January 18th

I followed Porter off the train and thanked him for helping me with my luggage.

"Not a problem, Ma'am. I've been assigned here as a station attendant, so if you ever need anything, please stop by the ticket office."

He bowed and walked away towards the office at the far end of the platform. I let my eyes linger a moment longer. I meant to look at the floor but coming from his tail bone, well, there was a tail. It wasn't a cat's tail or a dog's tail, but it was a tail!

I was firmly convinced I was just hallucinating. Porter was a nice young man and a human being. He hadn't shown one weird trait at all during our entire ride. I would have noticed something like this before, wouldn't I? Trying not to arouse suspicion, I quickly ran up behind him, grabbed it, and pulled.

"EEK!?"

He snatched the tail out of my hands and let out an piercing shriek that made me jump back for fear of my safety. It didn't come off... But more than that, he sounded as if I had really hurt him. He turned to look at me, struggling to keep his customer service smile. His teeth hadn't always been that sharp, had they?

"Ma'am," he began. "Can I... help you?"

I knew that tone. I was now the crappy customer he didn't want to deal with but was forced to be polite to because company policy came first. I didn't mean to become that person.

"I'm very sorry," I said in my sincerest voice and wore my guilt on my face. "It's just... uhm, your tail.. it's real?"

"Yes. I am a monkey."

He held his chin with his thumb and index finger and scratched his cheek as he thought something over.

"I know not very many monkeys have them so maybe you've never seen them before but I'm a spider monkey," he said pointing to himself. "We most certainly have very real tails."

I wasn't asking what species of monkey you were! But I suppose that did answer the question.

"You're a real monkey?"

"Yes?"

"And Rover is a real cat?"

"Yes."

I nodded as if I know understood everything perfectly. I understood nothing. Whatever was happening wasn't good for my stress levels. Where the hell did my father send me? I'd just have to tough it out as I slowly lost my sanity, I suppose.

Porter raised both eyebrows at the confusion on my face.

"This area used to be called Animal Forest," he explained. "We don't get very many humans so you'll probably be looked at as the strange one. But everyone's pretty friendly, even the carnivores. Just don't pull on their tails."

"I'm sorry. Thank you for the advice. I'll remember it."

I'll get eaten is what's going to happen. Carnivores?

"Glad to help. Have a good day. Enjoy your stay."

He tipped his hat but kept his tail far out of my reach. We both had learned our lesson about my grabby hands. He went his way toward the office and I went mine towards the exit. A town full of anthropomorphic animals. In other words, I'd be living in some adaptation of the 'Island of Dr. Moreau'. I just hope it didn't end the same.

I stepped out of the terminal and into the cold winter air. I was fully awake now. To my surprise, there was a small crowd waiting for me. What a warm welcome for some who'd just be the office gopher.

"Is that her," excitedly yelled a young man with a pig ears and snout. He certainly had the physique to match but with his youthful exuberance, I found him more cute than alarming.

"No feathers, no fur... Maybe it's just what this town needs," suggested a tall and muscular man next to him. I couldn't tell what he was right away but his fluffy hair, sharp eyes, and of course, wings instead of arms or hands said he was obviously a bird.

"What are we waiting for? Let's just say hi already!"

Next to him was a goat woman, identifiable by her horns, beard, and the square pupil of her eyes.

"Okay, everyone! Here we go! Ready, and-!"

Leading the menagerie, I wonder if that wasn't a rude way to put it, was a cheery young woman with honey-brown skin wearing a yellow cardigan and green pencil skirt. She would've seemed fully normal were it not for the two droopy dog ears a midst her blonde hair.

"WELCOME TO NEW LEAF!"

"Thank you all so much!"

I smiled and held tighter to my luggage. Were these my coworkers? Suddenly the dog-woman, or more like a puppy in her behavior, ran over to me and grabbed my hand, shaking it heartily.

"Mayor, we couldn't be happier to see you arrive safe and sound!"

The gears in my brain stopped on that dime.

"Oh no, I'm not the mayor," I hastily replied. "I'm just here for the secretary position."

