Chapter 21: Your conflict is getting old, cheer up already.

I was late.

Hours of free labour and human exploitation later I had staggered home and collapsed, ready to call it a night.

Until I remembered that I was having dinner at Lobo's. Half of me wanted to call it off. Given that he was a wolf, however, it didn't seem like a good idea. Him snarling was a bad enough thought, but the fact that he could eat me clinched the deal.

Although, that's probably why I was invited.

I rushed to get cleaned up and ready, tiring myself out all the more. I ended up literally dragging myself all the way to his house. I was already late, why would a few more minutes make a difference?

I was still panicking when I reached his door. Since arriving, my brain had split into two sides- the cynical, always-seeing-the-worst side and the benefit of the doubt side. I was often forced to listen to them argue and now was no exception. Still, if I was going to be eaten (like the cynical side kept insisting) at least I'd be out of here. This place still gave me the creeps- the cheeriness, the fact that everything looked fake and out of a cartoon… I hated it.

Anyway…

I could smell burnt fish as I approached the door. My stomach growled in disgust and hunger. Ah crap. I'd forgotten to stuff myself with fruit before facing food I couldn't stand.

I rapped on the door twice before hearing Lobo mutter. I took it to mean 'Come in', but for all I knew it could have been go away. An angry wolf was all I needed before entering its den.

He was stood by an oversized table that looked like a tree had been sawn in half and sanded down. The roots had been cut off and fashioned into chunky legs. Lobo had decorated it with a thin patterned cloth. I saw no signs of an oven, a fridge or any appliance used to cook or store food. In the real world that was. However, I was gestured to sit down on one of the chairs tucked under the trunk. I did so, choosing to sit opposite the annoying figurine that kept making rude noises. I could keep an eye on it that way.

Lobo laid out two plates and some cutlery. It looked like ones you could get in a dolls house set, only bigger. Obviously. It was cute. He placed a large pot in the middle and ladled two large helpings of air onto my plate, before doing the same to his.

It was weird, I could smell it, but there was nothing there.

He sat down and smiled. At least, I think that's what him baring his teeth meant. I smiled back, shakily, and waited for him to be seated and start eating, to see what he would do.

He picked up his spoon and scraped it across the plate. When he had first pulled the pot out of his invisible pocket I had thought it strange that he had put out plates for fish soup. Now I could see that it didn't matter either way. Air settled just as well on plates as it did in bowls.

He glanced up from slurping and eyed me. "Go on then," he growled, "eat up."

I quickly mimicked his actions and rammed the spoon in my mouth. The metallic tang made my stomach groan. I kept it up until he had finished, adding an extra spooning for effect. He seemed satisfied, even smug when I thanked him for dinner.

No harm in being polite, I guess.

"Tea?" I nodded absent mindedly, wondering where he was getting all this crockery from. He pulled a tea set from his 'pocket' and set it beside the pot. Two small tea cups were placed upon a green tray, along with a teapot.

He handed me a cup and poured some brown, steaming liquid into it. At least this was real. I thanked him again and took a sip. I almost choked on air when I realized that was all it was. I could have sworn there was tea in my cup a moment before.

"Something wrong?"

"N-no…" I stammered, "…hot."

I pretended to drink the rest, still puzzled by its sudden disappearance. Once we had finished, Lobo stood up and suggested we leave for the concert.

"Do you need a hand with the washing up?" I asked graciously, as a way of thanking him for his hospitality. (And for not eating me…)

He took one look at me and burst into barking laughter. "That's a good one, Ah-rooo!" I laughed uneasily with him, though I couldn't see how it was funny.

Punchy was waiting outside. I had no clue as to how he knew I was there. Stalking me, I presumed. At first I had thought he was waiting for Lobo, but as I stared at him in surprise and noticed the lack of it from him, I realized.

Now I had two dates. Both of which were animals.

