Authors Note: EpiPen is a trademark brand, and I do not speak for the band or company that produces them! I take no profit or credit from the use of them in my work. (Don't worry: you will see why I felt the need to put this here)
POV
Reneigh/ horse
Reneigh was in the process of strapping a hiking pack on, when Alex ran up. "Morning, Alex," she called in greeting. "Your lesson is going to have to wait. Fauna and I are just about to head out to the rock quarry to gather up some supplies." She begin to pull up her thick mane—hair—into a braid to keep it off of her neck.
Instead of looking disappointed though, Alex's eyes lit up. "You are leaving the village? Can I come?" They asked in rapid succession.
"Sure, I don't know why not. You better get a pack though, so you can carry everything back."
"Awesome!" Alex started to race away back to their house, before hurriedly turning back around. "Wait, don't I need a pickaxe or something if we are mining?"
"No," Reneigh tightly shook her head, still trying to braid her hair, "we aren't allowed to have anything that can be used as a weapon."
Alex raised an eyebrow, and made a point to pull out their ax. "Oh, trust me, I know," Reneigh said with a horse-like snicker. "I don't make the Rules; I only follow them." Finishing the braid, she flicked it over her shoulder. "Hurry up and empty the rest of your pockets out. You will want to have as much room as possible to carry back any resources you find."
"Be right back. Don't leave without me!" Alex sprinted in the direction of their house.
"They do everything in a hurry, don't they," Fauna said quietly. She was wearing a more practical shirt and shorts for the hike today, same as Reneigh.
"Yes, it is just because they are excited." Reneigh said.
Fauna adjusted her own pack. "Are you sure it is safe though?" She asked softly after a moment.
"For who? You or them?" Reneigh frowned over the younger woman. "I'll be watching Alex, but because I'm worried about them getting hurt. Not the other way around."
Fauna winced. "Well, Raymond says—"
"Raymond says a lot about a lot of things," Reneigh rolled her eyes. I wish he could keep his opinion to himself sometimes. "Don't let his bad vibes rub off on you. Spend time around them and decide for yourself, okay?"
Fauna still looked uncertain, but nodded in agreement.
Alex returned soon enough, this time with a pack on their shoulders "Okay, ready now." Alex said, slightly winded from their run.
"Great. Let's go." Reneigh turned to lead the way.
"Oh, hang on, Zucker wants to come too," Alex hurriedly interjected.
Reneigh turned to see Alex's extra shadow come trotting up as well. She tried to hide her unease. "Are you sure, Zucker? It's not exactly a pleasure trip."
He gave a hearty nod, doing a fantastic imitation of a bobblehead on an unpaved road. "Yes, I want to come. I can help." Reneigh gave him a skeptical look. "I can carry stuff." Her look didn't go away. "I can," he insisted.
"Of course, you can," Alex readily agreed, with a smile. They turned back to Reneigh, the situation clearly resolved in their mind. "We ready now?"
Reneigh was still not convinced. I'll already be keeping an eye on Alex; I'm not sure I can watch the both of them. She opened her mouth to start to discourage him…
And promptly shut it. Zucker was looking at her with those large hopeful eyes, but kept shooting quick glances at Alex, making sure that he had their approval. He is so desperate for a friend. I wonder if Alex knows that... Thankfully, Alex seemed oblivious to it. "Well, it's settled then," she said instead. "We are all ready to go now."
"Wait, one more thing." Alex turned around and began to carefully and meticulously examine the village from where they were standing at the edge of the clearing.
"What are you looking for?" Fauna asked curiously, before Reneigh could.
"Raymond." Alex narrowed their eyes as they looked. "He keeps popping up a bit too conveniently. I think he is stalking me...oh, hey!" Alex suddenly called and gave an enthusiastic wave. "Raymond! We are going to—where are we going exactly?" The last part was whispered hurriedly to Reneigh.
"The old rock quarry."
"We are going to the old rock quarry! Do you want to come with us?" Reneigh had to fight her giggles as Raymond walked over, looking dejected that he had been spotted.
"What are you going for?" He asked Reneigh.
"Resources."
He wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Ew, sounds hot and sweaty and dusty. No thank you." He adjusted his tie. "I'll stay here."
"So what are you going to do while we are gone? You know, because you won't have anyone to spy on," Alex said with a mischievous glint in their eye. Reneigh hide her laugh behind a snort. Serves you right for sneaking around.
"I'm not spying," Raymond sputtered in protest. "And I'll have you know that I have plenty to do on my own."
"Ya, like what?" Alex's smile said that they knew that they were pushing their luck.
"None of your business," spat Raymond and turned to walk away.
"Alright, have fun! Just wanted to invite you to come if you wanted to," Alex called to Raymond's retreating figure.
Instead of taking the trail toward the north, which went deeper into the woods and up to the second campsite, Reneigh led them more towards west. She went past the point where Alex had spent much time chopping trees, before plunging into the forest's underbrush. Reneigh didn't tell Alex to keep up, but she kept a watchful eye on them anyway. It wouldn't do to lose the young human in the undergrowth. With Alex, Fauna, Zucker and herself, she thought their party was large enough so that any nomads who happened to wander onto them wouldn't cause trouble. A group of four was decently large, and only the bravest (or stupidest) of the nomads would try a confrontation.
Of course, the Pack was larger in number…
But there is no reason for them to be this far south. Their territory is much farther north. Unless the Big Cat's hunting grounds were dipping into theirs again. Even in the warm morning air, Reneigh shivered. We do not need another turf war between those two groups again. She glanced back at Alex. Best to just keep them close.
Eventually, they made it through the deeper woods to the rock quarry. Alex gave a low whistle. "Whoa, how did you all find this?" Reneigh had to admit that it was impressive. While it wasn't too large, the quarry wasn't small either. The exposed rocks stuck out of the ground like large, swollen fingers but they had steadily been chipped away over the years. Large chucks of them were missing, and some of the surrounding ground had been dug up as well.
"I think Mr. Nook found them originally." Reneigh said as she slipped her pack off. It really is a warm morning. "He was the first one here, so one of the first things he did was walk the border of the whole island. He wanted to know how big it was." Fauna did the same with her pack, while Zucker plopped himself safely at the edge of the clearing, out of everyone's way.
"So it is possible then," Alex said slowly, "to walk the whole thing?"
"Well, yes," Reneigh agreed reluctantly. "But he didn't do it in a day. After he was…dropped off… he didn't know where he was, or if anyone else was here. Or if there was a way off this place. He spent the first few weeks just exploring, if I remember correctly."
Alex paused in the act of removing their own pack, somberly thinking about that. "He was the first? And he was alone?"
"Yes, he was. But he doesn't like to talk about it." She pulled out her ax. "Okay, mining is pretty straightforward. Just hack away at a rock until a piece breaks off."
"But there are more of you now," Alex pressed, clearly not ready to end this conversation.