The crowd of onlookers exchanged glances. The dog-woman looked as confused as I felt. Then after a moment, she broke into pearls of nervous laughter.

"Oh Mayor! Stop joking around! We know exactly who you are! You told us which train you'd be arriving on and everything!"

She let go of my hand and grabbed my luggage to lead me away. I grabbed hold of it as well and pulled it back to stay put.

"You're mistaken, really!"

I tried my hardest to remain polite and explain it to her.

"It's alright," she assured me. "You don't need to get cold feet! A bit of fear might make you a better mayor even!"

I could barely hold it together when I thought I was just the secretary. Being announced mayor, I was staunchly fighting back to urge to fear-vomit. It was not going to make me a better anything that's for sure.

"No, please listen," I objected.

She wrenched the luggage from my grasp and pulled it along.

"Let's continue this discussion at town hall, shall we?"

The crowd dispersed and I followed the woman as she merrily led the way. As I looked around, the town did certainly match the brochure. There was plenty of nature to look at but little of nothing else. I hurried to catch up to the woman's side.

"There are a lot of trees here..."

"Yes! Our native fruit is the peach! Please feel free to try some anytime you'd like."

Did I like peaches? I liked peach pie, peach juice, peaches and cottage cheese. That last one was an acquired taste courtesy of those three days I went on a diet before giving up.

"The flowers are pretty too..."

"We have many different kinds of flowers growing here in New Leaf. Once the snow thaws, the field will be full of even more beautiful blossoms."

I was trying to prod her for conversation and she was giving me the town's sales pitch. She wasn't bad at it but it her stiff delivery just made it clear that it had been rehearsed.

"Uhm... I don't see many buildings aside from the houses? No streets either? Or lights?"

We had been walking this whole time through fields. Calling them houses also felt a bit generous. They were sturdy structures but they were miniature houses and clearly meant for no more than one person. This place was less of a town and more like an encampment.

"New Leaf is still developing, ha ha ha..."

The return of her nervous laughter was a pretty big clue that I had gotten myself into something sketchy.

"But I have no doubt you'll turn it into a great town, Mayor!"

"About that-"

"Here's town hall!"

She purposely cut me off before I could object again.

Town hall was at least a decently sized building. It was a one-story building with windows on each side. The entrance was flanked by two large columns. A giant clock built into the archway above it overlooked it all.

"This will be your base of operations," she said as she ushered me inside.

The inside was orderly but just as meager as the town. The reception desk was lined with things such as a PA System and sunflowers in a vase for decoration. There was also a rotary phone which I liked immediately. The swoosh and clicking noise made dialing numbers fun and I'm sad they went out of style. However, I knew this town hall probably didn't have it because of the nostalgia factor, but instead because they couldn't afford to upgrade. There was also a stack of paperwork and a name placard that read Isabelle.

Just behind it was what I assumed was the mayor's desk. They had paid a bit more expense for its luxury. There was a cushioned office chair with wheels instead of the steel and plastic ones that sat at the secretary's desk. There was also a flat screen computer and a much more recent (yet still not modern) style of office phone. Just behind it hung a picture of an old tortoise man with a long beard. He was wearing glasses and hunched over a cane.

"That's the former mayor, I take it?"

"Yes, Mayor Tortimer," she answered solemnly. "He's passed on now."

"Oh, I'm sorry..."

I stared longer at the picture. Mayor Tortimer had a kind face. Even with his wrinkles, he didn't look all that old. But considering how long tortoises lived, he could've been well over a hundred for all I knew.

"Oh! And I completely forgot to mention, I'm on staff here too! Hee hee, I'm Isabelle, your secretary! I'll be here to help you in any way I can. To be frank, I was surprised to see someone as young as yourself step off the train. As you can see, our former mayor held the position for many years and was quite set in his ways. I think you'll be a breath of fresh air and just what this town needs!"

She clasped her hands together and held them to her chest, giving me a pleading look. I couldn't fight puppy dog eyes from an actual puppy-dog.

"I'll do my best!"

