Chapter 1: Paradise
Chapter Text
December 31st, 2020. A full moon shone brightly onto the plaza, where every villager of the island stood bundled up against the cold. There was an electric sign before resident services that read 11:55, its bright orange text glowing softly in the night as the people chattered.”
Flora rubbed her gloved hands together. “Any final words to end the year, Katt?” she asked, and then pulled her knit cap tighter.
“Of course.” Katt replied as she raised her glass of wine. “Meow, meow , meow.”
Flora rolled her eyes. “How classy.”
“What, did you want me to give some generic speech about how meaningful my life has been here?”
“It wouldn’t hurt.” Bob commented. “Everyone else is doing something like that.”
“Alright, fine.” Katt raised her glass again. “Here’s to another year of you guys being awesome friends!”
Flora smiled. “That’s more like it.”
At the back of the crowd, Carmen could merely catch glimpses of the countdown timer. She stood on the tips of her toes in a futile attempt to see over the crowd, something Coach took notice of.
Carmen groaned. “Come on, move over!”
“I have an idea.” Coach said.
Before Carmen could reply, Coach lifted her onto his shoulders. Not only was she shocked by his strength, but he was surprised by her light weight.
“Can you see everything now?”
Carmen couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, thanks!”
From the front of the crowd, Tom Nook spoke up. “Everyone, if I could have your attention please?” He waited for everyone’s eyes to fall on him. “Thank you.” He smiled compassionately. “When I first purchased this island in 2018, I honestly never thought anyone would want to move here. I mean, a tropical island all the way out in the Atlantic? Who would go there?”
Without Tom Nook noticing, the clock changed to 11:59.
“You might want to hurry it up, sir.” Isabelle suggested in a light tone.
“Right.” Tom Nook raised his glass. “A toast, to our wonderful island community. Happy New Year!”
The clock struck 12:00, and everyone took a sip from their glasses. 2021 was kicked off by cheers and laughs under a full moon. Only time would tell what awaited in this new year of life on the island…
A visitor was approaching the plaza. A pink river otter, she wore a crimson red coat with a set of matching earmuffs, and had brown hair tied into a bun. Her boots clacked against the stone of the sidewalks with each step of her determined stride. She now stood only a short distance from Tom Nook, and yet no one had noticed her.
“Hello, Mr. Nook!” the otter said, her cheery voice just loud enough for him to hear.
Tom Nook froze. He recognized the voice, and when he turned around, his suspicions were confirmed.
“Lottie?!”
The otter smiled. “Bet you weren’t expecting me to show up here.”
“No, not at all.” Tom Nook relaxed. “How have you been? How’s the HHA?”
“Great, thanks for asking! That’s actually what I’m here for. Could we talk inside?”
“Sure.”
The office lights switched on and basked the room in a soft yellow. After a tight squeeze between the table and filing cabinets, Tom Nook and Lottie were able to take a seat across from one another.
Tom Nook cleared the table. “What is this about, Lottie?”
“I’ve come to represent a new project on behalf of the Happy Home Academy.”
“Go on.”
“Allow me to show you…”
Lottie retrieved a tablet from her bag and opened it up on the table, displaying a map of several featureless islands. Tom Nook even spotted New Horizons in one corner.
“Introducing the Happy Home Paradise!”
“…It just looks like a map.”
Lottie’s face went red. “Sorry, allow me to explain.” She cleared her throat. “Ever since the establishment of New Horizons by Nook Inc, our competitors have sought to claim their own islands all around the world and create similar communities. The HHA would like to do the same in the neighboring archipelago.”
“So you’re trying to compete against me?”
“Oh no, quite the opposite! What I’m proposing is a partnership. The HHA has determined that this project can be beneficial to the both of us.”
“How so?”
“If you agree to collaborate, then all the residents on your island will be eligible for housing on ours. Besides, we need companies that are strong and reliable to take on the task of constructing this future community.”
“I like the sound of that, Lottie, I really do. But some of this just seems a little too ambitious. I barely managed to get ten people to live here!”
“I understand your skepticism, but the mere existence of this wonderful island you have here is proof that our concept can work. All we need is for you to agree.”
Tom Nook glanced at the map. “Have you actually built anything yet?”
“Good question! Currently we have jurisdiction over the islands, and there is a small population of staff workers including myself. But our first set of residents are expected to arrive later this month.”
Tom Nook remained quiet as he studied the map.
“I also understand that Lee is a resident here?”
Tom Nook’s ear twitched. “Yes, that’s correct. Why’d you ask?”
“Considering he was an ex-employee of the HHA, he should at least be notified of the job opportunities this project will have for people like him. Someone is going to have to help our residents design their new homes, after all.”
“That’s up for him to decide.”
“Of course. But none of that can happen unless you agree on this project.”
“I want to talk to Lyle first.”
Lottie’s smile trembled. “He’s not involved in this, Mr. Nook.”
“Can you at least put me through to him?”
The phone rang for a minute before a voice finally picked up. On the other end of a call was a blue otter wearing a red suit jacket and thick-rimmed glasses. He sat in the large cushioned chair of his immaculate office, which was decorated with house-shaped plaques and trophies. The otter’s voice was strong, yet passionate when he answered.
“Tom, I was expecting you.”
Tom Nook wasn’t as emotional from his office bedroom. “Happy New Year to you too, Lyle.”
The otter raised a finger. “Uh-uh! I’m a few hours behind you, remember?”
“ It wouldn’t be the only thing you’re behind on .” Tom Nook muttered.
Lyle squinted. “What was that?”
Tom Nook smirked. “Nothing.”
“Mhm. I take it you’re calling about a little visit from my niece?”
“You sent her here, didn’t you?”
Lyle bit his tongue. “Listen, Tom, I understand how you feel about the HHA, but Lottie knows what she’s doing. This was entirely her idea, not mine.”
Tom Nook’s eyes widened. “So this is her first time?”
“Yes. I don’t want to hand out favors, but she’s just been so excited about it all year.”
“What do you think of the idea?”
“Personally, I’m indifferent.” Lyle leaned back in his chair. “The whole island business doesn’t mesmerize me as much as it does others, but Lottie is as passionate about it as you are.”
“Let me get this straight.” Tom Nook rubbed his brow. “You want me to sign off on some massive project just because it would make your kid niece happy?”
Lyle sat up. “Well, when you put it like that, it drastically misses the point. Both of you clearly have the same goal of making others happy. Think of all the lives you’ve probably changed thanks to New Horizons!”
Tom Nook went silent and turned to face the window. Outside, through the frost and snow, everyone else was still celebrating the New Year. Lee and Rebecca shared a kiss, Harv poured a drink for Harriett, and Katt re-enacted a story for all three Able Sisters. Tom Nook looked back inside.
“Thanks for the talk, Lyle.”
“Well? Are you going to sign off on the project or not?”
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
Tom Nook returned from the other room to find Lottie still waiting in his office. It wasn’t until then had he realized how proper everything was about her presence. Her pulled-back hair, her modest makeup, her tightly-crossed legs, the tightly-fit stockings on her tightly-crossed legs, even her project proposal was well-rehearsed. Was it pity that came over him? Or was he genuinely impressed? Either way, he had his mind made up.
“How did it go?” Lottie asked, her voice showing not a tinge of anxiety.
Tom Nook returned to his seat and looked Lottie straight in the eye. His answer could not have been more direct.
“I’m in.”
Lottie clasped her hands together. “You are?” She was already standing. “That’s great! Let me get the contracts, and we’ll get started right away.” She eagerly shook Tom Nook’s hand. “It’s a pleasure doing business with you, sir.”
Tom Nook couldn’t help but smile. He looked at an energetic Lottie, blinked, and a younger version of himself appeared. Then he blinked again, and Lottie was back.
“The pleasure is mine.”
