Akiko is questing! Episode 1/25

“Oh what a lovely day.” thought Bambi to herself. “I cannot wait to get busy in the kitchen. I do love cooking and baking. It so destresses me. I planted so many carrots this spring I think I might make my carrot parmesan for dinner tonight served over a bed of zucchini linguine."

Bambi hopped out to her garden and much to her dismay, “My carrots! Where are all my carrots? All I see here are mushrooms!”

Akiko is questing! Episode 2/25

“No! No! No! This cannot be right! I know I planted garden heirloom carrots! They were to be red and orange. Even purple! Not mushrooms! I don't even like mushrooms! However am I to make my parmesan now?”

As far as Bambi could see there were mushrooms in her garden. No other veggies were growing at all. It seemed as if the forest of mushrooms had taken over and out competed for space.

“Maybe I should go see my neighbours. Perhaps they will have some fresh carrots. I can share my parmesan in exchange. They always like my cooking!”

Akiko is questing! Episode 3/25

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

“Hello!?! Are you home Akiko? It’s me, Bambi. From next door.”

“Hi Bambi. What’s up?”

“You don’t happen to have any fresh carrots do you? Somehow my garden has turned to mushrooms!”

“Unfortunately not, but I have this carton of cream you could have.”

“Hmmm, that could come in handy. I guess I will have to carry on trying to find some veggies to make dinner. All I have now is this hunk of cheese and some cream. Not much for dinner. Would you like to come along?”

“Sure, let me just lock up!”

Akiko is questing! Episode 4/25

Bambi and Akiko stood outside of Akiko’s place.

“Which direction do you think we should head?” asked Bambi. “I am hopeful some pet will have carrots but I really do not know who to ask.”

“Why don’t we head south towards the water.” replied Akiko. “David the Troll lives in that direction and I hear he is quite friendly. I know he spends a lot of time on his computer but he is supposed to be quite healthy. Surely he will have some carrots you can use.”

Bambi and Akiko turned and headed toward the opening of the river in search of David’s house.

Akiko is questing! Episode 5/25

“There! There it is! That must be where David lives!” cried out Akiko with glee.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

“Go away! Do you know what time it is?” called out a gravelly voice from behind a closed door.

“Ummmm, yes sir.” replied a timid Bambi. “According to my watch is it 2:30 in the afternoon. We are sorry to be of a bother we only will take a moment of your time.”

“Afternoon?!?! Just give me a moment to make myself presentable.”

Akiko is questing! Episode 6/25

“Sorry about that.” muttered David the Troll. “I was up all night programming and I must have just fallen into a deep sleep. Now what might I do for the both of you?”

“We are so sorry to disturb your sleep. We understand you are a very busy man but you see my friend Bambi here has a bit of a dilemma. She planted a load of carrots in her garden but when she went to harvest some today to make her dinner all she found were mushrooms. Mushrooms! Can you believe that?!?!”

“What my friend Akiko here is trying to get to asking is, might you have a bunch of carrots I could borrow to make carrot parmesan?”

“Last time I checked the cellar there were no carrots but I do recall a head of cauliflower. You are welcome to that if you could make use of it”

“Sure! I love to get creative in the kitchen!”

Akiko is questing! Episode 7/25

And with that Akiko and Bambi left David’s humble abode not quite empty handed but still lacking in the carrots they were looking for. David was kind enough to give them a basket to carry their stuff.

“Well, that did not quite work out as planned but some yummy cauliflower could be useful with the cheese and cream.  Now I have to wonder who else to ask?”

“How about Lisa the Sheep down at the farm? Farms often have lots of veggies. She should be able to get some carrots!”

“Great idea!”

Akiko is questing! Episode 8/25

Bambi and Akiko arrived shortly thereafter at the farm and saw a large flock of sheep.

“Oh no! How ever will we recognize Lisa?”

“I will just call out to her. I know she has a little purple marking on her wool so we will know it is her. But let’s just yell her name out until she comes over.”

“LISA! LISA! LISA!” they cried out in unison.

“Baaaa! Hello there. I think I recognize you Akiko. Who is your friend?”

“This is Bambi and she needs help finding some carrots to make her world famous carrot parmesan!”

“Baaaaaa! Sadly no carrots grew here this year but might my flock and I offer you a tasty aubergine? I hear they make great parmesans.”

“Why yes! Yes! Thank you so much Lisa! Even if I do not make the parmesan, this will come in so handy to make a tasty dinner. Thank you!”

Akiko is questing! Episode 9/25

Leaving the farm and Lisa behind, Bambi started to feel a bit of despair. What if this was a fruitless endeavour? What if carrots no longer existed? What if, gosh forbid, mushrooms had taken over and she never got to have another carrot in her life?!?! Bambi was starting to panic!

In her moment of panic Bambi got a little clumsy and tripped over her own two hind paws and stumbled down.