I said my declaration and charged towards her. My hands reached her ears and began petting them. Just like with Rover, they were real. There was no seam or headband.

"Wah! Mayor!"

She gave a startled reaction and pushed me away. Her face was blushing intensely but her tail, a fluffy one that curled over like a Shih Tzu or a Pomeranian, wagged furiously.

"Uhm! Petting is not something you do when first meeting a person."

"I'm sorry. I thought dogs liked to be petted?"

She held up her hands and waved them as she tried to dispel that notion.

"Well that's true but it's a bit rude to just suddenly grab someone's ears, isn't it?"

Putting it thought way, it struck that I may just assaulted her without meaning to.

"I'm terribly sorry! I'm still.. coming to terms with all this."

From now on, I would have to resist the urge to pet animals...? People...? These hybrid people-animals, no matter how cute they were.

"Well, let's get started on your mayoral duties right away!"

Just like that, the pit in my stomach returned. What was I going to have to do first? Give a speech? Make a new law? Solve the energy crisis?

"First, we must complete your resident registration form! A mayor must really be a resident, you know."

She laughed it off and I smiled but was not all that amused. She stepped around the counter and as she walked, I could hear the slight noise of jingle bells. Tied around the top of her head in a high ponytail was a hair band adorned with little bells that rang every time she moved her head. I stared transfixed as she went on about her work. She took a seat, pulled out a form, and began filling it out.

"So first we need your name. So what is you name, Mayor?"

"It's-"

"Oh, Anise! Duh. I have that already!"

But I hadn't told her my name at all during our conversation. Not that I could remember. So there really was a mix-up in the paper work that ended up with me accidentally applying for the mayoral position instead of secretary.

"And next, OH NO! THIS IS BAD!"

I braced myself for the worst. Although I don't know what that could be in this situation. I was now the mayor of a town of animals. I didn't think it could get worse.

"What's wrong?"

"I can't believe I forgot something so vitally important! You can't be a resident if you don't have a residence!"

Oh yeah, I was homeless. I shrugged at her statement of the obvious.

"That's pretty true."

"We don't have any vacant houses either... but you could build one! We should really get you settled in before we continue. You'll have to go to Nook's Homes. It's on the other side of the train station, on Main Street. I'll stay here and finish the paper work and you go find Nook's Homes!"

"Alright. I'll be off then. Thanks, Isabelle."

She waved as I walked out the door. She was cute but a bit scatterbrained. Well Shih Tzu were a small, hyperactive breed. I wondered if that wasn't stereotyping... Would it be okay for me to ask her what is and isn't appropriate when dealing with animals? If petting on the first meeting was bad, then I'm sure they had more etiquette that I should know about.

As I walked through town, it really did seem to be a desolate place. There was plenty of greenery but not much else. Could I make this place better? What if I made things worse? Would my being a human cause a problem? Even if I wanted to run away, I couldn't. I wasn't wanted at home, 'needed', as my dad put it. This was my only chance and there weren't any others coming my way. I took in a deep breath. Making the best of it was the most I could do.

I walked past the train station and up the stairs towards main street. The cluster of buildings were more of a comfort to me then the wilderness. But they were all boarded up and they looked like they had been that way for ages. That was never a good sign. I decided I certainly couldn't do worse. There were only two shops that seemed open. Nook's Homes, my destination, and on the other side of a gated-off walkway, Nookling Junction. I wondered if they were related.

I stepped into Nook's Homes and was greeted by a raccoon dog. He was large and burly older man with brown skin, round ears, and a puffy tail. I could tell he was a raccoon by the dark complexion around his eyes in a mask-like pattern. It was his ears that confused me but it was his tail that made the difference. Raccoons have long striped tails and raccoon dogs have short gradient brown tails. It was also his tail that fascinated me as it swayed back and forth. I sincerely wanted to touch it for how amazingly soft it looked. His rotund figure didn't help fight the cuddly image.

"Welcome, welcome!"

He had me with a lazy smile and spoke in a calm, even-toned voice. His eyes were heavily lidded, as if he had just woken up.