"Yup yup," she paused to hoist the ax over her shoulder before swinging it down hard onto the rock. Even though she knew what it would feel like, she still grunted loosely as she felt the jarring clang up to her shoulder when the ax it. She tried not to stumble from the rebound. Ya, what I wouldn't give to be able to use a pick ax… "He was the one who choose the location for the village," she continued between swings, "and got it going as more and more people came."
"But that's not everyone, is it?" Alex asked as they swung at their own rock. Reneigh winced in sympathy and Alex stumbled back from the recoil. "Sheesh…"Alex grumbled, rubbing at their shoulder.
"Don't worry you—well, I wouldn't say you get used to it, but you do adjust." Reneigh said empathetically. "But yes, there are more of us now." She hesitated saying more, not wanting to make them curious about the others.
"Raymond mentioned a pack," Alex continued, dashing that particular concern, "He said that they were in the North."
Of course he did. Reneigh suppressed a sigh. "Yes, but you should stay away from them, Alex. They are…"
"Unstable?" Alex supplied the term.
"Yes," she agreed. That's probably the nicest way to put it.
"Ya, they are scary," Zucker supplied from where he sat, tentacles lazily coiling around the bits of rock scattered around him. "They hunt."
"Wait," Fauna interrupted her own mining, "I thought they referred to themselves as a pack, like a family group, because they were wolves. When you say Pack…?"
Reneigh nodded. "I mean Pack. As in how they hunt." Fauna's doe eyes widened. "Yup, that's exactly what I mean," Reneigh said seriously.
"Hang on," Alex stopped and turned to look at her directly. "They wouldn't…actually… you know," they glanced at Fauna, "eat someone?"
"Well," Reneigh hesitated. "The current Alpha, Lobo, has banned that as far as that's worth. But they are very serious about their territory and 'outsiders' venturing into it. It is a very serious offense to them. Alex isn't the only one who should to stay out their territory."
"Ya," Alex said moodily. "Raymond said that too."
Well, that's good at least. "You should listen to him."
Alex huffed out their breath, before hitting the rock again, causing some of the stone to crack and fracture off. "So, we just do this for a while or what?"
"Yup, pretty much. There is an iron vein over here as well, and that is useful. Oh, and there is some good clay off to the side over there," she jerked her head in that direction. "And if you get really lucky, you might find—"
"Hey, look at this!" Alex leaned over to look at the shiny gold piece lying on the ground. "Is this what I think it is?!"
Reneigh looked over. "Yup; gold." She agreed.
"Cool," Alex breathed, eyes alight. They held it up to better admire it in the sunlight. "I'm going to be rich."
Yes, you would be, if you were anywhere else but here. Reneigh didn't have the heart to tell them that though. "What would you buy?" She asked instead.
"Well, there is this new navigations system that I have been looking into getting for my boat," Alex rattled off, turning the rock over in their hand. "Or I might get that new rudder…" their words and voice trailed off.
Reneigh watched as Alex slowly lowed the stone, as they came to the realization that what they could use their new wealth on was really limited in their current circumstances. Instead of their eyes shining with excitement, they started to shimmer faintly with tears. "Oh. Oh, Honey, it's okay," she said, walking over to them. "It's gonna be okay, Alex." She looped a comforting arm around them, as they gave a wet-sounding sniffle.
"It's just a dumb rock," Alex's voice was thick. They wouldn't look at her.
"But, it's still a pretty rock; that hasn't changed. Come on, you can still make something nice with it." She pulled them gently into a loose hug.
"Ya…" Zucker piped up, from where he was sitting. He had a look of intense concentration in his eyes. "You can take something useful and make it pretty. Like…you could make…a golden toilet!"
Reneigh turned and to give Zucker a slightly exasperated look, but she felt Alex jerk slightly in a snicker. "A what?" they asked, but they at least raised their eyes to look at him.
"A golden toilet," Zucker repeated confidently. "It's functional and shiny."
There was a slightly hysterical edge to Alex's giggles, but they wiped at their nose with the back of their hand. "I guess that's one way to get a golden throne," they replied to him. Reneigh just rolled her eyes at them both, and let go of Alex's shoulders. Hmmm, maybe it is good that Zucker came after all. He isn't the only one who needs a friend.
POV
Alex/ human
The group spent some time at the rock quarry, which was fine by Alex. Fauna and Reneigh seemed intent on getting a certain type of stone, while Alex was concerned with just building up their resources. They carefully stacked their collection of rocks near Zucker. "Here you go. And don't worry; I'll help you pack when we are ready to leave."
"Ya, okay." Zucker agreed immediately. Alex smiled at him, before returning to the rock that they had been working on.
When Alex struck at it this time though, it broke in two with a jarring snap. "Aw, you gotta be kidding," Alex grumbled as they picked up the two pieces.
"Yes, that happens. Those tools aren't really designed for this type of work." Reneigh went over to her pack and pulled out a spare ax. "Here; you can borrow one of mine. But whenever we go on these types of excursions, you probably want to bring two of each of your primary tools. You know, just in case."
"Thanks. Hey, this is nice," Alex said, looking it over. "Did you make this?"
"Yup. But," she made a show of inspecting her own axe, "you might want to just buy some extra tools from Timmy and Tommy for a while. You know, until you get some more practice with your own DIY projects."
Ugh, that stung. But Alex knew that Reneigh didn't mean it in an unkind way. She was just being sensible.
The rest of the morning passed, and they all decided that it was time to head back. Alex helped organize all of the rocks that they had collected in their own pack, plus the ones in Zucker's pack as well.
"There, you got all that?" Alex asked, as Zucker managed—after a few false starts—to be fully standing on his own two feet. The extra weight was throwing his balance off more than normal. Alex finally reached out and adjusted the pack resting on his shoulders, trying to help him center it.
"Ya, I think so," Zucker said, but he had his feet firmly planted as if he wasn't sure they would keep him upright.
"You be careful, Zucker." Reneigh said as she led the way. "You don't want to trip with a pack full of rocks."
"I got it," Zucker said, sounding slightly defensive, with a quick look at Alex. Alex gave an encouraging smile, and made an "after you" gesture. He is trying so hard to help, Alex thought as they made their way after him. He just wants to be included. Alex made sure to stay close to Zucker on the way back, while trying to not be obvious about it. But Alex had noticed that Zucker struggled to get from point A to point B on a good day, not to mention traversing through the woods with the added, shifting weight of the rucksack.
The hike back to the village was slow-going, and not just because of the extra weight everyone was carrying. Alex's arm snapped out at regular intervals to grasp arm, shoulder, elbow, or whatever they could get ahold of to keep Zucker from pitching in whichever angle gravity decided to pull him in. If Reneigh or Fauna were frustrated by the slower pace, they thankfully kept their opinion to themselves. There was only once, when Zucker somehow managed to stumble over two different rocks and a fallen tree branch simultaneously, that Reneigh gave a short, huffy sigh. Zucker winced at the sound. "Don't worry about," Alex said as they once again righted him. "You've got this." Zucker relaxed slightly at their words, and continued on with a conscious and determined step.
