Forget-Me-Not Chapter 2
Disclaimer: Candy Candy and all characters belong to Keiko Nagita, character images to Yumiko Igarashi and anime to Toei Animation.
First and foremost, all the favourable reviews and positive feedback to my new drawing of Albert and Terry and/or the first chapter of Forget-me-not are greatly appreciated! Your encouraging words have certainly motivated me to keep writing. 🥰 Before I present the new chapter, I’d like to quote Lynn’s insightful comments on Candy’s relationships with Terry and Albert. I couldn’t have said it better. Thank you, Lynn, for your contribution! 👏👏
— Ms Puddle
Chapter 2
Mr. Cartwright plans to show Albert the extent of the land he possesses by using a horse drawn wagon, but Albert has not allocated time for a tour. Georges will be back to pick him up after running some errands in the village. Thus, Albert reiterates his interest in buying primarily the land where the Pony’s Home is situated.
The landowner nods in understanding and proposes they hike up the nearby hill, where they can overlook the orphanage and the chapel attached to it. Once they reach the crest of the hill, it strikes Albert that things haven’t changed much since last time he was here, reflecting on his life and the meaning of it. He was all alone until a crybaby appeared out of nowhere. Time flies… she’s not a little girl anymore. Albert wonders what she’s doing at the moment. Is she helping inside the orphanage? Doing chores or cooking?
Then the landowner’s voice interrupts his train of thought, “You know, rumours said that… William A. Ardlay was a man… in his advanced years,” says Mr. Cartwright, taking short, quick breaths. “So I was expecting… someone at least my age… but look at you, you’re not even panting!”
Albert merely chuckles in response. Roughly half an hour ago, when he first stepped in Mr. Cartwright’s office inside his decent-looking ranch house, he noticed a confused look on the landowner’s face. With his white brows raised quizzically, he asked the visitor, “You are?”
With that, the blond-haired man shot a brief glance at his wristwatch before he introduced himself, “My name is William A. Ardlay, Mr. Cartwright. My assistant booked an one-hour appointment with you today. Is there any misunderstanding?”
Mr. Cartwright then guffawed. “Yes, I’m expecting Mr. Ardlay at this hour, but not a good-looking lad like you!”
Prior to this, Georges had been contacting the landowner’s secretary through letters and telegrams to arrange a meeting. Yet, Mr. Cartwright, now semi-retired, was traveling around the country to visit his relatives and would not come back till late autumn.
After shaking hands with each other, the visitor revealed he had made his debut at a news conference in Chicago months ago. Mr. Cartwright then replied with a frown, “While traveling I don’t always pay attention to the news.”
In fact, the debut had taken place before Candy left Chicago, but she didn’t show up with Archie, Annie and Patty. Annie said that Candy was not feeling well, and when Albert went home later that day, the butler apprised him, “Miss Candice was here, delivering this letter to you, Master William.” Even a fool knew that she had been avoiding him, which saddened him. As if that wasn’t bad enough, he found out she had written a formal farewell letter, informing him of her plan to relocate.
“So what brings you here today, Mr. Ardlay?” This question jerks Albert back to the present. “Why on earth would an executive from Chicago want to buy land in a rural area? Are you thinking of business investment or commercial development?”
Mr. Cartwright asked this question before, to which Albert responded, “It’s for personal reasons.” He also reassured the landowner he would pay out of his own pocket, so this was not a business venture.
Apparently, Mr. Cartwright is not satisfied with his answers earlier. While negotiating, the landowner shows reluctance to the business proposal as well; Albert has a hunch Mr. Cartwright is a bit anti-development, so this time, when being asked the same question again, Albert opts to disclose a bit more, “I know someone who grew up at this orphanage, and this entire place means the world to this person.”
The landowner’s face breaks into a smile before he asks with a wink, “A lady?”
Albert replies evasively, “I beg your pardon?”
“Never mind,” says Mr. Cartwright, grinning ear to ear. To the old man, it was basically an affirmative answer. “So what do you plan to do with the land?”
“I do have a concrete plan, Mr. Cartwright,” Albert begins in a business tone. “But it all depends.”
“Depends on what?”
Albert dodges that question, “I’ll hire a couple of consultants to examine the old building and give me a feasibility study based on my criteria, and then I will proceed from there.”
“Sounds like a plan to me, but whom are you proposing to? Your lady friend?”
This time Albert is prepared. “I’ll propose to the people in charge of the orphanage.”
“Makes sense to me,” the landowner acknowledges. To prove that he’s earnest, Albert describes his criteria for expansion in detail. No doubt the businessman is full of solid ideas, but it’s difficult for the landowner to imagine without seeing the building right in front of him, so Albert suggests, “Let’s stroll around the back of the orphanage, Mr. Cartwright. I can give you more details of what I have envisioned.”
When taking the descending path down the hill together, the young man continues talking about his vision. By now, the landowner is quite convinced the businessman genuinely intends to enhance the orphanage conditions for a friend, most probably a young lady, so Mr. Cartwright relaxes and somewhat drops his guard. He no longer worries that the land will be used for any commercial purposes.
As they are getting close to the backdoor of the orphanage, they observe a bunch of kids entering the Pony’s Home in single file through the side. The instant Albert identifies their leader, he feels a tug inside his chest, his heart pounding with excitement. Instead of her signature ponytails, she wraps her voluminous golden locks up loosely with a white bandana. It’s been months since he last saw her at the engagement party held at the Ardlay’s principal residence, but what resurfaces in his mind right now is nothing about that engagement party. Rather, he remembers the touch of her fine curls when he threaded his fingers through her silky hair. The next thing he knows, the mental snapshots of that unforgettable night send a rush of warmth up his neck.
That late evening, after waking up from a mistaken identity and remembering who he really was, Albert went home with mixed feelings. He recalled all his previous encounters with Candy, some of which she had already told him; he could also recollect the reason behind his firm decision to take the poor orphan girl under his wing. He meant to give her a much better life. Ironically, she was the one who had offered him the much needed friendship and trust, which gave him an incentive to keep on living.
