Chapter 31: Confessions

The next day had arrived. Diddy was sleeping under the willow, of course, with a smile that for the moment nothing could take away. Then, he began to open his eyes and get up. He had fallen asleep under that tree just like Dixie since the night before, although to his surprise, she was not there, since apparently, she had woken up earlier than him. Even so, Diddy kept remembering that last moment shared with Dixie; it was the first thing he thought of when he woke up, and he had never felt that emotion he had back then. But at the same time, he also wondered if Dixie was thinking the same thing, if it had meant the same thing to her as it did to him.

"Diddy," Dixie called to him, appearing after him, and Diddy turned to look at her. "Uhh... The shelter apes called us to eat, will you come?"

"Ah, yeah, I will."

Diddy got up and headed along with Dixie back to the shelter. Both of them didn't want to say a word along the way. Diddy, despite being excited, also felt very nervous about being around Dixie again. For her part, she also felt the same way. Even so, Dixie also couldn't help but smile as she remembered that moment with Diddy, in fact, she didn't know why, but it had even lifted her spirits in the middle of the whole situation.

"Uhh... Did you sleep well, Dix?" Diddy asked her on the way later, trying to break the silence.

"Yes... Sure," she replied, still somewhat shyly. "At least here it was quieter without snoring," she added, laughing a little.

The two just looked at each other with some shyness and couldn't help but smile, although they didn't talk much.

Minutes later, they arrived at the animal shelter. Everyone was gathered back at the table, to which Diddy and Dixie also met with them to have their respective breakfasts, which consisted of fruits.

"Hey, little monkeys," said one of the apes, who owned the shelter, to Diddy and Dixie. "Today we'll go with everyone here to collect fruits for meals, and we need your help too, do you want to come?"

"Okay," Diddy replied as he ate.

"Of course," Dixie added in kind.

"Well, we'll split into groups later," said the apes. "There are many animals, so it won't be a complicated task."

After the meal, all the animals were organized for collection, and divided into several groups. This time, Diddy and Dixie were in different groups, as they both felt somewhat shy about seeing each other again after what had happened the night before. Among the groups, there were both the animals that were from the circus and the zoo, as well as those who were already in that shelter before.

Each group went to some area where there were hundreds of fruit trees, ready for harvest. It seemed to be an activity that they used to do in the shelter so that they could all stock up.

On the one hand, Diddy was gathered with a small group of animals that were from the circus. He had decided to hang out with them, as they were the ones he felt most confident talking to and hanging around with.

"Hey, Diddy," said one of the tigers who were from the circus.

"Yeah?" Diddy replied as he climbed a tree to pick some fruit.

"Where did you go with Dixie last night? We didn't see you two at the shelter in the early morning."

"Well... Over there," he replied as he picked the fruits. "We only went for a walk for a while."

"Are you and her a couple?" one of the circus elephants asked him with a look of curiosity.

"What?!" Diddy exclaimed, feeling a small quickening in his heartbeat as he heard that unsuspecting question. "No, nothing to do with. We're just friends," he added with some nerves and trying not to show blushing.

"Oh, but do you like her?" asked one of the circus gorillas.

Diddy opened his eyes to the fullest, was quiet, and barely smiled inevitably at the question.

"N-no, of course not," Diddy replied with a smile and turned back to the tree to pick more fruit.

"Oh, come on, little monkey! Don't lie," the elephant told him with a playful look. "It shows very clearly. I have seen how you stare at her and how you talk to her. We've noticed it since we were in the circus."

"Are you sure there's nothing you feel for her more than a friendship?" the tiger asked, looking at him with suspicions and giving him little pushes. "Come on, just see how you are smiling."

"Oh, well…" Diddy said after coming down from the tree, trying not to laugh at the nerves. "The truth... Can I say that... I do?"

"We knew it!" exclaimed the animals of the circus with emotion. "And have you already told her you like her?"

"No, not yet."

"And what are you waiting for?" the tiger exclaimed.

"Bah! It wouldn't be necessary," said a random animal from that island, wading into the conversation along with two other animals. Don't waste your time, monkey. Girls just want to get something from you."

"Yeah, they make you believe that they love you at first but then they leave you as if nothing," added another of the animals of that meddling group. "Even later you'll get bored and go to get better girls than her."

The group of animals began to laugh in a mocking way, which caused Diddy and the circus animals to make a gesture of disgust for their intrusive comments.

