It had been a few hours since James' first discovery of a fossil with Daisy, which they took to the museum, much to her delight in getting one step closer to completing the archaeological exhibit.  She said she had perhaps five more bones to find and two more miscellaneous fossils like the ammonite.  After they had a small wandering around the place and a long talk about various things, she headed back home, happy to have made a new friend so quickly.  Especially one so unusual as the raptor.
	"Thanks again for that fossil."
	"Aw that's just luck, you helped find it too."
	"Well, anyways, I better go sleep a bit now, what about you?"
	"I still gotta look around the place a bit more, I feel I haven't seen everything yet."
	"Hehehe, you musta been real busy, it's not the largest place in the world, bow-wow."
James giggled at the little bow-wow she made and said goodnight before leaving.  He pondered going back to his house, but he also had realised why he was digging up fossils originally.  To sell them.  Course he didn't want to tell Daisy for fear of upsetting her with such an idea, so he let them be off-limits for now, walking back towards the museum when he realised the time was almost 8pm.  And he was getting a little parched from walking around.
	"Hey...that coffee bar in the museum, Nook mentioned a place like that..."
He went into the museum, waving to Blathers and walking downstairs, noticing the advertised board mentioning a show on every Saturday, at 8pm.
The bar was swept with the smell of fresh coffee, a smell that vitalised James' senses as he walked down the steps to the wooden cul-de-sac.  Several seats laid in gorgeous wood panelling, with a slow light piano tune playing over a tinny intercom for a soothing ambience.  The bar itself had a green-feathered pigeon wiping glasses, his small bifocals dulled by years of servitude to customers.  A row of drink names, which James noticed to be all coffee bags, was behind him.

He'd never seen a coffee bar before, but he knew how a bar worked of course.  He felt odd being on the other side of one, and the sight of one made him sigh wistfully at being back home.  How him and Sarah would load up the Jaegermeisters and Budweisers and Bacardis, threaten the rowdy to leave with claws and guns, welcoming the thirsty.  He stepped up to the bar tentatively and asked:
	"Scuse me."
	"Hmm?"  The bartender gazed up slightly.
	"I was wondering, what drinks you have?"
	"Coffee."
	"Okay...anything else?"
	"Just coffee."
	"So...this is really just a coffee bar?"
	"Yep."
	"Huh...I used to work in a bar."
	"Really?"
	"Yep, was my first and best job.  You get good business here?"
	"Yep."
	"I didn't know there were so many coffee drinkers in this town."
	"There aren't."
	"No?  So why do they come here?"
	"Him."
The pigeon bluntly pointed to behind his potential customer, towards a stage where a white beagle sat upon a stool, holding an acoustic guitar.  James hadn't noticed him upon entering, he was sure he wasn't there before.
Ehh, probably walked in when I was busy talking...seems a nice guy, I guess he must be the show.
	"Who's that guy?"
	"K.K."
	"Funny name, what's it mean?"
	"Dunno.  Plays every Saturday.  8pm."
	"Man everyone sure loves their routine around here don't they?"
	"Yep.  Want something?"
	"Uhhh...maybe.  Hang on a sec."
He left the bartender of few words be, and walked over towards the dog.  He bathed himself in the single spotlight, adjusting his guitar strap, the look of a strangely blessed radiance upon him.  Almost angelic in the way the light glistened from his pure white fur, and giving a shine to his black spots.  James turned nervous in talking to him.
	"Uhm...hi?"
	"Hello there, how can I help you?"

His voice was soft and with a slight drawl to it, giving the impression of someone laid back to an almost zen-like state.  His eyebrows smoothed over, with pure black eyes gazing upon the raptor.
	"I was wondering who you were, I'm new to the place and all."
	"Well I'm glad to welcome you to The Roost, or Brewster's Roost as it's formally known.  That's Brewster over there, quiet guy but makes the best coffee you'll ever taste in your life."
	"Well, that's cool...but what about you?"
	"Name's K.K. Slider.  I also go by the name Totakeke in some corners.  Either one is fine by me.  I'm just a singer who likes to give music to anyone who wants to hear it."
	"By arriving at only one place at only one time?"
	"Makes my music all the more special.  Plus it's absolutely free."
	"Wh-free?  Seriously?"
	"Absolutely.  Those fat cats in the music industry think you have to pay just to hear music.  But not me, my music wants to soar like the clouds into the ears of any who want it."
	"So...how do you make a living?"
	"That's my own business."
He flashed a smile and straightened himself up before asking his new listener a question.
	"Would you like to hear some of my music, stranger?"
	"Uhm...okay, I dunno anything you've done though, so just pick one."
	"Alrighty, though I'd like to know what sort of song you like.  Something happy, something sad, something fast, something slow?"
	"Hmmm okay something perky and upbeat."
	"Alrighty.  Take a seat, have some coffee too."
James did so, heading up to Brewster and ordering a small cup of coffee, seeing the faintest smile on the humble bartender's beak before sitting down before K.K.'s stage.
	"This one's a small melody of mine called Neapolitan, hope you enjoy this folks."
And so he began to play, strumming his paw over the guitar rapidly before bursting into song.  Such a rhythm in his voice, it made the raptor's heart soar with surprised joy!  An unusual voice it was, hard to describe, yet it brought such a force to it.  There was a passion he had never heard before in any other singer he knew of, his guitar constantly duetting with his voice.  Soon, he started whistling the melody, and a most charming whistling it was.
James wanted to clap to it, but he felt it'd be rude in such a small place like this, so he just swayed from side to side to the melody.  A little tear came to his eye by the time the song ended.  When the song was over, he stepped up to K.K. with a heart-warmed smile.

