Mayoral Memories

[Mairmalade]

"Can I ask your name?"

You were traveling by train in search of a new life with nothing beyond the clothes on your back. You had some ideas and expectations, sure, but what you stumbled across wasn't what you had in mind.

'Mayor' had a nice ring to it, though.

And over ten years later, it still does.​

Task

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Create a written work between 200-1000 words about your experience/memories as Mayor with/within Animal Crossing: New Leaf. This can incorporate fictional and non-fiction elements, be written in first or third person, and be written in a style of your choosing (e.g., poetry, prose, dialogue, etc.).

Rules

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• Only one entry per person
• Your entry is considered final once posted. Do not edit it unless you have permission from a TBT staff member
• Your entry must be entirely your own work, and be a brand-new piece of writing for this event
• No collaborations
• Content must be suitable for a PG-13 audience and abide by our Rules and Guidelines
• Your entry must be themed around your experience/memories as Mayor with/within Animal Crossing: New Leaf
• Word count must be between 200 - 1000 words*
• No additional fan fiction outside of Animal Crossing

*Please use this word counter tool to ensure you're within the 200-1000 word limit.

How To Submit

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Your entry text must be submitted as a new post in this thread by Thursday, March 21, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. EDT

Submission Checklist
My written entry is:

Between 200 - 1000 words, and checked using this word counter tool​

Themed around my experience/memories with/within Animal Crossing: New Leaf​

A new piece of writing that I have created myself for this event​

Submitted no later than Thursday, March 21 at 11:59 p.m. EDT​

Prizes

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Participation

• 30 MEOW Coupons + 30 TBT Bells

Staff Favorites

• Complete ACNL House Letter Set (Choice of Yellow の or Purple の)

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Frequently Asked Questions

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If there are any questions about this event, they will be answered and updated here.

 

[DaCoSim]

Ohhhhh this is going to be so soooo bittersweet.

 

[cornimer]

Here's my entry!

Spoiler

Waking with a start, my eyes pop open. I'm staring up at a blue ceiling with clouds painted on it.

Where am I? How long was I asleep for?

Heart racing, I sit up and look around the room. I see a heart-shaped green balloon, a plant, a pink sofa with star-shaped pillows and a rainbow screen against the wall. All of these items look familiar, but I have no recollection of putting them there.

Am I still dreaming? Nothing feels real. I jump to my feet and head to the mirror on the opposite wall. Honestly, I'm unsure what I'll see looking back at me. I'm surprised when it's someone with a perfectly combed pixie cut and bangs, dressed in a yellow & green plaid shirt and jeans. I certainly look put-together, though I feel the complete opposite.

Maybe if I go outside and walk around the town, it will all come back to me. I step outside and am met with a blast of crisp fall air. It's dark, but not so dark that I don't notice the apples on the trees around me. Apples? I've never lived anywhere with apples. I remember cherries, pears, peaches....but not apples. I'm shaking now, even more anxiety-ridden than before (if that was possible). I start walking aimlessly, my head spinning, looking for something - ANYTHING - that's familiar. I hear footsteps and turn to see...a blue and orange anteater? Who's that? I must have been kidnapped. My mouth feels dry and the corners of my vision start to go black. I think I'm going to pass out. I sit on the ground and put my head between my knees. Should I cry? Should I go back into the house and hide? Should I jump off the island and swim away? Should I....

"Hi, Mayor!"

I look up to see the most beautiful, innocent, kind face smiling down at me.

"TAD!" I jump to my feet and pull him into a hug. Now the tears start to come. "Tad, where are we? I'm so scared."

"What do you mean, Mayor?" Tad is still smiling, but I can see the concern in his eyes. "We're right here, in our town! Just like we were yesterday!"

Yesterday? I feel as disoriented as if I had been asleep for years. "W...what town is this? Cacturne? Hamilton? Beyond?"

"Huh?" Tad looks confused now. "No, this is Humphrey! Mayor, are you feeling ok?"

"Not at all." Tears start flowing more steadily. "I don't remember how I got here. I don't remember anything."

"Anything?" Tad's eyes go wide. "But that can't be true. You remember me!"

"Of course!" I exclaim. "You're my best friend. But......well ok, I think I remember some other stuff too. It's all fuzzy though."

"Here, let's sit together," Tad says. He leads me to a bench. Nearby, a river is rushing under a suspension bridge. I love suspension bridges - I must have built that. But when?

"Tell me everything you remember," Tad says, putting a hand on my knee gently. "Don't worry, Mayor, I'll help you figure this out."

"Ok." I sniffle and take a deep breath. "I remember...a cafe. I would help Brewster there every day - I had everyone's order memorized."

Tad frowns. "We don't have a cafe in this town. What else do you remember?"

"I remember...building a tulip topiary! I loved that thing, I planted a whole field of tulips around it."

Tad shakes his head. "No, we don't have one of those either. Is it possible it was just a dream?"

"I don't think so? Even though I can't quite place when or where these things happened, they're very vivid memories," I say.

"Ok...what else?" Tad asks.

"Hmmm...oh! I remember planting a ring of perfect pear trees. Once a week, I would harvest all the pears to sell and use the funds to help build things around the town. Did this town ever have pear trees?"

"No, only apples," Tad says. "Maybe you're thinking of towns you lived in before Humphrey? I know you were the Mayor of quite a few other places. That's why we were so excited when you showed up here and became our mayor. We knew our town was in good hands."

I feel guilt whelming up inside of me. "I must've let you down. I'm sorry, Tad. I truly don't remember anything about this place. I'm a terrible Mayor."

"What are you talking about? Not at all!?" Tad exclaims. "This is a great town. All the villagers are super friendly. We have enough money to live comfortably thanks to the Bell Boom ordinance you enacted. We have shops, we have a nightclub...I guess there's always room for more, like that cafe you mentioned. But for a fairly new town, this town is amazing - thanks to you!"

I reflect on everything he's said. "Yeah, it does sound like a great town," I admit. "I just....how did I get to this point? You'd think if I've been the Mayor of multiple towns, I'd have a list of accomplishments to look back on....but all I have are blurry memories. And I don't even have a home - not one that I remember, at least."

