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The AC Writing Contest [3 Days Left!]
- Thread starter Blues
- Start date
TheCreeperHugz
Boop
The title still says 6
StarMayor
Senior Member
I'm very sorry about the delay. The length of the story means I can't PM it. So I'm just trying to work my head getting it onto a blog post. I would post it up on my tumblr, but while the story is safe for work, the rest of my blog kind of isn't.
EDIT: Okay, I think I've got it. The link will be PMed through very soon.
EDIT #2: And it's actually too long to fit into a blog post. I don't think I'll be able to enter anymore in that case. Unless it's actually all right to put it on my tumblr.
EDIT: Okay, I think I've got it. The link will be PMed through very soon.
EDIT #2: And it's actually too long to fit into a blog post. I don't think I'll be able to enter anymore in that case. Unless it's actually all right to put it on my tumblr.
Last edited:
TheCreeperHugz
Boop
Last edited:
StarMayor
Senior Member
I have finally PMed it to all judges, with the exception of Kippla. I got an error message saying their inbox was too full to receive anymore messages. I apologise for that. I also apologise for having to send it in multiple parts.
Blues
Little Voice of Courage
EVEN MORE ENTRIES!
The snow crunched under her feet as she walked around admiring the colourful lights on the cedar trees, enjoying the crisp night air and taking in the smell of gingerbread that seemed to be all around. The moon shone down over the plaza as she approached it.
She was analysing her surroundings, wondering where to put everything in celebration for the coming New Year. Her gaze slowly swept over as she wandered and weaved through the trees. Her eyes eventually settled onto the figure that sat under the town tree, the symbol of Steren’s new leader making their home here. She noticed that the other’s own eyelids were closed, as though she were in deep thought.
She decided it would probably be best to come back later, and continue her planning then, lest she disturb the thinking woman.
She spun on her heel and started to head back the way she had come from, towards the town hall.
“Isabelle?”
Her fluffy blonde ears lifted a little on hearing her name. She quickly turned her head to where the voice speaking had come from, before the rest of her body followed suit.
“Yes, Mayor?” her voice was soft as she responded and she habitually bowed her head a little. The human only showed a small smile and behind her red-framed glasses was the usual friendliness in her eyes.
“You can sit with me, you know,” her voice wasn’t mocking, just kindly; “You don’t have to go leaving because you’re worried you’ll annoy me.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want to disturb you relaxing, you’re always working so hard,” she replied, shifting on her feet a little bit.
“And so are you, you were standing behind that desk all day again and walking around with me earlier when we were trying to decide where we going to put the new windmill,” the mayor replied, “Besides, you’re not bothering me at all. I was just thinking really, I wouldn’t mind talking about it a bit, to be honest,” she added, before moving a little so there was some more room on the marble platform.
There was some hesitance, with Isabelle only standing where she was for only a couple of moments, before she gave in. The little bell she wore on her head jingled as she stepped over and sat herself down under the tree, next to the mayor. There was a short silence.
“It’s nice here,” she commented, just so there was some sound. The mayor nodded in response to that.
“Yeah,” the agreement was quiet, with some sentimentality behind it, “It is. I’m surprised at how well the tree’s done. I like to come, just sit here sometimes, watch people go about their day, and just, well, as I said before, think about things. Like how happy everyone seems to be, and other stuff like that.”
“It’s because you worked so hard since you first arrived,” Isabelle said, smiling, “You made this town beautiful, you put your savings into public projects that people asked for, you helped the museum develop, you’ve so much for the animals and the town. It’s no wonder everyone signed that approval rating straight away.”
There was a pause, before the mayor just let out a small chuckle.
“You certainly know how to make someone feel better with just words,” she said then.
“I try,” Isabelle said, reaching to rub the back of her neck before her paw politely settled on her lap again.
“And you do very well,” the human said, before pushing a lock of dark hair back under her woolly hat. Another comfortable silence settled down on the two of them, and the moon had started to come out of hiding.
“You knew I wasn’t supposed to be your new mayor, right? You did know all along, didn’t you?” Isabelle’s ears rose a little on hearing the sudden question as she turned her head towards the mayor again.
“Oh come on now, don’t be silly, of course you were,” her voice faltered a little, despite the smile she had put on, “Why are you thinking that about yourself?”
“Please, Isabelle…” the mayor’s blue gaze, behind those lenses, met hers. The secretary could see the pleading in then, the hope that she would just agree. A small sigh escaped the dog’s mouth.