Yet, having recovered, Albert did not feel like jumping for joy as he had anticipated back in the hospital. On the contrary, he climbed the stairs inside the House of Magnolia one step at a time to prolong the inevitable. After he unlocked the door to the apartment in slow motion, everywhere was surprisingly dark; as he entered the bedroom, he took in the sight with a pang of guilt. His roommate was fast asleep, lying face down on top of a pile of newspapers scattered around the floor. These papers were all about Terry and his bad news. At that moment, the thought of not informing her of anything concerning himself slithered into his mind. Nevertheless, he crouched down and gathered Candy’s sleeping form in his arms with a heavy heart. When carrying her to bed, he saw tear stains on her face, some hair strands stuck to her wet cheeks. Once putting her down onto the lower bunk bed, he stayed kneeling right beside the bed frame, staring at her thick, fanlike eyelashes under her tightly closed eyelids. He also apologized for hiding those newspapers from her, unsure if she heard him. Even in repose, her expression remained melancholic. He could almost feel her pain and struggles, and his heart swelled with compassion for the kindest girl he had ever met. He didn’t know what came over him then, but his fingers, as if of their own volition, reached out to tenderly wipe her tears and stroke the hair out of her face. That was the only time he had touched her in her slumber. Her skin was incredibly smooth, her hair so soft. How he wished he could somehow make her happy, but he felt so powerless when her heart belonged to a man unattainable.
It was at precisely that moment Albert perceived it wasn’t the right time to bring up his “good news”; how could he leave her side when Candy was undoubtedly still hurting from the painful separation? As a result, he decided to keep his recovery a secret from her, at least for a while.
Albert’s reminiscences are cut short by Mr. Cartwright’s exclamation, “Oh my, is that Candy? I heard from Jimmy lately that she’s returned to help out. Look! She’s grown to be such a natural beauty!”
The young man inwardly agrees. When living together as brother and sister, he was accustomed to seeing the pretty nurse without any artificial colours. She’s a girl with inner radiance, and her charming smile and captivating eyes make her endearing to the people around her. For the time being, she does look great without any makeup, wearing rustic clothes.
At the same time, Albert is not the least surprised the landowner remembers the orphan girl well. She has related to her roommate more than once about her adventure with Jimmy during the Christmas season several years ago, mistaking Mr. Cartwright for a servant working for the ranch. It goes without saying that she always cares about the orphanage a lot.
Yet, the young man feigns his ignorance, “Who?”
Just then, the door is closed behind the last youngster, so Mr. Cartwright says, “Well, too late now.”
His pretense is a spontaneous act. If the young man says “yes, she’s Candy” to Mr. Cartwright, he essentially gives away the name of his friend who grew up here. It’s not that Albert is ashamed to be her friend, but the question is, at this sensitive stage of their relationship, would it upset her to be known as a friend of William A. Ardlay?
This also explains why Albert has been debating with himself whether to drop by the orphanage to see Candy after meeting with Mr. Cartwright. What if she does not appreciate an unexpected visit? But just in case, the young boss did tell Georges to meet him at the orphanage later this afternoon. Speaking of which, Georges might be arriving in less than fifteen minutes, so the businessman asks after checking his wristwatch, “Mr. Cartwright, shall we resume our discussion?”
“Yes please, Mr. Ardlay.”
No sooner has he begun pointing at the path that leads to the village than both notice a woman with eye-catching blond tresses heading that direction, her back facing the men.
Albert’s heart constricts at the likelihood that Candy is evading him. What? She has already changed and is leaving? Why? Did she see me?
Yet, the discouraging thought actually pushes him to make up his mind. It’s about time he takes some action to reconcile with her. Hence, the young man utters in a rush, “Sorry for the impertinence, Mr. Cartwright. I must talk to her first.”
Without waiting for the landowner’s reply, the businessman sprints after her. Despite wearing dress shoes, he’s able to shorten their gap in no time. The lady hears heavy footsteps from behind her, and out of curiosity, she slows down and turns her head over her shoulder. The moment their gaze meets, he abruptly halts his steps. Hold it… This is not Candy…
Now that the lady is within an arm’s reach, he realizes he’s jumped to conclusions just now; this attractive lady with hazel eyes looks more mature even though she does bear a faint resemblance to Candy.
Meanwhile, the lady does not recognize the handsome man with short, wavy blond hair. Besides, his cashmere overcoat seems brand new, expensive and tailor-made; she’s never met any wealthy guy in her life. However, while she can easily say “Pardon me, sir” then move on, his striking blue eyes do look extremely familiar, reminding her of the man she’s looking for. Isn’t his hair brown though?
Yet, even with uncertainty, she spins around, staring at him with bewilderment painted across her lovely features. When Albert finally sees her face, something dawns on him. He finds himself in stunned disbelief that they have run into each other again in another continent, but he ventures, “Kim? Are you Kim?”
At the sound of his gentle voice, her eyes light up. Upon hearing her own name from his mouth, all her doubts vanish. Unable to believe her luck, she responds, her lips quivering slightly, “Al?”
=o=o=o=
Like Albert, Mr. Cartwright also assumes the woman leaving the orphanage is Candy. The rich fellow obviously cares about her a lot, even chasing after her in the middle of a negotiation. Hence, the landowner chuckles, shaking his white head. So I was right. His friend is an outstanding lady indeed. What’s their relationship? What’s his goal? Does he want to impress her with an exceptionally generous gift?
At this very moment, to the old man’s utter astonishment, he sees Candy running back from another direction. After talking to Miss Pony and Sister Lane, the girl darts out of the orphanage as though she was running towards the businessman. She doesn’t see the landowner at all, and Mr. Cartwright scratches his head. Wait, then who’s the other lady?
But Miss Pony spots the landowner and warmly approaches him, saying, “Mr. Cartwright, welcome back! How was your trip? Would you like to join us for tea and snacks?”
He likes to accept the invitation, but he explains, “I’m expecting a young man for some business. When he comes, how does he know where to find me?”
“Oh, is that right?”