"Don't listen to them, little monkey, they're crackpots," one of the circus elephants whispered to Diddy. "Come, let's talk there."

The group of circus animals took Diddy to another more private corner so they could talk to him better without interruptions.

"Well, Diddy, why don't you tell Dixie your feelings now?" the elephant asked quietly.

"Well... yes, I've tried, but I never get it," Diddy replied with some embarrassment. "It's that... I'm always afraid of what might happen after I tell her."

"Have you been friends for a long time?" asked the gorilla of the circus.

"Yes. We're best friends, in fact."

"But has there never been any special moment between you both?" the elephant asked before pausing. "Maybe something like a kiss or some affectionate gesture?"

Instantly, Diddy felt the famous "butterflies in his stomach" reach his heart when he was asked that question. He got a few faint blushes on his face that even the circus animals noticed.

"Does that face mean yes?" asked the tiger, astonished along with the other animals.

"W-Well, actually…" Diddy replied, smiling nervously at the attack of questions. "I could say that... maybe."

"Oh, that's nice!" exclaimed the animals of the circus in a touching tone.

"And so, what are you waiting for?" the gorilla said with emotion. "You should tell her your feelings at once, so that you two take the first step."

"B-but I can't, I don't know what words to use," Diddy said, confused. "I can't be... 'romantic', so to speak... Or how do you think I should tell her?"

"Oh, Diddy, Diddy, I think words are the least of it," said the tiger, cheering him on. "Look, you just have to be honest, I don't think you should worry about telling her nice words that only serve as an ornament, just tell her what you feel and that's all."

"Besides, I think she likes you too," the gorilla added quietly. "We even have noticed also how she looks at you and how she treats you."

"Yeah, maybe she's waiting for you too," the elephant added. "Cheer up, tell her. Don't leave her confused."

"But do you think it's a good idea to tell her that in this situation?" Diddy asked them in confusion. "I mean, while we're on this island and looking for our way home?"

"Well, I don't think it's an excuse," replied the tiger. "If she really loves you, she'll reciprocate without pretexts. In addition, both are alone, what better time can there not be. You can even ask her later to be your girlfriend."

"What?! But…" exclaimed Diddy, even more nervous just thinking about it. "I don't know what it's like to be a boyfriend. What would that be like?"

The group of animals were silent for a while and looked at each other before responding.

"Well... It doesn't look so difficult if you both enjoy it and are sure of what you want," the tiger replied. "It would be almost the same as being friends. But of course, it would be a more special friendship, and friendshipmeans that you must respect each other, be honest, loyal and empathetic, and of course, you can also give your kisses and loving gestures. That's all you need... I guess."

"Yeah, I don't think it's that complicated," the gorilla added. "You would just have to live it and have each of you do things right. I think love shouldn't be difficult."

Diddy, after listening to them, became more confused. But at the same time, he saw all the advantages he had, since, being the two alone on the island, any time would be perfect to confess his feelings to Dixie. In those moments, he wished Donkey was there, since he was always the one who gave him the most advice and cheered him up. But anyway, he felt good after listening to the circus animals, in fact, he felt much better having talked to them.

"And by the way, Diddy, if you two become anything, always be honest with her," the elephant added. "Make her feel that she can trust you, and make sure she does the same with you."

"Wow. Where have you learned that from?" Diddy asked them, looking at them with some strangeness and smiling at them at the same time.

"Well, we don't know anything about love," the animals replied with small laughs. "But it's what we think it's."

On the other hand, Dixie was also with another group of animals gathering fruit. She was also helping them in the work, and felt more confident with the animals that had been in the circus.

"Hey, Dixie, I have a question," said one of the lions from the circus. "Is there anything special between you and Diddy?"

"What do you mean?" Dixie asked in confusion as she gathered fruits from a tree and put them in a cart.

"You know, if by any chance... you two are a couple or something."

In the same way, Dixie was invaded by those unforeseen emotions when she was asked something like that.

"Uh… No, he's just my friend," Dixie replied, trying not to smile from nerves.

"But do you like him?" one of the rhinos asked her with a look of curiosity.

Dixie just fell silent as she smiled and blushed little by little.

"Come on, don't lie, that face says a lot," said the lion, giving her little pushes.

"Well... Uh," Dixie replied, trying not to laugh at the nerves. "What if I told you that... I do?"

"Aha! I knew it!" exclaimed one of the zebras from the circus. "We've seen the way you look at him and how you treat him, that's why we had that doubt."