Everyone seemed to breathe a sigh of relief when they—eventually—made it back to the edge of the clearing of the village. "So, what do we do with all this stuff?" Alex asked.
"Depends," Reneigh gave a weary shrug. "I am going to keep my new supplies in a storage shed I have in my workshop area. You don't have that though. You could sell some to the Twins; they are always happy to buy up extra resources. I would suggest keeping them though. In particular if you plan on working on your DIY projects. You don't want to stop midway through a project, just because you ran out of a resource. You could keep them in your house, I guess."
"I guess," Alex said uncertainly. The thought of cluttering up their new living space with an assortment of stones, wood, and branches wasn't too appealing.
As the group walked along, Alex saw Ankha and Lucky chilling out by the pond. Delighted to see their hard from the other day being used, Alex detoured over. "Morning! Or Afternoon, I guess now. How are you both doing?" Reneigh and the others stayed where they were.
"Doing well, thanks." Ankha said neutrally, and Lucky gave a simple nod as a greeting. She was dressed more casually from how Alex had originally seen her. She was wearing a simple white dress, with a pretty multicolored necklace. Her makeup and tattoos were the same though. "Oh, Zucker mentioned that we have you to thank for doing all this?" She gestured to the roses and pillows in the area.
"Yes, but I wasn't looking for any praise." Alex rubbed at the back of their hair, embarrassed. "I just wanted to do something nice for everyone. For, you know, making me feel welcome and for all you do."
"Glad to help out," Lucky said, with a grunt as he shifted his leg. "We would do the same for anyone who calls the island home." He gave a quick chuckle. "Besides, it gave me a chance to really be useful. For once."
"Don't say that," Ankha chided. "You are useful."
"Oh, yes," He rolled his eye. Even with only one visible eye, he was still so expressive. "Hoppling around pulling up weeds is so helpful."
"It is." She insisted stubbornly. "Why I bet the village would be overgrown with weeds in a month if you didn't do it."
"I just meant that it is something anyone could do—"
"Yes, but not anyone does it; you do." Lucky gave her a soft smile, but dropped the argument. Alex couldn't tell if he really agreed with her, or if he just decided it wasn't worth the fuss.
Alex glanced around to see that the roses were still blooming nicely, but they did a double take. There seems to be more of them now. "Hey, Fauna, did you happen to move more rose bushes over here?" They called back to where she was waiting with the others.
She shook her head. "No, I didn't. Why?" To Alex's surprise, she walked over to them.
"It seems like they have multiplied,"
"They are just fast growing," she stated plainly.
"Ya…but that fast? Alex was skeptical. "It's practically overnight?"
She shrugged. "Blathers noticed that too. He thinks there is something weird with the rosses' genetics or something. He says that he thinks that they are normal besides that though. He said something about them absorbing potassium really efficiently." She touched a pretty petal fondly. "But just because their DNA is different, doesn't make them less pretty."
"No," Alex agreed, with a glance at her. "You're right. They are still lovely." They adjusted the pack on their aching shoulders. "Well, it was nice to see you both," they said to Ankha and Lucky. "I should be going; I want to get rid of this extra weight, and I shouldn't keep Zucker waiting either." Ankha and Lucky waved goodbye.
Alex took Zucker to their house so he could unload the supplies he had helped carry. He reluctantly stated that he should go, but he could stay if Alex needed him. Alex assured him—several times—that they would be fine for the rest of afternoon by themselves. Eventually, he left, leaving Alex to organize their supplies on their own.
Alex munched on the simple sandwich that they had prepared for the late lunch while they moved the supplies around the room. Hmmm, Reneigh was right about building a storage area behind her house, they thought with a critical eye. There is some room, but I don't want to use all my available space to store a whole bunch of resources. Besides, I will want to add more furniture as well.
Speaking of adding more furniture…Alex had already purchased a simple small dresser from Timmy and Tommy. Not that they had a great need of it yet, but it seemed like a good fit for their new house. They had purchased a few extra shirts and shorts from the Able sisters by this point too. Mabel, in particular, seemed excited to see what appealed to Alex's sense of fashion. Alex had placed a few of their favorite sea shells on the top of the dresser as decorations (which included a conch shell, of course). Alex walked over to their dresser now and placed the single gold nugget on it as well. I could sell it to the Twins, if I wanted, Alex mused as they ran a finger over it. It's just a shame that I can't use the Bells I would get from it to buy something that I would really want. I can't even buy a ticket off this island, they thought bitterly, or use it to pay off my house loan…wait a minute!
Alex pulled out the Nook Mileage Program and a pencil. Flipping it over back and forth, they wrote some quick figures on the back of the paper. Then they carefully added up their calculations. Checked them again just to be sure. A slow smile spread across their face. Well, what do you know? Alex gave a tired laugh. I'll deal with that first thing tomorrow.
()-()
Alex threw down their Nook Mileage Program on the counter in Resident Services. "There," they said with a satisfied smile. "I have checked off enough to pay off my debt."
"Really?" Mr. Nook looked over the list. "Well, well. Look at that; paid in full." He chuckled lightly. "Indeed you have. Let me offer my heaty congratulations."
"Congratulations, Alex." Isabelle's smile could have light up a darkened room. "I always knew you could do it!"
"Yes, yes, I expected nothing less, of course," he nodded in agreement with her, "but occasions like these are cause for celebration, hm? I suppose they're also a good time to take stock and reflect. Yes, yes! I am sure your home is quite comfy in its current configuration. But…" he paused just enough to garner Alex's interest, "what if it could be bigger?"
Alex narrowed their eyes in suspicion. "Be bigger?" Isabelle had turned with a quizzical look on her face to Mr. Nook as well.
"Oho! I can assure you that it can, indeed, be bigger. And a bigger home means more space for furniture—and more storage too!"
"Uh-huh," Alex agreed loosely as they sat down on the stool. "And what would be the price tag for this 'increase in space and storage'?"
"Well, hm…for your home, I think I'd recommend making the room larger," Alex could practically see the calculations running in those blue eyes. "I would have to factor in supplies and labor cost, but I would expect it would all be covered by 198,000 Bells."
Alex just about fell off their stool. "198,000 Bells!" They did some quick math of their own in their head. "That would take forever to pay off!"
"No, not forever now."
"Couldn't I just pay it in Miles?"
"Goodness, no. That was just to get you adjusted to life here. We buy and sell in Bells, after all."
Alex rapped their fingers on the counter as they thought. The bigger space would be nice, but the storage…that was the real bonus. Particularly, if they were going to start doing more and more DIY Projects, they would really need somewhere to store their supplies.
Besides, they were getting tired of eating cold rations. A kitchen might be nice….
