Chapter 1: The Rise of CartoFan
In O-town, where green leaves whisper the stories of the past, vegetables not only grew, but also lived their full lives. This city witnessed the struggle of its ancestors against slavery and lawlessness, and its inhabitants today have continued this struggle. But now their enemy is King Pumpkin, whose greed and tyranny have taxed every corner of O-town, depriving its inhabitants of any hope of a just existence.
Among them was KartoFan, a brave potato warrior who could not put up with injustice. His friends – the onion Taya, the beetroot Rita, the twin cucumbers Dean and Don, the tomato Grinya and the lemon Tik – were ready to support him in the fight for freedom. In their hidden headquarters, where every corner is filled with the scent of rebellion and hope, they planned their next steps.
– Friends, Grinya was arrested this afternoon. He was taken right in the square when he was gathering like-minded people. We must free him, CartoFan said decisively.
– How do we do this? – Tick asked worriedly.
– Maybe we should take it by storm? Security isn’t great, if you think it through well, you can try, – Rita suggested.
– No, that’s impossible. We can make a lot of noise by storming, and then we’ll all be arrested, – KartoFan objected.
– It is located in the fortress. There are two eggplant guards at the entrance, and inside, near the cage where Grinya sits, – Tik added.
– I know what to do, – Taya said, and everyone listened carefully to her plan.
When night fell on O-town and its inhabitants went home, CartoFan and his friends hid around the corner of the house, next to the fortress, and began to wait. Taya, dressed in the clothes of a gypsy, approached the guards:
– Boys, who wants to tell fortunes? What happened, what will happen – I’ll tell you everything, for my betrothed, for money.
– We’re not allowed, we’re guarding a prisoner, – the guard replied.
– Come on, boys. This will take no more than five minutes. By the way, one of you I see has a generational curse, the other has a crown of celibacy. So think for yourself, – Taya smiled.
– Can we really go away for five minutes? I don’t want to walk around with a curse, – said the first guard.
– Okay, go ahead. I also need to get a wife, – agreed the second.
– Follow me, boys! Let’s go around the corner, no one will bother us here, – Taya winked.
As soon as they turned the corner, the twin cucumbers knocked the guards’ heads together and they fell unconscious. KartoFan with twin cucumbers and Rita beets ran inside the fortress and quietly crept up to two guards. KartoFan hit one on the head with a club, and he immediately fell, the cucumber brothers tied up the second and put a gag in his mouth.
– Guys, it’s you! – Grinya exclaimed.
– Yes, we are. I rested a little, I need to know when to stop, – said CartoFan with a smile.
They took the guard’s key and opened the cage. Rita, leaving the fortress, looked around and said:
Everything is quiet.
And they quietly reached the headquarters, after which they went home.
King Pumpkin was angrier than ever today after learning about the tomato escape.
– It’s that upstart CartoFan again. I can smell it with my nose, we couldn’t do without him here. Find him for me, otherwise you’ll be sitting in this cage! – Pumpkin shouted, turning to his advisor Dyna.
– But your Majesty, where should we look for him? The city is large and there are many inhabitants, – answered Councilor Melon.
– You must deal with this issue! Something needs to be done with this rebel, otherwise he will raise the people against us, and then we cannot avoid execution! – the king shouted.
– Maybe we should offer money for him? Then the real hunt will begin for him, – the adviser suggested.
– And what amount should I offer? – asked Pumpkin.
– I think at least a thousand gold pieces, – answered Melon.
– But this is a fortune! Can’t you offer a lesser amount? – asked Pumpkin.
– No, Your Majesty. You understand that it is in your interests to quickly get rid of unnecessary troubles. I will announce your decree in the square tomorrow, – said the adviser.
– I hope you are right, adviser, – said the king.
The next morning, when the first rays of the sun barely touched the roofs of O-town, the council square was already full of people. Councilor Melon, standing on a high podium, was preparing to announce the decree of King Pumpkin. Residents of the city, waiting for news, whispered among themselves, guessing about upcoming events.
– Citizens of O-city! Your great and wise king Pumpkin announces a reward of a thousand gold pieces for the head of the rebel CartoFan! – the adviser’s voice sounded loudly. Whoever brings him alive or dead will receive this amount!
The crowd sighed – the reward was huge, and many were already imagining how their lives would change with that kind of money. But there were those who knew CartoFan and his friends, and understood that they were fighting not for gold, but for the freedom of all residents of O-city.
