My grandmother, grandfather, aunt, and uncle, as well as my cousins.. were in Georgia and brought me and my middle brother these delicious treats from there.. ll try it with tea later !!! :3
Lucy was determined. If her friend was in the city, she would definitely find him. The girl had always believed that people, who were happy and hospitable, lived in Bond City, so she wasn't particularly on guard. Especially since there was no one on the street. Lucy sighed and slowly walked along the path. But before she could even take a step, someone grabbed her arm and knocked her to the ground — right into the bushes, no less.
- Hey! - Lucy jumped up sharply and punched someone in the face. With a distinct thud and a squeak, someone collapsed onto the ground beside her. She quickly wiped the dirt from her face and looked at who was in front of her. And she was utterly shocked.
It was a plush toy! And alive at that! It was a pink cat with purple spots on its body, paws, and face. It had wings, and its eyes glowed yellow, which was strange. The toy came to its senses, sat up on the ground, and eyed Lucy suspiciously.
- Whoa… - it was all Lucy could manage, as nothing else came to mind. She was in shock.
- Who are you? - the toy asked in a squeaky voice, trying to sound tougher. It stood up, stretching out on its paws and arching its back. Its fur stood on end, and its ears were flattened, as if it were about to pounce on the girl. Lucy remembered that Kenny used to do that when he sensed children or caregivers approaching.
- Uh… And who are you? - Lucy asked.
- I asked first.
- You knocked me into the bushes! That's not how you treat guests. - the girl crossed her arms.
- I've never seen you here before. Where are you from? - the cat asked, finally stopping its arching and sitting down on the ground like a regular cat.
- Uh… It's a long story.
- Do I look like I'm in a hurry? - with each phrase, the cat's voice grew more irritated and harsh. Lucy sighed and gave in.
- Fine, okay. My name is Lucinda Fate. I'm from an orphanage, but last night my cat Kenny disappeared — he went up to the attic. I followed him, and there was a portal to Bond City! And now here I am. - Lucy recounted, watching the cat closely. She noticed that as soon as she said her first and last name, the toy's eyes widened in fear.
- Wait… - he rubbed his paw across the bridge of his nose. - You… Lucinda Fate?
- Yes. - Lucy replied, not understanding the fear and anxiety in the toy's eyes.
Suddenly, the cat peeked out of the bushes, looked around, and ducked back in. He took the girl's face in his soft, warm paws and pulled her closer. His expression had turned serious. Lucy had stopped understanding anything at all.
- Listen to me carefully. - the cat said quietly, in a grave tone. - You need to get out of here immediately and never come back.
- What?! - Lucy recoiled in surprise, the cat let go of her face in shock. - Leave?! Why on earth?! I'm not going anywhere!
- You have to! - the cat shouted. - Otherwise, they might kill you!
- What? - Lucy shook her head. - Okay, first of all, who are you?
- Oh, right. - the cat forgot to introduce himself and flew up, hovering in front of the girl's face. - My name is Bucks.
- Bucks? - Lucy immediately remembered her favorite fairy tale. - And why are you a toy?
- Because many years ago I was trapped in this body! - Bucks said irritably. - I used to be an all-powerful demon, capable of making deals with those who wanted their wishes fulfilled! But in exchange, they gave me their minds and their lives. I could control their fate like a toy! And then one person came along and trapped me in this stupid plush toy! I lost all my powers! I'm forced to wander, trying to find a way to regain my form and my title…
Lucy listened carefully to the cat and almost laughed, covering her mouth with her hand.
- I can see you want to laugh. - Bucks snorted.
- But it's hilarious! - she giggled. - You're an all-powerful demon who almost destroyed Bond City! Who was that person?
Bucks remembered something and looked away at the ground. His expression became somehow saddened.
- It doesn't matter. - he abruptly landed on all four paws and turned away from the girl, planning to leave. - Get out of here and never come back.
- No! - Lucy stood up sharply and stomped her foot. - I'm not leaving! My best friend is missing, and I won't abandon him in trouble! I will find him and stay in the city of my dreams! And nothing will stop me!
Bucks stopped dead in his tracks. For a few seconds, they stood in tense silence, Bucks didn't even turn his head.
- Don't you know the legend? - he finally asked in a quiet, almost resigned tone.
- The legend? - Lucy was surprised. - About the pendants?
- No. - Bucks turned to the girl. - So you don't know. Okay, I'll tell you.
He approached the girl and sat down beside her. Lucy sat back down on the ground. She was intrigued. Bucks took a breath.
- Bond City is a magical city where everyone is happy, where all your wishes come true. The most diverse creatures in the world live here. But they all share one fear. And that fear is a legend. The legend tells of Lucinda Fate. The very one who found the pendants. The fairy tale ends on a happy note, and life in Bond City continued after it. But the fairy tale doesn't tell you that afterward, Lucinda Fate went mad from the power of the pendants. Together with her friends, who also possessed pendants, she created a cult where they worshipped the Demon Bucks.