“Okay, yes,” she said, with some hesitance, “I did know. Of course, at the time, I just didn’t want to believe it. We had been looking forward to meeting our new mayor for months. You were the first one to show up, and I just didn’t want to see the rest of the villagers disappointed. But that doesn’t matter now, that was nearly six months ago. You’ve shown yourself to be a great mayor, even if you weren’t meant to be. Why are you thinking about that and making yourself all sad for?”
“I can’t control my own thoughts, Isabelle, if I could, I wouldn’t be letting those things come up,” the mayor said, “But you know, as you said, it’s nearly been half a year already, and the new year is coming. I guess that’s what brought it up.”
“I’m sure you’ll keep doing an excellent job!” Isabelle replied, almost automatically. The mayor just smiled.
“To think, I got on that train to run away from my old life, out of desperation and the belief that anything was better than what I was doing before, I never thought it would happen,” the mayor said, with a small sigh, the air coming out of her mouth as a white mist.
“Is that what you wanted to talk about?” Isabelle asked. The mayor sat without speaking for a moment, before she nodded.
“If that’s okay?” she said, though her voice was uncertain, a stark contrast to her usual demeanour when in public or working in the town hall.
“Of course!” Isabelle offered a reassuring smile to her boss.
“Well… I guess I should start from the beginning, from before I got here,” the mayor said, “I lived in a human town, about fifteen miles from here.”
“I always wondered about human towns and settlements, but Digby always told me to stay away from them,” Isabelle commented.
“Like people told me with animal villages when I was growing up,” the mayor replied, “My Gran would always say ‘don’t you go near those animal villages, Rachel, they’ll eat you up’ and other such silly things. You know, she’s old, she’ll think things like that. But… your brother’s right to tell you not to go near human places. I hate to say it, but places are still quite unwelcoming towards animals.”
“I see…”
“But anyway,” a hand came to rest under Rachel’s chin as she continued speaking, “I had recently left home and moved there. It… didn’t go well, to say the least. I managed to get myself a small apartment and a couple jobs to pay the rent.”
“You mean you didn’t own it?” Isabelle asked.
“Yeah, it’s actually pretty common for people who have just started out,” another sigh escaped, “Not that I liked it. Being alone was scary. I toughed it out for the most part; I didn’t want to worry my parents. But as the months passed, my stress shot up. It kept making me ill, which was bad for my job performance, and in turn, that just worked me up more. It was a bad cycle to be in. Then one day…” a pause, and the mayor swallowed, as though still ashamed to think about those events.
“Yes?” Isabelle prompted.
“I lost one of my jobs,” was the reply, “The waitressing job. I don’t know who complained. But apparently, I wasn’t ‘friendly enough’ and according to the staff, I wasn’t working as hard as I used to. To be fair, there was less business. So I was let go. Without that second job, my main one wouldn’t give me nearly enough to cover the rent and the other bills. My landlord wasn’t sympathetic. Told me to cough up the rest by the end of the month or I was out.”
“That’s awful!” Isabelle exclaimed, frowning a little.
“Yeah. But in human towns, that’s normal. Out there, for anyone who can’t pay, there are always three more who can,” Rachel replied, “I wasn’t going to be able to pay it in time. I didn’t want to ask my parents. They had done so much for me already.”
“They always do,” Isabelle agreed.
“I don’t know what possessed me to do it, but I’m glad I did,” a small smile, “It was crazy even for me. But, I grabbed up what I could. My phone, my wallet which had nothing but my identification card and a little money with the sterling currency which I needed at the time, and some of my clothes… to be honest, that was pretty much all I had, the rest belonged to the landlord.”
“Oh…” Isabelle looked sad at that.
“But the most important thing was my train pass,” Rachel continued, “My parents gave it to me when I moved out. I couldn’t afford a car, or even driving lessons. So that was my way to get around. With that pass, the train was a lot cheaper to ride on. That’s how I got here.”
“Yes, you came in on the train, we were all waiting for you when you came out of the station… but why did you pick Steren?” Isabelle asked, “And why an Animal Town, and not another Human Town?”
“In the heat of that moment, when I had just gotten to the station, the stories I heard came up in my mind. Success stories about humans finding their calling in an Animal Town. Finding a career, making good friends, and just being happy, despite what other humans would have you believe about the places,” Rachel explained, “So when I left, after leaving what I could pay off to the landlord, I had just enough to take the train somewhere, anywhere. Steren was the first town I saw on the screen that had Animal Settlements listed. So I thought ‘There!’ So I got my ticket, and I got on.”