Tad is quiet for a moment. Then he softly says, "You're talking like your life is over. But, do you think this could be your home?"

I think about it for a second. "Well, yeah, I think so. It looks like a lovely place. And you're here - that's the most important thing."

Tad smiles big. "Then, why don't we just go make some new memories together?"

For the first time, I feel a sense of calm come over me. "Yeah, I'd like that."
**
This story was inspired by me booting up AC:NL for this event and having no recollection of creating my current town whatsoever.

 

[Mutti]

I decided to try and do a sort of memory letter to the person who was an origional mayor of the town who never got off the train.

Spoiler: Dear Stranger.........

Dear ORIGIONAL intended Mayor of Yume*

What started off as a visit to a quiet empty town of Yume*
and then leading to me immediately becoming mayor is a lifetime memory i will cherish
i still can't believe I've gone from planting a sapling with four villagers to now having a full town with people WISHING they could live here! wow.

I couldn't even take any of the credit as it was complete teamwork which helped raise enough money to buy our first bridge so villagers and myself found it easier to get around! with the help of isabelle we were soon off track on getting this town in ship shape
Celebrating Christmas to easter, and even Fireworks in the summer has been such a blast (get it, firework!) i know as mayor i feel the most gratitude to the villagers who organised each event and were the ones who turned out making the absolute best memories and best photos!

Still going through the memories with countless letters back and forth between villagers and my mother will always be in a shoebox i would never dare to throw away and my photo albums which are kept stored in my Mermaid wardrobe because at this point it is a album collection not even a clothing storage, many of them thanking for gifts or inviting me to simply spend time with my faveorite villagers who put such a trust in me to help make Yume* island what it is today!

We can never ever say that it is a goodbye to someone who decides to move on with their life to bigger adventures, as there will always be a yearning for my role as mayor to continue until i am Tortimers grand old age! never considering retirement, that's as long as the villagers will keep voting me in, democracy is a must in Yume*.

But i hold close to me the image of me being able to enjoy such a fabulous atmosphere which ive helped build with countless villagers past and present, countless species, Fur patterns and Toe beans, my COCO the love of my town who goes above and beyond to ensure i have an easy as a ride as possible with the help of isabelle, I have the upmost love for them, and also the little sapling which planted in 2013 is now a Complete strong master Tree giving symbol status of our ongoing strong, commitment to life in Yume*

Thank you for giving me the opportunity of letting me get off the train, the villagers then thinking i was the mayor of the best place to live in the world, its a complete dream that im able to call myself a resident of this beautiful place.

Thank you, im forever greatful,
Best wishes,
Mutti

​

 

[Snek]

Here is my entry. This is inspired by my previous experience with the villager Elise in my old town. I no longer have a 3DS nor do I have any pictures of my old town so the experience is based on pure memory and so its reflected in the writing.

Spoiler: Turning Over A New Leaf

Turning Over A New Leaf

I was just a poor boy from a poor family. I wanted to see the world and all of the animals. Just once. My mom didn’t want me to go, but I went anyway. As I was sitting on the train, a curious cat decided to sit opposite of me and ask me a few questions. I arrived at a town called New Leaf. It looked very rural and I was unsure if I made the right choice. When I got out of the train station I was confused as the town’s new mayor. I accepted it, despite knowing that I really wasn’t. Everything went well until I met a snooty monkey named Elise. She was not warm and kind like my mom. She put her house right in front of the way to my downtown. How dare she act like that to me? How dare she put her house there without my permission? This is my town. I was very angry and as mayor I thought it was my duty to get rid of her. I hit Elise with the net. I put Elise in hole mazes full of regular and tricky pitfall seeds. I went to Tortimer’s island and found a toy hammer and expressed even more joy as I hit Elise over and over and over again. I sent Elise rubbish in the mail with letters expressing displeasure at her presence in my town. Elise finally pinged me and wanted to leave. She left and I was overjoyed! After that happened I was satisfied, but after a few days passed I began to reflect on if it could have been handled differently. I realised I was wrong. I realised that I too came to New Leaf seeking a different life and I forced another out just because of my selfishness. After Elise came Merengue. Merengue was part of the dream team villagers that I wanted, but I remembered interacting with Elise more. I decided to be more like a mayor, selfless and welcoming to different villagers. My mom continued sending me letters every month, I looked at them and was reminded of her love, of her selflessness. I was reminded that anyone can turn over a new leaf. And so…I decided to leave New Leaf myself. I saw an advert for an Island Getaway Package and decided to take it. I looked back at New Leaf and knew I would never see it again, but in my heart I knew that I changed for the better. Now, I look to a new horizon.

 

[Jhine7]

My favorite memories with Pudge and a thank you to all the citizens of Amazon as I know I wasn't the best mayor

Spoiler: Farewell Address

Dear citizens of Amazon,

Thank you for allowing me to be your mayor over the past 6 years. Although most of you were around since 2013, I got a late start into politics. However, once I was “elected” mayor of Amazon, I knew I was truly at home. Even though I may not have been the most active mayor for…. 5 of those 6 years…. I knew everyone was in good hands. I have Isabelle to thank for that. Without her, our achievements in this great town would never have been possible. The truth is… I was never supposed to be mayor in the first place! You “elected” the wrong guy! I kept that a secret for some time didn’t I. However, thank you for treating me as part of the family.

Lastly, I wanted to share my favorite memory as Mayor of Amazon. To narrow it down to just one was no easy task. This goes out to Pudge, who was there from the very beginning. Even would I would disappear for several extended vacations, you were always there for me when I returned! Always happy to pick up right where we left off, always enjoying our coffee together at The Roost. That will always be my lasting memory of Amazon as I depart.

I will however still come visit from time to time. You can’t get rid of me that easy.

Yours truly,
Not the best mayor, but a best friend, Justin

 

[ShinyDungeoneer]

My turn!
(story starts here)
I was so excited for my fresh start. Finally, a chance to get away from the confines of my hometown and start anew! With my goals in mind, and a destination set, I boarded the train. Handing over my ticket, I sat down, unaware that this train ride would change my life's course forever. I was fearful for what I would find, but happy that I was starting a new life.