- Meaning you?
- Meaning me. - Bucks continued calmly. - They sacrificed innocent people to me. But in the end, the Angel of Bond City learned about the secret cult and destroyed its members. However, before she died, Lucinda gave me her life in exchange for fulfilling her wish. And her wish was for Bond City to be sealed behind a barrier again, and for the pendants to disappear from this city forever.
Lucy suddenly became surprised.
- Wait, so Bond City isn't in another universe? You're saying Bond City actually exists on our planet?
- Yes. - the cat nodded. - Bond City exists in the real world, but it's cut off from the outside world by a barrier. Where the city now stands, there's only desert. That's what people from the outside world see. And those inside the city see only the barrier.
The girl was in shock — and happy. Bond City really wasn't fiction! It existed, and she was right inside it!
- But why can't I be here?
- After the cult was destroyed, many years passed. A few years ago, someone returned and revived the cult. The Angel of Bond City destroyed it again, but was wounded in the process. And the cult leader made a wish to me again — to make the legend she told come true. And the legend says that one day Lucinda Fate will return to Bond City. She will return to find someone she lost here, someone very dear to her, someone for whom she would spare no living creature and, if necessary, kill everyone. She will come, and then darkness will engulf our city. And we will never escape this prison, becoming captives of the darkness.
Silence fell. Lucy was processing the information, growing more and more astonished. Could she really be that Lucy? So Bucks had fulfilled the wish.
- Well, I don't think you should be afraid of a seven-year-old child. - Lucy shrugged, grinning foolishly. - Besides, I'm a pacifist and I don't intend to hurt anyone.
- You think the residents will listen to you? - Bucks asked sarcastically, raising one eyebrow. - They don't care what you say to them. For them, the main enemy is Lucinda Fate — meaning you. And they will do anything to get rid of you by any means necessary. And it doesn't matter how old you are.
Lucy swallowed. She definitely hadn't expected this level of intensity on her first day in the city of her dreams.
- B-But… Kenny… I can't leave him. He's my best friend. My first and only one. He's my family. - Lucy said pitifully. - What if something horrible happened to him, and I'm just sitting here chatting with you in the bushes?
- Hm… - Bucks suddenly thought. And then an idea came to him. - You know, I have a better plan, and you won't have to leave.
Lucy looked at the cat with interest.
- Here's the thing: I'll stay with you, and together we'll look for this Kenny of yours. - Bucks said. - And so that no one finds out the legend is coming true, we'll change your name!
- Name?
- Yes! Just don't tell anyone you're Lucinda — that's all! Make up another name!
- What about my last name?
- You're from an orphanage — just say you don't remember it. Simple!
The girl thought. It was actually a good plan. No one would try to kill her, and she'd be able to explore the city and find her friend.
- Fine, you've convinced me. - Lucy extended her hand to the cat, and he shook it. - Then let's move out right now!
Lucy hurried out of the bushes, and Bucks flew out after her. They looked at the nighttime city.
- So, where do we start? - asked Bucks.
- First, we need to find a library. We can print out missing posters for Kenny there. - Lucy replied, and the cat agreed with her.
They finally entered the city. Their journey had begun.
100 days until freedom.
June 5, 2016
Three o’clock in the morning…
- Hey, where did you get that pendant? - Bucks suddenly asked, poking his paw at Lucy's pendant. He'd been flying in the air beside her the whole time, since he didn't like walking.
- Huh? - she looked at the pendant. - My mom gave it to me… When I was a baby… It's the last memory I have of her, so I always wear it…
- And… How did you… End up in the orphanage? - Bucks asked cautiously, as if afraid of hurting Lucy's feelings, which was a bit surprising. He was the Great Demon of Life, and suddenly he's showing sympathy? A Demon?
- Mom gave me away. I don't know why. I don't remember my dad at all, and my mom I barely remember. I remember she used to wear a beautiful white dress, she had gorgeous long hair, and her face… But I don't remember her face at all. I also remember she smelled of blueberries. And she loved eating blueberry pastries. And I remember her voice. I wonder why she wasn't a singer. But since she gave me away, I never saw her again.
Lucy drifted into her memories, staring dreamily at the night sky. She noticed that the sky was nothing like what she'd seen in the orphanage courtyard. This sky was dark, dotted with white crystals that illuminated the city. They made the sky look like the one outside the sealed city. She wondered: what was the sun like here? Or did these crystals serve as the sun, too?
Bucks stared intently at the pendant and studied Lucy's appearance, not daring to interrupt her. The girl noticed his strange look.
- What?
- Oh, nothing… - Bucks shook his head. - It's just that your pendant looks a lot like the Pendants of Friendship.
- The Pendants of Friendship? - Lucy had never heard that name before.
- Yes. Lucinda Fate called those lost pendants that. Supposedly, they unite people into a single force against a common threat. And only by combining the pendants themselves can the barrier be destroyed.
- Well, I don't think my mom had one of those pendants. - Lucy chuckled.