“Wow… that’s amazing. It’s as if it was destiny for you to come here and bring so much more into this town,” Isabelle said, her smile returning.
“Believe me, on the train, I started thinking I had made a terrible mistake and that I shouldn’t have done it. I thought about jumping back out while I still had time,” the mayor said, moving a pale hand to adjust her hat before letting it settle onto her lap again, “But then, I was off, on the way here.”
“It must have been scary, I hope I never run into any situations like that,” Isabelle said.
“I don’t think you will. You’re smart, and you’ve got everyone here for you,” Rachel replied, nodding a little in though, “Like I have now. But on the way, I got had small talk with a cat that was on the train.”
“Rover? I’ve seen him around here,” Isabelle said.
“Yeah, I had seen him in my old town too, hanging around the station, a trainspotting type. People weren’t that friendly to him, even though he was to them,” the mayor said, “So I felt like I owed him. Just told him I was moving, really. I said I was coming to Stern. In fact, he was why I was able to get around so easily; he gave me a map of the town. He said he hadn’t been on trains for a while and that he was happy to be able to ride them again. He was quite a nice chap. I tried to take it as, I don’t know really, a sign that maybe things would be all right.”
“And they were!” Isabelle said, nodding a little.
“Well, I wasn’t so sure when I got off that train and I was surrounded by everyone. You know, ‘she doesn’t have fur, or a tail’,” a small smile, “I was worried that meant I wasn’t allowed there.”
“You didn’t need to worry about that, we welcome anyone to Steren.”
“I didn’t know that though. It was my first time ever being here,” was Rachel’s reply, “Then of course, you referred to me as ‘Mayor.’ To be honest, I’m not good with on the spot situations, so of course, I tried to explain that I wasn’t and you had the wrong person.”
“And I wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer…” Isabelle said, a guilty look on her face, “So you just ended up saying you were.”
“It was just to make you happy for the time, I’m not mad about it, obviously, you were just really looking forward to your mayor arriving,” Rachel answered, “When Mister Nook helped me get a tent all set up by the river where my new house, I was shocked it wasn’t an apartment. You gave me that lantern too. I’ve still got it, you know. But yeah, when I was getting into my sleeping bag, I said to myself that the next morning, the actual mayor would arrive. I would tell him or her everything, and then they’d explain it to you and everyone else, we’d have a laugh about it, they’d take office, and I’d be just a regular old citizen.”
“Did something happen?” Isabelle asked, as her hands patted her lap a little.
“I actually don’t know very much at all,” Rachel replied, “I got sent a letter the next morning. It was from the actual mayor, the one you were meant to have. They said something cropped up and they could no longer do it, but they said I would do them proud and they appreciated my help, I haven’t heard from them since.”
“Oh dear, that sounds very shady,” Isabelle only said, nervously reaching up to adjust the collar on her shirt.
“That it does, but I never found out what was going on,” Rachel said, “But when I read that. That’s when I knew you guys needed me. On one hand, I was scared. I had never had to do something like that in my life before, but on the other, I had a new purpose and it was to help make my new home become something great. I knew one day, I was going to just up and say that I wasn’t meant to be your mayor but I just wanted to help you all.”
“And you did. Honestly, as I keep telling you, maybe you weren’t meant to be the mayor, but you stepped up, you worked hard, you built public works that we’ve all benefited from, you’ve made this town beautiful, you helped develop the museum and built a library, you gave the Resetti brothers and Brewster their jobs back after they had nothing for so long, you gave Gracie Gracie a place to put her shop, you helped us find optimal power sources by putting up a wind turbine and solar panels, we all have a steady food supply because of all the fruit you’ve collected and planted and for all the fish you catch,” Isabelle said, her voice enthusiastic as she spoke.
“Well, I just did what I…”
“And you treat everyone so kindly. You talk to people, you do errands for them, you listen to them,” Isabelle continued, “You are a wonderful mayor.”
“Isabelle, I think you’re forgetting about one person who pretty much made this all possible from the beginning.” Rachel said.
“Huh? Who? Um, Mister Nook, uh, Lyle, Digby, um, Luna, Pelly and Phyllis, um, it has to be one of them, right?”
“No,” Rachel said, “They’re helped me of course. But I’m talking about you.”
“Me?” her ears were raised and her head had tilted a little bit, as though still trying to comprehend what the mayor had just said, “What do you mean?”
