B-10. Sugar Princess

This chapter would come after Chapter 15.

Africa; Sugar Deserts

An indigo sky filled with stars hung over the Sugar Deserts. K. Lumsy finally arrived at the shore, panting in exhaust as the Marzipans plus Fairy Princess climbed off. "You did well, Mr. Lumsy." Aisling told him softly, patting his snout. "You may rest."

"I'm not sure out in the open is a good thing." Augustus said. "He's a real attention-attracter."

"I agree, he's very attractive- OW!" Stewie said, before Rallo smacked him.

"So why're we here again?" Rallo asked.

"When I was little, my mom told me a story about the Sugar Fairy Kingdom in Sugar Deserts." Augustus took out his lollipop, which was shriveled and close to completion. "It's the same desert where the Candegyptians lived 5,000 years ago. Word is that the Sugar Fairies taught them their magic."

"Of course, the legend of Sugar Fairy Kingdom was passed off as a fairytale." Aisling followed, wiggling her toes in the sugary sand. "But I can assure you it is real. The Fairy Princess is a friend of mine."

"Thanks for confirming that before I made the assumption 'All Fairy Princesses know each other.'" Augustus put the lolli back in his mouth.

"Actually, she isn't completely my friend. Our leader, Mavis adores her, but I find her very rude. And that's beside all of this unnatural sugar! Uck, I can't…" Aisling's toes twitched in the sand, "STAND this substance! A desert must be composed of billions of tiny rocks, it is supposed to feel warm on your feet, but THIS sand is filled with SUGAR! UGH, it'll take forever to wash it off!"

"It ain't supposed to feel warm, it's nighttime!" Augustus yelled, tossing the barren lolli stick away. "Although…" He got down and pressed the back of his hand to the sand. "It does feel a bit warm for night."

"The Sugar Fairy Princess is a firebender." Aisling explained. "Her chi flows into the sugar and creates an effect that invigorates those who consume it. In Sugar Kingdom, a river of the warmest cocoa flows and fills all the fairies with sugary delight. The warmth of that river touches the desert sand from below. It is underground."

"The Fairy Kingdom is underground? So, do we dig there?"

"Only a Sugar Fairy can open the gate. But ordinarily, there's one or two out getting a snack…"

The four Marzipans followed Aisling over a large dune, viewing a huge bar of chocolate lodged in the sand on the other side. They heard a weak, squeaky grunting sound as they approached the chocolate. They saw the shadow of something little trying to lift it.

"Mmm!… Mmm!…" A Sugar Fairy wearing a white robe was trying to lift the huge candy. She heard the patter of large footsteps behind her and turned around. Aisling squatted for a closer look at the Sugar Fairy. "Oh! Big People! Hello, Big People. I was trying to take this candy to my friends, but I'm much too teeny to lift it. Perhaps your big arms could suffice."

"Yeeeah… I'm no Superman, sorry." Augustus scratched his head. "Listen, can you take us to the Sugar Fairy Kingdom?"

"Always to the point with you, isn't it?" Aisling glared reprovingly at him. "Sigh, I suppose I'm the only one who knows and practices the word 'kindness.'" She turned back to the fairy with a polite smile. "Hello, Miss. My name is Aisling, the Forest Fairy Princess. I am acquainted with the Sugar Fairy Princess and request an audience with her. I would like to enter your homeland and bring these guests."

"Ooo! I know you! The princess described you, Princess Forest Fairy. She said you were weird, and stinky, and ate your own fleas!"

"SHE SAID WHAT ABOUT ME?!" Aisling growled with venomous fangs.

"Eeeeek!" The fairy zipped and hid behind Augustus's boot. "Please protect me, Mr. Giant! I don't want my head yanked off!"

"You know, things might be babyish, but boy, do I wanna eat 'em." Augustus said with adoration.

Aisling calmed down and stood up straight. "Lucky for you, sugar is toxic to me. Now, would you show us the entrance to your hometown or won't you?"

"I want to, People. I really do." The fairy's adorable expression turned sad. "But it's really, really bad. Monsters broke into our home. They want to eat all Sugar Fairies for lunch, breakfast, AND dinner!"

"That's not even the correct order!!" Rallo cried and pressed his face against Augustus's pants leg. "PLEASE let's help them, Captain!"

"Easy, Monty! 'Course we're going to help. I have a few favors to ask the Sugar Princess, anyway. Take us to your homeland and we'll sweep the floor with all them monsters." Augustus started a new lollipop.

"We would appreciate that berry much, Big Person. A big and strong man like you is sure to beat hundreds of 'em! My name is Holly, the Helpful Sugar Fairy. I'll let all of you into my home. Everybody stand together, and keep all hands and feets inside the circle." The Sugar Fairy pulled a larger-than-her candycane out of her pocket as she skipped away. She hummed a little, "Dee dee dee dee…" as she began to draw a great wide circle into the sand around them.

"Man, if we about to shrink right now, I bet I be supeeeeerrr cute." Rallo said.

"More like super inconvenient." Augustus remarked. "Hey Forest Fairy, you ever been to the Sugar Fairy Kingdom? What's gonna happen?"

"No, I've never been, I was just told you needed a Sugar Fairy to go there." Aisling replied. "Truthfully, I would never want to come here even for your sake, but I have a few things to speak with the princess about as well."

"Well, aren't you lucky we came along."

"Okay, Big People! The circly's finished!" Holly said. "Get ready to fall."