As soon as the two turned a corner, they were met with an unexpected surprise. In this alley were three teenagers. One of them — a brown-haired guy in glasses — was sitting on the lid of a trash can, swinging his leg boredly, looking only at it. The second — a curly blonde in a beanie — was passionately telling something to his friends, not even noticing the girl. And the third — a dark-haired guy with tanned skin — was smoking a cigarette and listening to his friend's story. Only he noticed the uninvited guest. Bucks immediately dropped to the ground, pretending to be a lifeless toy. Lucy quickly picked him up and looked at the guys again.
- Well-well! - the dark-haired guy laughed loudly, interrupting his friend. - Look who we have here — a guest!
The guy grinned maliciously and took a few steps toward the girl, crossing his arms and holding his cigarette between his teeth. His eyes showed anger and a desire to do something unpleasant to Lucy.
The blonde stared in surprise at Lucy, then at the dark-haired guy, slowly realizing what his buddy was planning. And the brown-haired guy just looked at the dark-haired one indifferently, still swinging his leg.
- Sweetheart, what are you doing wandering around at night? - the guy's grin widened, his eyes narrowing in a sly smirk. He came up close to the girl and leaned right over her. Lucy was small for her age, so the dark-haired guy was two or three head taller than her.
- Uh… W-Well… I-I'm looking for my cat… - Lucy swallowed, hugging Bucks as if for the last time.
- Kyle, leave her alone. - said the brown-haired guy in the same indifferent, almost emotionless voice. It felt as if he had no emotions at all.
- Dude, don't scare her! - the blonde walked up to the dark-haired guy and put a hand on his shoulder.
- Come on, I'm not some kind of sadist. - the guy chuckled, stepping away from the blonde, removing his hand from his shoulder.
- Honestly, you really do act like the one. - the blonde said, giving his friend a disapproving look.
- Shut up! - the dark-haired guy waved his hand at his friend and turned back to Lucy. - Looking for a cat, you say? What does it look like?
- W-Well, he's golden, with green eyes and a red bow on his neck! - Lucy rattled off quickly. - Have you seen him?
- Hm… - the blonde thought, then shook his head. - No, sorry, kid.
- Listen, where are you from? Where are your parents? I don't remember seeing you in the city… - asked the brown-haired guy with the same indifferent expression.
- Ah… I'm not from this city… I'm from an orphanage. - Lucy lowered her head.
- From an orphanage? So your parents abandoned you? - the dark-haired guy sneered, leaning toward the girl.
She flinched from the flood of memories.
- Yes…
- I wonder why?
- I don't know…
- Maybe because you're a terrible child? Or stupid, ugly, clumsy, with hands growing from the wrong place?
- Kyle, stop! - the blonde tried to shut his friend up, but it was too late.
- Maybe you were born by accident? Maybe your mom didn't want you to be born? She probably hated you.
Lucy lowered her head so they wouldn't see the tears welling up. But the dark-haired guy sensed his humiliation was working.
- Oh, so you're a crybaby too! - the dark-haired guy laughed. - Of course, who needs a kid who can't even stand up for herself?!
- Kyle… - said the brown-haired guy, looking in the opposite direction of the alley. A hint of fear appeared on his face, and his voice trembled slightly.
But Kyle didn't see or hear anything. He took Lucy by the chin, lifted her head toward him, and blew cigarette smoke in her face, grinning wickedly.
- Your mom did the right thing by getting rid of you.
Hot tears rolled down Lucy's cheeks. She could barely hold back from sobbing, staring fearfully at the guy.
- Kyle!
Suddenly, something glowing flew into the dark-haired guy, clearly causing him pain, as he cried out and fell to the asphalt. Lucy and Bucks glanced at each other and stepped back a couple of paces.
- Kyle, damn it! - the blonde ran to his friend. The dark-haired guy quickly stood up and turned toward where the ball had come from — and his expression changed from angry to frightened.
Not far from them stood a woman with an impenetrable gaze. The crystals in the sky illuminated her figure, her purple eyes seemed to glow, radiating anger toward the guys, and her hair billowed in a sudden gust of wind. In one hand, she held a glowing fireball. Lucy realized that was what had been thrown at the dark-haired guy. But the most striking detail about the woman's appearance was the large, dark, demonic wings behind her back and the small dark horns on her head. So this woman was a demon.
- Would you be so kind… - the woman spoke. Her voice was loud, threatening, and incredibly beautiful. - As to tell me what you're doing out on the street at this late hour?
- G-Good night, Madame Diana! - the blonde said unusually loudly, nervous. - W-We just couldn't sleep, so we decided to take a walk!
- Just a walk? Then why is this little girl in tears? - the woman pointed at Lucy, who had actually stopped crying, but the tear tracks remained on her cheeks. She glanced at Bucks again.
- Actually, Kyle was the only one who started bullying the girl. We tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen and kept insulting her. - said the brown-haired guy, returning to his stony demeanor and expression.