The coming weeks on New Horizons were weeks of growth. All of the snow had melted, making way for the picturesque flowers and trees of the year before. The first neighborhoods were already being built on the islands of the archipelago, and the HHA had sent out letters to all of the residents…
In their bunker, Don read over his letter aloud as Resetti listened doubtfully nearby.
“If you are a resident of New Horizons and seek a brand new home,” Don spoke. “Then you are eligible to transfer housing to one of several islands on part of Paradise Planning and the Happy Home Paradise program!”
“So what good does that do us?” Resetti retorted. “We’re still stuck workin’ here.”
Don stuttered. “Well…”
Resetti let out a hardy laugh. “I’m just messin’ with ya! I like it down here.”
Don looked around the room. Despite being underground and home to dirty, worn-down equipment, its white brick walls and fluorescent lights were always welcoming.
Don crumpled up the letter. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Rebecca entered Lee’s bedroom to find him neatly laying out a suit on his bed. The coat and pants were a deep red decorated with orange vines and flowers, intriguing Rebecca.
“What’s that?”
“I got a job at the archipelago as a designer.” he replied. “This is the suit they gave me.”
Rebecca was stunned. “You’re going back?”
“I know what I said, but I want to give it another chance. I really think it’ll be different this time around.”
“That’s your choice.” Rebecca inspected the suit. “It’s a nice uniform at least.”
Leopold was in the midst of a deep sleep when his letter arrived. Wilbur opened the mailbox, but was bombarded by a week's worth of mail flooding out.
Flora looked out at the shoreline from one of the chairs on her porch. The orange light of the evening sun glinted off the soft waves, their rhythmic motion lulling her to sleep. A single drop of water slid down the half-empty glass of pink lemonade on the table beside her, and ice cubes softly clinked in the pitcher. As the sun began to disappear on the horizon, Flora could feel her eyelids growing heavy. It wasn’t long until her sight was reduced to a few slow blinks.
Suddenly, between blinks, Katt appeared on the porch. “Howdy, neighbor!” she said with a toothy grin.
Flora flinched in her chair. “What is with you and sneaking up on everyone?”
“To be fair, you are a bit easy to sneak up on.”
“I’m sure you would know.”
Katt took a seat next to Flora. “So, what do you think of this whole archipelago thing?”
“I’ve been thinking about it a lot, actually.”
“Me too. Just imagine all the awesome people that’ll move in!”
“It really looks nice over there…”
“I hear they have actual roads.”
“And more neighbors…”
“Don’t forget the restaurants.”
“I might finally be able to fit in somewhere!”
Katt froze. “What do you mean, Flora?”
“Listen, Katt…” Flora frowned. “I’ve had that letter on my mind, the part about any of us being able to move out for free. New Horizons has been an absolute blessing, but I just feel like there’s something out there for me.” She blushed. “Not that I’m certain about anything, of course! You’ll always be my friend, and…how do I say this–?”
“It’s fine!” Katt smiled, much to Flora’s relief. “I get it, you want to explore. Everyone here does!”
“But…I might not be your neighbor anymore.”
Katt scoffed. “And that’s supposed to stop us from being friends?”
“I didn’t know if you would take the news so well.”
“Whatever you feel is best for you, I’ll support you all the way.” Katt tilted her head. “That’s what friends are for. Right, purrty?”
Flora could feel her heart melt. “Thanks, Katt.”
“Don’t mention it.” Katt thought for a moment. “While we’re on it, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you, but I was worried it might be too personal.”
“Whatever it is, I’ll give you an answer.”
“Okay, here goes.” Katt clenched her fists. “Flora, can you fly?”
Flora broke into laughter. “What?”
“I knew it was a stupid question!”
“No it’s not, it’s just…” Flora stopped her laughter. “If I could fly, wouldn’t you have seen me do it by now?”
“Hey, I was just checking! Some people are secretive like that.”
“You weren’t hoping I could fly you around, were you?”
“No!” Katt’s face turned red. “But that would be really cool if you could.”
Flora shook her head. “You never fail to surprise me, Katt.”
6:00 AM. The alarm clock went off with a blare and awakened Tom Nook. Before he could even sit up, he heard a knock on the door that was soon accompanied by Isabelle’s voice.
“Ready for the big day, sir?”
Tom Nook rubbed his eyes. “Right…”
The morning sun was alone in the cloudless sky. Now all of the island residents were gathered near the docks, with Tom Nook and Isabelle at the front.
“You look nervous.” Isabelle remarked.
“Why would I be nervous?”
“Well, from my understanding, this Paradise project seems like a pretty big risk.”
“Please, risk is my middle name! And besides, I feel bad for Lottie more than anything. Imagine the pressure she must be under right now.”
“If she’s so stressed out, then maybe she shouldn’t have put herself in this position.”
“What are you saying?”
“Nothing, just that she’s ten years younger than you and taking on a project fifty times the size of New Horizons.”
“Are you sure you’re not just jealous?”
Isabelle stamped her foot. “Oh, that’s hilarious.”
Tom Nook noticed Isabelle’s tail wagging, but before he could say anything, he noticed a boat on the horizon. It was a motorboat, larger than Kapp’n’s, painted with the same red coloring and emblem as Lottie’s outfit. It didn’t take long for everyone to see Lottie herself, but what took longer to notice was the short monkey driving the boat. He had gray and white fur, and he wore a straw hat with a red button shirt that matched Lottie’s dress. Despite his height, he could see just enough from behind the wheel to flawlessly park the boat at the dock, and he was even met by a round of applause.
“Hello, everyone!” Lottie announced. “I’m Lottie from the Happy Home Academy.” She stopped to introduce the monkey. “And this is Niko, my coworker.”
“Hiya!” the monkey said with a wave. “How’re we all feeling today?”
“Great.” Tom Nook blurted out.
“Yeah, I’m good.” Bob stated.
Walker pondered. “A little hungry, actually.”
“Tired!” Katt joked.
Lottie laughed. “Not to worry, we’ll get going soon enough. First things first, a bit of safety. This boat only has enough room for five passengers, but don’t worry! We’ll be back next week, and after that we’ll have more boats up and running.”
“We’re all adults here.” Niko added. “You can split yourselves up.”
Tom Nook was the first to give. “You can go on without me.”
Lottie went stiff. “Are you sure, Mr. Nook?”
“It’s fine, I’ll drop by on my own time.” Tom Nook aimed two finger guns, comforting Lottie. “Just worry about what you have to do.”
Down in the crowd, Walker cupped his hands. “Aw jeez, I don’t want to cut in front of anyone.” he worried.
“Then let’s wait.” Goldie suggested.
“You wanna wait?”
“I’m in no hurry.”
Walker placed a hand on Goldie’s shoulder. “Alright.”
“That was a waste of time.” Coach remarked. “Now what?”
“Wanna play Smash Bros?” Carmen suggested.
Coach smirked. “It’s on!”
Carmen hopped on to Coach’s shoulders, one hand clutched around a horn and the other pointing forward. “Mush!”
Amidst the chatter, Flora looked around curiously. “Has anyone seen Leopold?”
Katt’s attitude was on a roll. “ That is a great question. I haven’t seen him in days, he’s probably sleeping in again.”
“I just don’t want him to miss this.”
“Alright, looks like we have our five!” Lottie declared.
“…nevermind.”
Katt picked up her guitar case. “Yeah, let’s do this!”
Flora hadn’t seen the case. “You’re bringing your guitar?”
“Why not? You never know when it might come in handy.”
Lee and Rebecca began to board the boat, followed by Bob, Katt, and Flora.
Lottie was quick to notice Lee in his suit. “There you are, Lee!”
“Lottie!” Lee leaned forward. “It’s certainly been a while.”
“Ditto. I know you’re probably just as excited as I am to discuss your new job, but I’ll hold off until we reach our destination. I take it life here has been treating you well?”
