Silver Takes Fuani

--An Animal Crossing Fanfiction by Silver--

Alrighty...*Rubs her hands together*...it's been awhile since I last wrote a fanfic...and I've noticed, after stalking around the Animal Crossing area, that a lot of these stories follow the same sort of pattern...I shall attempt to deviate from the norm, as I've become so accustomed to doing. I've also noticed that y'all tend to use the ramble format...and kudos to you for it. ^_^ There's not many who can pull off a truly funny ramble, and this group here is great at it. ^_~ But...for once in my life, I'm not going to do a ramble -- except for the few "omake" sections that I just can't resist. Mneeehh...*Cracks her fingers*...I certainly hope this turns out alright! ^^;;

Also...the mention of the Copellia's Coffin? It's the Noir opening theme!! ^__^ I loves that song-er!!! So of course I'd be listening to it...and don't get all technological on me...them AC-peoples are modern...just help them out sometime -- Gameboys, cameras...you name it.

***

Silver had been sitting on the train for well over an hour, and the rather strong smell of coffee, mixed with the scent of many people and animals crammed together in a small area was beginning to give her a headache...not to mention nausea. She glanced down at her backpack which was rather uncomfortably leaned against her ankles, groaned, and diverted her attention back to the window. It had to be over soon. It just *had* to be. How long could it possibly take to get to Fuani, anyway?

"Umm...excuse me..." a voice called to her from the aisle. Though Silver preferred not to look over, for fear of further upsetting her stomach, she wasn't to eager to appear rude. With a heavy sigh, she glanced over.

The wide-eyed, blue cat grinned at her sheepishly. "Sorry to bother you...my seat was taken. Um, do you mind...?" Wordlessly, Silver gestured for him to sit in front of her. "Thanks," he said, seating himself. "My name's Rover. And you are?"

"Silver," she said quietly. "Also a bit queasy, just to let you know."

Rover blushed slightly. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'll leave you alone." Silver smiled weakly, and looked back out the window. However, not five minutes had passed before Rover asked, "Hey...where are you going, anyway?"

"...Fuani," Silver answered, not bothering to look at him. "I'm moving there...just out of college."

"College, ah," Rover commented, "Any idea what district you're moving to?"

Silver blinked slowly, then looked over at her travelling companion. "...district? What?"

The cat's already-massive eyes widened even more, and he coughed. "You don't mean to say that you don't have a home yet, do you? That's...why...that's crazy! What exactly were you planning on doing?"

"Camping, I suppose. It's no big deal." Silver said with a shrug. "Like an adventure. I don't mind."

His expression obviously concerned, Rover asked, "But it's autumn! You're not from around here, are you?" Before Silver could answer, he continued, "Never mind, I can tell you're not. You don't have a coat or anything. But don't worry. I'll take care of things."

"Oh, no. Don't worry -- I'll be fine."

Rover shook his head. "No; I know someone who can help you out. I'll just run and call him...you'll see, ol' Rover will get this all sorted out."

Before Silver could object, he left the seat and headed for the next car, which had a telephone. Silver sighed yet again, and looked back out the window. She was used to fending for herself, and liked it that way. She could also do without total strangers butting into her business. Especially when she wasn't feeling her best.

She was just beginning to think up a way to decline Rover's offer politely, when he returned, grinning ear-to-ear. "Guess what?" he said proudly. "My friend, Tom Nook, has a house all ready for you!"

Silver forced a smile. "That's...great."

"It's no trouble," Rover said, clearly pleased. "We'll be arriving in Fuani soon -- I'm off to go get my luggage. Just come see me if you need anything, okay?" he offered, before waving and leaving the car again.

Shaking her head, Silver turned back to the window. She stretched, leaned forward to reach into her backpack, pulled out her cd player, covered her ears and drowned out the surrounding noise. Why she hadn't simply done that earlier...she had no idea.

Ignorance, more likely than not. Sheer ignorance.

