-The afternoon, Tom Nook POV- I asked Aurora to take Timmy and Tommy back to the shop while I talked to Isabelle.
"The paperwork is all here Mr Nook." Isabelle said cheerfully as usual. I flicked through the yellow sheets and the pink forms. Everything was as I would expect from Isabelle. She is an excellent worker as her file suggested. But however much she tried to she could not hide what the outside world had done to her. Her eyes were tired despite it only being noon. "Great work as usual Isa-" I never thought I'd see this form being used again. A red form. This meant the poor girl... "how traumatised is this poor thing?" I said looking at Isabelle.
"She... She's very hurt..."
"How long does she have before the transformation?"
"..." Isabelle didn't dare speak.
"Isabelle please." I pressed but Isabelle stayed silent.
"One week" the mayor's voice came. "One week before the town consumes her."
"That's not possible... It took Isabelle at least two weeks and-" "It took you and your "Nephews" three days." I winced as the memories came flooding back "It took me just one"
"It gets worse..." Isabelle said quietly.
"How can it get worse?!" I nearly shouted
"Apollo has seen a man skulking around the boarders of the forest. He matches the description Rover gave us..." I stood there dumbfounded. "Tall, wide shoulders, wirery hair, dark eyes"
"I understand Isabelle. I know how the man looks. I just..." I was shaking "how did he find us?" Isabelles eyes lit up with understanding. The gravity of the situation dawned on the poor girl and I could see how frightened the poor thing was.
"I see..." the mayor said slowly and thoughtfully "he's going to be like that is he." the mayor's usually cheerful demeanour was suddenly replaced with the cold and calculating man he really was. "He's a slimy one isn't he. If he's insisting on following her to the ends of the earth like this then he really has some issues."
"Tortimer... What do we do?" Isabelle turned to face the old tortoise.
"We wait."
"What?"
"We have a week to either rehome her, chase him away or wait for him to get bored. A week is a long time young's."
"No it's not!" I shouted "No it is not! A month, yes, a year yes. A week is hardly anything!"
"You can build and renovate houses in less than 24 hours." Tortimer chided me "So why not-"
"Mr Nook! I'm all finished with the deliveries!" Emily entered and behind her Rover entered. Rover yawned and slumped onto the couch before falling asleep. "He's exhausted… he said he had another 'night shift tonight' so he's had like five cups of coffee at the roost but…" a thundering snore came out of Rover before silence descended again.
"I'll let him stay here" Isabelle said holding back some tears. I'll sighed and looked at the clock behind Isabelle. The town hall bells started to chime for four in the afternoon.
"I'll walk you home Emily." I said to the young girl "We have some things we need to talk about."
"Ah oh… oh k" she replied cautiously.
We left the town hall and started walking.
"Listen Emily" I started. "There's something I should tell you." She looked over to me and smiled
"Yes Mr Nook?"
-Afternoon end-
(Authors note: Apologies for the mix up in names! I hadn't even noticed. Thank you for those who pointed it out to me)