"Hm. I guess it sounds like a good idea," they agreed hesitantly.
"Splendid." Mr. Nook smiled at them. "I'll get started on getting ready for construction right away. Oh, and I will pencil your new loan into your account, hm?"
"Hurray," Alex said unenthusiastically, "more debt."
Mr. Nook just chuckled. "Come now, for someone who paid off their house in slightly over a week, I would think this would be easy enough. Oh, you will want this back," he pushed the Nook Millage Program back at them.
"Why?"
"Because you will want to earn more Miles after all. There are some things that can only be purchased with Miles. Those items come in a very limited quality, so I want to make sure only those who will use them wisely for the good of the island can purchase them. And in worst case scenario, you can always cash in your Miles for Bells. Think of it as pay for your community service."
Makes sense, I guess, Alex thought, taking back the Program. Alex stood up to leave.
"Oh, one more thing before you go, I do have a nice surprise for you! I hope you are ready for this…" Alex could see the excitement simmering underneath the surface. "See, Reneigh has mentioned that you and she have been working on some Projects together (which is encouraged), but it wouldn't do to exhaust all the resources in the area." Mr. Nook reached behind him and picked up a blue-colored piece of paper. "So I took the liberality of authorizing a Nook Miles Ticket for you."
Alex stared at the piece of official looking paper being held out toward them. No way. No freaking way. "I get to leave the island?" they asked breathlessly.
"It is to just gather resources; you will be right back," Mr. Nook said slowly, but he favored Alex with a smile. "But, yes. You do get to leave. Temporary. You wouldn't—ah!"
Alex's delight yell cut him off as they snatched it out of his hand. "Don't worry, I won't let you down!" Alex raced for the door.
"Be careful, Alex!" Isabelle called hurriedly, before Alex was out the door.
Mr. Nook just chuckled at Alex's enthusiasm. "Ah, to be young and full of energy," he mused thoughtfully. He glanced to the side and saw Isabelle's face. "You disapprove, Isabelle?"
"Well, not disapprove, actually," Isabelle bit her lip as she looked after where Alex had run off to. "It's just that, well, are you sure it is safe for them?"
"Safer then wandering far from the village." Mr. Nook said seriously. "Besides, Wilbur will be with them. You don't think he will allow anything to happen to them. do you?"
"Yes, but their leg…"
"I already spoke to him about it. He will stay away from islands that have cliffs. Come on, Isabelle, Wilbur will take care of them. Besides, we really do need the resources. Particularly, if I am to expand Alex's house."
"About that, why did you offer to do that? You didn't offer that to anyone else without a good reason?" She turned to face him more directly.
Mr. Nook turned series. "Because everyone else has the good sense to stay put in the village. Raymond, Reneigh, even Lucky, have all mentioned that Alex is reluctant to stay here. Alex is becoming more and more curious about what is outside the village limits. So anything that ties them here is a win in my mind."
"But what are you going to do, just keep expanding their house?" Mr. Nook gave her a look. "Tom! How many times are you going to keep stringing them along?!"
"As many times as they let me," he replied coolly. "I don't care if they end up building a mansion. If they are busy staying here paying off their debt, then they can't wander too far."
"Yes, I guess so," she bit her lip again as a nagging thought occurred to her. "But, Tom, we live on an island. What are we going to do when Alex grows bored of being here?"
To her horror, Mr. Nook just sighed. "I don't know, Issy," he said using his very private nickname for her, letting her know how serious this was. "I just don't know."
()-()
Alex raced away to the Airport. Catching their hand on the doorway, they used their momentum to spin inside. "Hey, Orville!" They called breathlessly as they skidded to a stop at the counter. "I have this for you!"
"Well, looky there," Orville said, taking the Ticket from them with a smile. "Signed and authorized by the Big Man himself." He tapped it lightly on the counter. "You ready to use this? You gotta say the magic words."
"I wanna fly," Alex replied, with a first raised to the sky.
"Roger that!" Orville said with a laugh. "I can get you in the sky right this minute, but let's just check—you all packed? Tools all ready?"
"Ummmm," Alex hesitated. "Actually, hang on." Orville just shook his head as Alex sprinted out again and rested his head on his hand while he waited for their return. He didn't have to wait long. Alex was back through the door in under five minutes. "Okay, now, I'm ready," they said excitedly. "Time for takeoff!"
"Alright! Let's get you airborne." He reached up to his headset and pressed the switch on the side. "Dodo One, this is Dodo Tower—Wilbur, you copy? Got a walker who needs wings, over." He said that last bit with a wink to Alex.
"Roger! Ready when you are!" Alex could hear the muffled reply through the headset.
"Okay—have a good flight, friend!" Orville wished them cheerfully. "And when you need to travel, just think, 'what would dodos do?'" The gate opened and Alex walked on through. Alex followed the hallways to the right and out the exit to the plane out back.
Wilbur was waiting already on the plane. "You ready to come aboard the Souring Flower, Ground-pounder?"
"Couldn't be more ready, Wilber!" Wilber chuckled and held out a hand to help pull them up. Alex carefully stepped from the dock to the open doorway. The plane bobbed slightly in the water, but Wilber kept a firm hold on them. Alex slammed the door shut behind them.
Alex hurriedly strapped in the seat, as Wilber buckled in as well. He held out a headset to them. "You will want this." Alex slipped it on. Wilber reached over and clicked the switch on the side, before giving them a 'go ahead' nod.
"Hello?" They said uncertainly into the microphone.
"Hello to you too," Orville's cherry voice came through loud and clear, causing Alex to smile. But Alex nervously eyed the device directly in front of them in the co-pilot's chair. It looked suspiciously like a steering wheel. "Um, I don't have to use that, right?"
Wilber chuckled at Alex's unease. He put his hands on the same device sticking out in front of him. "If you mean this—the yoke— the answer is a negative." He turned his yoke to the right, and the one in front of Alex did the same. "It's just there for backup. You can rest your hands on it if you want, just don't fight me for control of the plane."
"Oh, no worries about that," Alex agreed. Alex looked at all the dials and instruments on the control panel of the cockpit. "Wow, there are a lot more displays here then there were on my boat."
"That is because we aren't just sticking to moving in one physical plane, like forward, right, or left. We can go up and down. Speaking of, you ready for takeoff?"
"Absolutely."
"Great, here we Golf Oscar."
The roar of the engines was louder than Alex expected, as the plane slowly taxied away from the docks. The headsets made more sense, because trying to yell over the persistent whine of the engines would have been tiring. "You two are far enough away and clear for takeoff," Orville's voice informed them.
"Roger that." Alex was pushed farther back in their seat as Wilber begin to steadily increase their speed. Now that it was finally happening, Alex was starting to get butterflies. "Hey, Wilber, would now be a bad time to mention that I have never flown before?"