"In fact, we can see that he too… likes you," said the lion, raising his eyebrows. "He's also very noticeable. Has he never told you he likes you?"

"Well, no, actually... sometimes I've tried to give him some sign to do it, but he doesn't get it," Dixie said, shrugging and sighing. "And he also denies it when others ask him if he likes me."

"Wow! Talking about boys, little girl?" said a random gorilla girl, intruding on the conversation along with four others. "The guys are complete liars; they just want to have fun with you and then leave you."

"Yeah, they go around with one girl, then another, and then another, and they forget about you. They're idiots," added another. "Therefore, don't waste your time, you'll find even better guys than him."

Dixie and the circus animals made a gesture of disgust at the comments of those nosy gorilla females, while they laughed in a mocking way.

"Don't listen to them, Dixie, they're crazy," the zebra whispered to Dixie. "Let's go this way."

The group of circus animals separated from the rest of the animals and joined Dixie in another corner to be able to talk more privately about the topic.

"Well, Dixie, have you been good friends with Diddy for a long time?" asked the rhino.

"Well, I can say yes," Dixie replied, smiling. "For a long time."

"Have you ever had any special moment like a kiss or anything like that?" the lion asked her in a curious tone.

Dixie felt her nerves immediately activate upon hearing that question. Instantly, she remembered those moments she had spent with Diddy, and she couldn't help but smile and blush little by little.

"Well... The truth is…" Dixie replied, smiling shyly. "I could also say that... Maybe so."

"Wow! So, what are you waiting for?" the rhino exclaimed with emotion. "You've already earned it, why don't you tell him you like him?"

"Yes, don't leave him confused," the lion added in the same way. "He must be waiting for you."

"W-what?! Me?" Dixie exclaimed in confusion. "No, no, no. Shouldn't he be the one to tell me?"

"Oh, Dixie, please! Let's see... Did you say that you always gave him signals to tell you?" the zebra asked, to which Dixie nodded. "Well, I don't think that with hints like that it'll be possible to take a first step. In addition, Diddy must get very nervous and it must be difficult for him to get the courage to tell you. Just have a little more patience."

"Or rather, you should be a little more direct with him and help him not be afraid to tell you," the rhino added.

"And if he still can't tell you, so tell him!" said the lion. "He shouldn't always be the one to always take the first steps either."

"B-but..." Dixie replied before crossing her arms, "if I tell him, he might think I'm too hasty or something."

"Oh, come on, Dixie," continued the rhino. "Only a braggart idiot would think so; Diddy doesn't look like he's one of those guys. If Diddy really loves you, he'll just reciprocate... And he will feel great about you."

"By the way," added the zebra, "I think you have to get out of your head the idea that only he should take the first step. That sounds cute, but I don't really think it's. You can also do things for him; he'll even thank you if he's really for you."

Dixie only thought about it for a while, as she always had the idea that Diddy should take the first step. But thinking about it now, the animals might be right... He wouldn't have to be the only one who could have initiative, either; maybe she could do something about that situation too... Even though just thinking about it made her nervous. At that time, she wished her sister and cousins were there, since they always cheered her up in a situation like that, even if she didn't really have anyone else to listen to her and advise her in situations like that. Anyway, she felt heard by the circus animals.

"It doesn't sound bad what you're saying," Dixie said, smiling a little. "I thank you for that."

"And a very important thing," added the lion before finishing. "Always make sure you feel comfortable with him and can tell him how you feel, whether it's something good or bad. And likewise, you must make him feel the same way about you."

"Are you experts in love or where did you get all this?" Dixie asked, looking at them strangely and with a few small laughs.

"Well, we don't know anything," replied the animals, all shrugging and in the same tone. "But... that is the most logical thing we can think of to say."

It was mid-afternoon. After a long day of picking fruit, the animals took a break. Some of them took naps, while others met in groups to talk. Diddy and Dixie were also gathered with them.

Later, Dixie needed some time to reflect, so she went out for a while to walk outside the shelter. Minutes later, she went to a not-so-distant tree, climbed up to one of the branches and sat there for a long time.

Even though she was only thinking about how they would get back home recently, the latest events that happened only made Dixie's thoughts occupied by... Diddy. She didn't want to think about love matters in the middle of a situation of being stranded on an island without knowing how to return to DK Island, but it was inevitable; she couldn't stop thinking about him and what might happen between the two of them, even if they returned to DK Island.

"Uhh... Dixie," suddenly, Diddy appeared on the same branch of the tree, interrupting the thread of her thoughts.