“But thank you, Miss Pony. I think I’ll wait around. He should be here shortly.”
Miss Pony then responds politely, “Have a good afternoon, Mr. Cartwright.”
“Same to you, Miss Pony.”
While waiting for the businessman to return, Mr. Cartwright ambles around and takes a closer look at the building used as the orphanage, and it does look worn out due to lack of maintenance. As the landowner is pondering on the businessman’s proposal, the old man turns a corner and crashes into someone. The high impact causes him to lose his balance, but the lady beside him grabs his arms to prevent him from falling. Once he looks up, he’s taken aback.
“Candy! What’s happened?”
She promptly wipes her eyes, mortified to be found crying. “I’m terribly sorry, Mr. Cartwright. Please don’t tell anyone!”
Then she dashes off, leaving him behind to deal with the shock. What not to tell? That I saw her running away or that I saw tears on her face?
Before long, Albert returns and speaks to the landowner with a rueful frown, “Thanks for waiting, Mr. Cartwright. I’m afraid we have to arrange another meeting. My apologies.”
Mr. Cartwright raises his white eyebrows, but the businessman explains why he has to leave at once, pointing at the young woman standing about a couple of yards away from the chapel. Within seconds, a sleek, well-polished black Cadillac pulls over and stops right beside her; a black-haired man in a dark suit gets off from the driver’s seat and opens the rear passenger door for her.
The landowner, having taken a fleeting glance at the woman’s face, readily agrees, “Go ahead, Mr. Ardlay. You can book another appointment with my secretary.”
By now, the man with raven black hair has made his way towards them. Albert introduces him, “Mr. Cartwright, this is my right-hand man, Mr. Georges Villers.”
On his way to the orphanage, even from a distance Georges could see his boss talking to a woman whom he was unacquainted with, so he parked the car to check if everything was all right. As soon as Georges knew about the change of plans, he went back to get the car.
Then Mr. Cartwright and Georges greet and shake hands with each other. After that, Georges murmurs to his boss, “Sir William, we are ready.”
Albert swallows hard and turns to the landowner, his brow creased with regrets. “Once again, I’m sorry for the short notice.” The last thing he wants is to leave a lousy impression.
“No worries. The land is not going anywhere,” replies the landowner, chuckling. “See you another time.”
“Yes, definitely,” affirms the businessman. Then he breathes out a long sigh of resignation and follows Georges to the car.
When the landowner can no longer hear the swish of the luxurious vehicle with a family badge on the door, he looks up and utters out loud, “Are you still there, Candy?”
Before the businessman reappeared, Mr. Cartwright heard some noises of rustling leaves and snapping twigs behind him, as if someone was climbing a tree, but now nobody is in sight. Thus, Mr. Cartwright scans the surrounding trees and speaks up, “Just so you know, I’m leaving now.”
He then walks towards the front yard of the orphanage. The kids are now free to roam, and Sister Lane and Miss Pony are minding them. After making some chit-chat with them, Mr. Cartwright questions, “I was told that Candy has come back for good?”
So Miss Pony invites him to sit down by a picnic table, and they begin talking about how Candy has been a great help all these months. The landowner keeps nodding, and when they are done, he asks, “Wasn’t she adopted? What’s the family name again?”
Once he hears the family name from Sister Lane, he’s intrigued. “Did you say ‘Ardlay’?”
“Yes,” Miss Pony confirms. “But Candy explains to us that she wasn’t adopted like Annie. The man who has generously provided for her is more like her benefactor. Candy has not met him until recently, and his assistant has been her acting guardian.”
“What’s his name?”
After exchanging a glance with each other, Miss Pony furrows her brow, saying, “We don’t remember, Mr. Cartwright. It somehow slips our minds, because Candy rarely talks about her adoptive family.”
“Do you know why she left her family then?”
Both women answer almost simultaneously.
“We wish we knew.”
“We are hoping she’ll tell us.”
Their near unanimous replies speak volumes. At this point, Sister Lane becomes aware that something is not right. “By the way, where is Candy? Didn’t she say she would be right back?”
Miss Pony smiles with confidence however. “I think it should be fine. She’s a big girl now, and she knows the entire area by heart.”
“True,” Sister Lane mumbles, her brow knitting together.
Candy’s teary face and glistening eyes flash across the old man’s mind. Nobody can be unaffected by that, and he feels pity for her. She appeared rather perturbed, and Mr. Cartwright has been wondering what exactly upset her. If appropriate, he would like to help, but he respects her wish and decides not to say anything. He also feels tired; he’s really starting to show his age lately, so he says after a yawn, stretching his arms, “I think it’s time for me to go.”
When he’s leaving, the memory of a certain Christmas years ago returns to Miss Pony’s head, “Oh I remember now, Mr. Cartwright. Candy calls her benefactor ‘Granduncle William’.”
The old man can hardly believe his ears. “William? William Ardlay?”
“Sounds like it,” replies Miss Pony, wondering what piques his interest about Candy’s adoptive family.
As the landowner begins a slow saunter back to the ranch, he mulls over the business proposal. If he refuses to sell the land, the old building will continue to deteriorate, withstanding the normal wear and tear. But if he sells this part of the land, the rich guy will possibly pay for the renovation or expansion to upgrade the orphanage. While weighing his options, the landowner can’t shake off the feeling that Candy’s emotional distress had something to do with the rich fellow today. Because of that, the landowner is a little wary about selling the land now. Even though Mr. Cartwright likes the fellow and his attitude, the fellow is an outsider who originates from one of the major cities in the country nonetheless.
Come to think of it, the young man is plausibly the grandson of Candy’s benefactor. Could it be that stumbling upon him today has ripped open the orphan girl’s old wounds? Are they in love? Is their romantic relationship being frowned upon or forbidden, so she had to leave? Or has he misled her into thinking that he loved her and played with her emotions?
But the young man said he would pay everything out of pocket, so the landowner reckons his speculations may be far from the truth. Perhaps the fellow actually wants to purchase the land and upgrade the orphanage for Candy’s sake. On the other hand, the lady without a name is seemingly important to the businessman too, so much so that he had to attend to her needs without delay. Interestingly, that lady and Candy look somewhat alike.