“Things couldn’t be better.” Lee found himself putting his arm around Rebecca, and she leaned into him. “I’d like you to meet Rebecca, my girlfriend.”
Rebecca played along and smiled. “Hi!”
Lottie bowed her head. “Pleasure to meet you, and I’m glad to know that New Horizons is a place people like you can call home. Every bit of input helps in the improvement of our archipelago!”
Niko stopped Katt as soon as she stepped on to the dock. “Please, allow me.” he offered, motioning to her guitar case.
Katt glanced down at Niko, then at the case, then back at Niko. “You sure?”
“Of course.”
“Alright then, thanks!”
Katt let Niko have the case, and to her shock, he carried it to the boat and packed it away with ease.
“Some sidekick Lottie has, huh?”
“Is Lottie someone you knew back in your hometown?” Flora asked Bob as they followed Katt.
“Animal Crossing? Kind of. I knew she worked at the place Lee studied, but we’re not close or anything.” Bob explained.
Lottie waited for everyone to take their seat. “Alright, now that you’re all on board, why don’t we get this show on the road?”
Just as Lottie finished speaking, Niko pulled the cord of the boat’s engine. The vessel revved to life, and soon it set out from the dock. Spring winds whipped a light mist onto the boat as the group trekked across the sunny ocean.
“I don’t want to spoil too much about our destination, but I will give you all some basic facts.” Lottie began. “Happy Home Paradise is an archipelago of roughly forty-nine islands. Due to their diversity, we’re able to provide a wide variety of environments for our residents.”
“Fascinating.” Rebecca remarked. “Do you have a museum of your own?”
“No, but fortunately the museum on New Horizons will have full domain over anything of interest on the archipelago.”
Rebecca shot an excited glance at Lee. “Blathers has to know about this.”
Bob rested his elbow along the railing of the boat. The ocean really did seem to go on forever, which only made him more anxious for whatever awaited him in Paradise. As he began to fantasize, he noticed a flash of pink in the corner of his eye. He turned around to see Flora letting her arm gently float along with the wind. It wasn’t until then, packed together on that boat, did he realize how tall she was.
“Feel that?” Flora asked. “That breeze?”
Bob did the same and watched as the wind ruffled the fur on his arm. “Yeah, it’s nice.”
“It reminds me of when I was a kid. My family would always go on vacations, especially to places on the water.”
Katt joined in. “When I was younger, I’d go tubing with my cousin. Her family lived right on a river.”
Bob was amused. “That must’ve been fun.”
“It was!” Katt blushed. “Well, until I would unhook my cousin’s raft from the boat.”
“Katt!” Flora snapped.
“She did it to me too! We’re just stupid kids having fun.” Just then, Katt caught a glimpse of something in the distance. “Speaking of boats…”
Happy Home Paradise emerged from the horizon, first with its beaches. The coast of the nearest island already dwarfed New Horizons, and where the shore back home would have turned into rivers, the new ones turned into canals. Up next were the docks that dotted the coasts, and after that came the sailboats that dotted the docks. There were even a few roofs of taller homes that poked out above the closest row of palm trees, latched onto a mountain, but they disappeared as the boat grew closer.
Lottie stretched out her arms, and almost as if on cue, a flock of brightly colored birds flew by the boat. “Welcome to paradise!”
Rebecca couldn’t keep her eyes from the trees. “It’s beautiful!”
Katt gawked. “This is just one island?!”
Lottie nodded. “As of now, it’s the most complete one. It’ll probably look different next time you visit.”
Flora threw up her arms. “There’s more?!”
Niko brought the boat into the bay, whizzing past the others at the docks. Soon he stopped at a smaller port at the edge of the beach and killed the engine. Now the only sounds were the washing of waves and rustling of trees, trees which were even larger up close.
“Now that we’ve arrived, I must give you a few disclaimers.” Lottie stepped onto the dock. “As the archipelago is in early stages of development, it may seem a bit…sparse, but this will only go away with time. Feel free to look around, or I can direct you to one of our tour guides if you’d like.”
Bob was the next to stand up. “We can just go anywhere?”
“Mhm!”
Katt leapt off the boat. “Come on guys, let’s go!”
By the time Bob and Katt were onto the dock, Katt was already off the beach. Rebecca followed as well, but not before talking with Lee.
“I’ll see you later.” Rebecca squeezed Lee’s hand. “Good luck!”
“Thanks.” Lee held out his arm before letting go.
Lottie waited until Rebecca was gone. “Ready to be a designer again?”
“That’s why I’m here.”
“Let me show you where you’ll be working.”
The walk around the new island was somewhat surreal. The trees and flowers were the same as New Horizons, but there weren’t any paths. Paved roads curved around open spaces, and on each side was a true sidewalk. Although the buildings were mere plots, they were packed close together, and Lee could already tell the archipelago would be bustling in no time. But until then, he walked along the empty road with Lottie.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, Lee, how comfortable do you feel with returning to work as a designer?”
“If you want me to be honest, a little excited. I don’t know what to expect, but I just want to get back into it.”
“That’s good to hear. As for what you should expect, the first few days may get a bit overwhelming, but it’ll smooth out soon enough. And besides, you’ll have me or any other coworkers to talk to if you feel stressed.”
“Thanks, Lottie.”
“I’m only doing my job.” Lottie bowed. “Now, more about this place. Right now we’re on the central island, home to our headquarters. Of course, you’ll be able to find several other facilities across the archipelago.”
“What kind of facilities?”
“Through our rigorous research, we’ve outlined a variety of services that had to be addressed. Stores, restaurants, a hospital, even a school.”
“A school?”
“Happy Home Paradise is more than just a vacation getaway, it’s a community.” Lottie stopped at an intersection and turned her head. “And this will be where it all comes from.”
Across the street was a two-story building. It had a suburban look, and it was painted in yellow with a red roof. There were also awnings decorated with the HHA flower, gently flapping in the wind.
“This is Paradise Planning, our headquarters.”
Lee looked up at the building. “Nice place you got here.”
“Oh, we just threw this together. The true comfort comes from people like you who will help our residents.”
Lee followed Lottie into the building. The first floor had orange walls with a dark wood floor, including displays for furniture on one side, and a help desk on the other. What stood out to Lee first, however, was the manatee stocking a bowl of chocolates on the desk. He wore the same button shirt as Niko, and Lee could make out a head of brown hair.
Lottie caught this attention. “Wardell, I’d like you to meet our newest planner, Lee!”
Lee waved. “Hey.”
The manatee turned around, revealing a blank expression. His lack of emotion made Lee the tiniest bit unsure, but it soon went away as a wide, innocent smile slowly grew across his face. The voice that belonged was just as friendly, albeit deep.
“Hi, Lee.”
Lottie moved to a door at the back. “Come on, let me show you upstairs.”
The second floor was less formal. One side had a row of lockers, some with stickers, and the other had a couch and TV. Much to Lee’s surprise, there were already two people on the couch, both in the same uniform. The first was a young woman with smooth, dark skin and curly black hair, and the other was a cat with black and white fur and large, yellow eyes.
“Hey everyone!”
The cat was the first to speak. “Lottie! What’s up?”
“I’d like you guys to meet Lee. He’s the one I told you about.”
“It’s about time we had some more help around here.” The woman stood up to shake hands with Lee. “I’m Maya, nice to meet you.”
Lee could feel any stress that was still in him disappear. “You too.”
“Punchy.” the cat added, now standing.
Lee shook the cat’s hand. “Punchy?”
“You can say it: wow, what a cool name !”
Lee was dumbfounded. “You know, that is a cool name. In fact…” He looked down at Punchy, carefully taking in his appearance. “You remind me of someone I know.”
Punchy was surprised. “Really?”
“Yeah…a little bit.”
“Well, I guess we’re already off to a good start as friends!” Punchy laughed, eventually followed by Lee.
