Seeing a mouse speak like a person, Charlie immediately thought of the talking animals from cartoons and fantasy movies he had watched as a kid.
“The mouse is talking!”
“What is this, a cartoon?”
He came up with a bold guess on the spot.
Hat Mouse looked speechless at his reaction, then quickly explained.
“No…
Sir, do you remember Mr.
Rasmodius, the Wizard?”
Hearing the Wizard’s name snapped Charlie back to his senses.
“One of that guy’s minions?” he asked.
Once Hat Mouse saw that he had calmed down, it began explaining.
“You drank Rasmodius’s magic potion.
The forest magic seeped into your body, so now you can hear us speak.”
“You can also talk to the Bear in the Secret Woods.”
…
After listening, Charlie decided to believe the mouse for now.
After all, when he’d gone to the ruins of the Community Center, he’d been able to talk normally with the Junimos too.
“So your name is Hat Mouse?” he asked.
Hat Mouse nodded.
“You could say that.
I sell hats, after all.”
Charlie propped his chin on his hand.
“So what do you have?
Let me see.”
Hat Mouse immediately brought out his goods.
Watermelon Band — 1,000g
Watermelon Hair Clip — 1,000g
Butterfly Bow — 1,000g
Sou’wester — 1,000g
Charlie looked over the items, then picked one up and weighed it in his hand.
[Watermelon Hair Clip: The color scheme was inspired by summer’s favorite fruit.]
After looking it over, he turned back to Hat Mouse.
“Where did you get this?”
Hat Mouse waved a paw.
“Oh, my friend, when you’re buying something, don’t ask where it came from.
If you like it, just buy it.
There won’t be any trouble,” Hat Mouse said with a smile.
Charlie decided not to ask any more.
…
After leaving Hat Mouse, he continued down the path until he reached the spot where he’d gone fishing with Abigail.
It was also the place where they had gathered wild Spring Onions.
“This is where Robin said she last saw her Axe, right?”
Then he started searching.
He climbed trees to look around, flipped over rocks, and even dug holes.
Nothing.
“Not here…”
“Not here, and not here either…”
After checking most of the area, Charlie looked toward the last patch of land above the Sewers.
Awkwardly enough, the Axe hadn’t been hidden at all.
It was just lying there in plain sight, without even the slightest attempt at disguise.
He walked over and picked it up.
[Lost Axe: Robin is looking for it.]
Charlie sank into a deep sort of embarrassment.
He had climbed trees, flipped rocks, and even dug around like a dog, only for the Axe to be sitting out in the open the whole time.
Back at the farm.
“Here, Robin.
Your Axe!”
He handed it to Robin, who was still working.
She took it, delighted, and immediately thanked him.
“Oh!
Thank you, Charlie!
I really appreciate you finding it for me.”
Charlie waved it off.
“No problem.
It didn’t take long to find…”
After that, he put some of the things he’d bought into a Chest, then planted the Ancient Seed.
Once it was watered, he headed into town.
When he arrived in Pelican Town, the first thing he saw was Harvey standing outside the clinic, apparently not doing much of anything.
“Hey, Harvey.
Good afternoon!” Charlie greeted him naturally.
“Hey, Charlie.
Good afternoon,” Harvey replied.
Charlie didn’t have anything pressing to do, so he chatted with Harvey for a bit.
They didn’t have much in common, but a little small talk was easy enough.
“Oh, right.
This is for you!”
He took out a cup of Coffee and handed it to Harvey.
“Is this…?”
Harvey accepted the Coffee, his face brightening.
“Coffee?
Thank you.
This is exactly what I needed.”
Charlie figured it was only right.
Harvey was a pretty decent guy.
After talking with him a little longer, he left the clinic.
“It’s Friday today, so Seb and the others are probably going to the Saloon.”
Thinking it over, he figured most of the residents would probably head there on a Friday.
Just as Charlie was deciding whether to go, a lovely fragrance drifted past him, and a beautiful blonde woman walked by.
He looked over.
Wasn’t that Haley?
He quickly went up to greet her.
“Hey, Haley!” Charlie said, waving.
Maybe because he had made such a terrible first impression by knocking her over, Haley didn’t look very happy to see him.
“Do…
do you need something?” she asked warily.
Charlie knew he was in the wrong, so he didn’t try to drag out the conversation.
He simply pulled a Coconut from his backpack.
“I really am sorry about last time.
Here, take this as an apology.”
Even if Haley still disliked him, she had no resistance to a Coconut.
“Thanks. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
I didn’t really hold it against you, actually.”
After saying that, she accepted the Coconut and slowly walked away.
Charlie opened the interface.
When he saw one heart next to Haley’s name, he finally relaxed.
“Phew.
She finally likes me a little!”
It felt like a weight had lifted from him.
After all, she was the only person he had met through such a terrible first impression.
Now he had finally managed to set things right.
After Haley left, Charlie prepared to go to the Museum.
He wanted to donate the Quartz he had picked up last time.
It was already almost five o’clock, so he had to hurry, or the Museum would close.
When he reached the front of Lewis’s manor, he was about to keep going, but a burst of laughter made him stop.
That laugh…
Sam?
Charlie hid behind the manor and looked toward the sound.
Sam was leaning against the bridge that led to the Museum, chatting happily.
Penny was sitting beside him on the bridge, listening.
Charlie: “…”
Watching the two childhood friends laughing and talking together, he figured there was no way he could just walk over.
Luckily, there was another route.
Another bridge existed for a reason.
But just as he was about to change course, someone patted him on the back.
“Hey, Charlie!”
Charlie nearly jumped out of his skin.
He stumbled back several steps and ended up sitting on the ground.
“Who is it?
You scared me!” he blurted out in a panic.
The person standing behind him was none other than the owner of this manor.
“What are you doing sneaking around in front of my house?”
Hearing the voice, Charlie looked up.
Lewis was standing right in front of him, looking curious.
“Mayor Lewis?”
“Oh, h-hello!” he greeted him.
Lewis took the greeting in stride and brought up the next day.
“Did you get the letter?
Remember to come to tomorrow’s Egg Festival.”
“Of course, of course.” Charlie nodded at once.
After somehow getting through the conversation with Lewis, he immediately looked toward the bridge.
Sam and Penny were both staring at him.
He had been peeking at them from behind the manor, and Lewis’s loud voice had practically announced it to everyone nearby.
They had probably heard the whole thing.
Uh…
please don’t look at me like that!
How am I supposed to face you guys after this!
Charlie screamed internally.
Then he scrambled to his feet, ready to leave.
He couldn’t stay here anymore.
At that moment, he really wanted to ask Lewis if there was a bus ticket back home.