I don't own Animal Crossing or any the characters!
...I wish, though.

–

Monday
8:38 A.M.
Carniven City

–

Katrina stumbled off the bus, fighting to keep her footing as she did so. She almost had it too, but then her tail got under her paw and caused her to fall straight onto her face. Whoever said that cats always land on their feet, must have been pretty stupid person.. or animal. She wasn't sure which.

"Nice one." Katrina felt her fur bristle at the sound of his voice. Mocking her.

"Shut-up!" She pulled herself to her feet, not at all surprised to see Redd. He was carrying a few boxes up the steps of the city, most likely waiting to send them into his shop. She figured it was his new shippings. "Your so insensitive!"

"Why? Because I think it's funny to see you fall flat on your face?" Redd's lips curled into a smirk. He loved pushing her buttons. He always found it increasingly adorable how her reactions came out.. so.. childish.

"Yes!" Katrina let a hiss escape her throat, listening to the bus driver chuckle at them behind her. It was more of a 'yar har har', though. Then, she heard the doors slam, and the bus was off down the road to circle around different towns, only to land back in the city.

"Don't get your tail in a twist – oops." Redd laughed a bit. He honestly hadn't meant to say it in contrast to her current fall. Shaking his head, he resumed to moving towards his shop. "Cool off for a while, klutz. Then we can talk. Your kinda scary when your mad."

"Good, I hope I scare you," She muttered, moving up the stairs and shouldering by him. She'd like to strangle that fox in more ways than one.

Redd just let out another chuckle, then she heard him disappear into his store. Releasing a long sigh, she made a mental note to go in there sometime and check out what exactly is was he sold. She knew it was furniture, but she wasn't sure what quality he provided it in. Poor, probably.

Glancing up at the sky, she remembered all of a sudden the plans she had made.. Oh! And it was sunny too!

"Well! Off to get a shoe-shine, I suppose!" It was probably a bit dorky to look forward to things like that..

Seeing as it was before shopping hours, there were, as predicted, no animals – or humans as of the current standings – walking around the plaza. Or anywhere for that matter. It probably wouldn't be long before they came running into Carniven, though.

Katrina sat down on the steps where Kicks usually had his shoe-shining business set up. She knew he was here today – a few of his tools were setting off to the side. She figured he went to talk with someone around the city. He'd be back soon though. He usually was.

Looking behind her shoulder, she couldn't help but sigh at the sight of an abandoned building. What was that place for anyways? It'd just sat there for the past three years. There were always business-owners looking to buy a building in the city, so why didn't they just sell off the place?

She made another mental note to ask about that some time. Lyle would know. He knew everything.

"K-Katrina!" Kicks' cheery voice made her jump, and her gaze swerved around to meet his. He seemed a little surprised she was here. Maybe he didn't think she'd actually come?

"Good morning to you too," Katrina said in a joking tone, then looked down at her high-heeled shoes. "You promised me a shoe-shine this morning, right? I figured it'd be a good thing to go ahead and do. Hey? Maybe I'll even get to see my reflection in them. Something other than a crystal ball, you know?"

Kicks smiled, trying to hold back a small chuckle he had. Nodding, he grabbed his shining cloth. "Awright, then, Miss Katrina. In that case, would you prefer to have them matched by your clothing style, or your clothing color?"

"Style, please."

"Quite a choice! Just give me one moment and I'll have those shoes of yours a'shinin!" Kicks hopped up closer to her, then bent down and gracefully draped the cloth over her shoes. Then, he swiftly began to move the cloth to where it was rubbing against the exterior of her heels.

Katrina had to admit, this skunk knew what he was doing. He made a heck of a living off of it too, surprisingly.

After a moment, he pulled the cloth away and stepped to the side a bit. "There we go! Shiny as a brass whistle. And I do believe it was on the house. Err.. s-steep.." He scratched his cheek a bit, blinking.

They really were shiny..

"Thank you, Kicks! Your a mastermind of shoes, you are!" Katrina smiled more in a brightening manner, jumping down from the steps. "I'll have to start coming here more often." She suddenly took a moment to twiddle her paws, then blinked. "Oh! Um – I owe you that free fortune, so stop by whenever, okay?"

"Th-thank you, Miss Katrina!" Kicks got somewhat of a nervous look. He always felt a bit odd getting fortunes from her. It was just weird to know someone could actually predict the future.. well, weird in a good and kind of interesting way. "I'll be sure to stop by some time this week, if the weather stays fair."