“Exactly what I mean,” Rachel said, “You organise events and ceremonies during the year that I would have no clue how to even start on, you greeted me that first time, you gave me advice for living here, you’ve just been an overall great friend too, and the least I can do is just say thank you, for all you’ve done.”
“Oh, I didn’t do much,” even though it wouldn’t be noticeable under her fur, there was a faint blush on Isabelle’s face.
“If it hadn’t been for you, I’d still be the same unhappy wreck that I was before I came here. I’d most likely not leave my house. I’d be just be too scared to come out and do what I’ve been doing,” Rachel replied, “Don’t go downplaying what I just said. If it wasn’t for you, I’d be a terrible mayor.”
“But…”
“I mean that, Isabelle, you’ve done a whole lot for me. More than you would believe or want to believe,” Rachel just smiled, “But I’ll believe it.”
“Thank you, mayor, that’s so kind of you to say,” Isabelle said then, after the moderate pause from her, as she nodded a little and her smile returned.
“I’m just saying what’s true,” Rachel said, “I don’t regret coming here, and considering what I’ve managed to do for Steren, and my new life, the friends I’ve made, and how happy I am now, I don’t intend to leave any time soon.”
“That’s wonderful!” Isabelle exclaimed, “I’m so glad that you’re happy here. I wouldn’t want you to leave.”
“And that’s good. What good is a mayor who no one likes?” Rachel said, although the smile on her face and the tone in her voice showed that she was jesting. The large flakes of snow got her attention and she looked up, blinking to see that the sky had clouded over and flumps of white were dancing in the sky before covering the ground. When had it started snowing?
“Oh dear… I didn’t even get to do much planning,” Isabelle said, as she rubbed her paws together.
“Not your fault, I got you to talk to me after all, but there’s always tomorrow,” Rachel replied, as she got up from the marble at last, “And I’ll help you out.”
“You always do,” Isabelle said, as she slid off herself and stood up straight.
“Come on, let’s go get a cuppa, it’s my treat,” the mayor replied, as she started to lead the way to the caf?. “Here’s to a great new year, Isabelle, let’s both make it a good one.”
“Of course, Mayor!” Isabelle enthusiastically agreed, as she followed, her tail wagging with each step.
She was analysing her surroundings, wondering where to put everything in celebration for the coming New Year. Her gaze slowly swept over as she wandered and weaved through the trees. Her eyes eventually settled onto the figure that sat under the town tree, the symbol of Steren’s new leader making their home here. She noticed that the other’s own eyelids were closed, as though she were in deep thought.
She decided it would probably be best to come back later, and continue her planning then, lest she disturb the thinking woman.
She spun on her heel and started to head back the way she had come from, towards the town hall.
“Isabelle?”
Her fluffy blonde ears lifted a little on hearing her name. She quickly turned her head to where the voice speaking had come from, before the rest of her body followed suit.
“Yes, Mayor?” her voice was soft as she responded and she habitually bowed her head a little. The human only showed a small smile and behind her red-framed glasses was the usual friendliness in her eyes.
“You can sit with me, you know,” her voice wasn’t mocking, just kindly; “You don’t have to go leaving because you’re worried you’ll annoy me.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want to disturb you relaxing, you’re always working so hard,” she replied, shifting on her feet a little bit.
“And so are you, you were standing behind that desk all day again and walking around with me earlier when we were trying to decide where we going to put the new windmill,” the mayor replied, “Besides, you’re not bothering me at all. I was just thinking really, I wouldn’t mind talking about it a bit, to be honest,” she added, before moving a little so there was some more room on the marble platform.
There was some hesitance, with Isabelle only standing where she was for only a couple of moments, before she gave in. The little bell she wore on her head jingled as she stepped over and sat herself down under the tree, next to the mayor. There was a short silence.
“It’s nice here,” she commented, just so there was some sound. The mayor nodded in response to that.
“Yeah,” the agreement was quiet, with some sentimentality behind it, “It is. I’m surprised at how well the tree’s done. I like to come, just sit here sometimes, watch people go about their day, and just, well, as I said before, think about things. Like how happy everyone seems to be, and other stuff like that.”
“It’s because you worked so hard since you first arrived,” Isabelle said, smiling, “You made this town beautiful, you put your savings into public projects that people asked for, you helped the museum develop, you’ve so much for the animals and the town. It’s no wonder everyone signed that approval rating straight away.”
There was a pause, before the mayor just let out a small chuckle.
“You certainly know how to make someone feel better with just words,” she said then.
