Sunday, October 21st.

Dear journal,
I'm so excited! I'm 18, and my parents told me last year I could move out if I wished. Now that I'm old enough, I can finally start my own life! All my childhood, I'd imagined exploring the world and finding the best house and town ever. Now, I can finally do it!
Anyway, You're probably wondering, Journal, "Who is this insane girl writing in me?". Well, My name is Saiyana Yamamoto, but all my friends call me Saiya or Sai. One tried to call me Ana, but I ended up trying to strangle her. I don't know why, but that one nickname bugs me.
Back on topic, though, before I left, Mother gave me you, journal, and told me to document all the events of my new life in you. Then I hugged and kissed Mother, Father, Renny (My older sister planning to move out soon as well), Zacki (My younger sister who is too young to move out), and my twin brother, Daisuke, Who was especially hard to say goodbye to.
Daisuke and I were very close. Since our family was tight financially, we had to share a room. (Not a bed, silly! We had bunk-beds, like every set of twin siblings!) So, every night, we'd tell each other the events of the day and discuss goings-on around the house. With four children, subjects tended to heat up.
So, I boarded the cab and headed for my new life...

Chapter 1 - Welcome To Islanton!

"Hey, there!"
Saiyana swiveled her head to the left to see the cat that had spoken to her. He wore a knitted sweater and had large eyes, blue and white fur, and, oddly, no nose.
"I just need to ask you the time; I'm afraid my watch has run out of battery."
"Oh, Sure," She said, "It's around twelve thirty."
"Wow, thank you. So, where are you headed?" he said with a smile on his face.
Saiya gave him a small smile in return and replied:
"I'm going to Islanton."
"Oh, Islanton? Isn't that great! So, what do you plan on doing there?"
He really doesn't quit, does he? She thought to herself, but her sunny atmosphere didn't change.
"Well, I'm moving, actually. It's my first time on my own."
"Really? Congratulations!" He paused, then confidently changed the subject.
"You know, I never caught your name through all that."
The bus they were riding suddenly jostled as it hit a pothole, then Saiya answered.
"I'm Saiyana Yamamoto. What's your name?"
"I'm Rover!"
Saiyana found herself warming up to the odd cat, easily conversing with him as the bus puttered on along the gravel path, bringing her ever closer to what she had wanted her whole life. The excitement roiled in the pit of her stomach as Rover chattered and she watched colourful, autumn-tinged flora whip by the windows.

"Hmm."
Saiyana looked at the map, checking that she had the location, then stole a glance at the house in front of her.
It had a red roof, a picket fence, and one small window. It stood on a hill over-looking a river and the rest of Islanton town. Lucky enough for her, there had been one house left that just happened to have been on the island Islanton was named after.
"Well," she muttered to herself, "let's have a look."
Inside, the house was more like a cheap apartment. It was small, the wallpaper was peeling, the carpet worn down. In the far corner sat an old tape deck, looking forlorn and ancient. Saiyana guessed this was what the town hall clerk had meant by 'limited furnishings'.
Look on the bright side, Sai; She reminded herself inwardly, At least you won't ever be bored.
 Saiyana exited the house, the door groaning behind her, the door chimes clinking a soft tune. She scanned the rest of the island, looking from right, to the left.
"Oh, my goodness!" She jumped at the sight of a plump raccoon with lazy eyes and a gray apron standing outside her picket fence.
"Nice to meet you too," He said wryly, "I'm Tom Nook, the owner of Nook's Cranny. I also happen to manage the housing in this town and I see you've taken a liking to our, er, cozy little cottage here. You must be ."
"Call me Saiyana." She shook his hand - er, paw, rather bewildered.
"Indeed. So, let's cut to the chase. Obviously, you came here without any money, and in order to properly own a house, you must pay off the mortgage, yes?"
He didn't give Sai any time to respond.
"So, I'll generously offer you a job at my store so you can get a good start here in Islanton. Now, here is your apron, I'll meet you at the shop."
Well, he certainly didn't give room for objection. Saiyana hadn't expected so much business here in a small town, But I guess they have to make a profit somehow, she finished.
She tied the ugly apron around her waist, finishing it off with a bow.

"Ah, Saiyana-san. I actually was doubting my confidence in you for a moment, there."
Saiyana frowned for a moment, but returned to an alert expression.
"Now, let's not dawdle." He reached behind him, grunting with the effort of bending over his chubby belly. He then straightened, and shoved a large carpet into her hands. Saiyana nearly lost her balance.
"I'd like you to deliver this to Punchy."
Saiya nodded, but he held up a finger and said:
"Hang on. I don't want your clumsy hands dropping this."
He left the store, after a moment, Sai followed. He had pulled a rusty blue bike out from behind the store. It had a small trailer on the back. Nook took the carpet from her and put it in the trailer. He gestured for her to take a seat.
"Thank you." She said, then hopped on the bike and peddled the short distance to Punchy's quaint, cozy house.

