts. She feels a sudden tab on her shoulder. “Ek!”, alarmed with a high-pitched squeal. “It’s me, Pudgy”, he shouts. “Wearing that same coat again I see, don’t trip over wearing that again.”, he laughs. “Maybe we got off on the wrong foot. Listen, if you need any help, I am happy to lend a paw!”, he smirks. “I don’t need any help.”, she huffs and walks back into her home. “O-ok? I’m sorry for disturbing you?”, Pudgy ponders, and again walks away. Inside her home, she prepares a drink of hot cocoa. “Not as good as mother use to make it.”, sighing at the thought. She pulls out a book labelled “hot chocolate for the soul” and drinks her beverage while filling through the pages.
⋮
Day three has arrived. She gazes at the falling snowflakes covering the sky, relaxing just outside her home. She feels calm by the sight. Just then, a shriek can be heard. “Surprise!”, he screeches, it’s Pudgy once again. “Ca-can I help you?”, she exclaims with a slight tone in her voice. “I’m sorry. I wanted to give you this gift! I thought you might like it!”, he exciting says. Hesitantly she accepts and unwraps the present to find a newly printed design shovel. “Maybe there was something wrong with your shovel yesterday. You seemed slow working with it. So I thought, why not give her a new one as a welcoming gift!”, Pudgy says as his little eyes light up like the dazzling snowflakes. “Uh. Thank you, Pudgy. That’s kind of you.”, she softly says. She takes a moment to respond, “Would you like to join me inside?”. Delighted, Pudgy agrees, and the two walk inside her house.
⋮
Once inside, she takes off her coat, and reveals her face “My name is Coco. I am not too fond of, "socializing". People tend to be unsettled by my appearance. I’m sorry. You can leave if you must.”. Pudgy caught off guard replies “You look fine to me? I don’t see any problem.”. Coco is shocked, “Are you positive? Are you saying that just to be nice?”. “Not at all.” Pudgy smiles. “I have met people that think I am nervousness with every step I make. My lips, for instance, are shrivelled up, I say it is due to the cold. And my eyebrows don’t help either, I have a constantly worried look.”, he laughs. Coco tightens the grip on her shovel, “I’m sorry for the way I behaved earlier.”. “That’s alright.”, he smiles again, “Look forward to the “present”!” laughing at his joke. Coco sighs, with slight relief.
⋮
Suddenly, a sweet aroma catches his scent. “What is that delectable smell?” he drools. “Oh. That’s my homemade hot cocoa.”, Coco says. “I’m trying to recapture my mother’s recipe. It brought my family and her friends together on cold winters days. It was that amazing. But unfortunately, mine is not as good as hers.”, she sighs. Pudgy jumps up in excitement, “May I try it, please?”. “S-Sure thing.”, Coco walks over and pours him a mug full, placing a little Gyroid-shaped marshmallow on top. “Careful, it’s hot”, as she hands it over to him. He eagerly takes it from her paws and scoffs it down, “Ahh, hot! Hot! Hot!”. “Haha, I warned you”, she giggles. “This is delicious! The best hot chocolate I have ever had! What are you talking about, Coco? This is mind-blowing!”, he cries in admiration. Coco blushes, “Thank you, Pudgy.”, she smiles. He hands the mug over, “Can I have another, please. And, add more marshmallows this time. I want to see those Gyroids dance!”. She laughs and hands him another with extra marshmallows. “To me, you have made something quite outstanding! A divine cup of goodness, and you have brought us together. I think we'll become good friends, Coco!”, Pudgy grinning from ear to ear. She pauses, pours herself a mug and laughs, “You sure are something too, Pudgy, haha. I appreciate your words. To friends it is!”. They clink their mugs together and laugh as Pudgy pretends to shovel the Gyroid-shaped marshmallows from his mug. “Hey, not with my shovel”, Coco laughs.
⋮
The two enjoy a piping hot cocoa together under the roof of a frosty covered abode. A new friendship begins.​



I had a coffee crumble candle lit while I typed this. I was craving a hot sweet beverage.


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## Giddy (Jan 31, 2021)

The more I reread it, the more I feel bad how long it had gotten... and i hope it makes sense I'm too tired XD 

Lil note, the gif in my signature is where I got the idea for this story. 
And this town is my original town, real characters, villagers etc only thing is that I connected things from newleaf and wild world and horizon a little.


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## Ginkgo (Jan 31, 2021)

Spoiler: Entry



Don't Judge a Book by Its Hardcover​
As yet another day's afternoon encroached, two sounds could be heard from across the sidewalk: The enthusiastic chirps of a young bird, and the grunts of agreement coming from a pot-bellied pig as they walked alongside each other into a driveway.

"And the way you dashed across to land that touchdown, it's like you got some quads made of steel, ace. Seriously bro, you _gotta_- oh-HO! Well would ya look at that!" The fledgling gave the setup in front of him a quick check; the garage was decked out with not only a TV and a sofa to chill on, but three lockers to store all the calf-sculpting equipment he desired. There were also a pair of gyroids sitting in a corner, beckoning him with hollow stares and gaping mouths, but he chose to ignore those for the sake of maintaining his and the hogs blossoming friendship. He let himself sink into the couch, taking in the stench of old pizza that's seeped into the textile over the years. "Now THAT'S what I call a clubroom right here!"

"My old man let me have some of this stuff, from his college days." The pig chose to settle against the wall nearest to the bird, who started cheeping again almost instantaneously.

"... Okay, so, this is great and all, but as I was saying earlier: In order to actually be fully inducted into our cool club, you kind of need a cool codename."

"A codename?"

"Yeah, an alias of sorts. I mean, you can't really expect people to revere you if your name's Don-"

"Yeah, yeah. I get it."

"Just take me, for example! Doesn't 'Ace' just exude competence? Totally makes you think of a superstar athlete, right? People are so used to calling me Ace, they've forgotten what my actual name is!"

He pondered on it. What kind of name could befit a juvenile swine with behavioral issues, something that could strike fear into the hearts of playground-goers? Scarface? "The Butcher"? Just Don?

His thoughts were put on hold when a green hippo still in his school uniform and a more casually dressed penguin trampled through the door and all over his cowhide rug, greeting the both of them. What followed were fifty seconds of watching them try to all fit on his _double_ sofa, only for someone to have ended up sitting on the armrest.

"My, you've really outdone yourself with this room." Hippeux turned to face his maroon friend. "And just by the by, I heard about the prank you played on our substitute teacher. I mean, trying to ruin his gig is one thing, but to destroy his entire joke book?"

"I didn't destroy it, just hid it on a shelf he can't reach." He shrugged. "It's for the best anyway. Don't think the poor guy would've recovered from an audience of high schoolers throwing spoiled turnips at him." The other animals had no choice but to agree.

"B-but dude! He's going to flip like a pancake once he finds out!" Cube said. "Seriously, if Dr. Shrunk catches you, he's gonna switch from his 'sad' reaction right into the 'I'm gonna make a rasher outta you' reaction! And… man, now I'm kinda hungry." A heated debate erupted between the sofa-sitters on what takeout they should get to inaugurate their new clubroom.

_Rasher, huh?_

The pig cocked a crooked grin.

_Yeah, that'll work._

___​
It wasn't long after he had fallen asleep that the whirs of four motorcycles ripped Tortimer out of his dreamland and back into the reality of his hard leather chair so fast he nearly choked on his drool.

Watching him from his dingy office window, the gang laughed uncontrollably as they spun circles around the mayor's plastered plaza.

"Alright, that's *enough*. Just leave already, you hooligans!"

They granted his wish and sped off at once. Too much teasing the old man and they knew they'd have a charge for murder on their paws.

"What d'you think he's gonna do now? Think he's gonna call those two again?"

"Of course. That's probably his most dialed number after the one from that _Animalese Idol _show." Everyone started cackling.

"In any case, once he calls them up, Booker's gonna have to explain to him again they're running a Lost & Found, not a police station."

"And that Akita can try all he wants, but he'll never be able to catch us." The gorilla turned to face the member manning the heaviest-looking machine of the bunch, her peach lips pursed. "Hey Rasher, aren't you like, _really_ wanted 'round these parts?"

The swine met her visor-protected eyes. "Correct, and that's why I'm gonna pay 'em a little visit. Meet you at the gate."

Copper was the first he saw, or rather heard, chasing him. He worked his bike so fervently it almost crackled louder than the motorcycle. His back turned to him, he gave the hound a good view of who and what exactly he was dealing with: _'THE LOW TIERS - Lower Than Dirt'_ read the embroidery on worn leather. The patch of a buried gyroid underneath solidified their identity.

"Rasher. You and your gang have polluted these roads far too long. Just give up now!"

Rasher felt prompted to turn towards him, showing the more intimidating side of his face. His crooked grin and harrowing scar could chill even warm-blooded mammals. He procured a little rock from his pockets.

"Really? You're going to throw that at me?"

"Nope."

With a well-coordinated fling the rock hit the dead center of a hardwood tree. It shook once. Making a U-turn, Rasher faced the officer with crinkled eyes and his mouth twisted far up his cheeks. Poor Copper couldn't even register the tree shaking a second time. It was much too late to turn on his bike after the third shake. And when that nest fell out of the canopy, he already knew.

*"W-W-WASPS!!!"*

It was getting late when he finally saw the silhouette of his friends creep onto the horizon, yet it wasn't late enough for them to not make it through the gate.

Sure, Booker _could_ close it prematurely. But as a guard dog, he was clearly instructed to leave the gate open until the human villager finished travels for their 'cultural exchanges'. And Booker was a loyal dog. He would never go against his instructions.

"By the looks of it, the human hasn't returned yet. This is our chance."

There was just no way he would.

His fellow bikers already sang songs of victory. "And yet another successful day, guys! This calls for a drink at- …. HALT!!!" Eight wheels had to come to a stop as the group attempted to stare holes into the closed gate in front of them, with a shivering bulldog blocking the way as if to add salt to injury, all the while clutching his wooden pike.

"And that'll be four criminals arrested on charges of disrupting town peace," a panting dog said, rushing up behind them with battered eyes and a fitting pair of handcuffs for each species present.

___​
He watched wearily as his friends were taken out of the courtroom one by one. The first to have had her hearing was Rocket, somewhat of a leader to the group, though they never made that official. Then Buck, who he heard arguing with the dogs about how when he said he was "carrying guns" he was, indeed, referring to his biceps. Lastly, Amelia left, who insisted that the only reason she took part in any of this was because she "looked fabulous in leather jackets".

And then it was his turn.

Rasher entered the full gallery. Staggering up to the podium, he met eye to… eye hole with his arbiter: A gyroid wearing a judge's wig, holding a toy hammer and swinging his arms hypnotically left to right, front to back.

"Donnell P. Loyne."

He swore he heard laughter behind him.

"Also known under the alias 'Rasher'. I'm seeing there are several charges against this person. Would the victims and witnesses like to present their testimonies?"

A lion began reading something from a gold-pleated card that sounded more like a screenplay than a testimony. "... It was on that cold Tuesday night that I saw the defendant throw a heap of trash into our river!"

The spectators gasped.

"Littering, I see. Sir, can you explain these actions?"

"Actually, I did that to get the trash _out_ the town. The river exits into the ocean, so everything would just get flushed out, right?"

That spurred the audience right into whispering. Lloid had to calm the room down with two squeaks of his toy hammer.

"The next testimony, please."

A fragile-looking elephant stepped up, something about her screaming 'Handle With Care'. Must've been the porcelain. "I gave him a housewarming gift when he moved here. Though in return, all he did was call me a 'swine'..."

Like programmed, everyone let out another gasp.

"Sir, anything to say about these accusations?"

"Didn't mean it like that, I swear. That's just a speech tic I had ever since I was a youngin."

People started whispering again. The toy hammer squeaked another two times.

"One more testimony. Please let us hear it."

The last witness, a pecan-colored squirrel lady, began sighing in exasperation. "Oh Lloid, I didn't really see him commit any crimes… except the crimes against FASHION!"

Everybody had something to say about that.

_"Ew, look at that shirt. That's like, totes out of season."

"Blue with yellow stripes? Where's his red cap and baseball bat?"_

*Squeak, squeak.*

"I think I'm ready to pass my judgement. Sir, I can glean from your defenses that your heart is in the right place, but your brain is not." _Excuse me?_ "I think instead of detaining you," _Yes!_ "you should fine-tune your social skills and learn to understand your emotions better." _Wait, no, just lock me up actual-_ "There's an old friend of mine in need of assistance, surely he'll have some work for you. Yes, that is my final decision."

He never even got to defend his fashion choices.

___​
"... So that's how the name happened. And how I ended up having to labor for the tanuki until he asked me to come retire at his 'island paradise'." A cranky pig snorted bubbles into his tea, the deep crease between his brows showing both age and experience. The human in front of him mouthed exclamations of awe, as they did after every chapter out of the book of his life that he was willing to narrate. That pear-shaped weirdo showed up at his door one day, declaring themself the "Island Representative", who just _had_ to routinely come by to ensure all residents were satisfied with their new home. Blunt just like him, but with a little more tact. The only reason he allowed them to come over so frequently was because of their shared love for gyroids. And maybe because he's grown soft over the years, but that he'll never admit.

"But there's one thing you still haven't told me about…" Using an index finger they gestured to their brow ridge, their left, his right.

"Ah, that scar. I was just a piglet havin' the time of my life going down an elephant slide, when I done fell off the thing and planted my head backside up onto a tree branch." _Not so intimidating now, is it?_

As if having heard his thoughts, the human nodded firmly, then resumed stirring their tea.

"Hey, you know, I've been thinking about a retirement hobby for you. Something a fresh senior citizen like you could practice in his free time, which is all the time." He huffed.

"So, how about knitting?"

"Nah."

"Bicycling?"

"Hell no."

"Growing a garden?"

"To add to those flowers you parked on our beaches? Forget it."

"How about beekeeping? You guys have a lot in common."

At that, the corners of his mouth tugged to form a softened, yet crooked grin.

"Yeah, that'll work."





Spoiler: Not entry, me whining



This might be the worst thing I've ever produced but I spent so much time on it that it's going on the internet anyway. I hope titles don't count towards the word limit.


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## skarmoury (Jan 31, 2021)

this is so terrible 



Spoiler: Comfort



Comfort.

"So... we're the only ones without dates, huh."

He huffed, cold mist escaping the tip of his nose. She didn't bat an eye towards him, instead focusing on the roadwalk that strerched beyond the sidewalk the two were standing.

"My answer isn't changing."

The weather was cold as the shoulder she gave him.

"I wasn't asking for a change of mind."

The two stood in silence for a few minutes, seemingly fine outwards on the situation that suddenly weighed on top of their chest.

Lobo and Ruby weren't exactly _not_ on speaking terms, but their history predisposed them to awkward encounters like this if they were to be left alone. Lobo rubbed the long of his nose with the sudden remembrance that he had, in fact, confessed to the starry-eyed Ruby a year ago. Ruby, on the other hand, rubbed her mittens together, also remembering that long ago she had turned down the same wolf that was standing beside her.

They had just come from a winter party, both waiting by the sidewalk for a bus to take them home and save them from this disastrous encounter. It was 11:45 PM on Toy Day's eve, and the sidewalk wasn't the most ideal place to find oneself when "the most wonderful time of the year" came.

"It's kind of weird, isn't it?" Ruby started, still trying not to make eye contact. "A wolf and a rabbit standing together. It usually raises some alarms."

Lobo scoffed. "You still don't trust me, do you?"

"I never said that," She replied, finally looking towards his direction. "It's just funny we don't ever worry about it. Maybe a certain comfort stayed all along."

"Yeah."

Silence ensued between the two.

"Don't you ever think the late teens is a confusing time for all of us?" Ruby started again, uncomfortable with the silence. "We have friends already dating and living together, some working, some still enjoying Toy Day as a child. And some of us just wondering what the heck we're doing with our lives." She looked up to the sky, void of any snow the winter weather should have brought.

"Yeah, I guess so." He shrugged. "Vivian's a model, Bea's the student council president, Genji's a soccer superstar... and I guess there's us. Kind of floating somewhere, doing something."

"Some are doing so many things in their lives, and I'm just here... worrying if I get anything for Toy Day this year." Ruby looked down on the palm of her mittens.

"You still wait for presents on Toy Day?" Lobo asked, tilting his head. "But..."

"I know it's for kids, but I still want to be a kid, you know?" She lowered her voice to one almost of a whisper. "I don't want to grow up yet."

Lobo lowered his head. "I guess we're two different people. I worry about what to get my younger siblings every Toy Day." He paused. "I guess I enjoy seeing the smiles on their faces after they get their presents from me."

"That's really sweet." Ruby smiled towards the wolf's direction. "I almost never get anything for Toy Day anymore because my parents think I'm too old for it. Every year I wish I did, though."

Silence once again ensued between the two.

"Hey," the voice was low, this time of Lobo's. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For making things weird."

"You didn't– well, I..."

"I'll be honest, I miss what we used to be." He looked up to the sky covered in clouds. "We worked together perfectly, but I was a dumb teenager with dumb feelings and I wish I thought about things better than just ruining the comfort we had with each other."

"You didn't ruin anything," Ruby shook her head. "It's me. Maybe I shouldn't have run away." She sighed, cold mist coming out. "It's just that... I never learned what to do during confrontations."

"It's okay. I'll make up for it," He said, digging through his jacket for something. "What better way to make up for a silly thing by doing something sillier?"

Just as the wolf said that, he brought out a red hat, similar to Jingle's, with reindeer plush horns attached to each side. As silly as he looked wearing it, Ruby laughed, both surprised and amused at the same time.

"Ruby, what time is it now?"

"Um..." she took out her phone, the light blinding her for a moment. "It's midnight of December 25."

"Well," he reached into his pocket and brought out a small gift, soon reaching it out to Ruby. "I had enough to get you something. Happy Toy Day and birthday... li'l ears."

Ruby was awestruck and stood there for a moment, blood quickly rushing to her cheeks. Instead of going for the gift she ran to the wolf, jumping up and hugging him around the neck.

"Lobo, what the..." she said, in the middle of tears. "You remembered."

"Anything for my best friend," Lobo said, hugging her back. "It's been exactly one year since that incident. I wanted to make your special day this year better than last year."

"I'm sorry for everything. I missed how comfortable it was doing this with you."

And for the while that the bus hadn't come, they talked as if tomorrow never came.


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## BungoTheElf (Jan 31, 2021)

winter night in Frescas with my favorite crankies



Spoiler



The snow glistened and glittered through the dark sky, reflecting the moonlight and luminance of the street lamps. On this night, only two houses were lit up in Frescas, their chimneys smoking, wafting through the night. Between midnight and dawn, these villagers lie restless. 

Dobie sat retreated in his rocking chair by the warmth of his fireplace, paws between the pages of his book. He'd recently picked up "Delicacies of the Sea" a book his dear friend Capri recommended to him after grumbling on about having the same meals each day- which typically consisted of oranges and well, more oranges. It's been a while since he's cooked at all and the last great meal he'd had was on Turkey Day which was months ago. Dobie used to cook in his younger years, but as he grew older he became more and more swamped with work as a writer for papers and journals. Of course, he was able to stay healthy eating off of fruits but it became a bad habit where that'd be all he ate. He hungered for meat and meals but only had the opportunities to eat foods like those on holidays- and even on those days, he wouldn't even be the one to cook them, only being able to get them from potlucks and large celebrations. But to be honest, he just wanted something comforting and tasty- something like home. As a busy writer, Dobie typically spends his days holed up in his room, only coming out to take walks around the island when he needed inspiration. Of course, when he wasn't busy he'd be reading other works- this was one of those times. 

"It's getting pretty late, huh," he thought to himself. Dobie took in a deep breath and rocked his chair a bit more, and as he did so an alluring aroma crossed his senses. Curious, he followed the scent outside, bundled in a scarf and earmuffs peeking through his door. The rest of the village lights were off beside the street lamps and Limberg's house- his next-door neighbor. 


"I don't want to bother him but, AARRRGH!! Whatever he's cooking just smells so good!" Dobie's mouth watered as he crept up towards Limberg's doorstep.