It was packed at Brewster's. I had experienced a claustrophobic feeling the last time I was there; crammed into a tiny room with a few other animals, but this time, with half the village, it was worse. Being jostled around by Dotty and Tabby didn't help. They repeated the word 'welcome' over and over, eventhough they had already made me feel quite welcome in their village. The only thing that stopped me from feeling welcome was my stubbornness, my insistence that I didn't belong. It wasn't real.

"Ahem!" The hubbub of chatter died down, leaving Dotty to rush the last line of her sentence as she conversed with Daisy. Tabby shot her a glare and her ears drooped as she fell silent.

"Hello everyone! I'd like to thank you all for coming. I know you all like to watch K.K. Slider perform anyway, but tonight is extra special as it's a welcoming party for Aimee." All eyes fell on me, except for Brewster's, who was concentrating on cleaning a mug, and the white dog on the make-shift stage. His head was bowed, staring down at the chords on the guitar in his hands. He was strumming quietly, humming a tune. Practising, no doubt.

"Anyway, Me-wow, I'll leave you to the melodies of.." She giggled and blushed, "K.K. Slider." She rushed back to her seat next to Dotty and began whispering to her. About how 'totally hot' K.K Slider is, maybe?

He looked up for the first time and his unfocused eyes bore into the wall opposite him. I was convinced he was doing drugs. It would explain some of the animal's behaviours if there was a dealer about. The strumming got louder and the dog cleared his throat before whistling tunefully.

For at least five blissful minutes, I actually enjoyed myself. These quirky animals seemed more human (as human as animals could get) in the dim lights. The peaceful music calmed my conflicting brain and made me smile.

Oh God. K.K Slider had infiltrated the air with drugs.

My cheerful mood lasted through to the next morning. I noticed things I had never noticed before as I headed to work. The cooling breeze of autumn air ruffling my hair, the fragrant scent of the flowers in bloom, the sounds of leaves rustling, butterflies flapping their wings and how beautiful the sun looked as it rose through the clouds.

Today was going to be a good day. Maybe the voices in my head would stop quarrelling. Maybe I would stop being so cynical and enjoy my stay- however long or short it was. Maybe I was going home.

Maybe I should stop expecting good things to happen to me.

"Ah Aimee," Nook chirped as I entered his run down shack, "I have good news."

"Oh?"

"We will be closed tomorrow for renovation. Business is booming yes?" How was I supposed to know? But I guess it was good news, if it meant I had a day off. Or was he going to make me run around after everyone else again?

"Unfortunately," he continued, his unnaturally cheerful face drooping a little, "I have no more work for you to do which means you're free. I will miss seeing you about the place, hm."

"So my mortgage is paid off?" I think I sounded too hopeful as Nook looked at me a little sternly. I tried to smooth out my face quickly, but probably ended up looking retarded.

"Oh no, no, goodness no!" He chuckled. "You'll still have to pay that off. Surely you know how to go about making money by now, hm? Selling anything you don't need, running errands, that sort of thing. I took the liberty of setting up an account for you to pay off your loan in the Town Hall."

How kind.

"And I'm going to need your uniform back."

Ah. I suppose I should be pleased. That thing was dingy.

I ran all the way home and put on yesterday's clothes. Then started to plan my future days of freedom as I trekked back up. I wasn't sure of what to do. Sure, there was fishing and catching bugs, but after a few hours I knew it would start to bore me.

"Here you go." I handed the folded uniform over and Nook took it with a nod.

"Thank you Aimee." I expected him to tuck it away in his pocket, but instead he turned to his right. "Here's your new uniform."

I looked up. Having rushed in I had missed the person stood by Nook's side, grinning at me. She had bubblegum pink hair, tucked away into two pigtails. Her eyes were chocolate brown, huge and soft, hidden beneath long, fluttering eyelashes. Two pink spots brightened her cheeks as she smiled politely.

"Thank you," she said sweetly, taking the uniform from Nook's paws.

"Aimee, this is Roxanne."

Sorry it took so long. I added up all the hours it takes me to play all three of my AC games in a day- 9. Can you believe that? Lol. [Raaandom]

Anyway, thank you for the reviews and alerts. Keep it up... Else face the wrath of Dotty's creepy dancing.

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