"Well, there is a first time for everything," Wilber's voice sounded excited. "Hang on." Alex gripped the side of their seat as the plane continued to speed up. They could feel the giddy shift as gravity lost the war against thrust and lift, and Alex felt the pull of them being airborne. Alex whooped excitedly as they pulled up into the sky. They realized that they could hear Orville laughing over the headset as well.
Alex laughed too, happier than they had been in a while, as they soared into the air. Finally, up and away. Alex turned to look out the window on their side, to watch as the ground dropped out beneath them.
"You doing okay over there? Not about to be sick, are you?" Wilber's voice came through the headset.
"Oh, no, I'm fine." Alex turned to beam at him. They held out their arms out toward the windshield. "Just bring me that horizon."
"Roger that." Wilber replied. The plane dipped slightly as they turned.
Alex took turns watching Wilber fly the plane, and looking out of the windows. They kept turning around, trying to see everything at once. One thing did catch their eye though. "Hey, is that supposed to be broken?" Alex pointed to one of the dials on the control panel.
"In normal circumstances, no. But that would be our compass and that," he pointed to a different cracked screen, "is the GPS. But we aren't authorized to have either one of those."
"Oh." Alex glanced out at the ocean stretching out around them. The large, open space didn't bother them, but—from living on the ocean themselves—they knew the importance of having those two things. "So you sure you don't need them to get back?"
"Affirmative." He touched the side of his head. "Homing signal. Don't worry; I always know which direction Home is."
Oh. That's interesting. "Well, as long as you are sure…"
Wilber just chuckled. "Don't worry, Mudskipper; just enjoy the view."
Alex turned to look out the window. The ocean was spread out in all directions around them. Alex knew that some people found the largeness of the open space unsettling; it was too open to them, and made them feel small. Not Alex though. They found it beautiful; the way the ocean seemed to blend from sea to sky. They did notice that the image was broken up with small islands dotted in the horizon. That seemed to be where Wilber was heading. But they are far away, Alex thought in satisfaction as they leaned back in their seat. They were very familiar with how distances and sizes were easily distorted in the ocean. It will take us a while to get there. I get to enjoy being up here. It's not the same as being on my boat, the thought was accompanied by a now familiar ache, but it's close enough.
"There are quite a bit of small islands in the area," Wilber stated as they got closer. "Blathers thinks it was an archipelago, or some large island, that broke up over time. Anyway, I estimate there are probably several hundred in the vicinity surrounding our island."
"So you haven't been to them all?"
"That would be a negative." Alex could fell the plane start to dip slightly as it made its descent. Alex turned around in their seat, trying to see out of all the windows. There was nothing but the ocean, and distant scattered islands, as far as the eye could see. But surely, we can't be that far out. Alex felt the tug of the seat belt, as they twisted farther, trying to see out in other angles. The mainland is close enough to bring supplies and stuff. It can't be that far away.
Alex's thoughts were interrupted. "This is your caption speaking," Wilber's voice had a teasing tone to it. "We are almost to our destination, so please prepare for landing. Return your seat to the upright position and make sure your seatbelt is securely fastened. We've got clear skies and the temperature is…comfortable." Alex smiled slightly at his hesitation. Summer is coming. It is starting to get warm. "We'll be making a water landing, but that's okay because this is a seaplane." Alex giggled slightly at the joke, but sat up in their seat properly. Besides, they wanted to watch this.
Wilber was heading down to the water close to his chosen island. The water seemed so far away, and it felt like the plane was moving so slowly to get to it. But as the plane got closer, it felt like it was speeding up. Wilber knows what he is doing. Alex bit down on their unease, but the butterflies were back as the plane made its final descent. Wilber was a great pilot though, and it was a smooth landing, with hardly a bump to jostle them.
Alex was now ready to get off the land and go explore. They tried not to fidget too much as Wilber taxied back around to a relative flat section of beach. They hurriedly ripped off their headset and unclipped their seatbelt. "Thanks Wilber, I'll—"
"Whoa, extend the flaps there," Wilbur chuckled good-naturedly. "This is your first time getting your pontoons wet out on tour, so we need to go over some ground rules first. Gotta brief you on mystery-island procedure." Alex saw him wink behind those glasses. "First, we run the 'finders keepers' protocol here. Lumber, fruit, fish, whatever? It's yours if you can carry it.
"Next, break a tool? Forget one? I can requisition you a replacement. Gotta chare you in miles though. Big Man's orders. This isn't a joyride. These flights are to help gather resources for the island as a whole."
"Yes, yes. Got it, thanks, Wilber." Alex slipped off of the seat and landed in the shallow water.
"There is one more thing," Wilber got out and circled around the front of the plane to them. "And this is important. You better memorize this like your favorite latte order." He knelt down slightly to be closer to Alex's eye level. "Anything you leave behind, stays behind. We don't come back these places. Ever."
"Ever?" Alex asked uncertainly.
"Ever." The dodo hybrid repeated.
"But why?" Not that Alex intended to leave anything important, but still, it felt like an extreme rule.
"I actually burn the flight plans afterward," Wilber said straight-faced. "Security reason. Can't explain more that." There was a beat of silence before they both descended into chuckles
"No, seriously. What's the real reason?" Alex asked between giggles.
Wilber sighed. "Honestly? There are so many islands in the area, and they all look the same. And because my sense of direction is targeted just to Home, I don't think I could ever find the same one again."
Oh, that's right, Mr. Nook mentioned something about that. "Okay, I'll remember. Is that everything now?" Alex started to inch backward.
"I'll be in a holding pattern here. Get in touch if you need something. If you get into real trouble, ask yourself 'what would dodos do?'" Wilber hesitated. "Alight, I think that's everything. Go explore."
The woods were barely out of his mouth before Alex was off.
POV
Wilber/dodo
Wilber smiled fondly as Alex dashed away. He wasn't too worried about Alex getting hurt or lost on this island. Mr. Nook had asked him to make sure to stay away from islands that looked too strenuous for someone in Alex's condition. There were no cliffs that Alex would have to deal with here. It was a relatively small island with a river spiraling through the center of it, but Alex seemed happy enough with it. Even now, Alex's voice called back to him in excitement. "Wilber! Wilber, there are trees! And apples! We've got apples here. And wildflowers!" He chuckled at Alex's enthusiasm. Orville will be happy that we are going to have two satisfied customers after this flight.
Speaking of Orville….Wilber stepped back into his place and clicked back on the long-range radio signal. He didn't think Alex had noticed, but he had switched off the external antenna so he and Alex could have a private conversation on the plane over. Not that he wanted to keep secrets from his brother…
But you never knew who else was listening in.
Wilber clicked his microphone on. "Dodo Tower, this is Dodo One. Dodo Tower, you copy?"
"Hear you loud and clear, Dodo One, over." Wilber could hear the smile in his brother's voice. They had previously established that they would only speak in code on this frequency, and keep the chatter down to a minimum.