*KNOCK KNOCK*


Limberg, who had been sitting crouched on his floor lept up.
"Geez... Who could it be at this hour, did I do something wrong?" He scratched his head and opened the door.
"Hey neighbor, uhhhhh what smells so good in there?" Dobie peered over Limberg's short body into his house.
"Eh? I thought I did something to interrupt your night for a second... Thank goodness that wasn't it! And I've just been staying up, just thinkin' about life, ya know...? Didja wanna join? I'll grab a beer for you, I've got some sweet potatoes roasting right now." Limberg said, already walking towards his fridge.
"You know what, It's been a while since I've let loose, why not?" Dobie stepped in and sat down by the fire. 

And so the two sat around the pile of leaves smoking around the potatoes, catching up and laughing through the night. The blistering night wind couldn't touch their warmth.


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## Nefarious (Jan 31, 2021)

It's awful, I did most of it in a day, but by god am I proud I manage to write _something.
And 1,000+ words no less! Hope it's coherent enough to get participation points._


Spoiler: A Pigeon and a Dog



Brewster was a bird of few words, he didn’t warm up to others easily, so much so that many think that he lacks any close friends, speaking to only the coffee beans he brews every morning. Despite how it seems, Brewster does have one very close friend, K.K. Slider. A very strange pair one may say, how did that come about? Brewster remembers that very day as if it was only yesterday...

    The quiet pigeon grew up in the coffee business, his parents owned a rather popular coffee shop. Everyday, animals from all the districts of the city came by to have a cup of finely brewed coffee at the pigeon family’s shop. Today was like any other day in the city, Brewster was out running errands for his folks, picking up fresh coffee beans, and another boxful of sugar and cream. On his way back from the farmer’s market the young dove was stopped by the sound of a soothing guitar strum. Brewster was a focus driven bird, never getting caught off guard or distracted when having a goal set, but the acoustic sound was captivating enough to stop mid stride. _It wouldn’t hurt to take a quick look._ He thought to himself as he followed the sound to the bottom steps of the nearest bus stop.
    There he found him, sitting on a milk crate, guitar in hand, head to toe in off-white fur and with the biggest eyebrows he’s ever seen. The young pigeon has seen plenty of dogs come into the shop, but never one like this. The tune sounded like nothing he’s ever heard in the city, it’s obvious that this pooch comes from the small villages in the outskirts. The way he’s singing, calming and melodic in the middle of the white noise of city life. It felt like he was taken to a void where it was only him and the musician in front of him, images of the seasons changing right before his eyes. Only once the song was over did the young pigeon snapped back to reality. Brewster was in awe! It was rare to see such passion and talent given to a single craft like this.

    “I hoped you enjoyed my little tune, just a lil’ something I came up with on the spot.”

    With a start, Brewster started fumbling with the items he was carrying, embarrassed of being caught gawking at the musician. Once the items are stabled in his arms does he clears his throat to comment on what he thinks.

    “It was great, soothing and gave the feeling of something nostalgic, I’m not sure why though…”

    The dog gave a soft smile and a hum at the response.

    “I was hoping it gave off that vibe, y’see, I come from a lil’ village, where the trees are still plentiful. Was thinking of the forests back home.”

    “Oh. What brings you all the way out to the city?” Brewster questioned.

    “I’m a traveling musician, going where the wind takes me, playing gigs here and there. A free spirit you can say.”

    This certainly puzzled the bird. _What about his family, his job, his life back home?_ Before Brewster can ask, the musician, as if knowing what the dove was about to say, continued on.

    “There’s more to life than just settling with what you have, life is about taking risks, to chase after dreams rather than chasing one’s own tail, y’know what I mean?”

    Brewster definitely does not know exactly what he meant, but he believes he understands what the dog was trying to voice. But to drop everything one ever knows to chase after dreams like that… Brewster can really admire that.

    “Say, you’ve got any dreams of your own?” The musician asks out of the blue.

    “Oh, uh…” The young pigeon shuffles on his feet for a bit. Setting down his items to think on the question.

    “...I suppose I do wish to get out of the city, open up my own coffee place. Small room, dimly lit, soft music and bar seating. Just something with a more calming atmosphere than the shop my parents own right now.” 

    The musician just gave a nod, took a moment to think and started playing a soft melody. “I can really dig that. It’s good to have your own dreams to strive for. It ain’t good feeling like you’re tied down to the only option set to you by others. I’m sure you’ll achieve that lil’ coffee dream in no time. Nothing shredded, nothing gained.”

    That really struck a chord within Brewster, never thought that was ever an option for him! His new friend’s point of view does have merit. Suddenly Brewster was hit with inspiration, plans, and what ifs. Ideas flew to the forefront of his mind, ideas that he can take to achieve the dream he’s been thinking of for so long. Opening his beak to ask for advice from the laid back dog, he was interrupted by the sound of the city hall clock, singing the tune that indicates the start of a new hour. _Oh no, they were expecting me to get back half an hour ago, I’m late!_ The young dove quickly picked up the supplies, gave a quiet thank you and farewell to the musician before running off. It was until he returned to his parents’ shop that he realized he forgot to ask the mysterious canine their name, but never forgot his words.

    Years later did he find out, after saving up enough, Brewster was able to open up his own establishment in the basement of the museum a few towns over. Blathers, the owner of the museum, came down to give him a letter addressed to the pigeon. It contained an aircheck, which he later registered as the same melody that the canine played after learning of Brewster’s dream, and a note that read the following...

_Hey, it’s been awhile, but a little birdy on the street told me that you finally opened up that shop you dreamt of. Knew you could do it. Mind if I swing by for a cup? -K.K._


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## jadetine (Jan 31, 2021)

I overcame my writer's block just in time, yussssss...



Spoiler: A Place for Kicks



Every spirit on this island has a role to play.

For us in the Nook family, we have the honorable tradition of providing goods and shelter. For the Ables, it is to enrobe and armor; and for the owls, it is to teach hunting and taxonomy.

But for this skunk, who is once again trying to steal my wares...

“Little skunk, you do know how easily you are spotted in this snow, yes yes?”

He pauses in his lock-picking, a worn awl in one claw and a beaded pin in the other.

“Did Mr. Redd set you to this task?” As if on cue, a ginkgo leaf wrapped in tissue flutters out from beneath his cap. The skunk tries to snatch it before it activates, but instead, he spears it with the pin and its magic fades. There is no illusion to aid him now.

“Tis my business, old codger,” he says in his unusual accent, a remnant of his former life. He scampers away and I don’t even bother making a show of trying to chase him.

Winter is long, draping the island in blinding white for months. I see the young god often, training outdoors: shaking trees for ornaments or catching snowflakes with her net or rolling snowballs and giving them life. It is on one of these blustering cold days that I find the skunk weeping at my doorstep.

“Mr. Nook, I need your help!” He holds his awl up to me, grasping it tightly in both paws.

“I don’t understand the problem...” I begin to say, but I realize suddenly that I can see the tool through his paws. His arms are almost entirely translucent. “Oh, you are beginning to fade, little skunk.”

“How do I stop it? I’ll do anything, please; Mr. Redd said you would know what to do!”

My nephews, the spirits of echoes, approach on their way to the shop while humming the latest tune by the local bard spirit. I wave them over, finding this to be a fortuitous teaching opportunity.

“Uncle, did you need us for something?” “…something?”

“The skunk is beginning to fade. Either he accepts his role as a spirit, or we will see him fade away. Shall we help him?”

“What is his role, uncle? Is he a spirit of thievery? We don’t need another one here.” “…here.”

“Mr. Redd teaches the young god to recognize deception— a necessary skill for her next life. No, I don’t think we need another one of his kind,” I pull at one of my whiskers in thought. The skunk shakes his head in dismay.

“Let me offer you this,” I address the skunk and summon a single coin. “This ‘bell’ is imbued with my life force. It is for you to borrow, to sustain yourself until your purpose can be found.” My nephews gasp in surprise.

“Don’t be concerned, little ones. As the spirit of debt and trade, I have the upper hand here. These bells are the currency of this island,” I explain. “Interactions with the young god keep us corporeal, and for every bell she touches that passes through our paws, our presence is guaranteed. Hold this bell dear, young skunk.” I flip the coin in the air, and the moment the skunk catches it in his paw, his arms solidify once again.

Fortunately, today is one of the days the young god stays slumbering in her abode. The Nooklings and I usher the young skunk around the island, trying to find a job for him. The owls deny him entry into their museum, finding his knowledge too limited and his past transgressions too dangerous to their valuable pieces. The camel finds his accent confusing and is unable to communicate her needs clearly. The sloth has a similar problem, finding his fast-talk intimidating and the smell of soot and city offensive to his love of earth and greenery. The old sow already has a protégé and cannot afford to take another.

We arrive, at last, at the doorstep of the Able sisters. Sable gives a brusque nod before returning to scrutinizing her patterns. After listening to his tale, Mabel nods in understanding.

“I see that you are already holding and awl and pin. Clothing is part of your calling, if only we can harness your skills in the right way. We do have an excess of footwear and a new line of purses and packs we were wanting to offer. Maybe you can advertise them in the market with your charming personality,” she gives the skunk a wink.

“I’ll take what I can get,” he tries to sound detached, but there is a glint of hope in his eyes.

Soon after, the skunk we call Kicks is famous for hawking his stock in the plaza. He is often seen flipping the coin, which I’ve allowed him to keep until his role can be found.


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## Minou (Jan 31, 2021)

I'm glad I wrote something on time too! Been taking a break from Animal Crossing. 
Here is my short story. 


Spoiler: A Day in the Life on Miyushima



As I stare through the window from my warm office room, watching the pristine snowflakes outside fall gently from the sky, I take sips of my coffee, elbows resting on the desk, while I let my mind wander on its own.
After a very busy and festive month in December, the month of January with the start of the New Year has been calm, relaxing, uneventful. 
The whole island being draped in white snow, I took a break from terraforming, indulging myself instead on hobbies I have been putting aside for a long time, mainly anime-watching. 

It is two o' clock in the afternoon. Time for a walk. 
Closing my laptop, I get out of the antique chair and head to the living room. I grab my navy blue peacoat and blue pom casquette on the iron hanger stand. After putting them on, I wear my orange moccasin boots before heading out.

The air outside is cold just as expected from a winter month. As I exhale, I can see my breath looking like puffs of cloud.
Walking down the incline, I get excited when I see Kicks making an appearance on the plaza of Resident Services. 
What shoes will he be selling today? 
"Hi Kicks!"
"Hi there Minou," he says in his usual courteous smile.
My attention is drawn at the shoes, socks and bags he put in display. There is an evening bag, ballet slippers, extra-large backpack, visual-punk boots, color-blocked socks among other things.
"I would like to buy the mint ballet slippers." This should complete my collection.
"Very much obliged!"

Happy of my purchase, I head to the shrine now and meet on my way, Sheldon, a villager who has been sticking around with me for the longest time, being one of my first villagers.
My face is lit with glee, noticing how he is wearing the green knit cap with earflaps I gave him the other day.
"Yo, cardio!"
"What's up Sheldon?"  
"Well, I was hanging out at Marshal's place since this morning, cardio. And guess what? Not once did he agree to do push-ups with me!" He complains.
Although he isn't particularly upset, I refrain myself from chuckling in response, not wanting to appear insensitive. Since there are no other jock villagers on Miyushima, it hasn't been easy for our freckled squirrel to find himself a training buddy.  
"You gotta give him an incentive, Sheldon."
"Incentive, cardio?"
"That's right. If someone doesn't have the same interest as you, you can't just expect they would accept to do push-ups with you like that without anything to motivate them to do so."
"...What will motivate Marshal to do push-ups with me, cardio?" He questions, thinking hard. 
"That is something you will have to find out by yourself." I said to him in an encouraging tone.
He looks up at me, eyes bright.
"Thank you Minou! That was helpful!"
"You're welcome. Good luck!"
Satisfied of our exchange, we wave at each other before continuing our walks in opposite directions.

As I take the stone staircases leading up to the shrine, I clear my mind, basking in the spiritual energy that surrounds the place.
Standing now in front of the main hall, I bow twice, clap twice, then pray in silence.
_"May 2021 be a good year." _
I bow one more time.
After standing there for a moment of peaceful quietness, I walk down the flight of steps, heading back home.


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## Lightspring (Jan 31, 2021)

The Perfect Gift

Every time I would sit under the vast branches of the old town tree and watch the crystalline structures of snowflakes whirl by and dust the landscape like powdered sugar, I would reminisce about a Toy Day and a snow-colored hamster with bright eyes who lived many years before I was born. That girl was Flurry, my grandmother Delilah’s childhood friend. Whenever my grandmother spoke of her time as Moonsong’s mayor, especially during the winter season, she would smile and ramble about all of her silly snow adventures, misshapen snowfolk, and of course her dear friend, Flurry. With any mention of my grandmother’s companion, her eyes would grow round with warmth that encompassed her chilly and wrinkled face like the sun shining on a frozen lake. Every Toy Day, I would hear that same story from my grandmother in front of the fireplace, who would sit in her rocking chair and drink tea while recalling the events of her young adulthood as the mayor of a budding town like a sprig of a young pine tree. 
-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  
It was late December, a light snowfall kissed the snowy hills of the quaint town of Moonsong, a community where all of its inhabitants were eagerly awaiting Jingle to deliver their presents on Toy Day. Flurry was considered the heart of Moonsong as she was the youngest and most cheerful of all of the villagers. Every Toy Day, the villagers of Moonsong would come together and decorate the town with displays of glistening greens, blues, and reds which would decorate every house, every rock, and every tree across the sandy beaches, all the way to the quaint shops of Main Street to celebrate the joys of holiday festivities. Flurry was the most excited of all, waiting not only for Toy Day, but the rare perfect oranges that her friend Delilah would bring from the neighboring citrus town by train. Flurry’s mouth watered, she could not wait to taste the sweet, supple flesh of a shiny perfect orange that her friend would bring her, creating longing in little Flurry’s tender heart. 

Suddenly, the rails of wheels squealed as a train pulled up by Moonsong’s station, prompting Flurry to jolt up from her regal bed. She pushed her tiny head towards the window which was glazed with condensation, squinting her eyes trying to make out a figure emerging from the station. Flurry let out an excited squeak. 
“That must be Delilah!” 
Throwing on some gloves and her favorite scarlet sweater, she barreled out the door to greet her dear friend whom she waited so long for. Outside, the snow was a frigid and deep-sea that could almost swallow up a tiny creature like Flurry, though she prevailed despite the bitter cold that stung her cheeks and nose. Staggering, her feet met snow then the cobblestone ground of the station and Flurry could almost burst with excitement. She expected the tall and slender frame of her friend with honey-colored hair and warm gray eyes that she adored, only to meet a short, yellow-furred cat with chocolate-brown hair. It was Katie, a wandering cat that often travels to Moonsong. 
“Oh, hi Katie, what brings you to Moonsong?” On the outside, Flurry smiled and cocked her head to the side, but on this inside, she was heartbroken. She knew Katie mutually through Delilah and tried her best to be friendly with everyone regardless of who they were, though her heart ached with dismay. Being interrupted from her thoughts, Flurry noticed Katie gripping the seams of her blue dress and beige hat, which was almost about to be carried off by the frigid wind, and her teeth were chattering. 
“I-it’s a p-pleasure to s-see you ag-gain, Flurry”! 
Katie looked absolutely miserable, and one could tell from her sullen eyes that she needed somewhere warm to stay.
 “Is everything alright, Katie? Do you want to come inside and have a cup of coffee with me by the fire?”  Flurry asked with concern. “You look like you’re freezing, I’m afraid you’ll catch a cold if you stay out in this type of weather.”
The young cat vigorously shook her head. “N-no thanks. You s-see, I missed m-my train and n-now I’m w-waiting for the n-next one. I won’t s-stay too long anyways, I w-want to s-see my mom.”
Katie forced a smile, but Flurry could not stand by and watch someone freeze their whiskers off, not unless she could help it. Without thinking, Flurry pulled off the sweater that she was wearing, leaving her only in her undershirt. Flurry was disheartened at giving away the sweater Delilah had knitted for her, blinking at the colored designs one last time before handing Katie the wooly bundle, trying not to show that she too was freezing. 
“I insist, Katie. You need it more than I do. I wish you a warm and safe journey to your mother and Happy Toy Day”. Flurry shuffled a little bit, wondering if she had made the right decision in giving one of her most valued possessions to a stranger.
Happily, Katie purred with gratitude and slipped the scarlet sweater on. It was a bit too small as the bottom of the sweater was up to her stomach but Katie obliged nonetheless.
“Oh, thank you, Flurry! I really mean it! I may not have much but I wish you a Happy Toy Day too”! 
As though a signal, the familiar voice of Porter rang throughout the station.
“The train is about to depart! Last call to show me your ticket! Eek eek!”
“I have to go, Flurry. Really, thank you so much.” Katie shot a warm look towards Flurry before scurrying off onto the train. Katie showed Porter her ticket and boarded the train, looking back at Flurry before heading inside the station. Flurry felt like she did the right thing, though she still missed her friend Delilah. All of a sudden, a voice rang out,
“This stop is Moonsong! Everyone for Moonsong, exit here!”
Flurry felt a new glimmer of hope as she saw the round familiar face of her friend, Delilah emerged from the entrance of the train station, carrying with her a basket of perfect oranges.
“Delilah! You’re back”! Flurry pushed through and hugged her friend, almost knocking the oranges out of the basket. Delilah let out a gasp and almost fell over, catching some of the oranges before they fell to the ground.
“It’s good to see you too, Flurry.” Delilah pointed to the oranges. “And look what I’ve brought: oranges! Not just any kind, they’re for Toy Day”! 
Flurry inhaled the sweet mist of the oranges, they looked bigger and juicier than she had remembered last time, and she could not wait to take a bite out of one of them on Toy Day. Delilah smiled at her friend and pointed towards the town.
“Come on Flurry, let’s find the others! Plus, Isabelle must be worried sick. Won’t you help me carry the oranges back to my place after?”
Flurry happily nodded and strolled with her friend, feeling at once warmth in the once-bleak winter.
-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  
A few days had passed, and it was the evening of Toy Day, and it was chillier than usual. Snowflakes whirled past the trees and there was a soft glow of the moon like a luminescent orange. Speaking of oranges, every villager was spending Toy Day at Mayor Delilah’s house. A giant festive tree with sparkling lights with presents underneath was set at the corner, and nuts and pine branches decorated the room. Lolly and Merengue were drinking hot chocolate, Marina and Maple were chatting about books, Julian, Cookie, and Diana were all gossiping about anything related to celebrity scandals, Marshal was stuffing mashed potatoes down his cheeks, and Flurry and Delilah were sitting by the fireplace with the oranges sitting still on a china plate.
Delilah looked excited talking with her friend once again.
“Flurry, I’ve gotten you the cutest hat to match with your sweater, you’re gonna love it!”
Of course, Flurry had already given away Delilah’s precious sweater to someone else, guilt welling up in Flurry’s stomach. Before Flurry could tell her the truth, the sound of a kettle screeched, prompting Delilah to check on the kitchen. 
“I’ll be right back, that must be the tea!”
After Delilah got up and left, Flurry could not help but feel guilty for what she had done earlier. Delilah had done so much for her, run the perfect town, brought oranges all the way from another town, and even was so kind to invite her for the Toy Day dinner. When Delilah returned, she had a cup of tea in one hand, and stitched up a sweater in the other with eleven patches. Flurry could not believe it.
“Happy Toy Day, Flurry. I know what happened to the sweater, by the way. I managed to pass by Katie wearing it and she explained to me what you did. So, everyone in the town and I made you a new sweater! It’s a bit shabby but we hope you like it!” 
Flurry was astounded. She just could not believe it. All of the other villagers smiled at her and she could not help have tears of joy as Delilah slipped on the sweater for her friend. Each stitched-up pattern was unique to each of her friends: A fish from Lolly, a honey pot from Maple, a flower from Lolly, a rainbow from Julian, a cake from Merengue, a harp from Diana, a marshmallow from Marshal, a dog biscuit from Cookie, a lollipop from Marina, and an orange from Delilah.  
“I can’t thank you all enough.” Flurry was struggling for words, but all she could do was laugh with her friends and eat oranges with her friends on a special Toy Day.
-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  
I’ve wanted to ask my grandmother what happened to Flurry, but whenever I had asked that question my grandmother would tear up and ask me to give her some time alone. It turned out that was Flurry’s last Christmas before she passed away (I was told this by my mother), the cause still unknown to me but known to my grandmother who would not pry. I had decided to leave my grandmother alone and walk towards the kitchen, looking out the window as I went down the stairs. Through the blizzard I could have thought to see snow-white fur and bright eyes staring through right at me, smiling, but when I blinked again, the figure was gone. I shook my head and opened the refrigerator. There amongst the countless piles of fruit laid a single orange, plump and shiny. I gingerly took the piece of fruit and grabbed a knife from the drawer, peeling it, spirals of orange peel pooling at the counter. I raised the piece of orange to my lips and took a bite, relishing the sweet juice as it dripped onto my tongue. I wonder if this orange was as good as the one's Flurry and my grandmother had shared. Probably not but I smiled anyway, placing myself into their shoes, or in this case, sweater, on this chilly Toy Day.


