Tom Nook the Tanuki

It had been a few days since you arrived on the island and you were finally getting into the swing of things: You could now catch fish with your eyes closed and detect the presence of a mystery box just by the change in wind direction. You were also getting used to the fact that all of the other villagers happened to be talking animals, not unlike the raccoon who invited you here in the first place. In fact, it turned out that Tom Nook was the head of Residential Services for the island. And you weren't just invited here to relax because it soon became apparent Tom Nook was actually in need of help with a plan he called "island beautification."

"All you need to do is help me around the island for a couple of days," he told you while looking up at you with his big brown eyes. "The goal is to try to foster a better sense of community so we can get more people to move here.”

At first, he was having you do simple tasks like gather supplies for Nook’s Cranny, the local shop run by Tom’s little nephews, Timmy and Tommy. You loved visiting the Nooklings, so that wasn’t too much of a hassle.

But then he wanted you to start building houses and creating furniture. And to top it all off, you had somehow accumulated an enormous amount of debt. Not only was there a moving fee for when you first arrived on the island, but he had also somehow convinced you to pay for the construction of bridges and stairs that were part of his "beautification" plan. But as the days went by, it became obvious that you weren’t the only one experiencing financial strain. Other villagers began voicing their concerns to you. Marshal the squirrel was trying to sell off his beloved coffee grinder to make ends meet. Eugene, the new koala who moved in next door, couldn’t afford real furniture so he just had cardboard boxes.

You felt that enough was enough. Today was the day you would confront Tom Nook about the excessive cost of living he had created for the villagers.

As you march your way into the Residential Services building, you realize Tom Nook is on a phone call. He has his left paw on his head and is stressfully pacing around his desk.

“Yes, Your Majesty…why, of course, I understand…No, I won’t be late again. I promise…Okay, thank you for your forgiveness. Good-bye.”

Tom Nook solemnly hangs up and sits defeated in his chair. He notices you standing at the door.

“Oh, sorry about that. Um, that was just…” he trails off before finally breaking down and crying with his head now face down on his desk.

You rush to comfort him. After a few seconds, he composes himself.

“Well, I guess I should tell you what’s going on,” he says as he wipes away tears. “It’s kind of a long story so are you prepared for Tom Nook’s Tale?”

You nod your head and find a seat in the messy office.

“As you know, I am a tanuki which is like a mix of a raccoon and a dog from where you come from. But what you may not know is that some tanukis have the ability to shapeshift. My brother and his wife had this ability and they often used it to trick humans like yourself. One of them would play dead while the other would try to sell them at the market after shapeshifting into a human. But at some point, my sister-in-law became very greedy. One day they decided to try the con on the King. The wife convinced the King that the coat of the tanuki was very valuable and elegant and he agreed to buy the “dead” animal for a generous price. But the wife wanted to keep the money all to herself, so she revealed to the King that the tanuki was not actually dead. As the King’s men tried to kill my brother, he started fighting back and ended up scratching the King’s face. They finally got a hold of him and threw him in the lake. My brother didn’t know how to swim, so he drowned. The King then asked the wife - who was still in the form of a human – to compensate him for the permanent scarring on his face. She told him that she had two baby tanukis that she could give him if they let her go. Those two baby tanukis? My nephews, Timmy and Tommy. So at that point word had spread among all the woodland creatures in the area that my brother had died and that his wife was trying to give away her sons. There was nothing I could do except take my nephews, run away to a deserted island, and start a new life for them. Things were going well for a while and we were living peacefully for a few years. That is, until around the time I met you. The King’s men had finally found us and demanded that I give up my nephews. But I negotiated with them and we settled on a deal where I had to pay them a certain amount to keep them away from the Nooklings. And I was a little late on my last payment which is why you caught me like that on the phone just now.”

After processing everything Tom said, you get on your feet and stick out your hand towards him. Tom stares at you.

“Are you saying you will help me get the money I need to keep Timmy and Tommy safe?”

You nod your head enthusiastically. Tom looks at you gratefully and you both solidify the new partnership with a handshake.

As you make your way out of Residential Services, you can faintly hear the sound of laughter coming from Tom's office. What have you gotten yourself into?