Meia looked at the bank. Minister Schoppe had not yet returned, but a quarter of an hour had not yet passed either. The coachman was standing next to the carriage, drinking from a thermos flask. Meia didn't really have anything to do. Why was she supposed to come along anyway? Why was she always being taken somewhere when she wasn't actually needed?

Meia walked to the fountain. The edges were flat so you could sit down. There were statues of fish at the corners and the fish spat water. It was nothing more than a splash. It would be enough to make a leaf drift, but it would take a long time to reach the middle of the pool. Water used to be drawn from a market fountain. This market fountain was probably not that old because it had a lot of stagnant water and there were ducks swimming in it. The water didn't splash enough, so the ducks used the fountain as a swimming pool.

There were easily a dozen ducks at the fountain. Most of them were swimming in the water. Two were waddling next to the pools. The ducks were why Meia had come here, the chicks to be precise.

Fortunately, Meia was prepared for such a situation. Her trousers had pockets on her thighs. She pulled something in aluminum foil out of one of the pockets. After unwrapping it, she had a slice of bread with cheese. Meia had actually had it made for herself, but who could resist using it as a lure when there were ducklings almost within her grasp.

Of the larger wild birds, ducks were the most common in Jena, followed by seagulls. This was also true in Kiras, even though the town was right by the sea. There were dozens of common species. Meia still didn't know one by name, and neither this one. It actually seemed to be two different species. Meia wasn't sure. One duck was black on top, white underneath and had a crested head. The other ducks and the chicks were just brown. The adults all had bright yellow eyes, but the chicks had black eyes... They must have been hungry. Nobody fed them. In Kiras, this fountain would be full of people all day long. Especially at the weekend, the ducks wouldn't have to go without food. The town here was probably just too rich. The citizens seemed to have more important things to do than feeding the ducks.

Meia chose a duck. It wasn't difficult for her, as one of the two ducks from next to the pools came waddling right up. This duck must have been very hungry.

Meia broke off a piece of her bread and selflessly, yet expectantly, threw it at the duck's feet.

The duck did nothing.

"Hm?"

Meia waited.

Still the duck did nothing. It just stared dumbly at her.

"Hm..."

Meia used her foot to show where the piece had landed. The duck watched exactly what she was doing with her foot. It looked exactly at the piece. However, once Meia withdrew her foot, it stared at Meia again. Meia had ruined her bread and the duck didn't even want it. ~You conceited duck.~ Meia threw a piece at her beak.

In that moment the duck came to life and tried to catch the piece, but it fell down and so it began to search the ground eagerly.

~Oh, it's just a bit dim.~

After a bit of searching, the duck eventually managed to find the piece and incidentally also found the other one. While Meia was watching the duck, she noticed that all the other ducks started to move in her direction. They had probably noticed that they could get something for free.

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Meia was surrounded in no time. The ducks were ultra-tame, just like in Kiras. They weren't afraid at all and came right up to her shoes. They let themselves be fed and petted from her hand. The bread quickly dwindled. The ducks were so greedy that they quacked in protest when Meia dared to eat the cheese herself.

Meia wanted to get her hands on the chicks. Chicks were at the top of the cuteness rankings. However, the chicks stayed close behind their mother in the water, just like in Kiras.

In an attempt to lure mother and chicks, Meia threw two pieces of bread into the water. There were two soft splashes, then immediately several loud splashes, as the ducks jumped into the water and kicked off as if it was their last meal of the year. They even flapped their wings to be the first to arrive so that water splashed all the way back to Meia.

To Meia's disappointment, the chicks still didn't come. They swam indifferently after their mother and even moved further away.

Meia threw the remaining pieces into the water and in different directions. With each throw, ducks from the group set off, while those from earlier splinter groups returned. The ducks reminded Meia of Rottweilers playing fetch, except that a Rottweiler was happy when it came back, while the ducks looked indifferent.

Meia still had at least ten ducks around her, but no more bread. Meia shook her head and showed her empty hands, but the ducks didn't understand. If these ducks were as clever as the friends, they would have tried to get the last pieces, but instead they gaped at Meia expectantly, as if she had hidden a second bread.

It was probably better to make a run for it, Meia thought, so she left - at least that was her plan. Meia only made minimal progress per step, as the ducks refused to give her even the slightest bit of space. At the same time, they kept a close eye on her every movement, as if something might fall down somewhere.

Meia barely made any progress and there were more and more ducks, because more and more kept coming back.

"Leave me alone."

~Why are they so pushy?~ It wasn't like that in Kiras. In Kiras, the ducks instinctively knew when you had nothing left.

While walking, Meia noticed that a duck was pulling on her shoelace. They even had already opened the other shoe.

"You scrounger." Meia shook her foot to get rid of the duck. Beneath the chatter, she heard the opening of a heavy door and then several voices. "Ah." The minister came out of the bank building. It was hard for Meia to see through the carriage, but there were people there. Fortunately, the coachman was also on the other side. Meia had to get rid of the ducks.

Meia struggled along the side of the fountain. With every step she took, ducks came back in front of her from behind her.

"What do you want from me? I've got nothing left."

The ducks all just gaped stupidly.

"Shoo!" Meia waved her hands to scare the ducks away.

At that moment, the ducks thought Meia had thrown something. Some stormed off. The rest followed the line of sight that the potential food would have had.

Meia had the feeling that she had underestimated the ducks. Perhaps some always stayed with her so that she couldn't escape.

After just a few steps, the renegade ducks gave up their pursuit of food and rejoined the group.

It would have been good if Meia had saved herself a real lure.

Meia pretended to throw something again.

Ducks ran off once more. Meia didn't hesitate and fled. With long strides, she finally managed to overcome the mobile siege.

As Meia could now see, Minister Schoppe was indeed back and talking to the young man who was leaning in the doorway and flicking a coin.

The young man noticed Meia this time as well. He realized that she saw him too, so he waved her over.

Meia was in a hurry at this point. She wanted to get back to the carriage. She only had one problem. - The ducks didn't like that at all. The whole flock waddled after her.

One duck bit Meia's pants to stop her. Meia shook it off.

The ducks followed Meia away from the fountain across the market towards the carriage. That meant all the ducks - all except the chicks. So it was even worse.

Meia was confused. In Kiras, the ducks always stayed by the fountain. What was wrong with these ducks? Meia was already far away from the fountain, but they still didn't give up.

Something dawned on Meia. In Kiras, there were always people with food when she left, but here she was the only food dispenser.

Maybe Meia would have to adpot the ducks. It seemed like she wouldn't be able to get rid of them.

.../ End Part