	"Wow...you...you're amazing!"
	"Haha, why thank you stranger."
	"I mean really, I've never heard of anyone like you with such...such...talent, your voice and guitar sound so perfect together, it's....damn."
	"You honour me with the way you trip over your tongue all the time kid.  What's yer name?"
	"Uh, James, mister K.K."
	"Woah woah, call me K.K. or Totakeke, not mister or sir.  Glad you enjoyed my show James.  Care to stay for another song?"
	"If you're gonna play another one, sure!"
	"Alright then, lemme pick another for ya."
James sat back down and listened to another of the beagle's songs, this one he called Marathon.  A rather creepy-sounding song that made the raptor feel nervous and clench his hands together with a strange anxiety.  The dog continued to play in an almost trance-like state.  Sometimes he sang, with a little whistle here and there.  Sometimes he even made a small howl now and again, which brought to mind the image of dark forests filled with wolves to the raptor.  Soon the song ended, and K.K. Slider smiled at his nervous-looking fan.
	"Hehe, scared ya did I?"
	"A li'l?  But still awesome."
	"You think you got time for one more song?  Since yer so new in town I'm giving a special offer."
	"Ahhh...okay."
	"There's not many people around tonight so this'll be the last one if that's okay by you."
	"Hey, I'm not your boss, go ahead!"
	"Alright, how about making those emotions of yours a complete set with a sad song?"
The raptor nodded and kept his seat as K.K. began his third and final song for the night, one he didn't give a name to, but he played it still.  A slow soft serenade, to which he sang these words.

	"Snoooooooooow
	Why must youuuuu be so coooooold
	Whyyy caaan't it beee warmerrrrr for me to playyyyyyyy
	Raaaaaaain
	Teardrops of the dark heaveeeeeeens
	We wished so haaaard for Wiiiiiinter to take iiiiiits cooold aaawaaaaaay

	Next yeaaaaaaar
	No more Winter caaame, hurraaaaaaah
	Then another snoooooowless yeaaaaar
	The ground looked iiiiiill
	Foreeeeeverrrrrr barreeeeeeeeen

	Snoooooooooooow
	Please come baaaaaack, I'm sorryyyyyyyy
	How you'rrrre needeeeeeeed for Eaaaaarth to sleep so weeeeeeeellll
	Iiiii miiiiiiss youuuuuuu"

When the song ended after its whistling outro, the newest fan was speechless.  His eyes were moist with tears, saying enough for him of his support for the song, but nevertheless the musician asked softly:
	"How was that?"
	"I..."
James couldn't speak.  He only wiped his eyes, and exhaled sharply after the fit of emotion he had from the song.  He didn't want to cry or make an exhibit of himself, so he just held himself together.
	"What is that song?"
	"I haven't got a title for it yet.  It's something I made up on the spot actually."
	"S-seriously?"
	"Yep.  The second song I've managed to do that actually, I like to do that when I'm just pulling yer leg or so.  Whatcha think?"
	"...I think you're the greatest musician I will ever know in my life."
A wry smirk from the canine showed his appreciation.
	"I appreciate it."
	"No I mean it, I mean, you made that...beautiful song just now?  I don't know anyone else who'll ever do that.  I don't listen to a lot of music though."
	"Hehehe...well that's good and bad to know.  Good to know I've still got talent but bad that there aren't others with it or talents greater than me.  Now, that's all I got for tonight, you can come back here same time next Saturday if you wanna hear my music again."
	"Oh absolutely!  Thanks for the music Mister-I mean, K.K.!"
	"No problem at all."
James went over to Brewster for coffee, ordering it nice and hot, Java Special it was today apparently, to revitalise his senses a bit and with a heartful thanks, he returned the cup before heading back, his eyes dried by the cool night wind outside of the museum, feeling like a schoolgirl who'd just walked back from a concert, embarrassed by his uncool act back there.

He wandered across the town, the night sky cool and refreshing for him as he heard the lapping of the watery stream, from the waterfall to the sea.  The songs from the coffee house combined with the water in his head, made him feel at peace, for once.  He sat down on the beach and looked up at the sky, filled with stars.  He reflected upon the emotions he felt with K.K.'s songs, and what he imagined during them as he talked to himself.
	"I wonder...if I can stay here.  No doubt the Armee's gonna come looking for me if I ever went back there...and I dunno how Sarah even is.  Maybe I've got no one to come back to.  But I'm here in this little...paradise.  Maybe it was fate?"
He laid back on the beach, realising this was the first time he had ever felt sand instead of seeing it.  He crunched the grains within his claws, feeling its texture, listening to it seep from between his fingers, the ocean lapping close to his feet which wriggled softly.
	"Far as they know I'm dead...I...Sarah...what should I do?"
A few minutes later, he heard something roll onto the beach near him.  A green bottle, with a letter rolled up inside of it.  Curiously examining it, he pulled the letter out and read the strangely well-preserved ink.

