DISCLAIMER: This licence isn't mine. The opinions express by the characters are not mine. I do not support nor encourage the illegal acts or words present here. I can make a distinction between fiction and reality and I trust in my readership's ability in doing the same.
Chapter twenty-three: The Investigation
When Berrykin Bloom woke up, it was still night-time. He had a nightmare. Even thought he knew he was in safety in his warm bed, he couldn't stop his runaway heartbeats. Understanding that he couldn't go back to sleep, he slowly opened his eyes… and let out a cry. Once more, a pair of threatening green eyes were staring at him, shining in the darkness. Berrykin Bloom perfectly knew who it was.
-Leave me alone ! he shouted, but his voice wasn't as strong and assured as he wanted.
-Why do you always want me to leave you ? Berrykin Bertram asked with a honeyed voice. « I just want to give you some advice. You really should do a self-reflection. Which mistake did you make with this poor princess you were suppose to grow ? »
-Nothing ! Bloom sobbed, closing tightly his eyes. « Stop talking, Bertram ! I don't want to hear you ! »
-You must have made a mistake, Bloom. Be extremely carefull. Are you turning crazy ? Are you already senile, my dear cousin ?
Tearfully, Berrykin Bloom plugged his ears, waiting for a new wave of reproach. But, oddly, Bertram stayed quiet. Extremely carefully, Bloom wiped his eyes and scanned the bedroom. There were no trace of Berrykin Bertram.
After the disastrous First Frost Day Party, Peanut Butter had decided to stay in Strawberryland for a few days, in order to make Strawberry Shortcake feel better. She really needed this : between Apple Dumplin's bad mood, Angel Cake's cutting remarks and the stress of running a Café, she was about to have a nervous breakdown. To distract her, Peanut Butter asked her to show him Orange Blossom's construction site. It was a proof of Strawberryland's greatness : a project leaded by the good will of an ambitious young woman, aimed to improve everybody's quality of life. He was sure it would cheer her up.
The school's foundations were already digged, and two rows of bricks were installed, but since that moment the work had running late. Orange Blossom, Berrykin Bill and his crew, and Apple Dumplin' too, were already present, and their liveliness was contrasting with all the problems they had met.
-Did you find who was this vandal ? Strawberry Shortcake asked.
-No miss, Berrykin Bill immediatly answered.
-Each morning, we look for clues, but we never find anything, Orange Blossom added.
-The vandal must be extremely clever… or extremely discreet, like a mouse or… a Berrykin… Apple Dumplin' muttered, glancing at Berrykin Bill's crew, who gave her a funny look.
-Stop it Apple Dumplin' ! Strawberry cried. « You're not going to wade into this stupid suspicions, too ? The Berrykins will never make such a thing ! »
-You shouldn't indict someone of a so serious crime without proof, young girl, Peanut Butter severely said.
-What's wrong with you ?! Apple Dumplin' shouted. « All I wanna do or say is always wrong ! I'm force to help them in this stupid construction site, and you all the same find a way of criticizing me ! I'm fed up ! I hate you all ! »
And, before anyone could add something more, she abruptly left the construction site. Strawberry Shortcake gave a hint for catching up with her, but Peanut Butter stopped her.
-I think we should let this young lady calm down alone. As for you, miss Blossom, did you try to establish a night watch at the construction site, to prevent the criminal of damaging it ?
-I did, but none of us could be in charge of it. We all have to work here, and I can't force a Berrykin to stay awake for twenty-four hours, and then to work twelve hours more in the construction site. He would be exhausted, multiply the mistakes and seriously put his life and his workmates' ones in danger.
-You said that the presence of everybody here is necesarry for the work, but what about mine ?
-What do you mean ? Orange Blossom asked, intrigated.
-I'm not working here, but I'm all the same ready to help you. I'll do a night watch tonight, and with a bit of luck I'll confound the culprit.
-You can't do that, Strawberry muttered.
-I can, Peanut Butter assured. « I'm all ready to help you out, and a night isn't so long. Your project is really noble, miss Blossom, and I can't wait to see your school finished… but I guess you heard that a million time before.
-I don't know how I can thank you… Orange Blossom stammered.
-Carry on with what you do. Do your berry best for saving the Berrykins, stay true to yourself, and when I'll see all that you managed to do, I'll know it hadn't been vain.