The fortune teller beamed at this, causing the shoe-shiner's cheeks to go slightly pink. Thank God for his darkened fur.

"I'll see you whenever then. Anyways, I should go. Kapp'n should be coming back with a load of animals – or humans – with dirty shoes for you to get to. And I have fortunes to give out. Maybe I'll talk to you later." She gave a swift wave of her paw, then turned to head back to her shop.

Kicks stood for a moment, then gasped. "Oh, wait!"

Katrina paused and looked back at him, over her shoulder.

"Um, if you wouldn't mind me saying... I-I don't think your a klutz.." The cat tensed in front of him, and he quickly continued. "I saw you fall off the bus this morning..."

"I... see.." Katrina sweat dropped a bit. Typically her luck. "Thank you, Kicks. At least your decent enough not to rub it in my face." Stupid Redd!

Kicks smiled awkwardly. "No problem."

–

Monday
2:56 P.M.
Carniven City

–

Katrina passed another bag of bells under her desk, smiling brightly. That must have been the fifth love fortune she had read today. What was with teenagers now-a-days? ...Not that she could talk, she supposed. After all, she still dreamed of finding prince charming every now and again. Silly, right?

Suddenly, she heard another knock on her door. Blinking, she placed her paws back on the crystal ball.

"Please enter," Katrina called out in her mystic voice, eyes glued to the ball in front of her. A small bell rang as the door was opened, and a bunny walked in quickly, as if scared to be seen here. He had tall, brown ears, in contrast to everything else – which was white, also excluding the paws. "May I help you?"

"I, err, need a love fortune.." The rabbit began to shift weight uncomfortably.

Make that her sixth love fortune.

"As you wish. Please state your name, the name of the one you wish to know of, and the town you are located within."

"My name is Genji, otaku. And.. I want to know about a girl named Navigale. -" Oh brother. "-We both live in Karnia."

Katrina tried extremely hard to keep the amusement from showing on her features – and it must of worked, because Gengi didn't take any notice of it. So Navigale's feelings were mutual. How sweet. Not wasting time, she began to move her cat nails against the crystal lightly.

"Ke-ha-ha-mo-ta-ta... Ke-ha-ha-mo-ta-ta... KEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeee!" As expected, the bunny jumped as she rose her voice. Taking her eyes off the crystal ball, she was unsurprised in what she had seen. After all, he was asking the same question his little crush had. Why would she see anything different.

"Ah, I sense a strong connection between the both of you. Speak to her on a night when the colors of many stars dance across the night sky, and that connection will become final. That is all," she uttered out the exact same fortune she'd given Navigale, nodding in a matter-of-fact way. The aurora's would be shining through their town tomorrow night, so he didn't have much notice, eh? "That will be 100 Bells, please?"

Genji looked absolutely ecstatic, none-the-less. No surprise there. "Of course, otaku!" He reached into his pocket and brought out a small bag, plopping it onto her desk. "Thanks! H-core of you to help me out!" Katrina just smiled and nodded.

"My pleasure."

Genji got a pumped look, then ran out of her shop quickly, causing the girl to let out a giggle. She noticed he had more confidence now at least.

That thought only made her smile so much brighter. "I wonder if my fortunes really make people that happy?" She'd never realized it before..

Needless to say, business slowed down a bit after that. Well, in fact, no one had come in at all. She blamed the fact it was Monday. So what else could she do? It's not like she had to stay stationed in her work-place, right?

Stepping into the Happy Room Academy, or HRA, she plopped down into one of the chairs. As she usually did. Lyle was chatting to some animal over the model room – she assumed it was yesterday's big winner.

Well congrats to whoever.

"Hey, Katrina!" A familiar porcupine walked into the building, catching the cat's attention.

Katrina blinked in confusion. "Labelle? What are you doing here?" The female barely ever left her shop! This was a surprise.

"Gracie gave me the day off. Since Winter is just around the corner, she's putting up new clothing pieces and furniture. I don't see why.. it's not as if we sell that much." She sweat dropped a bit.

"I beg to differ. That human kid buys from you all the time. Err, well, clothes anyways." Katrina giggled. "I can see why no one buys the furniture though. Sometimes I wonder if Gracie is crazier than Redd.." She paused for a moment. "Scratch that."

Labelle sat down next to her, mindful not to lean back on the chair, and rolled her eyes. "Redd will always and forever be the craziest person in the city. I don't care if Gracie raises the prices to 9,000,000,000! He's still insaner."

