Hope is the Thing With Feathers

Chapter 14

Just wanted to pop in real quick and say thank you all for reading! This novella has really skyrocketed in views since March when New Horizons dropped, and I am so appreciative of all your kind comments. This weekend I will be publishing the final chapter of this novella. Sad, I know, but I want to thank all of you who have stuck along on the journey. Enjoy Chapter 14, and stay tuned for the conclusion next week :)

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The years faded with time. While Blathers still had his share of homesickness, a quick trip to the city with either Celeste or Brewster was always enough to fulfill that wanting. By the time he would get off the bus again at Animal Village, his heart felt whole again.

Life was rather stagnant in Animal Village these days, but Blathers had grown to appreciate the traditional nature of the town. He celebrated the same holidays, visited the same shops, and enjoyed the company of his friends. The museum, meanwhile, had been growing slowly in its donations, and while it was not yet at completion, Blathers had accepted that fact. He wasn't quite sure what he would do when the museum was entirely filled anyway.

On a warm summer day, as Blathers was sweeping up the tile floors of the museum, he was surprised to see Tortimer hobbling up to the entrance. Occasionally the mayor would visit on his break to admire some artwork or perhaps the aquarium, but his visits were often rare. He was a busy tortoise after all, or so the villagers liked to believe. Blathers still had yet to see him not fast asleep in his office when visiting the Town Hall.

"Good morning, Mayor Tortimer. Come to look at some of our new fossils? We've just completed the Tyrannosaurus Rex! It's a magnificent feat of a fossil," Blathers said.

"Perhaps another time. Could you gather Brewster and Celeste? There's something I'd like to discuss with all of you," he said.

"If you say so," Blathers said. Tortimer was acting stranger than normal, the owl thought, but oftentimes the mayor never had much of anything important to say, so he thought nothing of it. With a quick peek of his head into the cafe and a short trip up to the observatory, Blathers had gathered up his best friend and sister. 

"Let's have a seat at The Roost," Tortimer proposed. "My old legs don't hold up like they used to."

Only when they were all gathered at the table and Tortimer had a steaming cup of coffee in front of him did the old tortoise begin to talk.

"I have some important news regarding the future of Animal Village," Tortimer said. "I will be retiring shortly."

"You're kidding," Blathers murmured. He supposed it always seemed inevitable, but Blathers had always guessed Tortimer would keep his mayor position for another one hundred years at his pace.

"I am not, for once," Tortimer said. "It takes quite a lot of energy being mayor. My old bones and joints can't quite handle it these days. Soon, I'll be living out my dream of tropical island living. I can't wait to feel the sun on my shell 24/7..." Tortimer's voice broke off as he realized he was beginning to ramble more about his retirement plans than the fate of the village.

"Oh, but to get back to my point, a new mayor will be taking my place. This new mayor will be a bit...different, younger, with new ideals and such. There will be many changes coming to the town."

"Like what?" Celeste questioned.

"An operational train, some free spaces for shops, a boat service...oh and an entirely new strip of shops and buildings that I am hoping Blathers will be willing to join," Tortimer stated.