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Thea Stilton and the Legend of the Fire Flowers (Thea Stilton Graphic Novels Book 15)

Page 3

by Thea Stilton


  “A little too strange,” said Professor Van

  Kraken. “But what’s even stranger is that the

  local authorities let the resort be built in

  that location. It is too close to the volcano!”

  “Will we be safe if we stay here tonight?”

  asked Colette anxiously.

  “Yes, I think so,” said the professor. “Keep

  your phone with you at all times. I’ll call

  you immediately if there is any sign of

  imminent danger.”

  “Of course!” said Paulina.

  The professor was silent for a moment.

  “Mouselets, I absolutely do not mean to

  scare you

  , but I’m asking you to take

  advantage of where you are to investigate

  and, if necessary, intervene. Your resort

  could be wiped out by the eruption!”

  Let’s Review the Situation:

  •

  The Fire Flowers Resort is extremely close to the famouse

  v

  olcano Mauna Loa.

  •

  Ekana Kahanamoku, one of the r

  esort’s owners, assured the

  Thea Sisters that Mauna Loa is a dormant volcano, and isn’t

  dangerous. He says that the research observatory provided

  him with data assuring its safety before they began building

  the hotel.

  •

  According to the data gather

  ed by Professor Van Kraken,

  Mauna Loa is anything but dormant: It could erupt any

  minute!

  •

  The scientists

  from the research observatory

  insist that there is no danger.

  •

  How is it possible that Pr

  ofessor Van

  Kraken’s team and the scientists from the

  research observatory have collected such

  different data?

  The next morning, Violet picked up the

  program for the competition and read it out

  loud.

  THE COMPETITION

  BEGINS!

  The Thea Sisters were awake early — they

  wanted to get a head start on the first day of

  the competition. All five mouselets were

  feeling a little

  nervous

  as they pulled out

  the costumes Colette had designed for them.

  “What do you think of the phone call last

  night?” asked Violet.

  Paulina sighed. “I don’t know. But

  one thing’s for sure: Professor Van Kraken is

  very serious about his science. I’d be

  shocked if he made such a BIG mistake!”

  “But if he’s right, that would mean that the

  resort is in grave danger! And that

  Ekana lied to us,” Nicky put in.

  “What if he was just too trusting?” Pamela

  asked thoughtfully. “He doesn’t seem like the

  type of mouse who would put anyone in

  danger on purpose. . . .” She zipped up her

  skirt and twirled . around “Wow, Colette,

  these costumes are a dream! You really

  have a passion for fashion.”

  Colette giggled and waved her paw at Pam

  dismissively. But her friends knew she was

  beaming with

  pride

  .

  “Let’s try to concentrate on the hula

  competition for now,” said Violet as they

  headed out. “Maybe we can investigate

  during our free time this afternoon.”

  The mouselets scurried toward the hotel’s

  main lobby, which was already swarming with

  young rodents from around the world. It

  looked like a field of colorful flowers!

  Everyone was wearing Hawaiian costumes

  designed specifically for the occasion.

  The contestants boarded a bus and

  headed toward Hilo’s Edith Kanaka’ole

  Stadium. When they arrived, musicians were

  already positioned around the stage, ready

  to play. The bleachers were packed and

  buzzing with excitement.

  The local team, a group of mouselets from

  Hilo, approached the Thea Sisters and

  introduced themselves.

  “Hi!” one of them said. “My name is

  Apikalia, and these are my teammates. We

  wanted to compliment you on your costumes:

  They are really divine!”

  Colette lit up. “Thanks so much!”

  Ruby, who was OBSERVING the scene

  from afar, elbowed Alicia. “I told you that

  our costumes weren’t glitzy enough! We let

  those Goody Two-paws beat us again. And

  it’s all your fault!” She let out a big sigh

  and flounced away.

  Alicia looked down in the snout. She never

  knew what to do when Ruby picked on her.

  Just then, the judges

  announced

  the beginning of the competition. Then they

  called the Ruby Crew up to the stage. They

  would be the FIRST to perform.

  The Ruby Crew’s

  choreography

  was solid, if not superb. Alicia stumbled over

  a few steps, earning a scathing look from

  Ruby.

  Next, the team from Maui was called up:

  Their performance was graceful and

  energetic

  . Nicky recognized the

  ratling that she had noticed the evening

  before. He was an agile and elegant dancer.

  Then Apikalia’s group was called: The

  movements of their paws

  and hips were in

  perfect

  sync, and the mouselets

  were as supple as

  waves on the ocean.