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## Midoriya (Jan 31, 2021)

I’m finished with my entry!  I’m glad I managed to write something.  I have to say though, I wish I could have wrote more, but then I would have exceeded the word limit.  The struggle is real, lol.
​


Spoiler: Lucky and the Ship of the North Star



Lucky and the Ship of the North Star​
The snow was falling ever so slowly and blanketing the ground in a coat of pure white. It was dark outside, so dark that the only thing illuminating the darkness was the white snow that was hitting the ground. Inside each of the villager’s homes were sleeping critters. Inside one particular villager’s home, however, was a critter that couldn’t sleep. One that was wrapped up in bandages and had bright yellow eyes. Lucky kept looking at the clock on his nightstand, wondering when he would be able to fall asleep. Around his room were an arrangement of toys, furniture, and spooky items. After looking at the ceiling for awhile, Lucky finally became tired enough to fall asleep. After what felt like an eternity, Lucky woke up. Looking at where the door was slightly cracked, there was a bright light filtering into the room. Lucky rose out of bed slowly and walked over to the door. Mustering up all the courage he could, he opened the door. As soon as he stepped outside he saw the light coming from a distance. Lucky went back inside and got dressed in warm clothes. He walked through the island and made sure to keep following where the light was coming from. Lucky finally made it to the dock, and docked there was a mysterious, gigantic ship with smooth and eerie fog rolling off of it.

“Hello? Is anyone there?!” Lucky shouted at the mysterious ship. However, not a sound was made in response.

Just then there was a loud, grating noise. After a few minutes Lucky uncovered his ears. Down near the ship was an odd-looking seagull in a fancy uniform.

“Everyone aboard! Everyone come on board the Ship of the North Star! EVERYONE ABOARD!!!” The seagull called out at the island.

Lucky slowly walked over to the seagull. When he made it to where the seagull was, the seagull looked at him.

“Well hello there, young pup. This is the Ship of the North Star. Are you going to board?”

Lucky thought about it for awhile, but gave no response. The seagull pulled out a clock from underneath his uniform’s sleeve and looked at the time.

“Ah! We haven’t a moment to lose! If you’re going to board, you better board now!” The seagull said to Lucky.

“A-alright. If it’s just for a bit, then why not?” Lucky responded.

He followed the odd-looking seagull onto the ship. The ship undocked from the port and slowly left the island. Lucky slowly walked towards the captain’s room and saw the seagull in front of the wheel for the ship.

“H-hello there again” said Lucky. “Where are we headed to if you don’t mind me asking?”

The captain looked over him while still steering and smiled.

“Why, we’re headed to pick up the other animals that will be joining us for this trip!”

Lucky nodded in amazement and stayed in the captain’s room, looking out over the vast ocean from behind the window covering the room.

Just then the mate called from the lookout up above.

“Land ahoy!” said the first mate of the crew. “Land ahoy!”

Once the ship finally docked at the island, there was another animal down below wanting to board, much the same as Lucky had boarded the ship.

The animal was a green alligator. He was gawking at the ship and wondering why it was there. The captain came down to greet him. After an exchange of words, the captain came back onto the ship. The ship began to leave the dock, but the alligator wasn’t boarding.

“Wait, why isn’t he boarding? He’s not going to make it. Slow down!” Lucky said to the captain.

Lucky rushed back to the backend of the ship and saw the alligator running up the dock, trying desperately to make it.

“Grab my hands!” Lucky shouted at the alligator.

The alligator jumped and almost fell into the ocean, but Lucky grabbed his hand and helped him up into the ship.

“Woah, that was a close one. I thought I was a goner for sure!” The alligator said. He looked at Lucky in amazement.

“Thanks for your help? What’s your name?” The alligator asked Lucky.

“It’s Lucky” Lucky responded. “What’s yours?”

“Mine is Boots! A great name for a big guy like me!” Boots responded back to Lucky.

They both turned around and saw the captain standing there, furious.

“I didn’t say he could board!” The captain shouted at Boots.

“I’m sorry. I know I said I wasn’t—” Boots said before was interrupted.

“I was the one who helped him up, so if anything happens to him it’s on me” Lucky said to the captain.

The captain’s expression changed to one of neutrality.

“Well, alright then. As long as he doesn’t cause any trouble” the captain said. The captain walked away.

“Thanks so much!” Boots exclaimed while crying and shook Lucky’s paw. “I don’t know what I would have done without you!”

Lucky nodded and smiled. They stood around a bit before, once again, the first mate from the lookout up above called out and another island came into view.

A young frog girl boarded the ship and looked around. She saw Lucky and Boots and walked over to them.

“Hi, friends! What are your names?” She asked them. Lucky and Boots exchanged names with her.

Everyone on the ship went inside the cabin and had a fancy meal. There were assortments of seafood and fruit the likes of which Lucky had never seen before. There were also fizzy drinks that exploded with flavor and tasted really good. After everyone was done eating, the ship undocked from the last of the islands, having picked up its last villager. Lucky walked back over to the captain’s room with Boots, Lily, and others.

“Um, forgive me for asking so many questions, but where are we headed now?” Lucky asked the captain.

The captain looked over at him and smiled with an expression of excitement.

“Why, my lad, we’re headed to find the North Star! After all, this is the Ship of the North Star!” The captain said.

“But what is the North Star?” Boots exclaimed aloud, scratching his jaw in curiosity.

“A long, long time ago the world as we know it was covered in a thick blanket of ice. As the ice began to melt, islands formed, and from the islands we appeared. Some of the first boats were made. The North Star is a star that sits in the night sky. Ordinarily, it could never be reached by us, but legend says that those with a pure heart are able to actually reach it if they make it to the apex or top of the world. Countless crews with boats have tried, but have been unsuccessful, and some have even sunken to the bottom of the ocean! But my sailor heart is a sailor heart of gold, one that will not be deterred to find it!” The captain finished telling his tale as he had stars in his eyes.

“Ooo! It sounds like a sight to behold! I’d really like to find it!” Lily exclaimed to the others.

“That’s exactly why I’ll need all of your help finding it. The journey will be long, but I believe we can do it” the captain responded.

Just then the ship came to a halt with a loud, grating screech, similar to the one Lucky had heard earlier when he boarded the ship.

“What is it?! What’s the problem?!” The captain shouted as he left the room and talked to the second mate.

“C-captain, I’m sorry. But we’re stuck! The ice is surrounding us and the ship can’t move! Even the engine room is starting to freeze over!” The second mate said with a look of worry on his face.

The captain looked down and wondered what he could do.

“We can help” Lucky said as he walked out to them with Boots and Lily.

“Yeah, just leave it to us!” Boots said with a look of pride on his face while flexing his muscles.

Lucky looked around frantically for ideas, and found one. Near the side of the boat was an anchor of steel that must weigh tons upon tons of pounds.

“I have an idea. Help me with this!” Lucky shouted to Boots and Lily as he struggled to push the anchor off the boat.

Boots and Lily ran up and slammed into the anchor, helping Lucky push it further. They struggled and grunted, but it would only budge a little bit. The first and second mate saw what was happening and helped push the anchor as well, but it still wasn’t enough.

“It’s not enough. We need more help!” Lucky shouted as he continued to struggle.

“You kids…” the captain said as he looked at them with teary eyes.

He then steeled his resolve and knew what he had to do. He ran into the anchor at full speed with all his might and pushed. The anchor began to move finally, and after enough force it fell off the boat and sunk into the ocean. As it hit the ice and sank into the ocean the ice broke, and in turn the ice all around it broke and sunk into the water.

“We can move again! We can move the ship, and it’s all thanks to Lucky!” The first mate shouted in joy.

Everyone cheered, picked Lucky up, and kept throwing him into the air.

“Hahahaha, alright! Alright! That’s enough!” Lucky said as he giggled.

Everyone returned to their positions and the ship began moving ever more northwards. After awhile the temperature became really cold and fog began to cover the areas around the ship. Time passed and passed, but nothing came into sight. Lucky walked over to the captain’s room and went inside.

“Are you sure the North Star exists?” Lucky asked him.

“I-I’m not sure” the captain responded. He began to doubt and looked down.

Everyone sighed and was in a somber mood. Just then, however, Lucky saw a faint light that became brighter and brighter.

“It’s the North Star!” Lucky exclaimed.

“W-what, the North Star? Where?!” Boots shouted as he got up. He had been asleep.

“Right there! It’s right there!” Lucky shouted with joy. Everyone looked ahead and sure enough, a bright light was illuminated. Lucky tried to reach out, ever so slowly, and touch it. As he did though, he woke up.

Lucky looked around in confusion and saw that he was still in his room in his house, and it was still dark outside.

“Wh-what? It was just a dream?” Lucky said aloud in sadness. He got up from his bed and walked around. He stuffed his paw in his pocket, and felt nothing at first, but as he reached further he pulled out a slip of paper with a gift attached to it. Lucky read what was on the paper.

_Lucky, if you’re reading this, I’m glad you joined us for our journey. They say that those who believe and believe very strongly can achieve their dreams. Thanks for helping me achieve mine. You must be… pretty lucky. -The captain_

Lucky smiled and opened the gift slowly. Inside the gift was a bright fragment. It was a fragment from the North Star, shining brilliantly in Lucky’s paws. Lucky’s smile grew and he knew that even if it was a dream, he had something he cherished very dearly now. The belief to achieve _his_ dreams.





Spoiler: Inspiration



If anyone didn’t realize it while reading my story, it was heavily inspired by the movie _The Polar Express_, as well as various other stories.  Thanks for reading!


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## Bob Zombie (Jan 31, 2021)

*4:30am.* 

I've long since given up the pretext of continually sweeping my floors.  After all, the Island Representative is long asleep, and the other villagers too.  It should be safe to take one last trip around the shores of beaches I called home these last, glorious six months.  Glancing quickly at my worldly possessions safely tucked away in boxes, I slip out

The air is crisp, Toy Day a distant memory as the calendar moves slowly through January.  Snow falls softly as the moon is headed towards setting, dawn a couple of hours away.  I make my way to my favorite locale, a spot on the eastern sands where the Island Representative helpfully placed chairs and a telescope from which I could look upon distant shores.... in fact, it was only two days ago that thinking about those shores led me to my current predicament.

*4:40am.*

I had been looking at a particular island for a good portion of the morning when I headed towards the square in front of resident services.  Thinking deeply, I considered, "why not try a change?  New scenery, new Island neighbors, surely the grass is greener over there... or at least less overshadowed by garish diner signs."  Suddenly the Island Representative made a beeline for me.  Surely he saw I was deep in thought?  So when he asked, I told him... I wanted a change, a new place to explore.  A new experience.  Strangely enough, he said I should go, and fulfill my dreams!  I was ecstatic!  I told him thank you for the helpful advice, and it was time to pack.

Thinking back now.... was there a smirk, a grin as he helped me on my way...?  Did he want me to leave?  Now, only a few minutes before I go, these thoughts,  second guessing, begin to prey upon my mind.

*4:50am.*

Not much time now.  I lift my head up towards the sky, letting the soft, pre-dawn snowfall touch my cheeks, my eyelids.  My nose.  So cold, and yet so refreshing.  My mind clears and I begin to think of what's to come.  I've spent so much time packing,  preparing to leave, that I don't even know how I'm supposed to go.  Do I fly?  I don't have a ticket.  I'm sure I would have a ticket if I'm flying DAL!  Do I sail?  I'm not sure I've ever seen a boat for passengers at the dock... in fact the only boat I know of is piloted by the dodgy fox who always tries to unload artwork.  Does a portal open in the heavens...?  I shake my head... I think the cold is starting to affect my brain.

Come to think of it, I'm not sure HOW I'm leaving the island...

Sometimes, when the Island Representative is asleep, the other villagers and I would talk.  I had never experienced another island before, but Huck had.  He told me about the process he experienced... he said that he had ended up in a dark, distant, soul-crushing place called the Void.  "Psssht, yeah right" I said, "there's no way the Island Representative would have treated you like that."  But he just looked at me and glanced away, a shiver in his eyes.

*4:55am.*

I begin to panic.  I hadn't thought of how I was going to leave the island.  Why had I not thought of that before?  Where AM I GOING?  Am I going to the island at the other end of the telescope?  I have dreamed of the grass there, the villagers there.  The food.  The music.  Seeing K.K.
in another venue.  Are they experiencing winter now too?  Or another season?

Or am I just going to vanish in 5 minutes?  Is the Void real?  Could it be that my destination was to be the deep darkness... only to survive if someone asks for me.  What IS the Void?  Can I escape?

Is it too late to change my mind?

*4:58am.*

I run.  Rules about running through flowers be damned.  Tears begin to form as I realize I'm not flying anywhere else but here.  No one came to the island to get me, to ask for me to come to their island.  I don't have a ticket to my dream island at the other end of the telescope.  I don't have a ticket to anywhere.  The Void calls... and I'm certain it calls for me.

I reach the house of the Island Representative.  I look inside, no lights.  I knock, as if my life, my very being, relies on it.  I scream, cry at the top of my lungs for him to come out.  I didn't mean it, I want to stay.  Please... let.  Me. Stay.

To live.

To dream.

But it's no use.  He's not answering. 

*4:59am.*

I turn around, and look, really LOOK at the island.  The place that should have been my dream, not some fantasy at the other end of a telescope.  I should have been happy... and stayed.

I turn... and look around.  The neighbors' houses.  My home.  The Resident Services.  Nook's Cranny.  The museum.  I loved living here.  I regret wanting to leave it all, and I regret nothing about my life here.

And as I lift my eyes to the sky and let the snow fall on my person, I think.... I am alive.  Whatever happens, this experience will not be lost.  The snow clears my mind, and I think, I KNOW. 

I will survive... and dream.  And liv-

...


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## Miranda Priestly (Jan 31, 2021)

*Its Toy Day, Again*

It’s the end of the year and everyone’s favorite Holiday is here. Toy Day. Whoop-de-doo. I don’t know why Tom Nook threatens to go ahead and foreclose on my own home still, I’ve been doing this for around eighteen years, I don’t know why he thinks I would just up and leave now.

“_I got to get to Resident Services and fast!_” Jingle thought to himself.

Jingle ran as fast as he could from the airport, since as you may’ve guessed, was not magic. This did not bother Tom Nook however, knowing that the residents would all be busy preparing for the day they’ve all been waiting for.

Reaching Resident Services with not a second to spare, Jingle let out a sigh of relief as Tom Nook peeked through the curtains with a chilling look on his face.

“_Everyone thinks Tom Nook has changed for the better, but he’s still the same as he was back in the big city_” Jingle muttered.

Now that Jingle made it to the town square, he had to figure out how to give every single present to all the residents, putting in the least amount of effort as possible. Sitting on a bench and pondering what to do, Jingle was struck with an idea that could appease him and Tom Nook.

“_I got it! “Why don’t I just get someone to do my job for me”_ Jingle exclaimed.

And so, Jingle went to look for someone “kind enough” to carry out this great honor of giving presents. Not a moment later, he saw someone by an old cedar tree.

“_What is he doing_?” Jingle thought.

Jingle watched as this person shook a tree for two minutes at a time, only to pick up a twig and do it all over again.

“_Perfect.”_

“_Oi, Kid!”_ I mean *COUGH* “_Happy holidays! I'm Jingle, the black-nosed reindeer! Isn't this the best time of the year, kid?”_

The boy didn’t speak a word, instead just nodding his head in agreement.

_“So, does that mean you’ll deliver all the gifts to the whole town? That’s Great!” _

Elated at his great fortune, Jingle immediately gave the boy his sack of toys and a list of all the residents he had to go visit. The boy unfazed by this sudden duty, went to deliver each and every gift in record breaking time.

_“Wow he’s better than me” _Jingle said to himself as he watched the boy go house to house, cutting off each resident before they had the chance to make small talk with him. Soon the boy was done and came back to Jingle before the day had ended.

“_Golly, you’ve delivered all those wonderful gifts to everyone, I’m so happy you were able to spread the Holiday cheer_!”

_“Well, see you later.”_ Jingle said as he turned away headed to the airport.

The boy had stopped him though and held out his hand, asking for some sort of payment.

_“Oh, I see… you want some form of compensation, don’t you?” _

The boy shook his head up and down rapidly.

Jingle grew tired of this boy quick and just wanted him to go away, so he searched everywhere for something to give, but all he could find was a DIY scrawled onto a torn piece of construction paper he had the year before.

_“Here you go.” _Jingle said half-heartedly

The boy paused for a bit and put it in his pocket, seemingly pleased with what he had received. And so, the boy left, officially freeing Jingle from his least favorite Holiday of the year. Toy Day.


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## Velo (Jan 31, 2021)

Phew, just barely making it! This story is inspired by my own anxiety about spending time with my family during the winter holidays, and how I always look at things way too negatively lmao. 



Spoiler: The Doorbell



DING DONG.

The doorbell rang out suddenly. My ears perked up, stinging from the sudden break in peace. Deep breath in, deep breath out. Time for company. It was Toy Day after all, and that meant visiting with those who were closest to me - my island family. 

I popped open the door. Dizzy stared in, a big grin on his face - “HAPPY TOY DAY!!!” - he ran in and immediately plopped down on my Cute Sofa. He grabbed a Pear from my Fruit Basket and began to dig in, as I frantically ran around to get him a plate and napkin.

“Happy Toy Day, Diz. I thought Kyle was coming with you?” I handed him the plate over as I asked. 

“Well you know him! He decided to play his guitar at home. He said he’d come by eventually. Maybe 10, 11. Maybe midnight, woo-oo!!” Dizzy grabbed the plate and another Pear.

DING DONG.

Well… I wasn’t feeling too excited about waiting up all night for Kyle to show up. I didn’t like not knowing when to expect him either. Deep breath in, deep breath out.

Opening the door, a pair of perky blue and yellow ears greeted me.

“I am heeere, me-meow! Happy Toy Day, peasants!” Ankha purred as she walked in and joined Dizzy near the fruit.

“Hey Ankha, Happy Toy Da-” I started to close the door but suddenly felt it hit something hard. I turned back around to see a very angry looking Agent S staring back at me.

“What’s with this, sidekick?? Hey - I might be short but I’m not that short!” She kicked open the door a little harder and pushed past my legs. “Geez, give a squirrel a second to get in the door. I ran a whole lap around Resident Services before I followed Ankha in!”

“Oh, that’s right, darling. I was supposed to tell you that Agent S was right there with me. Oopsies!” Ankha seemed to giggle a little.

I let out an uncomfortable laugh. “Um, okay. Sorry Agent, I didn’t mean to. Happy Toy Day, make yourself um… at home.” I looked at my quickly filling tiny house.

The three Islanders piled in, chomping on fruits and laughing. I let out a small smile - it was cramped and quickly getting messy, but it was still a pretty nice moment with my island "family". The peaceful moment broke….

