Answers Breed Questions

Ameena's mouth had fallen open. Bart laughed at the blank expression on her mask.

''I know. It's quite a tale... And this is only half of it! I really wish I could tell you what happened after Platia's self-deification... But, as you can see, the sun's coming up already!'' Bart pointed at the lilac morning sky. ''This is the time of day most customers Alert me... Unbelievable how many gardeners are up this early...''

Ameena clucked. ''I always get up around this time... It's a peaceful time of day, and it's good to harvest your fruits early, so that you don't have to bring them to the store in the afternoon, when it's hot and they get over-ripe... But can you pretty pretty please tell me the rest of the story? You've got me so curious... Those Mallowolves... Do you really think those Mallowolves that visited me tonight were descendants of the Canda?''

Bart shrugged. ''Who knows...'' He plucked at his colorful scarf. ''The Canda was no small pack... They were one of the biggest pack in the history of Mallowolves, actually.
I do not think 'your' wolves are thoroughbred Canda's, but they've probably some Canda blood running through their veins, yes.''

''So... You mean mixtures between Canda's and ordinairy Mallowolves?''

''Exactly, yes, but...'' Bart remained silent for a moment.

''What?''

Ameena was never one for impatience, but now she knew she was about to hear something astonishing about her precious newfound Mallowolf friends.

''Well... Call me crazy if you want, but I've been looking for Canda City in my younger years, when I worked as a Diggerling... I've never found it, but the old documents I relied on say that it must be hidden in one of these mountains... The point is, I think your Mallowolves HAVE something to do with the Canda indeed - and I think that if you hadn't lost track of them you would've been in the most mysterious, ancient city ever by now...''

Ameena's eyes widened. ''Really?''

''Perhaps. What would've been the point of bothering you with some Islander's legend if not?''

''Do you mean...'' Ameena bit her lower lip. ''Do you mean that I am the new Platia?''

Bart shook his head. ''No. Not at all. The context is completely different - and despite of that, Platia's irreplacable... I'll explain you later why.
No, I think your part in this story's way different from Platia's, I think it's something unique...
If you have a part in their story at all'' he added. ''We shouldn't get dragged in this legend stuff all too much... I do believe in some folklore stories, but most of them are quite unrealistic. Those could've been ordinairy young wolves that saw a potential playmate in you.''

Ameena nodded. Now that the sun had come up, her face was fully showing and Bart realized that Patch hadn't exaggerated when he'd told him that this girl had to be the most beautiful on the entire Island...

Bart grinned. It was completely understandable for Patchingo to have a crush on a girl like Ameena... She didn't only have the most breathtaking looks, her personality was sweeter than Galagoogoo candy!

The Tinkerer truly hoped that Patch's feelings for her were mutual... Doc Patch certainly deserved some luck in his lovelife! The poor man was like twenty-three, and still a virgin!

''Okay... However...'' the maskless girl yawned. ''I'm tired. I think I'd better go home before anyone else sees my face... And catch up on some sleep and... hmm... Think about all this stuff again when I'm more clear in the head and... Awake.''

''Do that. I will - oh!'' Barts Alert System ringed. ''Bart the Tinkerer, what can I do for you?''

''See you, Bart!'' Ameena sighed wearily as she walked off and waved at him.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

Ameena flew up straight in bed, the ends of her pink fluffy blanket clenched in her fists. Who the hell was knocking on her door? Who or... what? The Mallowolves? Bulan? Some ancient Priestress that had risen from death? The demon TSI?

''Who's there?'' she cried flusteredly. Why hadn't Bouncy barked to warn her? Oh, she knew from the start that he'd be a terrible watchdog! Or... What if woever, whatever this thing was had done something horrible to the Barkbark? This thing was dangerous as hell.

She quickly glanced around if she had something to protect herself with. She hadn't left her spade in the garden yesterday, had she? Would her largely-sized frying pan do?

''It's Leafos!'' a familiar voice sounded. ''Are you alright? You sound... timorous.''

Ameena let out a sigh of relief. Then, when she'd recovered a bit from the shock, she slipped out of bed to unlock the door.

''Leafos!''

''Ameena! You look... are you alright?''

''Ehm, sort of puzzled, but yes, alright I guess...''

''Your hair is all tangled... And your eyes are red! What are you doing in your PJs by the way, it's one o'clock in the afternoon! Have you even watered your plants today? One of your blueberry bushes is drying out out there!''

The older girl pointed at a miserable brown little plant, not far away from the tiles that surrouned Ameena's house.

''I might have to throw that one away...'' The maskless girl yawned. That was the umpteenth time she yawned that day. ''Get me a garbage bag and I'll take care of it...''

''What's wrong with you!'' Leafos grabbed Ameena's shoulders bewilderedly. ''You never talk about your plants that laconically! You're almost as bad as Seedos!''

Ameena blinked Goobaishly. ''I know but... It already died!''

''Remember when your first daisy died?'' Leafos asked sternly.

