The Beats Go On

Chapter 43: Flurry of Floss

🍭Chapter 43: Flurry of Floss

"Easy! See who can get the most cotton candy on their stick! If it falls out, or gets things like leaves caught in it, you're out of the game!" Champion shouted.

They pointed to several large plastic domes, each with a stick nearby. There were large machines underneath, and those were the candy spinners. The group of shapes assumed the domes would be taken off when the contest started.

"You will begin in 5 minutes!"

The group of shapes huddled for a plan.

"No doubt that some other teams might try and play dirty to win. They might try and blow stuff at us!" Digo said.

"I will block flying thingies!" Ari offered happily.

"I'll help guard them too. Just be careful not to get any on me, I don't like stuff sticking to me," Ami said.

"Who's gonna swirl the stick?" El asked.

"I'll do it, since Digo and Cas are kinda small. Wouldn't want them falling into the candy!" Coco replied jokingly.

"Hey!"

"I'll help Coco," Ina added.

"Alright, looks like it's settled, then!" El said. "I'll keep watch for cheaters!"

The group walked up to their cotton candy maker early, and noticed a few other teams had done so too already. Maybe they'd planned, maybe they hadn't. Red and Blue went off to spy on the Champion while Gray watched the others. When the remaining minutes were up, a whistle was blown and the domes to the machines were lifted, everyone beginning to swirl their stick in it. The group's found that they had to go at a moderate pace, not too fast and not too slow.

The machines spun sugar at a constant pace, not speeding up as time went on. Then the winds came. Leaves from trees began blowing towards the group, and Gray began wondering if it was in purpose or not. Was Champion trying to make people lose, or was this part of the challenge? One group of crabs got leaves stuck in their sugar, and a whistle was blown. They were out, but got to keep the candy.

Cas and Digo watched as they simply plucked the leaves out and began nibbling the candy. It looked so good...but they assumed that eating it while it spun would get them out of the game. Ari could feel the leaves as they blew against his back, and Ami caught any stray leaves Ari didn't block successfully. Ina helped Coco stir at a consistent speed and with a precise movement. El was on the lookout, and hadn't noticed anything off so far...

Until she saw a group of crabs that were seemingly trying to toss small pieces of stone at other crabs. They were doing well with their stick, but they also seemed like cheaters to her. As the winds and leaves died down, it made their rock throwing easier. She watched helplessly as they threw a rock into another group's candy machine successfully. Clattering was heard as the rock got spun up into the candy with the sugar as well. A whistle was blown, and that crab group was out.

"Guys, there's another group trying to throw rocks into the candy! We don't have time to retaliate, so all we can do is defend!" El warned the others.

Ami glanced behind his back to get a quick look at the offenders, who were indeed, still throwing rocks.

"Gotcha. It's a shame we can't stop them though."

Ari felt a small rock hit his back. He too, turned his head to see the pebble throwing crabs.

"Well, me no hurt from small rock, so am fine! Is all right," he chirped.

The team was startled as the whistle blew again. More and more crabs were starting to get out thanks to the pebble throwing crabs, and the Shape Giants remained as one of the few untouched ones. They wished they could retaliate back, but Coco and Ina were focused on stirring, and Digo and Cas didn't see anything they could throw back. There were leaves, yes, but those wouldn't go a far enough distance. They also assumed they couldn't get off of their platform with the candy machine or they'd be out.

Some of the crabs from the other group started throwing rocks at THEM then, and there were now more compared to before. Ari felt one whizz by his ear and saw it go over Coco's head. Ami had a few pelted at his head. There were only 20 seconds left, and they were in the lead. If they lost now, then some crab would take their place, and it would all over. They had to keep going.

The crabs noticed the Shape Giants were winning, and began focusing their rock throwing on them. The other crabs were behind anyway, and less of a threat to the competition. Also, the Shape Giants weren't fighting back, so it was perfect. El, Cas and Digo helped block the pebbles with Ari and Ami as the group got full blown pelted with pebbles. It began to hurt a little.

10 seconds!

"Coco, your arm is shaking!" Ina said worriedly.

"Sorry, I'm under some stress at the moment. Could...could you perhaps take over?" he asked.

"Sure thing!"

The two carefully switched places, but managed to keep the swirling consistent. They couldn't mess up now, with so little time left...

3...

2...

1...

"TIME'S UP! SHAPE GIANTS WIN!" the announcer shouted.

The crowd cheered loudly as the group got off the platform with their candy.

"Phew! That was close!" Ina laughed.

"Man, this looks so good..." El said, looking at the size of the cotton candy.

"I want a bite!" Cas yelled.

Coco just laughed alongside them.

"Save some for m-"

Suddenly, he spotted something. A crab with a strange symbol on its back was scuttling through the crowd, towards a small, well-hidden hole. He decided to follow, hoping nobody would notice him. He slowly distanced himself from the group and ran after them. Upon reaching the hole, he listened, but heard nothing. He glanced around carefully before jumping down it and landing on some kind of tube material.

He continued to walk down the path, put paused when he head the sounds of machines whirring. Carefully, he made his way to a wall that hid him from the next room. When he peeked into the room however, his eyes widened.

Because behind all of that...

Was a huge, huge machine.

And the Champion was watching it.