The woman shifted her gaze from the brown-haired guy to the frightened dark-haired one.
- I expected nothing less. - the woman shrugged and approached the guys. The fireball grew even larger. The guys felt that something bad was about to happen, especially the dark-haired one. Lucy hugged Bucks tighter, and he pressed himself against the girl. This lady knew how to intimidate. - Now listen to me carefully. If I ever see any of you bullying anyone, at any time of day, believe me, I won't leave you alone. Is that clear?
The blonde and the dark-haired guy quickly nodded, unlike the brown-haired one, who calmly nodded as if unafraid.
- Now get out of here.
The woman's voice sounded very harsh, grim, and truly demonic. The dark-haired and the blonde dashed past her and ran away, while the brown-haired guy calmly stood up from the trash can and walked after his friends. The woman watched them go, then turned to Lucy.
- Hey, little one, it's okay. - the woman crouched down and gave the girl a warm smile. Now her appearance had changed again. Her eyes radiated sympathy and kindness, her voice became soft and quiet, almost soothing. - Don't be scared.
Lucy finally got a closer look at the woman. She was quite young, with pale skin, long dark blue hair, purple eyes, small dark horns on her head, a hairpin with a black flower and blue beads that looked like blueberries, a black choker around her neck, a beautiful dark blue dress with bare shoulders adorned with various beads and rhinestones, a black belt at her waist, matching gloves, dark stockings, and lovely boots. Behind her back were large dark demon wings, and she also had a beautiful long demonic tail. She smelled of blueberries.
- Did they hurt you? - Diana asked, worriedly examining Lucy. The girl stood frozen, staring at her face.
Mom…
Why did this woman look so much like her? The same hair, the same eyes… The same smell, the same voice. The same manner. Lucy knew her mother couldn't possibly be here. It must have been a wonderful coincidence.
She was snapped out of her stupor by Bucks, who discreetly nudged her with his paw, and the girl returned to reality.
- I'm L… - Bucks quickly nudged the girl in the stomach, reminding her of their plan. - Uh… I'm… Anya! My name is Anya!
A flicker of something passed through the woman's eyes, and her smile faded for a second. A flicker of memories — very painful and tragic ones. But it was only a fleeting spark, and the woman smiled again.
- Anya? What a wonderful name! My name is Diana. - Diana's voice was as tender as if she were singing. - Tell me, Anya, what are you doing here? Where are your parents?
- Well… - "Anya" hesitated but decided to tell the truth. - I don't have parents. I'm from an orphanage. Tonight, my cat Kenny went up to the attic and disappeared. I went looking for him, and in the attic there was a portal to this city. I think Kenny is somewhere here too.
Diana was surprised.
- So you're from the outside world?
- Yes.
Then Diana looked at the toy. It looked familiar to her.
- And where did you get that toy?
- I-I found it on the way, thought it was cute. - Lucy said, glancing at the smiling, frozen face of the toy.
- I see… Listen, it's quite cold outside. How about coming to my place? - Diana smiled again and extended her hand to the girl. - I promise I won't hurt you. And tomorrow we'll start looking for your pet. So, what do you say?
She was reaching out her hand to Lucy, smiling warmly. The girl knew for sure she wasn't lying. This was better than being stuck outside. Lucy slowly approached the woman and took her hand. Diana gently pulled the girl closer, and a spark of happiness appeared in her eyes. She stood up to her full height, holding Lucy's hand.
- Come on, my home isn't far.
Four o’clock in the morning…
Lucy sat with Diana in the kitchen, and they chatted pleasantly. As it turned out, Diana was the queen of Bond City, and everyone adored and respected her. She was trying to find a way to destroy the barrier, but all attempts so far had been futile. Lucy had begun to suspect she was some kind of queen as soon as she entered her house. Well, "house" — more like a huge castle with lots of guards and servants. Only there was no crown on her head. It turned out she just didn't like wearing it, which the girl found rather odd.
Diana was very kind to the girl, as if she were her own daughter. Diana decided to feed Lucy and asked what she'd like.
- Hm… Could I have some blueberry pastries then? - Lucy decided to make her dream a reality.
- Of course! - Diana smiled and stood up from the table, heading to the kitchen.
The whole castle was colorful and decorated with everything imaginable, both outside and inside. Lucy couldn't take her eyes off the walls and furniture. Soft sofas, chairs, a golden table, dishes, paintings, a portrait of Diana, potted flowers… This was a thousand times better than her rotten orphanage.
- Oh my god, I never thought pretending to be lifeless would be so hard… - Bucks finally spoke, sitting on Lucy's lap. - Okay, what's the plan now? When are we looking for your Kenny?
- Well… - Lucy thought. - I'm worried about Kenny… Ms. Diana wants to start searching tomorrow, but what if he needs help right now?
- Lucy, calm down. - Bucks replied. - Someone kidnapped your Kenny, that's for sure. And they didn't do it on a whim — they knew you were Lucinda. And they won't touch your cat until you find him.
