Not So Sweet Candyland

II: Candyland

"Hey. Hey. Hey, you idiot! Wake Up!"

Chase's head still hurt. he slowly opened his eyes and the first thing that he saw was a girl with fair skin, navy blue hair with her right eye covered, but her left eye was a shade of Aqua. The girl was right in his face, looking pissed at him.

"About time you woke up!" She yelled at him.

"mmmmm."

She rolled her eyes and grabbed him by the hand.

"Look, we'll get caught if somebody sees us!" She started to pull him around.

"What even is this place?" He started to look around.

"No time to explain!" Chase looked around at the place that he was in. The sky was carnation pink, the grass was pastel pink, and the clouds were baby pink. Where they were it was empty, besides a large mansion far far away.

Chase's arm started to feel sore, he felt it and noticed a bandaid on his left arm. But, if he said anything, the girl would probably beat him over the head.

They were silent as they walked, but the girl was walking very quickly.

Halfway through the walk, the girl started to talk.

"How did you even get here? Wait, don't tell me, I already know. You were stupid enough to touch a candy pearl. Figures, guys like you are no brains."

"What are you even talking about? What even is a candy pearl?"

She rolled her eyes and huffed.

"You are an idiot."

She was silent for a minute.

"You wanna know the truth about this place? Fine, I'll tell you. We're in a very dangerous place called Candyland."

"Dangerous?"

"DON'T INTERRUPT ME WHEN I'M TALKING!" She put her hand over his mouth.

"Anyways, this place is a dangerous zone. Candyland, right? You've heard of the board game probably. But, oh that is not the case here! Everything here is a mess! You probably have no idea who I am, but I know who you are. You were stupid enough to touch the Candy Pearl! You're an idiot!"

She punched Chase in the arm.

"Who even are you?" Chase asked.

"You're Chase Villanova from Colorado, and I'll tell you who i am. My name is Vanessa. I don't have to tell you my last name. That's for another day. Anyways, we're both in danger. I'm trying to get you away, but of course, everybody falls where you fell."

Chase was beyond confused at Vanessa. He slowly started walking behind her, she got mad and grabbed his hand.

"Hurry up you slowpoke!"

They kept on walking until the sky started turning blue. They entered a city that contrasted the pink fields and looked run down with hues of dark blues and greys.

"We should be safe here." Vanessa let go of his hand. "Welcome to Licorice City, the Detroit of Candyland. My safe haven and where I truly belong in this world. It's a whole lot darker and more of the truth of this place. I'll show you around."

Vanessa and Chase started to walk around while Vanessa would talk.

"Let me tell you more about this place. Licorice City is a city full of people just like me, the people who know the truth about Candyland. How fucked up it really is and our king who is a FOOL! But, what can we do about it? The idiot of a king knows what he's doing, he just won't admit it and brainwashes everybody. Yeah, so candyland is technically a kingdom. But every town, city, village does their own thing. As long as the revolts aren't damaging, the king won't give a SHIT about what they do."

While talking, Berry was waving to the folks in rags of Licorice City and took a cinnamon stick that was lit. She took a puff out of it. Gagging, coughing, and throwing it into a pile of leaves that caught fire immediately, scaring Chase.

"UGH! That shit is DISGUSTING! Why would people do this to themselves!"

They walked around the rest of the city and they stopped at a narrow but somewhat tall building.

"This your home?" Chase asked.

"It's no fancy estate. But, it's where I rest. A bed, running water, and food."

A group of three older men came out of the house and their smiles and chatter faded when they locked eyes with Chase.

"Wow, Vanessa. You have a new boy toy?" One of them asked.

Vanessa punched that man in his chest, but he didn't waver. Instead, he laughed at her.

"Look, it's all fun and games. But, I found a human from the Earth world, he was such an idiot that he touched the candy pearl." Vanessa explained.

"I don't understand, what is this Candy Pearl that you are talking about?" Chase asked.

"A large, pink pearl that's about the size of a ball." Another man said. "I think it's the ball of the basket?"

"Yes! That's it!" Chase exclaimed.

"You're right, Vanessa. You did bring an idiot boy with you." A third guy said.

Chase wondered why she lived with 3 men in such a small house. Was she a slut? Or a prostitute? She didn't seem like one.

"Let's be honest here, Earth Boy has met the real citizens of Candyland. The one's with actual personality not brainwashed with propaganda. He'll rot if he gets near most of the citizens here." One of the guys said.

"And we need to keep him here until he can get his way home. If he gets caught or if I get caught, either of us getting caught means that I'm screwed. But, whoever touches the Candy Pearl will notify the king that they have arrived." Vanessa started looking through a messy textbook. "For now... Shawn, keep him in the back of the house, where nobody can see him. Anthony, have all of the citizens notified that the king might storm us. And, Gregory, boil the 20 gallons of tea. Go go go!"

Vanessa clapped her hands like a magician.

Shawn took Chase by the arm.

"How do you know all of this?" Chase asked worryingly.

"That's a topic for another day." Vanessa closed her book and watched as Chase was escorted into the house.