CANDYLAND - 1. Quest

Chapter 20 - Lost hope and restored faith

Skittles Cookie then went up next to S'mores Cookie, who was sitting on her "throne" (the throne where King Sugar used to sit on, but then he got captured and thrown in the dungeon).

— Guards, throw those cookies to the dungeon! yelled Empress S'mores to her servants.

— Yes, your Majesty... they said, even if they didn't want to obey her orders, they had no choice.

The guards of the Candy Palace took away the ex-queens and ex-king, and threw them to the dungeon. Pancake Cookie and Marshmallow Cookie were put in a cell together, with Sugar Cookie. Ice Cream Cookie, with Maple Syrup Cookie. Yet, they didn't know that Ex-king Sugar was in one of those cells...

In anger and rage, Pancake Cookie started yelling at Marshmallow Cookie for being so stupid:

— WHY, MARSHMALLOW COOKIE? JUST WHY DID YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT SKITTLES COOKIE HAD CHANGED! SHE WILL NEVER CHANGE! SHE IS STUCK UNDER A DARK MAGIC SPELL YOU MORON, SHE CAN'T BREAK FREE FROM IT, AS LONG AS MAGIC STILL EXISTS!

— Jeez, take a chill pill, Pancake Cookie...

— "Take a chill pill, jeez, Pancake Cookie!"

— Hey, what is your problem!
— Your low IQ is my problem! We could've ran here and stolen the Mirror of Truth from Skittles Cookie then got rid of S'mores Cookie's dark magic, and voilà! We would go back to our happy lives. Our happily ever after. My happily ever after. AND YOU MORON TOOK AWAY MY CHANCE TO OBTAIN MY HAPPILY EVER AFTER! UGH, YOU ARE AN IDIOT! SKITTLES COOKIE WILL NEVER CHANGE, GOT THAT? SHE WILL NEVER CHANGE! Just... JUST LIKE YOU! WHY ARE YOU SO OBLIVIOUS? WHY DID SUGAR COOKIE EVEN CHOOSE YOU TO BECOME QUEEN OF THE LIGHT KINGDOM, IN THE FIRST PLACE? In my opinion, your older brother, Espresso Cookie would've made a FAR BETTER KING than YOU EVER WOULD. He's more mature and cares more about the kingdoms than his broken friendships that he should move on with! Yeah, I'M TALKING ABOUT YOU, MARSHMALLOW COOKIE! she yelled.

Once those few words came out of her mouth, Pancake Cookie immediately regretted the words she had let out. Marshmallow Cookie was crying, her eyes filled with tears.

— Oh no... I- I'm so sorry for what I said, Marshmallow Cookie! I was just mad, she tried explaining herself.

— No. I get it. I really am not fit to be queen. I ruined our chance of survival by letting my heart decide on what to do, by choosing to believe that Skittles Cookie could really change, even if she was in the possession of a dark magic spell. That was very foolish of me, I get it. If we ever do escape from this dungeon, feel free to replace me with a different candidate to be queen of the Light Kingdom, said Marshmallow Cookie.

It was, now, Pancake Cookie who was tearing up. She didn't want her words to affect her best friend this way. She simply had anger issues, resulting from her complicated past.

Pancake Cookie tried making Marshmallow Cookie feel better about herself, but she failed. Her words had such an impact on her friend, that all of their hopes of escaping were gone now. With the evil reign of Empress S'mores, Candyland was no longer an amazing paradise, but a dark bitter world filled with darkness and corruption. How could this have happened?

Suddenly, a figure behind them in the cell appeared. It was... Sugar Cookie?!?!

— Hello, Pancake Cookie and Marshmallow Cookie. What a coincidence that you two also got captured by S'mores Cookie...

Even if he had kinda brought up pretty much the end of Candyland by replacing Marshmallow Cookie with S'mores Cookie many, many weeks ago, Marshmallow Cookie ran to give him a hug. Despite the fact that he's immortal and is pretty much not related to her, she always found him as a father figure seeing as she filled in his palace for twelve to thirteen years of her existence.

— Maple Syrup Cookie and Ice Cream Cookie got captured as well, but they're in a different cell, explained Pancake Cookie.

— Oh, dear! I suppose that we should get used to being powerless, he said.

Pancake Cookie and Marshmallow Cookie looked at each other, worried. What did he mean by « getting used to being powerless »? They still had their powers, after all.

— In half an hour, the guards will bring you to S'mores Cookie and she'll use her dark magic to steal your powers. Just like she did with me, he explained. How else do you think I'm still here? If I had my powers, I would've escaped a LONG TIME AGO!

The two girls were horrified. They thought that being locked up would be the worst, but losing their powers, skills, and magical abilities? If what King Sugar was saying is true, they could lose their elemental power. Seeing as Marshmallow Cookie was chosen to be queen of the Light Kingdom, she is the only one with the powers of the light element, so, light powers. Pancake Cookie was gifted with shadow powers (Shadow Kingdom). Maple Syrup Cookie, with nature powers (Nature Kingdom). Ice Cream Cookie, with ice powers (Frost Kingdom). And Skittles Cookie was gifted with love powers (Love Kingdom), but they might be taken away if the four cookies do end up saving Candyland and restoring it to its previous form.

— Oh no, oh no... This is BEYOND BAD! If we lose our elemental powers, plus with your powers, plus her dark magic, S'mores Cookie will be stronger than anyone in Candyland! She'll basically be a Goddess, at this point! But not the good type of Goddess... said Pancake Cookie.

— So, she'll be, like, stronger than King Sugar? asked Marshmallow Cookie.

— Uh, I just said that she would have the power of a Goddess. Isn't that enough for an answer? she said sarcastically.

Marshmallow Cookie glared at Pancake Cookie.

Feeling the tension between these two girls, King Sugar decided to break the ice by saying:

— Well. Unless you have the Five Artifacts, you can escape. But with the looks of it, I suppose you don't have it...

The two girls looked at each other for a few seconds before they started doing a happy dance.

— On the contrary! We have the Five Artifacts! Well, more like four of them, said Marshmallow Cookie.

— The Geode of Magic, the Crystal of Ice, the Wand of Shadows, and the Light of Wonders! specified Pancake Cookie.

— Wonderful! said Sugar Cookie. Now, Pancake Cookie, you must use the Wand of Shadows to make an illusion of a guard going to our cell and opening it.

Pancake Cookie followed King Sugar's instructions. She took out the Wand of Shadows (that S'mores Cookie, surprisingly, didn't take away) and created an illusion of a guard. Finally, they were out! She then created an illusion of her and Marshmallow Cookie, still trapped in the cell. For some reason, Sugar Cookie was still in the dungeon.

— C'mon, King Sugar! What are you still doing there?! said Marshmallow Cookie.

— Sorry, but I'll stay behind. I trust you. I have faith in you, Marshmallow Cookie. The moment I saw you helping your parents at their cafe when you were little, I knew that you were destined for greatness. Why else did I choose you?

She was touched by his words.

But it wasn't the time for hugs! They had to quickly help the others escape so they could go and defeat S'mores Cookie, once and for all. Her evil reign must come to an end.

When she turned around before leaving, King Sugar smiled at her and waved at her as a sign of « goodbye ». Despite the fact that she didn't want to leave him alone, afraid she would fail once again, she had to go. After all, he once did say: A true warrior never gives up! Even if they are alone and afraid of failure.