Chapter 58: Unexplained Unknowns

After so much thought, Dixie began to look for answers as to the sudden event that had happened, and she should do it as soon as possible, since the fact that the evil kids now knew where they were, represented a serious danger to her and Diddy. Besides, what Dixie wanted the last thing was for Diddy to end everything between the two of them for something she didn't do.

Another assumption Dixie had was that perhaps the letters she and Diddy sent to DK Island may have fallen into the hands of those evil kids, and from there they got their information... although that was also strange, since in those letters they didn't mention some things like: Mr. Pinky's letter, the ship or the reprimand that Mr. Pinky gave them on the first day. Among other assumptions that crossed her mind, was that the courier apes would have been the ones who provided the information to Jemky and company, but she didn't find logic to that. In fact, as she mentioned before, she had been sending more letters to DK Island to her family in those days; they had never been to Jemky.

Without further thought, Dixie decided to head towards the post office; she had to find out first whether that letter had been real or not. She ran as fast as she could towards that place.

Arriving at the post office, she immediately went to peek out from the window and talk to the apes there.

"Hello! Excuse me," Dixie said hurriedly and exhaustedly. "I need to ask you-"

"Ah, it's the little monkey girl again," said one of the apes when he saw her. "Yeah, what do you need?"

"I-I want to ask you if…" Dixie replied, trying to stay calm. "If n-no have come here an orangutan kid, a mandrill, a red-shanked langur and a capuchin monkey."

The three apes only looked at her strangely when she asked them that, which kept confusing Dixie.

"No, we haven't seen any group of kids of those species you mention," they replied. "The only little ones who have come these days have been you and the red-capped monkey."

"Ohh, so... no one, apart from the two of us, has sent any letters to an island called Z? Or near DK Island?!"

"Z Island?" the apes wondered strangely. "That's also far away and nobody sends letters there during this season. And no, not even to DK Island someone sent letters, apart from you and the monkey in red. Why?"

"Oh, long explanation," Dixie replied somewhat frustrated. "It's that two of those kids that I mentioned, came here recently and showed us a letter that according to them I wrote, but it's not true. And it had my handwriting, my signature, and even had the stamp from here and the map that you also deliver from here!"

"What?!" exclaimed the apes, showing shock. "But how is that possible? No one could have this stamp! Are you sure it was the same?"

"Yes, it was the same," replied Dixie. "It had the same color and read 'Hurricane Island Post Office'."

"Well, it must be a confusion," reaffirmed one of the apes. "As far as I know, no one has stolen our stamp seal, nor have more ape kids come, and no more letters have been sent to distant islands... Sorry, girl... But maybe all this is a confusion or something similar."

Dixie was frustrated that she couldn't find answers. She wished Diddy was there at that moment so that he would hear that and believe her even a little. With what those courier apes told her, everything pointed to the letter being false with all certainty. Without more to say, Dixie said goodbye to the apes and left.

Dixie still didn't want to give up and kept looking for clues. So, she went to a place where she used to go daily with Diddy, and where there would be a certain group of kids that came to mind, since, although the friendship with them had ended, those children had made her go through difficult times with Diddy during the last weeks that they were their friends.

When she reached that site, she hid behind the trees. She saw no trace of any of her past friends nearby; only the huge ship could be seen in the area. She got out of the trees, and then went to the small huts that belonged to the other kong children in the herd; she thought maybe they would have answers she needed.

Some of the kong children were outside their huts, when suddenly, they were surprised to see Dixie arrive. Everyone looked at her in amazement as if she was a celebrity they hadn't seen for days.

"It's Dix-"

"No, silence! Don't say anything, please!" Dixie interrupted, making them all quiet and looking everywhere to make sure none of her past friends saw her. Then, she headed towards them again. "Now yes! All of you here, I need you to tell me something."

"Are you no longer friends with the four of them?" they asked her among all. "By the way, about five days ago was the last time they said they hate you-"

"That doesn't matter anymore!" Dixie interrupted. "What I want to know is... if by chance, haven't four other kids been here: an orangutan, a mandrill, a red-shanked langur and a capuchin monkey?"