"We are two down and docked at the target island. Delta Oscar Delta Oscar is a go, over."
"Roger, Dodo One. Happy hunting and have a safe return, over."
Roger that, Dodo Tower. Dodo One, over and out." Wilber smiled as he cut off the signal. Orville would keep his end open in case of emergency, even though –with only one plane—Wilber wasn't quite sure what Orville would do. Still, it was nice to know.
Out of habit, he changed the frequency of the radio. And winced when the squeal of the jamming signal rang through his headset. He hurriedly turned the volume down. Whatever Redd co. spent to make that jammer, they got their money's worth. Wilber continued to flip through the different frequencies, with no change in the signal. It didn't matter how far he took the plane, or in what direction, the radio only worked on that one specific frequency. He never heard anyone else out here either.
Not sure what I would do if I heard someone else out here anyway, he rubbed at the stubble on his face before reaching behind him to snag a soda can from the back. Oh, well, you lose some, you lose some. After a second of hesitation, he pulled out a folding lawn chair from the back of the plan as well. He could already hear Alex chopping away at the trees Looks like I am going to be here for a while. He set it up in the sand and sat back to wait.
It became clear that Alex was taking the whole 'what gets left behind, stays behind' rule pretty seriously. It seemed that they were intending to take as much of the island with them as they could. Fruit, flowers, rocks, fish, bugs—nothing was safe. If Alex could physically carry it, Alex was intent on taking it. It wasn't long before the beach was littered—in an organized chaos kind of way—with Alex's resources.
"Hey, Alex, you do realize this has to fit on the plane, right?" Wilber asked as Alex was stacking their wood.
"Yes, but I want to make sure I have everything, before I decide what really is the most important things to take back," Alex replied before darting away again to continue raiding the island of all available resources. Wilber just sat back and continued to enjoy the sun and his drink.
He let the sun slip past noon, before he decided that it was time for lunch. He made a quick return plane again, before giving a sharp whistle, catching their attention. "You wanna stop for lunch?" He held up one of the sandwiches that he had retrieved from the back of the plane.
"Yes, thanks!" Alex came over and sat on the beach beside his chair. "Is this my complementary snack that comes with my flight?"
"Something like that," Wilber chuckled. "You can thank Orville. He packed it; he is the one to think of things like this."
"I will."
They sat in companionable silence while they ate. "Well, Pollywog, you ready to head back?" Wilber gave the island a solid look over. It was completely level at this point. Normally, he would feel pretty bad about absolutely ravaging an island like this, but Blathers had assured him (in length) that all the islands in the area were the same basic ecosystem, and that thinning out the population of flora and fauna on one island would encourage the growth and migration on the others.
"Oh, Wilber. No, not yet." Alex looked at him pleadingly. "Please, can't we stay longer?"
"What for?" He looked back over the island. "I think you got everything."
"Please, I…I just don't want to go back yet."
Wilber looked at Alex in concern. "Why?"
"It's just…I'm tired of feeling watched all the time." Alex ran their fingers through the loose sand, carving patterns in it. "Everyone treats me different…because I am human." They turned to gaze out at the ocean. "I just want to be away for a little while is all. I…." Their voice trailed off. "Hey, Wilber," they begin uncertainly, "we can't get into the water around the main Island, because they think we are escaping, right?"
"Yes…"Wilber said hesitantly, not sure where Alex was going with this.
"We are far enough away now though, right? I mean…there is now way they would find out…"
Wilber followed their longing gaze to the ocean. "Hmmm, in theory, yes, it should be safe enough. But I don't know, Alex, if I would make a habit of it—"
"Oh, please, Wilber, I won't." Alex turned to look at him. "I promise I won't do it back at the main Island."
Wilber opened his mouth to tell them why that was not a good idea, but then looked—really looked— at them. The fierce longing in their eyes and posture; Wilber felt a stab of sympathy for them. Out of everyone on the island, I am probably the one who gets them the most, Wilber thought ruefully. They loved—love—to travel as much as I do. At least I still have my plane…
And they lost their boat.
"You are going to be dirty and covered in dry salt," Wilber said slowly. "You sure you want that for the whole ride back?"
"Yes, yes, please?" Alex's voice turned into a whine.
Wilber sighed. "Oh, I guess, it's fine then—" The words had barely left his mouth before Alex's excited yell cut him off, and they were gone. They practically dove into the water. Wilber gave a snort of amusement, as he watched them. "Hey, just stay in the shallow area so I can see you!" They just waved as an answer as they swam out.
Alex seemed much more at ease now. They would come ashore—dripping wet—to stack up the sea creatures that they continued to collect. Wilber eyed the containers that Alex was stacking up dubiously. "I know Blathers asked you to catch animals for his museum, but do you think it's a good idea to bring those back?"
"I think so. As long as Blathers stores them in the exhibit with the fish, I hardly think anyone is gonna notice. Someone would really have to know their marine wildlife to know that these inhabit the costal shelf regions." Wilber's mind flashed to a certain beaver hybrid, but he dismissed the thought. Naw, he stays outdoors. I don't think he has ever set foot in the Museum.
Eventually, Alex came ashore and stretched out on the sand, to begin the process of the sun drying them out. "You feel better, now that you have scratched that itch?" Wilber teased.
"Yes…" They breathed with a deep contented sigh. Alex fidgeted loosely with the bandage on their leg.
"How's it feeling?"
"Stings a little."
"Well, you do just jump into salt water."
Alex just sighed again, and looped an arm over their eyes. "Worth it…"
Wilber leaned back as well, to just enjoy the final bit of daylight. After a few minutes, he noticed that their breathing had turned slow and even. Well, what do you know? He shot a quick glance at his charge, I think they have worn themselves out. He turned back to watch the sun sink beneath the waves. Even though he must have seen sunsets over the water a hundred times before, he never got tired of it. There was a quiet thrill of majesty to it, with all the clouds ablaze in their different colors and the water reflecting them back.
"It's pretty, isn't it?" Alex's voice interrupted him. They had rolled over on their side and were looking at it too. "It's like a kaleidoscope."
"That it does," Wilber chuckled. "Hey, I'm going to build us a campfire, so we can roast some apples before we head out. We do have a decent flight back."
Alex rubbed the dry sand off their arms. "Oh. I guess I did keep us out kinda late."
"Don't worry about it. The fire will finish drying you off anyway. Don't want you to get my seats wet," he teased with a tug at Alex' damp hair.
"Hey!" Alex just laughed, as they jerked away.
"You need to decide what you really want to bring back," he said as he arranged the firewood. "You can start to stack it in the plane too. You can bring back as much as you can fit back there." While Alex got busy, he skewered a couple of apples on a stick and held them out over the fire.
The sun had fully set by the time the apples had finished roasting. "Hey, how's it going back there," Wilber called over his shoulder in the direction of the plane's cargo hold.