Strawberry Shortcake was preparing sandwiches in the kitchen. Apple Dumplin' wasn't back yet, but she didn't worry about that. Her mind was with Peanut Butter. She thought he had came in Strawberryland especially to see her, but now he seemed to be succumbing to Orange Blossom's charm ! Strawberry Shortcake sighed, trying to reassure herself. Peanut Butter was simply an incredibly generous boy, his proposition was certainly only dued to his altruism, and nothing else. Anyway, she couldn't explain why, but she was jealousing Orange Blossom at this moment. She must admit that Orange was most interesting than her. She forged commercial links with all the Strawberryland's inhabitants, she was ambitious, she had big projects, the Berrykins considered her as their benefactor… and her, Strawberry Shortcake, she was just the young woman who served them fruit juice. Yes, every men would fall in love with Orange Blossom. So, why was Panut Butter so kind with her at the beginning ? Was it because he didn't know Orange yet ? Did he simply feel pity for her ? She didn't know yet, but she could be sure about one thing : she wouldn't let him do this nightwatch alone.
Strawberry Shortcake had never really paid attention to what happened in Strawberryland, at night time. Nestled against Peanut Butter, she thought it was the most beautiful sight she had never seen. The sky's hues came from the luminous orange to the dark purple, crossed by pale pink clouds, the leaves of the strawberry patches seemed golden, the moon was already visible. Everything was still and quiet, even the birds were twitting more softly. The Berrykin workers, tired but satisfied, were walking back to their village, taking small steps, without talking.
-It's beautiful, Peanut Butter muttered. « There nothing like Sentimental Park. Over there, the nature is recreated, it look so… artificial. Strawberryland makes me understand what the real life looks like. And (he smiled at Strawberry, who went as red as a beet) « I never had the luck before to contemplate a sunset with a friend ».
The last workers passed in front of them, without noticing them. A cold wind started to blow, the sky turn darker. The windows started to light up. The night was falling, but Strawberry Shortcake wasn't afraid. Here, with Peanut Butter, all her doubts were falling away. Peanut Butter was with her, Strawberry Shortcake, and not with Orange Blossom ! How could she believe he could desert her ?
A few meters away from them, Berrykin Bloom was taking the baby princesses back to their palace.
-Tell us a story ! Emerald claimed.
-A story about you… please, Tourmaline added.
-Alright, my little majesties. When I was young, I often had to cross a deep, dark wood which is far away from here, you don't have to worry about that. Well, I hated crossing this wood, because there was a monster who lived there.
The two little girls chuckled.
-What happened next ? They asked in unisson.
-Each time I entered this forest, the monster chased me. I knew this wood inside out, but I might well ran as fast as I could or trying to hide myself under the bushed, it always noticed me. The monster was as fast as me, but it never caught me. I thought I was extremely lucky… but the thing I couldn't understand was the fact that the monster was only attacking me. I was its only victim, he let the other Berrykins of my community alone. Anyway, they were afraid of being attacked, too. So, one day, they set a trap to get rid of the monster. They spinned a huge net they stretched in the forest. While the monster was running after me, once more… well, he felt into the trap. Immediatly, all the Berrykins gathered around the net, to observe it. And they noticed two things : first of all, the monster was tiny, as tiny as a Berrykin. Secondly, it didn't seem to be covered by a real fur, but rather by pieces of dark fabric.
-So, what kind of monster was it ? Emerald asked.
-By taking a closer look, we noticed the monster was wearing a kind of mask in its head. So, the eldest Berrykin in the community removed the mask and we all saw that the monster was in reality my youngest cousin. For his defense, he said he only wanted to make me a prank. I must admit it was a well thought out prank, who terrified me for monthes… But the monster wasn't real, it was just a fruit of my imagination. That's why, my little majesties, you must examine everything with a lot of carefulness and attention before judging it, to avoid serious mistakes…
As they were moving away, Berrykin Bloom's voices became lighter and lighter, before totally dying.
-Well, the Berrykins are rather ingenious, Peanut Butter commented.
-Would you like to taste the sandwiches I made ? Strawberry Shortcake purposed.
-Sure !
Close to her beloved Peanut Butter, Strwberry Shortcake felt totally in safety. She slowly fell asleep…
A crack woke her up. Someone was walking toward them !
-Don't make any noise, Peanut Butter muttered. « The vandal must not know we're here. »
Actually, from where they were, they could see a figure approaching the scaffolding. Oddly, it looked like a human. Hidden behind a low wall, they both watch the young person slipping into the construction site, then grabbing a screwdriver and starting to jigger the scaffolding !
-Stop it, you vandal ! Peanut Butter cried, pointing his torch right in the delinquent's face, letting them discover it was…
-Apple Dumplin' ?!
To be continued…