The others looked at her strangely and wondered among themselves what Dixie had asked them.

"How did you say?" one of the children asked again. "A red-shanked mandrill, a capuchin orangut-"

"Or else, tell me something else!" Dixie interrupted again. "Just in case, your four friends haven't been wanting to do another evil to Diddy and me?... Haven't they been talking about some... fake letters or something?"

"What?!" they exclaimed, each looking at Dixie as if she were saying meaningless things to them. "No, they hardly even name you anymore."

"Hey, we have to make other adjustments to the ship!" said someone else entering the scene. It was Ricky, who when he saw Dixie, was surprised. "Huh? Dixie?!"

Dixie stood still for a few seconds, as she didn't want to run into any of her past friends again at that time. Although they had greeted them in recent days when they ran into them, it was awkward to speak to them again.

"How are you here again?" Ricky asked, looking at her in confusion.

"Uh, hi, Ricky. Uhh..." Dixie didn't know what to say, but she had to think how to figure out what she needed without it sounding so direct. "Where are the others?" she asked, recovering the normal tone of voice.

"They went to look for materials for some adjustments of the ship, why?"

Dixie didn't know how to ask him about the matter without him thinking that she was falsely accusing them and without any scandal being made.

"It's that... I just wanted to ask you if... Ah, did you know that there are mail services on this island?" Dixie said with a forced smile and trying to deflect the topic.

"Mails? No idea, I didn't know that was here," Ricky replied with a shrug. "Why?"

Dixie knew she had to be a little more direct in order to get answers.

"Oh, just in case... didn't you want to do another of your evils to Diddy and me?" she asked hurriedly and staring at him this time.

Ricky looked at her as if she were a lunatic, and didn't seem to be a suspect in what happened.

"What are you talking about? We don't even mention you two around here anymore," he replied with a gesture of indifference.

"Well, but I'll just tell you something," Dixie said this time earnestly and holding the urge to want to explode. "We no longer want any problems with you."

"Huh? But what's the point of this, Dixie?" Ricky asked, frowning and confused at what Dixie was saying. "What's wrong with you?!"

Dixie didn't know what else to say and decided instead to leave the place.

"Uh, forget it," she said before simply leaving.

"Ricky! Are these the ones we need?" said an additional voice arriving at the scene.

Dixie turned and saw Mandy, Jenny and Melvyn arrive with a few pieces of wood in their hands. When they saw her, they were surprised too.

"Dixie!" Mandy exclaimed along with the rest. "What brings you here?"

"Uhh... no, nothing," Dixie replied with a forced smile, before walking away. "I just wanted to greet you. Goodbye!"

Dixie started running away from there. She was frustrated that she didn't know how to ask them directly about the topic, because if she did, it was likely that a public scandal would be made, and Dixie didn't want to get involved in any more trouble with them.

She needed to go see Diddy, but she was sure he didn't want to see her. It also crossed Dixie's mind that maybe Jenny could have made that fake letter as some kind of revenge... but then, she remembered that she knew nothing about Jemky's crime or of Mr. Pinky's letter or of those sent to DK Island and, moreover, she didn't know on which island the bully kids from the school lived.

Dixie continued to try to decipher who may have been the real one or ones responsible for the whole matter, which was already making her lose patience.

Diddy was reclining with his eyes lowered and hugging his legs, on the branch of a tree in a place where no one could see him. After everything he had seen and heard, he was deeply disappointed. He was weeping and sobbing silently with vivid and continuous tears coming out of his eyes; he felt as if he had been given a sudden blow to his heart that he never expected. Apparently, he could not believe Dixie in any way, even if he wanted to convince himself that it wasn't true and would never have expected that from her. All the strong illusions he had created, all the expectations and all the love he thought he would build with Dixie, had collapsed from one moment to the next. After having spent wonderful moments with her, having believed that everything was fine and that they would do their best, now he only found himself with an unexpected broken heart. Diddy never expected something like this to hurt so much, as it was a thousand times worse than the previous time on DK Island.