- But why do they need me?
- I don't know. The legend doesn't say anything about that. But first, you need to sleep and regain your strength.
- Pastries are ready! - Diana came out of the kitchen, holding a plate of treats. Bucks immediately stopped moving, making a cute toy face again.
The queen placed the plate on the table, closer to Lucy, and sat down beside her, watching the girl's reaction. A spark of happiness lit up in Lucy's eyes, she looked at the fresh buns with appetite and delight. She took one bun and felt the warmth of fresh baking, warming her cold, pale hands.
- Thank you so much! - Lucy smiled, taking a bite. Oh, she had never eaten anything so sweet and delicious… Actually, she had never eaten anything like this in her life! The blueberries were so sweet and soft! This was the best treat she had ever tasted.
This was the best day of her life.
Diana watched with interest as Lucy ate the pastries and couldn't help but wonder: had they been fed so poorly at the orphanage that she ate with such relish?
- Hey, Annie… - the demoness spoke, drawing Lucy's attention. - Did you have a sister?
- Hm? - Lucy looked at the woman in surprise. - No… Why do you ask?
- Well, you just look like a girl I knew… The same face. - Diana said somewhat sadly, looking down at the table.
- Who was that girl? - Lucy asked.
- Oh, it doesn't matter anymore. - Diana waved it off somewhat abruptly and strangely. - I'll tell you about her, but later, okay? It's just… I don't want to fill your head with unnecessary information right now! We have more important things to do, don't we?
Lucy suspected something was off. Why didn't she want to talk about this girl?
- Here's your tea, Madame. - a servant approached them, carrying a tray with two cups of tea.
- Thank you! - she smiled as the servant placed the tea for the queen and the girl and left.
Lucy thought. Maybe she really didn't need to know about the girl who looked like her yet. She had more important problems right now…
Five o’clock in the morning…
- Come on, dear, I'll take you to your new room. - Diana smiled, extending her hand with a perfect manicure to the girl. Lucy took it, and they walked along a breathtaking corridor adorned with various patterns and expensive furniture. They finally reached an equally ornate door.
- This is your new room. Make yourself at home. - the woman stroked the girl's head. - You can use anything you need here. And if you have any problems or questions, don't hesitate to come to me.
With those words, Diana walked back the way they came, leaving Lucy and Bucks alone. They entered the room. It was quite childlike and beautiful. A carpet lay on the floor, various toys were scattered on it, a small bed stood in the corner with a lamp beside it. The wallpaper in this room was blue. Lucy didn't even think about why this room existed in the queen's castle, she was so happy, she closed the door and began examining everything in it.
Half past five in the morning…
Lucy lay in bed hugging Bucks, who had initially resisted but eventually gave in and fell asleep. Diana had given the girl an entire room that had clearly belonged to another child before, since toys were scattered here and there, clothes hung in the closet, and the furniture was clearly meant for a child. Lucy realized this was a boy's room. But who was this boy and where was he? Why wasn't he in this room? If he were in the castle, Lucy would have definitely seen him, since they'd walked through the entire queen's mansion.
The girl was also worried about the unexpected turn in her life. She had suddenly ended up in the city of her dreams and still couldn't believe what had happened. And she was also worried about Kenny. Where was he? How was he? Was he being mistreated? Was he being fed? Was he okay? And then there was this queen, who looked so much like Lucy's mother. But Diana clearly saw Lucy for the first time, so she couldn't be the same person. The girl lay on her back, hugging the sleeping toy. She needed to sleep. Tomorrow would be a new day. And tomorrow she would figure everything out. Lucy closed her eyes and immediately fell asleep.
…
- Annie? - Diana sat up in bed and looked at me. Her bedroom was huge and beautiful, the bed was royal-sized, and the queen herself was wearing a white nightgown. She was rubbing the sleep from her eyes, trying to understand what was going on. Her room was quite dark, but light streamed in through the door I had opened. I took a step toward her.
- Annie, why aren't you sleeping? - Diana smiled, rubbing her eyes and smiling at me. I didn't answer and took another step toward her. And then another. Then I walked around the bed, approaching the queen from the left side.
- Anya? - Diana was surprised when I didn't answer. - Anya, are you okay? Did you have a nightmare?
Diana kept smiling warmly. Only now did she notice that I was hiding something behind my back. And that something glinted wickedly in the darkness of the room.
- Anya? What's that you have?
I finally lifted my head and looked her in the eyes. Diana flinched slightly at my gaze. A soulless gaze, expressing neither happiness, nor anger, nor sadness. My pink eyes seemed to glow in the darkness, showing no human emotion. And then I stopped hiding the object behind my back and showed it to the queen. Her eyes filled with fear and primal terror. A kitchen knife gleamed in my hands.
- Anya? - Diana asked in a trembling voice. That was the last thing she managed to say. The next second, I lunged at her, swinging the knife.