Almost instantly, the sand within the circle transformed into quicksand that they quickly sank into. They began rapidly sliding through a tunnel, unable to stand or balance on the slippery sand slope. Already, they thought this to be an odd choice of environment for adorable creatures like the Sugar Fairies. Living under the surface of a desert like scorpion-mole people, they couldn't even imagine their kingdom looking cute.

They slid down for several minutes before they landed on a sandy bottom. They weren't sure what to expect the area to look like… perhaps large, or even small teapots or gingerbread houses, stationed about an underground landscape and whose only source of lights were candles. …When they opened their eyes, the sight left them awestruck. (Play "Duplicitous Delve" from Yoshi's Woolly World!)

The landscape was a chocolaty brown, there was a river of cocoa, and large teapots stationed around small gingerbread houses. But what really stood out was the sky. A purple sky with darker purple clouds hovered above them, and a white sun peeked over the horizon. "Tee hee hee! Don't be fooled!" laughed Holly. "Or a fly might fly into your gawking mouths. We use magic to make an underground sky. The sun shines on everything! Isn't it beauteous?"

"I'll say!" Augustus beamed. "I can't believe no one ever found this!"

Aisling sniffed, her expression dark. "Someone has. Demons. My least favorite scent."

"We'll wipe them out!" Augustus twirled his Candycane Cutlass, eager to explore. "Come on, brats, let's march!"

Stage B-7: Sugar Kingdom

Mission: Meet the Sugar Fairy Princess.

Augustus jumped across a trio of platforms before stopping at a larger one, in which Leevers emerged from. The captain chopped the creatures with his sword. "That was beautiful swordplay, Big Person!" Holly said admiringly. "Allow me to help you now!" She danced over to a large cup of sugar on the right side of the foothold, scooping some in her tiny teaspoon and sprinkling it on Augustus's Gobstopper. "Do you see those floating cubes in the air? You can fill them with sugar by hitting them with your ball thingy!"

Augustus saw a row of floating outlines that shaped like cubes leading to a path on the left. The captain tossed his sugar-coated Gobstopper to bounce around the cubes, making them white and dense. The pirates could bounce across, but the sugary platforms dissolved as soon as they stepped on them, so they moved quickly. On this new path, rows of Pokeys popped out of the ground, with one of them in each row being taller. Augustus tossed his Gobstopper against the short ones' heads while Maggie shot the heads off the tall ones.

The path turned left and would lead to a tall, climbable cliff. Nejirons popped out of the ground, so Maggie shot bullets to destroy the flammable monsters before they got close. They watched as Aisling used her nimble, animal-like reflexes to hop onto the wall that their path was between, sprinting up to the cliff and making terrific leaps to get up above. The Forest Fairy clearly didn't need to wait for the slow humans and could bypass the whole stage if she wanted.

The cliffside was too sturdy for their Corn-Clambers to pierce into, so the safest option was to simply climb it with hands and feet. The babies held onto Augustus while he did the climbing, but when Red Bubbles (winged skulls encased in fire) flew down from over the top, Maggie shot directly up to destroy them. Thanks to her, they made it to the top of the cliff without trouble.

Three Lizalfos with wrecking ball tails ambushed them. They swung their so-called appendages at the pirates, while the babies dropped off Augustus so the captain could roll left and avoid. Augustus jumped and stomped down on a Lizalfos's tail when it swung, then stabbed the Candycane Cutlass several times into its chest. The second Lizalfos tried to sink its teeth into Rallo's afro, but the creature ended up biting a boombox unexpectedly, which then blasted loud notes to send the creature falling off the cliff. The third Lizalfos had its tail positioned to block Maggie's gun, but the sniper simply shot a bullet to bounce off the ball's bottom, then pierce the creature's stomach.

The triplet demons dispersed into darkness. Augustus noticed pirate flags were stationed and blowing in a weak breeze. They bore the image of a frowning skull with yellow hair. "Wait a second, this is Mandy's Jolly Roger!" Augustus realized. "Don't tell me the Boogey Pirates got here before we did?!"

"I dunno the answer, Big Person." Holly frowned. "They been here since yesterday. I dunno why."

The four Marzipans progressed down a narrow, winding path down a hill. They were brought to the Cocoa River, where Holly waited by a tiny boat. "To cross the Cocoa River, we have to take my tiny boat! Eat a Shrink Sweet to become as tiny as me."

Augustus picked out four Shrink Sweets from a close-by patch, and the four pirates each ate one. Their bodies contracted to Holly's adorable size, so they could board her boat, which she rowed down the river using her teaspoon. She had to shift the boat left to avoid a mini waterfall of sugar from a teapot, then moved the boat right to avoid another one. Aisling was sitting on the left cliff and watching the boat's progress, swinging her feet back-and-forth above them.

Holly carefully turned the boat around corners of a narrow part of river. This part let out in a region of breathmint-bergs, which Holly maneuvered around. Fly Guys were swooping down to scoop cocoa into bowls, so Holly predicted their position and took care to avoid them, too – lest they be caught and dumped into a mini volcano. They were steadily being pulled into whirlpools, so Holly abandoned the boat and hopped across some large Life Savers that were floating and twirling in the river. The Marzipans followed her before the boat sank.