“I try,” Isabelle said, reaching to rub the back of her neck before her paw politely settled on her lap again.
“And you do very well,” the human said, before pushing a lock of dark hair back under her woolly hat. Another comfortable silence settled down on the two of them, and the moon had started to come out of hiding.
“You knew I wasn’t supposed to be your new mayor, right? You did know all along, didn’t you?” Isabelle’s ears rose a little on hearing the sudden question as she turned her head towards the mayor again.
“Oh come on now, don’t be silly, of course you were,” her voice faltered a little, despite the smile she had put on, “Why are you thinking that about yourself?”
“Please, Isabelle…” the mayor’s blue gaze, behind those lenses, met hers. The secretary could see the pleading in then, the hope that she would just agree. A small sigh escaped the dog’s mouth.
“Okay, yes,” she said, with some hesitance, “I did know. Of course, at the time, I just didn’t want to believe it. We had been looking forward to meeting our new mayor for months. You were the first one to show up, and I just didn’t want to see the rest of the villagers disappointed. But that doesn’t matter now, that was nearly six months ago. You’ve shown yourself to be a great mayor, even if you weren’t meant to be. Why are you thinking about that and making yourself all sad for?”
“I can’t control my own thoughts, Isabelle, if I could, I wouldn’t be letting those things come up,” the mayor said, “But you know, as you said, it’s nearly been half a year already, and the new year is coming. I guess that’s what brought it up.”
“I’m sure you’ll keep doing an excellent job!” Isabelle replied, almost automatically. The mayor just smiled.
“To think, I got on that train to run away from my old life, out of desperation and the belief that anything was better than what I was doing before, I never thought it would happen,” the mayor said, with a small sigh, the air coming out of her mouth as a white mist.
“Is that what you wanted to talk about?” Isabelle asked. The mayor sat without speaking for a moment, before she nodded.
“If that’s okay?” she said, though her voice was uncertain, a stark contrast to her usual demeanour when in public or working in the town hall.
“Of course!” Isabelle offered a reassuring smile to her boss.
“Well… I guess I should start from the beginning, from before I got here,” the mayor said, “I lived in a human town, about fifteen miles from here.”
“I always wondered about human towns and settlements, but Digby always told me to stay away from them,” Isabelle commented.
“Like people told me with animal villages when I was growing up,” the mayor replied, “My Gran would always say ‘don’t you go near those animal villages, Rachel, they’ll eat you up’ and other such silly things. You know, she’s old, she’ll think things like that. But… your brother’s right to tell you not to go near human places. I hate to say it, but places are still quite unwelcoming towards animals.”
“I see…”
“But anyway,” a hand came to rest under Rachel’s chin as she continued speaking, “I had recently left home and moved there. It… didn’t go well, to say the least. I managed to get myself a small apartment and a couple jobs to pay the rent.”
“You mean you didn’t own it?” Isabelle asked.
“Yeah, it’s actually pretty common for people who have just started out,” another sigh escaped, “Not that I liked it. Being alone was scary. I toughed it out for the most part; I didn’t want to worry my parents. But as the months passed, my stress shot up. It kept making me ill, which was bad for my job performance, and in turn, that just worked me up more. It was a bad cycle to be in. Then one day…” a pause, and the mayor swallowed, as though still ashamed to think about those events.
“Yes?” Isabelle prompted.
“I lost one of my jobs,” was the reply, “The waitressing job. I don’t know who complained. But apparently, I wasn’t ‘friendly enough’ and according to the staff, I wasn’t working as hard as I used to. To be fair, there was less business. So I was let go. Without that second job, my main one wouldn’t give me nearly enough to cover the rent and the other bills. My landlord wasn’t sympathetic. Told me to cough up the rest by the end of the month or I was out.”
“That’s awful!” Isabelle exclaimed, frowning a little.
“Yeah. But in human towns, that’s normal. Out there, for anyone who can’t pay, there are always three more who can,” Rachel replied, “I wasn’t going to be able to pay it in time. I didn’t want to ask my parents. They had done so much for me already.”
“They always do,” Isabelle agreed.
“I don’t know what possessed me to do it, but I’m glad I did,” a small smile, “It was crazy even for me. But, I grabbed up what I could. My phone, my wallet which had nothing but my identification card and a little money with the sterling currency which I needed at the time, and some of my clothes… to be honest, that was pretty much all I had, the rest belonged to the landlord.”
“Oh…” Isabelle looked sad at that.