Silence fell, filled only by Diana's screams of pain and terror and the thuds of the knife.
Seven o’clock in the morning…
Lucy abruptly sat up in bed, breathing heavily. She wanted to scream but quickly covered her mouth with her hands. Sweat poured down her face. Breathing was somehow becoming harder, not easier. Her vision began to swim and darken. She wanted to just lose consciousness, but her fevered brain wouldn't let her. An unpleasant feeling appeared in her stomach, and a wave of pain shot through her head. Diana's fading screams still echoed in the room.
- Lucy? - the girl felt a warm, soft paw on her knee and looked at worried Bucks. - Lucy?
Seeing her in such a state, he settled on her knees and lay down, pressing closer to her. After a few seconds, the girl began to feel better. The sweat stopped, her lungs seemed to have been freed of some weight, her vision gradually returned, and the screaming finally faded. Then Lucy felt completely better and came to her senses.
- Thank you… - she whispered, stroking Bucks.
- What happened? - he asked, still worried.
- I had a nightmare.
- About what?
- Well… A very strange and confusing one. In it, I killed Ms. Diana. - she replied. - I don't know why I suddenly dreamt that. I've never had anything like that before.
Bucks thought.
- Maybe you're just overtired today. Plus, you ended up in a different city, a new environment. - Bucks suggested. However, he seemed to be holding something back, as if the cause of the nightmare was something else. But Lucy didn't press him and decided to agree with his assumption.
- Maybe you're right… Sorry for waking you.
- It's okay. Let's go back to sleep. - Bucks yawned, climbed off the girl's lap, and settled beside her. Lucy nodded and lay back down, covering herself and the cat with the blanket. It was just a nightmare.
Noon…
In the morning, Lucy woke up well rested and had pancakes with condensed milk for breakfast. It's too good to be true! For the first time in years, Lucy felt full. She also wanted to feed Bucks while Diana wasn't looking, but it turned out that toys didn't need food to survive. Lucy also tried to ask the queen about the owner of the room she'd spent the night in, but she didn't get a proper answer. Diana said she had a nephew who had grown up and moved into a separate house. Of course, the girl didn't believe it — it was too silly and made-up on the spot. But if so, why didn't Diana want to tell the truth?
After breakfast, they went to the library to print out missing posters for Kenny. And then Lucy forgot about all her problems.
Bond City was just as magical and fairy-tale-like as in the books, only in reality it was even more colorful and joyful! Few people paid attention to Diana, since she walked through the city every day and everyone was used to her, only a few people greeted her. But Diana didn't mind, since she knew everyone respected her. Lucy walked beside the queen, holding her hand, with Bucks in her other hand like a toy, and her eyes darted everywhere. The residents looked friendly and kind, some even greeted the girl. The city was rich with various shops and kiosks, the residents' houses were colorful and beautiful, the crystals in the sky shone incredibly bright, like the sun, birds flew and sang, life was bustling and never stood still. Almost no one in this city lacked anything. Everyone was truly happy, even despite the confinement.
Upon entering the library, the queen was greeted, and Lucy headed to the printer. She looked at the paper she'd been holding the whole time. On it was a photo of Kenny, which the girl always carried with her, and the missing poster itself — what he looked like, where he was last seen, and so on. Lucy sighed and approached the printer.
- Cute toy. - a guy sitting nearby at a computer, busy with something, suddenly said. He looked away from the screen and turned to the girl with a smile. - Where did you find it?
Lucy turned to the guy and smiled warmly at him, since he seemed harmless and as good-natured as all the residents of this town.
- Oh, I found it in the bushes. - she replied, inserting the poster into the printer. - I thought maybe I'd find its owner and return it.
- Good luck with that. - the guy smiled again, but that smile seemed somehow… Sour to the girl. - By the way, are you new here? I haven't seen you before.
- Oh, yes, my name is Anya! - "Anya" extended her hand to the guy.
- Sean Cooper. - Sean smiled and shook the girl's hand.
Sean Cooper was a young programmer and a carefree guy. He was 15. He had fair skin, dark hair, dark green eyes, a dark purple beanie, a dark green hoodie with short, double gray-dark sleeves, a cross hanging on his chest, jeans, black socks, and red-and-white sneakers.
He was kind, lazy, calm, sensible, and levelheaded. Along with his friends, he got into various adventures and dangers, from which he was the one who pulled them out. Sean's hobby was programming. He knew his way around computers, and with his skills, he could already go and make a movie.
- Did you lose a cat? - Sean noticed the posters printing and asked.
- Yes… His name is Kenny. - Lucy replied sadly. - You haven't seen him by any chance?
- Hm… - Sean looked closely at the photo of the kitten. - Nope, sorry, haven't seen him.
Lucy sighed wearily.
- Hey, don't worry, he'll definitely show up. - the guy tried to cheer her up. - It's not that easy to get lost in our city.
He chuckled at the last line. And Lucy felt a little better.