	If you never let go of the past
	Every chance will miss you by
	All your present will disappear
	And you will have no future

The cryptic message gave him a shiver at how strangely fitting it was for his situation.  Maybe it really was fate.  He couldn't explain how it felt so...right to live here.  Pondering for a while, he eventually made up his mind.
	"Sarah would want me to live a good life, somewhere out of Chicago, somewhere free of crime and evil, I know it!  She's practically a mother to me and that's what every mum wants for her kid right?"
With that resolution made, he marched up to Tom Nook's store, seeing it was still open, and walked in.
	"Ah hello there James!"
	"Hey Mr. Nook.  I've made my decision."
	"Oh?  And what decision is that my lad?"
	"I've...decided to live here."
	"AH, good to hear!  But firstly, you wanna head over to the town hall, then we get the registration out of the way.  Once you're officially registered with the inhabitants, we can get started on working out the mortgage and such."
	"Awesome, thanks!"
He headed over to the town hall, where Pelly awaited him with a hearty grin.  The raptor was relieved that he didn't have to deal with the other one.  He was surprised at how small the town was, but it always felt like a long time walking to everywhere, a strange illusion aided by its distracting simplistic charm.
	"Hi there, need something?"
Pelly's eyes brightened up to see someone come in like any good employee who loved her work.
	"Yep.  I wanna live here."
	"Oh?  That's wonderful!  Our little community's getting bigger, how lovely!  Okay, here's the forms."
She pulled out a few forms and gave the raptor a pen, which he soon scribbled with to complete his registration.

First Name/s:  James Robert
Last Name:  Campbell
Occupation:  Bartender
Place of Origin:  Chicago, Illinois, USA
Date of Birth:  September 9th, 3490 A.D
Reason of Moving:  Starting a new life

Admittedly he paused on the last question and Pelly looked at him oddly at his birth date, before shrugging and merely taking the form away.
	"Just a formality you understand.  Now, your registration is complete, go see Tom Nook about getting your new house, but I'm sure you already knew that anyway."
	"Absolutely, thanks a lot miss!"
And with that, James walked back to Nook's Cranny, the raccoon almost expecting him to arrive with open arms.
	"Ahhh James...registered?"
	"Yep.  Now, about this house..."
	"Ahhhh yes...lemme go over the mortgage plan.  To pay off the house, it'll require 19,800 bells."
	"....uh...wow that's quite a lot."
	"Oh yes it is, HOWEVER, I have a special deal going on as an act of trust to my customer.  I do not have a deadline for when you want to pay it all off, either altogether or as occasional down payments.  I just love money, but not enough to tear it from you everytime I see you."
	"Well that's...real nice of ya actually.  So...what if I bought something from your store?"
	"Doesn't count, you have to pay for one or the other separately.  It helps my accounts balance better if I don't mix between store savings and mortgages from people, otherwise I get confused and I forget how much you actually paid for, and I don't wanna start accidentally overcharging you, right?"
	"...yeah that kinda makes sense, okay."
	"Good lad!  Ho hooooo I'm so glad you decided to stay here James, it is always wonderful for a new face to arrive here!"
	"Well I didn't exactly come by choice but since I have nowhere else to go back to-"
	"Which is a shame of course."
Nook put his hand warmly on the newest customer's shoulder.
	"But hopefully you'll have a very very happy life here in Crossville."
	"Can you guarantee that?"  A chuckle came from the raccoon.
	"James, the only thing I can't guarantee is how people feel.  I deal with what people can touch with their own hands, to uplift them to greater things."
	"Well alright so, what happens when I pay off the mortgage?"
	"The house is yours!  And if you want you can expand the house to a larger size, which will however require another mortgage of a larger number than before, but the same rules apply."
	"Well then...I think we have a deal."
He offered his clawed hand, which Tom eagerly gripped and shook firmly.  The raptor appreciated this, normally most people he met were unsure to shake his hand due to his demeanour and/or his claws.
	"A pleasure doing business with you, James."

And so he was given the deed to the house he had slept in, on that first rain-slick night in the town.  He retreated back up to the place to investigate what was essentially his new home.  At first he realised the place was very sparse in its furniture with only the one bed upstairs.  But he knew Nook sold furniture and other amenities, which he would handle another time.
	"Hmmm...when this place looks nicer I'll invite Daisy over maybe."
After such an active day, he decided to go to sleep, finding nothing else he could do for the night and curling up in the bed warmly.  He tried to settle into what would essentially be his new home, leaving Chicago behind.  As his eyes slowly turned heavier, he could only think of the sweet beagle and her multicoloured dress, with cute little dirt stains from digging for old bones.