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July 17th, 2003 - ContinuedNook's Shop Tom Nook sighed, looking around at the quaint little store that he was the proprietor of. He loved being a shopkeeper. He loved meeting people, talking to them, getting to know them. In a small town like the one he and Mr. Resetti hailed from, your patrons weren't just customers, they were friends. Granted, the village that the contestants had set up was slightly different than his hometown of Animal Crossing—there were considerably more robots and superhumans, for one—but the atmosphere was the same. When the red-clad samurai Auron came through the door, Nook would automatically show him the latest swords he had acquired. If Lara Croft, Max Payne, or the Master Chief showed up, Nook would be ready with whatever weaponry and ammunition he had. Potions, magics, weapons, food, even the occasional piece of art—the Princess Zelda had rather good taste—he sold them all. It was what he loved to do. And there was so much more to be done, too. Lately, some of the strangest items that the raccoon had ever seen had just been showing up in his inventory out of nowhere. There were some machines Nook could have never dreamed of, some fantastic weaponry, even a full-size jeep or two. Something in particular that had caught the shopkeeper's eye was a strange, glowing jewel...and yet, he had no idea where any of these were coming from. If it were up to him, he would gladly stay and try to solve the mystery. Yet it was not up to him. As much as he loved being a shopkeep, he wasn't in the tournament just to sell things to people. He was here to fight. He wasn't a fighter. Nook couldn't remember the last time he'd gotten into a fight, if at all. And now, he was going up against one of last year's Final Four. Tom Nook didn't stand a chance against Crono, and he knew it. The bell over the door rang, and the shopkeeper looked over his should to see who it was. "Oh...good morning, Mr. Resetti," Tom said, smiling wanly at the sight of his friend. "Just...tidying up the shop for its closing the day after tomorrow." "You're that sure you're going to lose, Tom?" the mole said, his usual energy depleted. "Don't you think that it'd at least be better to just try? Or are you just going to give up?" Again showing a small smile, Nook shrugged. "Of course I'm going to try, but that doesn't mean that I'm going to win..." One of the items that had appeared in his inventory without warning was an armored battle tank, shaped like a fearsome dragon. What was more, it was the only thing that Nook had any idea how to use whatsoever. He couldn't even see over the front of the Jeep, and he didn't have the strength needed to use any of the other weapons that had appeared. Thankfully, the tank had also come with a manual. But again, Nook wasn't stupid. He knew that, no matter how strong the tank would be, he wasn't a fighter. It wasn't in his nature. He would lose, and his shop, the extension of his beloved store back home, would close...unless..."Mr. Resetti, after I leave, could you take over the shop?" The mole blinked. "Me? Well...I...I guess so. But you know, I'm not exactly making it out of the first round either." Nook smiled more genuinely this time. "Well, then we'll find someone else...any ideas?" Next Entry Back |