"Think I am pretty much done," came the muffled reply. "I have some extra room for some bugs, but that is about it." Alex jumped down and waded through the shallow water back over to him. "One of those for me?"
"Affirmative." Wilber held out the stick to them. "Be careful; they are hot."
"Thanks." Sitting by the fire, Alex munched on it as they looked around in the gathering dark. "It gets dark fast. You gonna find the docks okay?"
"Orville will keep the lights on."
"Hm, 'kay." Alex's attention turned back to their apple. As a moth flickered around the edge of the fire, Alex reached back and grabbed at their net. "I haven't checked out which bugs I can find at night yet…is it okay…?"
"Sure, just make it quick. I don't want to be out too late." Wilber stood up and, walking over to his plane, begin to do his preflight check. He could hear Alex running around, accompanied by the swish of their net. He wrapped up his inspection in satisfaction and walked back around the front of the plane. "Hey, Alex, I think…" his voice trailed off as he took in Alex's stance. They held their net at the ready, and were steadily walking forward, eyes looking down at their prey. Wilber sucked in a breath as he realized what they were hunting.
A tarantula.
And it did not look happy. It had its front legs raised, and was making that peculiar hissing sound that they did to voice their displeasure.
"Hey, Alex! Don't—" That was as far as his warning got before the little angry arachnid had had enough. It gave a little hop before suddenly dashing forward.
Alex shrieked and stumbled backward, but they were not ready for its sudden change in tactics. Before Alex could do anything else, it was on them. Alex wavered a second before collapsing onto the ground. The little beastie strutted away, with the air of someone who is pleased with himself.
Wilber raced forward through the water towards them. He clicked on his headset. "Mayday! Mayday! We got a red alert here!"
"Dodo One, what is it?!" Orville's voice came back almost immediately.
"Tarantula attack. Al—Ground-pounder is out cold." Wilber flipped them over and started his emergency first aid analysis. Airway, Breathing, Circulation, he thought as he mentally checked each one off.
"What's their status?" Orville's voice was strained, but Wilber could tell that he was trying to stay calm.
"Seems to be okay…" but there a slight wheezing sound was creeping into their breathing. "Cancel that; something is wrong with their breathing." Wilber scoped them up in his arms. "I'm bringing them back to the island ASAP." He hurriedly strapped them into their seat. The wheezing sound in their breathing was definitely getting worse. They won't make it. Wilber hated the helpless feeling that came over him. It's a long flight back to the island, and at how fast this was escalating…They'll die on the plane.
"Wilber! Wilber, hang on." Orville's voice sounded winded. "I'm at the Museum; hang on."
"Blathers here." A second voice came over the headset. "What happened?"
"They got bite by a tarantula. They passed out, and they have labored breathing."
"Anaphylaxis," Blathers breathed. "Alright, Wilber, remain calm. You still have that first aid kit stowed somewhere on the plane, correct?"
"Affirmative." Wilber reached under Alex's seat where he had stored it, and wrenched it out. "Got it."
"Excellent. Inside you should find two EpiPens. They resemble large markers."
"I know what an EpiPen looks like," Wilber said tensely, the stress making him short.
"Perfect. Do you remember how to administer it?"
"Affirmative." Wilber was grateful that all the first aid courses he had taken over the years were still with him. He hurriedly opened the container and pulled out one of the injectors. He yanked the safety cap off— Blue to the sky, orange to the thigh— and jammed it into Alex's leg. He held it there, counting slowly. After a few seconds, he gently pulled it out. "Okay, now what?"
"Get ready to fly back, but don't leave yet. You may need to give them another dose before you head back. I'll be waiting for you once you get here."
"Roger." Wilber put the headset on Alex. "Ready to go to—"
"Wilber?" Alex's voice was weak. Wilber's eyes shot to theirs. They looked slightly dazed, but otherwise okay. "What's going on?"
"Whew! Had me worried there, Civilian." Wilber remembered that his mic was still live right before he said Alex's name. "Thought you might have bought the farm! Dodo Tower, this is Dodo One; cancel red alert. Ground-pounder's up and around."
"Roger that, Dodo One!" Orville sounded relieved. "Standing down alert. Glad to hear it. We will see you both soon, over."
Wilber clicked off his mic, and really looked at Alex. They seemed to be coming out of it just fine. "You got bite by a tarantula. You feeling better now, Pollywog?"
"I think so." Alex winced and rubbed at their thigh. They noticed the second tube Wilber was holding. "You gave me an injection?"
"Affirmative." He held it up. "And I was about to give you another one too."
"Oh." A determined glint appeared back in those eyes. "Well, if you have another one, then I can try again—"
Wilber's hand closed over theirs, as they tried to undo the seatbelt. "Absolutely not," Wilber said firmly. "We are heading back to the island. Right now." No way am I going through all that a second time in one day.
"Wait, wait!" Alex protested weakly. They pointed to the beach. "You can't just leave the bugs I caught in the containers. They'll die. We have to take them with us, or let them go."
Wilber gave them a stern look. "Stay in the plane," Wilber said firmly. He stomped over and hurriedly snatched up the containers, before stomping back to stuff them into the remaining space on the plane. "There. We are out now."
Wilber kept an eye on Alex as they flew back. They seemed fine now, just worn out. It wasn't long before they were asleep again, lulled to sleep by the gentle motion of the plane.
There was a welcoming party waiting on the docks when Wilber taxied up. Isabelle, Mr. Nook, and Blathers were all waiting there. Blathers got right to work, pulling out a stethoscope and sliding it under Alex's shirt. "Heard you had a bit of excitement today, hm?" Mr. Nook said mildly.
"Wilber, how could you," Isabelle gently chastised, before Wilber could get a word in. "They were under your care."
"Isabelle, it was his fast and quick action that saved Alex," Blathers reminded her.
"Most people would stay away from a spider that large. Not Alex," Wilber shook his head. In retrospect, he wasn't sure why he was surprised by it. "They wanted to go right back out and try to catch it again."
Isabelle gave a little gasp of alarm. "Guess that means we should start ordering EpiPens in bulk," Mr. Nook said thoughtfully. "How are they, Blathers?" He asked as Blathers wrapped up the cord.
"They seem fine enough now. I think they should be watched overnight though, just in case."
Mr. Nook nodded. "Their house is under construction anyway, so that would be best."
"They can stay at mine," Isabelle hurriedly said.
"There is no reason for you to give up your bed, Isabelle," Mr. Nook said calmly. "It might be best if they stay at mine. They will probably sleep in tomorrow, and then the twins will be able to keep an eye on them." Mr. Nook's lip twitched. "Besides, they are filthy. They can sleep on the spare couch."
POV
Marshal/ squirrel
Slightly under two years ago
"Marshal, what are you doing here?" Sally called as Marshal walked in. "Don't you have exams all week?"
