Hello all!

My first Animal Crossing story, this one is based off of the game I had to restart due to our old Wii crashing: Animal Crossing: City Folk.

*sigh* I lost everything I had done in the game, but with it, I got a great idea. I started a new game, and this new series based on my game.

Obviously, it will be a little different than the actual game, because I'm going to add drama, but the town's layout, name, and villagers are all based on the game.

I will probably not be updating this everyday, so that means the date will be a little off, but that doesn't matter, since I'm just going to go day by day, no matter what day it is in real life. This is Gilly's story, not mine.

Man, that sounds odd, since my nickname is Gilly in real life. xD

I hope you enjoy!

July 14th, 2011

Hello Journal, my name is Gilly.

You, my friend, are a birthday present to me. You, a romance novel, and a bus ticket to a new life. Of course, I suppose if what my mother says is true and I will want to look back on the "memories" then I suppose I should rewind and tell you why I received these three gifts.

For starters, I live- well, used to live in the city with my mother, father, and my little sister Megan. My birthday was actually a little less than ten months ago, but my parents aren't always too good at keeping track of time. They're both authors, my dad a mystery novelist, and my mom a romance novelist. They keep their heads up in the clouds nearly 24/7 and it's difficult to be myself when everyone is always shoving stereotypes on my head.

"Do you want to be a writer, just like your parents?" They ask.

"I don't know." I reply, "I don't know what I want to be."

And that's the truth, Journal. I have no idea who I am- much less who I want to be. With parents like mine, I had to be the level-headed one. My sister was no help either, really.

"Oh, you must know everything!" They exclaim. "With parents as smart as yours!"

But I don't know everything! Should I? I don't even know who I am!

I'm getting ahead of myself again, Journal. I need to work on that.

Three days ago, my mom came up to my bedroom at ten o' clock, just as I was about to go to bed. She looked at me with solemn blue eyes and told me that she and dad had been "talking".

"Uh oh." I said, "What about?"

"Well," She paused, pursing her lips, "We think you aren't as happy here as you should be."

Oh. That wasn't what I had been expecting.

"I don't feel unhappy." I remarked.

"Yes, but you aren't exactly 'happy'…" she paused. "Right?"

"I suppose." I replied.

"I know you're destined to do great things, Gilly. But not here."

I was stunned by her honesty. "You're my mom," I said with a slight grin, "You're supposed to say stuff like that."

"True, but this time I mean it." She stated with a nod.

"This time?" I asked with a chuckle.

She laughed too. "Yeah. But back to the subject at hand. You aren't happy here. You aren't unhappy. You're…" She paused, searching for the right word, "Indifferent. Do you know who you want to be?"

"I…well…" I stammered, "No." I sighed.

"I think the city is a terrible place to grow dreams." She smiled, "You wonder why I never set my novels in the city, and that's why. People say the city is the place to become somebody, but often people are lost in the hustle and bustle. You need a clean slate to draw on, honey."

"I'm a terrible artist." I joked, trying to lighten the mood that my mom had thrown a dark cloud over.

"You know what I mean." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small slip of paper. "This is a late birthday gift." She handed it to me.

"Ten months late, mom." I smirked, but when I saw what the slip was, my smirk faded. "A bus ticket?"

"To GemCity." She added.

"But you hate the city!" I argued, thoroughly confused.

"It's not a city, Gilly." She pulled out a map. "It's a town in the country."

"It's a town called a city?" I asked, still confused.

"Yes." She smiled. "The mayor is… a little off his rocker. Apparently, he changed the name because he thought GemCity was more appealing than GemTown, which was what it used to be."

"So… it deceives people into moving there?" I raised an eyebrow. "Thanks, but no thanks."

My mom laughed. "It's a nice place, Gilly. It's inhabited by animals."

I blinked. "Animals? It's an Animal Town?"

"No. It's an Amphitown. It used to be an Animal Town. You will be the first human to move there." She smiled. "The ticket was cheap, and there is a nice house available. It's small, but it should be enough for one person."