They made it onto a safe platform with Growth Gum, allowing the humans to grow back to normal. A Fly Guy floated down, holding a bowl of sugar as he used a spoon to fling it at them. Augustus KO'ed the Shy Guy with his Gobstopper, and Holly floated and caught the bowl. She sprinkled sugar on Augustus's Gobstopper, then he chucked it at the Sugar Cubes floating in the cocoa. The group jumped the cubes to a land with a jellybean garden. "Aaaaahhh!" A Sugar Fairy with green garden clothes, which had tiny colorful jellybeans, was flailing her arms. "Mean rats stole my Magic Jellybeans! Help me, Oversized People!"

They saw a rat scampering around the small, nearby field, and surprisingly it was too quick for Maggie's bullets to blast. In each corner, there were four mouse holes that warped to other holes, but the mouse would just run around the center if they were all guarding one. Rallo decided to stick his head into the ground and shake the earth with boombox, forcing a mini maze to sprout up on the field. With less directions to go, the rat ended up cornered by Rallo, who took the Magic Jellybean.

They followed a back road that sloped down into a narrow trench, where numerous rats were crawling around a maze of tunnels within the right wall. When Augustus threw his Gobstopper at one rat, they all panicked, moved quickly in disorganized fashion, and then slowed down. Augustus saw one rat toss a jellybean to another rat, so he struck that one with the Gobstopper. Another rat grabbed it, and they scattered around again. Augustus had to track the correct rat, then do one more round, before the Magic Jellybean was thrown down to him.

On the east side from the center field, there was a rat riding a mini skateboard around a looping track. Maggie hopped on a bigger, available skateboard to chase. She went up a ramp and performed a midair pose, landing on a platform which led her down a slope to gain speed. She turned a tight left corner, rolling on a path with long vertical gaps she could maneuver around. Maggie jumped a few platforms, seeing the next turn coming, where she had to go up a corner ramp, shift left, and gain more speed upon sliding down. Just when she would pass the starting line again, she caught the rat and took his jellybean.

When the Marzipans returned to bring the beans back to the gardener fairy (whose name was Lila Green), Aisling was there to meet them. Lila took the beans and put them in the soil. "So if you're the Forest Fairy, can you make them grow?" Augustus asked.

"Candy beans, that's a stretch." Aisling huffed.

"Don't worries." Lila said. "To show my graciousness, I'll create a path!" She watered the beans with soda, and a long beanstalk stretched across part of the Cocoa River. Large, standable beans grew on the stalk, but they were too far apart to jump normally. Thankfully, Lila lent them some Bounce Gum she had planted, and they used the extra bouncepower to get across the leaves (though Aisling had no qualms running across the stalk on all fours).

They landed on a foothold before a long trench, in which several huge teapots were lodged in and pouring sugar. Aisling nimbly Wall Jumped down the trench, but the humans were forced to bite a Fudgepuffsicle from a bushel. They slowly floated down the trench in their inflated forms, having to go through the sugar downpours to shift lower. If they missed the sugar, they would float into stationary Eye-Cones (eyeball monsters with ice cream cone spikes), though some sugar-pours would push them into Eye-Cones if they sunk too low.

Their bodies deflated once they made it to safe ground. They trekked a dry path between sugar-covered ground, which looked more like snow. They smiled at the Sugar Fairies who were shoveling sugar into their teapot carriages, making sugar snowmen, and other adorable snow-related activities. In an open area, three Fatblin were standing guard, with one of them using a metal shield. Augustus dashed up to the left one and chopped up its wood shield with his cutlass. He expertly dodged his and the metal shield's spears, then chopped the wood shield of the right one.

"Hey Ralls, time for a science lesson!" Augustus grabbed the afro child, who extracted his stereos as the teen shoved them against the Fatblins' bellies. Rallo boomed his stereos, and the powerful soundwaves jiggled the fat to the point that the monsters hacked junk, then exploded. As for the Metal Shield Fatblin, Augustus leapt up and over its choice defense, shoving his Gobstopper down its throat. The demon choked and fell over dead. When his body disappeared, the captain could take the Gobstopper back.

"Up there is the Sugar Palace where Princess Sugar Fairy lives." Holly pointed at a giant teapot perched above a large canyon. "We just have to climb this gihugic rock!"

There were Moblin patrolling in the pass between the trench, wielding spears that had Mandy's pirate flag. Maggie shot them each in their big pig noses, and one bullet was all it took to take them out. The pirates used their Licoropes to rope candycane branches sticking out of the left trench wall, swinging up to a higher ledge that had a tunnel in the wall. They followed it to the opposite side of this trench wall, which overlooked a chasm of cocoa. Partway across the chasm, on a tall pillar, a Sugar Fairy was shooting the side of a cliff on their left with soda. "That's Calcy, the Cannon Fairy. She'll help you swing across!" Holly said.

A jellybean vine wall stretched across that part of cliff, with drooping branches that stretched when Calcy hit them with soda. The pirates swung the stretched branches with their Licoropes, keeping an eye for which ones were stretched, and swinging off the ones that were about to droop. Orange Soda Chuchu appeared on some areas, so Augustus sliced them with his cutlass. Snapdragons also popped out of holes to eat a few branches, forcing the pirates to make greater swings to further branches. Aisling was casually laying a small ledge above the vine wall, swaying her head and foot to the music.