DING DONG.

I cracked open the door, letting the cold air in. Outside was Snake, with a shivering Goldie right beside him. "Oh come get out of the cold you two!" I felt bad for my cold guests.

Snake jogged in, pumping his fists as he went. "Hey, bunyip, it's not so cold when you keep your body moving!" He continued to jog around the room, dragging snow throughout the house.

Goldie shuffled in behind him, "Not everyone likes exercise as much as you, Snake! It's way too cold out to be making extra laps, woof!" 

I stared at the interior of my house. What was I thinking? Snow was everywhere, my Fruit was pretty much all gone, and there was barely room to sneeze. Hosting Toy Day was probably a mistake. Meanwhile, where were Wolfgang and Beau? Once they got here at least we could all put Ornaments on the Festive Tree and call it a night.

"Happy Toy Day you two," I closed the door to the cold outside and went to look for my Broom and Dustpan. My guests laughed joyously and enjoyed themselves as I swept up as much snow as I could manage. Feeling satisfied with the state of the floor, I began to plop down on the Cute Chair next to Dizzy.

DING DONG.

Of course… just as I was getting comfortable. Deep breath on, deep breath out. I can make it through this holiday!

I opened the door and on the other side stood an uncomfortable looking Wolfgang, arms crossed and a bit of a scowl.

"Hey kid, let me in, it's too cold snarrrl!" Wolfgang pushed his way in to my cramped house.

"Ah yeah, that's true Wolfgang! Happy Toy Day but um where's Beau?" I found myself concerned for our last missing guest as I closed the door.

"That crazy kid is napping. I tried to wake him up for thirty whole minutes, but he just kept napping!" Wolfgang helped himself to the Cute Chair I had claimed earlier. "Hey, kid, it's a bit tight in here! Better see Nook about an expansion hahaha!"

I sighed. "You're always right, W… it sure is tight in here! Maybe we should decorate the tree now that we're all here?"

The next few hours seemed to fly by. After everyone got comfortable and I dug out the Red, Blue and Gold Ornaments we all had a blast making the Festive Tree beautiful. I was able to forget about my too-small house, the snow on the floor, and all my Fruit that had been eaten. My island family was messy, but they were still my family and nothing beat spending Toy Day with them. Kyle even managed to show up at a halfway decent time, he brought along his Rock Guitar and sang KK hits.

Late in the night, I stood at the same door that had tormented me with the anxiety inducing DING DONGS earlier. I waved goodbye to all my guests, as they trekked back home through the snow. "Happy Toy Day! I'm so glad you all came over!" I yelled out to them as they departed. And I really, truly, meant it.


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## Aniko (Jan 31, 2021)

The Golden Treat​


Winter skies! It’s what Octavian enjoyed the most about that cold season. Soft or vivid, the colors painting the winter sky were always stunning, sometimes lagoon blue, golden sand or coral, or according to Zucker: cotton candy and lemonade, even when the sky was all white like sea foam, he could spend hours gazing at that new sea backstroke swimming in the snow or trying to make angels that in the end, looked more like frantic spiders. Today the sky was bright ultramarine blue with transparent jellyfish shaped clouds inviting him to dive into it.

- “It’s a beautiful day!” He shouted while stretching his arms.

- “And the weather is so nice!” Chimed in Diana. “Sometimes when the weather is freezing, I get beautiful, white, glittery eyelashes… but then, my nostrils stick together, and I can’t breathe! Ugh! So unpleasant…”

-“Today, the snow looks like a silky Italian meringue!” added Zucker. “It’s so smooth and shiny!”

- “Zucker is only thinking about sweets. You must be excited about that “golden treat” Aniko promised. Why did she want us to bring firewood, though?” Asked Octavian.

- “I hope the golden treat is not balsam fir resin; my cousin tricked me into eating some saying it was bubble gum when I was little. Yuk, I still have the chills just thinking about the taste.” said Zucker, shivering.

-“Here we are!” The three of them entered the little forest of Magical and started gathering firewood. In the air, a sweet and fresh scent of fir tree welcomed them, Diana’s favorite perfume; it always had a soothing effect on her mind and brought so many fond memories of past Christmases with her elders. She was imagining herself staying there all afternoon, basking in the sun and “photosynthesizing” when screams for help broke the spell. Zucker, who was overexcited and running in all directions, had accidentally left the path and was now stuck in a meter of snow with only his head emerging. At that sight, the two others burst into laughter and started taking photos of this embarrassing situation before helping him.

- “Seriously, what do you think the golden treat is?” Asked Octavian once they calmed down and got back on the path.

- “I think it’s a delicious peach cobbler or maybe apple pie still hot from the oven. Mmm… I’m already drooling.” said Diana.

- “Nah, I think it’s some seasonal beverage like apple grog with cinnamon and star anise. I feel warmer already.”

-“You are both cold; that’s not it. It’s crunchy caramel popcorn or honey candies.”

-“Anyway, let’s go! I think we gathered enough.”

They found Aniko in a little wooden shack at the edge of the forest. If it weren’t for the heavy smoke billowing from the chimney, it would have looked abandoned as it seemed so old and rickety, and what made the scene even eerier and mysterious was all those metal pails tied up to the trees around and filled with water.

“Maybe the trees are thirsty?” Shrugged Zucker.

From the door ajar, it was so steamy that they could barely see anything, then, like coming from a dream, they noticed her tiny silhouette; she looked like a little witch preparing potions in front of something that looked like large cauldrons. As soon as she saw the trio, Aniko ran happily toward them, rosy cheeks, curly and wet hair plastered on her forehead.

-“Did you bring the firewood? Excellent! Now, bring me those pails over there.” Zucker, Octavian, and Diana looked at each other confused.

- “What are you going to do with all that water?”

-“Ah…but it’s no ordinary water…” She said with a glint in the eyes. “Want to have a taste?”

The water tasted sweet and had a distinct but agreeable flavor.

She poured the content of the pails into the first vat and lit the fire underneath. In the two other vats were liquids already bubbling, but the steam made it hard to distinguish anything. Who knows? Maybe it was some effervescent swamp potion, but the aroma was so pleasant, really it had nothing to do with the rotten-egg smelly potion.

-“I went ahead and started before your arrival.” she said, showing the third vat. “Octavian, would you please call the other villagers? It’s almost ready. Zucker, I have another mission for you, see those wooden crates outside? Please take that ladle and fill them with snow, then press the snow with the spatula and make it as hard as ice.”

- “What are we making? A fort? I love snow forts!”

- “Hehehe…You will see.”

Zucker joyously filled up the boxes with snow, already thinking about what kind of fort it would be, probably one with many towers and a suspended bridge.

A little while later, all villagers were reunited around the wooden crates, packed with snow, and holding a small wooden stick, like a popsicle stick, that Aniko had just given them before going back inside. Zucker was so disappointed and looked sadly at his popsicle stick.

-“That’s not fair! She already ate all the ice pops! What does she want us to do with those sticks? Not other cards shaped like little houses again! We already tried that for the Christmas event and failed miserably.”

Aniko reappeared with a saucepan and started pouring stripes of amber syrup all over the snow.

“Oh no! Someone brings a plate or a bowl! What is she doing?! She’s spilling everything everywhere!”

Aniko then took a stick and rolled the cooled and hardened syrup around it to make a lollipop, then invited the villagers to do the same.

- “Dear villagers of Magical, thanks for coming today! Here is the golden treat I promised you!” She shouted proudly, holding her glowing and sparkling lollipop up to the sun like a trophy. “My precious maple taffy!”


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## LambdaDelta (Jan 31, 2021)

Midoriya said:


> Lucky and the Ship of the North Star


with a title like that, I can't believe there isn't a "you are already ____" line


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## Foreverfox (Jan 31, 2021)

It seemed like only yesterday that Lolly moved to Woxton, however, that wasn't the case. She'd already lived there for almost a year. She had heard about Woxton from several friends who'd travelled there for three-day stays. They always called her after their visit and raved about how nice the locals were and how they wished they could live there too. Woxton was always full and rarely able to accept new residents. Somehow, Lolly lucked out and found a spot! It was just a shame she wasn't having the same experience as her friends.

Lolly moved in around April last year, and even though it was spring and there were plenty of bugs and fish to catch, and several lovely places to stop and sing, or just sit and listen to the waterfalls, she had yet to leave her house. She had heard that there was a different type of bug floating around. One that you definitely did not want to catch. While most cats either find themselves at least entertained by bugs as possible friends or playmates, or perhaps a little over-enthusiastic to the point where playtime becomes mealtime, Lolly was generally friendly towards bugs. But she was terribly frightened of this bug - and with good reason.

Every morning, she looked out her window and yearned to go outside and meet her neighbors. She wasn't even sure if they knew she'd moved in. "I remember the fly-over from move-in day", she thought to herself. "There was a museum, a tailor shop, a cliff-top café, an outdoor music venue, an arcade, a zen garden - oh, how I wish I could visit these places!" She remembered from when she landed that there was a post office at the airport. She thought about writing to her family back home to see if they would let her move back. But then she thought about how she would never hear the end of it from her friends if she gave up her place on Woxton. "I just don't know if I could handle hearing them go on and on about how I should've stayed or how, 'If you left, you obviously didn't get out of the house enough.' How am I supposed to get out of the house with this bug floating around!", she thought to herself, and ended up finding herself talking out loud.

Lolly woke up the next morning, sat next to the same window that she always did, and watched the world happen around her. She noticed that it seemed to happen overnight that the leaves on the trees were changing colors. "I never knew time could move so fast and so slow, all at the same time. It feels like just yesterday, it was spring. Now, summer is a miss and it's already fall", she thought, gazing so longingly, that she fell into a daydream. "Maybe winter will quickly usher in spring and summer again, and all will be well. I suppose one can dream, bonbon." She chuckled as she realized that she had just called herself what her mother used to call her when she was a kitten. That put her in just the right spirit to curl up in bed and take a little cat-nap.

In what again felt like one day, fall gave way to winter and with winter came Lolly's first Toy Day on Woxton. "Oh, I do hope Jingle still visits with this bug floating around. Hopefully, at least HE knows I live here..." Toy Day came and went, and Lolly got a lovely new sweater from her mother. It was nice, but she didn't have the same festive spirit that she normally had during this time of year. It was rather dreary, and she didn't get to see her family. "This was not how I saw this year going", she thought. She decided that she would just allow this sentiment to keep her company for the season, and that spring and summer would be better.

As Lolly woke up, she went to her usual window and saw snow. "Still? How long has there been snow? It feels like it's been so long", she thought herself. It had been a long time, and it would still be here for about another month. "Snowed in...well, at least I can't go out anyway, because this bug is still around. Tough little bug, sticking around so fiercely during winter." Lolly found herself talking to herself out loud a lot more these days. Suddenly, she found herself yawning, "It must be time to go to bed already. I don't like the short days of winter, bonbon." She smiled and chuckled, noticing she did it again. She rather liked the nostalgia it brought though, so she didn't mind.

The next morning, Lolly sat by her usual window, snow still on the ground, but it was much brighter outside than usual today. She decided to spend a little more time window-gazing than she normally would. After all, what else was she going to do? Then suddenly, she did a double-take...was that? "Did someone just wave? Surely, they're waving at someone outside. No one even knows I'm here...but they're still waving. Should I wave back? I'll look so silly if they really aren't waving at me." Yet, as she sat there debating, she noticed she was already waving back before she could decide if she wanted to or not. She started to get nervous, as who she assumed to be one of her neighbors, was walking towards her window. Suddenly, there they were, tapping on her window, as if they were knocking on her door.

"Hi! Are you Lolly?" Lolly was stunned, "H-how do you know my name, bonbon?" "I'm Fox, the Island Representative! You've lived here for a long time, I've been so eager to meet you!" Lolly let out the breath she'd been holding in, and a smile started to creep over her face, "But, aren't you afraid to be outside with this bug floating about? I've been staying at home since moving in, because I'm so afraid. I'm so eager to experience the Woxton I've heard all about! I'm just waiting until the bug passes." "Oh yes, we are all terribly afraid of the bug!", Fox replied. "We all make sure we are at different parts of the island, and we even have a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board outside of Resident Sevices for the different island attractions! Able Sisters even sells masks now!" Lolly's eyes opened so wide, and her smile grew. She didn't know what Able Sisters was, because she'd never left her house, but she assumed it was the tailor shop. It would make sense. "Why don't you come with me, I'll safely take you around and introduce you to the rest of your neighbors," Fox said, as she motioned towards the outdoors.

Lolly nodded and grabbed her new sweater and he coat and hat. "Let me just check my mail quickly," she said. She opened her mailbox and it exploded with mail. "Oh my! Who is all of this mail from?", she asked. Fox had come around, and Lolly read her some of the names. "Oh, those are your neighbors!", Fox replied. "They wrote me? How did they know I was here, or know my name?", Lolly asked. Fox smiled, "They heard from some friends of yours that regularly visit our campsite that you had moved in and that you were having a hard time adjusting to a new island with this bug floating around. So they decided to write to you!" Lolly began to well up with tears of joy. Her friends were right, she knew this island was perfect for her and she hadn't even experienced it yet. "Come on on, let's go, Lolly!"

Fox and Lolly went all around the island, Lolly slowly trailing behind Fox. Partially because she was so in awe and was soaking in everything around her, and partially to make sure she actually kept her distance, since she knew she was getting excited. Her arm got so tired from waving at everyone, and from carrying home so many bags from Able Sisters and from Nook's Cranny. It was time she headed home though, and as Lolly walked up her sidewalk, she thought to herself, "What an amazing island, what amazing neighbors. I can't believe they all wrote me so many letters! I can't wait to read them all!" Lolly went in and curled up with her favorite blanket and started reading the letters. She felt so happy that she smiled and closed her eyes in joy, as cats do.

Lolly woke up with a smile on her face, covered in letters and her blanket. She'd fallen asleep reading them. She was so happy - she picked up a small stack and took them to her usual morning window seat to read them. Today, she saw sunshine and the beginnings of melting snow, and smiled. Everything was going to be okay.


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## oceanchild8 (Jan 31, 2021)

First Snow​60 days into winter and not a sign of snow. "Patience" said Karnitas to a very impatient Marshal. Truth be told, Marshal's favorite season is winter when he gets to play in the snow and build snowmen, who in return would give him DIY recipes and large snowflakes. He blended in with the snow and would play tricks on his neighbors. All season, he's been sulking and demanding the Rock-Head Statue he hikes to daily a snow day.

Marshal was always mischievous and loves tormenting his neighbors. He made Marina cry after he slipped a donut onto her bed that she laid on. He also purposefully hid as a cloud in Pietro's home and when he jumped out to surprise him, Pietro nearly fainted and refused to speak nor even look at Marshal for over a month.

One evening, a most magical visit occurred.

While Marshal took a late night stroll pondering about what's next, he hit a wall (literally). "Ugh! Where did this come from?" He knew instantly it was Karnitas' doing. Karnitas was always making sudden changes to the island without anyone's consent, and can't say they're always the best decisions either. Marshal felt defeated, sat down and closed his eyes. Wait... do I hear jingle sounds? He never knew where the music playing overhead was coming from. He never asked.

The jingle became closer and louder, until it got so close it stopped. Marshal opened his eyes to the most peculiar reindeer. "I'm Jingle!" said the Santa-dressed Reindeer.

"Are you one of Santa's rejected reindeers?" asked Marshal.

"Ha! Oh, little marshmallow puff. No, but I'm here to bless the island of Westworld with my presence and to grant all the good villagers their wishes."

"What?! Including me?"

"Erm... let me check." Jingle shuffles through his questionably large white sack. "Sorry. Try again next year!"

"All I want is snow..."

"Have you thought about the root cause behind all of this?"

Marshal nodded no.

"You’ve been terrorizing your neighbors and you don’t have any friends left.” Jingle trotted away.

He didn’t realize it until he heard it from someone else how hurtful he was. Not even Isabelle or Karnitas were able to stop him and mostly because he was always Karnitas’ favorite. She coddled him and he always got what he wanted until now.

He went to the Rock-Head Statue that same night and vowed to never be so mean spirited to others again.

He went home and decided to handwrite and send letters of apology to everyone, including the hustler Tom Nook. His apologies were never sincere, but this time was different.

In the morning, all the villagers opened their inboxes to find letters and gifts from Marshal. They were overwhelmed with happiness and love. Marshal’s letters and thoughtful gifts were filled with truth. He asked for forgiveness and decided to treat others the way he would want to be treated.

Then that fateful night... first snow fall of the season. A tear fell from Marshal’s face as he peered through the window.


----------



## glow (Jan 31, 2021)

Spoiler: The 13th Resident. (this was way longer than i intended, I'M SORRY)



Adenville.
Population 12.
Elevation 3,000.

The snow fell in soundless rhythms. It added a coat to yesterday's layer and was no subtle reminder to Cain for what time of year it was again.

The days all blurred together now. When you live and drink the same every day, what's the need to call it Thursday? The time in his life when he counted and named his days weren't missed. The Mondays that dragged you to your schedule, during which you tallied the week every day until Friday afternoon, and the only days you didn't count were Saturday and Sunday. Time evaded him now. He had to count the Christmases to remember. He'd lived alone for four years.

Cain seldomly needed to go into the city. Largely, the ranch sustained him. The forest surrounded him with resources. He wasn't without thanks. He tended to a small couple patches of potatoes, tomatoes and carrots, and for each tree he fell, he planted another. Except during the winter.

He didn’t always hate winter. Olivia was in love with winter, and would fill with childlike wonder during the first snowfall. Cain had liked the season alright, but when he saw how her eyes lit up, he fell in love too. 

But winters in the forest were barren, desolate. His first winter in the cabin had taught him what it really meant to live out on your own, what survival meant, what it cost.

The snow was his bane. The endless shoveling. Funny thing, how soft and light it appears though the weight of it wants to crush you whole. 

That first winter he had underestimated the amount of wood he needed. He nearly underestimated all the supplies he needed, but the wood was the thing that nearly damned him. Going out of the cabin to fetch wood meant shoveling, and shoveling when you have no wood for the furnace meant you didn’t eat until you’ve dug yourself well enough out.
And sweating in a snowstorm felt like swimming with clothes on, if you were wearing three layers beneath a thick winter coat. 

He didn't make that mistake again. Now, he knew about how much was needed to last, and built a stockpile ahead of time, starting the next summer. 

The only times entering the city was necessary was for oil and propane. There were a handful of other things, razors, and other products, but he bought enough in bulk that it didn't need to be a regular trip. Six months was usually the right frequency but if he planned well enough he could make it for maybe even a year. 

Today was one of those days. Knowing that, he started his morning early. He checked to see the time, and seeing the clock he realized there wasn't time to waste. He always went right when the store opened its doors at 6:30AM. Al, the shopkeep, was ever the early bird, or more like a rooster in terms of his personality. 

It was about a half an hour trip. The drive was easily the most painless part of making way to the town. Something about listening to music on winding roads made them sound like you hadn't heard them before. He'd been on a lot of road trips with Olivia, and the memories stayed with him clearly, though something was foreign about them. He could have seen glimpses of her sitting in the passenger seat next to him, but he knew his vision was lying.

He put his thoughts away and kept his attention toward his surroundings. He knew he was a few minutes out, as he'd just passed the Adenville sign. He always found humor driving by that sign. 

Adenville.
Population 12.
Elevation 3,000.

Most of the town thought he was long gone. That was his intention. But this town was a piece of her. And though he couldn't stay in it, he couldn't really leave either.

*. . . *

After being surrounded by the wood of the furniture in his cabin, of the trees, and even the cabin itself, his eyes welcomed the bright hues of the market. Before people arrived, shops weren't so unbearable. It's different in a small city. Everyone knows everyone too well, and it becomes a center for run-ins, and in Cain’s case, they were always unwanted.

“Cain? It's been a while. A long while.”

“Hey Al,” Cain nodded.

Al’s presence was oddly a comfort, despite his thickened beard and large frame. His brows were always slightly furrowed, even when he smiled toward Cain.

