Charlotte woke up early the next morning, wasting no time getting dressed and grabbing a quick breakfast. She ran out of the house before her father had time to ask where she was going.
Racing through the busy streets of the city, careful not to run into any pedestrians, she ran all the way to their agreed meeting spot, a secluded alleyway near the Wash House.
She was relieved when she found Noodle rolling her laundry cart into the alleyway. She smiled and picked up her pace when she noticed Charlotte. They had arrived at the same time- perfect!
She approached Noodle and smiled. "Did it work, Noodle?" she asked excitedly.
Before Noodle had the chance to respond, Willy's head popped out of one of the bags in her laundry cart. "Yep! Hiya, Charlotte!"
She let out a small chuckle. "Hey, Willy! How'd it go?"
"Oh, Mrs. Scrubitt is all over Bleacher now," Noodle explained as Willy climbed out of the cart. "We escaped right under their noses too!"
Charlotte grinned. "That's wonderful! Now we can sell Willy's chocolates without worrying about getting caught!" She clasped her hands together happily.
"I can't believe it worked!" Noodle giggled.
"Now, for the next part of the plan," Willy said. "Just wait 'til you see how much chocolate I made last night!"
He reached into his hat and pulled out...and empty jar?
"We'll sell this, and then- oh no!" Willy gasped, and looked into the jar, as if searching for the chocolates that weren't there.
"What's going on, Willy?" Charlotte asked. "Where're the chocolates?"
"Ugh...not again..." He sighed and rolled his eyes dramatically. "Charlotte, Noodle, I don't know how to tell you this, but...the chocolates have been stolen."
"Stolen," the girls said flatly.
"Mhm." Willy nodded. "Stolen."
Noodle sighed and crossed her arms. She clearly didn't believe him. "Who by?"
"The little orange man," he replied.
"Little...orange man...?" Charlotte blinked at him.
"What?" Noodle's eyes narrowed.
"The little orange man with green hair, of course!" he exclaimed, as if they were supposed to know what he was talking about. "Did I not tell you about him?" When Charlotte shook her head, he sighed and began explaining. "He's my nemesis. About two feet tall, comes during the dead of night with his quiet little footsteps, then he steals all my chocolate! Been happening every few weeks for the past, what, three- four years now?"
Charlotte was slightly curious, but Noodle just narrowed her eyes. "Really," she said flatly.
"Oh, yes." Willy nodded. "One day I shall capture him, you two..."
"Willy?" Noodle said slowly.
"And when I do..." Willy went on.
"Willy...?"
"What if you set up a trap?" Charlotte suggested, earning a hard glare from Noodle.
"Oooh, a trap! Great idea, Cha-"
"Willy!" Noodle cried. "You don't actually expect me to believe you, do you?"
"Of course I do!" Willy seemed surprised she didn't believe him. "What other explanation could there be?" He held the empty jar up to her face.
"I don't know." She rolled her eyes. "That you go to sleep, dream about a little green man-"
"Green hair," he corrected her.
YOU ARE READING
For A Moment - A Wonka AU
Fanfiction17 year old Charlotte Fickelgruber wants one thing. And that's to put her dad out of business. Her dad is the owner of Fickelgruber Chocolates, one of the most famous and well-known chocolate factories in the world. But little does the public know...
