Note: Yay! I've been so happy lately my life is just going so well! Well, anywho you are all going to have to wait until NEXT chapter to find out what happens, MUAHAHA!! This chapter will be little snippets and bits of flashbacks about the beginnings of the town. Also, I'm not sure I made it clear before, but the characters in this story are human-like, sort of. Well, they go by human years (like how Tom Nook is twenty-three) I hope I got that settled. AND there is a little bit more of slash references in this too! But again, no yaoi, just funny stuff! Anyway enjoy :)

BRENTWOOD

POPULATION 0002

"Ah, this town will have a grand future, son. I can smell it." A young tortoise looked at the man who spoke, his father, and smirked.

"Father, you're a tortoise," the young one said, "not a bloodhound." The father and son duo laughed and enjoyed the sight of their new found town which was directly out the window of the, also new, town hall building.

After a moment or two, the father spoke. "Son, I'm leaving the town to you." The father looked at his son, examining his reaction. The son was utterly appalled. His eyes looked as if they would pop out of his head at any moment.

"Father! You're crazy! I can't manage a town! I'm only twenty-five a-and naïve! How do you expect me to-"

"Son, relax! I'm leaving the town to you, it's settled. There is nothing you can say or do that will change my mind. I can only see a great future for this town when it's in your hands. I'm sorry I guess you'll just have to learn to manage a town. I have always wanted you to have opportunities and this is one. Anyway my train is almost here I-"

"You're leaving!? How can you leave me here? How long are you going to be gone? No! You can't leave, Father! No," the son cried, attempting to keep his father with him. "Please..." The father just smiled sympathetically and lovingly and patted his son on the shoulder. Behind them a train arrived at train station not too far away. The father of the soon to be mayor left without another word.

*****

WELCOME TO BRENTWOOD

POPULATION 0015

A sigh could be heard from behind a huge counter in the building with a sign that read: "Town Hall." A tortoise in his early thirties was the creator of the sound. Behind him an assistant, a friend of his father's who had agreed to help, was working with the map of the town. She went by the name Penny. She was currently expecting twins, females, who she promised to name Pelly and Phyllis. She was in her late-thirties and apparently had no husband. Her boyfriend left her when she had become pregnant.

"Penny, what time is it?" The mayor, the tortoise, asked his employee. She glanced at the old fashioned wall clock and made a signal with her hand- she held up five fingers, it was just five o'clock. The worst part? It was the early morning.

"Mayor Tortimer? Should I go into the city to buy some more supplies? I am running out of-"

"No. I'll go, I need something to do. What is it that you need? No, nevermind I'll just get a little of everything. Hand me my coat." The mayor stood up from his position and grabbed the coat from Penny. Finally, he had something to do.

When the bus finally reached the city, the mayor of the pathetically small town stepped out and breathed in the bustling city air. He sighed again thinking how bad of a mayor he was. His town, it was truly pathetic. It only had fifteen people, some of which only travelers who decided to stay a while in this part of California. The others only were there to help him get the town bigger, then they would leave. They were his father's friends. Thankfully, his father had a lot of close friends. He couldn't comprehend how his father thought he could manage a town on his own, when he could barely manage his goldfish – which, for your information, died of starvation. He was thirty, but he has never one to act his age, he was a kid at heart and a kid obviously can't be mayor of a town. He was deep in his depressing thoughts when he bumped into someone.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry," The mayor said when he noticed the person was carrying a baby. "I apologize I was... You look very... familiar."

The person was a raccoon. He was caressing the baby while trying to figure out why and how he recognized the tortoise. "Wait," the raccoon said. "William? William Tortimer? Is that you?"

The mayor nodded, but still couldn't recognize the person in front of him. He tried to think, but his memory didn't seem to be working. "It's me," the raccoon said when he noticed his old friend was having trouble. "Richard Nook. Remember? We were the closest friends in high school."

The mayor gasped, his memory finally deciding to work. "Ricky! Oh lord, I haven't seen you in years! How have you been?"

"I've been good thanks. What have you been up to?" Richard looked at his old friend with a big smile. He was always the type to smile at everyone, whether he knew them or not. The baby in his arms awoke and started crying. The raccoon grabbed a pacifier and handed it to the baby raccoon, who settled down.

"Is he yours?" The mayor asked. The other nodded. "Who's the lucky mother and wife? Is she shopping?" The other shook his head.