To Mr. Cartwright, it’s not a surprise the remarkably dashing young man born with a silver spoon in his mouth can charm any woman. Although it’s not Mr. Cartwright’s nature to be inquisitive, the last thing he wants is to be involved, directly or indirectly, in other people’s private affairs. As a matter of fact, once the land is sold, the businessman can practically do anything to fulfill his dreams. Who knows for certain if the businessman will keep his word about enhancing the orphanage? What if the young man is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, that he has a hidden agenda? If that’s the case, the future of the orphanage is at stake.
Last but not the least, the landowner cares about Candy too. He doesn’t feel completely at ease with the businessman, wondering if the reconstruction proposal is some sort of compensation to her. Therefore, if the fellow’s motive is questionable or his actions will further aggravate her situation, Mr. Cartwright feels responsible to protect the orphans, especially Candy.
=o=o=o=
Candy is still wandering around in the vicinity of the Pony’s Home, struggling whether to go back. It’s the busiest time of the day at the kitchen when Miss Pony and Sister Lane have to prepare dinners for the hungry kids; also, they must be worried about her by now.
Mr. Cartwright, in spite of his old age, is still mentally sharp. He could tell she had climbed a tree. As a child, every time an orphan left with his or her adoptive parents, Candy almost always climbed the tallest oak tree to get a better view of their departure. Usually, she was able to get back to normal soon afterward, but the day Annie left with the Brightons, Prince on the Hill was the one who alleviated the pain of Candy’s loss. Even to this day, whenever she remembers her prince’s dazzling face, she feels motivated to cheer herself up.
Today was an exception unfortunately. Being high up on the tree, Candy deliberately took a trip down memory lane. Prince on the Hill said she looked prettier when she smiled than when she cried, but as she tried to smile, she saw Albert leaving with the nurse and Georges. Though her tears had stopped trickling down her face, a part of her remained emotionally disturbed. Her mind was filled with questions about the nurse called Kimberly and the nature of her relationship with Albert. The problem was, Candy couldn’t quite interpret her own feelings. What’s actually going on in my head? Am I jealous or envious or what?
So she harshly reprimanded herself more than once. I’m not supposed to pry into his private matters! And who am I to be jealous!?
That’s why she can’t show up at the Pony’s Home yet. She’s currently incapable of faking even a weak smile, so Miss Pony and Sister Lane or the kids will soon find her behaviour abnormal; consequently, they will ask her out of concern, but Candy does not feel like lying or talking to anyone for the time being. She realizes Albert knows everything about her past romantic relationships while she knows absolutely nothing about his love life. No doubt he’s not obligated to tell anyone, let alone an estranged friend like her. That being said, Candy can’t seem to stop imagining things, despite her best efforts.
But she figures she will be out of this agitated state eventually. It’s just a matter of time. Somehow, she ends up leaning against a tree on Pony’s Hill, pensive. From her favourite refuge she can enjoy the spectacular view of the last hour before sunset, when the landscape is engulfed by the warm, golden glow from the setting sun, and the sky is painted with colours that range from pink to magenta and violet with fluffy cirrus clouds of similar shades.
There’s nothing more magical to Candy than watching a magnificent sunset like this, which always has a calming effect on her, like that evening when she was in mourning for Stear in a Chicago park. Back then, as she stood near the treetop thinking about Stear, Albert unexpectedly landed a hand on her shoulder from behind, which caught her completely off guard. She welcomed him to join her of course. As he sat down beside her, they began talking about Stear, and within seconds, Candy got a lump in her throat and felt tears stinging her eyes. Albert kindly pulled her closer to him by wrapping his strong arm around her. She willingly leaned into him, breathing in his familiar musk. The warmth of his body drifted across her shoulder and through her entire being, comforting her beyond words. For a long time there was no need to talk; their grief was mutual.
Presently, Candy is choking back tears. Hundreds of these vivid memories with Albert, including the inside jokes and shared secrets, were unshakably imprinted in her heart. One of the most cherished moments was the night when he came home and discovered that she had cried herself to sleep while reading a bunch of old newspapers found under the bunk bed. After being carried to bed, some of her hair was stuck on her cheeks, which was a bit uncomfortable, and yet she was fully aware he was right beside her watching her, so she pretended to be fast asleep still. But what transpired next was least expected and truly memorable. His warm hand gently stroked her face while his fingers carefully got her hair unstuck and wiped away her tears. After that, he left her side without a word, and she could not stop shedding tears of appreciation behind his back. This gesture of kindness, which touched the depths of her soul, reminded her of her foster mothers’ love and care in her childhood.
Unbeknownst to him, his disappearance months later had left a vacuum in her heart. She looked back nostalgically of the times they spent together, and she often recalled this particular moment, specifically his tenderness and the feel of his feathery touch. She kept renting the apartment, hoping he would suddenly show up one day, and the constant longing deep inside her drove her to blindly hop on a train to go to Rockstown.
Needless to say, the mere sight of Albert this afternoon proves that her attempts to fight her feelings all these months have been futile. Because of this brief encounter, at one point Candy even regretted leaving Chicago, and yet, after she cleared her head, she concluded moving back to the Pony’s Home was still the right decision. For one thing, it’s too lonely to live in that apartment by herself. For another, she has zero interest in moving into the Ardlay’s residence, not to mention nobody has hinted about this at all. In other words, staying in Chicago will likely make it more difficult for her to adjust to her new life without him.
All of a sudden, Candy senses being observed. Guided by her instinct, she twirls in the right direction. The very second she notices the man standing not very far away, she draws in an audible gasp of stupefaction, her face flushing. An awkward silence ensues. The lady is at a loss how she ought to react, and the man is acutely embarrassed to be caught in the act. Never has he felt so on edge before. He had no intention to intrude on her privacy, but he was mesmerized and could not help staring at her amazing looks, her wistful eyes literally sparkling under the dramatic sunlight.