Eventually, the vines brought them to a safe ledge, where they went up a short staircase to get atop the left trench wall. Eenos were roaming within the sugary snow, hurdling sugarballs at the explorers, but Augustus's Gobstopper proved stronger in knocking them out. Conveniently, his Gobstopper got drenched in the sugar, so he could throw them at the Sugar Cubes leading across to the top of the right trench wall. Suddenly, Aisling leaped across from the left wall and raced toward the Sugar Palace, making a great leap to the top of the teapot. There were Sir Sugars (Sir Slushes made of sugar) guarding the stairs to the Sugar Palace. Again, it took one hit from the Gobstopper on their top-hat weak points to defeat the monsters. The adventurers went up the stairs to the Sugar Palace.

"Oopsie!" Holly perked up. "The door is too tiny for Big People! You have to go from up above!" She skipped around to behind the teapot, where a ladder was hanging. The sign read For Big People, so the four climbed it to the top of the pot… which they just realized those two words were the same, backwards. Aisling was squatted on the pot, looking down into it with a curious smile. The Forest Fairy dove inside, Holly lightly jumped after, then Augustus grabbed his crew and took the dive next.

For some reason, they expected to hit a ground inside the two-story teapot, but instead, they plummeted down a surprisingly long shaft. There were numerous floors around the sides and stairs that kept spiraling down, with Sugar Fairies walking on them. They watched Aisling maneuver around the air as she fell ahead, avoiding the Eye-Cones that floated in the drop. Mothulas attempted to gnash the pirates, but Augustus was quick to chop them with his cutlass. He shifted left of a diagonal Eye-Cone row that closed the space between him and the side, but he grabbed a Gold Wonka Bar after getting through. He shifted to the center, where the space between the Eye-Cones grew tighter, but when Augustus got through, he felt his boots hit the floor. He set the babies down as they followed Holly and Aisling through a human-size doorway. (End song.)

"Welcome to Sugar Fairy Palace!" Holly announced to the humans. The palace interior was mostly white with a few chocolate-colored pillars and tiles. Augustus reached up and touched the ceiling while Aisling brushed her feet on the floor. It felt like fine china, except harder and sturdier. Naturally, the palace felt small and cramped to the big humans, as Sugar Fairies were roaming the low floor and a second floor which they had view of.

"Look, everybody! Big People!"

"Oh, Em, Gee! They're so silly and fun-looking!"

"That one looks like a football! Will he go spin if I throw him?"

"I wanna snuggle and cuddle in that chocolate one's fluffy black hair!"

"I wanna get mad at you for calling me that, but I just wanna eats you more!" Rallo exclaimed in adoration.

"The white one smells stinky!"

"Can we give that baby milk?"

"Do you like cookies, Big People?"

All of them were equally tiny, equally cute, and equally squeaky. The humans' hearts were melting; these fairies were just too adorable for words. They wondered if they were actually feeling this way or if this was some hypnotic spell. "Ahem… Good evening, Sugar Fairies." Aisling bowed (slightly lower than she already was). "We would like to speak to your princess. It would be very kind of you to take us to her."

"EWWWWW! HER BREATH IS STINKY!!" All of their teeny eyes shut tight, and their teeny noses were covered.

"SO CUUUUUTE!" the humans screamed.

Aisling's eyes narrowed with anger. "Just show us." she said through gritted teeth.

"This way, my new chummy-wummies!" Holly skipped forward. "The princess will be scrumptious to see you!"

The giants crawled through another human-size door and went up stairs to an even larger, cave-like room. There was a big teapot on a central pillar, and sugar was pouring into it from the ceiling. The tip of the pot's spout glowed white. There was a gentle pop, and a sugary white light came out and floated to them. The light decreased and revealed the Sugar Fairy Princess. She had brownish-black hair in two pigtails, and an orange dress with chibi white boots. Her adorable slanted purple eyes were complimented by a grumpy-looking frown.

Princess of Sugar Fairies

ZEIRA

The teeny fairy skipped across the air toward the pirates, carrying her big ladle. She floated before Augustus's face, who was smiling delightfully at the creature. She whacked him on the head with the spoon. "What're you, dum? Bow to me!" she yelled in a cute, but hotheaded tone.

"Ow!" Augustus rubbed the sore spot. "What gives?"

"You're bigger than me! I don't like that. Bow to me so you appear smaller."

"You're delightful as always, Princess Zeira." Aisling remarked.

"P.U.! I thought I smelled something stinky!" Zeira waved a chibi hand by her chibi nose. "What're you doing here, Aisling? Did you bring these humans?"

"Yah, she did." Augustus replied rudely. "Feel free to thank us for chasing the monsters off. I'll name ya a few ways you can reward us. One, I had this Candy Virus for a short time, and it-"

A burst of fire emerged from Zeira's head and sides, startling the five. Despite the fairy's size, the spouts were huge and very hot. "You'll show respect in my presence." The fires vanished. "And for your information, I already know who you are, Augustus. The Big Mom Pirates are very infamous in the Sugar Fairy community. My people were berry much terrified of them."

"I'm berry much tired of your attempt at being cute by using cute words that normal people wouldn't use in the current CONTEXT!" Augustus folded his arms. "Listen, the Big Mom Pirates are gone. We're the Marzipan Pirates and we're different. Our number one goal is to have adventure, and adventure calls us to find the Lost Candies."

"What? Why do you want to find the Lost Candies?"

"To see if they exist." Augustus pulled out his barren lollipop stick and threw it away.

"The Lost Candies are ancient and sacred relics. They aren't meant to be found or used by anyone."

"Neither were the Sugary Wonders, but that didn't stop my whole ancestry from finding them countless times throughout history."