He wasn't in the mood for anything; he just looked around as every moment he spent with Dixie came to his mind. All the time, he was sure that Dixie felt the same way he did about her, in the times she told him she loved him or when she hugged or kissed him... But now, he was just thinking that it had all been a lie or that she hadn't been being so honest with him. Every thought he had about her only made him cry and feel more pain. Diddy had never felt anything so wonderful; he had been quite excited about Dixie, he had given her part of his heart, he had been so happy to have had something so beautiful with her, but now, as if it had fallen suddenly, he no longer had it... Or rather, he didn't want to have it that way even if it hurt a lot, not if she had been hiding it from him all along... Or at least that's what he believed.

Diddy was still shedding and wiping away his tears continuously, when suddenly, he began to hear certain movements in the tree on which he was sitting. He looked up as he finished wiping his eyes and saw clearly that the leaves had just been moved, but no one could be seen nearby, so he didn't care. Until several seconds later... movement was heard again and instantly someone came down from the top of the tree and landed right near the branch where he was.

To his surprise... the one who had appeared was none other than Jenny, who, noticing Diddy, made a gesture of astonishment. Diddy was surprised at her the instant she landed, but then looked away again and didn't pay attention to her, as if she wasn't there and hadn't seen her; he didn't even have the mood to flee.

Jenny had some vines in her hands. Then, she stared at Diddy strangely for a few seconds, as if she didn't expect to find him in that mood.

"Uh… Hi, Diddy!" Jenny greeted him with a smile, walking along the branch where he was.

Diddy barely looked up at her and greeted her from afar, but he didn't say anything else and didn't even care.

"Uhh... is something going on?" Jenny asked him with a little insecurity.

"No" Diddy replied without looking up and coldly.

Jenny looked at him with apparent concern, put down the vines she was carrying on the branch and went to sit next to him, to which Diddy looked at her strangely immediately and even moved away a little.

"Hey, don't worry, I won't do anything to you," Jenny said, smiling a little. "What do you have?... Is something wrong?"

"No, it's nothing," he replied, looking more away so she wouldn't see him.

"Are you sure?" Jenny asked again, showing a little worried about him. "I mean... you look kind of sad. Is something wrong with you?"

"It's nothing," Diddy reaffirmed, turning his back a little. "Don't ask me."

"Oh… Can I help you with anything?... Sure, if you need it," she said in a tone of kindness, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"No... Seriously, it's okay, thank you," Diddy insisted, still staring down.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes... Really."

Jenny was still quietly beside him silently, looking at him with some pity as she had never been seen before. Diddy, on the other hand, wanted her to leave and leave him privacy to continue venting, because likewise, it was somewhat uncomfortable to see any of his past friends again. Although the truth, that no longer mattered much to him at that time, not if the Dixie topic was what tormented his thoughts now.

"Well, but if you need anything, I could help you," Jenny added kindly, which seemed a bit strange to Diddy. "Uhh... isn't it anything about Dixie, just in case?"

At that question, Diddy couldn't help but fill his eyes with tears again, which Jenny could immediately notice and showed some compassion for him.

"No... Well, yes… I mean..." Diddy replied, hiding his face more and trying to hold back tears. "That shouldn't matter to you!"

"Oh... I'm sorry," Jenny apologized with a forced smile. "I said it because she's not here with you and it seemed strange to me, since you always hang around together... Can I ask what happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it," he replied, still not looking at her and trying to wipe his eyes. "By the way, what do you come to with that attitude?" he asked suspiciously.

"Hey, I just found you and wanted to know what was happening to you, that's all," Jenny replied, still in a kind tone, before pausing. "Uh, do you mind if I stay?... I know the terms we are with you, but... honestly, I haven't stopped caring for you, Diddy."

Diddy looked at her weirdly immediately; he was beginning to sense where the matter was going, so he put himself on alert to her.