"You must be the new mayor. I've heard all about you."

"Yes, I just moved in," I reached out my hand to shake. "I'm Anise. Nice to meet you."

He took it and shook it just as casually as I expected him to. I let out a small shriek and stiffened up. His hands had paw pads on the end of his fingers and from them, claws. They hadn't hurt but I hadn't expected it either.

"Yes, yes," he said dismissively. "On behalf of the New Leaf Chamber of Commerce, I welcome you."

I was surprised to hear there was a chamber of commerce as given that from the looks of things, there was absolutely no commerce.

"I'm Tom Nook, I'll be your real estate agent. So you're here today because you want to build a house, yes? Please, have a seat."

Nook's Homes was a single story building and home to a single office. It was sequestered away in the back corner by the usual ugly gray office partitions. It consisted of a single desk with a computer, office chair, and a chair for guests. There were also the usual items, a filing cabinet, a potted plant, and various decorative knick-knacks. In the much larger open space were two comfortable chairs facing each other and separated by a small coffee table.

I took a seat in one of the chairs and Nook sat in the other.

"So have decided where you want to live?"

"Not yet.. I just got off the train today."

"Color me unsurprised," he chuckled. "Well there's no need to rush things. Take your time. Let's walk around town and find you your perfect place! I'll get my coat!"

I felt cynical at his saying there was no need to rush things but that was exactly what he was doing. However, it's not like I had all the time in the world to decide where to live when the alternative was sleeping outside in the dead of winter without so much as a blanket.

As we stepped off of Main Street and back into town, I noticed the way Nook's jacket didn't fit all the way over his belly. The bottom of his green sweater was still exposed by the little pudge of his tummy. Wait, was that appropriate to think about an older man? Do I think of him as a man or as an animal? Was this a question of moral decency due to our age differences or our species differences?

"Ahem!"

Nook cleared his throat to get my attention away from monologuing my inner crisis.

"Have you found a suitable place yet?"

"No, Sir," I said sheepishly, "not yet!"

"Well, that's fine," he answered with a smile on his face but some growing sourness in his voice. "Of course I'd have have all day to spend on one client."

I didn't think I deserved the sass but put up with it. It was my fault for drifting off. After a few minutes of exploring the town, I settled on a spot in the north-west corner near the train tracks. It was far enough away from any other houses that I could isolate myself just fine if I need to. I immediately regretted it when I realized this meant I'd hear the train passing by at all hours of night.

Nook measured out the plot of land and roped off the area. From his measurements, I could tell I was getting a house that was just as small as the villagers.

"This space is officially yours," he laughed.

I felt no need to reciprocate. I was already worried about where the bathroom would be and how near it would be to my bed. At least it wasn't a jail cell but at this size, it was close.

"Now the cost of land, materials, building costs... Well, the calculations are quite complicated so I can't come up with it just now. I'll tell you the total later."

That was a red flag if I ever heard one. I would have to make sure to look over the receipt carefully when I got it. No matter how cuddly he looked, I wasn't going to let him rip me off.

"I'm sure you're busy so I'll let you get back to work. Just stop by my office later to get the bill."

He started to walk away but I grabbed the edge of his sweater to stop him.

"Excuse me? About tonight?"

He looked perplexed then was struck by what I meant.

"Of course! You still need a place to rest your head! Not to worry. Give me just a moment!"

He pulled a leaf from his pocket and gave me a proud look. I didn't need to reach deep to be skeptical of whatever he planned to do with it. There was no way he was going to make a house out of leaves. He rubbed the leaf in between his fingers and there it dead center in the plot of ground. In flash of smoke, there was suddenly a camping tent erected on the spot.

"How did you!?"

"Ta-ta-ta-Da," he sang. "I'll let you borrow this tent so you have somewhere to sleep. I even put a mailbox so you can start receiving mail."

The mailbox was just a cardboard box glued to the top of a wooden post with a slit crudely cut into the front of it. It was a piece of junk but that was beside the point.

"How did you do that!? Where did it come from!?"