"Yes, but Bonnie is sick, so he asked me to cover for him." Marshall pulled the apron over his head. "Come on, you don't think I would leave you to run the shift by yourself, do you?"
"Well, you should have; you should be studying."
"Hey, I came prepared; I brought flashcards." He pulled out a thick wad of 3x5 index cards with a rubber band securing them together.
"That's not all for one class, is it?" She asked in concern.
"Yup. But wait, there's more." With a mischievous glint in his eyes, he pulled out two more equally thick stacks.
Sally shook her head. "I hope you aren't trying to cram all those in one evening."
"Don't underestimate me," Marshal just laughed. "Besides, you can help drill me."
Sally squinted at the card in her hand. "Okay, what is the year against which prices in other years are compared in a price index; given the index number 100? Gosh, I hope you know what all that means. I feel like I am reading gibberish."
"Don't worry, you are doing great," Marshal responded from his seat on the ground, where he was wiping down the inside of the display case. "And the answer is 'Base year'."
Sally flipped the card over. "Great! Next one: what measures changes in the prices of goods and services that consumers typically purchase, such as food, shelter, clothing, and medical care?"
"That sounds like Consumer Price Index or the CPI," a different voice chimed in, before Marshal could answer. Marshal jerked his head up to see his newest regular leaning over the counter. He and Sally most have been so focused that they didn't hear him come in.
"Hey, Mr. Redd!" Marshal hurriedly stood up. "Sorry; be right with you."
"Take your time," Mr. Redd chuckled. "What are you doing here? I didn't think you worked Tuesdays/Thursdays?"
"He shouldn't be," grumbled Sally.
"It's exams week" Marshal explained. "Regular classes don't meet, so we have extra to prepare for them."
"Emphasis on 'studying', not 'working," Sally interjected.
"Well, I'm pleased you are here," Mr. Redd smiled, but he gave Sally a quick glance. "No one here is half as good as you."
"Aw, thanks, Mr. Redd," choosing to ignore the jab at his coworker, Marshal picked up on of the to-go cups. "Do you want your usual or something new?"
"Surprise me, Marshal." Mr. Redd laced his fingers together as he watched his favorite barista work. Marshal kept up the ideal and easy chatter as he worked. It wasn't long before he handed the drink to Mr. Redd.
"Here you go, Sir. What do you think?"
Mr. Redd took a sip. "Excellent, as always," he purred. "What is it?"
"An English toffee cappuccino, with coconut milk and a kiss of hazelnut," Marshal smiled at the praise.
"Well, I expect nothing less from the best in the city." He slipped Marshal a bill. "Keep the change, as your tip." There was just enough emphasis on that word, implying the tip was not to be shared.
Marshal just laughed. "Thanks, Sir. I'm just pleased you are satisfied with your drink. Have a good day."
Sally sided up to Marshal as Mr. Redd left. "It's a good thing he likes you," she murmured. "He's impossible to serve when you aren't here."
"He just knows what he likes, and is particular about it," Marshal soothed. "He's just a little…eccentric. Most entrepreneurs are. Besides," Marshal held up the bill he had given him. "Mr. Jackson here says he can be as particular as he wants as long as he tips this good."
Sally laughed and lunged at the bill. "You know the Rules; all tips go into the collective tip jar to be split among the crew!"
"That includes Bonnie?" Marshal laughed, holding it just out of reach.
"Absolutely not!" Sally laughed. "You snooze, you lose."
Authors Note!
EpiPens: surprisingly, the term 'EpiPen' is copyrighted, as it refers to a specific brand. But if I were to use the general term 'epinephrine auto-injector,' I feel like no one would know what I was taking about. That is the reason for the disclaimer at the beginning.
Shoutout to ZackScottGames on YouTube for his ACNH walkthroughs. I know some people restart their islands a lot, so for some of the key conversations, I wanted to make them feel as close to the actual game as possible. I am still playing on my original island though (I haven't restarted from when I started playing back in March of 2020). Thank goodness for people like Zack who not only make good walkthroughs, but also title them clearly so I can find the dialogue I am looking for.
Wilber: As with Harvey, I tried to fit in as much radio/aviator lingo as possible without it being distracting. Oh, I assume the game knows this, but the expression is "bought the farm", not "fought the farm." I assume the game changed it to be funny (or to keep it more kid-friendly).
Souring Flower: Technically, the name of the plane changes to random flowers throughout the game. I just called it Souring Flower to have a consistent name.
Mystery Island: the island described is one of the four 'starter' islands that you will go to on your first Mystery Tour. I know no one cares about this level of details but me, but I care. Deeply. That is one reason why my writing takes so long. I am obsessed with details.
Marshal: I had no idea Marshal would be such an instant fan favorite. I mean, I love him, but I didn't think you all would like him so quickly. Which is a good thing, because he is the next person whose backstory we are going to go through. He wasn't supposed to be included in this chapter (it is already really long), but I snuck him in. You're welcome, XD. Oh, and thanks to loltean on Quizlet, for making the Advanced Economics Macroeconomics study card set. Marshal's study cards came from their notes. Hope you passed your class, Buddy.
Response to Reviewers!
Guest (November 23rd): Thank you so much for the compliment! I am trying to make each character different in their own way. This can be a little bit tricky, considering that AC characters are (in some cases) basically the same. I think as you get to know each one, they will stand out more and more. And I am glad that you picked up on Raymond's protective qualities. He isn't a bad person; just doesn't like Alex in particular. This should be explained more in the next chapter (knock on wood). Oh, you got a taste of Alex angst in this chapter, but there will be more. Yes, yes, there will be more, *insert evil laugh*.
Guest (November 24th): Not sure if you are the same person from the 23rd or not, but just in case, thank you as well for the review! And yes, glad you picked up on that as well!
Awildtrenchcoat: Thank you, and I am glad you love Marshal! I am also glad you want to see more of my OC.
Whomie: Thank you for taking the time to be a consistent reviewer. I really appreciate your input. I am glad you think that adding in all these characters is going smoothly. I couldn't introduce everyone at once, and I haven't even really done all the Visitors (AKA Redd co. hybrids). Everyone at the village feels kinda similar, because they have all gone through the same thing, and can get along together. The drastically different ones are the ones who can't play nice with others, or have a completely different perspective on the situation. It's weird to think of Flick, CJ, Celeste, and all the others as the Bad Guys, but they are something else. They are very, very different and I think you all are going to like (maybe not them in themselves) how different they are and how they affect the story. We will get to them. Eventually...
Rileyschulberg: Thank you! I am glad you find this interesting! I hope I will continue to keep your interest.
Yay, we made it to Chapter 10! Not only is this a double-digit milestone, this also means my story is over 100,000 words! So if you want to leave a Congratulatory Favorite, Follow, or Review, I would appreciate it, XD! Seriously, I appreciate all the feedback, and thanks for sticking with me so far. As we get more into the meat of the story, I will be excited to know your thoughts. Thanks again!