"Hey friend! Mind if I sit here?" A voice snaps me out of my stupor. Glancing to my right, I see a bipedal blue cat had asked the question. Shaking away any confusion I had about the existence of a humanoid cat, I agreed and said he could sit across from me.

"Gee, thanks pal! It's good to see there are still kind people in this world!" he said as he sat down. I smiled, knowing that his sentiment was indeed genuine. After some awkward silence, he began to ask me questions. It seems he wanted to get to know me, and where I was going. I decided to comply.

"Ok... so lemme see if I got that right. Your name is Acerein, and you're headed to a town called Nublub?" he asked, wanting to confirm my answers. I merely nodded in reply, confirming them as the truth. I had chosen Nublub as my destination because it was advertised as "the best place to turn over a New Leaf", and I wanted to test the ads. "Hmm... I don't think I've ever heard of Nublub... Maybe one of these maps along this train line is it?" he said, pulling out a few maps.

Luckily, I had a photo of the advertised map of Nublub, as it came with the advert. After figuring out which stop it was, I was asked a few more questions that pertained to my future in town, such as whether or not I had enough money. I did, as I made sure to pack the essentials. The cat, who was named Rover, seemed satisfied with my answers. Suddenly, an announcement rang over the loudspeaker.

"Now arriving in Nublub! All for Nublub Station, exit here!" the conductor (who I am now noticing is a monkey, what is with all these animals) said. "Well, looks like your stop is here, Acerein! Thanks for chatting with me! I haven't rode a train like this since 2002, so this was a nice return! See ya!" Rover said while waving farewell. I returned the wave, and departed the train, eager to see my new home. Oh, if only I knew what awaited me...

When I stepped off the train and entered the town, I was shocked to see a crowd of animals facing me! "Is this some sort of convention? Or a dream?" I wondered. Maybe the yellow Shih Tzu knows something. But before I could get a word out, the crowd suddenly shouted "WELCOME, MAYOR!" at me. After regaining my hearing, I looked more closely at the group of ten animals (not counting the yellow dog). There were 2 wolves, a duck, a bunny, a cat, a plush toy?, a deer, an eagle, a kangaroo, and an alligator. After staring at them for a minute, the yellow dog decided to fill me in.

"Welcome to Nublub, Mayor! My name is Isabelle, and I'm your loyal secretary!" the yellow dog, now identified as Isabelle, said. Confused beyond belief, I tried to say that they had the wrong guy, but she was having none of it. "You must be tired. Why not rest at Town Hall before getting your resident registration?" Isabelle recommended. I agreed, and after a nap and getting my registration done, we headed outside to plant our town tree. I soon put together where it was to be planted: the plaza.

"A-hem! Greetings, fellow Nublub residents! Today, we are gathered here for a momentous occasion. The inauguration of our new mayor, Acerein. Since we are... lacking in a ballot, we are doing this the only way we know how: a tree planting ceremony!" Isabelle said, clearly nervous, but also excited, like I was at that moment. As the residents cheered, I planted the tree, cementing my role as Mayor of Nublub.

Suddenly, I jolt awake in my office, realizing that I was dreaming about my first day here in town. Isabelle was taking care of resident relations, while I was looking for a good Treasurer to lighten Isabelle's workload, as she does literally everything besides Mayor stuff. Maybe Miranda? I shrug it off and exit Town Hall, ready for a new day in my beloved town of Nublub.
(story ends here)

 

[seliph]

─── ⋆⋅✦⋅⋆ ───​

dear canberra,

in regular circumstances, this would be where i would welcome you as a new resident of this town. however, this isn't a regular​

circumstance. in case your alarmingly massive eyes may not have noticed, you have built your house directly in front of the west bridge. this has hindered the regular pathway taken by every resident, and completely impeded the flow of traffic towards the re-tail. the shop owners, reese and cyrus, are unhappy with this occurrence as well, as customers are often complaining about having to squeeze their way past your home—which, might i add, is an eyesore obstructing the beautiful natural scenery—in order to purchase their necessities. i don't know what they teach regarding common sense down where you come from, but i'm fairly certain it doesn't involve blocking an entire bridge.

you may also have noticed the dazzling garden of blue roses and cherry trees surrounding your home. or, what would have been a​

dazzling garden if you hadn't plopped your repugnant abode where a third of it once was. do you know nothing of consideration for others' efforts? thankfully the cherry is our native fruit and the trees are easy to replace, but surely your brain isn't so smooth as to not realize the difficulty in growing natural blue roses in this environment. perhaps your mother named you canberra because you can-bare-ly form an intelligent thought.

i am making arrangements for you to leave our town at once, as you have severely upset every single person living here, most of​

all myself. we will not be accommodating your cost to move, and we will not be ensuring your safety from the void. additionally, i will be requiring 200,000 bells per blue rose destroyed—totaling at 1,000,000 bells. better take a trip or two to tortimer island.

yours furiously,
mayor seliph​

─── ⋆⋅✦⋅⋆ ───​

 

[corlee1289]

I am going to miss Animal Crossing New Leaf. I remember when I was unexpectedly thrust into the role of mayor by the old turtle and I was so worried about being one. But with Isabelle and so many of the other villagers, our community was able to thrive together and build our beautiful community. We even welcomed other residents to come visit and make a home with us! Leif came to bring us plants, Skrunk came to liven up the mood, Gracie came to show off her fashion sense! Many others also came to us over the years. Our small tree became SO big that I would have to crane my neck to look way up high where top of the tree was!

I still remember the first time I was looking over my zen garden when I noticed a lost little kitten needing help. Thankfully, I was able to send her to the train station to send her along on her merry way, but then she dropped her ticket! I was quite stressed, but the next day, Katie wrote that she was fine and nothing happened to her. I'm glad for that!

I managed to eventually fill up the entire museum for Blathers after having hunted far and wide to fill out the museum. Since then, admissions to our humble little museum has been ever increasing. I am thankful that Blathers is always there to help manage visitors and answering questions... Unless that is, it happens to be daytime, then it becomes a bit harder to do so.