“Whoops!”

Out of her paws went tumbling all the tasty goods they had managed to accumulate so far- her precious cheese, the cream, the cauliflower and the aubergine!

“Oh no! I cannot lose these! Then I truly will not be able to make anything!”

“It’s ok Bambi. Just take a moment and relax. We will figure something out. Now why don’t you let me help you carry all of these? And look, I think that is Mr. Mole’s hole ahead. Maybe he can help.”

Akiko is questing! Episode 10/25

Bambi and Akiko approached Mr. Mole’s hole.

“Well Akiko this poses a problem. No doorbell and no door to knock upon to announce ourselves. What do you propose we do?”

Without a thought to the world Akiko stuck their head into the hole and yelled, “Helllloooo! Is anyone home?”

“You know you always could have looked in the garden behind where I was dumping extra earth.” came a reply from behind them. Both Akiko and Bambi jumped.

“Sorry sir! We thought you were inside!”

“Well you thought wrong. Now what is it you were invading my home for?”

Akiko could only sputter completely caught off guard by Mr. Mole’s abruptness granted they did stick their head into someone’s home.

“Mr. Mole, kind sir, I am here to request if you had any carrots you might be willing to lend me in exchange for a prepared meal as all of mine have turned to mushrooms.” Bambi was trying to be as formal as possible.

Akiko is questing! Episode 11/25

“Carrots you say? Well it has been a season since I have seen any of those. And truly look at the two of you. Do either of you really think you can carry anything more? How far do you live from here?”

“Ummm, well I think it is only 1 or 2 kilometres.” replied Bambi.

“And you think you are going to carry anything more in those paws of yours? NONESENSE! SKIDADDLE! The both of you! And take my spare wheelbarrow while you are at it. At least that will give you half of a hop at getting home.”

“Yes sir! Thank you sir! Much appreciated sir!” Akiko and Bambi made a hasty retreat.

Akiko is questing! Episode 12/25

Bambi and Akiko were walking through the woods with the wheelbarrow they had received from Mr. Mole.

“Oh Akiko whatever shall we do. I don’t think we will ever find carrots anywhere and they are my all time favourite! I feel so lost and disappointed. I could just sit down and cry right here and now.”

“It’s ok. I am certain we will find something and you will come up with something you can make. And maybe you will find a new favourite. Hey! Look at those leaves there. Is that Leora?”

Akiko is questing! Episode 13/25

“Leora!” cried Akiko. “Is that you over there?”

“Hi Akiko! What brings you all the way over here? And who is your friend?” replied Leora the Caterpillar.

“This is Bambi my next door neighbour. We are trying to find some carrots for her because all of hers turned into mushrooms somehow. Do you have any we could have or know where we could find some?”

“Oh dear, O dear oh dear oh dear.”

“What?!?!” cried of Bambi suddenly alarmed.

“Something has happened to the carrot crop this year I am afraid. Sadly there are none.”

“NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!”

“I can offer you this bunch of leaves from my personal stash. I have heard that Akiko’s neighbour is supposed to be quite the chef. I assume that to be you. Thus I imagine you can turn these into something quite amazing.”

Crying Bambi thanked Leora for the leaves and placed them in the wheelbarrow.

Akiko is questing! Episode 14/25

Walking away from Leora’s place Bambi was crying.

“I knew it! I knew there would be no carrots. I just had this feeling. When I saw those mushrooms I knew something was wrong.”

“It’s ok Bambi. We can figure something out. Do you want to head back? We can loop around and if we see anyone else’s place, well maybe they have some left over in storage from last year! Carrots do keep. Well, carrots keep unless you are a rabbit”

“Sure, we may as well. It is getting late and while I may not be able to make carrot parmesan I could make a veggie primavera. That might be appetizing. Although, honestly, I have lost my appetite at the thought of no carrots.”

Akiko is questing! Episode 15/25

“Do you hear a strange noise?” asked Bambi as they walked along the trail.

“I heard some rustling over there off to our left. I hope it is not a bear. I am somewhat scared of bears to be honest.”

The rustling noise grew louder and then before their eyes out popped Colleen the Bear.

“Hi folks!” said Colleen in a friendly voice.

“YIKES! Where did you come from?”

“Oh I was just in the woods doing what bears do there…”

Both of the friends started to slowly back away from Colleen who noticed their retreat.

“Oh no! Not that! Not that at all! HA! HA! HA! What brings you out here?”

“Well we were hoping to get some carrots here for Bambi but Leora just down the way said the crop did not grow this year so we are making our way back home. You don’t happen to have any in storage do you? They are Bambi’s favourite veg and she is quite devastated.”

“Let me go check my cellar and see what I have.”

Akiko is questing! Episode 16/25

Cellar may have been an odd choice of word for Colleen’s food storage area. It seems that she had hung most of her food from trees! Akikoand Bambi had never seen quite the sight. They always assumed that a cellar would be more like what they had experienced while visiting Mr. Mole (minus the getting yelled at part).