“But the most important thing was my train pass,” Rachel continued, “My parents gave it to me when I moved out. I couldn’t afford a car, or even driving lessons. So that was my way to get around. With that pass, the train was a lot cheaper to ride on. That’s how I got here.”
“Yes, you came in on the train, we were all waiting for you when you came out of the station… but why did you pick Steren?” Isabelle asked, “And why an Animal Town, and not another Human Town?”
“In the heat of that moment, when I had just gotten to the station, the stories I heard came up in my mind. Success stories about humans finding their calling in an Animal Town. Finding a career, making good friends, and just being happy, despite what other humans would have you believe about the places,” Rachel explained, “So when I left, after leaving what I could pay off to the landlord, I had just enough to take the train somewhere, anywhere. Steren was the first town I saw on the screen that had Animal Settlements listed. So I thought ‘There!’ So I got my ticket, and I got on.”
“Wow… that’s amazing. It’s as if it was destiny for you to come here and bring so much more into this town,” Isabelle said, her smile returning.
“Believe me, on the train, I started thinking I had made a terrible mistake and that I shouldn’t have done it. I thought about jumping back out while I still had time,” the mayor said, moving a pale hand to adjust her hat before letting it settle onto her lap again, “But then, I was off, on the way here.”
“It must have been scary, I hope I never run into any situations like that,” Isabelle said.
“I don’t think you will. You’re smart, and you’ve got everyone here for you,” Rachel replied, nodding a little in though, “Like I have now. But on the way, I got had small talk with a cat that was on the train.”
“Rover? I’ve seen him around here,” Isabelle said.
“Yeah, I had seen him in my old town too, hanging around the station, a trainspotting type. People weren’t that friendly to him, even though he was to them,” the mayor said, “So I felt like I owed him. Just told him I was moving, really. I said I was coming to Stern. In fact, he was why I was able to get around so easily; he gave me a map of the town. He said he hadn’t been on trains for a while and that he was happy to be able to ride them again. He was quite a nice chap. I tried to take it as, I don’t know really, a sign that maybe things would be all right.”
“And they were!” Isabelle said, nodding a little.
“Well, I wasn’t so sure when I got off that train and I was surrounded by everyone. You know, ‘she doesn’t have fur, or a tail’,” a small smile, “I was worried that meant I wasn’t allowed there.”
“You didn’t need to worry about that, we welcome anyone to Steren.”
“I didn’t know that though. It was my first time ever being here,” was Rachel’s reply, “Then of course, you referred to me as ‘Mayor.’ To be honest, I’m not good with on the spot situations, so of course, I tried to explain that I wasn’t and you had the wrong person.”
“And I wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer…” Isabelle said, a guilty look on her face, “So you just ended up saying you were.”
“It was just to make you happy for the time, I’m not mad about it, obviously, you were just really looking forward to your mayor arriving,” Rachel answered, “When Mister Nook helped me get a tent all set up by the river where my new house, I was shocked it wasn’t an apartment. You gave me that lantern too. I’ve still got it, you know. But yeah, when I was getting into my sleeping bag, I said to myself that the next morning, the actual mayor would arrive. I would tell him or her everything, and then they’d explain it to you and everyone else, we’d have a laugh about it, they’d take office, and I’d be just a regular old citizen.”
“Did something happen?” Isabelle asked, as her hands patted her lap a little.
“I actually don’t know very much at all,” Rachel replied, “I got sent a letter the next morning. It was from the actual mayor, the one you were meant to have. They said something cropped up and they could no longer do it, but they said I would do them proud and they appreciated my help, I haven’t heard from them since.”
“Oh dear, that sounds very shady,” Isabelle only said, nervously reaching up to adjust the collar on her shirt.
“That it does, but I never found out what was going on,” Rachel said, “But when I read that. That’s when I knew you guys needed me. On one hand, I was scared. I had never had to do something like that in my life before, but on the other, I had a new purpose and it was to help make my new home become something great. I knew one day, I was going to just up and say that I wasn’t meant to be your mayor but I just wanted to help you all.”
“And you did. Honestly, as I keep telling you, maybe you weren’t meant to be the mayor, but you stepped up, you worked hard, you built public works that we’ve all benefited from, you’ve made this town beautiful, you helped develop the museum and built a library, you gave the Resetti brothers and Brewster their jobs back after they had nothing for so long, you gave Gracie Gracie a place to put her shop, you helped us find optimal power sources by putting up a wind turbine and solar panels, we all have a steady food supply because of all the fruit you’ve collected and planted and for all the fish you catch,” Isabelle said, her voice enthusiastic as she spoke.