“Now that you’ve all met,” Lottie clapped her hands together. “You can finally start your work for the day.”
“And that is?”
“You’re going to be meeting with the owner of our local discount store, The Dog’s Bark! His name is Shep, and he wants your insight for storefront designs.” Lottie looked at Maya and Punchy. “You two remember your training?”
“Please, I could recite the HHA safety book in my sleep.”
“Very funny.” Lottie turned to Lee. “And Lee, I’m sure you remember what to do as a returning employee.”
Maya raised an eyebrow. “Hold on, what’s this about?”
“My fault, I should’ve told you guys earlier. Lee used to be a designer years ago.”
“And now I’m back.” Lee threw in.
Punchy shook his head. “Classic Lottie, taking the blame for everything.”
Lottie wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead. “Just be ready for when Shep gets here.” She headed for the stairs. “I have lots of other business to attend to.”
“You seem to have this down pretty well.” Lee remarked.
“No use making things any harder than they have to, right?” Maya smirked. “Unless you want a challenge, Mr. Veteran.”
Lee found himself defenseless against Maya’s wit. “Well–”
“I’m just kidding, I won’t bother you about that.”
“We really do appreciate you joining the team.” Punchy said. “Everything is so DIY these days. Sometimes it feels like no one needs us designers.”
Lee scoffed. “I’d like to see anyone design a house from scratch.”
“Give it enough time, they’ll have the technology.”
Maya glared at Punchy. “Are you trying to bring the mood down?”
“I’m just talking.”
Lee crossed his arms. “With that attitude, it sounds like you don’t want to be a designer.”
Punchy raised a finger. “Now let me make myself clear. If there’s one thing I care about the most in this world, it’s designing homes.
Maya laughed. “We believe you, Punchy. You don’t have to put yourself on trial.”
Punchy looked peeved, but then he smiled. “I think I heard Shep come in, let’s roll.”
Each house at the base of the mountain already had a for-sale sign on its lawn. They were thin yet tall, with a stairway going up to a high porch. Their wood siding came painted in every color of the rainbow, and some of the roofs were covered in solar panels. The sun glinted off the panels onto the sidewalk below where Rebecca, Bob, Katt, and Flora walked.
Bob ran his hand along a railing parallel to the bay and looked out. “It’s so peaceful here. It’s like seeing New Horizons all over again.”
Katt looked up at the palm trees. “I don’t want to say anything bad about New Horizons, but I can totally get behind this place.” She turned to Flora for a response, but only saw her scanning the houses. “See anything you like?”
“Not yet.” Flora replied.
“You know they have people here to do that for you, right?”
“Nonsense.” Bob cut in. “We’re Flora’s friends, we should be there for her.”
Flora stopped. “All I said was that I was interested , nothing is final.”
“We just want to help out, that’s all.”
Flora remained patient. “I know that, but I can do this on my own.”
“Here that?” Katt nudged Bob. “She doesn’t need our help.”
“Katt, if you want to explore this place on your own, then go. I’m not stopping you.”
Katt choked. “Well…I didn’t want to seem rude. I mean, you used to be hard on me for that kind of stuff.”
Flora glanced over to Rebecca, who had been busy admiring nature. “Will you back me up here, Rebecca?”
Rebecca snapped out of her daze. “Oh, uh…leave Flora alone, guys. She’s probably right about something.”
“You weren’t listening, were you?”
Rebecca refused to lock eyes with a smirking Flora. “…I heard what you said.”
Flora shook her head. “Don’t feel like I’m forcing you guys to follow me around. Go check out the rest of this place if you really want to.”
Bob grew hesitant. “You sure?”
“It’s fine, really! We can meet up later.”
“Alright.”
“If you say so.” Katt turned around. “Time to find a record store! Come on, Bob.”
Bob was surprised. “I’m going with you?”
“Would you rather get stung by some undiscovered species of hornets while going on a nature walk with Rebecca?”
Bob looked at Rebecca, who was laughing at Katt’s jab. “It’s fine, I’ll go alone.”
Bob clasped his hands. “Just be careful!”
“I know what I’m doing.” Rebecca began to walk away. “Later!”
Bob already found himself having to catch up with Katt. “See you later, Flora! Good luck!”
Flora waved her hand. “Thanks guys!”
With the others gone, the rustling of the trees was overpowering. Flora craned her head down one side of the road. No one. She craned her head down the other side of the road. No one. Reassured, she crossed the street to the row of houses. It didn’t take long for her to find one with pink siding, and after checking around her again, she went up the stairs. The view of the bay was even wider, and she could even spot Niko asleep on his boat. Smiling to herself, she rested her arms on the porch railing.
“Hey there!” a voice called out from below.
Flora promptly took her arms away. At the bottom of the stairs was a short bird smiling back at her. She wore a silk shirt of deep blue, but what stood out to Flora more were her pink and white feathers.
“Hi.” Flora said back.
“Is this your house?”
“Oh, no.” Flora came down the stairs, but still stood a head taller than the bird. “I was just browsing. I’m actually from the island over, New Horizons.”
“I’ve heard of that place. What’s your name?”
“Flora.”
The bird’s face lit up. “I love that name!”
“Thanks. And you are?”
“Midge.”
“Midge.”
“So, what do you think of Paradise?”
“The name definitely fits.”
“It’s kind of lazy if you ask me.”
“You think so?”
“I mean, at least give it some fake Latin-sounding name to give the illusion of culture.”
Flora laughed. “I think the residents should get to pick the name.”
“Now that would be interesting.” Midge noticed Flora staring at her and stopped, her black dot-like eyes narrowing. “Something wrong?”
Flora realized what she had done. “Sorry! It’s just…you look exactly like me.”
“Oh.” Midge paused and looked at Flora more intently. “Oh! You’re totally right.” She laughed, making Flora feel comfortable enough to do the same. “You seem smart, Flora. Do you want to know why I came here?”
“Sure.”
“Do you want the short answer or the long answer?”
“I think I can handle the long answer.”
“Well, this is gonna sound pompous, but I’m convinced that a regular life in society is just not for me.”
“What do you mean?”
“There’s just got to be something more than working jobs and buying products, right? Why shouldn’t everyone try to achieve a higher state of being? A true sense of meaning in the world? You know?”
Flora was captivated. “I’m following you.”
“Anyways, I just think it would be great if people studied the world around them. There’s so many great works drowning in a sea of irrelevant media.”
“ Great works …”
“Sorry if I went on a bit of a tangent there.”
“No, no, you’re fine. Now tell me more about yourself. What are your hobbies?”
“Really? What a coincidence!”
“Why’s that?”
“I was just on my way back to my book club.”
Flora’s heart raced. “A book club?”
“We’ve only had one meeting so far, but we could use more members.” Midge took Flora by the end. “Would you like to join me?”
“Absolutely!”
On the other side of the island, the road crossed into an intersection decorated with shops and restaurants. It was now midday, and the residents of the archipelago were out and about. Then in the midst of it all came Bob and Katt.
“Finally some civilization!” Katt declared. “I was beginning to think this place was a ghost town.”
Bob was in awe of the town. There were the fancy sights of storefront products, the sweet fragrances of tropical flowers, the talking of happy shoppers. He made a full circle, taking in everything the intersection had to offer.
“It feels like a dream.” Bob murmured.
Katt spotted a rack of motor scooters by the sidewalk. “You know, I used to have one of these when I was younger.”
Bob smirked. “I can only imagine how that must’ve gone.”
“Hey, I was a good driver! My parents just didn’t trust me to have a car yet.”
“If it makes you feel any better, I don’t really like driving. I biked a lot growing up.”
Katt gestured to the bikes. “Then maybe we can get two of those.” She lowered her voice. “Or just one if you don’t mind sitting in the basket at the back.”
Bob laughed and shoved Katt. “Yeah right!” He waited for a response, but was met with silence. “Katt?”