At this moment, he only hopes that he has not offended her, so he braces himself to break the silence, “I just want to know you’re safe. Sorry to interrupt your solitude. Please excuse me.”
After that, he turns on his heel and walks away with swift strides. It’s only then that she awakes from her stupor and shouts at the top of her lungs, “Albert!”
She has no idea how much it means to him to hear her call him by his middle name again.
=o=o=o=
Writer’s note:
Thank you for reading! I hope you liked the new chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Again, this story is mainly inspired by Candy Candy Final Story and the manga version.
Also, my appreciation goes to Lakewood for providing links to several references for my question about the age of majority. For your interest, for this fanfic I assume Candy’s birthday is May 1898, and she (aged 16) started living with Albert possibly in the Fall after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria on June 28, 1914, the spark that ignited World War I.
In Candy Candy Final Story (CCFS), Patty wrote about Stear in her letter to Candy and stated that US was seemingly joining the allies. It’s a known fact that the United States declared war on Germany on April 4, 1917. Perhaps the letter was written some time between January (when the Sussex pledge was violated) and April in 1917.
In that letter Albert was still living with Candy as the amnesiac patient. Based on the manga, Albert vanished in Candy’s life not long after Stear’s funeral, and this is likely the case in CCFS as well. For this fanfic, it’s purely my own imagination that Candy discovered Albert’s true identity in late spring of 1917 and moved back to the orphanage in early summer. By then Candy should have turned nineteen years old. If you think this does not make any sense or if you spot any mistake in this chapter, please kindly let me know. Thank you in advance!
P.S. Soon after I published this chapter, someone sent me a private message of a long list of questions regarding some rumours circulating online about Albert in Candy Candy. Some fans claimed that the main character Albert was created by the manga artist Yumiko Igarashi rather than the author Keiko Nagita herself or something like that. I skimmed through these questions only because I’m not in the least interested in dealing with these groundless rumours, which are laughable to say the least. 😀 That being said, I’m truly thankful to Leda and Michelle for providing their insights just in time. You practically came to my rescue, my friends! Thank you very much for your contributions too! 🤩
Hi, You’ve got so much talent as a writer – Ms Puddle! Have you written stories which are not CC-related? Even though your fanfiction is based on Nagita’s characters, your style of writing is your distinct own.
And thank you for answering my questions in the previous post. I really appreciate it.
Cheers!
Thank you @Gabriella for your kind words ❣️ I enjoy writing very much (more like entertaining my imagination). In fact, many of you are talented writers, judging from the submissions to the writing contests last year. 👍👏
You’re welcome and take care!
I agree with you about the sterling quality of the submissions for your writing contests. Everyone in this forum seems to have an excellent command of the English language even though for many it’s not their mother tongue.
I’ve got to admit, however, that one of my favourite contributors is Alex even though her work is not based on fanfiction but on providing an authoritative and scholarly analysis of the CCFS. The “Myths of Candy Candy” series is one of the best and the collaboration between you and Alex really paid off to the fullest extent. Great job!
Yes, @Gabriella! I agree with you 💯%. It’s also an honor to be selected to participate and publish the myth series.
Both of you did an excellent job. I hope Alex decides to collaborate with you again in the near future. Her knowledge in law and history is impressive.
Thank you @Gabriella for your encouraging words. 🤗 Yes indeed her contribution to the fandom is priceless!
Agree with you 100%!
Amazing story, so far! Can’t wait for the next chapter to read what happens, thereafter.
I have a question involving the illustration you’re using from the manga. Do you know if those quasi-spherical shapes behind Candy and Albert signify anything? Based on various tropes and symbolism used in manga, the swirling shape (akin to a vortex) usually denotes angst, fear or despair. However, such shape is not behind Candy and Albert in this particular illustration. Does it have any specific meaning, if you happen to know?
Thank you for your time and for sharing your creative content with us.
Thank you @Irana93 for your encouraging words❣️ Thanks for reading. 🤗
About those elliptical shapes, I don’t know the answer, unfortunately. But different artists have different styles even though they do share some common effects to signify the passage of time, angst, anger, speed etc. What I usually do is to compare Igarashi’s drawings to her own but in different scenes. My guess is whenever Candy has inner monologue or feels emotional, these elongated (distorted) ovals will appear in the background, forming wavy lines behind Candy. The more emotional she gets, the more there are, it seems. What do you think? Do you have the manga version?
I’ve got the manga version in several languages but I would like to look into this aspect a bit further. I’ll do a bit of research and let you know about my findings.
Thanks and kind regards.
That’s wonderful, @Irana93! Looking forward to reading your analysis 👏👍
Awesome chapter and I like the way it ended even if it’s a bit of a cliff-hanger. LoL
As for Lynn’s comments about the main CC/CCFS characters, she’s spot on and I agree 100% with her analysis.
I’ve got a question for you though and it’s on a different topic. Have you got the old novel in its entirety or just segments of it? Have you got any other books by Keiko Nagita? I’ve happened to come across this one on the internet:
archive.org/details/eaair0000nagi/page/n247/mode/2up
Have you ever heard of it?
Thank you for your time and talk to you again soon.
Hello @DreamCatcher, I’m delighted to hear that you don’t mind the cliffhanger lol 🤗 Thanks for reading❣️
No I don’t have the old novel myself and only read bits and pieces from various sources. I haven’t read any other Nagita’s novels or stories either.
No I haven’t heard of this “Air”. Anything special about it that you want to share?
Do you know anyone who has the entire book (the “old novel”). Based on what I’ve read online, this old novel was first published during the late 1970s and underwent several revisions until the early 2000s. The final versions were deprived of Igarashi’s illustrations, presumably, due to the infamously ongoing legal battle between Nagita and Igarashi.
With regards to other works by Nagita, I have read those published by Arechi Manga-“Reineta la manzana dorada” and “Bajo el cielo azul de Lorient”. They were alright but nothing special.. The Arechi Manga professional team (editors and translators) did a fine job, however, especially based on the rather mediocre primary material they had to delve into. I also prefer their official translation of the CCFS (or CCHD) along with PIKA’s official translation. Both editorial teams put much effort and hard work into the translation as well as design of their books.