"Hmmm?" Said the lazy, half-lidded cat as he inched his door open.
"Oh, my opulent rug is here. Thanks."
Saiya handed him the carpet and grinned brightly.
"No problem!"
Punchy blinked at her.
"You're waaaay too friendly to be a 'nookie-poo' servant. What's your name?"
"I'm Saiyana, I just moved here."
"Ohhh, yeaaahhh. People were saying things about a new villager, but with the way gossip spreads around here, I don't trust very much word-of-mouth."
Saiya giggled.
"I totally understand. Anyway, Nook will be calling on me, I'd better get motorin'."
"No worries. See ya 'round."

Sai made quite a few deliveries that day, introducing herself to many villagers; Queenie, Rowan, Lobo, Merry, Punchy, of course, but she also had a special delivery to a store called 'Able Sisters'. Apparently they dealt with clothes, because they'd ordered about two tons of fabric - at least, it felt like it on the back of Saiya's bike.
She gripped the heavy parcels and opened the shop door, a small chime sounding her entrance.
"Oh, the fabrics are here, Sable!" A blue porcupine wearing a green and white plaid apron exclaimed as she rushed at Saiyana.
A brown porcupine, whom Saiya guessed was 'Sable', rose from her perch behind a sewing machine, calmly making her way across the store while the blue porcupine examined the box. She finally finished as her partner arrived and smiled at Saiyana.
"Hello! Thanks for delivering our package!"
"Hi, nice to meet you." greeted Sai.
"I'm Mable, this is Sable. Since you seem new here, we'll give you the ten cent tour." She seemed to pause, realizing the box might be heavy.
"You can put the package on that desk there."
Saiyana did as told, then followed Mable around the store.
"We tailor and sell clothes, and what makes us different from city tailors is that we help our customers design clothes of their own! Oh, there's our dressing rooms, the displays..."
Saiyana had always wanted to work with clothes as her career. All the fabrics amazed her, from chiffon, to cashmere, and patterns from stripes, to plaid, to dots, to animal print.

After her tour, it dawned on her that Nook might be angry she took so long.
"I'd better leave, Nook will be calling a search party for me if I don't."
Mable looked disappointed.
"You know, you've shown us you know quite a lot about this career; you already know how to sew and measure, you have impeccable taste and a good knack for designing: you're the perfect cut."
Sable interrupted.
"What she means is she wants you to work here with us full-time."
Saiyana gaped in surprise. For one, she hadn't heard a peep from Sable the whole time, and secondly, the town tailors were offering her a job! This was something she'd wanted for a long time.
"Of course!" but then she paused, looking distraught. "What will I say to ?"
"Oh, don't you worry. We'll take care of it for you, Hun." Mable beamed. Sable cracked a half smile.

Saiyana fumbled with her keys. She had ended up with a key to her house, a key to Able Sisters, a key to each dressing room, a key to the fabrics closet, a key to the cash register, a key to her designing office, and a key to the storage room. So, she had seven keys to shuffle through. Thank goodness they all looked different, or she would have been standing there until the cows came home that night.
Before she could find her house key, a small voice cleared their throat. Saiya turned around to see an adorable koala bear wearing a green plaid dress.
"Do you need some help?" She asked.
Saiya smiled.
"No, I'll be fine. Thanks, though!"
The koala seemed to hesitate, and then chose to stay and chat while Sai looked for her key.
"I'm Melba, I live just down there."
Saiyana followed her finger and saw a purple house with a slanted roof and stone chimney.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Saiyana. You can call me Saiya, or Sai."
The koala looked excited.
"Okay, Saiya-chan!"
Saiyana smiled.
"Oh, I found my key!"
Melba pretended to be disappointed.
"That's too bad. I was enjoying our conversation."
"Melba! We can still have conversations even if I'm not looking for my key, silly!"
They giggled.
"I know. Hey, you should come over for dinner one night. For now though, we should go for coffee at 'The Roost' tomorrow!"
Sai looked at her oddly.
"The Roost?"
"Yeah, it's the best - and only- cafe in Islanton. It's in the basement of the museum."
"Oh, sure. I just got a paycheck, so I should be good to go."
"Sounds great, see you then!"

sun, oct, 21st

Dear journal,

...So I have plans for lunch with Melba tomorrow at The Roost, since it's my day off. I work on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 8:00 to 9:00. I find it odd that they never take breaks, but they say that they're fine with doing what they do. I also met many of the neighbors. Most of them seemed welcoming, I just hope Queenie and I don't get into a disagreement. She just seems so selfish and rude - even when I delivered her package she said it was late; no thank you at all!
But I'm rambling. I'm just so excited!
See you in the morning, journal.