Katt seemed to be looking down the road. “Do you hear that?”
Bob grew puzzled. “No?”
“That music.”
Bob tried to listen despite the noise of the town. Under all the chatter of people, drone of engines, and buzzing of insects, he could make out faint notes of faux brass.
“Oh yeah.”
“Come on, let’s find it!”
“Katt, wait up!”
Katt ran off down the sidewalk, and every move was perfectly timed. She slipped between crowds, darted across the crosswalk, and even hopped over a fire hydrant. When Bob tried to follow, however, he was stopped by a group of shoppers leaving a store.
“Katt! Katt?”
Once the crowd cleared, there was no sign of Katt. Bob threw his hands into the air, but his frustration soon turned to curiosity. On the block beside him was a restaurant with a sign that read “CHEF NEEDED” displayed in the window, and spanning across the front of the building was a more ornate sign with the restaurant’s name: Los Pulpos Hermanos.
Bob entered the store and was instantly hit with the smell of cooked fish. The main section was a large open room packed with tables, chairs, and booths, but more importantly customers. Along the walls were several detailed paintings of ocean life, with the exception being a photograph of a chef. He was a beige octopus dressed in a chef uniform and posing in front of the store with other staff. At the front of the room was a podium, and behind the podium stood a waitress. A black cat with big yellow eyes, she wore a black café uniform with a name tag that read “Kiki.”
“Welcome to Los Pulpos Hermanos.” the cat said. “How may I help you?”
“Hi.” Bob couldn’t look away from her yellow eyes. “I saw the sign in your window, are you still hiring?”
“Yes! Our boss has been looking for someone to work with him in the kitchen.”
“Great!” Bob was relieved. “How do I apply?”
“Did you check our website?”
“No.”
“Here, let me show you.”
Before Bob could say anything, Kiki retrieved a tablet and began to play a video for Bob. It was the same beige octopus from the photo, this time standing in front of a green-screen of the restaurant as he spoke.
“Hello! And welcome to the Los Pulpos Hermanos family. My name is Zucker, but you can call me Zuck .”
“Couldn’t I just talk to him?”
“Sorry, but no. He’s SUPER busy right now.”
“Do you at least have a business card or something?”
“Oh, right!” Kiki reached under the podium but couldn’t feel anything. “ Damn, we’re out .” She looked around the restaurant for her coworker. “Alfonzo!”
An orange alligator hurried over to Kiki’s podium. He carried a plate of food in each hand and wore the same uniform as her.
“Yeah, Kiki?”
“Do you have any business cards on you? This man here would like one.”
“I have one in my pocket.”
Alfonzo took a step closer to Bob. With nowhere to set down the plates, he awkwardly leaned forward for him.
“Sorry about this, sir. We’re always busy at this time of day.”
Bob smiled. “No worries!”
The card Bob retrieved from Alfonzo’s front pocket was surprisingly crisp. It had a phone number and website address for the restaurant, along with a small sketch of a smiling octopus with a chef cap.
Kiki gestured to the tables. “Would you like to order anything while you’re still here?”
Bob put away the card. “No thank you, I’m good.” He reached for the door. “But I’ll definitely come back later!”
“See you then.”
“Have a nice day!” Alfonzo called out as Bob left.
Katt’s quest to follow the music had led her to another neighborhood. This one consisted of smaller homes, similar to the ones on New Horizons, and was on the flat side of the island. There were no docks either, making for an open view of the sea, and a shoreline dotted with towels and umbrellas. As for the brassy melody, it had gotten louder, and Katt had tracked it down to a single house tucked away from the beach.
The house had gray panel siding, a white roof, and a black door. A tall wooden fence encased the backyard, just barely blocking the source from Katt. Seeing the fence gate at the front was locked, she looked around for a way in, until she found an alley that ran along the fence. Inside the alley was a stack of crates, propped up in such a way that was just inviting her to take a peak. Katt slowly stepped onto the crate, and she had found her mystery musician.
There was a young wolf, talla and thin, his fur a yellowish brown with spots of black. He wore a white t-shirt with a black gilet, blue jeans, and black knee-high boots. Before him was a synthesizer, resting atop a grand piano, on which he played “Just Around the Corner.” The synth had an impressive array of buttons and switches, all contained in sleek black casing. Katt couldn’t look away, her gaze going back and forth between his concentrated yet relaxed expression and his fingers dashing across the keys. After what felt like hours of the funky tune, his finger landed on one of the keys ending the song with a powerful note.
Katt spoke up before the wolf would notice her. “Nice chops, dude!”
The wolf shook with a jolt, and his eyes darted to where Katt had been perched on the fence. His thoughtful guise was gone, replaced with an anxious, almost fearful look. When he spoke, however, his deep voice sounded gentle.
“You like that?”
“From one musician to another, that was awesome!”
“Thanks.” The wolf noticed Katt’s guitar case. “You’re a musician?”
“Yeah! My name’s Katt. What about you?”
“I’m Kyle.”
“Kyle the keyboardist.”
The wolf became slightly less tense, even uttering a weak laugh.
“So what’s your deal? I mean, with skills like that, you gotta be in a band.”
“Actually, no. I haven’t been part of a band for a while.”
“Me neither! It’s been a few years.” Katt shrugged. “But who can blame me? I don’t even have ten neighbors where I come from.”
“Where do you come from?”
“New Horizons.”
“Really? That’s crazy.”
Katt scoffed. “How so?”
“I…” Kyle blushed. “I don’t know.”
A smirk appeared on Katt’s face. “Did living on an island in the middle of nowhere make you forget how to talk?”
“Being honest, yeah.”
Katt laughed. “You’re funny, Kyle. How long have you been here?”
“About a month.”
“Mmh. I’ve been out here since March.”
“Have you gotten used to it?”
“Oh yeah! If there’s anything you’re worried about, just give it some time.”
“Time…”
Kyle fell into such a daze, he didn’t see Katt climb over the fence. She eyed the keyboards, and it was only her comments that snapped him awake.
“What’s this on your piano over here?”
“That’s my synthesizer. It’s a Roland D-50.”
“Nice!”
Kyle’s jaw dropped. “You know synths?”
“No, I just think it looks cool.”
Kyle blushed. “Thanks.” His ears drooped down. “I’ve never had anyone ask me about that before.”
“Some people just don’t appreciate that kind of stuff. Speaking of…” Katt held out her guitar case. “Wanna see my guitar?”
“Sure.”
Katt set down the case and flung it open, exposing her guitar to the open air. She grabbed it by the neck and held it up triumphantly. Everything about the instrument was beaming, from its freshly-polished red body to its twinkling nylon strings.
“I’ve had this baby for years.”
“That’s a Stratocaster, right?”
“You bet!”
“I like the red, it’s pretty.”
“Well, thank you.”
Katt looked at Kyle more intently now that they were closer. She noticed his thick fur, the sharpness of his nose, the tired look in his eyes…
“Isn’t this such a coincidence?”
Kyle turned to Katt. “What is?”
“That I had my guitar with me and then met you.”
Kyle smiled. “Yeah.”
“By the way, do you wanna hear me play something?”
“Only if you want to.”
“I think it would be fair.” Katt began to tune her guitar, but then stopped herself. “Wait, I have a better idea!”
“What’s that?”
“What if we played something together?”
Kyle stiffened. “W-What?”
“You heard me.”
“I thought you said you haven’t played with anyone in years.”
“I’ve also never played with a keyboard player. You think that’s gonna stop me?”
“But we just met!”
“And?” Katt had a sudden realization, and her cockiness turned to humbleness. “You’re worried you’re gonna mess up, aren’t you?”
Kyle bowed his head. “Yes.”
“That’s okay, we can just find a song we both know. What kind of music are you into?”
“Jazz fusion.”
