Chapter 1: The human world

"I-I-I'm really n-not so s-sure about -t-this anymore. C-can I c-cancel?"

Chocolat sighed. Her daughter, her pride, was refusing to participate in the race to become the next Queen?

"Honey, dear, you need to start facing your fears with a bit more strength. It is not a question of entering and backing out right after, you were selected because I was a contestant in the previous race, and your grandmother was a contestant in the one before that. It's not that bad! There some really down sides to the Human world, but it is really fun!"

Said Chocolat calmly.

Honey looked up to her. She admired her mother. Chocolat was so strong, and yet she had lost the competition. Honey felt she could never do it, if her mother hadn't been able to.

She was about to open her mouth to complain when her father, Pierre, walked in the house.

"Well, preparations are done! Honey, you are leaving at Twilight. Win the race for us okay?"

He said as he kissed the top of her forehead.

And fell asleep on the nearest couch. Chocolat patted her daughter on the head, and told her to go get the pink box that was hidden under her bed. Honey left her mother, and climbed the stairs. At least, maybe, she would get to start over in the Human world.

She could become popular.

The blonde shook her head. Never. She quickly chased the thought out of her head and laughed mentally. Her popular?

It would have to rain curses in the world of Magic, it would never happen. Honey was a quiet girl, without much magical powers anyways. Who, in the world would like someone like her?

"Just focus on the box... The hard stuff will come later on."

She told herself.

Her parent's room was the largest room in the entire house. It had a huge window that opened toward the city, and at night, if you stood there, you could see the Palace's lights.

There was a wall of mirrors on the right, but Honey knew they were just illusions made by her father. The mirrors could show any landscape you liked, and it often based itself upon your mood. Today it was showing a view of a human city. There were pink trees everywhere. Those are pretty, Honey thought.

She untied her eyes from the mirrors and jumped on the bed. It made a little dissatisfied noise. Honey excused herself and rolled to the floor. Then she pealed back the bedcovers and looked under.

There were a lots of things under that bed.

A lot of things that told Honey her mother was not as neat as she seemed to be.

Colorful lipsticks and nail polishers, multiple beads that had probably fallen off a broken necklace, pink, red, orange, golden, blue, and silver pieces of fabrics, a crystal spider,... and tons of dust.

At last, she found the box.

And let out a short breath.

It was pink, with golden stripes all along the cover, that made it look like it had multiple layers. On the top, there was a crystal heart incrusted in the wood itself.

With every precautions Honey could take, she pulled the pretty box from under the messy bed and ran back downstairs.

"There! You found it!"

Laughed her mother in front of Honey's shining eyes. The box was even prettier under the living room's lights.

"Did you peek inside?"

Asked Chocolat in a mischievous tone.

Honey's immediately turned red. Did peeking under the bed count? She mumbled that she didn't and rushed to sit at her father's feet.

Chocolat placed the box on her lap and, with the same extreme care Honey had used, removed the lid.

"Take a look at this. It's unique here in the Magical World, but in the Human World, it's what you'll have to compete for."

Honey stood up and walked to her mother. She opened her eyes wide when she saw the magnificent purple crystal heart that was inside. How could there be such a beautiful thing in the dangerous Human World? And how could little and not-so-powerful Honey collect those?

"It's called a Human Heart. It changes color and power with emotions. For example, a yellow heart would not be very powerful for it is the heart of surprise. Furthermore, a yellow heart wouldn't be worth many Ecures. But, if you collect a purple heart you would gain both power and many, many Ecures. Most people would catch pink or orange hearts. They are the most common, but they don't bring much. Listen Honey, you've gotta give all you have to make these human boys and girls fall in love with you!"

Explained Chocolat.

Honey was shocked.

"B-b-bb-boys?"

Pierre frowned.

"Honey, dear, I was the most popular handsome young man in the Human World when I was your age. Your mother... Well your mother was a bit too frightening towards the humans at first but she eventually became their favorite. So if both of us were popular, SO WILL YOU!"

A frightened Honey jumped in Chocolat's arms. She patted her daughter's head and shushed her cries all while staring daggers at her husband.

Chocolat whispered in Honey's ear:

"Hush now. The Human World is a great place, you'll see for yourself. Besides, Cookie will be there with you, and I know you like her. Don't worry, we'll send you letters and so will you. It's all going to be fine, no need to worry..."

She hesitated before adding with a wink:

"The Boys are really cute there too! Be sure to stay safe!"

Honey stopped crying and jumped off her mother's lap.

"Mom! You promised!"

Pierre ask what they were talking about but Chocolat just chuckled gently. Honey's father then put on a very intrigued face, just as Lieutenant Soul, Chocolat's old friend came through the door. He coughed aloud to get the attention of the household.

"Honey Meilleure, you now must come join Princess Cookie Mieux for your departure to the Human World!"

Honey hugged both of her parents tightly and Chocolat gave her the only thing Honey was able to take with her to the Human World, a heart pendant that would capture Human Hearts.

Then she stepped outside.

"Well then Honey, let's go and meet up with Cookie and Lieutenant Poivre. After that we'll fly to the Cauldron of Boiling Magma. But you and Cookie will have to travel the rest of that journey... alone..."

Honey swallowed. Cauldron was okay. Boiling magma? No one had told her about that. She would get killed before arriving to the Human World!

"Last time, your mother and the Queen resided in Japan. Cookie and you will live in France with Libby. You'll see she's really nice. She used to be Vanilla's familiar, but your mother turned her back into a witch using a white heart. So now, she appreciates life a lot more."

They had reached the Center Plaza. A tall and slender brunette, in a cream-colored satin top and brown leggings sat on the fountain, next to the Lieutenant Poivre.

As soon as she saw Honey and Soul coming toward her, she stood up, ran and hugged Honey tightly.

"Geez, you! I told you to come visit me at the Palace more often! I missed you soooo much Honey."

Cookie cried tears of joy. She added in a whisper:

"But now that we'll live together, I'm not letting you out of my sight!"

Honey blushed deeply. Cookie was such a straightforward person.

Lieutenant Poivre clapped his hands as he slowly made his way toward Honey, Cookie and Soul.

"Well, well, well. What a sweet time! Now hurry, come this way. The Cauldron is waiting."

Poivre led the way, followed by Cookie, still holding on to Honey, followed by Soul. Cookie kept whispering Palace's gossips in Honey ear.

"Oh! The Cauldron has always been there. He's just sooooo eager to catch a glimpse of Libby. Even thought he can't 'cause he's a Palace Lieutenant and he can't leave the Magical World unless he is allowed to do so. Really you should see all the pictures of her he has in his room!

But that reminds me of Sir Sel too! He did..."

She went on and on, and Honey started to think that living with Cookie might not be a good idea after all. She caught Soul's eyes when she slightly turned her head. He blushed, thinking Cookie might have told her something about him.

Honey remembered that he used to be best friends with King Woo, but after Queen Vanilla had decided to marry him, he didn't see Woo that often anymore.

"Hey! Look Honey! It's that Cauldron Poivre was talking about! Yuck, it's so dirty! I don't wanna jump in there!"

Said Cookie. She then screamed in a very high-pitched voice when the lava got close to her face.

Soul and Poivre both dropped a peculiar sand into the Cauldron. They stepped aside and pushed Cookie and Honey headfirst into it, waving goodbyes at them and wishing them good luck on their fight for love.