- So you're from the outside world, right? - Sean guessed. - We've been living behind a barrier for so many years that at least we know each other's faces well. But I've never seen you before.
- Yes, last night Kenny ran up to the attic, and there was a portal to the city there. - the girl shrugged.
- That's strange. - Sean was surprised. - Where do these portals come from, especially in the most unexpected places?
- I don't know. Tell me, is there anyone else in Bond City who also came from the outside world?
- I'm not very sociable, and even if there are such people here, they try to hide it. Although it's pretty hard to hide that, so I don't think there are others like you in the city. - Sean shrugged.
- Why do they hide it?
- You know the legend of Lucinda Fate?
Again with that. Lucy nodded.
- Everyone is afraid of her arrival, so they hide it.
- I see… - Lucy noticed the posters had finished printing. - I think I need to go.
- Hey, do you need help putting up the posters? - Sean asked. - I'm tired of sitting around here anyway.
- Of course I do! Thank you! - Lucy was glad she'd already found a friend in this city.
A pretty good start. Lucy hoped things would only get better from here.
Ten in the evening…
All day long, Lucy, Diana, and Sean put up flyers about the missing cat, talked to several city residents, took a walk, and had a great time together. Sean turned out to be a cheerful and kind guy who was into programming. He could even hack any website. Besides that, Lucy wanted to walk around not just one district of the city, where Diana lived, named "Quinn Street" in honor of the queen. Her last name was, in fact, Quinn. Lucy wanted to walk around today too, but Diana was too worried about the girl and wouldn't let her go alone. Diana promised she would travel the entire city with Lucy, but the girl had slightly different plans that didn't include the woman. She wanted to thoroughly explore the city with Bucks, including the forests and other strange, perhaps even creepy, places. If Diana came with them, she wouldn't let the girl do any of that.
But how to carry out the plan then?
That night, Lucy didn't sleep at all, which couldn't be said for Bucks. And while she lay there, a brilliant plan formed in her head.
- Bucks! - she started waking the cat, nudging him. - Bucks, wake up!
- U-U-Urgh, is it morning already? - Bucks yawned, not even opening his eyes.
- We're leaving. - she said, packing things into a small yellow backpack she'd found in the unknown boy's room.
- What?! - Bucks almost shouted, instantly waking up and staring at the girl in shock.
- Sh-h, don't yell! - Lucy stuffed a rag into the toy's mouth, which he immediately spat out. - Ms. Diana won't let me go alone, so we need to run away.
- Run away?! What's your plan, exactly?!
- Don't yell! - Lucy shushed him while packing things. - We sneak out of the castle, spend the night at Sean's, and in the morning we go looking for Kenny.
- Did you forgot that Diana is the queen of Bond City and she'll find us in a matter of hours? - Bucks said.
- I know, I know. But if we hide well, she definitely won't find us! - Lucy smiled, putting a little hat on Bucks. Bucks sighed, seeing his friend's determination, and decided to trust her.
- Fine, okay. If you're so sure, let's risk it. - he gave in.
- Great! - Lucy hugged Bucks, and then he hid in the backpack.
The girl put on her backpack and left a note she'd written earlier for the queen on the table, where she'd be sure to see it.
"I'm sorry for the sudden escape, Ms. Quinn, but unfortunately, I can't stay with you. My friend Kenny is in great danger — I can feel it — and I must save him as soon as possible. If I don't find him, not only will I lose hope: Bond City will lose hope too. I know you haven't told me a lot, and I don't know why. I know that something happened to the boy whose room I stayed in — something terrible that you don't want to remember. And I know I remind you of another girl, whom something also happened to. I'd like to know what happened to them and where they are now, but apparently, the time hasn't come yet. Please understand me — I'm not doing any of this out of malice, on the contrary, I want to help make everyone happy! I only want good for this world. But there are things that it's better for you not to know about me yet, because you won't be able to understand me. You'll find out everything — but later. There's something I lied to you about, and I'm very sorry I had to deceive you and others. Nevertheless, I ask only one thing of you, and I really hope for your understanding. Please don't look for me, don't send guards after me, don't put out a wanted notice for me, don't try to find me yourself. All those actions will only make things worse. Don't worry about me — I'll be fine, I can always defend myself, and I'll definitely find Kenny! And as soon as I do, I'll come back to you! And then we can make everyone happy! Then everyone will be free!
With kind regards, Annie."
The girl slowly opened the door and looked around. No one. She stepped into the corridor and slowly walked down the stairs. No one here either. The guards were mostly outside, but Lucy knew how to get around them.
The thing was, the castle also had a back exit, which also had guards, but there was nothing much to guard there, so they just slept. Using this information, which Lucy had gotten from Bucks, who had flown around the castle that day, the girl ran into the forest.
- Now we need to get into the city itself. - Lucy whispered to herself, when suddenly Bucks flew out of the backpack and stopped her.
- Wait! - he said, pulling Lucy deeper into the forest.
- Bucks? What are you doing? - she asked.