"Uh, hi, Diddy," Dixie replied, smiling at him, trying to be calm in his presence.

"Can I... stay here?" Diddy asked somewhat shyly.

"Why not?"

Diddy sat next to Dixie, trying not to make eye contact with her, as he was also nervous. Both stood for a few minutes in silence and looking towards the horizon; neither of them wanted to look at each other's faces at the time.

Diddy had come there to make his umpteenth attempt to tell Dixie how he feels about her; he swore that this time he did feel more than ready... But again, he was as usual, with nerves well active.

"Dixie," he said, still not turning to look at her.

"Yeah, Diddy?" she replied in the same position.

"Why don't you look at me?"

"Because you're not doing it either."

A few seconds later, they both turned to see each other again. As soon as they saw each other, they let out a little laughter at the same time. Diddy, despite having all the nerves invading him, knew it would have to be at that moment.

"Oh, it's okay, Dixie, I…" he said again, getting serious, "I actually have something important to tell you."

Suddenly, Dixie felt a little acceleration in her heart... Deep down, she was trying to guess what maybe Diddy wanted to tell her, and she wanted to think she was right.

"What are you going to tell me? About you like my pyramid?" Dixie joked so she could control her nerves.

"Hey, no, forget that," Diddy replied with a laugh. Then, he returned to a normal posture and decided to continue. "Okay, Dixie, is that... Well... I was going to tell you that... if you have already finished your boat."

"The boat? Well, not yet," Dixie replied in confusion. But then, she realized that Diddy was just digressing from the topic. "That wasn't what you wanted to tell me, was it?"

Diddy was silent and surprised at how Dixie had straightened the topic back out to him.

"Oh, okay, yes, you guessed right. But I was going to ask you that too," Diddy said, smiling nervously, before taking a sigh. "Okay, Dixie, so... Last night when you asked me... What I really meant is that I…"

Diddy remained silent and only tried to hide a face of frustration. Dixie could feel how the situation was going and was now almost sure what he meant; she also remembered those tips that the circus animals told her. She settled down to face Diddy so she could talk to him better.

"Diddy…" Dixie said, getting closer to him and placing her hands on his shoulders. "Whatever you have to tell me, just do it... I won't get mad if that's what you think I'll do," she added, smiling, trying to reassure him.

Diddy only grew more nervous; he was starting to blush so much that even Dixie noticed it and she tried not to laugh. Even so, with Dixie's last words, he felt a little more confident. He took a heavy breath before blurting out what he would have to say.

"Actually, I lik-" but for the umpteenth time... he didn't manage it.

He made another sneaky gesture of frustration to the point of wanting to give up. Dixie stared at him with some strangeness... But then, she thought that maybe she could end the matter once and for all.

"Diddy…" she said before pausing as she felt nerves running inside her. "I... I like you... You like me too, right?"

Diddy opened his eyes intensely immediately. He was paralyzed and shocked and for a while confused by what he had just heard from Dixie. He wanted to make sure he wasn't imagining or dreaming at what she had said.

"T-that's what you wanted to tell me, right?" Dixie asked, smiling somewhat shyly. "Well... I did know, Diddy."

Diddy looked at her paralyzed as he finished processing what she had said... What had Dixie just said?

"W-what?! You... Did you know that…"

"Well... yes, the truth is that yes," Dixie replied nervously and looking down with some embarrassment.

"B-but... How?! I thought... So, all this time... you knew it?" exclaimed Diddy, still being so confused and not finished processing.

"Yes, Diddy," she reaffirmed, not wanting to look at him. "In fact... why do you think I gave you that gift with the emerald and our photo?"

Diddy was still, astonished, and confused at once; Dixie knew all the time about his feelings?... And even so he hadn't dared to tell her?

"And... How did you know?" Diddy asked, looking at her strangely and shyly at the same time.

"In fact, it was those four stupid kids from school who told me."

"What?!" Diddy exclaimed even more shocked. "Wait, wait! And how did they know too?!"

"Do you remember that days before Mr. Pinky arrived at school you had lost your notebook? So, those fools had stolen it from you and showed me a page where you had written my name in a heart. I didn't want to believe them, but then I started to look closely at how you were when you were with me and so I could believe it."

Diddy was all paralyzed and confused. He clearly remembered that time where he wished Dixie hadn't seen that page of his notebook, but... actually, she had seen it.