  They maintained perfect

  THIS IS HULA!

  balance as they put in a fluid and harmonious

  performance. Now, this was hula! The

  mouselets were very impressed.

  After Apikalia’s group went, it was the

  Thea Sisters’ turn. Colette, Nicky, Pam,

  Paulina, and Violet had been practicing for

  months with the help of their dance

  instructor, Professor Plié. Their

  hard

  work

  paid off — by the time they finished,

  the five mouselets were tired but proud.

  At the end of the morning, Apikalia’s team

  was in

  first place

  , followed by the

  Thea Sisters, and then the Ruby Crew.

  Colette, Nicky, Pam, Paulina, and Violet

  quickly changed out of their costumes.

  They were about to exit through the stadium

  gates

  when some rodents from the Maui

  team approached them. The team’s captain

  was the

  YOUNG

  Hawaiian rat Nicky had

  noticed the night before.

  The ratling gazed at Nicky as he

  said hello. Then he asked, “Do you like

  surfing

  ?”

  Nicky was struck squeakless, so Pam

  jumped right in. “I’m sorry, but is that

  a question or an invitation? And could you

  tell us your name again? We didn’t quite

  catch

  it.”

  The ratlet burst out laughing. “My

  name is Renani, and it was an invitation.

  Surfing

  on the first afternoon of

  the competition is kind of a

  T
RADITION. Everyone gets

  to know one another a

  little better, and we get to

  relax and catch a few

  waves. Would you

  like to join us?”

  “Of course!” answered

  SURF’S UP!

  Nicky enthusiastically.

  “But . . . don’t we need to start investigating

  for Professor Van Kraken?” Paulina

  murmured.

  “I have an idea! Let’s mix business with

  pleasure. If we go surfing, we’ll get to

  check out the beach,” said Pam.

  “Oh, all right,” Paulina relented. “We’ll hit

  the surf. But keep your eyes open, okay?”

  Nicky gave her a quick hug. “You know we

  will, Paulina!”

  Pam grinned. “Cowabunga, dude!”

  An hour later, the Thea Sisters found

  themselves down at the beach. It was

  packed with young mice. All the hula

  competitors were there, and they were all

  surfing!

  The Ruby Crew was part of the crowd. The

  mouselets were scampering across the sand

  and showing off their surfboards.

  Nicky immediately jumped into the

  water with Renani. When Ruby spotted

  Nicky’s WILD surfing moves, it gave her a

  sneaky idea!

  “Nicky is really reckless,” she told her

  friends. “And surfing is a

  dangerous

  sport. What if she had an accident? Then it’d

  be, ‘good-bye, hula competition’ for the Thea

  Sisters!”

  water

  Alicia, Connie, and Zoe immediately

  caught her drift. They leaped into the

  on their surfboards. Ruby wanted

  to surround Nicky and push her into the

  waves to make her lose her balance.

  But Ruby and her friends severely

  underestimated Nicky’s surfing skills. She

  was practically an expert. She darted

  away easily, and Ruby and her friends found

  themselves on a collision course — with

  one another! They all ended up underwater

  as a GIANT wave washed over them!

  “Uh-oh!” cried Renani. “Those mice

  wiped

  out

  ! I better give them a paw.” He

  hurried over to help the Ruby Crew.

  Without him, the mouselets would have been

  cast adrift for a good long while.

  smiling

  Nicky returned to the beach with her

  surfboard under her paw. Her friends were

  as they ran to meet her.

  “Great job!” said Pam, giving her a high

  five. “You were really shredding waves

  out there! I don’t know what Ruby was up to,

  but Renani was nice enough to take her

  and her buddies to the infirmary.”

  But Nicky wasn’t paying attention — she’d

  just noticed that someone was watching them.

  “Look! It’s the old gentlemouse we saw

  yesterday!” she exclaimed. “The one who

  said the hotel was

  dangerous

  . . . .”

  “Let’s go talk to him while he’s here!”

  added Paulina.

  THE LEGEND OF THE

  FIRE FLOWERS

  Just as they were about to reach the elderly

  mouse, someone else marched up to him.

  It was Ekana.

  “You need to stop disturbing the resort guests

  with your nonsense!” he said to the mouse,

  shaking his paw. “This is the last time I’m

  going to warn you, Grandpa Nahele!”

  Paulina jumped. “What? This is your

  grandfather?”

  But the two mice were too busy arguing

  to hear her.

  “Ekana!” said Nahele fiercely. “You know

  I’m not making up NONSENSE! I’m

  telling you the truth! Why won’t you listen?”