When Cain finished up his list, he was nearing goodbyes with Al until Al spoke softly, and it was strange to hear that from Al these days,

"I've got news, Cain." 

"What's that?"

"Cain, you remember Emma, yes?" His daughter.

"Yes."

"See. Emma's doing well. She's had a baby. She was trying for some time, and it's no small deal. She's going back to work soon, and you know her husband didn't get any leave at all. She needs help. It wasn't easy, the labor was a scare. It was a slow recovery for her. Not been easy at all for us all. Her or her husband, or the wife and me. We've got a lot between us all. I wish I could have spoken with you sooner. But it's been awhile."

It was strange to see Al explain himself so much.

"Is the baby sick?"

"No, no. The baby is healthy, a girl. Her name is Bailey. She's got Emma's eyes."

"This sounds like good news."

"It is. But Cain, look. It's like I've said. She needs help. This is the part that's complicated. I've got to sell the shop,"

"Oh." 

"We're moving to Vandermin. To help with the baby."

"Right, well, that makes good sense."

"You'll be alright, Cain. I'm sure."

“Yes, you and Emma too. And Bailey and all. I wouldn’t say it, but if I did, I’d say I’d miss you.”

Al let a hearty laugh out. It ended in a sigh.

“Cain. I’m glad to see you. I’ve been waiting for you to come in and, you know, I’ve been carrying this with me daily, and it’s heavy, in more ways than one. I never knew why ‘Liv thought I’d be able to tell.”

“What?”

Al reached into his coat and held an envelope with two of his fingers. He looked Cain in the eye and extended it to him.

“‘Liv asked for me to give this to you when you were “ready”. And believe me, she had no straight answer for what that meant. She said I’d know when the best time was. Well, I never did. But now that we’re moving, I guess that turned into now. I don’t know what it says. But Cain, promise me something.”

Cain didn’t move his eyes off the letter. He suddenly felt full of sand, heavy and lopsided. When his arm moved out, the sand moved with it, sliding back toward his joint. 

“Sure, Al.”

“Take care of yourself.”

“Sure. You and yours, too. Alright?”

“Yes.”

Cain thanked him and said goodbye.

*. . .*

The drive home was instinctual. His mind whirred faster than the blur of white and green that he drove through. His chest felt hollowed out, and he felt like he swallowed a cigarette whole.

*. . .  *

Ready? The word was without meaning to him. He never was ready for her to leave this Earth without him. On that day he told himself that he died too, and he believed it, and it was true that a piece of him never left that hospital room.

He leveled himself with the table and the chair wobbled under his weight. He stared at its weathered and chipped mahogany. 

The envelope had only his name on its face in small print. He sat at odds with it. But there was no “ready”, no “right time”, there was only now.

He held it carefully before opening the seal. The sight of her handwriting alone was tugging at something in his gut already. Cain took a breath. Held it.

And let it go.

The letter read:

“Cain,

I have written this letter again and again, and it's always about halfway through that I realize I'm rambling again and throw it out. I decided this is the last attempt, and if I do ramble about how I'm thoroughly convinced the apple sauce here is baby food or how Nurse Betty sticks needles in me like I'm a pincushion -- then, well, you get what you get. But here goes.

If I know you, and I think I do alright, you're holed up somewhere and you've convinced yourself you're doing well and fine enough on your own. I hope that is not true, and I've said the words out to you but they've always gone past you. 

I've asked old Al a favor, to check in with you from time to time, and I know you're fond of him enough to not mind any of his harping. I know you wouldn't hear it from me now, and I get that. I really do. And you might not hear it even from him. I don't know. But there will be a point, where it won't be so bad anymore, and I hope that it's not far off. But that is when I need you to let me rest. I don't know if I've said what I mean to say in this. I just don't want you to fall so deep in yourself that you can't get out again.

You've got to get out of where you've dug yourself in, and fast, if not for yourself then for me. I don't want to leave you here with yourself, I don't want it to be so bad all the time while you've convinced yourself you don't need anyone or anything anymore. I don't want to be what pains you for your whole life, the idea of that hurts beyond anything that's happening now. 

I need you to live your life, Cain. Beyond just surviving the day. Can you do that for me?

I love you. Always. 

Olivia”


----------



## Dio (Jan 31, 2021)

*The Tolling of the Bells*

Deep breaths. My hands trembled as I inserted the key within the lock, its mountainous grooves pushing against the pin tumblers, compressing each spring one by one. My heart slowed as the key finally gave way, turning and thus unlocking a new chapter in my future. At last the door opened, and I stood in the living room of one of only ten residences in the area. Closing the door behind me, the weightlessness in my legs suddenly began to be consumed by the sudden onslaught of gravity, forcing my knees downwards, only to be countered by a forceful explosion off of the floor. “I did it!” I exclaimed. “Morioh. I live in Morioh!” Blood began to recede away from my face as I began to settle into my new reality.

I reached into my pocket, grasping a handful of bells that filled its contents. Earlier that day, Tom Nook had given me this house under the promise that I pay him back not in dollars, yen, pounds, or pesos, but bells. I didn’t bother to ask the reason why residents paid with bells, or why these bells had any worth at all, as it didn’t change that living in this tropical paradise was a bargain.

Finally making my first steps outside of my “honestly, I can’t believe I’m saying this, oh my god it’s really true” home, I spotted one of the island inhabitants skipping around in her front yard. I approached my new neighbor, when she suddenly came to a stop. It finally dawned on me that where her eyes were supposed to be, was an empty abyss. Her mouth was of a similar, unending darkness. But nonetheless, she knew that I was there. I broke the awkward silence, stuttering an even more awkward, “Hi, my…my name is Hououin. W-What’s yours?” The emptiness in her lifeless eye sockets started to pull me in, only to be interrupted by the timid whisper of “Coco.” She turned back and hurried away dodging every obstacle in her path so perfectly and in defiance of the fact that she was blind. It was clear that she memorized the area around the island. Perhaps she was just shy.

I recoiled back to the confines of my new island home, still recovering from the turbulent flight earlier that day. Nightfall comes, and I lazily opened my eyes, hearing what I can only describe as the faint ringing of bells from outside the window. Eager to investigate, I hesitantly peered my head out of the door and see the back of Coco as it hurried across the bridge. I chased after her hoping to make a better introduction, but this attempt was ill fated as she had quickly disappeared into the night.

Nearly about to give up tailing my new reclusive neighbor, I ran into a ghostly apparition who quickly dispersed into other smaller apparitions. Oddly enough, I wasn’t taken aback by the fact that I had just met a ghost as I should have been. Perhaps it was because they gave a kind aura, but slightly sad. The ghost informed me that their name was Wisp. I then found myself on a quest to gather the fragments of its spirit that had scattered itself across the island upon my sudden intrusion.

Somehow, I later found myself in my bed, waking up to my first full day on Morioh. I decided that it was time to fraternize with some of my other neighbors. I started with the first house directly adjacent to mines, and meet with a lively, chipper goat named Chevre. She was happy enough to invite me in for tea, but it wasn’t long before I realized that her excited spurts of “Do come in” and “It’s so lovely to meet you” were feigned. She had kept glancing longingly at the photo above her bed, where a goat clad in black fur, rather than her white coat, smiled down at her. Between sips of tea, I caught a glimpse of sadness in her eyes.

Asking her if anything was wrong, I was presented a tale of her goatly friend, Nan. Nan had lived in my house just prior to when I had arrived, only to leave without even a goodbye, thus explaining that inescapable melancholy that Chevre exuded. They were soulmates, friends forever. I sip my tea, looking up at the photo of her recently deserting friend, when I saw what looked to be the reflection of Coco gazing through the window. I glance back but Coco isn’t there. Must have been seeing things. Chevre apologizes for ruining the mood and bids me farewell.

Night comes and I search for Wisp. I ran in search of my new ghostly friend, but try as I might Wisp isn’t there. No ringing of bells, nothing.

Night after night, I searched for Wisp, but Wisp is still yet to be found. Perhaps I dreamt the whole thing. I chuckled at the absurdity of looking for a ghost. I must have still been jetlagged earlier that day from the flight.

A little over a week passes by and I am finally done setting up my new home. I decide that I might pay Chevre a visit once again and see if she still needs cheering up. As I rounded the fence, I spotted Coco peering through Chevre’s window. I raised by hand as if to say hi, only to be embarrassed that I had forgotten that she can’t see me. Nonetheless, the quiet jingle of bells alerted Coco to my presence who then hurried away.

“One day, I’m sure we’ll be friends,” I thought to myself, as I slowly knocked on Chevre’s door. She opens it, greeting me with that same chipper character, only less chipper. She wasn’t trying as hard to hide her sadness this time. She was even more distraught as her old friend hadn’t tried to contact her. I comfort her and pondered the possibility that Nan wasn’t good at goodbyes and that she perhaps would contact her when she was ready. Chevre gave a slight smile and thanked me for my company. Glancing at the scattered mail, I glimpse an envelope stamped in red block letters…OVERDUE. She must be low on bells.

Night falls and suddenly I hear the slow ringing of bells. I rush out the door, eager to find Wisp. Once again, I saw the back of Coco hurrying across the bridge. Once again, I chase after her. And once again she disappears.

Alas, I spot my ghostly friend, only to startle Wisp into a scattering of glowing pieces of spirit. I apologize as I have already startled Wisp once before and should have known better. Wisp responded to the quip confused and doesn’t recall the event.

Regardless, it was up to me to fix this mess. Four spirit fragments later. One left to go. Searching the island, I see a soft glow through Chevre’s window. Going over to knock, I realize that the door was left ajar. I call to Chevre. Nothing. I call again only to be answered with repeated silence. I go in, concluding that I’ll just apologize later as Wisp needed the rest of their soul.

The next morning I check on Chevre. One knock. No answer. Two knocks. None. Peering through the window, I see an empty room. Its then that I see a “For Sale” sign, out of the corner of my eye. It dawned on me. Chevre had moved. Saddened by this, I decided that shouldn’t deter myself from befriending the other island residents.

I made my way to Roost’s Café where I meet an elderly villager named Dobie, sipping his coffee as he read the Sunday Times. I exchange pleasantries and bring up Chevre. He seems surprised that she moved without saying goodbye and says that she must have been saddened as Nan had did the same. Later, I bring up Coco and how she had been avoiding me. I asked if he would be able to introduce me as I feared that I hadn’t made the best impression. He looks at me in confusion. I repeat Coco’s name but his face draws a blank. Perhaps she was just the shy type.

I decide to bring him along so that we could both befriend Coco. She must have wanted friends. After all, it seemed she lived alone, and it is likely that she is lonely.

Finally at the house, I knock. Dobie takes me by the arm and reveals that no one has lived there for years. Tom Nook had forbidden anyone from staying there ever since its blind resident had died. It was then that Tom Nook had grown infatuated with bells, even turning it into Morioh’s official currency.

Legend has it that its resident wasn’t born blind and that she only went blind after selling her soul. Eyes are the window into one’s soul and thus she had lost hers. The story goes on to say that she wanders the island in search of a soul to replace that of hers. As a result, Tom asked that everyone always carry bells on their person. The jingle of the bells were said to ward off evil spirits, such as that blind resident. But absent of it, and you may hear a different type of bell, to some called the corpse bell, and to others, the death knell.


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## Fye (Jan 31, 2021)

Spoiler: story time



Ruby the moon rabbit was born to be a star. It’s not a goal – it’s a lifestyle. And this lifestyle continues even in the dead of winter. She starts her days before the sun at 7 AM sharp when she hops out of bed to stretch out her arms, legs, and ears before downing her morning coffee. And with that she hops on out the door with a pep in her step, ready to bring pop to the island of Nara!

Rudy lives right next to the museum so the first superfan she visits every morning is Blathers – the local professor of all things fish, bugs, rocks, you name it! Being an owl, Blathers can usually be found dozing off during the day so Ruby gives him a hand by greeting him with her pop star megaphone every morning to make sure he’s ready for any guests that may come in.

But Blathers isn’t Ruby’s only superfan on the island, so leaving the museum Ruby heads south to Nara’s booming downtown shopping area. She starts off with Tom Nook and Isabelle, the only ones in the island who wake up earlier than Ruby herself. After giving them her peppiest greeting, she heads on over to the Nook twins who catch her up on the hottest items of the day, then the Able sisters where she offers exclusive modeling for their newest designs fresh off the sewing machine.

This pop star is a bunny of the people, so after she’s done visiting the fine establishments downtown Ruby makes personal visits to all the houses on the island. She starts off with Fauna the deer, who is a morning person herself and is an avid reader. Ruby keeps her up to date on the latest trends, and Fauna lends her the best sellers of the week to keep her in the know. Then she heads on over to Rory the lion’s house where they exchange exercise tips. Rory teacher her how to get a six pack in her vocal cords, and Ruby helps him work-out choreograph dances for all his favorite songs.

After working up an appetite she heads over to visit Eric the moose – Nara’s local foodie. There she has lunch with him and Deirdre, who comes over every day to experiment with new cuisines every day. Just after lunch is Ruby’s only slow time in the day, and she spends it lounging with Diana the deer and Timbra the sheep, the snootiest residents of the island that teach Ruby about the elegance and grace that a diva must possess, and how to live with the luxury that comes with being a pop star.

Lounging in luxury can’t be rushed, so by the time Ruby leaves it’s usually already evening and Ruby to catch the latest episode of Maglevs in Love at her buddy and fellow soap opera enthusiast Raymond's house. By the time they're done squealing and recreating each scene for practice, she heads home and falls immediately asleep after a long day of being Nara's number one pop star.


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## Equity (Jan 31, 2021)

Spoiler: The Winter Moth



*The Winter Moth*
On a mild winter night, dozens of adult winter moths hatched from their cocoons. Slowly tearing her way out of her protective capsule, one female winter moth also emerged alongside her comrades. Contrary to her wood brown male counterparts, she was wingless. Her small body wrapped around a thin layer of light grey fur was sprinkled with dim grey blemishes. She had been one of the few lucky survivors of her colony. Observing her surroundings, she witnessed how less than a third of her siblings emerged alongside her. This was nothing strange, as her remaining siblings had been infected by a parasitic fly – they had unknowingly ingested the parasites during their larval stage. Once it was time for the winter moth caterpillars to spin their cocoons, the opportunistic parasite began to grow inside their host, killing them in the process. But this would be another story for another time.

Alas, she had blossomed into a refined young adult and it was now her duty to bear children. As she hastily climbed her way up the young red oak tree alongside her female comrades, she emitted a sweet scent in hopes to attract her fated one. After several minutes, numerous males began to swarm around the group of females. Among the various males, she spotted one moth which stood out from the crowd. His coating was that a burnt umber shade, thus making him appear more reddish than his peers. Upon meeting his gaze, she noticed him swiftly heading towards her direction. One look was all it took for them to realize they were destined partners. And just like that, they began copulating. Once they had finished, the early hours had turned into dawn. 

Suddenly, a little passerine bird swooped down on a lone female moth which was still looking for a mate. The small bird had a cobalt blue crown and a light grey forehead. Its entire breast region was painted in bright yellow and some white plumage could be seen on its lower abdomen area. A light moss green mantle with yellow and blue grey undertones gracefully covered its back, and its wings were coated with steel blue feathers. On its soft ivory face, a midnight blue line extended from its nape all the way to its jet black eyes until it met its beak. It was a blue ***. One blow from this avian predator would inflict a fatal wound from which she would never recover. 

Although the blue *** was targeting her siblings, she knew she would soon be next. Her eyes darted around frantically as she searched for a refuge. Upon spotting a fissure in the tree trunk, she swiftly rushed towards it. In matters of seconds, she managed to sneak into the crack in time, but it was a narrow escape. Unable to reach into her shelter, the predator quickly gave up and moved onto easier preys. Just as she was finally able to take a breather, she felt a sharp pain stinging her lower body. She did not realize she had lost one of her back legs in the incident. However, her motherly instincts kept her from abandoning the journey.

* * *​
Several hours had passed and sensing that the danger was no more, she painfully dragged her body out of her hiding place. Looking back and forth, she noticed that many of her peers remained nearby and had begun climbing further up the oak tree. She quickly followed along, but an incoming storm had now produced strong gusts that were sweeping across the area. If it were for her children, she would brave a storm for them. As the storm grew stronger, they regrouped to shield themselves from the winds and continued climbing up the tree together. She had managed to sneak in the center of the swarm. But a strong gust blew across the right side of their group and swept away half of the group. 

The remaining ones proceeded with their journey. However, as they continued upward, the tree trunk abruptly changed colour to ivory white. They paid little attention to this change and continued forward. Once they stepped on this part of the trunk, something strange began to occur. Underneath their legs, the trunk felt sticky. No matter how hard they tried to free themselves from this gluey texture, they were unable to do so. They were stuck. And so they had no choice but to lay their eggs there.

Who would have thought that this white sticky part was actually a man-made band that had been purposefully wrapped around the trunk to trap them? The band would be disposed of once the mating season was over. 

* * *​
She was among the ones who got swept away. She twirled and twirled in various directions as the winds grew more powerful. Confused by this turn of event, she wriggled her legs back and forth trying to hold on to any solid object, but she was unable to do so. Just as she was about to resign to her fate, she landed on a bush: it was a wild lowbush blueberry shrub. Low on energy, she slowly inspected the blueberry plant. Although this plant differed from her usual diet, she decided to settle with this bush, as she had little time left. She laid her eggs one by one and after several hours, she was finished.

As she drew her last breath, she whispered to her dear ones, “Sleep well, my children.” Her eyelids grew heavier as she gradually closed her eyes, never to be awoken again. Drained from all energy and having performed her duty, her body plummeted down the bush and dropped onto the cold and compacted soil. Her lifeless body remained motionless as the storm grew stronger.
Such was the life of the winter moth.





Spoiler: Background to the story



It took inspiration from a moth active during wintertime (November to January): the winter moth (_Operophtera brumata_). It's considered an invasive species (a pest) in North America, and I wanted to write a story from the perspective of the moth (a tale of survival).


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## xSuperMario64x (Jan 31, 2021)

here's mine!

It’s Christmas Eve, and Daniel had finally finished preparing tomorrow’s festivities and wrapping gifts for his friends. As the mayor of Boston he had a great responsibility, though he always seemed to find pride and joy in his work. Though he preferred to work alone, during the holidays he sought the help of his friends Cole, Willow, Leopold and Filbert to help him plan and organize events. They had finally perfected their work, and Daniel seized the opportunity to partake in one of his favorite pastimes.

“Hey! Whatcha waiting at the train station for? Expecting someone?” Cole always had an abundant aura of curiosity about him, and it was no less projected at his closest friend.

“Oh, hi Cole.” Daniel quickly glanced over his shoulder. “No, I am taking a trip and waiting for the next train to arrive.”

“Cool! Where are you traveling to?”

“Not anywhere in particular”

Cole looked with a perplexed expression. Leaving on a train with no destination? How odd… Cole wasn’t one to ask questions, but on this occasion his curiosity piqued him.

“That’s strange?”

Daniel sighed lightly. “Well, when I was a young boy, my parents and I would always take the train everywhere we went. I always enjoyed watching the trees and hill roll along outside the window. I figured I could enjoy some more rail time. I can’t be with my parents this Christmas but I’ll at least allow myself the occasion of enjoying a simple pastime in their memory.”

“That seems nice. Can I go along with you?”

Cole was Daniel’s closest friend in the small village of Boston, and he couldn’t see to it that he be turned down.

“Of course.”

A few minutes later, the train arrived and they both boarded. The inside of the train had bench seats and tables, decorated with plain green cloth cushions and stained wood. They spent their time watching out the window at the gorgeous, snow-covered trees and plains, as well as reminiscing about their life in Boston.

Daniel found the space to let out his frustrations regarding his position as mayor of the village. He always felt that he wasn’t taken as seriously as he should have been. Being a quiet seventeen-year-old of a lone-wolf nature likely didn’t help his position, yet he still felt as if his secretary was too overbearing, almost over-protective of him. Nonetheless, he was grateful for his position as it allowed him the opportunity to connect with all his animal neighbors and form close friendships with them.

For a brief moment, as they sat in silence, a young lady of about sixteen years caught Daniel’s eye. She seemed to be quite upset and lonely; her eyes were filled with regret and remorse. He did not favor intruding in others’ personal space, but he felt the need to say something.

“Cole, would you excuse me for a second?” Cole was almost oblivious to Daniel’s words, mesmerized by the shifting silvery landscape through the window.

Daniel walked down the aisle, towards the young lady, and seated himself across from her.

“Pardon me, I couldn’t help but notice that you look immensely upset. Would you like to chat?”

“No, I don’t feel like talking…” The girl was seemingly unable to lift her teary eyes from her hands.

“Oh, I’m sorry I asked.” Daniel became somewhat anxious; making a mistake outside of his comfort zone was beyond his reasoning.

“No, it’s okay. It feels nice to know that someone cares about me…” The girl wiped her eyes across her arms and picked herself up a bit.

“What do you mean?” Daniel asked in all honesty.

“Well… to be honest, I ran away from home because I felt like I didn’t belong…” A tear rolled down her cheek. “…and I feel so bad about it that I… I…”

She started to sob, and brought her hands back up to cover her face. Daniel too her hands in his and asked again what was the matter. He had become even more anxious in attempting to sympathize with a girl he barely knew, though he still felt an obligation to hear her out.

The young lady came from a family of emotional instability. Only a year ago she had lost her father in an accident, and her mother took the news poorly. She had become highly emotionally and physically demanding, too much for the young lady to bear. She ran away from home, though now she felt as if running away was a selfish move. She had nothing left but to wallow in her self-pity. Daniel was speechless.

“I’m… so sorry to hear about that.” He tried to find a diversion, hoping she could feel better. “I’m sorry, I never got your name.”

“Oh, where are my manners. I’m Amelia. And yours?”

“Daniel.”

She looked up, a little less saddened. “Well, it’s very nice to meet you.” Daniel could finally see her eyes, void of tears. They were as deep and vibrant as the ocean, yet they still held a hint of melancholy.

“How do you feed?” Daniel asked.

She took a handkerchief from her shirt pocket, patted her face, and gave a faint smile. “To be honest, I feel better now that I have someone to talk to.” She made eye contact for a brief moment and quickly turned away, though still smiling.

“It’s my pleasure.”

They sat in silence for a moment. Daniel glanced out the window again, and broke the silence yet again.

“Have you ever looked out the window, watching the trees and hills roll by?”

Amelia looked up and turned towards the window. Outside there were tall cedar trees covered in a thin blanket of snow and ice, contrasted by the smoky blue mountains in the distance. They reminded her of her father. She began to tear-up again but held back her tears.

“Nature’s beautiful. I’d like to find a day when I can just go to a park, let my mind wander and just… enjoy life.”

Daniel suddenly had an idea.

“Is there anywhere, specifically, that you are travelling to?”

“No, not really. I got on the train to get away from it all, not knowing where I’m bound.”

Daniel smiled. “Well, we must be two birds of a feather because I’m on for the very same reason.” He shifted in his seat for a moment, and asked, “And I was wondering if, maybe, when this train stops, we could get off and go enjoy life.”

Amelia hesitated, but before she could say anything he quickly responded, “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.” His heart started racing. ‘What are you doing?’ he thought to himself. He was greatly anxious, yet he continued to carry out his obligation.

She looked up and smiled. “Okay, I’ll go with you.”

“I’m glad.”

They continued to look out the window. The sun had started to set, and the peeking moonlight shimmered across the fresh snow.

Later, the train stopped, and they all got off. Cole was initially confused as to why they had gotten off, but he quickly began to distract himself by making snow angels in the deepest pile of snow he could find.

Daniel nudged Amelia’s shoulder. “There’s a nice wooded path not too far from here.”

As they both walked towards the bath, the spoke without words. Amelia felt happier than ever before. The path ahead was stunning in the moonlight. The trees were coated with a thin layer of snow on each individual branch, and decorated with colorful Christmas lights. She enjoyed the silence but she desired to learn more about Daniel. He seemed to be of the interesting type.

“So what do you usually do with your time?”

“Actually, I’m the mayor of a village.”

She couldn’t believe it. A mayor? It was an honor, yet it seemed so strange…

“Wow! I bet that’s a tough job.”

Daniel shrugged, tucking his hands into his vest pockets. “Well, my secretary likes to ‘dumb it down’ a bit for me. You’d think I would have a bigger responsibility. But, what more could I expect from a village full of animals…”

Amelia didn’t respond. Daniel sighed.

“I try not to complain. Successful people don’t complain; I have to remind myself sometimes.”

“Do you at least enjoy your life?”

“But of course! Everybody loves me, and I love them in return. Even if they do act childish sometimes.”

“Must be nice…” He could see a look of sorrow, once again, in her eyes, but he did not want to impose.

“I’m sorry if that sounded self-centered.”

“No, you’re fine.” She looked down at the pathway. “I feel a very positive vibe walking here with you. You seem like a nice, respectable person.”

They continued to walk. Daniel could feel the anxiety drifting away.

Amelia glanced towards his side of the path. “You know, I’ve only known you since earlier, and yet I feel like I’ve known you for years.” She looked away again. “But I bet you get that a lot, being a mayor and all.”

“To be frank, I don’t hear praise as much as you might think.”

“Well a nice compliment once in a while is the best thing a friend can do.”

She thought for a second. “What about your little friend back there?”

“Cole? Oh, yeah. He is one of my closest friends. He and Willow are always nice to me, and they never call upon me to do selfless things they could do themselves.”

“That’s what friends are for. They keep each other company…”

“…and they support each other…”

“…and they always offer a shoulder to lean on…”

Amelia leaned towards him, but he hesitated a bit and shuffled away. Still yet, he took her hand. He was speechless. Did he have any kind of feelings for her? It was hard telling, but he whole-heartedly agreed with her. It did seem as if they had known each other for years. They continued to walk down the shimmery path, watching the lights twinkle between the tree branches. They had found peace.

	Post automatically merged: Jan 31, 2021

here's mine!

It’s Christmas Eve, and Daniel had finally finished preparing tomorrow’s festivities and wrapping gifts for his friends. As the mayor of Boston he had a great responsibility, though he always seemed to find pride and joy in his work. Though he preferred to work alone, during the holidays he sought the help of his friends Cole, Willow, Leopold and Filbert to help him plan and organize events. They had finally perfected their work, and Daniel seized the opportunity to partake in one of his favorite pastimes.

“Hey! Whatcha waiting at the train station for? Expecting someone?” Cole always had an abundant aura of curiosity about him, and it was no less projected at his closest friend.

“Oh, hi Cole.” Daniel quickly glanced over his shoulder. “No, I am taking a trip and waiting for the next train to arrive.”

“Cool! Where are you traveling to?”

“Not anywhere in particular”

Cole looked with a perplexed expression. Leaving on a train with no destination? How odd… Cole wasn’t one to ask questions, but on this occasion his curiosity piqued him.

“That’s strange?”

Daniel sighed lightly. “Well, when I was a young boy, my parents and I would always take the train everywhere we went. I always enjoyed watching the trees and hill roll along outside the window. I figured I could enjoy some more rail time. I can’t be with my parents this Christmas but I’ll at least allow myself the occasion of enjoying a simple pastime in their memory.”

“That seems nice. Can I go along with you?”

Cole was Daniel’s closest friend in the small village of Boston, and he couldn’t see to it that he be turned down.

“Of course.”

A few minutes later, the train arrived and they both boarded. The inside of the train had bench seats and tables, decorated with plain green cloth cushions and stained wood. They spent their time watching out the window at the gorgeous, snow-covered trees and plains, as well as reminiscing about their life in Boston.

Daniel found the space to let out his frustrations regarding his position as mayor of the village. He always felt that he wasn’t taken as seriously as he should have been. Being a quiet seventeen-year-old of a lone-wolf nature likely didn’t help his position, yet he still felt as if his secretary was too overbearing, almost over-protective of him. Nonetheless, he was grateful for his position as it allowed him the opportunity to connect with all his animal neighbors and form close friendships with them.

For a brief moment, as they sat in silence, a young lady of about sixteen years caught Daniel’s eye. She seemed to be quite upset and lonely; her eyes were filled with regret and remorse. He did not favor intruding in others’ personal space, but he felt the need to say something.

“Cole, would you excuse me for a second?” Cole was almost oblivious to Daniel’s words, mesmerized by the shifting silvery landscape through the window.

Daniel walked down the aisle, towards the young lady, and seated himself across from her.

“Pardon me, I couldn’t help but notice that you look immensely upset. Would you like to chat?”

“No, I don’t feel like talking…” The girl was seemingly unable to lift her teary eyes from her hands.

“Oh, I’m sorry I asked.” Daniel became somewhat anxious; making a mistake outside of his comfort zone was beyond his reasoning.

“No, it’s okay. It feels nice to know that someone cares about me…” The girl wiped her eyes across her arms and picked herself up a bit.

“What do you mean?” Daniel asked in all honesty.

“Well… to be honest, I ran away from home because I felt like I didn’t belong…” A tear rolled down her cheek. “…and I feel so bad about it that I… I…”

She started to sob, and brought her hands back up to cover her face. Daniel too her hands in his and asked again what was the matter. He had become even more anxious in attempting to sympathize with a girl he barely knew, though he still felt an obligation to hear her out.

The young lady came from a family of emotional instability. Only a year ago she had lost her father in an accident, and her mother took the news poorly. She had become highly emotionally and physically demanding, too much for the young lady to bear. She ran away from home, though now she felt as if running away was a selfish move. She had nothing left but to wallow in her self-pity. Daniel was speechless.

“I’m… so sorry to hear about that.” He tried to find a diversion, hoping she could feel better. “I’m sorry, I never got your name.”

“Oh, where are my manners. I’m Amelia. And yours?”

“Daniel.”

She looked up, a little less saddened. “Well, it’s very nice to meet you.” Daniel could finally see her eyes, void of tears. They were as deep and vibrant as the ocean, yet they still held a hint of melancholy.

“How do you feed?” Daniel asked.

She took a handkerchief from her shirt pocket, patted her face, and gave a faint smile. “To be honest, I feel better now that I have someone to talk to.” She made eye contact for a brief moment and quickly turned away, though still smiling.

“It’s my pleasure.”

They sat in silence for a moment. Daniel glanced out the window again, and broke the silence yet again.

“Have you ever looked out the window, watching the trees and hills roll by?”

Amelia looked up and turned towards the window. Outside there were tall cedar trees covered in a thin blanket of snow and ice, contrasted by the smoky blue mountains in the distance. They reminded her of her father. She began to tear-up again but held back her tears.

“Nature’s beautiful. I’d like to find a day when I can just go to a park, let my mind wander and just… enjoy life.”

Daniel suddenly had an idea.

“Is there anywhere, specifically, that you are travelling to?”

“No, not really. I got on the train to get away from it all, not knowing where I’m bound.”

Daniel smiled. “Well, we must be two birds of a feather because I’m on for the very same reason.” He shifted in his seat for a moment, and asked, “And I was wondering if, maybe, when this train stops, we could get off and go enjoy life.”

Amelia hesitated, but before she could say anything he quickly responded, “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.” His heart started racing. ‘What are you doing?’ he thought to himself. He was greatly anxious, yet he continued to carry out his obligation.

She looked up and smiled. “Okay, I’ll go with you.”

“I’m glad.”

They continued to look out the window. The sun had started to set, and the peeking moonlight shimmered across the fresh snow.

Later, the train stopped, and they all got off. Cole was initially confused as to why they had gotten off, but he quickly began to distract himself by making snow angels in the deepest pile of snow he could find.

Daniel nudged Amelia’s shoulder. “There’s a nice wooded path not too far from here.”

As they both walked towards the bath, the spoke without words. Amelia felt happier than ever before. The path ahead was stunning in the moonlight. The trees were coated with a thin layer of snow on each individual branch, and decorated with colorful Christmas lights. She enjoyed the silence but she desired to learn more about Daniel. He seemed to be of the interesting type.

“So what do you usually do with your time?”

“Actually, I’m the mayor of a village.”

She couldn’t believe it. A mayor? It was an honor, yet it seemed so strange…

“Wow! I bet that’s a tough job.”

Daniel shrugged, tucking his hands into his vest pockets. “Well, my secretary likes to ‘dumb it down’ a bit for me. You’d think I would have a bigger responsibility. But, what more could I expect from a village full of animals…”

Amelia didn’t respond. Daniel sighed.

“I try not to complain. Successful people don’t complain; I have to remind myself sometimes.”

“Do you at least enjoy your life?”

“But of course! Everybody loves me, and I love them in return. Even if they do act childish sometimes.”

“Must be nice…” He could see a look of sorrow, once again, in her eyes, but he did not want to impose.

“I’m sorry if that sounded self-centered.”

“No, you’re fine.” She looked down at the pathway. “I feel a very positive vibe walking here with you. You seem like a nice, respectable person.”

They continued to walk. Daniel could feel the anxiety drifting away.

Amelia glanced towards his side of the path. “You know, I’ve only known you since earlier, and yet I feel like I’ve known you for years.” She looked away again. “But I bet you get that a lot, being a mayor and all.”

“To be frank, I don’t hear praise as much as you might think.”

“Well a nice compliment once in a while is the best thing a friend can do.”

She thought for a second. “What about your little friend back there?”

“Cole? Oh, yeah. He is one of my closest friends. He and Willow are always nice to me, and they never call upon me to do selfless things they could do themselves.”

“That’s what friends are for. They keep each other company…”

“…and they support each other…”

“…and they always offer a shoulder to lean on…”

Amelia leaned towards him, but he hesitated a bit and shuffled away. Still yet, he took her hand. He was speechless. Did he have any kind of feelings for her? It was hard telling, but he whole-heartedly agreed with her. It did seem as if they had known each other for years. They continued to walk down the shimmery path, watching the lights twinkle between the tree branches. They had found peace.


----------



## Biyaya (Jan 31, 2021)

It's that time of year again. The sharp bite of the frigid winds, darkness as the sun retreats early to it's nightly grave, black chimney smoke rising from the houses that stand aloof on the empty, white winter floor. I lay idle beneath my tightly wound quilt and peer out from the ice-glazed, bedroom window beside me. Hours seem to pass while I vainly attempt sleep. Every nod is a dreamless slumber and I fight for rest, jolting awake at any stir in the landscape which stares bitterly back at me: its emphatic nothingness rivaling that of the empty pit in my chest which wells up with sorrow when my tears find my lashes and fades empty again as my mind fades into its own abyss. I feel like a shell, it's concave throat swallowing the sandy saltwater with every dying wave just to have it pulled back out again with the reminder of things lost -- of a person lost. I cannot believe how long the days feel while simultaneously how short the year has been. I feel as if I haven't left this room. Another hour passes to no avail of dreamy rest. I inch slowly from my hiding place, letting the cold air claim my body in increments before completely rousing from my quilt.

It's almost New Years, and I still haven't sent my folks a Toy Day gift... I need to do this. I've put it off too long already.

I peek up at a simple wall clock. The hands point to 3:38 PM, but I know it's still an hour off from the end of last daylight savings.

I walk slowly, considering my next move, to a chair in the corner of the room. Off of it, I grab a semi-clean sweater and pull it over my head, then I switch from my pajamas bottoms to a pair of worn joggers. Fastening a scarf around my collar, I make my way down the short hallway to the door before slipping into some tall, black snow boots and stepping into the miniature tundra outside.

First things first: let's get a gift.

I start trudging through the unpaved white until meeting the shallow muddied path to the town's recycle shop. Girlish pink paint cover the exterior walls, cyan shingles line the roof, a specials board is propped beside the magenta door with it's customized heart-shaped window in tow, and above that door is a round, wooden sign, finished with a light stain and the name "RE-TAIL" etched in darkly -- its R resembling an alpaca and painted in red. I walk around a small, unassuming pond and make my way through the door, where I am greeted by a lady-like alpaca with a naturally pink coat, clothed in a red apron. Her sweet smile hurts like a cavity in the face of my depressive state. I reciprocate the smile with my own attempt and hope it is convincing enough.

The walls are the same shade of pink as the exterior, and there are four cyan, wooden show stands displaying gently used clothing and furniture. In the back corner of the shop is another alpaca, cyan and burly with freckles, napping at a work table sprawled with tools. He doesn't seem to notice the bell jangling as I come through the door.

"What can I help you with today?" the pink alpaca warmly inquires.

"I need a gift for my mom. I was hoping for something personable though, you know? I didn't want to just buy anything from T&T."

"Oo! A birthday?" beams the lady.

"I- uh, yeah," I stammer.

"Well, we have a few items I don't think I've seen at the Emporium before. What does your mother like?"

"Uhm... Turquoise?"

Serenely, she pauses a moment to ponder. "We'll figure something out..."

"-- CYRUS!" she erupts.

The other alpaca jolts awake in a panic until he sees us standing mildly at the front of the store.

"Yes, Reese?" answers Cyrus breathlessly as he begins to regain composure.

"Do we have any turquoise?" she entreats.

I attempt to correct her that I meant the color, not the stone, but by the time I can get a word in between them, they've already determined to make a gem-embossed vanity. 

I don't think she needs this, but I don't really know what else to get her, and she's going to think I forgot about her if I don't send something soon. I really should write more often...

"Alright! My Cy-Guy is going to get it all fixed up for you!" exclaims Reese in a singsong way.

"Leave it to me! Come back in an hour, and it'll be ready," Cyrus smiles proudly.

After leaving, I huddle up in my sweater and scarf and head to a nearby park. I traverse a long way south to the closest bridge. 

I don't understand why the mayor built the bridge so far out of the way, I sigh. Everything has been going down hill since Isabelle left us...

After another long walk back north, I come upon a deserted playground. Benches are piled in white fluff, icicles hang from the street light and an emptied fountain is filled with heaping powder. I brush the snow off a bench with my forearm and take a seat. I look around and see the jungle gym, unstable from neglect. I think about how cubs and joeys used to play here all the time, but even longstanding residents have moved on from town.

Maybe I should go too... I'm sure my folks would let me come stay for a while.

I stare upon the empty canvas floor beyond the park, and the salty waves begin to crash into my cold shell again. By the time I come to, my hands are frigid and stiff from the open air and the sky has darkened, setting the park light on.

I pull out a half-written holiday postcard. It's addressed to my mom and comes with a matching festive wrapping paper. After contemplation, I decide against telling her I'm returning home, sign the card and fold it back into my pocket. 

Maybe next time.

I pick myself up and head back for my commission at the recycle shop.

As I return to Re-Tail, I see a smooth, blue vanity adorned with lustrous turquoise beams and accents. The knobs are pure, carved turquoise stones, and the mirror appears clearly new.

Cyrus waves me down from his worktable with a cheerful, bucktoothed grin.

"Hey, squirt! It's all done."

"Hey. Thanks!"

"Alright. Now for the payment of..." he puts a hoof to his chin and murmurs some mental arithmetic to himself before finishing: "... ten grand."

Cold sweat begins slipping from my pores. My hands are clams. "Wait -- what?"

"You mean, Reese didn't tell you the price?" he queries, mouth agape.

Silence.

"I can do two for now..." I offer.

Cyrus is visibly irritated, whether with Reese or myself, I cannot tell. He huffs and agrees, and we make the exchange. From the table, we meticulously wrap the gift and attach the postcard.

I slip the vanity into my pocket and head for the post office.

Crossing the poorly placed bridge and a set of train tracks, I find my way to Main Street. Among a row of buildings, the first being the post office.

As I enter the building, I recognize the clerk behind the desk with her bright red lipstick and heavy, blue eyeshadow. Her violet feathers are smoothed out with their well-manicured white tips. It's Phyllis; I don't have to fake a smile today. Another animal is already at the counter chatting with her. I assume she must be new to town -- at least relatively. I haven't seen her around before, but she has a very memorable way about her, as if I could have seen someone like her on one of those species-inclusive pop culture channels on t.v. Her nose twitches as she listens to the pink pelican's gossip. Her long, blue, polkadot ears briefly perk sideways as the door swings open and smacks the bell while I smear the snow from my boots on the welcome mat. As I approach the clerk, she side eyes me before commencing to ignore me even as I'm standing beside the bunny. I wait for her to acknowledge me for several minutes before piping up.