“Let’s see here. Melon. Sunfruit. Strawberries. Sunfruit. Hmmm, there does not appear to be any carrots. I am so sorry.”

“That’s ok. I somewhat expected it.”

“Wait a moment! I found some red pepper! How would that be?”

“I guess I could use that. I am no longer going to be able to make carrot parm but veggie primavera is sounding more and more likely.”

“Well, you are going to have to invite me for dinner as that sounds absolutely delightful”

“Hmm, maybe I will.” replied Bambi as she started to think about everyone who had helped her thus far.
“Well, thank you so much for your kindness Colleen. We really should get going right now as it is a long trip back with this heavy wheelbarrow and I have a lot of prep work ahead of me. Thanks again for taking the time to look and for the pepper.”

Akiko is questing! Episode 17/25

“I guess we should make for home Akiko. I think even without carrots I have enough veggies now that I could make a primavera. It will not be as tasty as my parm but it will still be good.”

“I think we need make one more stop. As I recall a puffin named Delana lives on the rocky shore not too far from here. If anyone were to have carrots I bet she would. It’s a little bit cooler there so she would be better able to store them and not too many pets venture out that far to bother her so she does not frequently have to share. So, my thinking is, if she had a large crop last year…”

“She may still have some carrots! YES! Let’s go!”

So off they went to find Delana’s house on the shore.

Akiko is questing! Episode 18/25

Bambi and Akiko approached the rocky shore.

“There! I think that is Delana’s house!” shouted Akiko. “Let’s go up to the door and knock. Hopefully she is not out at the nest or along the cliffs.”

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

“Whattaya at?” came the response.

“Hi Delana! It’s Akiko and Bambi from inland. We came all the way out here on a mission for carrots and were hoping you may have some stashed from last year that we could have.”

“Aye, I just might. Let me check the root cellar.”

So off the three went to check the little door into the Cliffside.

Akiko is questing! Episode 19/25

“So much stuff, lots of smoked cod. Sure you don’t need that?”

“Ummm, thank you but I am a vegetarian.” replied Bambi.

“I should have known, rabbits. You like all those veggie things. I grow so many and never eat them. I prefer my britches but cloudberries are good too.”

“Oooh, I do have a recipe for cloudberry cobbler…”

“Just don’t call me late for dinner if that is on the menu! Now let’s see, I think I see something just under this bag of seeds right here…yes! CARROTS!”

“You are a lifesaver!” It was all Bambi could do to not snatch the carrots out of Delana’s wings.

Akiko is questing! Episode 20/25

With an extra hop in her hop Bambi started to make for home.

“Wait a moment! You are right Akiko. I should thank everyone for the contributions and cook for them. Look in the wheelbarrow here! There are so many veggies. I think I can make BOTH carrot parmesan and veggie primavera!”

“You are probably right. We can barely push this thing anymore. It’s a good thing Mr. Mole lent us his extra.”

“But how can I invite them and manage to cook? They are all so far away and there is so much work to do. And they all live so far away…”

“Pardon my interruption, I could not help but over hear. I may have a solution to both your problems.” said Delana.

Akiko is questing! Episode 21/25

With the help from Delana before she knew it an official invitation was printed up:

Akiko is questing! Episode 22/25

From far and wide pets began to flock to Windmill Hamlet. Mr. Mole did not appear as grumpy as he was earlier in the day. David and Lisa chose to travel together. While Leora stuck to the leaves to travel, Colleen took whatever path was open. It was not a far trip for Delana but then again she was the one who suggested the venue.

Akiko is questing! Episode 23/25

Finally everyone arrived at Windmill Hamlet.

“Baaa! Look how beautiful this place is David!” exclaimed Lisa.

“Yes but smell the air. I cannot wait for dinner!” replied David.

The pets were all bright and cheerful mingling with excitement as tantalizing aromas filled the air.

“I hope I get my wheelbarrow back.” grumbled Mr. Mole.

Akiko is questing! Episode 24/25

Tada! Wearing her baker’s hat Bambi stepped out proudly with dinner.

“Dinner is served!”

Everyone was raving over the feast placed in front of them.

“I cannot believe this is all vegetarian!”

“Who would have thought veggies could make such a delight?”

“Would you cook for us every night Bambi? We will provide the ingredients!”

“Do you bake as well?”

Akiko is questing! Episode 25/25

“Oh Akiko, do you have a moment?” asked Bambi.

“Sure, just let me finish this bite” replied Akiko putting down their fork.

“Well Akiko I really had to thank you. This would not be possible at all without you. I would have given up had you not come with me in the first place and encouraged me to go on when I wanted to quit. So, as a special thanks, I made this egg just for you. Thank you for everything. You are a true friend.”
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