  Ekana looked ashamed.

  Nahele took advantage of his silence. “The

  resort was built in a very dangerous

  location. Now you dare to ignore the signs

  that nature is giving you just because

  you want to make a quick buck?!”

  Ekana crossed his paws skeptically. “What

  signs, Grandfather?”

  “The appearance of the white dog

  in the city is one,” Nahele responded.

  Ekana rolled his eyes. “Oh, yes, that’s

  scientific proof for you!” Then he changed

  his tone. “All you’re doing is discrediting

  my business. The news hasn’t reported any

  danger of an eruption, and neither has

  the research observatory. So leave my guests

  alone!”

  With that, Ekana turned tail and stomped

  off.

  Nahele looked after him sadly. Then,

  finally, he noticed the Thea Sisters. “My

  grandson is a good, honest rodent,” he told

  them. “The problems started when he let

  that

  sewer rat

  Sammy Sharkfur

  convince him to build the resort. I don’t like

  Sammy. He is very powerful, and I’m afraid

  his business is shadier than it seems. . . .”

  Paulina helped the elderly gentlemouse

  sit down. “Can you tell us about the white

  dog?” she asked. “What does that have to do

  with Mauna Loa erupting?”

  “The white dog is part of an ancient

  Hawaiian legend — the Legend of the Fire

  Flowers,” explained Nahele. “It says that

  every time a white dog appears in the city,

  the volcano will shoot out fire flowers. In

  other words, there will be an eruption.” The

  elderly mouse suddenly stood up. “look!”

  The mouselets followed his GAZE and

  saw . . . the white dog! The animal

  stopped for a moment, looked over, then

  loped away.

  The Thea Sisters

  exchanged

  a look of determination. Legend or not, the

  moment had arrived for them to do some

  serious investigating!

  Colette, Nicky, Pam, Paulina, and Violet

  hastily returned to the resort. They

  wanted to ask around about Sammy Sharkfur.

  First, the mouselets went to the reception

  desk and explained that they were doing

  some research for an in-

  depth

  article about the resort.

  “Is it possible to see the surveyor’s report

  on this area?” asked Paulina. “We were

  told that an accurate survey of the land

  was done. . . .”

  “Extremely accurate!”

  confirmed the young rodent at the reception

  desk, showing them a pile of documents

  filled with data and graphs. “The construction

  EVERYTHING’S

  UP TO CODE!

  64

  is up to code. There is absolutely zero

  danger!”

  It looked like she was right. Judging from

  the row of stamps on the lower part of each

  document, everything was official and

  aboveboard.

  Next the mouselets wandered around the

  resort and approached staff members to ask

  what they thought of Sammy. But everyone

  had nothing but praise.

  Not only that, the idea of Mauna Loa


  erupting made everyone the Thea Sisters

  interviewed smile. After all, if it wasn’t in

  the news, why should they worry?

  The mouselets didn’t give up. They decided

  to continue their search for information in

  HILO, the city nearest the resort.

  “Let’s start with the closest news bureau,”

  Violet said. “Everyone keeps mentioning the

  news, saying no one has reported any risk of

  ERUPTION

  . So maybe a local

  newspaper office can tell us something!”

  FIRST STOP: THE

  LOCAL PAPER!

  The five mouselets headed for Hilo, planning

  to contact the editor at one of the local

  newspapers. They bought several papers and

  settled onto a park bench to figure

  out where to start.

  Colette, Nicky, Pam, Paulina, and Violet

  paused to enjoy the view of the Hawaiian

  sunset: It was truly gorgeous! Then

  they decided which paper to visit first and

  climbed into a taxi that darted through

  the streets of the

  city. It left them in

  front of the office

  of the most famouse

  local newspaper.

  The mouselets

  scurried inside and

  introduced themselves as

  young journalists. They were greeted by

  Melika, the paper’s editorial director.

  “Have you heard anything recently about

  possible activity from Mauna Loa?”

  asked Colette.

  Melika shook her snout. “No. At least,

  not in the last few years. You see, Mauna Loa

  hasn’t erupted since 1984.”

  Paulina was puzzled: It really seemed like

  no one had any reason to worry about an

  eruption.

  Just as the Thea Sisters were about to

  leave, Melika said, “If you want to learn

  more, you could go straight to the

  source.”

  The mouselets didn’t understand,

  so Melika explained, “You should visit the

  research observatory. That’s where we get all

  our information about the volcano’s

  activity.”

 

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