“Well, I just did what I…”
“And you treat everyone so kindly. You talk to people, you do errands for them, you listen to them,” Isabelle continued, “You are a wonderful mayor.”
“Isabelle, I think you’re forgetting about one person who pretty much made this all possible from the beginning.” Rachel said.
“Huh? Who? Um, Mister Nook, uh, Lyle, Digby, um, Luna, Pelly and Phyllis, um, it has to be one of them, right?”
“No,” Rachel said, “They’re helped me of course. But I’m talking about you.”
“Me?” her ears were raised and her head had tilted a little bit, as though still trying to comprehend what the mayor had just said, “What do you mean?”
“Exactly what I mean,” Rachel said, “You organise events and ceremonies during the year that I would have no clue how to even start on, you greeted me that first time, you gave me advice for living here, you’ve just been an overall great friend too, and the least I can do is just say thank you, for all you’ve done.”
“Oh, I didn’t do much,” even though it wouldn’t be noticeable under her fur, there was a faint blush on Isabelle’s face.
“If it hadn’t been for you, I’d still be the same unhappy wreck that I was before I came here. I’d most likely not leave my house. I’d be just be too scared to come out and do what I’ve been doing,” Rachel replied, “Don’t go downplaying what I just said. If it wasn’t for you, I’d be a terrible mayor.”
“But…”
“I mean that, Isabelle, you’ve done a whole lot for me. More than you would believe or want to believe,” Rachel just smiled, “But I’ll believe it.”
“Thank you, mayor, that’s so kind of you to say,” Isabelle said then, after the moderate pause from her, as she nodded a little and her smile returned.
“I’m just saying what’s true,” Rachel said, “I don’t regret coming here, and considering what I’ve managed to do for Steren, and my new life, the friends I’ve made, and how happy I am now, I don’t intend to leave any time soon.”
“That’s wonderful!” Isabelle exclaimed, “I’m so glad that you’re happy here. I wouldn’t want you to leave.”
“And that’s good. What good is a mayor who no one likes?” Rachel said, although the smile on her face and the tone in her voice showed that she was jesting. The large flakes of snow got her attention and she looked up, blinking to see that the sky had clouded over and flumps of white were dancing in the sky before covering the ground. When had it started snowing?
“Oh dear… I didn’t even get to do much planning,” Isabelle said, as she rubbed her paws together.
“Not your fault, I got you to talk to me after all, but there’s always tomorrow,” Rachel replied, as she got up from the marble at last, “And I’ll help you out.”
“You always do,” Isabelle said, as she slid off herself and stood up straight.
“Come on, let’s go get a cuppa, it’s my treat,” the mayor replied, as she started to lead the way to the caf?. “Here’s to a great new year, Isabelle, let’s both make it a good one.”
“Of course, Mayor!” Isabelle enthusiastically agreed, as she followed, her tail wagging with each step.
It was an autumn morning when a heavy rain started in Cooville. At the time it started, only a few villagers were already awake, a few others only starting to awaken.
Aurora, who had been awake for a while now, sat at one of the windows in her house, a mug filled with hot chocolate accompanying her. She looked at the rain fall quickly outside. The penguin was surprised at how much rain was coming down all at once; rain wasn’t a rare occurrence, but, it was still surprising when it came down this heavy. She let out a happy sigh as she thought how lucky she was to be inside in a nice, warm sweater with a good cup of hot chocolate on a day like today.
Goldie had been up for a while at this point, and stared out her own window, looking a bit worried. She wondered if her garden would be ok in such a heavy rain; she wouldn’t want the poor little flowers to get flooded. The gold-coated dog let out a sigh. She knew that she was probably overreacting a bit. The flowers would be just fine; they had lasted through this sort of weather before. For now, she would just make herself a little tea, grab one of the old favorites from the bookshelf, and relax. Of course, she would end up going out there to check up on the flowers later, anyway.
A sleepy Peanut awoke, drowsily got out of her bed and looked outside. It took the pink squirrel a while to realize in her half-asleep state, but, she eventually figured out that it was raining. When it did finally dawn on her, she let out a sad “awwww”. She had wanted it to be sunny today! Yesterday, she had decided that she was going to put on one of her favorite outfits and stroll around town with a cup of bubble tea today. …Oh well! Her plan, and mood, quickly changed as she went to find her cutest rain coat and boots and her prettiest umbrella; she decided that she was going to go splash around in the puddles instead! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
A groggy grumble escaped Julian as he saw what time his clock read; he had overslept. The unicorn ran a hoof through his long blue hair with a sigh. It was strange, but he never seemed to sleep well when it was going to rain the next morning... As much as he just wanted to stay in bed and sleep the whole day, he sleepily got out of bed and started to get ready for the day, because; no matter what day it was, or what it was going to be like, there would always be places to go, things to do, and pretty girls to talk to. About an hour later, after a quick “shoom” while looking at his mirror, he grabbed his umbrella and headed outside.