"I'd like to send a letter," I request, interrupting their conversation.

Phyllis looks at me without turning, excuses herself from her friend and then with overt sass, begins with me.

"Someone local or in another town?"

"I need to send something to my mom in Denver."

She takes the parcel and dips a rubber stamp in blue ink before pounding it down like a gavel onto the brown paper.

"So, another town." 

She tosses my package carelessly into a pile of blue-stamped letters behind the desk.

"That'll be 200 bells."

As I begin to rummage through my pockets for change, the bunny starts again: 

"Speaking of family... How's your sister doing?"

I startle before realizing she's not talking to me.

"She's fine. Still pining over the delivery boy," the pelican laughs. "He's not even cute."

I place the bells on the counter, turn around and head towards the exit.

"At least she's not doing anything crazy. My sister is so impulsive; she moved to an underdeveloped island, chasing some boy. Gotta hand it to her though. When she dreams, she really goes for it!"

"I mean, I could really go for a vacation on an island," the bird retorts.

"We should go visit her sometime. Bring Pelly! I think my sis said the assistant mayor who used to live here works there now. They were friends, weren't they?"

I stop in my tracks. The door hits me on my way out. Phyllis rolls her eyes and continues chatting with her friend.

"They were."

"Marvelous! It's on an island called Palawan. I'll send you all the details later."

The gritty waves are no longer prodding at me. It's as if some perfect creature found its way at the perfect timing to discover this shell. It climbs in and fills every crevice with its warmth and life -- the perfect fit. The warmth rises to my cheeks, lifting a faint and hopeful smile. This shell is no longer tossed to and fro on the contemptuous, familiar sand. It has the capacity to traverse the full ocean, and it's determined...

I'm off to New Horizons.


----------



## Hanami (Jan 31, 2021)

The sky was gray and the air was crisp. The houses and the buildings in the horizon were blanketed with what seemed like baby powder. From her slightly open window, the falling snow smelled a bit woodsy, fresh if you will. It was difficult to express the smell, let alone the feeling even though snow falls every winter here.



She walked to her bed to retrieve her dusty blue weighted blanket and wrapped herself in it. Returning to the window, she looked out and stared blankly. A mix of vulnerability, nostalgia, and regret pierces her, but she can’t pinpoint what is making her feel this way.



She thinks back to school closings on snow days. Oh, how nice it was to stay in bed and play videogames at home. She didn’t have to worry about shoveling out snow out of her driveway and not have to think about road conditions for work.



She jumps to winter holidays. It was so pleasant to wake up for gifts and cake. To see family at home. It seemed like there was so much more time in the world. She would’ve told her grandmother how much she loved her and devoted more attention to her.



Could it be because she learned to apply makeup for the first time in the winter? She thought after winter break was the perfect time to return to school with a “glow-up”. She thought she did a good job at the time, but the baby blue eyeshadow just seemed tacky now.



Perhaps it was because she fell in love twice in the winter. The first time was full of video calls and online games together. Skype calls until 3 am in the cold morning. He was there for her when she argued with her family a lot in secondary school. But now she thought, “what if I liked him because I was lonely?” The second time, her hands were sweaty when she held his during their ice skating date. But now she thought, “what if I told him how I felt?”



Every time she looks at snow, she sees herself. It’s so plain, so bland. She’s not as insecure as she was in her days in secondary school, but she’ll occasionally pick herself apart in the mirror. Through the smudges, she sees small eyes. Sparse to no eyebrows. Ghostly pale skin.



She wonders if she had took enough risks in her life, said yes to enough hangouts, taken advantage of every possibly opportunity. Heck, her name was Daisy—the flower being so basic, simplistic, innocent, pure. But she felt like vanilla ice cream.



She lied down on her bed with her arms outstretched and her legs dangling off the edge. Fat tears ran down her ears and tickled them. She quickly shot up and used her paws to wipe off the tears on her temples and ears. She looks out the window again.


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## Chris (Feb 4, 2021)

Hi everyone,

Thank you to all 107 of you who participated in this contest! We have finished compiling the entries for the internal staff voting phase, so we are now unlocking the thread to allow discussion. Any edits you make to your entries as of this post *will not be reflected *in the version submitted for judging. 

The staff voting for this contest has two phases. The first phase is already underway: *Mairmalade* and I are in the process of reviewing all 107 of your short stories—_for the record that's a collective of 116,000 words!*_—and creating a shortlist of the entries we feel deserve further consideration. In the second phase this shortlist will be presented to the rest of the TBT staff team and all available staff members will then nominate the entries they personally feel are the best. From here the staff nominations will be tallied and all entries that receive above a certain number of nominations will go onto the public poll. In the public voting stage you, the community, will then have your say in which short story deserves to wins first place.

This contest ended up gaining a lot more interest than we expected, so it is going to take us a while to thoroughly go through all of the entries. While we cannot provide exact dates right now for when the raffle and public poll will take place, we can confirm that the public poll will not go live before February 14th. I will keep you posted if we run into any significant delays.

Now excuse me I've a lot of reading to do. 

_*Did you know that most first-time authors will only be accepted by publishers if their manuscript is between 90,000-120,000 words? Congrats, you wrote a novel between you! _


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## Valzed (Feb 4, 2021)

Thank you to both @Mairmalade & you, @Vrisnem, for all the reading you both are going to be doing. 

Thank you for keeping us up to date on the progress of the event. Thank you to all the Staff for everything they do!


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## OtakuTrash (Feb 4, 2021)

Vrisnem said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> Thank you to all 107 of you who participated in this contest! We have finished compiling the entries for the internal staff voting phase, so we are now unlocking the thread to allow discussion. Any edits you make to your entries as of this post *will not be reflected *in the version submitted for judging.
> 
> ...


Thank you so much to all the staff for making this contest, for reading over the entries, and for so much more that went into this  It was so fun to write my entry and read everyone else’s! And those prizes too  I hope I win something!


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## Imbri (Feb 4, 2021)

Thanks for organizing this. It's a lot of work, and we do appreciate it.

Best of luck to all the entrants!


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## Cosmic-chan (Feb 4, 2021)

I had fun writing my story. I liked the way it turned out. It was sad but romantic but still remained wholesome. :3 I needed the practice


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## Lt.Savior (Feb 4, 2021)

I was the first to edit my entry. I did read several times before i posted. But after posting i still discovered some spelling errors. I live in Holland so it was kinda hard. And my education level is not very high. But had fun writing it and i want to thank TBT for making this possible. 

I have to admit, i gave every story i read a like. And i wanted to read every story cause they were all so good. But then last week i did get a terrible headache for a few day's and i'm still kinda recovering. But i intent to read them all still i just need some time.


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## princess.looking.for.frog (Feb 4, 2021)

I missed the cut off by 40 mins  but its ok cant wait to read everyones!!


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## Plainbluetees (Feb 4, 2021)

Thanks for another one, staff!

It was fun to read everyone’s stories. I really liked quite a few of them!


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## Nefarious (Feb 4, 2021)

> _*Did you know that most first-time authors will only be accepted by publishers if their manuscript is between 90,000-120,000 words? Congrats, you wrote a novel between you!_


All 107 of us should totally collab and publish a novel together. 
_Imagine how wild a read that would be hahaha._

Thanks for the event staff, didn’t think I’d ever write. It was a good challenge though. ^^


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## Cosmic-chan (Feb 4, 2021)

NefariousKing said:


> All 107 of us should totally collab and publish a novel together.
> _Imagine how wild a read that would be hahaha._
> 
> Thanks for the event staff, didn’t think I’d ever write. It was a good challenge though. ^^


I'm in charge of all the gay parts thank you :^


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## Roxxy (Feb 4, 2021)

NefariousKing said:


> All 107 of us should totally collab and publish a novel together.
> _Imagine how wild a read that would be hahaha._
> 
> Thanks for the event staff, didn’t think I’d ever write. It was a good challenge though. ^^


Make that 106 as my entry is definitely participation only . Been a long time since I have written anything and fan fiction was fun and an experience  . Tysm to @Vrisnem it was a fun challenge  and @Mairmalade just ignore my entry . Can’t wait to see who makes the finals  I think  everyone has shown such talent and I have loved reading all the entries. Congratulations


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## xara (Feb 4, 2021)

thank you for another super fun event! i know it isn’t exactly over yet but i just wanted to express my thanks now. i really appreciated having something to do and while my story went an unexpected route (got me and tbt shipping sprinkle and whitney), i’m honestly really proud of it! 

i enjoyed reading everyone else’s stories, too, and good luck to the other participants!


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## daringred_ (Feb 4, 2021)

i'm just glad mine got accepted lmao, even if nobody read it. god knows i spent too long agonizing over whether or not the last part would get me disqualified.


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## Chris (Feb 4, 2021)

daringred_ said:


> i'm just glad mine got accepted lmao, even if nobody read it. god knows i spent too long agonizing over whether or not the last part would get me disqualified.


Not at all! It wasn't graphic so it was fine. The short story I wrote (but didn't have the guts to share) was worse. In it there was a fade-to-black implied adult scene and brief descriptions of war violence. So, long story short, you're good!


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## The Pennifer (Feb 4, 2021)

I don’t envy you and Mairmalade and the staff team your job! I read every single story and would be hard put to pick a winner! There were some I wish I could triple-like!  Lol  
I wanted to say thanks for this contest because a lot of the events I can’t really participate in anymore, ... but writing something about winter and Animal Crossing New Horizons was a real pleasure for me


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## Toska (Feb 4, 2021)

Thank you staff! I'm not a good writer, but it was amazing practice I desperately needed!

I haven't got to read that many, but I intend on reading more later. The ones I did read were amazing, though! This will be a tough job, for sure. Best of luck to everybody!


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## Cosmic-chan (Feb 4, 2021)

daringred_ said:


> i'm just glad mine got accepted lmao, even if nobody read it. god knows i spent too long agonizing over whether or not the last part would get me disqualified.


 Don't make me pull up my old fanfictions to show you what's graphic


----------



## oranje (Feb 4, 2021)

This contest was a lot of fun!  It's fun to have writing prompts (I'll be looking forward to more in the future!) and for me it was a nice opportunity to get my writing groove back! I enjoyed reading the stories here and I wish the best of luck to all the writers!


----------



## Corndoggy (Feb 4, 2021)

thankyou staff for this event. i admit i havent down anything creative since christmas and it was nice to unwind and write a short story, everyones entries were fantastic and im looking on voting for the winners. My suggestion to the staff: make a nice warm drink when reading to really get in the zone/.


----------



## Chris (Feb 4, 2021)

Corndoggy said:


> My suggestion to the staff: make a nice warm drink when reading to really get in the zone.


I drank seven cups of tea today.


----------



## Corndoggy (Feb 4, 2021)

Vrisnem said:


> I drank seven cups of tea today.


you are doing amazing work keep it up! cna never drink too much tea!!


----------



## Cosmic-chan (Feb 4, 2021)

Vrisnem said:


> I drank seven cups of tea today.


Okay why don't we start another Boston Tea Party so you can drink a whole ocean worth the tea


----------



## LadyDestani (Feb 4, 2021)

Vrisnem said:


> Not at all! It wasn't graphic so it was fine. The short story I wrote (but didn't have the guts to share) was worse. In it there was a fade-to-black implied adult scene and brief descriptions of war violence. So, long story short, you're good!


I would love to read your story. It sounds awesome!

Thank you again for this amazing contest. It was a great opportunity for me to get back into writing.

I still haven't had time to read everyone's stories, but I'm trying to work my way through them all. I've read so many amazing ones so far. I know the final vote is going to be a difficult one!


----------



## ``` (Feb 4, 2021)

It was exciting reading through the stories from this contest, there were so many stories that I read and enjoyed! Thanks to the staff for an awesome event, and wishing all the best to the participants of this writing contest


----------



## Aniko (Feb 5, 2021)

It was so hard to write, as someone else said, English is not my language and I never really learned it. It took me forever to write something simple. I wanted to give up every day haha! (but I made it, yeah!) I'm definitely better at reading!


----------



## SpaceTokki77 (Feb 5, 2021)

Writing my story was so, so fun! Writing is a hobby of mine, even though i’m not that great at it. Thank you so much to the staff for putting together this event as I missed most of the winter ones  It was nice to come back to a fun challenge. 
I know i’m definitely not going to win, but I have hopes for the raffle
Good luck to everyone


----------



## Firesquids (Feb 8, 2021)

To be honest I hate writing. lol
I'm typically a visual artist, sculpture and photography being my go-to mediums. Writing puts a lot more pressure on me.
I'm self conscious of other people reading my work, it just makes me feel more vulnerable compared to other art forms.

Also, I found it humorous that I wasn't alone in feeling like my story was too graphic initially.
My original story had suicidal themes, but I thought that might be triggering to some, and decided to cut it.

That being said, thanks Vrisnem (and other staff invloved) for helping me step out of my comfort zone and try something I wouldn't have otherwise! You guys are awesome, as always!


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## xara (Feb 10, 2021)

xara said:


> *I’m Glad We Met*
> 
> Sprinkle moved in about a month ago. She claimed that it was an impulsive decision and while she never really talked about the home that she’d left behind, I could tell that she was anxious about starting a whole new life. It took a few days for her to begin unpacking (turns out she’s a procrastinator) but seemed at ease once she was no longer encased by emptiness.
> 
> ...



 looks like the sequel might be about trouble in paradise.


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## Chris (Feb 11, 2021)

We will be distributing the raffle prizes tomorrow! What are you all hoping to receive? ❄


----------



## Sharksheep (Feb 11, 2021)

Any of the first 6 honestly. Snow bunny is probably my favorite.


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## Foreverfox (Feb 11, 2021)

Vrisnem said:


> We will be distributing the raffle prizes tomorrow! What are you all hoping to receive? ❄


In order of preference:
1. Aurora egg
2. Frost egg
3. Aurora sky
4. Snow bunny
5. Cool feather

Maybe if I put it out into the ether, it will happen.


----------



## LittleMissPanda (Feb 11, 2021)

I'm hoping for either a Snow Bunny (to represent the virtuous princess) or an Aurora Sky (to represent the beautiful Starkeeper) but mostly the Snow Bunny~ 

Here's hoping everyone gets just what they've been searching for! Best of luck


----------



## Pintuition (Feb 11, 2021)

I'm not sure you can go wrong with any of the raffle prizes really! I'd love something to do with an aurora to go with my story's theme but I'm pretty TBT poor right now so bells wouldn't hurt either. Or any of the other collectibles! Last raffle I got one of the middle tiers of bells and it did contribute to helping me finish my lineup! 


Good luck all!


----------



## xara (Feb 11, 2021)

Vrisnem said:


> We will be distributing the raffle prizes tomorrow! What are you all hoping to receive? ❄



 i’m lowkey eyeing the aurora sky, snow bunny and the 2 eggs . aha good luck to everyone!! <3


----------



## JellyBeans (Feb 11, 2021)

honestly I'd be happy with bells but that top five... maybe tomorrow is cool feather day   good luck everyone, may the rng be in our favour!


----------



## Kattea (Feb 11, 2021)

Any of the top 5 really, but mostly eyeing the Aurora Egg and Snow Bunny!


----------



## ForeverSoaring (Feb 11, 2021)

I like all of the possible collectibles, but I especially love the aurora sky and egg!


----------



## SpaceTokki77 (Feb 11, 2021)

Here’s what i’m hoping to get, in order from least to most.
5. frost egg
4. cool feather 
3. snow bunny
2. aurora sky
1. aurora egg

I really hope I win something, fingers crossed  
Also i’m hoping that either @Peach_Jam or @corlee1289 get the aurora egg!


----------



## Snek (Feb 11, 2021)

I really like all the collectibles. The frost egg looks really cool but I'm fine with anything. If I don't get anything at least I got to practice my writing.


----------



## Nefarious (Feb 11, 2021)

_Manifesting any of the first five prizes finding their way into my inventory. _

But mostly hoping those that have been looking for the eggs and feathers for the longest time manages to win them, or at least, be able to trade for them.


----------



## Peach_Jam (Feb 11, 2021)

hoping I'll fall in the 5% for _that one egg_ but I'll be happy with anything tbh. I think it's very kind that the staff has provided many opportunities to win the highly sought-after winter collectibles like the bunny, aurora sky, and eggs c:


----------



## The Pennifer (Feb 11, 2021)

Oooooh ... that beautiful aurora sky  ... and that adorable Snow Bunny


----------



## daringred_ (Feb 11, 2021)

i'm dying for a snow bunny. i love rabbits, i collect rabbit plushies, and my girlfriend even calls me "bunny" so. fingers crossed?


----------



## jadetine (Feb 11, 2021)

Considering the drop rate,  I'm happy to get tbt... but that Aurora is fabulous! 
And there's some serious talent amongst the writers here. I can't wait to vote!


----------



## Velo (Feb 11, 2021)

I'm just really proud of myself for actually writing and entering aha! I was excited for all the prizes (which is why I pushed to get my entry in) and still am.


----------



## tessa grace (Feb 11, 2021)

Really anything, I'm not a huge fan of the eggs but I'd be down to get anything at all. Thanks for doing this Vris and everyone else!


----------



## BetsySundrop (Feb 11, 2021)

I'll love anything. I think my favorites, though, are the eggs and the feathers.


----------



## BluebearL (Feb 11, 2021)

I’ll take anything but I’d love to get a cool feather! After that a snow bunny or Aurora egg would be my next favourites.


----------



## Roxxy (Feb 11, 2021)

No point in dreaming or hoping. The top 5 collectibles are so gorgeous so good luck everyone, especially the people who are desperate for certain collectibles  I predict I will get low level bells but I will be happy with that


----------



## corlee1289 (Feb 11, 2021)

SpaceTokki77 said:


> Here’s what i’m hoping to get, in order from least to most.
> 5. frost egg
> 4. cool feather
> 3. snow bunny
> ...


I also hope that the both of us will be able to get the aurora eggs! We’ve been looking for what feels like since forever~


----------



## IonicKarma (Feb 11, 2021)

really hoping to get either egg or the snow bunny


----------



## That Marshal Fangirl (Feb 11, 2021)

Vrisnem said:


> We will be distributing the raffle prizes tomorrow! What are you all hoping to receive? ❄


I want a Snow Bunny!  It's super adorable


----------



## Aniko (Feb 11, 2021)

Vrisnem said:


> We will be distributing the raffle prizes tomorrow! What are you all hoping to receive? ❄



I would be really thrilled to get the aurora or the aurora egg, or a feather, just like everybody else


----------



## Cosmic-chan (Feb 11, 2021)

Vrisnem said:


> We will be distributing the raffle prizes tomorrow! What are you all hoping to receive? ❄




Gib snow bunny all the homies and I love snow bunny


----------



## moo_nieu (Feb 11, 2021)

im so exited! im hoping for snow bunny


----------



## xSuperMario64x (Feb 11, 2021)

I would honestly be happy w anything but I'll prob get the worst one lol (pardon my depression talk)

I'm mostly interested in seeing who wins


----------



## LadyDestani (Feb 11, 2021)

I am expecting bells because that's how my luck goes, but I don't mind because I'm sure I'll find a good use for them. What I would really love is a Snow Bunny, which seems to be a popular choice. If not a bunny, then a second Aurora Sky so I can have one on each end of my top row. My third choice would be a Frost Egg since I don't have one of those.

If I get any of the other collectible prizes, I'm more than likely willing to trade them since I already own them.


----------



## xSuperMario64x (Feb 11, 2021)

I like how no one is talking about the blue feather lol, I would be happy to win a blue feather.


----------



## Toska (Feb 11, 2021)

Any of the collectables would make me overjoyed! However, I'm assuming I'll get bells. Which is fine, it never hurts to put some more TBT in my pocket!


----------



## Midoriya (Feb 11, 2021)

Could honestly use the bells right now.  I need another user title color change item, loool.  Getting one of the collectibles would be nice though.