Though I haven't visited in a long while, Isabelle is still there to do her best in running the town while I go off on my journey to better myself. Eventually one day, I will visit again with Isabelle and my villagers waiting for me with great big smiles on their faces when the rejoice to see me back.

 

[Gabby]

Here is my submission! I do use some dialogue from the game, so I hope that is okay and not considered plagiarism. This story was inspired by my, uh... re-discovery of what I had named my town as a 15 year old Gabby (who was a giant edge-lord, mind you).

Spoiler: Mayoral Memories Submission

Thump. Thump. Thump. My head rhythmically bumps against the train’s glass window as the locomotive makes its way down the track. I’m half staring out the window at the passing scenery, and half falling asleep. I’ve left home for the first time and truthfully, I’m exhausted. Everyone told me moving would be exciting, like an adventure, and I’d learn so many new things. No one told me just how tired I would be. There aren’t many passengers on the train with me, and I’m sitting alone at my seat. I think I saw an old boar as I walked to my spot, and she had a big basket of what looked like produce. I thought that was odd, but it also made me hungry…

One of the passengers, a cat, locks eyes with me, snapping me out of my daydream of boarding the train. He smiles at me, and I give a half-awake smile back. I’d always heard of the towns that had animals in them but I’d only ever grew up in human towns. It was fascinating and exciting to be around the animal people. I’ll admit, though, I was a little surprised when I saw him get out of his seat to come talk to me. I suddenly had to get ready for a social interaction. Guess the animal folk are friendlier than humans.

“Hey there. Can I talk to you for a second? Do I see a ticket to Jetbewbs in your hand? You know, I have an acquaintance who lives in that town.”

I’m jolted awake out of my sleepy stupor, eyes wide open. Did he just say Jetbewbs? I look down at my ticket, and sure enough, it’s a one-way straight to the lovely town of… Jetbewbs. When I asked for the first one-way out of town, I didn’t expect them to send me to a town called Jetbewbs. What kind of name is that for a town? Who even does that? I realize that I’ve said nothing. Looking back up at his wide eyes and warm smile, I tell him to have a seat.

He gets comfortable in the bench seat across from me. “Great, thanks!” He says. “By the way? What’s your name?”
“My name is Hailey.”
“Oh, Hailey…? Well, that’s a fantastically great name!”
I’m a little weirded out by his endless positivity, but I try to maintain an open mind. “Yeah, it’s cute, right?” I’m playing along, but it’s not how I usually speak. Not even in my new town yet, and I’m already a different person.
“So, Hailey, do you get to go to Jetbewbs very often?” The inquisitive cat asks. I cringe at the name again.
“No, I’ve never been there.” I hope he believes me. I would never willingly move to a town called Jetbewbs.
“What?! Really?! Umm… What are you going there for?
“I don’t know.”
It’s not a lie. I don’t know why I’m going here. I just know I needed to leave, and this is where fate took me.
“Whoa, you believe in fate too, huh, Hailey? I’m sure you’ll find something wonderful in Jetbewbs.”

It’s certainly not going to be the name, I can tell you that right now.

Our conversation is interrupted by the conductor letting us know that we’re arriving into town. The cat says goodbye, and wishes me luck. I smile, thank him, and start gathering my things. The butterflies and anxiety are resting in the pit of my stomach.

I step out of the dimly lit station into the blinding sunlight, and outside waiting for me are 4 of the town residents, eager to greet me. Before I can even speak, one of them is already talking.

“Mayor!” She says.
Mayor? She’s looking at me. I look behind me, and there’s no one else. “Me? Are you talking to me?” I ask. She goes on to explain that they were waiting for their new mayor to come into town any second. “No, no you’ve got the wrong person, I’m not the new may-“
Before I can finish, the bubbly canine interrupts me.
“No, please, come this way!” Confused, I follow her around my new town. It’s lush, with green grass and so many trees. Some of them have the most beautiful looking apples growing on them, and I can’t wait to try one for the first time. Once we sort out this mayor business, anyway…

She leads me to their town hall, and starts explaining that they were waiting for a new mayor. Their old mayor had a long tenure, and it was time to find someone new. At first, I wanted to push back. But before I could object, I look to the back of the office, and see the mayor’s desk. Quickly, I start to come around to the idea. If I left my hometown looking for something new, something with a purpose, maybe this was meant to be. Isabelle, my friendly assistant, sits me down in my new mayors desk and chair. “Yeah,” I think to myself. “I think I could get used to this.”

Snort. Awakened suddenly from a dream, I raise my head from my desk, which was resting on an early journal entry from when I first became mayor. Astonishing to think it was 12 years ago, and amazing to think of all of what we created along the way. My time as Mayor Hailey of Jetbewbs ended up being one of the best mayoral experiences someone could have. My beautiful neighbors Fauna, Punchy, and Pietro helped me make great memories, along with all the friends I invited to my town to play games and run amongst the flowers. It was never a perfect town, but it wasn’t meant to be. We can only enjoy the imperfect perfection of friendship, honest effort, and an unfortunate town name.

It wasn’t the adventure I thought I’d have, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Except, maybe just one little detail…

 

[axaniao]

i really hope this isn't too depressing LOLLL its based on how much i miss one of my towns that i lost but heres my entry

Spoiler

I miss my old town.

I've been the mayor of many, many towns. Some for longer periods of time than others. I've had my ups and downs with them, watching many townspeople leave and move in.

But there's one town in particular that was very special. One that I would do anything to be able to go back to. One that no other town I've been the mayor of has been able to fill the empty hole in my heart left by it.

Mistwood.

That name takes me back. I was the mayor of it quite a few years ago. Maybe 5-6 years ago. And I've never forgotten about it. Every once in a while the faces of the friends I've made there that I had to abandon all of a sudden pop into my mind.

O'Hare. Marshal. Tom. Static. Snake.

Those aren't even all of them.

I didn't want to leave, I really didn't. I didn't have a choice though. Something happened, and I had to go.

I wonder if they still remember me. If they still remember the times we had.