"Oh, those stupid ones! As always, they get into what they shouldn't care about!" Diddy said annoyed, remembering those bully children. "But, well... so... Yes, that's what I always tried to tell you, Dixie," he added, smiling shyly and scratching his head.

"I know, sometimes I have noticed it. Even when I went to your house to make the pyramids, I clearly heard Donkey say: 'When she arrives, why don't you tell her you like her?'"

Diddy didn't know how to feel at all at that moment, maybe relieved that he finally confessed his feelings to Dixie... or maybe frustrated to see how hard he tried to tell her so that she has known it since recent times.

"By the way, Diddy…" Dixie added before reciprocating with some shyness. "I like you too... for a long time, seriously."

Diddy felt his heart beat again in a racing way, while smiling with an emotion never felt by him before. That feeling he would have liked to have had a week ago, and so perhaps they would have avoided all the journey they had had so far.

"R-really?" Diddy asked, starting to look excited, still can't believe it. Although then he became serious. "One minute!... But if you knew, why didn't you tell me anything?"

"I was nervous, too, Diddy," replied Dixie. "Several times I gave you signals, but you never caught it, you always denied it and that made me feel bad. And also... I thought you should be the one to tell me; I didn't want you to think that I would be very hasty if I did it first," she finished looking embarrassed.

"Oh, Dixie, please, I wouldn't think that of you," Diddy replied with a look of weirdness. "That is, I have also been waiting for you for a long time; I tried several times to tell you but I could not. Besides, that's also why I went out that night, you know... I was very hurt about Jemky's matter, and much more when you said we weren't going to be friends anymore... and about the pyramid."

"I know, Diddy," Dixie said somewhat pitied and embarrassed before sighing. "And I'm sorry, I didn't want to make you feel that way and for everything to get to this point; you know what that orangutan did. Even the last day we went to the waterfalls, I planned to confess to you with a note I had in a small box, but that idiot took it from me and threw it away."

"What? Really?" exclaimed Diddy, looking astonished. "Heavens, why didn't I know this before?... Oh, but after all... I think we can't worry about that anymore now," he added, shrugging, before smiling a little again. "Anyway, and now, what do we do?"

"Well... keeping looking for DK Island, I guess?" replied Dixie, smiling back.

The two smiled at each other for a moment, until later... Dixie gave Diddy a kiss on the cheek which caught him by surprise. Diddy stood still, while blushing intensely, and Dixie laughed somewhat shy upon noticing it. Diddy then smiled at her and stroked her cheek, before she got closer to hug him. He reciprocated the embrace and they stayed that way for a few seconds while each felt as if the universe was in their favor for having been reciprocated. Now, there would be no feelings to hide, and that was a great relief for both of us.

When they separated from the embrace, they stared into each other's eyes. Until later, Diddy got closer to Dixie, and she did the same.

"Wait a minute, Dixie," Diddy said, pausing. "I wanted to tell you that... sorry if I didn't have the courage to confess this to you before... I didn't even know how to do it and I was afraid of what would happen next."

"No, no, it's okay, Diddy," Dixie replied, smiling at him the same way, though a little embarrassed. "And sorry too if I couldn't do it either... even when I had all the opportunity and almost we lost it."

"No, don't worry," Diddy added, smiling and intertwining his hands with hers. "I mean... I can't blame you when I didn't know how to do it right either. But now... we have already said it."

They stood face to face again, looking into each other's eyes carefully. Diddy took both hands of Dixie delicately while smiling at her; the sign of what was going to happen was very clear. He got closer to her again while they both blushed; it was about to happen that for the third time. They got closer and, with their faces less than five centimeters apart, Diddy began to close his eyes, and Dixie was going to do the same. Until...

"Wait a minute!" Dixie said, stopping suddenly and looking in the other direction. "What's that over there?"

Dixie pointed to a point towards the sea that could be seen from the height of the tree where they were. Diddy turned to look where she was aiming.

"What?"

"Isn't that…"

Diddy's eyes widened as he saw what Dixie was seeing; he thought it would be a mirage or a dream, but no... It looked pretty much like it was.

"DK Island!" exclaimed Diddy, instantly excited and standing up.

"It must be that!" Dixie added with the same emotion.

"We found it!" said the two at the same time and, then, gave each other a big hug of celebration.

Apparently, DK Island was in sight. From the branch of the tree where the kongs were, they could see in the middle of the sea mist, a miniature island that had the exact shape of Donkey Kong's head, which was the main feature of that island. Diddy and Dixie jumped with excitement to see that they had finally located DK Island.