"The Sugary Wonders were originally created to reward the Kids Next Door. But we Sugar Fairies are protectors of the Lost Candies, and our job is more than difficult."

"That explains it, 'cause you don't do it well." Augustus retorted, starting a new lollipop. "The Sun Cream up on Buttermilk Building was destroyed by Lord Licorice."

"W-What?!" Zeira was taken aback. "That's impossible! How could anyone-"

"AAAAAAHHHHH!" Adorable, high-pitch screams rang from the palace foyer, and sapphire flames burned into the chamber. A Sugar Fairy rushed in, looking frantic. "Princess, Princess! Big mean Big Monsters are- EYAAAH!" She ran when a blue flame was thrown at her.

"It doesn't even feel satisfying to trample over your land." A woman with black armor and messy black hair marched in with Flare Dancers at her beckon. "No defenses, no military… it's amazing how long you've gone without anybody conquering you."

Zeira floated between the Marzipans and the woman. "Who are you?" she asked with an angry chibi glare. "Are you with these Big Lugs or the monsters outside?"

"No way!" Augustus pushed the fairy aside for a better look. "You're one of Mandy's pirates! The Princess Azula from the Avatar Realms! You have a bounty of 76,000 gold pieces!"

Zeira gasped. "Of course! I once saw a wanted poster of her. She has a reputation for burning any town or landscape she walks upon. Azula the Blue Demolisher."

"The princess has heard of me, I'm flattered."

"Don't be. You look a lot uglier than on the poster, and fatter, too." Zeira snapped.

"WHAT?!"

"I don't like you. I want you out of my house RIGHT NOW!" Zeira blasted a massive breath of fire, but Azula sucked it right down her throat. When the fire stopped, she wiped her lips of imaginary crumbs.

"I've mastered Dragon Style bending." Azula smirked. "The ability to eat outside sources of my element and strengthen my chi. I've always been the strongest firebender in the Fire Nation, and my title stands to this day! But no matter how much I train, how strong I become, I can't achieve LOGIA." Blue flames burst from her arms when she shouted. "I don't understand what I'm doing WRONG." She burst again. "I know Dragon Style, and my chi evolved to Sapphire when I turned 11, so why after 20 years, I still can't make LOGIA!" Fire burst from her mouth.

"Maybe that's because you suck." Zeira said.

Angered, Azula Rocket Boosted over and snatched the fairy, startling the others with her speed. "I bet you're just BURNING with chi, you little fire ant!"

"Hey, let me go!" Zeira shook adorably. Her chibi arms were fragile and powerless like that of a doll's. "Stop holding me!"

"I bet swallowing you is just the kind of burst I need to finally make Logia. Happy landings!" She moved the helpless fairy to her open mouth.

Augustus SLICED Azula's wrist and forced her to let go. The former princess jumped away and growled at the teen. "Hey, perra. Don't you know cannibalism is wrong?"

"I used to cook and eat the turtle-ducks that swam around in my castle's pond." Azula said viciously. "I'll eat what I want! And a queen of my status deserves the highest quality dessert."

"Why don't you get a taste of me?" Augustus cocked a brow. "I've been eating dessert all my life, I bet I'm just sensuous."

"Hn hyou're gonna challenge me?" Azula chuckled. "You may have worked for the Big Mom Pirates, but you're still a child. Even the Avatar had more resolve than you."

"You still couldn't beat 'im. And you ain't beating me, either!"

"We'll see. Flare Dancers!" The four graceful flame demons leapt beside their master. "Let's DANCE!" (Play "Here Comes the Grizz" from Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time.)

Boss fight: Azula

The Flare Dancers skated circles around Azula to create a ring of fire, and when Azula jumped through the fire, she pulled it along with her as she skated to Augustus. The teen ducked the left giant fire whip, then jumped her right one, but as Azula turned, she kicked a foot back and sent Augustus several meters. The boy recovered and rolled aside when Azula tossed flames at him, attempting to swing his cutlass at her, but Azula smacked the weapon away and kicked Augustus the opposite way. Grinning maniacally, the woman drew a knife, skating to Augustus while he was recovering. "AUUUHH!" The lollipop flew out of his mouth when he choked. Azula forced the knife against his neck and pushed him away.

"CAPTAIN!" the Baby Trio screamed. ("Mw-mw!")

Augustus grunted and helped himself up. "Wh…" He felt the part on his neck where she cut. "I'm not cut!"

"You're welcome." They all looked over at Aisling, who was sitting cross-legged and positioning her hands to face Augustus. Her book was open beside her.

"What are you doing?"

"We Forest Fairies provide special defense to human children. I can make it so your body doesn't get ruptured from attacks that would cut or burn you. You'll still feel pain, but these attacks won't be fatal."

"Fine, I'll take. But for the record, I'm no child, I'm a teenager."

"The Baby Trio is older than you. There's no more difference."

"DON'T interfere!" Azula skated over to burn the fairy, but Zeira exploded a flame wall to block her.

"Don't ignore me!" Augustus dashed up and punched Azula in the face, but she back-flipped, crouched, and did a breakdance fire shockwave. Augustus jumped and ran at Azula to swing more punches across her face, then the woman kicked on her rockets and flew away. The Flare Dancers surrounded Augustus and began to close in as they skated. The captain bounced his Gobstopper in his hand before hurling it at one of the dancers' heads. Their formation broke when its flame body disabled, leaving the roundish imp that was its real body.