I've certainly changed a lot since then. I'm certain they have too. Or maybe they didn't? Who knows, really.

All of them were my best friends. And I miss them terribly. If only I could write letters to villagers in other towns.

...Do you think they kept the letters I sent them while I was still living there..?

Sometimes, I still see that town in my dreams. But every time I do, it seems the memory gets faded even more. I don't want to forget them.

I don't want to forget.

I want to continue dreaming about them. I want them to live on in my memory forever.

Sometimes I wonder if I'll be able to visit them again one day. If I did, would they remember me..?

Part of me doubts that they will.

 

[Mr.Fox]

Spoiler: Reflection

This town is a dump...I can't imagine who lived here. It is literally overrun with weeds and flowers...and you can't take two steps without coming across some item or piece of clothing just carelessly thrown onto the ground. One thing's for sure, whoever lived here did pretty well for themselves. I've found an antique Sloppy set AND a vintage 7-11 set. If I'm not mistaken these used to be worth a pretty penny back in their day. Now look at them...just laying there in the dirt.
This place is a ghost town too. I only count 8 houses asides from the main one. Speaking of that large house, the mailbox outside of it is absolutely screaming with unread mail. I see what appears to be the mailman, patiently waiting outside the door...I assume he wants the owner to pick up their mail. He doesn't seem to notice me.

As I travel around the small village, I decide I might as well try to spruce things up while I look around. I pluck a weed and...it disappears??? I check my pockets to make sure it wasn't misplaced, but there's no sign of it anywhere. And when I go to pick up a flower I put the entire thing in my pocket! I usually just pluck the petals. I'm starting to get a little weirded out.
What appears to be the town hall is just engulfed in bamboo. I cannot stress how much bamboo I have just found. Luckily, I spy a golden axe nearby, and decide to clear it all out. I've gotta tell you, they sure don't make tools like they used to...this axe never broke the entire time I was using it. A big bonus too, while I was chopping bamboo I found a four leaf clover! I haven't seen one of those in about a decade.

The next oddity I discover is the fruit. There is WAY more fruit here than I've ever seen on my island, and some kinds I've never even seen before...but I guess it's a bit of a double-edged sword. Back home, the fruit I pick is always standard and reliable. But here? I've found both a rotten cherry and a perfectly amazing looking cherry. I try to tell myself that it all evens out in the end.

Having wandered enough, I prepare to cross the railroad tracks and see what lies beyond, but I hear a very familiar *ping* and he comes running up. It's my neighbor Teddy, and as I begin to question how this is possible, I calmly close my eyes...and everything comes flooding back to me. Late nights hanging out with friends, talking about everything and nothing all at the same time. Scoffing at the ridiculous prices a fancy giraffe is trying to charge me. Getting trapped at Club Tortimer by random strangers with nothing better to do. Cycling villagers in and out like wildfire. Time travelling to repair my grass. Visiting Aika Village. Finding a community of people who share the same love for this experience that I do.

No matter where I live, be it a town, a city, or an island, Teddy has always been my neighbor, and he just reminded me....
I was the mayor of this town. This was my home...and I've just now realized I miss it more than I ever thought I could.

 

[Midoriya]

Spoiler: The discovery of the special balloon

Once upon a day,

and once upon a time,

a mayor lived in a village,

that was full of cheer and very sublime.

He loved all his villagers,

even though they would come and go,

and gave them special gifts,

and watched as their hearts continued to grow.

As time went on and seasons passed,

the mayor grew weary of friends once long gone,

and began to search for new avenues,

of making friends from hitherto and beyond.

He looked left, and looked right,

he even looked in caves full of fright,

but no matter where he looked,

he came up empty every day by the end of night.

But then one day a peculiar thing occurred,

a balloon of unknown origin entered the town,

who was it from and what could it contain,

the mayor wondered with a smile instead of a frown.

He chased after the balloon every time it would appear,

day and night, and through every hour too,

but no matter how hard he searched,

the balloon kept going and flew.

And then one day, and in an amazing fashion,

while chasing the balloon it began to slow down,

and the mayor of Port followed it quickly,

as he ended up in a whole new town.

And just as he caught it,

and was going to reveal what was inside,

a girl's voice shouted from afar,

"please do not take what is mine!"

So the mayor relented,

and he waited for her to catch up,

as he wondered just what this thing could be,

could it be as special as a newborn pup?

Eventually she caught up,

and opened it along with him,

and inside the balloon was something of wondrous mystery,

it was a snow globe with all the past years of New Leaf on a whim.

Beholding the great sight,

the mayor of Port could not believe it,

that such a special thing existed,

and so he wished to cherish it.

And even when the two parted ways,

and when the mayor of Port returned home,

he would always return to that town,

to observe the special gift they had found.

 

[Seastar]

I hope this is okay? I'm not really much of a writer. I just tried to write what I could remember about my 3 towns.

Spoiler: Things change a lot in 10-11 years

I had just recently graduated school. I was also very sick and not mentally well. Then the town of Popstar was created. There were many new friends to meet. Kiki, Lyman, Pate, Anchovy, Velma, and more! Many hours were spent here. Unfortunately, not all the friends were there to stay. Paula, Hans, Limberg, and even Pate all moved away. I remember crying. Pate didn't tell me she was going to leave... But plenty of new friends showed up such as Cyrano, Dora, Cookie, and even Lolly! Many holidays and events happened here. Eventually, things piled up. Trash lying around. Mailboxes full. What a mess! I couldn't bare to look at this town anymore.
A few years passed and the town of Twinleaf was created. Popstar still existed, but now Twinleaf did too. Things were different. MEOW coupons? Amiibo? New friends were made here such as Maple, Peggy, Cherry, Miranda and... Wolf Link? A few old friends too! I remember talking a lot with Cyrano my first night in this new town. Just like with Popstar, some of the animals moved away such as Curly, Benedict, and Hazel. Perhaps I should have let Hazel stay... Oh, well. Let's also try to forget the "house in front of a bridge incident" where Inkwell was asked to kick Knox out of the town. As time went on, something changed. Something weird. The mayor was a squid now. How did that happen? Nobody saw it coming, not even me. Now I was spending most of my time visiting a place called Club Tortimer while looking like that.
A few more years passed and now the town of Snowdin was created. Unsurprisingly, it is even more squid-themed than Twinleaf. Some more new friends were made here such as Mitzi, Filbert, and Yuka. Some old friends have returned too such as Lyman and Hazel! Oh, Cece and Viché live here too. Great.
It's been almost 11 years since Popstar was started and a lot of things have happened since then. I can't imagine what my life would be like if I didn't have Popstar and Twinleaf. That random squid mention? That's very important. Twinleaf encouraged that. Twinleaf may have even caused that.
I hope to finish working on the new town of Snowdin.