- Follow me, I want to show you an awesome place! - Bucks smiled, there was a spark of interest in his eyes. Lucy decided they had enough time and followed the flying cat.
- Is it far?
- Nope.
They ran for a fairly short time, about five minutes, branches occasionally hit the girl in the face, the cool night wind played with her hair, and finally they came out of the forest. And then Lucy saw the most beautiful sight in the world.
Emerging from the dense, dark forest, Lucy saw a vast valley before her. On this valley was everything Mother Nature could offer! Beautiful, tall trees stood in the valley, with wonderful colorful leaves on their branches: pink, green, blue, yellow, some two-toned, three-toned, gradient, or even rainbow! Various plants delighted the eye, emitting a pleasant scent of flowers, forest, and nature, the flowers were also multicolored and of various species, the incredibly green grass grew slowly here, caring for nothing. It was clear that people didn't touch this valley for their own purposes. And how could anyone touch such beauty? Lucy noticed that in the center of the entire rainbow valley stood the largest tree, on whose branches grew colorful leaves.
Besides trees and flowers, a small river flowed through here, with fish and other aquatic animals calmly swimming in it. Speaking of animals, walking with Bucks through the valley, Lucy managed to see many cute creatures, including squirrels, small bears, foxes, bunnies, beavers, hedgehogs, raccoons, capybaras, and chipmunks. They were all harmless and friendly, some even shy, hiding in their burrows and dens when the girl approached. Even despite the deep, crystal-clear night, a few birds were singing their lullabies, just begging you to lie down under one of the trees and fall asleep to their melodies. At first, Lucy only saw owls in the trees, but the birds seemed to sense the visitor's presence and immediately emerged from their hiding places, perching on the branches and curiously examining the girl. So she realized that this valley was also home to woodpeckers, cuckoos, nightingales, hazel grouses, ducks, geese, swans, chaffinches, sparrows, and pigeons. From the river, pairs of curious eyes also peeked out, belonging to platypuses, turtles, frogs, and goldfish. Butterflies flew peacefully in the air, dancing in a sort of dance, a small army of ants emerged from their anthill, examining the guest, and a lone toad slowly and lazily walked through the grass, not at all surprised by the girl. The animals lived here happily, just like Bond City.
- So, what do you think? - Bucks asked, sitting down under that huge tree.
- You're still asking? This is simply unimaginable! The eighth wonder of the world! - Lucy exclaimed enthusiastically, sitting down next to Bucks. It was worth noting that blueberries grew on the trees in this valley, which the girl immediately noticed. - This is where the residents get their blueberries, right?
- Yep. - Bucks said, opening a bush and picking a couple of berries, handing them to the girl while eating one himself. Lucy touched the oak leaves and noted that they were very soft and silky. - The residents named it Blueberry Valley. People often come here to relax and enjoy nature. When I found this place, I almost lived here. This is what I call true paradise.
And Lucy agreed with him. It truly was a paradise. She ate a few berries and looked up at the crystal sky. The blueberry pastries that Diana had treated her to for the first time didn't overshadow the wonderful taste of the berries. Only now did she notice that butterflies weren't the only things flying in the air. Something shiny and bright was flying around, leaving a bit of pollen behind. These glowing things flew all over the valley, landing on flowers or hiding in the trees.
- What are those? - she pointed at the flying things, but she immediately got an answer, as one of them flew up to the girl's face, examining her. It was a fairy.
- Those are fairies. They live in the oak tree we're sitting under. - noticing Lucy's surprise, Bucks smirked, sprawling on the grass and sighing languidly. - And there are gnomes here too. They're pretty cute, but for some reason they're mean to me.
- Wow! Real fairies! - the girl couldn't believe it. One fairy in a green dress landed on her finger, smiling. The books had never mentioned Blueberry Valley, let alone fairies and gnomes! The girl saw one of the gnomes emerge from a small wooden house on the ground and approach her, looking at her curiously. He had a tall red hat and tiny eyes. Then the girl noticed that there were tons of such houses all over the valley. Looking closely at the oak, Lucy saw that deep between the leaves and the growing blueberries, small houses were visible, along with their owners, who were either sleeping in the houses, coming out to look at the traveler, or admiring the nighttime view of the valley from their windows.
And Lucy admired it too. She had never seen such beauty anywhere before. Then the girl realized one important thing. This was the one thing Bond City could truly admire. And the residents took care of this valley. Fate didn't want them to be afraid of her because of a stupid legend, but what if she destroyed the barrier and freed the city? Then no one would have to lie anymore, and Bond City would not only show the world true paradise, but the world would share its own beauties with it!
Lucy turned to Bucks to share her idea but found he was already asleep. The girl couldn't help but chuckle and lay down on the grass beside him, hugging her friend and curling up. Crickets chirped melodiously in the night silence, complemented by the sound of the river and the birds' lullabies. This place was a home for everyone, and no one minded sharing it with others. Sharing it with those who would take care of this valley, because it was their common home.