The imp ran away when Augustus ran over, but the teen bypassed to grab his fallen cutlass. He then chased the Flareless Dancer and stabbed it multiple times before its body exploded. Augustus was hurt from the explosion, but no injuries were present thanks to Aisling's spell. The other three Flare Dancers glided over to kick him, but Augustus dodged aside, then raised his cutlass to defend from Azula's knife. She kicked her left foot up, but the teen boy jumped away from the flaming limb, then successfully struck the woman's face with his Gobstopper.

Azula skated away, lighting her whole body with sapphire flames as she sent wave after wave at her opponent. Augustus jumped them all, and Azula steadily maneuvered closer. The room turned dark when the firebender charged lightning in her hands. She waved her arms to channel her flow of chi, then was ready to strike her adversary. With fearless determination, Augustus dashed at the lady pirate, ready to slice her, but Azula jabbed her fingers at his chest and induced him with lightning.

"AAAAAHH!" In his weak moment, Azula punched him away. His body was still twitching from the shock.

"How long's that magic gonna last?" Rallo questioned.

"It won't hold up if he takes too many attacks." Aisling answered, still focusing her power despite Zeira's flame wall barrier. "He needs to be more careful."

"I feel so worried!" Holly yelled with adorable sad eyes. "I wish I could help, but I'm so teeny!"

"And he doesn't have Haki." Stewie said. "I'm not sure if he can beat her…"

Azula leaped, flipped in the air, and brought a flaming foot down on Augustus, but he grabbed the pirate's leg and swung her forward, slamming facefirst on the ground. Augustus recovered and ran when Azula got up and growled angrily. She thrusted flames out of her feet and hands and flew at him, ramming Augustus headfirst and smashing him against the wall. She jumped away and tossed fireballs, so Augustus ran leftward from her direction. The Flare Dancers skied at him from ahead, brimming emerald, and Augustus felt the light singe when he dove between two of them. When they circled and came back, Augustus ran to stab his cutlass into one of them. He jumped away before the dancer exploded.

The remaining two Flare Dancers morphed their embers to sapphire. "They can't do much with only two." Azula said. "Get over here, one of you." A Flare Dancer obeyed and skated over. Azula puckered her lips and sluuuuuurped its fiery body down her lungs. The imp that remained skittered away as blue flames leaked out of the cracks in Azula's armor.

"Wait a second, aren't those creatures made of Underworld flames?" Augustus asked. "That's dangerous for normal firebenders!"

"It is!" Azula spoke devilishly. "But I LOVE hellfire! It's DELICIOUS!" A rocket burst from her back as she launched at Augustus, who raised his hands and grabbed hers. Azula kept flying and pushing him along, dodging her head when he punched his left fist, then head-butting him. Azula grabbed the dizzy teen by the legs and swung him around before hurling him away. Augustus got up to see Azula rocketing to him again, eyes full of madness, so he chucked his Gobstopper at whipping speed and struck her in the teeth. He then dodged aside to let her crash into a wall.

The teen captain ran at her from behind to furiously punch the back of her head. He then grabbed his cutlass and swung to cut, but the Fire Princess grabbed the candycane blade and melted it in her hand. She turned to him, and through the black bangs blocking her eyes, Augustus could see the undying fury. She punched him with Flame Fist, flying the boy back. She flew above him and pelted rapid fireballs, with Augustus withstanding the first few before rolling away. He grabbed his Gobstopper, flipping back when Azula punched down, then slamming the small hard sphere against her teeth. Augustus kicked her leg to knock her down, then threw the Gobstopper at her face again.

"THAT'S IT!" Azula snarled like a wild beast. "I'll burn EVERY shred of matter on your form so nothing remains!" She looked at the remaining Flare Dancer, whose body morphed into violet flames. She inhaled with as powerful a gust as Kirby, sucking the purple fire in.

"A Sapphire Firebender shouldn't even be able to use violet flames!" Augustus yelled.

"I will become LOGIA!" Purple flames leaked out of Azula's armor now. She punched bigger, hotter flames, so the best Augustus could do was dodge. "Nn, nn!" Augustus took a few hits, then Azula punched a greater flame from both fists to blow him back. "AAAH!"

"Ahhh!" Aisling grunted and fell on her side.

"What happened?" Zeira asked, dropping the flame wall.

"My magic's worn off. His body is vulnerable now."

"Oh…" Holly looked at the human boy with worry.

Azula stomped toward the captain with her arms drooped. "Cough, huh…" Her legs faltered, feeling overwhelmed by the violet fires.

"Heh… Feeling a bit sweaty?" Augustus smirked from his spot on the ground.

"I'll show you SWEATY!" Azula drew her knife and wobbled over to end her enemy. Augustus tried to stand- "Nnnn!" but he felt the pain catch up to him.

Azula bore a devilish smile. She would take sweet pride in slaying the Davy Back Fight deserter, Big Mom's grandson, and get basked in the glory from her fellow pirates. The viewers were horrified at the thought of Azula's victory, but Holly especially couldn't bear to let the human die. "Big Person!!"

"Holly, wait!" Zeira yelled when the tiny fairy danced over to Augustus. Azula swung her knife at the boy's neck, but Holly jumped in the way just in time. (End song.)

The upper half of the Sugar Fairy's body flew up into the air. Blood flew out of her. The entire event was so sudden and shocking, time appeared to slow down. When Holly's body hit the ground, she was faced upward. A smile was still on her face, and her eyes, though lifeless, were still big and adorable.