"Come on, we have to go see it closer!" Diddy exclaimed, still excited.

The two kongs got off the tree and rushed to the direction where they had seen what appeared to be DK Island. They crossed several trees and branches until they reached the shores of the beach. Both were now more excited than ever.

When they arrived, they stopped to get a better look at that distant silhouette similar to DK Island. Indeed, it was very similar... if not for a dark color with which it was also seen.

"Are you sure it's DK Island?" Diddy asked, beginning to have doubts.

"Of course, it's the same shape," Dixie replied, though truth be told, she wasn't so sure after taking a closer look at it. "But we can find out if we head to it."

"Do you still have the boat you were making?"

"Of course, I left it there. Let's go!"

Diddy and Dixie headed in the direction Dixie indicated. They went to the same place where the day before she was trying to build the boat, which was not so far away.

"Here it is, there's a few pieces left, and that's all," Dixie said as she took a detailed look at the boat.

"Hey, not bad," Diddy said, climbing into the boat. "It's much better than the umpteenth boats I made."

"That happens to you for telling me that yours was going to be better than mine," Dixie replied mockingly and giving him a little push.

"Hey, forget that!" exclaimed Diddy in the same way and returned the push.

Both began to laugh and play together, even chasing each other in the sand. It continued that way until Diddy stopped his laughter suddenly as he adopted an expression as if he had seen something from another world.

"Wait, wait! W-what?!"he said in a trembling voice looking in one direction toward the trees.

"What? What's up, Diddy?" Dixie asked, looking at him strangely, and then looked where he was pointing.

Suddenly, Dixie also adopted the same expression as him... She stood still not knowing if they were seeing the same thing or it was just a mirage. The two wondered if perhaps all the journey of the last week had not left them crazy and so each time they happened or saw more unexpected things.

"No, it's not possible," Diddy said, still not recovering his normal state. "A-are you seeing the same thing I do?!"

Among the trees in front of their sight was walking an ape that they had met not long ago, but that in that short time had been a headache for them.

"Isn't that one... Mr…"

"... Pinky?!"

Indeed, that new teacher was what they were seeing. They had never expected it, much less on an unknown island.

"B-But what is he doing here? How did he get there?" Diddy stuttered without recovering from the impact.

"And I don't know," Dixie added in the same tone. "What if maybe... someone told him we were here and so he's searching for us?"

"But no one apart from the zoo animals knows about us; how could he get to the same island we are on?"

Both were stunned not knowing how he could be on that island, which they reached because of a storm, and it was almost impossible for anyone outside that island to know that they were there.

"What if we go to greet him and ask him if he doesn't know anything about the way back to DK Island?" Dixie suggested.

"You're right! If he came from there, it must be obvious he knows how to get there," Diddy added with a smile again. "Come on, let's talk to him!"

Diddy and Dixie headed towards Mr. Pinky. They hid behind some bushes and watched him for a few minutes. He was walking serenely around the site and stretching his limbs, as if he were taking time to get some fresh air. He was even wearing casual clothes instead of his formal suit jacket.

"Uhh, but you talk to him first," Dixie whispered with a little fear from behind the bush.

"What? No, no, no. You speak to him first," Diddy objected with the same fear.

"No, no, I don't want to; you talk to him."

"Dixie, I can't talk to him, not after what happened on the last day of school," Diddy replied. "What's more, I can't even see that teacher face to face again."

"Don't worry about that anymore, Diddy, I already told him not to fail you and I explained the situation."

"But I also threw the pyramid at Jemky."

"I explained that the pyramid was yours and what those four stupid kids are like," Dixie replied. "Go on, I can't talk to that grumpy and angry ape."

"Say what?!"exclaimed a voice that came from neither of them.

Diddy and Dixie turned their gazes to the side and realized that the same Mr. Pinky was staring at them less than a meter away from them. The two of them froze and felt the nerves at almost the same magnitude as when something happened between the two of them.

"H-hello…" Diddy and Dixie stuttered at the same time and smiled nervously at the big ape.

Mr. Pinky also slowly adopted a face as if he were seeing something from another dimension. Apparently, he also didn't expect to meet again with two of his students who had been declared missing on DK Island, much less on the same island where he was.

"No… Mr. Diddy and Miss Dixie? Really... are you?" the teacher stuttered to the point of almost wanting to faint. "No, no, no, maybe I'm crazy or my blood pressure goes up," he added, turning around and closing his eyes tightly as he squeezed his temple.