I was astounded and impatient to know the answer. But he continued smiling and put a finger to his lips.

"Now, now, Mayor! I can't give away family secrets! We'll part ways here. You have your duties to return to and I have my shop."

As he walked away, I remembered a story about raccoon dogs. They resembled Japanese spirits called tanuki and were said to be able to transform objects from simply using leaves. I wish that was the only thing I remembered but the rest is better left unsaid.

I poked and prodded the tent to see if the magic would wear off or falter in anyway. I stepped inside and even then, it seemed to be a thoroughly good job. The leaf didn't just look like a tent, it really was a tent. I hoped my house would be decidedly none magic and actual brick and mortar.

I returned to Isabelle and told her what had happened in the hopes that she would relieve me in some way. My willing suspension of belief had been stretched to the breaking point. I needed a kindred spirit to unload some of it on.

"That's Mr. Nook for you," she sang.

She did not share my fatigue at all.

"There's just one more thing for you to do, Mayor! Or two, two more things, actually!"

"Throw it at me," I sighed.

"Uhm... I'd rather just hand it to you..."

She gave me a tiny identification card. It had my name, birth date, and the name of the town. The only thing missing was a photo.

"That's your Town Pass Card, or TPC for short! It's proof of your residency. You can attach a recent photo to it by using the photo booth on Main Street."

It was also pink which I didn't mind in the slightest.

"Thank you."

"And for your last assignment and first official act as Mayor..."

She beat her fingers on the table imitating a drum roll. Please let it be cutting a ribbon or breaking a champagne bottle on a boat.

"A ceremony to commemorate your taking office!"

"Yes," I balled my hand into a fist and pumped it in the air. "I can do that. So I have to... still give a speech! No!'

"You only need to say a few words, Mayor. The important part is planting a sapling in the town plaza. The sapling will be a symbol of our town's growth and prosperity."

"I'm very bad at taking care of plants." I thought it best to admit my faults off the bat. "I over water them and they die. I'll try to be careful but I'm really not good at taking care of living things, not even myself!"

Isabelle again laughed this off but I was serious. Dead serious. As dead as that sapling was going to be, probably.

She made a short announcement over the PA system and we set off for the town plaza. Everyone in town was gathered around, which apparently was only five... animals. There were three I had seen before plus another piglet girl, and a young woman with pink scales, blue eyes, and slit pupils.

Isabelle and I stood in a large potted planter. She handed me a sapling and instructed me through out the ceremony. A hole had already been dug before hand so all I needed to do was put it in the ground and cover the base with dirt.

"Put your heart into it, Ms. Mayor."

As I kneeled in the dirt with the sapling in hand, I recalled what Isabelle had said back at town hall. The tree was a symbol of prosperity and growth. As long it flourished, so would this town and the people in it. I patted down the dirt on top of it and whispered to it.

"Let's grow together, little tree. You, big and strong, and me..."

A blank slate. A dead end. A failure.

"Make me something. Anything."

I stood back up and wiped the dirt from my hands, met by the applause and cheers of the crowd.

"On this day," announced Isabelle, "January 18th, let it be known that Anise became Mayor of New Leaf! Congratulations, Mayor! May this tree grow as strong and lively as the town!"

"Thank you!"

Smile and wave, I told myself. You can do that much, smile and wave.

"All of us are looking forward to the changes you'll make to our beloved town! Everyone, that concludes today's ceremony!"

I was given a last hurrah and then the animals left. I could finally breathe again.

"You did great today Mayor. Please take the rest of the day off."

"Wait, you mean that's it?"

"Well you must be tired right? You've been running around all day."

"Sure. Isabelle, thank you for all your help today. Good work!"

"You too, Mayor!"

Even though she said had nothing but nice things to say and left with a smile, I couldn't help but feel that I let Isabelle down. I thought being mayor would be harder work than just attending a ceremony. Maybe Isabelle was just as unsure about me as I was about myself and shouldering the burden alone?

I had never given thought to the fact that it was only my first day as mayor. I should've enjoyed my leisure while I could. As I was soon to learn, my work had barely begun.