----------



## Plainbluetees (Feb 11, 2021)

Could use the bells towards coco, but I wouldn’t mind any of the other collectibles. Best of luck to everyone!


----------



## Corndoggy (Feb 11, 2021)

honeslty i would be happy with anything, im just happy i got to participate


----------



## Cosmic-chan (Feb 11, 2021)

I'm still hoping for snow bunny. Knowing my luck I'll get the least amount of tbt tho


----------



## Masenkochick (Feb 11, 2021)

Snow bunny, but any would be fine!!!


----------



## Flyffel (Feb 12, 2021)

Fingers crossed for Aurora Sky or Aurora Egg!!!


----------



## Chris (Feb 12, 2021)

After many late nights sat wrapped up warm in blankets—_and consuming potentially lethal quantities of hot drinks_—*Mairmalade* and I carefully read (and re-read) all 107 of the accepted short stories. We narrowed that down to a more manageable shortlist to present to the rest of the staff team. They are now working through that shortlist to pick the finalists going forward to the public poll launching on *February 22nd 2021*. When the public poll goes live you will vote to help us decide which short story is deserving of that first place gold trophy collectible.

In the meantime, let's get to what you really clicked onto this thread to hear about: the raffle results! Below are the recipients of each of the thirteen prizes that were up for grabs in our participation raffle. Did you receive the prize that you were hoping for? ❄







*Aurora Sky Winners*
Giddy
nthylton
piske
Chibi.Hoshi
LOEY






*Snow Bunny Winners*
daringred_
KateyLC
IonicKarma
thetessagrace
The Pennifer






*Aurora Easter Egg Winners*
Aronthaer
Miss Misty
Dog
Plume
Blink.






*Frost Easter Egg Winners*
Oldcatlady
kiwikenobi
Aliya
Velo
xSuperMario64x






*Cool Feather Winners*
Emolga59
BluebearL
Toska
Equity
lungs






*Blue Feather Winners*
Moo_Nieu
TheRevienne
Flyffel
onionboy98
Mad Aly






*Blue Hybrid Pansy Winners*
Chungus
Minou
LadyDestani
Dinosaurz
Hououin Kyouma
ThatOneMarshalFangirl
Sharksheep
Kattea
Imbri
a potato
Pintuition






*Blue Hybrid Rose Winners*
Firesquids
KipperDen
LittleMissPanda
Roxxy
Lt.Savior
NefariousKing
xlisapisa
Yanrimasart
Holla
Sweetley
digimon






*Blue Hybrid Violet Winners*
BetsySundrop
Milky star
Plainbluetees
Fye
jihux
Cadbberry
Mick
Corndoggy
Asarena
Miranda Priestly
Peach_Jam





*100 TBT Bells Winners*
StarlitGlitch
oak
Midoriya
xara
justina
Soti
oceanchild8
empressbethie
BungoTheElf
Emmsey
Snakeisbaby
Snowifer
JellyBeans
oranje
Valzed
Heyden
cIementine





*125 TBT Bells Winners*
Ginkgo
Aniko
jadetine
ivelostmyspectacles
Pokey_Games
lieryl
OswinOswald
Snek
Hyrule4life
corlee1289
sleepydreepy
Mistreil
CasualWheezer





*150 TBT Bells Winners*
Ace Marvel
Lightspring
_Donut_
OtakuTrash
Masenkochick
Rowbowkid800
Snowesque
~Kilza~
ForeverSoaring





*175 TBT Bells Winners*
Foreverfox
skarmoury
glow
SpaceTokki77
hestu​

Prize distribution took place as this post went live. You will not have received a notification if you received a collectible prize, but you can confirm that you received it by checking your *Inventory*.

Thank you again to everyone who participated! Be sure to check back on *February 22nd 2021* to see which entries made it to the public voting round. However, we would love to request your company again a little sooner than that! How about this Sunday? Great! It's a date.


----------



## JellyBeans (Feb 12, 2021)

wasn't expecting these to come out so soon! bells as expected but very grateful nonetheless  congrats to everyone who got cool collectibles!! and thank you again mods for the event  see you on valentines


----------



## deSPIRIA (Feb 12, 2021)

COOL FEATHER!!! i had my fingers crossed for a snow bunny or frost egg but im super happy with that!!


----------



## Plainbluetees (Feb 12, 2021)

Was hoping for an egg or feather, but that blue violet isn’t so bad! Thanks for a great event, staff!

love the Oxford comma joke LOL


----------



## Aliya (Feb 12, 2021)

I wasn’t expecting to win a Frost Egg! Congratulations everyone. I’m so excited to see who made it to the final round


----------



## Lt.Savior (Feb 12, 2021)

Thank you i love my blue rose! I'm also so excited. I didn't realize there were so many contestants!


----------



## Foreverfox (Feb 12, 2021)

Well, maybe the bells will go towards an eggie that I didn't win. I'm definitely still thankful for them!


----------



## xSuperMario64x (Feb 12, 2021)

bruh what I actually won a decent prize lmaooo

ty staff! I had a frost egg a long time ago and unfortunately sold it not long after the 2018 egg hunt. this was a pleasant surprise!


----------



## SpaceTokki77 (Feb 12, 2021)

Ahaha i love how I won the prize that was harder to get than any of the big collectibles xD well, i’m still thankful for these bells, maybe with them someone will finally sell me a white rose  
Thank you so much to the staff for this 

and anyone with a snow bunny, aurora sky, cool feather, aurora egg, or frost egg i’d trade you my life lmao


----------



## Foreverfox (Feb 12, 2021)

SpaceTokki77 said:


> Ahaha i love how I won the prize that was harder to get than any of the big collectibles xD well, i’m still thankful for these bells, maybe with them someone will finally sell me a white rose
> Thank you so much to the staff for this
> 
> and anyone with a snow bunny, aurora sky, cool feather, aurora egg, or frost egg i’d trade you my life lmao


Same here! In a sense, that's a win on its own! Got the lowest chance thing!


----------



## xara (Feb 12, 2021)

ah, congrats to everyone!! wasn’t too sure what i’d win but i’m very grateful for the tbt and am looking forward to seeing the finalists! ❤


----------



## skarmoury (Feb 12, 2021)

SpaceTokki77 said:


> Ahaha i love how I won the prize that was harder to get than any of the big collectibles xD well, i’m still thankful for these bells, maybe with them someone will finally sell me a white rose
> Thank you so much to the staff for this
> 
> and anyone with a snow bunny, aurora sky, cool feather, aurora egg, or frost egg i’d trade you my life lmao


same here! i was hoping to get lucky but lady luck made us a bit luckier than I had hoped  anyway, congrats to everyone and good luck! cant wait to see the finalists.


----------



## IonicKarma (Feb 12, 2021)

Woo managed to get a snow bunny!  Way better than I had expected!


----------



## daringred_ (Feb 12, 2021)

I GOT A BUNNY
*SCREAM*


----------



## Emmsey (Feb 12, 2021)

Someone has to win bells, more than happy to have just received something for participating in another awesome event. Pleased for all those collectable winners!!! The snow bunny is adorable just sayin'


----------



## daringred_ (Feb 12, 2021)

obviously i'll be gutted if i don't make it through, even though i've mostly come to terms with the fact that i won't, but the snow bunny definitely softens the blow uwu so thank youuuuuu!!


----------



## Cosmic-chan (Feb 12, 2021)

A blue Violet how pretty ^^
Its sad I'll never use it tho ;; thank you tho


----------



## oranje (Feb 12, 2021)

Yesss more tbt!  A big thank you to the mods! Now I'm one step closer to collecting all the NH in-game items.


----------



## Giddy (Feb 12, 2021)

Aww, Thank you so much~! Was super surprised to see what I got, but any prize is amazing~ :3


----------



## Velo (Feb 12, 2021)

An eggie! Thank you so much! <3
Congrats everyone, you all deserved a prize. Writing is legit difficult!


----------



## Chris (Feb 12, 2021)

Plainbluetees said:


> Was hoping for an egg or feather, but that blue violet isn’t so bad! Thanks for a great event, staff!
> 
> love the Oxford comma joke LOL


People always forget about the poor Oxford comma.


----------



## Foreverfox (Feb 12, 2021)

Vrisnem said:


> People always forget about the poor Oxford comma.


I am a huge fan of the Oxford comma, lol.


----------



## Bob Zombie (Feb 12, 2021)

Yeah, the Aurora Sky!!!!  

Thank you to the staff!!!


----------



## daringred_ (Feb 12, 2021)

Vrisnem said:


> People always forget about the poor Oxford comma.



i hate the oxford comma with a passion. i'll put commas wherever i please. grammar is a social construct and it has no power over me.


----------



## Chris (Feb 12, 2021)

daringred_ said:


> i hate the oxford comma with a passion. i'll put commas wherever i please. grammar is a social construct and it has no power over me.


You rolling the Snow Bunny collectible ruined my joke.  
(Enjoy!)


----------



## tessa grace (Feb 12, 2021)

I got a snow bunny! Everyone's submissions were fantastic, thanks so much to the staff for doing this event <3


----------



## Giddy (Feb 12, 2021)

lil question, how long will the thread be open to view, as I dunno how long I'd need to read everyone's stories XD


----------



## Chris (Feb 12, 2021)

Giddy said:


> lil question, how long will the thread be open to view, as I dunno how long I'd need to read everyone's stories XD


The public poll will be open February 22 - February 28. Only a small number of entries will make it to the poll, so it won't be too overwhelming.


----------



## OtakuTrash (Feb 12, 2021)

Dang. I really wanted that snow bunny. Oh well, there’s always another time! I’m still happy that I won something! Thank you very much, staff for this event!

gosh i’m never gonna get 6k to buy that bunny am I


----------



## The Pennifer (Feb 12, 2021)

Hooray! The Snow Bunny!!! Thank you so much! I do love a good Oxford comma! It adds such flavour, order, and readability as it organizes ones text!  (errr - does one say “ones text” or “one’s text”?)


----------



## LadyDestani (Feb 12, 2021)

Love my blue pansy, especially when I saw that it was gifted to me by none other than Tom Nook!

Sadly, the Oxford comma is falling out of favor (or should I say favour) in America. It has been drilled into my head in recent years that I should stop using it, but I still do occasionally because I think it looks better.


----------



## _Donut_ (Feb 12, 2021)

yaay bells 
If it wasn't said enough already, thanks again for the fun contest!


----------



## kiwikenobi (Feb 12, 2021)

Wow, a frost egg! Thank you! I was emotionally prepared to get just bells. But I already had a frost egg from before, and I don't need two. Was there someone here who was looking for a frost egg for a really long time? I don't remember who it was, or if it was even the frost egg that was so desired. ^o^;>

Also, the spelling of words is debatable, but I think the Oxford comma is the only sensible way to punctuate a list, and I don't understand why people leave it off all the time. XD


----------



## Foreverfox (Feb 12, 2021)

kiwikenobi said:


> Wow, a frost egg! Thank you! I was emotionally prepared to get just bells. But I already had a frost egg from before, and I don't need two. Was there someone here who was looking for a frost egg for a really long time? I don't remember who it was, or if it was even the frost egg that was so desired. ^o^;>


I definitely want one! But I can't afford one.


----------



## kiwikenobi (Feb 12, 2021)

@Foreverfox Well, now you don't need to afford one. ^_^


----------



## Foreverfox (Feb 12, 2021)

kiwikenobi said:


> @Foreverfox Well, now you don't need to afford one. ^_^


JSKSBFJF AHHH!! whatt! ARE YOU SURE, OMG!! can I give you my bells or star frag?? Thank you so much!! I will keep it forever!!


----------



## kiwikenobi (Feb 12, 2021)

@Foreverfox I don't need anything from you, I'm glad it's gone to someone who really wants it. ^_^

Maybe you can help someone out with something someday, like paying it forward; that would make me happier than anything.


----------



## Foreverfox (Feb 12, 2021)

kiwikenobi said:


> @Foreverfox I don't need anything from you, I'm glad it's gone to someone who really wants it. ^_^
> 
> Maybe you can help someone out with something someday, like paying it forward; that would make me happier than anything.


100% will do - i try to do that any time I can. I like to make people happy and if I can make someone's day or make them smile, I will! And you just made my day, THANK YOU!! I am beaming with a cheesy grin!!


----------



## Kattea (Feb 12, 2021)

This community is so wholesome ; ~;


----------



## Plainbluetees (Feb 12, 2021)

Congrats on the new egg, ForeverFox! This is such a great community.


Imagine leaving out an Oxford comma.

“This book is dedicated to my parents, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.”


----------



## moo_nieu (Feb 12, 2021)

yessss ;-; so happy to get a feather! its really pretty  i thought for sure id end up with forum bells. 

i cant wait to see the short story finalists. thanks for the hard work, staff (๑>◡<๑)


----------



## Chris (Feb 12, 2021)

Plainbluetees said:


> Imagine leaving out an Oxford comma.
> 
> “This book is dedicated to my parents, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.”


Not even an Oxford comma could save that sentence.


----------



## Rowbowkid800 (Feb 12, 2021)

I got some tbt in so happy to get a award any award is great 
Thank you staff for a great event


----------



## Roxxy (Feb 12, 2021)

Tysm, I am so happy with my blue rose, first collectible I have won so it’s special. Makes a cute lineup but will need something when fireworks go


----------



## Nefarious (Feb 12, 2021)

Seeing the fox and kiwi interaction surely made my day! Really cool how people come together like this during events. 





Thank you staff again for the event. Really looking forward to seeing the 3 winners and I'm excited to see what you have in store for us this Valentine's. ^^


----------



## xara (Feb 12, 2021)

kiwikenobi said:


> @Foreverfox Well, now you don't need to afford one. ^_^



my jaw is literally on the floor rn,, you’re wonderful omg. congrats on the new egg, @Foreverfox!


----------



## That Marshal Fangirl (Feb 12, 2021)

kiwikenobi said:


> @Foreverfox Well, now you don't need to afford one. ^_^


That was so kind of you!  I hope good karma comes your way soon.


----------



## Pokey_Games (Feb 12, 2021)

Thank you so much for the bells,


----------



## Plume (Feb 12, 2021)

Oh gosh, thank you the aurora egg! ; ; I wasn't expecting that.


----------



## oak (Feb 12, 2021)

Congrats to everyone who won a collectable! I can't wait for the polls to start.


----------



## Snowesque (Feb 12, 2021)

Woo bells! Thank you


----------



## BluebearL (Feb 12, 2021)

Wasn’t expecting to get my first pick of the lot, thank you very much staff! Congrats to everyone for completing a story, good or bad, and being brave enough to share it. Looking forward to seeing the finalists!


----------



## Foreverfox (Feb 12, 2021)

BluebearL said:


> Wasn’t expecting to get my first pick of the lot, thank you very much staff! Congrats to everyone for completing a story, good or bad, and being brave enough to share it. Looking forward to seeing the finalists!


It looks soo great in your lineup! I love the cool feather


----------



## Cadbberry (Feb 12, 2021)

This was so fun, thank you all! I got a pretty Blue Violet, how lovely


----------



## Dinosaurz (Feb 12, 2021)

Thanks for the pretty flower


----------



## Mad Aly (Feb 12, 2021)

Thank you so much!!  Very, very fun to participate in! Good job, everyone!  I look forward to seeing who the finalists are!


----------



## Cosmic-chan (Feb 12, 2021)

Update: I gave my flower away to @LittleMissPanda lol I had no use for it so it went to a better place ! Thanks for the prize tho.


----------



## Toska (Feb 12, 2021)

I actually got a collectable, haha! I'm ecstatic about getting the cool feather, thanks a bunch!


----------



## Midoriya (Feb 12, 2021)

Yesssss, I received TBT so now I have enough for the user title color change item.  Thank you!


----------



## LittleMissPanda (Feb 12, 2021)

Glad to see everyone is so happy with their prizes!  ☺  I had a lot of fun writing my story~ kudos to those who mustered the courage to share their own work! Writing, no matter your skill level, can be very fulfilling and enriching. The Blue Rose I won has found a new loving home, and I am happy to give this little blue violet a home in my winter lineup. Thanks again! @Milky star

@Foreverfox that sparkly new Frost Egg is looking real cozy together with your other eggies! Congrats! @kiwikenobi you're incredibly amazing for making someone's day like that! I express my thanks to you, too 

Looking forward to that shortlist of stories!~ best of luck, all!


----------



## ``` (Feb 12, 2021)

Many thanks for the generous reward of TBT! I'm planning on saving the bells for a nice color title change. And good luck to the upcoming finalists, it was a blast reading through the wonderful stories that were posted!  Tysm for the staff for hosting such an exciting story event, I had a lot of fun creating a story for this contest, making stories is such a fun experience!


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## Aniko (Feb 12, 2021)

Thank you for the bells! Good luck to everybody, I hope your story get selected.


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## piske (Feb 12, 2021)

Oh, wow I forgot this was happening today! I’m so shocked! :0 Thank you very much, I love my Aurora Sky!!! ❤❤❤
Looking forward to seeing the finalists!!!


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## Blink. (Feb 12, 2021)

what       
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





thanks for the event staff, ya'll chill and amaze af ;~;  
also impressive reading all them short stories


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## Foreverfox (Feb 12, 2021)

Blink. said:


> what
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Your lineups are always amazingggg!  congrats on the beautiful aurora eggie!


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## Cosmic-chan (Feb 12, 2021)

Everyone got nice collectibles and I'm here like _"yeah my prize was _cute anyway_ I give it away in less than 5 minutes of owning mine." _


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## Nefarious (Feb 12, 2021)

Milky star said:


> Everyone got nice collectibles and I'm here like _"yeah my prize was _cute anyway_ I give it away in less than 5 minutes of owning mine." _



It's cool, I too sent off my flower to a new home. It's still great to see these collectibles getting the love they deserve.


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## Cosmic-chan (Feb 12, 2021)

NefariousKing said:


> It's cool, I too sent off my flower to a new home. It's still great to see these collectibles getting the love they deserve.


Ah so I'm not the only one ! Yeah I liked my prize but I knew I would never use it so I rather send to someone who'll use it and love it more.


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## Corndoggy (Feb 12, 2021)

thankyou for the prize, im looking forward to valentines day and voting in the finalised short list, i will make sure to have a cup of tea prepped


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## corlee1289 (Feb 12, 2021)

If any of the winners of the Aurora egg is interested in selling me theirs, I would be more than happy to take care of it for you!


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## KateyLC (Feb 13, 2021)

Wow thank you for running the contest and all the organisation involved! I was amazed to have won a collectible, thank you for all the hard work that has gone into this!


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## StarlitGlitch (Feb 13, 2021)

I got the " You've received an event reward! " alert but am now sure what I received lol. I'm assuming some amount of bells?

Also I'd be interested in the aurora sky if anyone wants to sell it


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## Midoriya (Feb 13, 2021)

StarlitGlitch said:


> I got the " You've received an event reward! " alert but am now sure what I received lol. I'm assuming some amount of bells?
> 
> Also I'd be interested in the aurora sky if anyone wants to sell it



If you check your transactions log I think it might tell you there.

(Actually, this might just be for TBT, but it’s what I did)

EDIT: I just checked the earlier post in this thread, and you received 100 TBT.


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## Chris (Feb 13, 2021)

StarlitGlitch said:


> I got the " You've received an event reward! " alert but am now sure what I received lol. I'm assuming some amount of bells?
> 
> Also I'd be interested in the aurora sky if anyone wants to sell it


If you received a notification you received a bell reward. Everyone's prizes are listed in *post #250*. You received 100 bells.


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## Imbri (Feb 13, 2021)

Vrisnem said:


> People always forget about the poor Oxford comma.


I am a proud member of Team Oxford Comma and will defend its use with my dying breath.

And I am so thrilled with my blue pansy! Thank you, @Vrisnem and @Mairmalade for slogging through all of our submissions!


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## Snakeisbaby (Feb 13, 2021)

I am so over the moon with my prize, now I am not broke ☺


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## Chris (Feb 22, 2021)

❄ The public poll is now live! Click *here* to check out the finalists and place your vote. ❄​


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