If looks could stop weather, then the rain would suddenly disappear, for it seemed that Blaire was furiously glaring at it from her window. She had made plans with Bree and Monique to go shopping today, but, who would want to in weather like this?! And on top of it, it seemed like she was having a bad hair day! With a half annoyed, half sad sigh, Blaire had soon decided what she was going to do today instead of her, now canceled, plans; she was going to put on some sweats, make a big bowl of popcorn, and watch bad movies the entire day.
Deirdre was perfectly content, still fast asleep in her bed. She had tried extreme-midnight-fishing last night, and boy was it exciting (and tiring)! It wouldn’t be until much later that she would wake up and make a semi-annoyed groan at the rain outside.
And then there was the Mayor of Cooville; she didn’t have much of a reaction to the rain, as she was paying high attention to something on her laptop computer. Once her attention was broken, she looked at the clock and noticed what time it was. Ten in the morning. She had forgotten to sleep again.
Oops.
Aurora, who had been awake for a while now, sat at one of the windows in her house, a mug filled with hot chocolate accompanying her. She looked at the rain fall quickly outside. The penguin was surprised at how much rain was coming down all at once; rain wasn’t a rare occurrence, but, it was still surprising when it came down this heavy. She let out a happy sigh as she thought how lucky she was to be inside in a nice, warm sweater with a good cup of hot chocolate on a day like today.
Goldie had been up for a while at this point, and stared out her own window, looking a bit worried. She wondered if her garden would be ok in such a heavy rain; she wouldn’t want the poor little flowers to get flooded. The gold-coated dog let out a sigh. She knew that she was probably overreacting a bit. The flowers would be just fine; they had lasted through this sort of weather before. For now, she would just make herself a little tea, grab one of the old favorites from the bookshelf, and relax. Of course, she would end up going out there to check up on the flowers later, anyway.
A sleepy Peanut awoke, drowsily got out of her bed and looked outside. It took the pink squirrel a while to realize in her half-asleep state, but, she eventually figured out that it was raining. When it did finally dawn on her, she let out a sad “awwww”. She had wanted it to be sunny today! Yesterday, she had decided that she was going to put on one of her favorite outfits and stroll around town with a cup of bubble tea today. …Oh well! Her plan, and mood, quickly changed as she went to find her cutest rain coat and boots and her prettiest umbrella; she decided that she was going to go splash around in the puddles instead! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
A groggy grumble escaped Julian as he saw what time his clock read; he had overslept. The unicorn ran a hoof through his long blue hair with a sigh. It was strange, but he never seemed to sleep well when it was going to rain the next morning... As much as he just wanted to stay in bed and sleep the whole day, he sleepily got out of bed and started to get ready for the day, because; no matter what day it was, or what it was going to be like, there would always be places to go, things to do, and pretty girls to talk to. About an hour later, after a quick “shoom” while looking at his mirror, he grabbed his umbrella and headed outside.
If looks could stop weather, then the rain would suddenly disappear, for it seemed that Blaire was furiously glaring at it from her window. She had made plans with Bree and Monique to go shopping today, but, who would want to in weather like this?! And on top of it, it seemed like she was having a bad hair day! With a half annoyed, half sad sigh, Blaire had soon decided what she was going to do today instead of her, now canceled, plans; she was going to put on some sweats, make a big bowl of popcorn, and watch bad movies the entire day.
Deirdre was perfectly content, still fast asleep in her bed. She had tried extreme-midnight-fishing last night, and boy was it exciting (and tiring)! It wouldn’t be until much later that she would wake up and make a semi-annoyed groan at the rain outside.
And then there was the Mayor of Cooville; she didn’t have much of a reaction to the rain, as she was paying high attention to something on her laptop computer. Once her attention was broken, she looked at the clock and noticed what time it was. Ten in the morning. She had forgotten to sleep again.
Oops.
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ChibiSylph
Team Greninja
Just now randomly found this! I would loooove to join! I've got an idea for my story C:
