Welcome to Dobutsu Town! (okintsukoro/spincycle)

[spincycle]

Bob was hoping Lily would be baking today. He frequently made trips to her home to see if she had a treat in the oven or cooling on her windowsill. Citrus sometimes bickered that he shouldn’t visit just to eat, but the toad never seemed to mind. Lily loved company, and was frequently seen talking to whoever passed by her garden while she was watering Dobutsu’s flowers. Lily never forgot birthdays and always baked a cake for the special villager of the day.

Bob was first to dig into his slice of apple pie. The sweet taste of cinnamon made him smile. He accompanied the treat with a glass of chocolate milk. Bob was a regular visitor, so Lily kept the things he liked to eat and drink on standby. She was almost a grandmotherly figure, despite being young. She wasn’t as old as Roscoe, but was only a few years above Citrus and Bob.

Citrus hummed cheerfully as she dug into her own plate.

“Amazing as always, y’know? Thanks, Lily” Citrus exclaimed, having a sip from her own glass of milk. She excitedly kicked her feet back and forth, which didn’t reach the floor of the cozy house.

Bob nodded in agreement, but didn’t speak since his mouth was full. He was (naturally) the first to finish his slice of pie. Citrus didn’t need to look at Bob when she passed him a napkin. It was second nature to know Bob had food around his mouth after eating so fast.

“Oh-!” Citrus turned her attention to the clipboard on the table. “That’s Max’s petition. Isabelle says she has to have approval from the people before Max can officially be our new mayor.”

After explaining, she paused from eating to wipe her own face free of crumbs. She tapped on the board with her paw and drew Lily’s attention to the names scribbled on top. “We already signed, but if you wanna get to Max better first, I get it, y’know?”

She didn’t expect Lily to just sign her name right away, but the bunny knew Lilly would be one of the easiest citizens to win over. She might want a favor first, but nothing more than some help baking or gardening.

[okintsukoro]

Citrus turned out to be very correct about Lily being the easiest to win over, as the toad was quick to grab the pen attached to the clipboard and sign her name in an adorable cursive on the slot just under Bob's name. Upon looking up to seeing Max staring at her in shock, Lily started to giggle.

"Aw, it's nothing! You seem real sweet! And if you're already friends with these two, I can tell it won't be long before you make friends with everybody here! Getting along with the community is a great way you show you care, in my opinion. Just call it a thank you for taste-testing my new recipe. What do you think, by the way?"

Max vigorously nodded, their face practically beaming as they wriggled about in their seat at how yummy the apple pie was.

"Awww, that good? I knew you were sweet," Lily giggled before looking at Bob and Citrus. "Of course, I can't forget my other favorite taste-testers. Bob never fails to stop by, and Citrus's compliments always feel super special. As thanks, I'll be sure to mail all three of you the recipe. I'm going to start packaging up the other slices to hand out to the others, so I'll probably be heading out soon. But thank you all for stopping by!"

Max was quick to nod, bowing a little as Lily waved them off. Max was the first to leave, already craving more of that apple pie. She had finished her entire piece, as well as the whole glass of milk.

"Um... is that the work-out guy's place over there...?" Max finally spoke up to Citrus once they were out, pointing over at a house in the distance.

[spincycle]

Citrus nodded, catching up beside Max on her way out the door. She made sure to bow in Lily's direction before heading towards a new house. Bob followed suit, crossing his arms.

"That's where Ribbot lives," the cat informed Max. "He's always up and moving around. Don't know why he's always in a hurry."
Bob and the mysterious Ribbot weren't very close. Their conflicting lifestyles meant they rarely crossed paths. Ribbot always jogged by Bob and interrupted his afternoon nap. The two got along when they had to, bumping into each other on holidays and festivals. But the rest of the year they were nearly strangers.

As the three approached the gray house in the distance, Citrus could already see their neighbor moving in his front yard. From a distance it looked like jumping jacks.

"Ribbot is nice, he's just... passionate. About his fitness. But none of us really know why..." Citrus explained vaguely. Before she could elaborate to Max, the stranger noticed them approaching.

The faint clinging sound of motion came to a stop. He paused and watched the approaching gang before jogging over to meet them in front of his mailbox.

"Zzrrbbitt..." the creature hummed. His glowing yellow eyes stared up at Max. The sun reflected off his head, almost blinding to the villagers taller than himself. There was a tense moment of blank staring. His eyes didn't blink. There was no need for them to. He just watched as the human stared back in confusion. Finally, he spoke.

"You look like you could use some pushups."

He nodded, agreeing with himself. Before anyone could respond, he spoke again.

"Those arms are noodles. The cat must be a bad influence, zzrrbbitt."

[okintsukoro]

Ribbot? The name itself seemed very strange, even by this town's standards. Sure, Citrus's name was probably the strangest in Max's opinion, but she also thought it was super lovely and fit the bunny's personality.

She just wasn't sure what to expect from an active villager named 'Ribbot' of all things.

That was, until she saw him. Or even possibly, it.

Max couldn't hide their dumbfounded expression if they wanted to. Their jaw was completely dropped, eyes wide. The closer the being approached, the more questions filled her head.

He was quite literally a robot. There was no going around it. His structure seemed very similar to Lily's, showing that he was meant to resemble a frog, but he was most certainly made out of metal. She was staring at every inch of his form, trying decipher what she was looking at before hearing the robotic frog speak. Its electronic cadence only lent itself more to the idea that this was truly a being made entirely of electricity and metal. How did this being function?

But before the questions could continue racing, Max's train of thought was derailed once she focused on what Ribbot was saying in a monotone, yet oddly assured tone.

Push-ups? He... wants me to do push-ups...?

Max glanced between Citrus and Bob, clutching the clipboard in their hands. Admittedly, push-ups were probably one of the many exercises the human was pretty bad at. She was a little more decent at jogging or even swimming. But, admittedly, she had been a bit of a homebody as of late, so she was quite rusty when it came to physical fitness.

Still, she recognized that maybe, if they did push-ups right here, right now, Ribbot would be more receptive to her request to sign her petition?

She quickly put on a slightly determined face, putting the clipboard down on the ground. She glanced back at Citrus and Bob, nodding to them, as if she were going to do something possibly dangerous.

She took a few steps forward, got down on all fours on the flat grass, and slowly started to get herself in a plank-like position. Almost immediately, it wasn't looking too good. The grass was a little slippery, making it hard to keep her footing. Her dress wasn't exactly optimal for workouts, and her arms were already shaking just from trying to hold herself up. A light whimper escaped them as they were already feeling the aching in all the unused muscles.

[spincycle]

Bob watched Max with a look of amusement as she got on the ground. His usual smirk and scrunched facial expression. Citrus, however, gave a nervous thumbs up. She wasn't really expecting Max to dive head first into the exercise. She was almost impressed that the new mayor wanted the approval so badly. At least enough to come out of their shell like this.
Ribbot's blank stare followed the human as she got on the ground. He offered a hand (paw? metal appendage?) out to help the stranger get back up again.

"There's still morning dew on the ground. You'll rust if you do push-ups outside this early," the bot informed with a tone that made the statement feel obvious. "But I must say, zzrrbbitt, I like your determination! You must work out all the time. Not bodybuilding... but cardio for sure!"

There was an ambiance of a low buzzing noise every time the toad spoke. He recognized the two villagers accompanying the stranger. They knew each other, but weren't very close.

"Are you going to be the one to finally convince the purple one to exercise?" Ribbot asked with a humming sound that resembled a laugh. But his voice made telling jokes a bit difficult. Tone was an important part of delivery, and Ribbot only had one. Which is probably why Bob huffed and crossed his arms (but didn't remark back).

"Everyone calls me Ribbot. Who are you?"

[okintsukoro]

As Ribbot approached, Max wasn't sure what he was going to do? Correct her posture? But instead she glanced up to see him offering his hand, making her gratefully fall back onto her knees before gently taking the robot's hand.

It was surprisingly bitingly cold. Sure it was still morning, but the sun had been out for a little while. Not to mention, this being apparently loved to exercise. How were they not the least bit warm? Whoever created them was probably a genius of some sort.

So many questions, was all Max could think as she stood up, eventually letting go of Ribbot's hand to wipe at the grass stains on her overall dress.

Still, she did feel a little relieved that he at least seemed a bit impressed by her willingness to try and do it so soon after he mentioned it. Admittedly, Max hadn't realized how much she actually wanted everyone's approval so badly. Maybe there was at least some small part of her that was cut out for this after all? A desire to prove herself?

A relieved smile spread across her soft features when he mentioned her possibly working out all the time. She didn't dare correct him. But upon hearing his dry attempt at joking about Bob's unwillingness to exercise, she couldn't help but giggle a little as well, offering a glance of apology towards Bob just before hearing Ribbot ask who she was.

The dreaded question. She didn't have her travel card on her, in her rush to get out of the house this morning. But... she did have pen and paper in the form of the petition.

She quickly headed back to pick up the clipboard, removing the pen and quickly scribbling so that the title of the petition that read 'Approval for Mayorship' had the scribbled addition of 'for mayor-to-be Max' underneath. Once she thought that would suffice, she put the pen back under the clip, handing the clipboard to Ribbot for him to look over and read. She wouldn't expect a signature would come nearly as easily as Lily's did, but she certainly hoped. She had no idea how many more people they needed to go see today, and the sooner she got these signatures, the better.

[spincycle]

His shiny yellow eyes stared in Max's general direction as they scribbled onto their clipboard. It was always a bit hard to tell where he was looking. Bob always knew though. Years of being around Citrus's squinted eyes behind thick lenses. Not being able to follow pupils was difficult for the untrained, but the cat knew better.

The argent frog took the clipboard from the human, glancing over it briefly.

"Mayor-to-be Max isn't much of a talker," he commented with his usual drone voice. "That's okay though. You don't need words to be fit! Clearly a dedicated athlete like myself."

Citrus giggled at the assumption. She wasn't implying Max didn't exercise. They didn't know each other that well yet. But it was humorous that Ribbot- the most athletic...person? villager she knew- thought he had met his match so quickly. Likely the result of rarely meeting new faces in Dobutsu. Although, Ribbot wasn't a native here either. Most were unsure of his origin. Likely a factory, but nobody could say for certain.

"It's about time we had a new mayor. I've been keeping Dobutsu in top shape since the old mayor retired," the frog bragged. "Zzrrbbitt, but I need to know you can take my place first. I keep this place free of pesky weeds when I take my daily jogs. If you can prove to me you're up to the task, I'll resign as a self-appointed mayor. Behind Isabelle, zzrrbbitt."

Citrus nodded and watched the machine pass the petition back to Max. "Come on then, we'll circle back around here. There's a few more houses to hit anyway, y'know? We'll pluck some weeds here and there around town."

[okintsukoro]

Max grinned sheepishly at Ribbot's comment about them not being 'much of a talker'. The good news was that she seemed to be on the robot's good side for now. The less good news was that it seems she'd need to go around town and pick weeds before she can get his signature. Still, it seemed fair. Some community service seemed like a fair trade. After all, they were going to become the person that the people came to for help once they were in office. The welfare of the community would be top priority.

So, with a nod of agreement, they accepted the clipboard back, looking back at Citrus with a smile and nod to her as well. The bunny was right after all; they could easily pluck some weeds along the way. But would leaving random plucked weeds everywhere be best? They've never really gardened much, and Lily was probably already outside somewhere delivering her slices of apple pie to everyone.

So, with a good-bye wave to Ribbot and a 'follow me' motion with her free hand towards Citrus and Bob, Max made a quick stop at their house to grab a small brown sling bag, which carried their essentials: wallet, train pass, and some stationary. Before moving to Dobutsu, they'd heard that the Wi-Fi here wasn't the greatest: each building probably had its own Wi-Fi, but one would be hard pressed getting any signal walking about. Knowing that, Max had a decent collection of stationary supplies packed up along with some clothes and mementos from home in their bigger luggage.

"...okay, I think I got everything- oh!" Max mumbled to themself before doing one last thing. One of their stationary collections was kept in a disposable plastic bag, so they dumped it all out on their bed before taking the bag with them, making sure that any weeds they picked up, they put inside the bag along the way. It would be dirty work, but Max was up for the task.

She sighed, glancing up at Bob and Citrus and giving them a grateful smile. "...thanks again for sticking beside me. I dunno if I could do this alone..." she told them. She was about to ask who else they were missing when they spotted a beautiful eagle lady speaking with Lily. Their conversation got clearer the closer that Max started to slowly make their way over to them.

"Oh, for me? You didn't have to, eaglet..."

"Oh not just for you, I still need to give Mr. Apollo and Mr. Roscoe theirs too!"

"Oh! In that case, would you mind handing me Uncle Apollo's share too? I was about to go visit him anyways. I'm not even sure if he's left his house yet..."

"Would you? That'd be absolutely lovely, toady! Thank you!" was the last thing Lily said before she turned her head to notice Max approaching. "Oh! Max, Citrus, Bob! I didn't expect to see you twice already! But I guess it IS a small town. Amelia, this is our mayor-to-be Max. She's collecting signatures for approval."

Amelia glanced over Max a bit, towering over the smaller human by a good head higher as she hummed while regarding her under her half-lidded eyes. The way she stood, the way she regarded the human, almost seemed as if she was used to the more classy things in life. Not exactly the type you'd expect to see in a more naturalistic small town environment.

"Well, well... You're a bit on the homely side, aren't you? Oh, but where are my manners? As Lily has already told you, my name is Amelia. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Max. Now... what's this about signatures?"

Max shakily handed Amelia the clipboard, allowing the eagle to read quickly.

"Ah yes, my dear Uncle Apollo told me about this. He said when he was young, he'd watched his father fill out a similar form. That old Tortimer had been here for far too long. He's a good man and was a wonderful mayor, but he honestly did need to retire. Thank goodness Isabelle found a wonderful place for him to spend his retirement. Honestly, makes me a little jealous that he gets to go to a tropical island paradise..."

Max blinked awkwardly as she watched the eagle sigh, daydreaming about going on vacation to some faraway land. She only glanced over when Lily cleared her throat.

"Well, I'll be off to deliver the last piece to Mr. Roscoe. Take care, all of you!" was all the toad said before making her way across the bridge to go see the dark horse.

"Ah! That's right! Pardon me, I'll just go ahead and get that signed for you..." Amelia was quick to leave an almost illegible yet fanciful signature before handing it back to Max and glancing at everyone.

"Citrus, Bob! How lovely to see you two out and about. How goes the hunt for fossils, eaglet? And Bob, enjoying your time outside?" she asked.

Max quickly shrugged and stood back upon seeing that Amelia's attention was now on the cat and rabbit, not wanting to get in the way of their socializing.

[spincycle]

Citrus always had mixed feelings about the gorgeous eagle. On one hand, she was beautiful and elegant. Her deep voice was charming and soothing, and she always seemed to be put together. But the two had different lifestyles. Citrus's love for fossils was important to her! But Amelia would never be caught dead playing in the dirt. So, when the two ended up together, Citrus tried to put on a face of elegance to mirror Amelia's. Not to mock her, but to blend in. Villagers like Amelia were more prone to gossip, and Citrus felt the need to be friendly with the few other girls in Dobutsu.

"Fantastic as always, y'know? But I've been taking a bit of a break so my paws don't get too dirty," she lied with a nervous smile.

"We're also taking a break because we're Max's self-appointed helpers, ptthpth."

Bob never felt the need to lie or impress others. He knew some didn't approve of his lazy ways, but he was unapologetic about it. However, for some reason, Amelia liked Bob. Maybe she mistook his casual catnaps outside for tanning and sunbathing instead. Maybe even beauty rest. The two lead different lives, but got along surprisingly well.

Thus, Bob stepped up to navigate the conversation this time. Usually a job for Citrus.

"I'm kinda jealous too! A tropical vacation sounds really cool, ptthpth. I bet he gets to eat the best fruits all the time...Speaking of which, you've gotta try Lily's new pie as soon as possible," he drooled, nudging Max back into the circle of conversation. "But Max is here now, so hopefully she'll be a breath of fresh air. They've already promised to help Ribbot clean up Dobutsu. And they just met!"

Citrus nodded along and pushed her glasses up to rest more comfortably on her face. She kept her hands folded in front of her stomach, trying to keep her facial expression from revealing how intimidating she found the bird.

[okintsukoro]

While Amelia certainly presented herself in a distinguished manner, she usually didn't mean to offend other by insinuating they were worse off for being less like her. But, sometimes, tact slips her beak, and she says things that are perhaps a little more rude than she had intended. She hasn't noticed anyone acting worse for it, however, so she's always assumed she was on decent terms with everyone, regardless of their very different lifestyles.

"Oh? Is that right? Having you been taking up other hobbies recently? If you ever need recommendations, I'd be more than willing to offer suggestions, eaglet," Amelia giggled in a good-natured tone before turning to look at Bob, slightly surprised.

"Oh my! Trying to get on a mayor's good side before they're even appointed to office? How scandalous," she joked with a soft laugh. "Oh, but I'm just kidding, darlings. Honestly, it is very noble of you to help our dear newcomer out."

But as Bob nudged Max back into the conversation, Max's eyes widened as they flustered a little, holding the clipboard tightly to their chest.

"Really?" Amelia asked in response to Bob pointing out that they promised to help clean up the town. "How very bold of you. Our last mayor was nice, but you'd be hard pressed to ask him for anything outside of for old stories. If you're the type to get things done around here, even if it means getting a little dirty, then I suppose that's something I can appreciate. Hmm... but, I'm sorry, darling, what is this that you're wearing?"

Max blinked, slowly gazing down at their overall dress before slowly raising their face back up with a slight tilt to their head. Couldn't she tell what it was? There wasn't anything wrong with it, was it? Sure there was some grass stains from when she tried to do a push-up earlier but...

"Oh, sweetheart, you can't go around looking like that. It's so unprofessional! Please, come with me. It'll be a few hours before Able's opens up, and I have to make more room in my closet anyhow, so you can buy something off me for cheap. How does that sound?"

Max looked a bit embarrassed, having essentially been told by the eagle that she looked 'unprofessional', like she shouldn't have been walking around dressed like this. Still, it did make her a little upset that no one else had complained up until now and it was only Amelia who said anything.

Still, Max wanted to be a people pleaser for now. She wasn't sure how much she liked this eagle, but it was probably for the best to do what she wanted, lest she rescinded her signature from the list out of spite. She seemed like the person who might do that. So even though Max was looking uncomfortable and frowning with their arms crossed around the clipboard, they gave a small nod of acceptance.

"Oh, don't be like that. I promise, I'll pick out some lovely clothes for you. Come along, all of you. Afterwards, I can take you all to see Uncle Apollo. I've been meaning to stop by his place. He's been such a shut-in lately. Hardly ever leaves his home. Honestly, I swear if I didn't visit him every day, he'd be getting no socialization," she told them as she led them across the bridge to her home.

Of course, the inside of Amelia's home was very clean. However, it didn't quite scream 'luxury' in the stereotypical sense. Instead of chandeliers or classical music playing, the walls were painted to look like faraway mountains, and the furniture was decorated to depict folk-like designs, as if they came from a culture of a faraway land. It made Max's slight irritation fade into curiosity. Was there maybe something more to Amelia's desire to go off and visit other places?

"Be sure to wipe your feet before coming in! Otherwise, make yourselves at home, eaglet!" Amelia called out before eventually taking Max's wrist to gently lead them to the closet. "Right this way dear!"

Max gave Citrus and Bob one last pleading look to save them before the closet door was closed behind them, some scuffles and rummaging was heard, before the door opened to reveal that Max had been put into a white button up with a dark pleated skirt.

"There. Now isn't that better, darling? That'll be 800 bells, if you'd like to keep it."

With a sigh, Max shut their eyes and surrendered the bells from their purse. Already she was getting tired of meeting everyone.

"Now, as promised, I'll take you to see Uncle Apollo!" Amelia noted, almost immediately ushering out. It seemed she really didn't like staying in one place too long. Not only that, but Max also managed to notice a slight look of worry on Amelia's face as she started to lead the way to Apollo's home. There was definitely a lot going on with some of these villagers. While Lily and Ribbot seemed to be happy and content with their lives here, Amelia seemed almost...anxious, in a way.

[spincycle]

Bob and Citrus exchanged looks of confusion as they waited on Amelia's sofa for Max's new look. When they made an entrance, the two friends made sure to cheer her on to encourage her to keep the outfit. The rabbit clapped while the tomcat nodded in approval. They knew Amelia would be upset if her fashion advice was rejected. Plus, she was the most qualified to pick a business casual outfit. The fashion magazines scattered on her coffee table gave that away. A few seemed to be from foreign places, but printed in the eagle's native tongue.

But just as the two were getting comfortable, they were just as quickly getting up again. Bob made sure to not make a sour face when he finally had to stand. They both knew they needed to put on a strong face so Max would continue her quest for a full petition. Amelia led the gang towards a nearby home, which the animals knew to be Apollo's. Amelia was right- the elder eagle didn't do much socializing. Citrus sometimes saw the old timer browsing the museum, but they rarely spoke. Being two of the youngest villagers made it difficult for Citrus and Bob to bond with any villagers but each other.

Citrus leaned over as they walked beside Max to talk in a hushed voice.

"Don't worry, it's almost over, y'know? Apollo and Roscoe are the only signatures you don't have. Well... besides Ribbot."

Bob nodded, patting Max's shoulder.

"Yeah, you can do it. Plus, your new clothes are snazzy, ptthpth. Old people love well-dressed mayors."

The two giggled, coming to a stop behind Amelia when they reached the dark old house. Its black exterior was a little off-putting. At the very least, it didn't match other houses in Dobutsu. Especially not Citrus and Bob's brightly painted homes. Although they knew this to be Apollo's home, they had never actually been inside. They never really had a reason too. But up close, the old sign with his name on it and the dusty mailbox was creepy to say the least. Citrus couldn't help but worry the shut-in wasn't getting outside enough to notice the minor damage. But she didn't want to jump to any conclusions.

They were a bit nervous, but knew Max was probably even more scared than they were. Citrus's jewelry jingled as she twitched an ear nervously. She patted Max's back as she waited to follow Amelia inside.

[okintsukoro]

As they walked, Max glanced over at Citrus upon hearing them whisper. Their words were definitely encouraging, and very much welcome. They knew they needed to power through this. Meeting so many people all at once was rather exhausting for the poor introvert, but at least she had Citrus and Bob here for emotional support. She nodded in agreement to the bunny's words, a grateful smile on her face.

She then ended up turning to glance at Bob when the cat patted her shoulder. She couldn't help but snicker a bit at his little comment about 'old people loving well-dressed mayors'. But, she certainly hoped Bob was right. Any help she could get, she would happily take. All the while, she made sure to pick up any weeds that she saw along the way, placing them in her little plastic bag up until they finally arrived at Apollo's house.

Admittedly, his home looked like it could've used a fresh coat of paint. It made her wonder if Apollo was the sort of eagle that could even take care of himself if his niece had to come visit every now and again.

Amelia politely knocked on the door, the side of her head pressed to it. "Uncle Apollo? May I come in?" She didn't hear an answer, only that familiar K.K. Rock blaring on his old stereo. An irritated groan escaped her beak, rolling her eyes as she opened the door. She swears he never really bothers to lock it these days.

The inside of his home was a complete mess. Chip bags on top of his old pool table in the center of the room. Under two glass cases  by his right window were a few well-preserved fossils atop pedestals, though the cases themselves were dusty. To the left was some drawers, as well as an old kettle on top of a plug-in burner. Atop the drawers sat not only a few family frames, including one of him and Amelia, but also one solitary portrait of a white wolf lady. Her frame and picture were just as dusty as everything else, and it appeared to be sat on top of an old letter.

Max was quietly taking this all in, looking a little sad at the state of the place as she stopped a little past the doorway to watch Amelia slowly approach the bald eagle that lie awake in his bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"Uncle Apollo? I have guests over. You really should clean up in here, eaglet..." she sighed, wings on her hips.

Apollo's tired eyes slowly left the ceiling to regard not only his niece, but the three guests she had brought over. He'd never really gotten to know Citrus or Bob, so they were just as fresh faces as Max's was. He slowly started to sit up, grunting a little as he did so, as if he hadn't moved from this spot in a long while.

"...what is this, some sort of intervention?" he asked, dark eyes narrowing at his niece.

"Hmph. Well considering the state of your home, maybe it ought to be. I don't understand how you can live like this. I come here to visit, and every day it's like this. What's keeping you from wanting to clean up?"

"Pah... Not like anyone comes over... You're the only one who puts up a fit about it. I don't even know why you bother coming over."

"I come over because I care and I worry, uncle. You haven't been out in days. When was the last time you went outside?" she asked, placing his slice of apple pie on top of his dresser. However, it swung a little too close to the picture of the wolf, budging it.

It was like a switch flipped in Apollo, his eyes widening as he was quick to rush over and carefully put the picture back up.

"Careful with that! Pah..." he grumbled, now looking all the more annoyed. "It's none of your business whether or not I go out. If you don't like the way I keep my house, you don't have to come in here. I know you'd rather be elsewhere anyways..."

"It's not about me, eaglet! You're my family, whether you like it or not! I still care about you enough to stay! Now you shouldn't be rude, especially to our neighbors and our soon-to-be mayor!"

Apollo regarded the three once more. He seemed to be ambivalent to Citrus and Bob. They were young folk. Probably wouldn't care for an aging eagle's problems. But as soon as he saw Max, he recognized the clipboard before looking away in complete disregard.

"Pah... whatever. It's just a dumb signature..." Without giving Max a chance to move, he'd swiped the clipboard from their hands, hastily scribbling their name below Amelia's  before shoving it back in Max's hands, the smaller human looking a bit sad and hurt.

"Not like any ordinances or changes they make will make life any worse for me," Apollo finished, heading back over to his bed.

"Uncle... ugh... why must you be such a curmudgeon... honestly..." Amelia sighed, turning around to gently urge the trio out of the house. She closed the door behind her for a moment to speak to the trio in private.

"...please forgive him. He really hasn't been the same since Whitney moved away. They used to be very tight-knit. Now he doesn't even attempt to breed his favorite blue roses anymore. He'd let them all wilt away." She then regarded Max specifically with a wry smile on her beak.

"But... that's not something you need to worry about as mayor. Don't worry, eaglet. Just... focus on keeping the town clean and happy, and I'm sure its citizens will follow in no time. Just... keep your chin up. It's perfectly normal for villagers to come and go. No one stays forever, not even mayors. Well... I'll leave you to it. If the names on the list are anything to go by, it seems you're only missing Mr. Roscoe and Ribbot now. I wish you the best of luck. Especially with that Ribbot character. Ugh, I don't even know what to make of that oddly rambunctious bucket of bolts..."

Amelia informed them all to take care as she went back inside Apollo's house, supposedly to help him clean up whether he wanted to or not.

Max was a bit quiet as she stared at the door of the house, looking a bit shaken. Their little family quarrel reminded her a little too much of her old home life. Her parents thinking she wasn't making anything of herself. Her friends asking when she's going to move on to a new adventure. Just overall feeling...unheard, unseen, unknown.

She slowly glanced back at Citrus, wondering how she was feeling. She'd check on Bob too, but Citrus always seemed to be more in tune with her feelings while Bob had a good tendency to let things slide off of him for the most part. She'd offer a gentle shoulder rub if it seemed Citrus was also not taking the eagles' family drama well.

[spincycle]

Citrus and Max exchanged looks. She took a moment to collect her thoughts with a sigh. She was trying not to appear nosy as she side-eyed the eagle's dusty fossil collection. The scene unfolded so quickly that she couldn't think what to say. Before she knew it, she and her friends were back outside. After a moment of tense silence between the three, she spoke up.

"We should take a breather before we visit Roscoe, y'know?"

The bunny ushered her friends away from the dark house and towards the nearest apple tree. She gave it a shake and watched the shiny fruit rain from its branches. She picked them off and cleaned them on her shirt before sharing with the others. As she distributed them, she made sure to smile. Bob would likely be unaffected by the scene. But she didn't want Max to feel discouraged from finishing her petition. Especially considering the human needed to feel confident enough to ask Roscoe for his approval.

"Poor Apollo," she commented. "I knew he was upset about Whitney moving away. But I didn't expect him to sound so... miserable."

Citrus and Bob took a seat on the ground, leaving the spot to lean against the tree available for their new friend. They were still under the tree's shade, which is all that matters on sunny days in Dobutsu. Bob offered the bunny a pat on the back before biting into his apple. As usual, he would be the first to finish his snack.

"Whitney lived near Lily and the orchard. Amelia and Lily liked to gossip about how Whitney and Apollo were dating and stuff. But I didn't really know if that was true or not, pthhpth. Thought maybe they were just best friends."

"That's because boys don't know anything about romance and stuff," Citrus remarked, starting on her own snack. "Apollo brought her flowers and stuff, and they used to be inseperable."

"I'll have you know I understand the true love I feel for chocolate ice cream," Bob defended himself.

Citrus snickered and rolled her eyes. At least Bob knew how to lighten the mood. She then turned her attention towards Max, cocking her head to the side with a twitch of an ear.

"Do you have people like that where you're from? Total lovebirds? There were two other people like that here when I was a kid. But they moved away together."

[okintsukoro]

Max slowly nodded in agreement with Citrus, still looking a little sad as she followed the two to the nearest apple tree. It did bring an odd sense of relief and nostalgia to be sitting under one of these again, with another apple once again in their hands. As they took a seat on Citrus's other side, they listened to the two talk about what Amelia had just told them.

From what they gathered, Whitney was the white wolf in the picture that Apollo got upset about. And while it was heartbreaking to hear that Apollo was still like this after they moved away, it did make sense. Max felt a similar way when all her friends moved away.

Still, they had to admit, hearing about their possible romance was a little nice, and Bob's little comment about ice cream did have Max giggling a bit as they took a few bites of their apple. All in all, it was just nice to relax with these two for a while, just to forget about her upcoming mayoral duties for a little.

But when Citrus turned to Max to ask if she knew any couples like that, Max flustered a bit and glanced down at their partially eaten apple in embarrassment.

"I-I mean... kinda? Not many I knew in person... I had one friend who used to have plenty of boyfriends until she settled for this one guy. He was nice and treated her right, so when they were ready they moved out of the city to be together. All my other friends found significant others after they moved away. They're all still in relationships, as far as I know. Then again, it's been a little over a year since they sent me any letters, and I know none of them know my current address yet... Probably need to send a letter to my parents soon..." She let out a small sigh.

"Still... that must be tough, to have to be away from someone you were so close to... Any idea why Whitney moved away? And what about that other couple you mentioned...?" Max asked now looking at the rabbit in interest. Citrus had quickly become someone who was within Max's inner circle, along with Bob who was just so easygoing it was hard not to absolutely be comfortable around him. It certainly made it a lot easier for her to speak about all her curiosities.

[spincycle]

"If I had to guess, only Apollo and Amelia would know why Whitney moved. But it's a bit of a sore subject, y'know? Probably for the best that I've never asked. It's sad when people move away, huh? But that's how things are. And it's not always bad! You've moved away and now we've met. Doing scary things leads to good things."

Citrus examined her apple before taking another bite. She wasn't one to get too wrapped up in the town's gossip and various social circles. Bob wasn't always the most social of company. But she'd be lying if she said was never curious. Never wondering what her neighbors said to each other while she dusted off her fossil collection. She wasn't invested, but she was a little nosy. After all, she did introduce herself to a stranger who hopped off the train very casually. Thankfully, not too casual for the one who turned out to be her future mayor.

"Buck and Winnie. Remember, Bob? Those two horses who lived here. They were neighbors. Pun intended," she giggled. "Buck liked to exercise, our designated athlete before Ribbot rolled in from a factory. I'm assuming... But Winnie lived right beside him, and she was a ray of sunshine. Loved to cheer him on while he exercised. They moved away together, and Lily said they got married. Isn't that romantic? Just like Reese and Cyrus. Have you met them? At Re-tail?"

Citrus crossed her short legs and finished her snack, tossing the core aside and telling herself it was good fertilizer for the soil.

[okintsukoro]

Max smiled a little upon hearing about the horse couple that moved away to be together, and supposedly got married. It was a nice, happy story to hear while they finished off their juicy apple, giggling a little. Unlike Citrus, however, she put her apple core along with the bag of weeds just to be safe. Sure Ribbot had said nothing about apple cores, but she hadn't heard anyone complain about them. They were fairly certain that there'd be plenty of others who partook of the apples around town, not just the three of them.

She nodded at the mention of Reese and Cyrus.

"They seem really nice. At least... Ms. Reese does. Cyrus... he was asleep last I saw. Apparently he works really hard though, so I can respect that. It... must be really nice, having someone you know is going to stick by your side, no matter what..."

She looked up at the afternoon sky. It was oddly peaceful and clear... save for a yellow balloon that was floating by with a present box seemingly attached. She looked in awe of it. She'd heard stories about towns who made it a tradition to send off gifts on balloons. Some sort of karma thing, she thinks. But, as curious as she was to know what was inside, she had nothing to shoot it down with. Not to mention, she figures that someone else might need a present more than she would. Maybe when the balloon starts to deflate more, someone else will get a gift and be happy. That was certainly a nice thought.

Her attention returned to Citrus, glancing up at the bunny's ears for a moment before a tinge of pink spread across her cheeks.

"I... I'm really happy you came up to greet me when I got here, Citrus. I know I didn't say much but... I honestly... think you look kinda cool. Especially those piercings you got on your ears..." they noted, carefully pointing up in their direction. They truly meant it as a compliment; Max wasn't sure if she could brave getting piercings like that, but it definitely worked on Citrus.

[spincycle]

Citrus's face warmed up, smiling shyly as she reached up to stroke her left ear. She nervously laughed and looked away from Max.

"Oh-! I got these because Amelia said I should read one of her fashion magazines. I think that sort of stuff is silly, y'know? But the piercing idea kinda grew on me. Plus, I like the jingle sound they make. Seasonally appropriate around Toy Day. I'm glad we met too, though... Dobutsu is my home. So I always have to make sure the newcomers are friendly, y'know? It's like my own personal civic duty, but maybe you'll take over that department after you get signatures. Which you will, without a doubt."

The bunny didn't have a shadow of doubt that Max would have plenty of signatures just as quickly as their quest had begun. Max was nervous and quiet, but Citrus found that charming. Always a firm believer that actions spoke ten times louder than words. Which, could be seen when the human opted for disposing of their apple core properly.

Citrus kept smiling, but awkwardly stammered as she looked over at the core she just threw aside.

"But don't get all sappy or anything. I'm not good at receiving compliments, y'know?"

"Citrus only accepts compliments in the form of wow your fossils are so cool, ptthpth."

She tutted and shook her head in disapproval, making a quick crawl to grab her garbage off the ground. She placed the core in Max's plastic bag. She recognized it as a stationery wrapper, which made sense given Max's love for writing.

"I'm really happy we have a new face. Bob and I get along great, but having a new cog in our machine is amazing. Especially considering we didn't know who our next mayor would be. I kind of assumed it would be another old person. Or a young person who is super serious all the time. I like that you wear normal clothes and write letters in a casual way. Winnie loved to write letters too, but it's been a long time since any of us heard from her."

Citrus liked receiving letters for sure, but she wasn't very practiced in writing her own. Just the usual stuff, like thanking her mom for mailing her a nice sweater. An idea sparked.

"Say, you're pretty good at writing. And you can write stories and stuff, right? You should teach us how to do those sorts of things. We can all write a story together, and in exchange we'll teach you stuff. I'll teach you all about fossils, and Bob is actually pretty good at fishing. Cats are naturally good at that sort of thing."

Bob nodded, before laying on his back and splaying out into the sun. He didn't mind the remaining morning dew since most had already evaporated for the day.

"If there's anything you would ever need to know about Dobutsu, Citrus is the one to ask. Seems like a pretty good deal, ptthpth."

[okintsukoro]

Max couldn't help but smile at Citrus's expression. The bunny just managed to look even cuter with the way she was stroking her ear and looking away. She tilted her head a little, attempting to get a better look at her bespectacled face, though not trying to pry any further or move from where she sat. After all, she couldn't say that she would've taken compliments any better.

Their eyes became a bit softer, a light tinge of pink on their own cheeks when Citrus assured her that she'd get her signatures eventually.

"...thank you. I mean, I'll definitely try my best. But... I hope you won't mind if I look to you for help along the way..." she noted, just before Citrus continued with her desire to 'not get all sappy', causing Max to giggle a little. The giggles only continue when the bunny gently reprimanded Bob for his little laid-back contribution to the conversation.

However, what she didn't expect was to see Citrus grab the apple core she tossed away and putting it inside the plastic bag that Max had brought with them. Her eyes widened slightly as she watched, taking in the moment and realizing what she might've inadvertently started. Was Max, maybe, already setting an example for the citizens of the town just by being herself? She didn't want to think too highly of herself. She'd only arrived just yesterday, after all.

Upon hearing Citrus mention who they thought their new mayor would be, Max put on a nervous smile. Should she tell her? She feels like she should. After all, Citrus has been so kind and forthright with her. Would it be okay to say it around Bob too? Maybe, just to be safe, she'll tell Citrus later.

Max blinked when her thoughts were interrupted by Citrus offering a sort of trade: practice in writing letters and stories in exchange for information about fossil gathering and fishing. Admittedly, those were both things that Max knew little to nothing about. Not to mention, a story made together with friends sounded like a lot of fun!

She managed a small smile, nodding at the idea.

"That sounds wonderful," she agreed, feeling a small gust of wind blow through the leaves of the apple tree. She scooched a little closer to Citrus, her tone getting a little more serious.

"Um... after we're done walking around, is it okay if we talk, just us? It's a secret," she whispered, leaning back in the hopes that she didn't scare Citrus off. Afterwards, she would start to stand up, ready to finally approach Roscoe's home.

[spincycle]

Citrus's eyes widened at the request, the sudden change in tone throwing her off. She glanced over to Bob to see if overheard anything, but he was already dozing off for his first of many daily naps. She nodded at Max feverishly and motioned with her right paw to show she was crossing her heart to keep her friend's secret.

She followed Max's lead in standing then poked at Bob's side with her foot.

"Up, you. Go home, sleeping outside is how you get fleas, y'know? Come find us when you're up again."

Bob groaned in annoyance, sticking his tongue out to blow a raspberry towards Citrus before trudging off towards his house.

"Right back atcha," the bunny returned. The rolled her eyes shook her head, looking at Max with an expression that said 'get a load of this guy.' Though it was never serious. Bob meant the world to her, and her to him as well. She dusted herself off before starting back on her adventure. The party was now two, but maybe that was a good thing. Because Roscoe was the only remaining citizen Max needed to visit, and the old steed didn't exactly appreciate Bob's lifestyle. He was a bit rude to most people, but especially Bob. Maybe at the very least Citrus could charm him with her intelligence.

She couldn't help but wonder what Max had to say, but since Max was the first to stand she decided to focus on this single mission. Roscoe's signature first, Max's secret second. The bunny strategically avoided sporadic flowers around Dobutsu and the occasional butterfly resting on top. Walking near them was perfectly fine, but Citrus's skip in her step made her more prone to destroying the flora. The duo eventually reached Roscoe's home tucked away on the western side of the town. If Citrus looked across the lake, she could see Bob's silhouette making his trip to bed. The two stood in front of the door for a moment, inhaled, glanced at each other, and exhaled.

"You can do it," she assured with a pat on the back. "Just be yourself. Don't overthink anything."

Before she could give Max a moment to change her mind, Citrus knocked on the steed's front door.

[okintsukoro]

Max was glad to see that Citrus trusted her enough, and liked her enough, that she would be okay with keeping a secret from Bob. It was nothing against the lazy cat; he seemed just as nice, and Max thought his laid-back antics were such a breath of fresh air, especially considering her own anxious nature. But, she thought Citrus would have a better idea if Bob was the type to be able to keep secrets well. She could always tell him later, if she trusted him with it.

Along the way to Roscoe's, Max would continue their small side quest of picking up weeds. Perhaps showing the bag to Ribbot after they visit Roscoe would be enough to get his signature? One could only hope.

She simply gave Citrus a nod of affirmation before flinching at the sound of the knock on the door.

Roscoe's hoof steps could be heard inside before he opened the door, red eyes regarding the two of them.

"Afternoon, you two. What brings you here?" he asked.

Although Max was shaking a bit, they hesitantly held out the clipboard, allowing the older horse to read. But, oddly enough, instead of taking it, he simply smirked down at Max.

"I already told you what you need to do. Did you already forget, nay?"

Max blinked, glancing over at Citrus for a moment before looking back at Roscoe, looking a bit embarrassed.

"The letter, kid. After I read your letter in the morning, if I like it, I'll swing by myself to sign yer little petition. It's that easy. Citrus said you can write letters, so write 'em. Make 'em good." He nodded towards Max, as if to assure the human that he meant no animosity by it, but he was stern in his words. He meant what he said, and he was gonna stick by them. He glanced over at Citrus.

"In any case, hope you two are getting plenty of rest in between. The population may be small, but there's plenty of walkin' space between homes. Not to mention, I know you get plenty of exercise as it is, with all that fossil diggin', nay," Roscoe noted, shaking his head.

[spincycle]

The letter Roscoe requested completely slipped Citrus's mind. She placed a paw on her forehead when she remembered, shaking her head as her cheeks felt warmer. She was a little embarrassed, but things were going smoothly. Roscoe seemed genuine about his request, and she felt like she had his word about his signature.

"Will do, Mr. Roscoe. Hope you're resting too, since you're always taking your daily walks. Hopefully Max's house won't be too much of a disruption in your usual route, y'know?"

Citrus and Roscoe didn't know much about each other, but she was always flattered when people remembered things about her. Everyone in Dobutsu knew she was Blather's right-hand rabbit. But hearing people acknowledge her as such was always heart-warming. She nudged Max's elbow, but kept looking up at the taller horse.

"We're also out and about picking weeds right now, Max is making the town cleaner already," she bragged. "Maybe less weeds in your path will make up for the house in your way."

Citrus turned to look at her friend beside her.

"We'd better go rest inside so you can work on your letter."

[okintsukoro]

Max flustered a bit at Citrus's attempt to bolster her reputation in the horse's eyes, but did hold up the bag of weeds as proof.

The horse nodded with approval at the bag, before waving a hoof dismissively when Citrus mentioned Max's house in his path.

"Nay... no need to worry about the walking path. Though I won't say no to a path devoid of weeds. Definitely more pleasant on my hooves," he chuckled. "I'll... admit I was just being a bit sour. Been a while since there's been any big changes in this town. With a new mayor around, s'pose it's just something I need to come around to again. Heh, bet you youngin's are all excited about it, huh? All the strange and new stuff you'll be learnin', just from one person comin' to town. It's a wonder, ain't it? How much one person can change the lives of so many people, for better or for worse."

Max couldn't help but nod in agreement before hearing Citrus finally say that they should get going. With Roscoe and Max waving their good-byes, the horse slowly closed the door while Max started to walk across the bridge back to the other side of the river, silver eyes glancing down to see the shadows of fish swimming underneath.

"Do you think... Ribbot is still out? I wonder if this is enough weeds to prove myself to him..." Max noted, holding out the bag and looking around. With how active the robot frog was, they were almost fairly certain they wouldn't be near the house. But considering they didn't know Ribbot that well, it was hard to say.

[spincycle]

Citrus scanned the area for any of her neighbors out and about. She spotted some flowers shaking in the breeze and a white butterfly floating around before she spotted a silhouette. She knew from the speed alone she had caught Ribbot having a jog through the orchard. The shine of the sun made him distinguishable from Lily or someone else their height.

"Over there!"

She grabbed Max's arm and started leading the way to Ribbot before he could move his jog somewhere else. The hot sun sort of killed any desired Citrus had to play a game of chase today. It was a little curious how Ribbot wasn't overheating. But then again, Citrus didn't know how he functioned. A discussion for another day. She focused on catching up just enough to be heard, reaching the outskirts of the orchard before letting go of Max and waving her arms instead.

"Ribbot! Over here! We have something for you!"

Luckily the machine noticed her cries before she had to draw anymore attention to herself. The orchard was usually a calm place, and since it was near Lily's home she didn't want to disturb the kind woman who shared her treats. Bob wouldn't forgive her if she sabotaged his relationship with Lily. Ribbot jogged to meet Max and Citrus halfway. He stopped by putting his hands on his knees and hunching over, an exaggerated sigh showcasing his exhaustion. Citrus patted the top of his head, confused but playing along with a 'there, there.'

"Zzrribbtt...Great day for running. Training for a marathon in the next town over, but I'm sweating like crazy. No pain no gain."

Did he need to practice? Citrus bit her tongue to avoid asking if Ribbot could feel pain and instead opted to focus on Max's plucked weeds.

"We've cleaned up around town. Well- Max did. Not me. We're hoping you'd want to sign your name now, y'know?"

Ribbot nodded, taking the clipboard from the human and printing his name. His handwriting was square and seemingly perfect, almost resembling the numbers displayed on an alarm clock. He handed it back to Max and spoke up with his deep robotic voice.

"I've noticed your work while out jogging. This place already looks cleaner, zzrrbbitt. Just make sure you dispose of what you've got, and I won't revoke my signature or anything. I trust you'll keep this place shiny and polished."

Citrus nodded in agreement, proud of her new friend and always looking for an opportunity to brag about those she cared for.

"Zzrribbt. I'll be on my way then, don't forget your daily stretches. Don't hurt yourself pulling weeds." The android let out a deep noise that vaguely resembled a laugh.

[okintsukoro]

Max was more than relieved when they found Ribbot, nodding along with Citrus when they promised to dispose of the weeds. As soon as Ribbot left to continue jogging, Max was practically jumping for joy with the clipboard in their hands, overjoyed that they were only one signature away! They just needed to write some letters tonight.

But now that that was over, they turned to Citrus. They hadn’t forgotten what they wanted to do. She nodded towards the bunny, gently taking her paw before leading her back to her home.

Her home was still very small with nothing inside outside of her bed and luggage bag and lantern. But before she closed the door, she caught sight of the mailbox lighting up. She blinked. No one should’ve been able to know her address. Who sent her mail?

That’s when she took out the letter and brought it inside, opening it as she went to sit on the bed and patting the seat beside her to offer Citrus a seat. Her eyes widened when she read it. Thinking this was a good segue into what she wanted to talk about. She tilted the letter so Citrus could read.

“Hey friend,

Sorry to dump this all on you. I know I was supposed to be the mayor. But when I saw that you were looking to move into this lovely town, I knew I wouldn’t have another chance. I’m not done seeing the world. Maybe, one day, I’ll come back. But don’t hold your breath. I hope you’ll take care of those good folk for me in my place. “

There was no address, no name. Max could only slowly watch Citrus’s expression, wondering what she thought.

[spincycle]

The bunny caught a quick glance around Max's new home before the two turned their attention to the new letter. She couldn't wait to see how Max would eventually fill the home in a way that made it unique. Maybe they would want Citrus's old dresser for her clothes. But before she started throwing furniture left and right at Max, she watched the human open an envelope. Perhaps a letter from Roscoe?

Citrus cocked her head to the side as she glanced over Max's shoulder to read the letter. Nosy was her middle name, after all. Maybe she was reading into the letter the wrong way. Context was important after all.

"So...you traded places at the last minute? That's pretty responsible, y'know? Who's this other person?"

Citrus just assumed Max and this cancelled mayor were friends and Max stepped up because the other person got last minute jitters. Citrus wanted to assume that Max is the kind of friend to do that. To some degree, she was right. Max did seem like a kind friend. But in hind sight, she does seem a bit shy to put herself in that position.

"You do know them. Right?"