"She, uh, passed away when she gave birth. She gave me a miracle, though."

"Oh, I'm sorry," The mayor said regretting asking the question. "How old is he? What's his name?"

"His name is Thomas. Thomas Nook. He's only ten months. But enough about my life. What have you done since I saw you last?" Richard asked moving a strand of loose hair out of the baby's eyes.

"Ugh, my father and I founded a town around five years ago."

"Oh! Congratulations!"

"Thanks, but not really. You see he left me to manage it alone. And you remember how bad I am at being responsible! I don't know what to do, Ricky! It's all so confusing! And I don't know if the town will even make! What if-"

"Calm down! Gosh, you haven't changed a bit. Anyway, I've been looking for a job. I know a lot about business and shop keeping. I can perhaps make a shop in your town," the raccoon said with a sympathetic smile. He was always willing to help a friend, even if he hadn't seen said friend in years.

"Oh Ricky! Thank you! You're a life saver! With you by my side, I can make the town prosper!"

*****

TOWN OF BRENTWOOD

POPULATION 0035

The town was quiet. It had been a long, tiring day. The had just finished celebrating the town's 14th anniversary. In the shop, a young nine year old boy switched the sign from OPEN to CLOSED. He looked around his fathers shop and frowned. Today hadn't been the best day for him. His father couldn't join him at the celebration because he had come down with some sort of sickness. He swore under his breath and went to the back of the shop, where he an his father lived. It was a small, but nice living area that could be accessed by the back door behind the shop or the door in the back of the storage room. He went to the small kitchen and made dinner. He thought of eating dinner with his dad, then going to help the mayor, who was like his second father to him. He decided to do that the next day, for today it was already getting dark.

Earlier in the month, he father had been diagnosed with a sickness that neither the doctors nor his "parents" told him about. His father kept telling him he would be okay, but for some reason the boy hardly believed it. The boy, Thomas, was always very skeptical. This wasn't any different.

His personality wasn't bland, as some people think when come to the shop. Instead he was very irritable. He was more serious than most kids his age, and because of that didn't have too many friends at school. He was thought of as mean by the other kids because he laughed at their expense and didn't seem to be very friendly. He never knew why he was that way, or when he became like that, but it didn't bother him in the least. His father always told him to loosen up and enjoy his childhood, but he never understood his father. He philosophy was that life wasn't to be taken lightly and "loosely" he thought that life was there to take the opportunities, and take them seriously. His dream was to be a business owner, to take over his father's shop and make it an outstanding million-dollar business. How he would do it, he didn't know. But he knew he would. He had to try, for his father.

*****

THE TOWN OF BRENTWOOD

POPULATION 0042

It had been a month since the death of Richard Nook and four years since he was diagnosed. The town was quiet in silent mourning. By the beach was the twelve year old boy, Thomas, who only went by Tom. He was stone skipping, grabbing only the biggest stones and making them bounce of the water as many times as he could. People would say he was thinking about his dad, but he wasn't. He wasn't even thinking. He was just listening to the sound of the stones bouncing off the ocean and watching the ripples descend in different directions. He was startled when someone from behind him began speaking to him.

"So, how are you feeling?" It was the mayor. Tom didn't even have to turn around to know that. He nodded as a way of saying, "Fine, thanks." The mayor nodded even though the boy couldn't see it. The boy tossed another stone, this time he lost his concentration and it didn't even skip once. He glared at the ocean, swearing at it mentally.

"So, um, unfortunately, I'm going to have to have you open the shop. We can't afford not to." The mayor said trying to get the boy to look at him.

"I can't manage a shop. I'm only twelve. You know that." Tom continued to look the other way. Mayor Tortimer remembered when his father forcefully gave him the town. But, that was different. This time it's necessary. The town needs the shop and he didn't know anything about shop keeping and business. He knew someone who did, Tom Nook. His father taught the boy almost everything he knew. "I want to," the boy said ripping the mayor out of his thoughts momentarily, "But I'm too young to run a shop." The mayor nodded again, uselessly.

"But I need you too. I'm sorry. I'll see if I can get someone to help you, but you have no other option. Sorry. I'll be in the town hall if you need anything." The mayor quickly made his way to the town hall, so that he didn't have to put up with protest. He felt bad about doing to Tom what his father did to him, but he knew he had no other option. He would immediately get to work on trying to find help for the boy.