"Okay, it doesn't matter if you don't want to tell me," Jenny said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Whatever it's, don't be sad, you'll be sure to fix it."

"No... I don't think so," Diddy replied again in disappointment and looking down. "Not after what she hid from me."

"Huh? Why? Is it something so bad?"

"Ugh! I mean, no, no... Forget it!" said Diddy after realizing he was answering the question involuntarily. "By the way, Jenny, it's not to be bad, but... I need to be alone now, please, okay?"

"Oh, okay... it's okay," Jenny replied, still smiling. Suddenly, she began to approach him as if she wanted to give him a hug. "But don't feel bad anymore, Diddy. Maybe Dixie didn't feel the same-"

"Hey, wait a minute!" Diddy exclaimed, turning away instantly and grasping her intentions.

"What? Hey, I just wanted to give you a hug to make you feel better," Jenny said in a sweet tone and got closer to him again. "Don't you want me to hug you?"

"Well, no, thank you," Diddy replied, looking at her suspiciously. "And I said I wanted to be alone now."

"But I do want to hug you, Diddy," she said with a smile and being very close to him. "Don't be shy, I want to be with-"

Diddy, now sure of those intentions, became alert again and quickly got up, but suddenly, Jenny began to stop him by holding him by the arms.

"No, no, no, Jenny! Don't think that cause of that I'm going to allow you-"

Suddenly, Jenny grabbed him by the shoulders and cornered him against the tree as she used to before. Diddy tried to push her away, but she grabbed him back by the arms.

"Jenny, no, seriously!"

"Well, but if you're feeling bad, how about... you give me a chance now, Diddy?" Jenny said with a wink. "Come on, monke-"

"No, let go of me!" Diddy exclaimed.

Diddy managed to break free and tried to get down from the tree, but Jenny caught him immediately and cornered him again in a rough way.

"No, Jenny!" Diddy exclaimed, moving away and pushing her hard... to the point of making her fall from the height of the tree.

Instantly, Jenny screamed and, as she fell to the ground, she lay on her side and didn't move.

Diddy went blank instantly realizing the defensive move he had just made. He was relieved at first... until he realized later that Jenny didn't get up... She didn't even move or make any noise; she was completely still as if she had been knocked out by the fall, even though Diddy had only pushed her away and got rid of her.

"Jenny?" he whispered to himself as he looked at her from a distance.

Diddy stood still and thoughtfully for a few seconds, before he began to be alarmed by what he did. He got down from the tree immediately and ran in the direction of Jenny in a hurry.

"Oh... No, no, no! Jenny!" Diddy exclaimed desperately, going to help her. Then, he started moving her to see if she would react. "Jenny, Jenny! D-did I push you really hard?! Forgive me, I didn't want to! It's that you also were-"

Diddy turned her over to place her on her back, when suddenly, he realized that Jenny had her eyes wide open and not blinking at all... Instantly, Diddy was paralyzed and in a strong state of shock, before he began to tremble and feel his circulation drop to his feet as he thought of the worst.

"No…" Diddy said, breathing rather agitated and desperate. "Oh, no... Oh, no! Jenny! JENNY!"

Diddy, who was recently in a deep state of broken heart, was now in severe panic and didn't know what to do now or who to turn to for help. He went back to Jenny and, in desperation, got near her to hear if she was breathing, and also took her hand pressing on her wrist to see if she had a pulse... But he didn't feel anything... Jenny didn't seem to have any signs...

"No… No, no, no, no, no, please, Jenny!" he exclaimed, shaking her to make her react. "Jenny, please, get up, say something! Jenny!"

Diddy was completely alarmed and desperately thinking about what action to take in the face of what he had just done, for the situation had become quite serious from one moment to the next.

"Jenny, speak, please, get up!" continued Diddy pleading as he shook her. "Jenny, pleas-"

But later... he suddenly noticed something he could see in Jenny's eyes that caught his attention... Although he didn't know what it was...