Now I need to stop and explain something, Journal. Seeing as you are a Journal, I assume you don't know what an Amphitown is. It's a new idea in our world. For the longest time, there were four types of places- Human Cities, Human Towns, Animal Cities, and Animal Towns. However, recently a new type of place began appearing. Amphitowns. Towns for both Humans and Animals.

It was radical, it was new, and it was unknown.

"So… I'm a Guinea pig for this town?" I asked, shocked.

"Well… I suppose. Hopefully, more people will move in soon, but for now you'll be the only one." Seeing my terrified look, she rested her hand on my leg and smiled. "It's a beautiful place. I went there before you were born for inspiration to write my first novel. I've always dreamed of living there, even before it became an Amphitown." She smiled, a faraway look forming in her eyes.

"Oh. Well, didn't you want to push the mayor to let you live there if you loved it so much?" I knew my mother, so I knew she wouldn't give up on a place she loved just because it was an Animal town at the time.

"Well, I met your father, and he loves this city. I love him more than GemCity, honestly, and so I wouldn't take him away from this place to be where I want to be." She closed her eyes, "But I could live vicariously through you."

"Aw man!" I started, smiling to make sure she knew I was joking, "Now I have to go!"

"Oh, honey, don't feel like that." She looked up at me apologetically, not catching the joke.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding." I thought hard for a minute.

Did I really want to go? Did I want a clean slate? Would I be happy there? Questions swarmed my mind like a bees in an active hive. Would I make friends? Would I find out who I am there?

Suddenly, a thought struck me.

A clean slate. I didn't know anyone. No one knew me. No one knew Megan. No one knew my parents.

Oh my gosh. No one knew my parents.

No one knew my parents!

I wouldn't have to love literature the way my parents do! I wouldn't have to be smart, or keep a notebook with me at all times like them! I wouldn't have to be what everyone in the city expected me to be!

"…Okay. I'll move there " I said, trying to keep the excitement out of my voice.

"Really? This is a big decision! Are you sure?" My mom asked in surprise. It turned out she hadn't expected me to agree.

"Certain. But you need to keep in touch with me, okay?" I replied.

"Oh, definitely!" She exclaimed, "Every chance I get, I'll send you a letter!"

"Great." I smiled.

"There's two more things I need to give you." She headed out the door, and came back moments later with a book and a journal.

If you haven't caught on yet, the journal was you.

"I want you to keep a journal of your life there. You don't have to write in it every day if you don't want to, but I want to hear your thoughts about GemCity. And remember, if you hate it there, send us a letter and we'll bring you home. ASAP. Promise. But please give it a week for me. Okay?"

"Sure." I replied, "Now what's the book?"

"The book," She started, handing it to me, "Is a copy of my first novel. The one I wrote based on GemCity. I want you to read it."

The book was obviously a little old, and it had a picture of a red apple on the front, looking as if it had just fallen from a tall tree. The book had the words An Apple Fall in red cursive letters on its cover.

"Alright. Can I ask two questions, though?"

"Fire away." My mom said with a smile.

"First, why did you give me all this now?"

"Well, you know how we didn't really get to celebrate your birthday since we were away on business. This is a late birthday gift." She clarified.

"Okay." I said, cringing at the mention of that weekend. Babysitting Megan for my birthday. It wasn't fun.

"Second question?"

"When am I leaving?" I smiled.

And the rest, as they say, Journal, is history. Up until now, of course.

Now, I'm sitting on a bus going to GemCity, writing my first entry inside you. It's been a hectic three days. Apparently, my dad got me a part time job there too. To get me started, he says. It's for some guy named Tom Nook. Apparently, according to my dad, he's the best in the General Store business.

I also got to see who else lives in GemCity. Can you believe it, Journal, only eleven animals live there. Plus me, there are twelve residents in the town right now. Talk about tiny!

My mom told me that's a good thing, since I'll be sure to know everyone. Ha. Is it bad I'm having second thoughts?

Oh, it's my stop. We're here, Journal. I'm so nervous! Well, write in you tomorrow, I guess. Wish me luck in my new life!

Terrified,

Gilly