At the beach, Tom looked back and at seeing the mayor was gone, he smiled. He held a rock in his hands. He looked at it, smiled again and threw it at the ocean, not caring whether it skipped or not. Then, he ran to the shop, his shop.

*****

BRENTWOOD CITY

POPULATION 0076

A year after Tom told Mayor Tortimer that he didn't need any help owning a shop, the said shop keeper was in his shop fiddling with the cash register. He was thirteen now, and he considered himself an adult. Everyone who knew him, also knew never to call him a kid. The consequences were too drastic. The boy looked up when he heard the door open. In came an unfamiliar person. He put on a fake smile. "Hello. Please, feel free to look around. If you have a question, don't hesitate to ask."

"Thanks." The customer responded. Then, he made his way to the back of the shop looking for something that Tom decided he didn't care about. The customer was a porcupine in his thirties. He seemed frustrated or worried. Tom looked outside and looked at the clouds drift this way and that. He assumed that it was only about twelve in the afternoon, according to the shadows. He sighed rather loudly grabbing the attention of the customer. He looked at the customer with and irritated look on his face and looked the other way yet again. Moments later the customer came up to Tom.

"Can I speak to the manager?" The customer asked looking around for an adult.

"You're speaking to him." The customer made a face and smiled.

"Uh, no I mean like the adult that runs this shop. Your father perhaps?" The customer again looked around.

"I'll have you know that I am the adult that runs this shop. And my father is dead, thank you very much. If you don't believe me I can call the mayor for you to approve." The customer laughed nervously and nodded. Tom frowned and grabbed the phone to call the mayor. He knew this would happen sooner or later. The citizens in the town already accepted him as the manager, but outsiders had no way of finding out. The mayor answered and he gave the phone to the customer, who held a conversation with the mayor for a moment or two.

"Really? But, Mister Mayor, he is, like, what, nine years old? He is just a kid!" The customer argued. Tom overheard and got quite furious.

"I'm thirteen! I'm not a kid! In fact I'm probably more of an adult than you'll ever be! Don't judge me by my age!" Tom snatched the phone and turned his attention to the Mayor. "I refuse to attend to this customer!" The mayor spoke calmly from the other end. After a moment or two, Tom calmed down, but was still unhappy. "Fine... but I won't be happy about it." After he hung up he glared at the customer. "How may I help you, sir?"

"Uh, sorry for making you mad. I was hoping to ask you if you have any baby formula?" The customer was nervous, but seemed apologetic. Tom sighed, the anger and frustration escaping him. He pointed to the third aisle from the back of the store. The customer nodded and made his way there. The young raccoon rolled his eyes and looked outside yet again this time, his attention went to this girl around the same age as himself who was walking to the store.

"Daddy?!" She yelled when she entered the store. She was probably the daughter of the customer that Tom had argued with. She was a deep maroon color. Her eyes were big and black. She went up to Tom with a shy smile. "Um do you know where my father is?" Tom thought about smiling back, but decided not to and pointed to where her father was. She nodded and skipped to her father. She whispered something to him and came back. "You own this shop? You seem to young to."

Tom took a deep breath trying not to get mad again. "Yes. I do. Maybe I am too young, but I don't give a damn." The girl eyes widened at the last word he said.

"You're not supposed to say things like that!" The girl said, appalled.

"Says who? Your daddy?" The girl nodded. "Yeah? Well, daddy's aren't forever. So screw it. Anyway-"

"What happened to your dad? Do," The girl paused. "Do you have one?" Tom shook his head. "What about a mom?" Tom shook his head again. "Aww, you're an orphan? What's your name?"

"I'm Tom. Tom Nook." Tom sighed and waited for her name in return. The girl just stared at him funnily. "Are you planning on introducing yourself anytime soon?"

"Huh? Oh! I'm Sable Able!" Tom chuckled lightly at the name. The girl looked confused for a moment. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

Tom was caught off guard with that question. He thought, remembering something his father had told him. "Um, I think I have a half sister. My father was telling me the whole thing, but I wasn't paying too much attention. I think that her mother got custody of her or something like that. I have no idea. I just know that she is like a few years older than I. What about you? Do you have any siblings?" Tom mentally scolded himself. Why did he just keep the conversation going?

"Yeah, I just recently became an older sister! She is only a few months old. Her name is Mable!" Tom nodded, uninterested. Finally, the father of the girl came to the counter with a couple of things in his hands.

