HAZEBLOOM INVESTIGATION WITH AFINA

The hunt was on!

A dastardly so and so (or something) was out there terrorizing Burrowgatory, destroying gardens, ripping up hazeblooms and generally just being a terrible nuisance. It wouldn’t stand! Especially if that meant Afina’s own garden was in danger. As soon as she’d finished talking to Hops, she’d scampered home, zooming over to the little community garden where her blueberry bushes were growing.

They were... safe! 

She’d heaved a sigh of relief, then fussed for a while, tending to them lovingly. Somewhere around midday, when her stomach started rumbling, she’d remembered that ‘ohh, she should probably go follow up on the others’, how Hops had asked. Gather some intel. It was up to her to help solve this mystery! 

Her stomach rumbled again.

First stop was obviously going to be Dan.

Because there was also food there.

So off she went, arriving, slipping past the sleeping Shibani, to interrogate the shop owner. Dan was busy pounding his rice cakes into submission as Afina arrived, her pen out, little notepad ready to take down any incriminating details.

The conversation started easily enough.

“Where were you last night? Huh?” 

Ah yes, that was the perfect way to start an investigation. 

It only received a raised eyebrow and the unspoken suggestion of ‘do you really want to know’.

Time to change tact. 

“Soooo has someone been eating you flowers?” 

That led them down the right path, where Afina learned about the dark fur and how Dan’s flowers had also been made prey to whatever dastardly creature was out there. How curious. She’d never experienced such a fun mystery before!

At Dan’s suggestion to buy something, she clapped her paws together happily. “Oh yes! Your blue mochi please!” The best flavour!

With her snack on hand, she toddled off and found a nice spot to sit and nibble on her treat.

The rest of her day involved more investigation and by the time she was done talking to everyone, she was utterly exhausted, barely making it home and through the doorway. For a very homebound bun who preferred just sleeping and eating, running about doing activities and talking to buns all over town was definitely an energy drain. But she was happy to help. 

A good sleep and the next day (sometime mid-afternoon), Afina was ready to go again.

But who to ask now?

She ended up outside Vellure Modelling agency. It was fancy. Very fancy. Almost as though she shouldn’t even be allowed to peek inside. But something like that would never stop Afina. She had no qualms about letting herself in, just a little bun, into the perfect space where everything looked straight out of a magazine.

There was a doll there, watching her, unimpressed. Though she read the expression simply as being tired. Which made sense because looking that pretty all the time was sure to be tiring.

“Hello,” she chirped.

“Can I help you?” They asked, one hand on their cheek, staring down at her.

“I’m here investigating some local drama. The hazebloom crop and other gardens are being attacked! Raided by some unknown assailant!” She hopped up and down to show just how serious the matter was and to put emphasis to her words. “I’m asking around to see if anyone has any clues or has been having the same problem.”

There was a pause.

“And you’re asking... me?”

“Mmhmm.” She nodded eagerly.

“Do... do I look like I have a garden?” They asked, bemused.

Afina’s head tilted as she regarded them closely, eyes squinting. Her gaze ranged from the top of their perfectly styled hair, down the long line of their body, the tight couture clothing and the platform high heel boots. They were very very pretty.

“Uh... maybe?” She shrugged. “I don’t know what you do in your spare time. Maybe you’ve got pot plants or succulents.” Her nose wriggled. “You look like you’d have succulents.”

“Oh.” That had them pause for a long moment. “Well, I don’t. Have succulents or know anything about gardening. I’m sorry but I can’t help you. I don’t know anything about the hazeblooms or gardens being attacked.” They gave a wry smile. “But I wish you good luck.”

“Aw that’s ok! Thank you anyway!” It was worth a shot and now she had a new idea. Nothing at all to do with her task but something very very important. As she waved a still somewhat bemused Velveteen goodbye, Afina had big plans.

A quick check on Bunbook and she was on the way to visit the local succulent enthusiast. A quick trade of one succulent for a blueberry pie. Old mission put aside entirely for her new self-appointed one, she spent the rest of the day baking and stealing tastes of the blueberry filling. One fresh baked pie was soon handed over and Afina took her prize in return.

Not long later she was back at the agency, letting herself inside.

“Back already?” Velveteen asked after she’d sought them out and then surprised them by proudly offering up the little succulent pot. She’d wrapped a little blue bow around it. 

“Ta-da!”

Velveteen stared at it for a moment and then laughed delicately behind their hand. “That’s for me? What am I going to do with it?” But they were smiling as they bent over and accepted the small gift, just a little pot with a pretty little succulent nestled within. 

“They’re super easy to care for. Here.” Afina produced a little pamphlet of facts. “It barely needs any care at all. Just a tiny bit of water every now and again.”

“Well then, I’m going to try but I don't make any promises.”  

“That’s alright. Just do your best!” Afina beamed. “And let’s hope the mystery garden muncher has a taste for succulents.” 

Velveteen’s eyes widened and they pressed the succulent closer to their chest protectively. 

“Oh don’t worry!” Afina assured. “I’m gonna take them down! I’ve got blueberries to protect!” She huffed. “Well, enjoy your new friend! It was nice to meet you! I’m Afina, by the way. If you ever need some blueberry related anything, just let me know.”

Then with a cheerful wave, Afina stepped out the door, ready to go home and have another big sleep. More mystery would have to wait until tomorrow!