". . . ." Azula stared at the dead fairy. Her yellow eyes, still brimming with madness, were twitching. "Huff-huff…" The tears formed almost against her will. All of a sudden, her emotions were beyond her control. "SNIFF." Azula fell to her knees. She couldn't keep from crying, pouring out her emotions. She couldn't comprehend the severity and cruelty of her actions. She was utterly helpless to her own feelings.

Augustus, the babies, Zeira, and Aisling were crying. It was a horrible thing to happen. She was such a small creature… a small and innocent person… Holly, a kind and friendly fairy who helped total strangers like them across the kingdom. They were so grateful for her aid. They would've wished for anything better than this. Sugar Fairies were happy beings that filled peoples' hearts with glee. They reminded people that there was joy and meaning in life. So seeing one on the ground, dead… her expression gone unchanged… it opened their hearts and minds to everything.

Aisling felt a tiny tap on her shoulder. She turned to see Zeira, tears leaking from her tiny purple eyes. Zeira held her arms open, so Aisling took her in both hands and brought her to her chest. Aisling hugged her little friend with warmth. They remembered how much they loved each other, even if they fought. The kind of love that Princess Mavis wanted all creatures to share.

After 10 more minutes, they were mostly calmed down. Aisling released Zeira as she floated to Augustus. "Sniff… I almost forgot to… th-thank you… for saving me."

"It was no trouble." Augustus choked on his breath. "I'm sorry for… what happened…" They all looked at Azula. She was bowed on her hands and knees, creating a puddle with her tears. "I didn't think… someone like her would cry over this…"

"Everyone cries… when a Sugar Fairy dies." Zeira sniffled. "She killed her… so she'll cry for a week… if not longer. Sniff…" She faced Augustus again. "Listen… I decided that I'll help you. Is it true that you're looking for the Lost Candies?"

"We are… sniff." Augustus wiped the last tears away. "I'm trying to find them… for a friend."

"A friend?" Zeira looked confused under her tears. "Who… What friend? Almost nobody knows about the Lost Candies. The World's Leaders destroy any reference to them."

"Well, whoever Luviro's abuela is, she knew about them."

"Lu…viro?" The name sounded familiar to Zeira. She shook her head and spoke again. "Augustus… Have you ever heard of the Avalaran story called 'Fairy Sisters'? The story talks about three Fairy Princesses, who are Aisling and her two friends, but there's an extra chapter that talks about a fourth sister, me. The only reference to the Lost Candies is that chapter, but when the Illuminati appeared roughly 4,000 years ago, they tore out those pages. I think I know the reason. Augustus, do you know what's going to happen at the end of this month?"

"This month? At the end of this month, Luviro's gonna die. He's terminally ill, and he wants to see the Lost Candies before it happens."

"…I see…" Zeira was clearly suspicious of his reason, though Augustus couldn't imagine why. "Listen, Augustus, I want you to find the Lost Candies. There are six of them. They were created by Giants from a world called Termina. One of the candies happens to be my teapot home." She gestured up at the giant teapot she came out of. "It contains a limitless storage of the purest sugar, and that sugar is what you'll need. I'll give it to you after you manage to find the other five candies."

"This sugar is what Luviro called the Sugar Fuel?" Augustus recalled from Luviro's story.

"Yes, it is. Now, I can't tell you everything, and I can't leave my homeland during this crisis. But as the Sugar Fairy Princess, I will be happy to grant you three wishes."

"Nice try, girl," Rallo said, "we know you aren't a genie-"

"GOOD." Augustus shouted with relief. "My first wish is to get these Candy Virus fragments out of my body!"

"I thought I sensed something weird in your bloodstream. Very well." Zeira put her spoon inside a pot of purple sugar, then waved it around as it glittered. "For the big, rude man, your wish is my command!" She whooshed the sugar over Augustus, who coughed.

The teen stared at both sides of his hands. He balled his fists and tried to channel his willpower. "It didn't work, I still can't use Haki!"

"It DID work, I'm not sensing the candied cells in your blood, anymore." Zeira stated. "Your stomach, though…"

"Perhaps the Haki needs to return to you naturally." Aisling said. "You may have to learn it all over again…"

"My ass, I have to. Whatever, Wish Number 2: There's a really big guy outside. He's a giant crocodile, but he's a total softy. I'd like to take him with us, but… sigh, it would just be really difficult. Do you think you guys can give him a home here, so we know where to find him 'case we need him?"

"I guess I'll make room. Okay, you have one wish left. What is it?"

Augustus smirked. "I wish my Ace Flyer plane would materialize beside me."

Zeira whirled her purple sugar and threw it into a POOF, and a hideous, broken-down two-person plane appeared. "Uhhhh…" Augustus tried to find the words. "Not the greatest teleport spell…"

"For your information, my teleporting's spot-on!" Zeira flushed. "…Mostly. Anyway, your plane was probably already like this. Where did you last park it, on a freeway?"

"…On Licorice's ship." Augustus sighed. "I guess they would go kinda agro on it. Too bad I can't wish it fixed."

"Zeira, I also came here because I wanted to ask you a few things." Aisling spoke up. "The Lost Candies happened to be one of them. You were planning to bring them together… weren't you?"

"I tried, but Lord Licorice's men have been securing most of them, and now they have the Sun Cream, too. They're making certain that we can't collect them."