 

[Rubygame]

Spoiler: Just bad times

"Do you think everything will stay as it is? Or will these happy days end?"

I didn't think that reading my old letters would lead me to experience such a moment, here under the rays of the scorching sun but with a caressing sea breeze.

This morning I was awakened by the piercing sound of the mailbox, and by the unpleasant realization that I would have to do a cleaning of all the letters I have kept over the years, otherwise I would not have space to keep new ones.

The problem is I wasn't ready for the emotions I would soon experience.

It's quite incredible, after 7 years, to reread the letter from the anonymous sender who catapulted me into this crazy adventure, and then all the letters from my old and new friends, the letters from my parents...
Amelia once wrote to me that ink captures time better than photographs, because it instills emotions that only words can convey.
I don't know if she was right, but I knew that after finishing this bittersweet cleanse, my mind and my heart had traveled back in time transported by a tearing nostalgia and by a bit of sadness too. How could I not be sad reading the goodbyes of all my old friends? How could it not burn my heart reading the warmth and affection in these lines that have accompanied me for 7 years?

When I returned to the town I tried to appear casual to hide the weight I felt on my chest, but the truth is I didn't understand why I couldn't find my smile again.
I thought I needed to step away for a moment, to calm my heart and mind from all these emotions. And the best way I knew to do that was to visit the old Tortimer.
On that island, time stopped, and it was an incredibly reassuring feeling. Only for a while I could hope that everything would remain as it is, that these happy days would last forever...

When I asked Tortimer that question he didn't answer, he just stood still, warming his rough skin, watching the waves of the sea. I tried to imitate his light-heartedness, but inside I felt like a tempest.

“There's no use looking for peace outside if you don't first find it within yourself”.
Tortimer said, as if reading my thoughts.
Then he got up, slowly, from his plastered position, and approached the seashore.

"Ruby, dear old Ruby, you've been mayor for 7 years now, how time flies, right?
Just think, I've been a mayor my whole life.
And there wasn't a single day that I wasn't happy doing it. What's with that long face, why don't you smile a little?"

Honestly, I didn't understand if he was trying to cheer me up or if he wanted to scold me, but at that moment I didn't have much choice and I confessed to him what was tormenting me.
I didn't want to admit it, but the emotion I couldn't exorcise was the fear that one day everything wouldn't be the same, that one day no one would love me anymore, that one day they would forget about me and leave me behind.

To my amazement, Tortimer confessed to me that he too had these thoughts in his early career.
He told me that it was normal and necessary to ask questions about our future and experience sad emotions as well as happy ones, but that I couldn't withdraw into myself and make my reflections unripe and harmful.
He told me that when my judgment is clouded by sadness, I need to grasp the outstretched hand of a friend, who is just waiting to be noticed.

When I returned to the town it was already night, a blanket of stars illuminated my thoughts, and with a half smile on my face I headed in the only direction I could take.

"Good evening mayor, what brings you here?"

Isabelle had a sweet and warm smile, as always.

I leaned for a moment on the guest chairs, and with all the courage that Tortimer had instilled in me, I told her that I felt alone, and that I was afraid that one day everything would change.
She listened to me in silence, then she sat down on the chair next to me and caressed my hand, as if to convey to me all the safeness that I was missing at that moment.

"Ruby… why do you think change is something bad?
Life is meant to be lived one day at a time, and every day can be happy if your heart and mind are happy.
And this means you have to overcome the sad moments, like the one you are experiencing now.
You know that we love you, and we will always love you.
You don't have to be afraid of friends who leave, or new ones who come, because everyone needs to change, to live new adventures, but that doesn't mean forgetting the past. Just as you have a space in your heart for all those who have left a mark, you too have left a mark in the hearts of all those you love.
You must live every day gliding over things lightly, without burdens on your heart, smiling for the beautiful past experiences, and for future adventures."

Even though I hated being seen so vulnerable, Isabelle had touched all the points that made me feel sad, and like a spell she had eradicated all the bad thoughts. I finally felt light... and happy again.
I was happy with all the friends I carried in my heart, with all the experiences I had, with everything that had accompanied me in these 7 years. And I was happy to be able to meet new friends, have new experiences, and one day to be able to tell Tortimer that I regret nothing, and that I lived every day with happiness, despite, or rather, thanks to the bad times.

Words(without title): 999

I'm not particularly proud of this piece because I'm not very good at English yet, I wrote it first in my language and then translated it, but I had to delete about 300 words, it was difficult to understand what I wanted to keep and what I preferred to remove
I truly apologize in advance for any grammatical errors, especially regarding verb tenses.
However, I hope I have conveyed the same emotions in both languages, and that it's pleasant to read for everyone
I didn't know the forum was organizing a final farewell to ACNL with this series of initiatives, so it was a great coincidence that I finished my town in NL just a week ago, after 7 years. I also uploaded my first dream address and I am very proud and happy because I did it thanks to all the help of the wonderful people who are part of this community.
Then I thought I'd dedicate my memories to a moment I recently experienced, that is cleaning my mailbox, it was REALLY hard to choose which letters to keep and which not HAHAHAH
The letter Amelia wrote to me is true it said something about the importance of ink and writing, it was very poetic.
Everything else is made up lol
However, there are two quotes that inspired the writing of this piece, the first is that of Katrina:
“Remember that bad times… are just times that are bad”.
And the second is that of a French writer, I don't know where I read it but it stuck in my mind:
“True friends are those who mutually exchange friendship, dreams and thoughts, virtues, joys and pains; always free to separate each other, without separating ever”.
Alfred Bougeard

It doesn't matter if many of us no longer play NL, or Wild World, or City Folk, and so on. It doesn't matter if one day we also abandon New Horizons for the new Animal Crossing game.
Our memories will always remain in ours heart just as we will always remain in the memories and heart of ours friends

 

[Snowifer]

Here's mine! Tried to make it not entirely sad.