“Oh…that’s cool.” Katt scratched the back of her neck. “I mean, I’m more into hard rock, but I know some of those guitarists got jazzy at times.”
“That depends how much I know.”
“Do you know Jeff Beck?”
“I know There & Back .”
“Me too!”
“Actually?”
“Yeah, it’s a pretty cool album.” Katt eyed the keyboards again. “But if we’re going to be doing this, I’m going to need an amp. You wouldn’t happen to have one, would you?”
“I do.”
“Great!”
“Let me go get it for you.” Kyle was about to turn around, but then froze. “Unless you want to move inside, cause we can do that too!”
“I don’t think I’ll ever want to go back inside after this weather.”
“Good point.” Kyle began to head inside. “I’ll be right back.”
Katt waved to him. “And I’ll be right here.”
Once the door closed behind Kyle, Katt finally had a chance to look around the backyard. It was small and split into two parts: a brick patio running parallel to the house, and the rest covered with lush grass. There was also a garden table with four chairs in one corner, but three of the chairs looked unused. Katt took a seat in one of them, her heart still racing. She was light on her feet. Whoever this strange wolf was, she wanted to stay with him all day long.
“This is all you have?” Shep pondered.
Lee leaned back in his chair. Three drawings had been strewn about the tabletop, each depicting a different style of storefront. One was Greco-Roman, another Egyptian, and the last Gothic. Each of them were now engrained in Lee’s mind, a brief escape from the cramped office room. And when he became bored of that, he looked at the dog seated across from him. He had beige fur with dull blonde hair that covered his eyes, and he wore a baggy jean jacket that looked even baggier when he slouched in his seat.
Punchy collected the drawings. “It’s what our system recommended based on the form you filled out.”
“I don’t mean to sound rude, but what kind of variety discount store looks like that?”
Maya, who had been holding a folder, peaked inside. “It says here you wanted something to display history .”
“What are you talking about? I didn’t write that!”
“Then maybe the system made an error. It’s designed to pick up keywords and generate recommendations from there.” Maya flipped through the file. “Here.” She held it out for Shep and read aloud. “ I want my store to really say something. My dad has a store of his own, so I want it to be all about history .”
When Maya stopped, Shep broke into laughter. Lee was confused, but Punchy was chuckling to himself.
“What’s so funny?”
“It was a typo!” Shep pointed to the file. “I forgot the space between his and story .”
Maya nearly dropped the papers, but she remained composed. “That’s okay, we all make mistakes.”
Shep glanced at his watch, and then spring up from his chair. “Aw man, I gotta go!”
“Wait, don’t you want to pick some new designs?”
“Yeaaah…can we do that tomorrow? I have somewhere to be, and I didn’t think this would take that long.”
Punchy spoke up. “It’s perfectly fine, sir. We were closing soon anyway.”
“Alright.” Shep headed for the door. “I’ll just fill out another form, no typos this time!”
“Have a good night!”
Just as Shep was on his way out, Lottie was on her way in, binder in hand. She looked tired, but then she was delighted to see the others.
“Alright, team, how did it go?” Lottie asked.
“ Swimmingly .” Punchy picked a chocolate from the bowl. “He loved our designs so much, he couldn’t make up his mind! He’ll be back tomorrow.”
“Oh, that’s good. I’m sure it wasn’t the most exciting work, but don’t worry!” Lottie held up the binder. “I have another job for one of you. Her name is Kitt, and she needs help designing her living room.”
“I’ll do it.” Lee was quick to respond.
Lottie smiled. “Great!”
Punchy rubbed his hands together. “And so it begins.”
The sun was a fiery half-circle seated on the horizon. Streaks of orange ran across ripples of clouds, and the deep blue of the night sky crept into view. Under the growing darkness was a patch of palm trees, far from the neighborhoods and coasts of the island. The grassy sand squished with each step as Rebecca trekked through the forest. Every piece of this mini ecosystem captivated her, whether it was the flap of tropical butterflies or the occasional hopping of a tree frog. She wanted nothing more than to study these specimens, feed them, raise their offspring, but for now she was merely an observer.
At one point the trees opened up to a clearing dotted with a few stones. Rebecca was about to turn around when, suddenly, she saw a flash from one of the stones. She looked back and was met with the slightest refraction of sunlight off a stone near the center of the clearing. Perplexed, she went to the stone, only to see that it wasn’t a stone at all.
What appeared to be a small bowl stuck out of the sand. It was a brownish beige, and small bits of crystal glinted on the inside. Rebecca lifted the object up, sifting out the sand only to reveal a line of engravings on the other side. They were jagged and angular, but with such consistency they appeared to some sort of language.
“What the hell?” Rebecca found herself uttering aloud.
Startled, Rebecca placed the bowl onto the sand. She fumbled for her phone, snapped a photo of the engravings, and left the forest.
“I’m telling you now, Flora, you’re gonna love it!” Midge said as Flora followed her down the beach.
“I’m not doubting you.”
“I just don’t want you to be nervous.”
“Why would I be nervous?”
“Just being polite. You never know what makes a person anxious.”
“You don’t want to put someone on the spot.”
“Exactly! The good thing is that our club only has four members, five including you.”
Flora smirked. “I didn’t even think there’d be that many people on this island.”
Midge laughed. “Please, I’d go insane if I was the only one out here.” She then stopped in her tracks. “Speaking of, we’re here!”
A short distance away was a circle of beach towels near the shore. Three other residents, a pink alligator, a pink octopus, and a pink panda, were seated, all wearing various shades of pink. The only thing that stopped Flora from running to them was not wanting to get ahead of Midge as she went over to the group.
“Hello everyone!”
“Midge!” the others rejoiced in unison.
“Who’s this?” the alligator asked.
“I’d like you all to meet Flora, our newest member.”
Flora smiled. “Hi.”
“Welcome!” the alligator began. “My name’s Gayle.”
The octopus spoke next. “I’m Marina.”
“Pinky.” the panda added last.
Midge pulled up a chair. “Take a seat.”
“It’s wonderful to meet you all.”
“Of course!” Gayle observed Flora with great intent. “By the way, I love what you did with your feathers.”
“I…didn’t do anything with them.”
“Oh? Well, they still look great.”
“Thanks.”
“It’s about time we found another member.” Marina stated. “You actually came at the perfect time.”
“Why’s that?”
“We were just about to pick our next book to read.”
“What did you have in mind?”
“I think we should read War and Peace , but Gayle over here wants us to read Smallcreep’s Day .”
“ War and Peace ?”
Gayle cut in. “That was my reaction. It’s way too long!”
Marina rolled her eyes. “You just don’t want to try anything historical.”
“Marina suggested War and Peace last time, and we skipped her.” Midge clarified. “What do you think, Pinky?”
Pinky was timid. “I think Smallcreep would be easier to get into. It’s much shorter.”
“And what about you, Flora? Which one do you want to read? Or do you have any suggestions of your own?”
Flora began to think. “I’ll hold off on any of my books. Let’s address the issue already at hand.”
“Fair.”
“If you want my input, I would like to read War and Peace .”
Pinky glanced at Flora and smiled. “Flora, surely you don’t want to be assaulted by some giant novel on your first day, no?”
Flora put her hands on her hips in a joking manner. “Who’s to say I don’t? What if I want to jump in the deep end? Why should I be scared of Leo Tolstoy?”
Pinky laughed softly. “Okay, you made your point.”
“Is that a vote I’m hearing?” Midge asked.
“Technically this is our first true vote now that we have an odd number.” Marina remarked.
“Oh, I didn’t realize that.”
Gayle looked away. “Just take your victory already, Mari.”
“I’m telling you now, you’re gonna like it!” Marina turned to Flora and whispered. “You know you can still back out, right?”
“What’s the point in that?” Flora whispered back.
Marina smiled. “I like your attitude, Flora.”