"Uhh, yes... it's us, mister," Dixie said, standing up but still shaking nerves.

"You are alive!" the teacher immediately exclaimed, turning back to them and changing his expression to one of joy. "I t-thought something terrible had happened to you two! But you are alive!"

The teacher placed his hands on each one's shoulders and waved them with happiness; His face was as if he were that of a father who had found his missing children. It was a face that Diddy and Dixie had never seen and could not imagine seeing in him.

"But how did you get here?!" the teacher asked them in the same tone of astonishment.

"Well, we were going to ask you the same thing, sir," Dixie replied with a forced smile.

"I live here on this island," said the teacher before speaking quickly. "How did you get here? Mr. Diddy, had you been kidnapped by a thief? And then to you, Miss Dixie? Everyone on DK Island is worried about you! A little more and they could declare you dead!"

"No, no, we can explain!" Dixie said, calming the teacher.

"Before you continue, Miss Dixie, I am not a grumpy and angry ape," he replied, giving her a warning look.

"Uhh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it in bad terms," Dixie excused somewhat embarrassedly.

"And Mr. Diddy, don't be afraid of me; Miss Dixie has already clarified everything that happened."

"Uhh, yeah... Yes, I knew," Diddy replied, also embarrassed immediately.

"Now, tell me, hadn't a thief taken you away? Or did four of your classmates do something to you?"

"No, no, it was nothing like that," Dixie clarified. "Diddy had been kidnapped by circus tamers and taken to a zoo."

"A zoo?!" exclaimed the teacher, shocked.

"Yes, and then they took me to train for a circus," Diddy added. "That place looked like fun, but no, it was a terrible prison. And not to mention those tamers; calling them evil is too small."

"Yeah, can you believe that they whipped all the animals and locked them up all day? Oh, and they literally exterminated them if they rebelled or didn't follow their orders."

"Holy heavens!" exclaimed the teacher, showing more shock with what they were telling him. "I've heard that those places are hellish. And... how did you get out of there?"

"Well, Diddy spent most of his time locked up. I was an infiltrator looking for a way to get him out, so I stole the keys from those tamers and released him."

"And you're not going to believe us, but we released all the animals from there," Diddy added. "It was all a chaos in that city, but we did it."

"In fact, the animals are in a shelter near here," Dixie said, pointing in one direction.

"Did you really do that? It's... impressive!" the teacher was much more surprised and confused at the same time. "Wait, so the animals that are now in the shelter are those from that zoo you mention?"

"That's right, they're the same," Diddy replied. "Wait! Do you know that shelter?"

"Oh, of course. In fact, the owners are very good friends of mine," the teacher told them. "By the way, I had been told that a pair of little monkeys had rescued all those animals, but I thought it was a story invented by them. I never imagined it would be about you."

Diddy and Dixie were surprised; in addition to the fact that Mr. Pinky lived on that same island, he also knew the apes who owned the shelter and had even interacted with them.

"And when did you get here?" Dixie asked later.

"A couple of days ago," replied the teacher. "I was going to stay longer on DK Island to help the others search for you, but I had to go back because the hurricane season at sea was already starting and then I would have to wait three months for it to pass, even the boat where I was going almost suffered a shipwreck. By the way, you saved all those zoo animals, but... why are you here too?"

"Well, that's it," Diddy replied, "a storm and giant waves swept us here when we were on our way back to DK Island... Wow, that explains why it was so windy offshore."

"And how is everyone on DK Island?" Dixie asked worriedly.

"Until the moment I was there, they were all fine, but at the same time they were not," replied the teacher, looking at them with concern as well. "You couldn't imagine how worried they are about you. Well, they started conducting a massive community search since Miss Dixie didn't show up either, and everyone points to a thief hanging around. In fact... they have not yet been able to solve the case of the boy who was injured and found in the river. They don't know if the child lives or has already died, but they assure that as soon as they find the culprit, they will make him pay no matter what."

"Oh, too bad... Poor boy," Dixie said, looking sideways at Diddy and pretending to know nothing about it.

"Yes, I don't understand how someone could be so atrocious to do that to a child," Mr. Pinky added, looking very pitied, while Diddy and Dixie only concealed their looks. "Although I have some doubts about what you told us before you left, Miss Dixie."

Dixie felt an acceleration in her heartbeat as she began to turn pale; it crossed her mind that perhaps Mr. Pinky had certain suspicions of her regarding Jemky's case.