Spoiler: Submission

I never imagined that I would ever become mayor of a town, like a 15 year old??? In charge of a whole town? I ended up naming my town a bunch of star emojis! Thankfully the role ended up being more decorating the town while Isabelle handled the the heavy lifting.

For a while, it was fun. Meeting the residents, catching new bugs and fish, collecting all of the fruits. There was so much do to! But over the years, there was less and less. The same bugs as last year, the same furniture in the store. Just waiting for Redd to come back so I could maybe get that last piece of art for the museum. Jus repeating the same thing again and again. Of course I did redecorate every now and then, but it just felt like a chore. Just something I had to do.

Then I just left. Went on vacation. Spent a year on vacation.

I did come back to visit. And as expected nothing changed. It was surprisingly welcoming. Nostalgic even. Everyone welcomed me with open arms and I think I actually missed them. Seeing everything just as I left it was comforting. Maybe not as much as I used to, but I'll stay in this town and do my part. And next time I don't need to run away.

 

[jadetine]

I may seem lucky in real life
with all the achievements snared
but in this little town
live the comforts that led me there

I love the endless sky
and bountiful trees
the sound of pattering rain
and Kapp'n's sea shanties

I love the flowers I've grown
the paths I paved over years
I love the hidden pitfalls
the words, the laughter, the tears

Too soon they will be gone
isolated for none to see
Data only lasts so long
same too for memories

I have served these neighbors at times
though in truth, enslaved Isabelle
but I see the faith they have in me
and committed to living well

There were times I struggled with failure
leaving behind the safety of home
but with New Leaf in my pocket
I was never really alone

Pokki is my treasure
my unforgettable project, my open heart
the loyal villagers and their letters
force the seams of my mailbox apart

I will always be thankful
to those I've met who dared to care
but I can stand where I am today
because my experience was so rare

I found comfort in this town
As the mayor who ran through
I found joy in this world
And met others that did too

How can one know?
what will happen and how lucky we'll be
Somehow we were brought together
on a forum, The Bell Tree

I've met forever friends
I've found a hobby in art
It was New Leaf that gave me reason
this game was the start

I am so grateful to this time
To find a place of my own
To experience true happiness
To be here, to be valued, to be known

 

[LittleMissPanda]

"Ok, everyone! Here we go... Ready? And... From those of us in Koholint..."

"WELCOME!" the little group cordially yelled upon their new mayor stepping out of the train station and into a lush green world. And would you just take in that fresh, delicious air! Now THIS is going to be the life! A new leaf! She felt so blissful that she didn't notice the kangaroo, anteater, deer and the bubbly, jingly dog eagerly standing there. What a curious crew!

"Mayor!" the bubbly, jingly dog began. "We're so happy you're finally he---!"

"UGH FINALLY away from that annoying cat! MAN, talk about gabby! GEEZ, where's that Tortimer Island resort I read about in the brochure? I could sure go for a nice dip right about now!" and off she went, kicking a tree along the way for a juicy peach. A few flowers were mercilessly crushed underfoot.

"...Nice meeting you too, pockets. Real nice," grumbled Walt.

"Dear me, I spent all morning putting on my best mascara for this?" sighed Diana.

However, Annalisa warmly smiled. "Our new mayor is quite energetic, isn't she? I think it's nice."

"Oh, she's such a kidder!" the bubbly, jingly dog laughed. "Well, a sense of humor is an important trait for an elected official to have. Ok, Mayor! Follow me to Town Hall! ...Oh! Um, Mayor? Town Hall is this way! Just follow the sound of my jingle! Get it? Because I jingle when I walk, tee-hee-hee! They don't call me Isabelle for nothing! M-Mayor? Um, Mayor...?"

*** *** ***​

No matter how much he flexed on his tippy toes, Hamlet simply couldn't reach the cherries way up high on the tree. One of them was perfect, too! It looked especially scrumptious. Just when he was considering doing 200 bench presses a day rather than 100, he spotted the mayor running toward him, sweating something fierce. Talk about dedication!

"Yo, Mayor! It's your 28th lap around town, huh? Haha! I was a rookie once too, hammie! But no one can ever beat my record of 107 laps! Oh hey! You're just in time! See, I've been craving a snack, and---"

"HUFF PUFF! The boat's going to leave without me, HUFF PUFF!" In a blur, the mayor ran toward the dock and right past Hamlet so fast it sent him spinning, and BAM!! Right into the tree! A couple of cherries came tumbling down, including the perfect cherry. He took one big bite, his cheeks tingling in the sheer flood of flavors, and he gave his smiling muscles a good workout.

"Wow! Our mayor sure gets things DONE!"

*** *** ***​

How can so many island beetles fit into such a tiny basket? After every island trip, the mayor went straight to Nook's Cranny and would come out with an even fuller wallet, and then she got right back on the boat. She remembered to bring a sound-blocking diving mask this time. Kapp'n was just as chatty as that Rover guy! The residents watched her come and go as they busied themselves with tasks of their own, such as plucking the obscene number of weeds (the residents could have sworn they blink and months just seemingly pass by, as though there were an almighty Fast-Forward God going into the options screen and selecting Date and Time, but that's just crazy talk) watering dried-up gardens and trying to bury the rotten turnips before Joan sees.

Meanwhile, there came a jing-jing-jingling from Town Hall as Isabelle rushed about dusting the whole office. "Must...keep...everything tidy! Ms. Mayor will be here any second to dish out some town ordinances! She'll sit down right here on her chair and..." but Isabelle paused, glancing around to make sure no one was looking, then slowly, longingly, caressed the chair. She sat on it, giggling as an exhilarating rush of power coursed from the tip of her nose to her tail, but she then got up in horror.