"I feared as much… Well, are you still planning to come to Mavis's tea party?"

"Sure I am!!" Zeira flailed her chibi arms happily. "Mavis makes the yummiest tea! But Aisling, I want you to help these humans for a little longer. Humans, I'll do you one more favor. I'll warp you to the location of one of the Lost Candies. Specifically, the Rock Nut."

"Rock Nut?!" Augustus jumped. "According to Luviro's story, that was the first candy ever created on Earth! It's old as time itself."

"That would be accurate. That's why I'll send you all to the only place you can find it. I'll also send Aisling along so she can help bring you back."

"Why would we need her for that, exactly?"

"You'll see." Zeira waved her ladle of purple sugar. "Thanks for fighting the monsters for us. We should be able to take care of Azula while she's like this, so don't worry. Happy travels." She threw the sugar over the Marzipans, Aisling, and the airplane.

When the sugar cleared away from their vision, they found their selves on a solid ground between two large stone mounds. "…Um… She said she'd send us to the location." Rallo said as they all shared his baffled expression. "But did she say when?"

Raptors raced across the near-barren landscape, pterodactyls soared in the sky, and a T-rex managed to snatch an unsuspecting raptor in its teeth. "You think there's a chance we can hitch a ride on Dinosaur Train?" Augustus asked.

Negaverse; Sector -W7 Treehouse (-8:00ma)

The news about Sipa and Lucifer's supposed wedding spread quickly, and everyone was feeling either excited or worried. When Nega-Sector W7 heard the news, Asia, the black-winged Nimbi obsessed with cleanliness, offered to help Sipa prepare. "Okay, Sipa, I'm done putting it on." Asia said to her friend. "You like it?"

Sipa stared at herself in a mirror: she was clothed in a black wedding gown, in which the collar had devil horns attached. Sipa turned and stared at all sides of her. "I look like a real Demon Princess! Oh, Asia, I'm so happy my dreams are coming true! Marrying a real Demon Saint, I'll have a position of power in the Underworld! Maybe one day, I can shed this mortal skin and become a true demon!"

"Sipa, you were always kind of messed up in the past, but… is this really what you want? Giving up your entire free will to some monster? Do you even love Lucifer?"

"HA ha ha! Are-Har you kidding, Asia?" Sipa chuckled, sporting a forced cheerful grin. "Of course I love Lucifer! A disciple; nay, a son, of Lord Ganon himself. I could just feel the evil radiating from his soul! I can only imagine what he'll do to me. How my soul is going to look after he's finished sucking it. Maybe I'll change into a dementor, and lose all my feelings, and-"

"Are you even LISTENING to yourself?!" Asia's shout startled Sipa, but the latter still bore a vibrant expression. "I sewed a dress and helped you get it on, but I can NOT understand how a girl is so okay with DESTROYING herself! Do you really value Ganonism more than your own existence?! Do you honestly want to do this? Sipa, look at me and say, with utmost truth, you want to marry Lucifer."

Sipa looked at her, her eyes still wide and her mouth a grin. Asia saw the bags under her eyes. The aching feeling at the corners of her forced smile, the deep fear and doubt in her dark eyes. Asia, a person who didn't tend to notice things well, sensed these things clearly. "…I don't." Sipa frowned, and Asia felt the truth in her voice. "I'm afraid… Asia… I really don't think… I want to do this."

"So why are you? Is that Medusa lady forcing you to?"

"N-No… Er… I mean… I don't know!" Sipa fell to her knees. "I thought I could help the Demon Saints by doing this. I thought… this fear in my heart was what I was seeking. I've…I've been afraid of the Underworld for weeks. I don't know why I began feeling this way, but I hate this feeling! I really hate…" Tears began to form. "Isn't this despair, and this hate… what our world is made from? Shouldn't I… wish to feel this way?"

"Sipa… I think you're completely confused. Your grandpa forced you to worship Ganon, so you grew up thinking it was the correct path. I think that, deep down… you really don't want to do any of it, anymore. You're afraid of disappearing. You don't want this."

Sipa clasped Asia's baggy pants and pulled herself to them, soaking the clothing with her tears. "I'm really scared, Asia. I want to back out of it, but I dunno…"

"No, no, it's okay." Asia smiled and patted Sipa's hair. "It hasn't begun, yet. You don't have to do it. You don't have to do anything they say."

"Then… sniff." She looked up at Asia's eyes. "Whaddo I do?"

"We'll go up there… and tell them to call this off. We'll send the memo to every other DNK sector, and get them all to protect you if those monsters try anything."

"Why would the other sectors wanna help me? Why would they… care?"

"…" Asia thought for a minute. "I don't know. I just… feel like they will."

Night Castle

Ragus fed her new toy a plastic bottle of milk. Ragus couldn't decide what animal skin to sew on the lifeless puppet… In the end, she chose to make him a platy-pony-cardinal-lion-iguana-froad. The result was too hideous and too hard to remember to want to describe. Ragus already forgot the original name of this person… so now its name was Nosrednug.

"…It's my father's fault I'm like this. He wanted me to be beautiful forever, so he converted me into a living doll. I'm still angry at him. But it doesn't bother me. Because Lady Medusa said she would kill him after this wedding. I can't wait for that. …" Ragus looked at the ceiling. "It's sure to begin soon. Whatever force is causing everyone to forget you… I hope it lasts for just a few more hours. …I guess I'll go back up there."