Bubblegum Witch

Finding The Ingredients

"What's your plan, Derek?" Asked Paul. "It says ten ingredients are needed for the antidote. So instead of both of us going together to collect them all, we're gonna split up and each get five." Said Derek. "I get it, five and five make ten." Paul said. "The only problem is we won't be able to contact each other." Derek said.

Paul gets an idea. "Or will we?" He asked. He pulls out two earpieces and hands one to Derek. "What's this?" He asked. "Remember when you, Odette, and the Russos were captured by Detticus a while back?" Asked Paul. "All too well, unfortunately." Said Derek. "The lads, Amanda, and I wore these earpieces to keep in contact with each other to stay up to date on finding the five of you." Paul said. "I see, so I just wear this to call you if I find an ingredient?" Derek asked. "You got it, brother!" Said Paul with a wink.

Finally understanding, Derek puts the earpiece into his ear. "How does it work?" He asked. "All you do is push the button right here to connect, then let go to disconnect." Paul said. "We definitely need to modernize our kingdom in the future." Said Derek. "Now let's hurry, the girls' lives depend on us!" Said Paul.

Derek nods then takes out the map. "What are the first five ingredients?" He asked. "Healing water, unicorn hair, rose thorns, cherry blossom petals, and a moth wing." Paul said. "Okay, it would appear you need to travel to the healing forest to find the first three. As for the other two, you'll have to go to a springtime meadow for the cherry blossom petals, and there are plenty of moths in a place called Evergreen Overlook." Derek said.

"And that's when it becomes a problem." Said Paul "Why?" Asked Derek. "There's only one map, and you said you'd be holding on to it." Paul said. "Oh, I see how this'll be a problem. If you don't know your way around, you'll probably get lost coming back here." Derek said. "Exactly!" Said Paul. "Alright, Paul, change of plans. We're sticking together during this mission." Said Derek as he takes off his earpiece and hands it back to his co-brother in-law.

A sigh of relief escapes from Paul's mouth as he takes his off as well. "To the healing forest we go for the first three ingredients!" He said. "Wait a minute! That place is back home and we're in Hamburg! Now there's another problem." Derek said. "No, Derek, it's not that far away! We got here via a carriage, remember?" Paul asked.

Realization hits Derek. "Oh, how silly of me! I guess the whole Sybil and Zora situation got in the way of my thinking." He said. "It happens, come on." Said Paul.

The boys start making their way back to their suite, following the drag marks that brought them to the pink castle. Once they get there, they climb onto the one carriage to briefly go back to the healing forest in Liverpool. "Here we are. Now let's find the first three we need." Said Derek. "Healing water is the first thing, but all I see is a body of running water." Paul said.

A small creature approaches and whispers something into Derek's ear. "Oh! We didn't know that. Thank you!" He said. "Didn't know what?" Asked Paul. "The water that runs here is actually the healing water." Derek said. "Blimey! Thanks, little one." Paul said to the tiny creature. The little fella bows to say "you're welcome" and hands the boys a vial before walking off.

Derek dips the vial into the water to scoop some up, then puts a cork on it so they don't spill any. "You said next is unicorn hair, but I don't see any unicorns around here." Said Derek. "Perhaps I can help!" Said a female voice. The boys look up and see a unicorn, which happens to be Caprina, the one Amanda and the Russos met last time when they were trying to save Paul from succumbing to a snake bite.

"Hey, there is a unicorn! But did it just... talk?" Asked Paul. "I certainly did. Name's Caprina, what are yours?" Asked Caprina. "We're King Derek and Prince Paul McCartney. We need help finding unicorn hair for an antidote, our wives are dying from a deadly acid they breathed into that's built into bubblegum bubbles." Derek said. "Oh dear! Lucky for you, good sirs, I'm gonna let you take a strand of mine." Caprina said. "Won't that hurt you?" Paul asked.

Caprina shakes her head. "Everytime I lose a strand of hair, it grows back in an instant. I won't feel any pain." She said. The boys sigh with relief, then Paul takes out a pair of scissors. "May I?" He asked. "By all means." Said Caprina. Paul carefully clips a strand from the sweet unicorn's mane, then a new one grows back in instantly.

"Blimey! Thank you, Caprina." Said Paul. "It's my pleasure, gentlemen. Good luck on the rest of your mission." Caprina said. She walks off a minute later. "Wow, she was very helpful. And I like that name, Caprina." Said Derek.

Paul lets out a small chuckle. "Okay, now we need rose thorns. I think I saw a rose bush not too far from here, but we need to be careful picking them." He said. "That we do. Roses, beautiful as they are, have very sharp thorns." Derek said. "That they do." Paul said.

The nearest rose bush was a few inches away from where the boys are standing. Derek reaches for a rose, but right when he touched it, he started to glow along with the rose. Suddenly its thorns fall off the stem, then Paul carefully picks them up and puts them in a bag along with the unicorn hair.

Derek turns back to Paul, bewildered. "Okay, what was that?" Asked Derek. "I haven't the foggiest, but it was pretty amazing." Said Paul. "Amazing and a little weird." Derek said. "What do you think that meant?" Paul asked. "Maybe the rose I touched must've been special, and only those who are worthy of coming here can easily remove its thorns if need be." Said Derek. "It's possible. Now let's get out of here, we still need to find the remaining ingredients." Said Paul.

Knowing that time is running out, the boys exit the healing and return to their carriage.