Moreover, I have enjoyed reading Nagita’s renowned work which is the “Fuko and the Ghosts” series.
As for “Air”, I only happened to find it on the internet whilst browsing for other info on archive.org.
It seems that most of Nagita’s work hasn’t been translated into any other language. Are there Japanese websites or links you could share with us which could assist us in finding other works by Nagita and Igarashi?
Thanks again for all your help!
Hello @DreamCatcher, I’m sorry to disappoint you but I don’t know the answers to most of your questions. 🙁
However, I’ll try my best to tell you what I know. You’re right about the Old CC novel. It was first published around the time the manga was completed. It was meant to be the novelization of the manga with additional materials, including what happened after Albert’s confession on the hill at the end of the manga. Therefore, back then the readers got to read more about Albert’s past as WAA through his replies to Candy’s letters.
This old novel did go through several rounds of revisions, and each time the author revised existing contents or added even more. For example, Candy’s letter to Captain Vincent Brown was added later, I was told. DreamCatcher, you’re also right that the last edition was text only. There was no illustration from Yumiko Igarashi.
If I’m not mistaken, Candy Candy was the first collaboration between Nagita and Igarashi, and it might be the only one. I might be wrong though. If you find out otherwise, please feel free to correct me. 🙂
I heard that Igarashi has published many works since her debut but it seems that her most successful publications are CC and Lady Georgie.
Hi DreamCatcher,
You might be interested in this link re Nagita’s works:
https://www.amazon.com/Books-Keiko-Nagita/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AKeiko+Nagita
Do you know Mariela, the page owner of Albert y Candy Manga Color (https://www.facebook.com/candycandymangacolor)? If I remember correctly, she has a collection of Old CC Novels and many other CC goodies / magazines. Please check her wonderful Facebook page. You’ll be fascinated for sure 🙂
Thank you very much for this information, Ms Puddle.
As for Mariella’s FB page, I sure am aware of it. It’s one of the best and well-informed fanpages within the CC community as it offers such a diverse range of information and always with respect to the author-Keiko Nagita-and the the manga artist-Yumiko Igarashi.
Hi @Ms Puddle,
Your fanfic is kicking off as particularly interesting. I like the dynamics between Candy and Albert even if there’s a bit too much tension between them. Apparently, Candy feels apprehensive because she’s still unsure and insecure about her feelings for Albert and whether he feels the same for her. I remember in the novel that Candy had expressed similar angst regarding Albert’s feelings for her and she even found him exasperating because she couldn’t decipher his thoughts and emotions. She had her inner monologue concerning her feelings for Albert which were neither brotherly nor fatherly-related but based on other feelings she found difficult to explain and, above all, admit. Candy no longer felt comfortable around Albert but she was also so attracted to him, simultaneously. She had experienced similar inner conflict in the past as well when she didn’t want to admit that she had fallen for Terry. Such tension usually emerges during the initial stages of a romantic relationship when the prospective couple has its initial misgivings and dread of getting humiliated if there is no reciprocity. Such was the case for Terry and later on after many years for Albert. In turn, Terry was also very insecure about Anthony and Albert was apparently insecure about Terry. Such conflicts are virtually inevitable in relationships which develop into romantic ones.
Can’t wait for the next chapter..
Hope you’re doing fine and I wish you all the best.
Well said, @Leda! I couldn’t agree with you more! I only want to add that I think both Candy and Albert went through some tough times in CCFS after her discovery of his true identity, unlike the manga. That was why it took him so long to confess Pony’s Hill, and Candy could not stop shedding tears of joy as soon as she understood he was her prince. 😍
Thank you for reading! 🤗
It is without any shadow of a doubt that Keiko Nagita placed greater emphasis on the depth of the bond between Candy and Albert in the novel than the creators of the anime or manga had done. Their relationship is far more complex, profound and sophisticated in the novel. It’s obvious that this ‘ineffable bond’ between Candy and Albert is immensely important to Keiko Nagita and this is irrefutably confirmed in her CCFS novel where Albert remains relevant throughout the entire novel and intensifies in significance from Section 3 until the end of the story.
Yet, there seems to a ‘trend’ amongst certain otherwise rather confused and irrational fans that Albert was not the creation or inspirational source belonging to Nagita but to Igarashi. Such claims are laughable and pitiful at the same time. Not only that but it seems that Terry’s role is the one which diminishes in the novel and that’s in stark contrast to the anime and manga where his role remained significant and omnipresent throughout the story. In the novel, however, Terry stops bearing a protagonist role after the end of Section 2. He had his ’15 minutes’ of fame and that was in the second section of this novel. After than, he remains a long and distant memory..
More importantly, the legal verdict in the Japanese judicial system confirmed and thus vindicated Keiko Nagita as the exclusive intellectual property owner of ALL the CC/CCFS characters. By ALL characters that means ALL the characters of this story including Candy, Anthony, Albert, Terry, Eliza, Neal, etc. If Albert was not Nagita’s creation, she would have omitted him from her new novel since she wouldn’t have any copyright claim over this character. The opposite happens, however. Not only is Albert Nagita’s undeniable creation but he gains far greater importance in her new novel. If Albert wasn’t Nagita’s creation and if he did not constitute an important character for her, she wouldn’t have devoted so many pages and time into elucidating and developing his character. Whilst Terry’s role is limited within the 2nd section of the novel, the relationship between Candy and Albert becomes increasingly more significant and, in particular, from the 3rd section of the novel onwards culminating with the Epilogue. Nagita wouldn’t have dedicated so much material for Candy and Albert unless their relationship as well as their individual characters were essential to her.
Best to set the record straight here because there’s too much BS being spread online by certain erratic and paranoid fans who have far too much free time in their hands. Would be wise for them to get a proper job and a meaningful life instead of fixating on make-believe lovers. Needless to mention that the focus should be on indisputable textual evidence and facts instead of clownish theories and mere wishful thinking. Fortunately, the greatest majority of the members of the CC community shun, ignore and ultimately disregard and mock such sludge-monster fans for their unlimited imbecility and pettiness.