Midge looked around the circle. “Alright, that’s 3 for War and Peace and 2 for Smallcreep’s Day .” She clapped her hands together. “Get ready for a long couple of weeks, because we’re going to war!”
Flora turned to Midge. “So is that it?”
“Well, you did come a little late, but our meetings are longer. Usually we would have a book to discuss.”
“I see.” Flora noticed that the others had already dispersed. “Would you excuse me for a minute?”
“Go right ahead.”
Flora stood up and spotted Pinky, who was busy collecting her belongings. Without hesitation, she went over to her.
“Hey, Pinky!”
Pinky seemed slightly less shy than before. “Oh, Flora. Did you need something?”
Flora lowered her voice. “I didn’t want to tell you this in front of the others, but I really like your name.”
Pinky looked as if she had never heard such a compliment before. “Why, thank you!”
“You’re welcome. It actually used to be my nickname years ago.”
“Really? What a coincidence.”
“I know.”
“What if it was your destiny to join this club?”
“Destiny?”
“You can say it sounds cheesy.”
“I’m not denying it though.”
“Well, destiny or not, I’m really glad you joined our club.”
“Me too.”
Flora felt a warmth in her heart that she hadn’t felt since December. Perhaps this was finally it. Perhaps this was what she had been looking for.
Katt turned the final dial on the amp. “Okay, that should do it.” She looked back at Kyle, who was back behind his keyboards. “What about you?”
Kyle gave her a simple thumbs-up. “All set.”
Katt placed her phone on the table beside her. “You ready?”
“Ready.”
Katt pressed play on her phone, causing a speaker between her and Kyle to roar to life with the hammering drumline of “Space Boogie.” A few bars in, Katt knocked out the first riff while Kyle filled in the gaps with bouncy synth chords. She couldn’t help moving as she played, trying to get a view of Kyle, who had been concentrating on his own hands. Another round of jazzy rock riffs passed, and then Katt stopped. Now it was time for the solo. She watched Kyle’s hand flutter over the piano keys, first a few lone sets of notes, and finally an ascending melody that got faster and faster until she jumped back in on guitar for a bluesy solo. Although it wasn’t note for note, Katt didn’t care, for she had gotten Kyle to look at her. He smiled the same humble smile he had earlier, and he kept it for the rest of the song. The final section was a reprise ending with the same riff from earlier, guitar and synth going back and forth until the drums gradually sputtered out. After a shared final note, Katt and Kyle could only stare at each other, panting.
“That was awesome!” Katt said between breaths.
“It was nothing.” Kyle wiped his forehead. “My timing was off.”
“As if anyone would notice at that speed? You’re amazing!”
“Well, so are you!” Kyle tilted his head. “You just looked so…natural. Like you didn’t have care in the world.”
“I’ve been told that before.” Katt smirked. “Usually as a bad thing.”
“I don’t think that’s bad at all.”
Katt found herself staring into Kyle’s eyes and felt warm again. What is happening? And why is it happening so quickly? She had to say something.
“We should start a band.”
Kyle’s eyes widened. “What?”
“You heard me.”
“You’re serious?”
“It’s just an idea.” Katt shrugged. “What do you think? Would you be down?”
“I…”
“I get it, it’s a lot to think about.”
“I don’t really want to be in a band right now.”
“Why not?”
“I’m not cut out for it. Our music would suck. People would hate me.”
“What are you talking about? We killed it back there!”
“I can’t do it, Katt. You’re a great musician, but I’m not made for this.”
Katt leaned her guitar against the amp. “What’s really going on here?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Whatever it is, you can tell me.”
Kyle took a seat at the garden table. “Can you keep a secret?”
Katt joined him. “It’s my speciality.”
“The truth is, I don’t know what I want. And I’m not talking about music, I’m talking about my whole life! Back home I was lost and confused, and I came to this place thinking I could escape from all that…but I still feel this way.”
“You feel alone.”
“Yeah, alone.”
“Kyle…”
“But all of that changed when you showed up.” Kyle faced Katt, his eyes aglow. “You’re the first person I’ve met here who was more than just a neighbor or passerby. You actually listen to the things I say, care about the things I do. Hell, you wanted to jam with me. And during that moment, I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.” Kyle gazed up at the sky, and then back at Katt. “I can’t remember the last time I felt like that!”
Katt reached out a trembling hand. “Kyle…”
Kyle blushed. “I’m sorry! I just had all of that on my mind and–”
“It’s okay, I get it. I can actually relate in a few ways.”
“Thanks for listening.”
“Anytime.”
Kyle stood up. “It’s getting late, you should probably go home now.”
“Right.”
“And besides, you’re going to need plenty of sleep for practice next week.”
Katt’s jaw dropped. “You mean it?”
“Absolutely.”
“Alright!” Katt clenched her firsts. “Same spot tomorrow?”
“You know where to find me.”
“I’ll see you then.” Katt went through the fence gate, but then found herself looking back to wave at her new friend. “Later, Kyle!”
Kyle waved back. “Goodbye, Katt.”
Katt couldn’t remember the last time she had seen a sunset so large. Even the tiniest tip of the sun shined like a flare from some far away ship. She was alone again, but she didn’t feel that way. Everywhere she looked she could picture Kyle, wondering how that timid wolf could end up in a place so lively. Katt wondered so much that she hadn’t noticed Bob on the other side of the street.
“Katt!”
Katt stopped in place, nearly tripping. As Bob ran over to her, she straightened the collar of her jacket and put on her usual smirk.
“Bob, buddy!”
Bob looked concerned. “Where were you? Where did you go?”
“Sorry about that, I got a little distracted.”
“Clearly!” Bob lightened up. “Although I don’t have much room to speak either. There’s so much to do here, and I think I even found a job.”
“Really? Where?”
“At the restaurant. They’re looking for extra chefs.”
“I knew all your hard work would pay off one day!” Katt patted Bob’s back. “I hope you get picked.”
“Hey guys!” a familiar voice called out.
Bob and Katt turned around. On the sidewalk behind them was Flora.
“Flora!” Bob rejoiced.
Katt waited for Flora to walk over. “What’s up?”
“Well,” Flora began. “I haven’t found a house yet, but I did make a new friend.”
“Glad to know you’re already replacing me.”
Flora rolled her eyes. “You know I would never replace you, Katt.”
“I’m kidding!”
“Who’s your new friend?” Bob asked.
“Her name is Midge. I met her along the beach, and then she took me to her book club.”
“That’s nice.”
Katt scoffed. “Get a load of this nerd!”
Flora put her hands on her hips. “And what exactly did you do today, Katt?”
“I met someone too, as a matter of fact. His name is Kyle, and he plays keyboards.”
Bob’s eyes went wide with wonder. “You met another musician?”
“How did you find him?” Flora asked.
“He was just jamming in his backyard. I went up to him, we talked, and then we played a song together.”
“What’s he like?”
“A little shy, but he’s nice. I’ll tell you more about him later.”
Bob nudged Katt. “Sounds like you had a good time.”
“Heck yeah! Best part is that I’ll see him again next week.”
“Speaking of, did either of you see Rebecca on your way here?” Flora asked.
“No.”
Katt shrugged. “Me neither.”
Flora cut past the two of them. “Well, then let’s find her.”
Katt grabbed Flora’s arm. “Wait, I still have to ask you something!”
“Yeah?”
Katt let go. “Are you gonna end up moving here after all?”
Flora thought for a moment. “I don’t think I’ll have to.”
“If that’s what you want.”
“It is what I want.” Flora continued to walk. “Now come on, let’s go home.”
Lottie raised her glass and looked at Lee, Maya, and Punchy, the four of them gathered around a circular table set up outside Paradise Planning. There were a few snacks and bottled drinks, a makeshift excuse for dinner, but nonetheless a celebration.
“To our first day of Paradise.” Lottie declared. “May the little town we have now grow into a beautiful community with the help of these hard-working hands. Cheers!”