***

The train gave a lurch as it pulled into Fuani's only platform. Hefting her backpack onto her shoulder, Silver stepped off without even pausing to look for Rover. Why bother? Her headphones were still firmly in place over her ears, anyway, still playing her beloved songs. As a matter of fact, things were beginning to look up -- her stomach had finally settled, and she could once more breathe without wrinkling her nose in disgust. As far as the issue of an unwanted house went, even that prospect was beginning to seem a little bit better. It'd give her a place to dance in peace, at least. And damned if listening to Copellia's Coffin twenty times in a row didn't give her the worst urge to do some serious dancing.

Predictably, she had barely even taken ten steps before an anxious-looking raccoon accosted her, grabbing her hand and shaking it so furiously that Silver almost dropped her backpack. "You must be Silver." He declared, turning and practically dragging her off.

Silver grabbed onto her hand, and pulled it free of his grasp. "Yes; quite!" she answered, taking several steps back with an expression of disbelief. "Do you drag everyone you meet across the ground like that?" Shaking her head, she pulled off her headphones. "It's rude, and annoying...to be very blunt."

The raccoon shrugged. "Hey, sorry. I figured you'd be eager to get to your new house."

"Oh..." Silver said, her tone dark. "You must be Tom Nook, then."

"Nook, if you will," he replied, holding out his paw again. Silver glanced at it, and wisely chose to keep her hands to herself. Nook coughed slightly, then turned away and gestured for Silver to follow. "Well...the houses are this way."

Trailing behind at a safe distance (she hoped), Silver allowed Nook to lead her towards a small residential area. The other houses in the town seemed to be placed about more randomly, so she judged this to be a development of some sort. Nook was evidently the owner of these houses. Silver snorted as she looked around. Pathetic...a small-business monopoly. She studied Nook. He was a business owner, of course...he had that whole air about him.

"Oh, by the way..." Nook said, glancing back as he walked, "...the houses aren't very well furnished, but if you need anything, just come over to my shop -- Nook's Cranny. It's not too far from here."

Silver smiled grimly. Correctly judged.

They finally came to a stop, right in front of the first of four houses. They were pitifully tiny, and with garishly-painted roofs to make matters worse. Silver stepped up to a tall, eerie-looking statue in the front yard, opposite the mailbox. She wrinkled her nose distastefully. "What is this ugly thing?" she asked, reaching out to touch it. As soon as her hand hit it, it seemed to spring to life, twirling and shaking as if in its death throes. With a rather undignified squawk, Silver leapt backwards.

Nook laughed at her, and waved to the statue. In reply, it bowed, then went still. "That," he said, "is a Gyroid, your personal message service. You can also give it items to hold, or sell."

Silver glanced at it again, and shuddered. "Can't I just get a markerboard?"

"Markerboard?" Nook scoffed. "These Gyroids are the absolute best!"

"Yes...I'm sure they are..." she said hesitantly. "Anyways, which house would you recommend?"

"They're basically all the same," Nook said off-handedly. "aside from the flooring. I'd suggest looking into each and then..."

Before he could finish his statement, Silver had pushed open the door of the house that they were currently standing in front of. She only glanced inside before shutting the door again, and declaring. "Pretty small, isn't it? And a stone floor..."

"Well, it's not as if you can't change the flooring, and you can always add to the house..."

"Fine," Silver said finally. "I'll take it."

Nook clapped his hands together happily. "Great! That'll be 20,000 bells, please!"

A pensive silence followed, before Nook finally asked, "You do have the money, right?"

Averting her eyes, Silver jabbed at the cobblestones with her toe. "Well," she said quietly, "why do you think I hadn't already bought a house?"

"How much money do you have?" Nook asked in a voice that betrayed his anxiety.

"Only a thousand, if that..."

The raccoon winced. "Umm..." he said, almost painfully, "I'll take that...but you'll need to pay off the difference one way or another...I assume you have a job lined up?"

Silver shook her head. "Nah, no job yet."

For a moment, Nook looked positively livid. But he soon calmed down, and, to Silver's complete terror, smiled. "I know," he said cheerfully. "You can come and work for me. We'll have that debt worked off in no time." He almost laughed as he gestured at the house. "Make yourself at home, then come visit my shop -- I'm sure you can find it." And then, smiling to himself, he left.

***

End of First Chapter...