''Yes...'' Yeah, she remembered THAT little drama! A week or two after she'd arrived on the Island, her prize-winning well-fertilized daisy had lost his precious floral life. One of her saddest experiences ever. She'd organized a small funeral for it, only Leafos and Seedos had turned up, but the latter'd been quite emotional. He'd even held a little speach, which Ameena'd found touching, in a way.
'I've know Daisy from when she was a young, young seed! I always... I've always known she was full of potential...'

''I suppose you've learned from your little grief process then...'' Leafos brought her back in present time.

''When it comes to flora; yes. Fauna'll be more difficult though... I'd never get over Katchie or Bouncy... The idea of anything happening to them gives me shivers.''

''I can understand that. But Dastardos has mysteriously disappeared, so...''

''Argh! Don't let me go back to that night?''

''It's hard on you, huh?''

Ameena gave the girl a watery smile.

''You're not the only one'' Leafos told her. ''Seedos is still very upset, you know... I don't think the things he saw that night traumatized him - he's seen worse things, don't let me get into details - but it's almost like... He's sad over the disappearance of that piñata reaper, but I can't see why...''

''Ah, well, whatever!'' Ameena really didn't want to bother with mad events of almost a month ago. ''Any plans for the afternoon?''

''Yes, I actually planned to do some grocery shopping... Do you need anything from the Village?''

''Hmm... Maybe. I don't know. I'd actually like to join you, if you don't mind. It's been a while since I said hi to... Certain people!''

The miniature light shows the sun made, the refreshing breeze from the mountains and the cracked terracotta tiles that paved the Village's ground... Really, moments like these made Ameena feel like Piñata Island was Paradise on earth!
Strange that she now knew that it hadn't been always like this... The soil she now walked on happily, was the soil that many had died on. The fresh mountain breeze she inhaled eagerly, had once been polluted with the smell of blood, viscera, angst and misery. The sun that made her chocolate-brown skin turn to pitch black, was the very same sun that had stained burns on the pale, pitiful creatures that couldn't find cover from the torrid sphere...

''Great Gods, you're shivering! It's like... 30 degrees Celsius! Do you want to borrow my scarve?''

Leafos began to losen up the scarf she always wore tightly around her waist.

''No, I'm just a bit tired, thanks'' Ameena said in a surprisingly steady voice. ''Shall we go to the Post Office? I need to say hi to Fannie...''

''Of course! But we better go to Costolot's first. We're standing like, in front of it.''

''Fair enough!'' Ameena giggled as Leafos opened the door.

''Do I hear my second-favorite sound in the world there? The doorbell? Customers! Oh, hi Leafos, hi Ameena, darling... Are you two here to produce my number one favorite sound, the tinkling of chocolate coins?''

Leafos could JUST prevent herself from telling the old lady her opening lines were getting worse, but instead she just kept her mouth shut and threw her shopping list at the counter.

''Hmmm, those are a lot of products! Excellent! I'll get you everything you need, feel free to look around in the meantime! I've got some new deliveries in...'' Lottie stooped to get something from under the counter. When she got up, she asked: ''And how are you, Ameena?''

''Fine, miss.''

''Ohh, you don't have to be so timid with that pretty mask of yours! Please, call me Lottie!''

''Okay... Well, everything's going fine in the garden, I think. I had to throw a blueberry bush away today, though. It'd dried out... But no major problems. No Ruffians, no ill piñatas...''

''But how are YOU, you personally? Do you have a love interest?'' Lottie giggled. ''Ohhh, who are you fooling hon?''

''I don't know...''

''You even mentioned the 'no ill piñatas' thing!''

''So?''

''Aren't you a bit dissappointed none of your piñatas has gotten ill?''

''Not at all... Who would want their piñatas ill?''

''YOU, because then you'd see that handsome DOCTOR of yours!''

''What? Patch?''

''Yes, Patch babe... Oh.'' The doorbell sounded again, and there was only one thing that Lottie would prefer over a good gossip session... Money. ''Even more customers! Wow, today is a good day for me, I think I'll have made as much as a lottery winner by tonight! Leafos, I've packed you everything you asked for, now, I want to see the coins... Ahh, thanks sweetie! Ameena! Before you walk out... You said you've lost a blueberry bush... Are you interested in any blueberry seeds, or..?''

''No, thanks miss!''

''Ohh, I understand! You're going to ask that filthy little man of a Seedos again! Argh! As long as you know that Lottie provides the highest quality seeds on the entire Isl...''

''Let's go'' Leafos snarled as she grabbed Ameena's hand and walked out. She didn't want to listen to just another person bashing her little brother.

''Wow, that was mean'' Ameena let out as soon as they stood outside.

''I know right?''

''Can we go to Fannie now?''

''You can go ahead... But I have to get my father's rheumatism medicines at Patch's first...''

''I go with you!''

Leafos smiled triumhantly. ''So, at one thing the old, gray-haired bitch IS right!''

''At what?''

Leafos smile widened, as she exclaimed: ''YOU like Patch!''