“Cheers!” the others chanted in unison.
Punchy took a long, single gulp from his glass. “I tell ya what, I’m gonna set a record for most homes designed in HHA history!”
“Quite the goal you got there, Punch.” Maya remarked.
“You don’t believe I can do it, do you?”
“Maybe you can, maybe you can’t. Just make sure not to cut corners.”
“I know not to do that.”
Lee took his stab at the conversation. “Does this record include redesigns?”
“Of course!”
“Oh, so I can just go back and keep redesigning the same house twenty times a day?”
“You know that’s not what I meant.” Punchy’s grip on the glass tightened. “Designers back then had to do everything with pen and paper, but now all this technology does the work for us. I think I have a shot.”
“And I think you’re missing the point.” Maya argued. “Who cares about quantity when it should be the quality of the homes that comes first?”
“That’s what you think.”
“Wanna know what else I think? That you’ve had too much to drink.”
Punchy scoffed. “ Nooooooooo .” He glanced up at Lee. “Hey, what are you looking at?”
Lee couldn’t help but laugh at the pure, smug confidence on Punchy’s face. The ice cubes in his cup swished back and forth, almost as if they were daring him to make a comment.
“You know how I said you remind me of someone I know.”
“What about it?”
“I take it back.”
Punchy’s smile turned into a grin. “This guy!”
Lee struggled for a response, but thankfully he spotted Wardell on the beach. He stood barefoot on a smooth, flat rock that jutted into the water, letting the cool mist of the waves splash onto his face. Lee went to the shore without scaring him.
“Hey Wardell, wanna drink?”
Wardell glanced back. “No thanks. I’m good.” he said kindly.
“Watching the waves?”
“Yeah.”
Lee joined him. “I like to watch them too.”
“Spring bloom is coming soon.”
“What?”
“Spring bloom. It’s when the plankton comes back, makes the water bright.”
“Interesting.”
As Lee and Wardell observed the ocean, Rebecca stepped onto the beach. She was wringing her hands, but then she threw them to her sides once she was close enough to Lee.
“Hey.” Rebecca said aloud.
Lee turned around. “Oh, hey! How was it?”
“Great, really great.”
“Did you make any discoveries?”
“I did find something.”
“Like what?”
“It’s probably nothing, I have to run it by Blathers first.” Rebecca smiled. “Anyway, how was your day?”
“Productive. Coworkers are great, we met with the owners of all the services on the archipelago. I even get to design my first house tomorrow.”
“That’s good to hear!”
“Yep!” Lee’s eyes narrowed. “Wait, where are the others?”
Rebecca’s heart skipped a beat. “Shoot! We never met back up. You don’t think they got lost, do you?”
“That depends if they got separated from Flora.”
Suddenly, Katt appeared on the sidewalk by the beach, followed by Bob and Flora. “What’s this slander I hear?”
Rebecca was relieved. “There they are.”
“Never fear, Rebecca. After all, there’s nothing to worry about in paradise .”
Lee laughed. “I mean, that’s not to be taken literally.”
“Oh no, Lee. I expect you to single handedly design every building here!”
“We’ll see about that, Katt.” Lee faced the others. “So, what did you guys do?”
Bob took a step forward. “Wait until you hear this…”
The moon shimmered off the coast of New Horizons. On the dock above were Isabelle, Harv, and Kapp’n, waiting for Tom Nook to finish his phone call. When he did, he joined them near the railing.
“That was Lottie.” Tom Nook clarified.
“What’d she say?” Harv asked.
“They loved it!”
“That’s good to know.”
Tom Nook snickered. “You’re just looking for more customers for your island.”
“I wouldn’t call them customers, per se. More like…” Harv snapped his fingers. “Ah, humble patrons!”
“Well, you can thank Lottie for that.”
“She’s definitely going places.” Isabelle leaned on the railing. “We were all in her shoes once, after all.”
“Yep.”
“Say, Harv.” Kapp’n spoke up. “I just remembered, there’s something I want to show you at the boathouse.” He began to walk away. “Follow me.”
Harv did as he was told. “Alright.”
Once Harv and Kapp’n had left, Isabelle moved closer to Tom Nook. “Are you going to tell me what’s been bothering you now?”
Tom Nook raised an eyebrow. “Come again?”
“You haven’t been yourself lately. And it’s not because of this HHA stuff, I’ve noticed it since November.”
“You ready for this?”
“I’m all ears.”
“I’m worried about nothing.”
“What?”
“I’m not worried about anything happening to me, I’m worried about the fact that nothing will happen to me. I have nothing to do now that the HHA is here!”
“And that’s a bad thing?”
“Not sure. I don’t want to work until I die, but I don’t feel like I’m finished.”
“Maybe it’s time for you to focus on something other than work?”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. Do you have any loose ends to tie up? Anything at all that you wished you had done earlier in your life?”
Tom Nook stared out at the water. “I’ll figure it out.”
The museum’s exterior lights projected massive shadows across its facade, a welcoming sight in the darkness of the evening. Rebecca entered through its mighty wooden doors to find an empty yet warmly lit foyer. Through the deep hum of electricity, she could make out voices coming from the Roost upstairs. When she stepped inside, Blathers and Brewster were delighted to see her.
“Rebecca!” Blathers cooed. “What brings you here at this hour? Up for some late night fish gazing?”
“If you are, then I recommend some coffee.” Brewster suggested.
“As nice as that sounds,” Rebecca began. “That’s not why I’m here. I have something I need to show you.”
“If you’ve somehow managed to find yet another rare species of butterfly–”
“It’s nothing related to bugs…or fish or fossils or paintings. I think it’s an artifact.”
Blathers straightened in his seat. “Well, an artifact would be quite the surprise for such a remote area of the world, especially considering how rigorously I explored this island.”
“I found it on one of the HHA islands.”
Blathers relaxed. “Oh, then forgive my tone. Do you have it with you?”
“I took a photo of it.” Rebecca handed her phone to Blathers.
“Let’s have a look, then.” Blathers studied the photo, and then, after a few seconds, jumped out of his seat. “Oh my!”
“What is it?”
“Look at these markings.” Blathers returned the phone to Rebecca. “They’re Greek!”
Rebecca could feel her legs go numb. “Then that would mean…”
“Rebecca Lockhart, you may have discovered proof that the Ancient Greeks resided on this archipelago!”
“Wait! How is that even possible?”
“I’m not quite sure yet, it depends on how old the artifact is. They would’ve had to sail out of Gibraltar. But if that’s the case, who’s to say they didn’t sail any further? I’ll have to find my carbon dating equipment for that…”
Rebecca watched as Blathers hurried about, asking himself question after question. She wondered how someone could appear so sophisticated, yet be so silly. She almost reached out to stop him, but it was then that she remembered…
“What were you out here for?” Rover asked.
“Aye, I was searching for Gulliver.” the pirate seagull replied.
“And why was he out here?”
“The reason escapes me, but I recall something about a treasure hunt.”
“Rebecca? Something the matter?”
Rebecca snapped awake. “Nothing. I just don’t know what to say!”
“If this artifact is genuine, and we can find more evidence of a settlement, then it would completely alter our understanding of ancient civilizations.”
“That’ll have to wait until next week though.”
“Eh–wot?!” Blathers grew tense. “How can you just press pause on such a discovery?”
“They only have one boat that goes to Paradise right now, and it doesn’t run at night.” Rebecca smirked. “Unless you were planning to fly there without me.”
“Well, I very much might!” Blathers eased his shoulders. “If I was capable of flight. Nevertheless, patience is a virtue.”
“Believe me, I’d stay here all night if I could. We’ll go first thing next week.”
“Very well. See you then, Rebecca!”
“Goodnight, Blathers!”
Chapter 2: Return to Paradise
Chapter Text
(wip)