*****

CITY OF BRENTWOOD

POPULATION 0101

The city was prospering. The Able's decided to move in and start a clothing store. Sable always visited Nook. He pretended to be very irritated by it, but truly, he was fine with having a friend. The town was bustling now, with travelers, citizens, and other things.

Sable's parents died a few months back, so she was forced to care for her little sister. She still tried to have fun, but lately she had been more and more uptight.

A week ago a young boy a little younger than Tom and Sable moved in with his sister, Celeste. Apparently, the boy was some sort of genius. He was college graduate, and only at the age of sixteen. Tom was eighteen then, and Sable seventeen. The boy was named Blathers and he had a English accent. Sable wanted to befriend him, but Tom thought that he was too much of a show-off. The boy talked too much and didn't show much interest in anything but fossils, paintings, and fish. He had a fear of bugs, the only thing that Tom liked about him – it was easy to laugh at him for that. The boy and his sister talked about wanting to start a museum in town, and the mayor thought it was a brilliant idea.

Tom was working in his store, when he heard the news from Sable. "Tommy! Blathers is really going to do it!"

"I told you not to call me that! And do what?" Tom asked, irritated. Sable laughed at her irritated friend.

"The museum! They are going to start building it! I know you don't like him, but you gotta give him some credit for that moxie!" Sable went around the counter grabbed her friend and ran to the spot reserved for the new museum. "See!"

"Oh, hullo! Don't you think this is the absolute perfect spot for the museum? My dream is coming true!" Blathers said smiling at the picture of the museum in his mind. Tom rolled his eyes, mumbled something and went back to his shop. "He doesn't like me, does he?" Blathers asked Sable.

"Huh? No! Of course he likes you! He is just... shy. You know what? I'm gonna try to set you guys up!"

"Ooh! Me too!" Celeste, who was fourteen, yet also very intelligent, interrupted.

"Oh... wait, what?!" But it was too late, Sable and Celeste were already running to Nook's Cranny, Tom's shop.

*****

WELCOME TO THE

CITY OF BRENTWOOD

POPULATION 0155

It has been around twenty-five years since the finding of the City of Brentwood. Tom Nook is found fiddling with his cash register, Sable is found teaching Mable how to be polite when tending to customers, and Blathers is trying to keep himself awake in his museum. A pigeon named Brewster moved in to help his friend Blathers and was the brewer in the café located in the museum. Celeste was looking through her telescope in the observatory above the museum.

The town was quiet. Not even the wind blew, almost as if scared to break the silence. Ever so often the ocean, as quietly as possible, rose against the shore and went down again. In the town hall mayor Tortimer, now fifty years of age, was napping in the corner while Penny's daughters Pelly and Phyllis worked at the counter. Penny died of the same sickness as Richard Nook did a while back, but the girls seemed happy to know their mother is in a better place, well Pelly did.

The town gate was even more silent, if possible. The two guards, were playing cards while trying to keep awake. The bus station, right in front of the gate, was empty, but only temporarily. When the clock struck exactly twelve in the afternoon, the bus arrived at the station. It was almost eery how it arrived in the middle of nothingness and silence. Out of the bus came a blonde haired, hazel eyed, and tan trench coat clad boy. He smiled at the bus driver and waved as it disappeared leaving silence to take over yet again.

Slowly, the towns people went out of their houses to see the new face. It wasn't like they haven't seen another person in ages, just that they never seen another person as confident and handsome as this particular boy. The boy entered the town hall and spoke to Pelly who smiling happily at him. She handed him a map to his new house. He was moving in. When he reached his house Tom tapped him on his shoulder. A while ago the mayor got Tom in charge of property construction, and well anything that had to do with houses and the land. He was, after all knowledgeable in that field as well.

"Hello," the boy said smoothly. His voice was smooth and sincere, yet new and forward. Tom nodded.

"So, this will be your house. I'm Tom Nook, your landlord, and your local shop keeper. The total mortgage will be 17,400 Bells." The boy nodded, smiling confidently.

The boy, Ken, was definitely a contributor to the turning point in the town...

Note: I am so sorry this chapter was so damn humongous. I went a little crazy writing this chapter, but I love how it turned out. I just hate the ending. So, uh, forgive me for the long chapter. Hope you liked it in the least bit :)