Then I'll let you pet me, Lil C. bargained.
-No, no! the cat yelped. -I take care of my fur myself—carefully licking and preparing it for the dog beauty contest!
-How would they even let you in? the twins gasped.
-Easy. The huge cat snorted, sat down, and scratched behind his ear. -I'll tell the judges I've got Pekingese blood. And I'll win the grand prize—because I'll be the only cat there. And who doesn't love cats?
-Genius! You've thought of everything, Lil C. agreed. -Can you hand us the aquarium?
-I can—though it's not exactly convenient with paws.
From the ongoing concert came Mami's wild shout:
-Obedience and discipline above all… except the chorus! Yee-haw!
And Pom-Pom bellowed back in support:
-Mami, Mami—I'm Yummy, Yummy!
Fumbling, the cat finally managed to clutch the glass tank. Yuki's heart nearly stopped each time it wobbled, looking ready to crash, but at last he passed the now shrunken aquarium safely into her hands.
The twins shook the cat's paw gratefully and rushed back to the girl, who sat as still as before. Placing the aquarium in front of her, they held their breath…
-It will never break again. It'll always be with me. Only you, Tanti, love to hear my voice. Everyone else yells and scolds me, but you never judge. The girl stroked the glass gently and began to sing a tender lullaby.
That same melody carried into reality. The children found themselves smiling as they watched the woman happily singing into her broom handle, lost in the joy of her own performance. She was radiant, overflowing with happiness—until a neighbor shouted from the next yard:
-Catty, could you keep it down?! My grandkids are trying to nap!
The singer startled, grabbed her things, and bolted into the house as fast as she could.
The twins exchanged looks. Yuki sighed bitterly.
-Everything we try goes sideways. We want to help, but it turns out the opposite. What kind of noble soul-savers are we?
-Not noble, Lil C. shrugged. -But we're just learning. So, leave comments below on what we should improve and how we should interact with people and pastries.
-Who are you even talking to? Yuki asked. -You really think anyone besides me will watch your new channel called Lil C.?
-Dad will! the boy said proudly. -And I'll get Mami and Pom-Pom to subscribe too.
-Fine. Let's just go home. Our work really isn't sticking today.
The Fourth Fix
They turned around and… the first thing that caught their eyes was the most exquisite forest in the world. Not of pines or oaks, but of lollipops the size of ten-story buildings. Each one was sugared to glassy transparency, with rainbow veins glimmering inside like marble. It seemed that if you dared to lick one, your tongue would freeze solid to this candy dream forever.
Between the candy pillars loomed statues of stone pit bulls: some snarled, some yawned, but all of them occasionally puffed out thin streams of flame—just to set the mood.
A gentle breeze tiptoed through the clearing, brushing against the children's hair—then shrieked in fright and fled, leaving behind the prints of transparent feet scampering away across the air.
Yuki tucked her blue strand behind her ear and gazed in awe at the new sight.
As for Lil C.—well, no surprise what caught his attention. He sniffed at the cocktail of burnt sugar, toothpaste, and the faintly tragic smell of his school cafeteria. His mind was already made up: like a seasoned mountaineer, he was ready to scale the nearest lollipop and camp at its summit for a good ten days, minimum.
And there was water too—in glorious abundance. At the center of the forest towered a stone fountain shaped like a giant soda bottle, higher than both the candy and the stone dogs. From its spout gushed that sacred drink—the very one that made Lil C.'s throat instantly go dry.
-This place is perfect… he breathed dreamily.
-Yes, unbelievably beautiful, Yuki admitted. -But why did we land inside someone's subconscious without meaning to? Normally the gum sticks to our eyelids first, and we start in the waiting room.
-So many questions! Why think when you're in the middle of the best fantasy yet?
-Because we need to know if this place is dangerous. Yuki frowned—but even she was soon swept up by the wonder, following her brother deeper into the forest.
From behind a towering candy stick came the whirr of a hoverboard, and out rolled a familiar wool cap. The inseparable duo was back: Mami and Pom-Pom, hotly debating the superior place to bathe—under open skies or indoors.
-A fountain's way better than a bathtub, Pom-Pom declared. -You can rinse off, drink, and admire the view—all in whatever order you like.
-Absolutely not, colleague, Mami retorted. -Civilization invented the bathroom—complete with tub or shower—for a reason: maximum function, with every tool at hand.
-I've got that too! Pom-Pom raised his arms skyward. A tiny cloud appeared, sprinkling rain over his head. From it also tumbled shower gel, a loofah, and shampoo, landing neatly in his hands. -Watch how amazing it is to bathe in the rain.