"I think... I think I saw...a vision, of me in my very own chair on a deserted island getaway far in the horizon..." but she quickly dismissed the ridiculous idea. "Tee-hee-hee! No way that'll ever happen! I'm so much more useful and loveable here than on some island getaway where flowers "never wilt". How silly!"

*** *** ***​

One rainy day, the mayor decided to slow down and do some river fishing for a change (but really, she couldn't afford the 1,000 Bells for another boat ride on account of last night's shopping spree at GracieGrace, leaving her in massive debt)

Hoping the river fish could rake in some easy Bells, the mayor was so focused she didn't notice someone had approached her.

"Hello, mayor," it was Annalisa, with paper parasol in hand. "Awful weather today, isn't it? But the fish seem to like it! Any luck, gumdrop?"

The mayor sighed. "Not even a nibble..."

"Perhaps it's time for a little break," said Annalisa in her gentle way. "Rather than standing around here chatting, why don't we go hang out at my house? My place isn't anything special, but I'd love to have you over!"

"Uh...sure?" The mayor had only just now realized this was the first time she interacted with any of the residents, and suddenly, the mayor found herself feeling quite sheepish, but Annalisa was nothing more than hospitable. It was a short visit, but it was still kind of nice.

*** *** ***​

When the mayor checked her mailbox one day, she was surprised it was a letter from Annalisa. In the letter, she thanked her for always being so hardworking, and that she will never forget a good friend. Attached was a photo of her set in a lovely pink frame. The mayor held it closely to her chest. Suddenly, she had to find the perfect spot for it in her room.

*** *** ***​

"Hello! I'm Annalisa! Who are you?"

When the mayor spotted her on a remote island years later, it was their first meeting all over again, but the mayor never forgot, and for the first time, she smiled.

"Just an old friend."

 

[Sgt.Groove]

Alrighty, here's my entry... I don't write, heck, haven't written anything in six years now. All I do nowadays is take notes and write stuff like that, not stories.

Forgive my sloppy work o-0

Spoiler

My journey began many years ago, over 10 now.

I'd gotten on a train to become a mayor, a new shift in my lifes journey sure to bring happiness. When I'd arrived in town I planted a tree to signify a new era.

My first tasks were cleaning up the place, whoo boy was this place full of weeds! The rivers even had junk in them!

The second task was to get some greenery everywhere. Without the weeds it seemed barren, funny enough. I'd supported the local Nooklings store and nabbed a great variety of flowers. Leif supplied bushes, and this lovely fruit called persimmons. Once I'd gotten a taste of persimmons a hunt began, a fruit hunt.

I scoured every local island until I had seeds of everything. Violets, lilies, and a lovely assortment of tropical fruits. But, on these islands I'd met an assortment of fellow mindedncharacters too! They invited me to their towns and we'd exchanged fruits.

This was the start of a bustling business, selling fruits to help invigorate the towns economy, building windmills and solar panels. Upgrading the shops and eventually getting enough traction in town to open up a night club. It seemed everything was going well, until that blasted giraffe visited.

She scoffed at our town and its design, laughed at our style, and left.
I had to prove her wrong. I uprooted the gardens and began again. Planted carnations and roses, taking care of them every day until I'd begun to get seeds of different colors.

I farmed until every citizen could afford the largest house the market could buy, I bought the finest fabrics the able sisters carried, and I even setup a huge plaza around the now thriving tree I'd planted years ago.

When she came again, she didn't scoff. She setup shop in town! With such a bustling town and economy I knew my journey was complete, I retired then. Leaving the state of the town in Isabelles hands.

 

[ZeldaCrossing64]

I hope this is okay! It's a little vague and "meta", but I wrote a letter in the perspective of my NL Mayor describing my lack of playtime in the game. I had a lot of fun writing it, actually!

Spoiler: To the citizens of Hyrule,

I step off the train, arriving at my designated and final stop. The warm April air gives me a sense of contentment and calm, or at least until the sound of jingling bells disrupt me from my thoughts. A dog clad in a gingham skirt and vest holding a clipboard runs up to me.

"Hello, Mayor! You must be Tootsie, right? Welcome to Hyrule!"

I don't know how to react. My face is painted with confusion - Mayor of Hyrule? Why was I assigned this municipal title without any acknowledge from I, and who in their right mind would name a place like this Hyrule? But the town name is the last thing I'm worried about; It's pretty kickass, now that I think about it.

An array of villagers are surrounding the train station, looking up at me with warm and innocent smiles. I don't know them, but I can't let them down, either. Too many thoughts are swimming in my head, but one thing is clear: I will make Hyrule the best town for my fellow neighbors.

So I planted the town tree in celebration of my mayoral duties. From here on out, this tree will signify my soon-to-be-fulfilled promise.

Looking back at this now, did I achieve this goal? Absolutely not. The time I've spent here has barely made up for my absences. Hyrule is littered with weeds, wilted flowers, and rafflesias. Every weed I pluck is a useless attempt to clean the town when every quarterly return is met with its original, trashed state.

Sometimes I ask myself, why do I bother? Hyrule doesn't look better than it did upon its creation; No public works projects, no flower gardens, no perfect fruit (save for my perfect apple trees that died on me), and no popular cast of villagers.

But then it hit me: Making the 'perfect' town might have been a little ambitious for someone like me. But that journey wasn't the real reason why I enjoyed my time in Hyrule - It was my villagers that kept me coming back. It was the shopping and the fishing and the music that kept me anchored here. Hell, it was everything but maintaining the town. And now that I've had this epiphany, I'll learn to simply enjoy myself and continue building friendships with the villagers I've grown attached to.

This letter is getting pretty long... Is this even a letter? It's a piece of writing I'm sticking in an envelope, so I'll count it as 'yes'. I don't know if Keaton or Isabelle or my future self will read this, but I'm sure they'll enjoy it. My honesty may be brute, but my heart is in the right place now.

Yours sincerely,
Tootsie, Mayor of Hyrule