Well said, Leda!
Such rubbish arguments about Nagita and one of her beloved creations-the character of Albert-have been spewed by an insignificant minority of fans whose lunacy is easily comparable to that of QAnon supporters. Even most folks within their own echo chambers don’t take them seriously. Those morons simply spit out hysterical beliefs which have no textual or factual backing as undeniable evidence. Indeed, they have a sordid habit of taking words and other material out of context and disingenuously distorting the meaning. In addition, they tend to deliberately omit significant sections which not only contradict but obliterate their pseudo-arguments. In most cases, nonetheless, their pretentious and cunning-foolish claims are based on sheer fabrications coming from their own deranged and disturbed minds.
At the end of the day, what matters and what holds water is what Keiko Nagita and her authorized personnel have to report about this novel as published in 2010. Nagita herself has made it crystal-clear that we should not take into consideration anything from the past alluding to the Candy Candy narrative. Instead, the one-and-only focal point must be what is stated in the Japanese original 2010 Candy Candy Final Story, including the official translations of Kappalab, PIKA and Arechi Manga. Nothing else. This has been clarified by the sole and legitimate author of this novel-Keiko Nagita-in the “Author’s Note”/”Prelude” of this novel and all readers, irrespective of their personal preferences and interests. ought to respect that. Besides, they have no other choice because the intelligent and well-educated people focus on facts and textual evidence and not on sleazy vilifications and cheap & shallow pseudo-debates.
Bravo, @Leda and @Michelle!
I also heard about the recent controversial arguments circulating on the internet.
May I quote you both?😍
Fine by me.😊
Please feel free to quote my comment and let me know if you want the relevant links as further evidence. Thank you again.
Thank you @Leda and @Michelle! I added the links to your comments at the end of my current post. Thank you so much!
Thank you again for acknowledging my comment. That’s very generous of you.🙏
Just read the update. Thank you again!
How are you, Ms Puddle? Hope you’ve been fully vaccinated because the pandemic doesn’t seem to be abating any time soon. As for me, I’m finally fully vaxxed but time will tell whether we’re sufficiently protected from the new mutations and variants of this virus.
Changing the subject, I found your second chapter fascinating. You’re adept at delving into the characters of this story without moving away from the original concept concerning their traits as depicted by Nagita. It’s a pity that we don’t get much character development in the original novel and I mean that for all the characters involved-main as well as supplementary. I think that the anime and manga did a far better job in terms of providing character development and interesting plot. It’s not just the visuals but the actual storyline as adapted by TOEI and the collaborative work of Nagita and Igarashi in the manga.
I’m so pleased you’re back into writing fanfics and I’m sure your next chapter will be just as fascinating-if not even more.
Take Care!
Hi @Christine, thanks for asking! Like you, after getting my second dose, I consider myself fully vaccinated too. However, cases are rising everywhere due to the highly transmissible Delta variant. 😕 You’re absolutely right that the pandemic is not abating any time soon. Sigh… I’ll keep wearing a mask whenever I go out even though the restrictions are lifted now.
Thank you for reading this chapter and so happy to hear you found it fascinating❣️ I’ll try my best to keep up. You take care too, @Christine 🤗
I agree with you @Ms Puddle. It’s best to maintain all necessary precautions as this global pandemic seems to be exacerbating and not abating any time soon..
So true, @Christine, especially there are still many anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers out in the wild.
It’s insane, isn’t it? We’re half-way into 2021 and there are still people who believe in such nonsensical conspiracy theories against scientific research and progress.
I know, @Christine. Now that a lot of restrictions are lifted, the number of confirmed cases just doubled recently. 😣
Hi!
Really enjoyed this new chapter. The suspense is intensifying and I like the way you’re keeping it fast-paced but at the same time you’re not reducing the significance of character development. The conflicting emotions permeating both Candy and Albert are highlighted well in this story so far and I can’t wait to read what will happen next.
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much @Michelle for your kind words. You made my day❣️
Glad you enjoyed the character development so far. I will try my best to keep it fast-paced too. Thanks again 🤗
One of the strongest points of your writing style which should be highlighted is that you’re never verbose. I’m fed up with the flowery and superfluous language which is often endemic in such fanfiction tales based on Candice White. On the other hand, I’ve come across quite a few really awesome fanfiction but they take a bit of time to find along with some online digging.
Thank you @Michelle❣️ Some writers are quite verbose indeed, but everyone is free to choose his or her style as long as the storyline is compelling. In fact, some writers said details are important and I tend to omit a lot. I don’t know. I’m trying my best to strike a balance. 😀
A writer could provide the relevant details to a story without being verbose. For example, Hemingway was renowned for deploying such a style; he could get so much meaningful information across to his readers without being superfluous.
I agree with you, nonetheless, that there are writers as well as poets who are rather wordy but retain their appeal as being one of the finest contributors in literary and cultural history. Such a noteworthy example is Edgar Allan Poe.
Ops, dimenticavo! Personalmente per la cronologia ho pensato a date un po’ diverse nelle mie storie, ma le date sono davvero una spina nel fianco e non c’è un punto di vista giusto o sbagliato, secondo me. Grazie anche a fonti di altre appassionate sono giunta alla conclusione che Candy è nata nel Maggio 1899 e Albert il 28 Giugno 1888. Inoltre, in una mia fanfic (che non ho ancora pubblicato, tra l’altro), ho immaginato che Albert cominci a pensare di tornare in America dall’Africa proprio dopo quell’attentato nel 1914, mentre la guerra comincia a delinearsi ma riesca a tornare a casa solo parecchi mesi dopo… senza spoilerare, la loro convivenza l’ho immaginata che cominci nel 1915, quando in effetti Candy ha 16 anni. Non so se ti sono stata utile ho ti ho solo confuso più le idee, potresti benissimo aver ragione tu e torto io, qui ci vuole una cronologia VERA dalla Nagita, santa pazienza! XD
Thank you @moira78 for providing your chronology. Mine is a mixture of the timeline in the manga and that in Candy Candy Final Story.
