Veronica's Fur Coats

Finding good local correspondents isn't easy. The formerly unspoilt Plateau has been subjected to the harmful influence of materialistic Europeans. Yes, it's sad but true, idealism is all but gone. The correspondents expect payment now! A most shocking development that goes against all our publishing principles.

But yet again we prevailed and could maintain our cheap standards! Vantu Kyle, our former correspondent who was banished from the Treehouse (read the following article for further details) by Miss Krux, was so desperate to work with us that he happily agreed to work for free.

Since he's persona non grata at the Treehouse, he needed to find a good opportunity to talk to Miss Layton alone.

Luck again was on our side. The dreaded Miss Krux and Lord Roxton left for a trip to the Inland Sea, while Ned Malone and Professor Challenger were busy working on the windmill. It had taken Vantu Kyle only one day of sneaking around the Treehouse and he was able to catch Miss Layton alone in the garden.

Here is his report:

Miss Layton wore her regular leather outfit, while she was tending to the garden. I nearly died in the line of duty, when I cleared my throat to get her attention and she threw two of her knives at me. My reflexes aren't what they used to be, one of them scratched my arm. (Editor's note: Cut the whiny crap, no one cares about a clumsy reporter)

Veronica: "Who are you?"

Vantu Kyle: "Miss Layton, it's me, Vantu Kyle. I'm a freelance reporter for the Fashion Plateau. We've met before. The interview about fitness in the Treehouse."

Veronica: "Oh, right! You're lucky that Marguerite isn't here today. Ohhh... I see. You probably waited until they were gone. So what do you want?"

Vantu Kyle: "Miss Layton, our readers are fascinated by your bold style choices, your comittment to natural fabrics, your rigid adherence to the jungle look..."

Veronica: "Hey, what are you implying? I'm not a mindless fashion plate! Just because I'm blonde doesn't mean that I'm vain and shallow. I don't spend all day thinking about what to wear! Go to Roxton and Marguerite, if you want to talk fabrics."

Vantu Kyle: "Miss Layton, I didn't intend to imply this at all. But you are a style icon, even though you devote only minimal time to your appearance. And a fundamental question about your style choices has kept up many of the Fashion Plateau editors and writers."

Veronica: "And what would that be?"

Vantu Kyle: "The fur coats!"

Veronica (smiling): "Ahhh... I see."

Vantu Kyle: "Why do you wear fur only when you come back from prolonged absences? Why do you never wear the same fur coat twice? Why the model with the hood, when you returned the last time? Where did you purchase the coats?"

Veronica: "Take it slow, buster, one question at a time."

Vantu Kyle: "Sorry! But this is such an exciting topic."

Veronica (frowning): "You don't get out much, do you?"

Vantu Kyle (blushing under his white paint): "Uhm..."

Veronica: "Well, first of all I didn't buy the coats. Both were given to me while I was on my journeys. I took them to be polite, I didn't really need them. As you should know my leather outfit is usually all I need to survive in the jungle. Since I switched from raptor skin to triceratops leather I have the perfect outfit."

Vantu Kyle (very excited): "The outfit is made from triceratops hide? What a sensational revelation! Especially since triceratops skin has this bad reputation of being thick, unelegant and not really suitable for an elegant, suede-like look."

Veronica (a bit smug): "Well, you have to know what you're doing. As you probably know, I designed the outfit myself. Other people run to the Zanga Mall every week, but I create my own outfits. This outfit is the result of months and months of experimentation in leather treatment. I had my dark moments, but with the help of Professor Challenger I was able to turn rough triceratops hide into the amazing fabric that you can see now."

Vantu Kyle <scribbling frantically>: "Interesting, absolutely fascinating. Can you tell our readers more about the process?"

Veronica: "No, I'm afraid not. Trade secret."

Vantu Kyle <very disappointed>: "Sorry to hear that. But let's move on to the other subject-the fur coats."

Veronica: "Well... I'm not a big fan of furs in the jungle to be honest. Fur isn't bad when you are above the snow line, but when am I going up there? Usually it's Roxton and Marguerite, when they do one of their bizarre body heat experiments. Fur coats are impractical, attract moths and other pesky pests and tend to hide way too much of my figure, if you ask me. I only wear them to make a dramatic entrance. The effect wears off very quickly that's why I toss them pretty much immediately after I entered the scene."

Vantu Kyle: "Dramatic entrance? Is that all? Is that the secret of the fur coats?"

Veronica: "Pretty much."

Vantu Kyle: "But what about the model with the hood? There must be story behind the selection of that style."

Veronica: "Nope. Not much of a story. I had a bad hair day, when I got the coat from the Horta shaman and he suggested a hooded model, so I could hide my hair."

Vantu Kyle <disappointed>: "That's it?"

Veronica: "That's it. No deeper meaning. Just a cover-up."

Vantu Kyle: "Well, I guess that answers my questions. I will report to our readers that fur coats are basically meaningless."

Veronica: "Do that, Vantu Kyle. And now you better leave, my vegetables won't grow themselves."

Vantu Kyle's report reached us only a few days ago. While we were happy about the new revelations regarding Veronica's outfit and the evolution from raptor to triceratops skin, we are a bit disappointed that the fur coats didn't provide a more interesting story. It seems that sometimes a fur coat is just a simple coat.

Somewhere on the Plateau:

Veronica: "Mother, I kept the secret of the sacred fur coat. Just as you asked me to... No one knows the truth except you and me and Finn. But she's..."

<swirling lights engulf Veronica>

To be continued...

The back of the fur coat....

Hiding her true intentions? Does Veronica also keep secrets?