"Since you said that your other classmates were carrying weapons, perhaps... weren't they the ones who did that to one of them?" Mr. Pinky speculated.

"Uhh, I don't think so, the four of them were friends, how could they attack each other?"

"But who knows," Diddy added, going with the flow. "Those four were deranged... And by the way, haven't you heard about them again?"

"No, they disappeared too, actually," replied the teacher. "They never went to pick up their certificates or talk about their remedial classes either. I was going to look for their parents, but I don't know them; they are from another island and nobody knows them. It's said that only Mrs. Wrinkly barely knows the father of one of them, who was the one who registered them… Although I don't know what kind of parents these kids have with those behaviors it says they had. Even... I would think that the wounded child might have been Mr. Rocky; all claimed that the boy had light fur on his head."

"Well, by the way... do you know how to get back to DK Island?" Dixie asked, trying to change the topic.

"Not exactly, I was asleep on the road," replied the teacher. "And not to mention that we had to go another route because we were almost caught by hurricanes."

"Well, we think we found DK Island," Diddy added, smiling.

"Really? Where?"

"Come and see," Dixie said, inviting him.

Diddy and Dixie took the teacher's arm, and then the three of them headed to the shores of the beach. They both took him to see the location where they had located DK Island... Although he was not as surprised as they were, and only limited himself to folding his arms when they showed it.

"That's not DK Island," said Mr. Pinky, very confident. "It's just a giant rock."

"What are you saying? Of course it's!" Dixie reaffirmed. "It's shaped like Donkey Kong."

"And by the way, Mr. Pinky, we want to try to go back today," Diddy added.

"What?!" exclaimed the teacher.

"Yeah, in fact, we even have a boat almost ready to set sail," Dixie added with emotion.

Suddenly, Mr. Pinky began to look at them with extreme strangeness and frowning sternly: the same expression they saw when he taught them.

"Hey, are you serious?" said the teacher, placing his hands at their sides. "That is... Haven't you also heard about hurricanes?"

"But we don't see any traces of hurricanes there," Dixie said. "I don't think anything will happen."

"How could it not? Everyone here knows that," replied the teacher. "In this storm season you can't sail."

"Hey, but we have to," Diddy replied with a shrug. "We can't let any more time pass without returning to our island, so we're leaving."

"No, no, no, you are wrong," said Mr. Pinky, shaking his head from side to side. "First, I'm almost sure that that's not DK Island, since that is quite far from here, moreover, from here you can't even see it. And second, you know how dangerous it would be to sail the seas at this time."

"Don't worry, we'll be more careful this time," Diddy said confidently. "In addition, we have to return as soon as possible to DK Island; we don't want to worry everyone anymore or keep them thinking that a thief is hanging around."

"Hey, but you can't just leave like that, it's dangerous!" replied the teacher, looking at them strangely. "You would even have to wait about three months to be able to sail well!"

"But we're not going to spend three months here, it's a long time!" Dixie replied.

"But I repeat that it is dangerous! You can get lost or drown!" replied the teacher, beginning to raise his voice. "What's more, just look at what the weather looks like over there!" he added, pointing to the mist of the horizon.

"But we have to go back!" Diddy replied. "What are the other kongs there going to think? That did we die?"

"No, no, no, enough buts! You can't leave like this! And understand, it's very dangerous!"

"But don't yell at us!"Diddy and Dixie said, raising their voices at the same time. "We will leave!"

Mr. Pinky stared at them sternly for a few seconds, until a while later, he only gave a few small laughs.

"Well, whatever you want. Try it," he said, resigned and still laughing a little. "Anyway, I bet you won't even get more than ten meters away from here to the sea... I'll see you later, guys."

Without further discussion, Mr. Pinky abandoned the conversation and left. Diddy and Dixie gave withering glances behind his back, and only thought it was a bad idea to have greeted him.

"He's still arrogant," Dixie commented in disgust. "He really is a grumpy ape."

"Bah! Let's not listen to him, let's continue with the boat," Diddy suggested with a shrug.

"Yeah, we'll leave anyway."

"What a bad vibe to have run into him. We shouldn't have even spoken to him."

Diddy and Dixie, completely ignoring Mr. Pinky, headed back to where the boat was. They continued to prepare it to be able to sail it, and there were only some pieces left such as seats or oars, in addition to a deck. It took them a couple more hours to assemble it completely, and it was already getting dark...