"Is insaner a word?" A little off subject, but she couldn't help it.

"I don't know," Labelle admitted, twiddling her thumbs. Then, she smiled a bit. "Sooo!? What's with you and Kicks?" Katrina gave her a questioning look, causing the other to sigh. "Oh, come on! I saw you with him this morning!"

"I was getting a shoe-shine!" Katrina let out an embarrassed squeak. What, she couldn't innocently get her shoes done without being accused of things going on between the person shining them and herself? Next thing she knew, people would think she was interested in Redd!

Talk about the apocalypse.

"Mmhm." Labelle couldn't help a look of suspicion as she glanced at the she-cat. Before she had another chance to speak though, Lyle came bounding up to them.

"'Ole Lyle's glad to have some guests today!" He beamed brightly, unaware to the relief that overwhelmed Katrina. "Have you come for room advice? Bang."

Katrina shook her head, then smiled sheepishly. "N-Nah, just thought I'd come say hi.."

"You do a lot of that. Bang." Lyle laughed and crossed his arms. "Did 'Ole Lyle miss anything?"

"Nope." Labelle smiled innocently, though something was a bit off..

Now, he wasn't deaf, so of course he could hear every word the girls had said before he walked over here. And he also wasn't blind. He could tell by the look in Labelle's eyes.. she was planning something.

–

Monday
10:31 P.M.
Carniven City

–

Katrina sighed as she packed up her stuff, once again tired from working the late shift. Honestly, she had to stop staying here so late. If only Labelle hadn't kept her here so late with random talking. Darn here.

Katrina threw her backpack over her shoulder and exited her fortune building, walking forward to stand at the bus stop. She figured she was the only one here.

Wrong.

"Oh look, if it isn't the gypsy princess." Redd came bounding up behind her. Why did he have to appear in almost every serene moment of her life? Couldn't she get a break? Just a small one?

"What do you want?" Katrina side-glanced at the fox, who was smiling devilishly at her. She hated when he smiled like that. It meant he was planning something. And that 'something' usually had to do with driving her up a tree.

Sometimes literally.

"Oh, nothing. Just noticed you here. Late shift again?"

"You could say that. If talking is the same thing as working, anyways. Business was slow." Katrina sighed and looked out ahead of her, trying to ignore the awkward silence building up. Oh, Kapp'n, why did the bus always have to be late?

"Hey, Katrina.. I was thinking-"

"Ooh, that's a first." Katrina tried not to smile at his pout-face.

"-that you could go somewhere with me tomorrow." Redd coughed into his paw. Almost nervously.. what the heck was going on with these boys lately? "Like, to get something to eat.. or.. err.. I don't know."

Katrina panicked. "Uh, I wish I could, but, um.. well, I.." She wished she hadn't. But she wasn't the one to crush feelings – and she really didn't like the idea of going somewhere with Redd of all animals!

"But?" Redd got a dismayed look.

"Err.. I'm going somewhere with Kicks tomorrow! Yeah, that's it! You see, it's, um, the night the aurora's shine through in Karnia, right? Annnd.. a friend of ours, um, Navigale, plans to, err, share her feelings with an animal she likes!" Yeah.. that's believable. "So.. we... are going to give her support!" She smiled brightly, hoping he'd buy it.

He did.

"Oh! Sure!" Redd smirked. "But you owe me!"

"Great.." Katrina rolled her eyes, watching as the bus finally turned the corner, then halted in front of them. Where had this thing been five minutes ago? Darn Kapp'n.

Katrina piled onto the bus quickly, Redd behind her. She pushed through the few animals – and two human girls – to the back of the bus, plopping down on the last seat. Pushing herself against the wall, she wasn't surprised when she felt a plop next to her. She didn't have to look to tell it was Redd.

The fortune teller just leaned her head against the window and closed her eyes. Her town was a little far from here – it'd be a while. And it would be a while for Redd. If only one of them could have lived closer to Carniven – then they could part ways quicker.

Eh... but it wasn't so bad. Neither of them spoke through the ride. There was just the occasional yawn from both of them. But her mind was no longer on the fox beside her.

…It now rested on the fact of how in the world she was going to get Kicks into going to Karnia with her. Or how in the world she was going to convince Navigale they'd come to see her. Or even if the skunk knew who the human was.

But she had no choice!

Dang. Why couldn't Redd stop putting her into these situations?

…Darn him.

[I wrote this chapter so late at night... xD Hopefully it came out alright!]