Yet, as you said, nobody is absolutely sure about the chronology. 😐
I got some hints here and there in the novel. For example, Albert sensed the unease and left Africa before the onset of WWI, if I’m not mistaken. On his way back he boarded the train in Italy and someone detonated a bomb. He lost all his memories and was eventually transferred to a hospital in Chicago. Therefore, it was likely the late summer or fall in 1914 when Candy and Albert began living together. Again, just a guess. 😀
Carissima! Quando ho visto che avevi pubblicato il secondo capitolo della tua nuova storia mi sono precipitata qui: adoro come tracci il carattere dei personaggi in maniera assolutamente IC e spontanea. E perdonami se mi ripeto, ma per me leggerti è splendido sia da lettrice che adora Candy e Albert, sia da autrice di fanfiction che ha scoperto questo fandom da poco più di un anno e tenta sempre di entrare nel cuore di questi meravigliosi personaggi: poche autrici, soprattutto straniere sono in grado di tracciarne così bene le sfumature di carattere e tu sei una di queste. Ogni volta che ti leggo so che ho qualcosa da migliorare nel mio stile, qualcos’altro da affinare nella descrizione dei sentimenti dei protagonisti per renderli più veri e altra strada da percorrere per arrivare alla qualità descrittiva che hai tu. Insomma, quando leggo una tua storia mi delizio e imparo al contempo!
Mi piace tanto la prospettiva che hai scelto per questa trama in particolare: hai semplicemente colto il momento in cui Albert decide di acquistare i terreni della Casa di Pony e hai fatto tornare l’infermiera che somiglia a Candy proprio adesso. Ed ecco che si crea l’equivoco, con i nostri due biondi che ovviamente si tengono nel cuore il meraviglioso sentimento che già li lega. In tutto questo, persino il signor Cartwright ha i suoi sani dubbi, perché si è creato… l’equivoco nell’equivoco! Insomma, non oso pensare a cosa accadrà ora, soprattutto perché Albert, con quella frase alla fine e il suo abbraccio a Kim convince Candy che il suo interesse è puramente dettato dall’amicizia. Ma quell'”Albert!” gridato alle sue spalle… mi fa ben sperare. Oppure è una mia pia illusione e i due continueranno a negare i propri sentimenti ancora a lungo? E perché apparentemente Albert sta portando Kimberly con sé? Insomma, anche io nelle mie storie ne combino di tutti i colori ma pure tu non scherzi, il triangolo amoroso mi sembra già tracciato! Un abbraccio e scusa se mi sono dilungata, inutile dirti che non vedo l’ora di leggere il terzo capitolo, sono già in fermento!
Ciao @moira78, grazie mille 💕 Thank you for your compliments and highly encouraging words. I won’t say much about my story because I want you to keep reading to find out. 😉 I’m honoured to have you here. Best wishes to you as a fanfic writer! 🤗
Congratulations to Italy’s Euro 2020 victory! Here in Vancouver and other cities in Canada, the Italian communities are celebrating too. I happened to drive by the crowds today and many young men wore the blue jerseys. Some of them were good-looking too 😍
Dear Ms Puddle,
Thank you for considering my commentary. This is most appreciated.
I will get back to you soon to provide my thoughts on your new chapter. I am looking forward to reading it.
Kind Regards,
Lynn
Both your comments about Terry and Albert are intelligent and you definitely know how to present a rational argument. I couldn’t agree more with everything you have elucidated.
How nice of you to say that @Michelle. Thank you very much!
Hi @Lynn, no I’m the one who should thank you for your contributions! No rush but I hope you will like the new chapter ☺️
Hi, Ms Puddle!
Got to finish reading both chapters of your new fanfiction and they are intriguing to say the least. Introducing a character from Albert’s past is astute from your part. It will be interesting to see how this story unfolds because I have the impression, based on the initial reading of this narrative, that Albert has feelings for Kim. Even in the original story by Keiko Nagita (CCFS), Albert appears to be favourably impressed with that young and beautiful American nurse because he actually took the time to mention her in his letter to Candy. Those two had spent a considerable period of time together in Africa and they also worked together at the medical clinic in Kenya. It wouldn’t be far-fetched to assume that the two of them had also become a couple.
Who knows? Maybe that’s the reason why Albert was so understanding and patient with Candy’s turmoil in overcoming Terry. Perhaps he had also experienced an intense romantic relationship with the aforesaid nurse in Kenya.
What do you think?
You’re making a valid point, Sarah, and I agree with your thoughts about Albert and the possibility of him having developed a romantic relationship with the American nurse during their employment in Africa.
Thank you @Lynn!
Hello @Sarah! Thank you so much for reading. So glad to hear that you find it intriguing! 🤗 I won’t say anything about the nurse in this fanfic yet, but I do agree with you about Albert in CCFS or the manga. Of all the coworkers he did specifically mention this American nurse in his letter to Candy, and indeed they worked together probably for about a year or so in Kenya.
Sarah, interesting thoughts! Albert’s past experiences might also be the reasons why he could be so understanding and patient with Candy later. 😉 Aren’t we all like that? We may be able to sympathize with our friends’ troubles if we’ve had similar ordeals before.
Yes, that seems to be the case.
It would make sense for sure.. Albert had travelled all over the world and he would have accumulated a plethora of life experiences possibly comprising his love-life as well. It’s most certain that Terry and Albert had experiences with other women prior to Candy. Back in those days, it was quite common for men to be sexually active whilst the patriarchy restricted women within the confines of hypocritical chastity. So glad those awful times belong to the long and distant past..
Hi @Lynn, I’m not sure if Albert has traveled all over the world. He’s likely been to various cities in Europe and who knows where else he traveled while he was in Africa. 😉
Yes, back in those days single men in high society might be sexually active, but of course in shoujo manga they won’t mention anything about that. 😂