Thanks again for all the reviews, people! I'm elated that so many seem to enjoy this little story.
In response to reader Letselina, yes, they probably could have tried to exit the dream right then rather than being captured. The problem was that the sword was right at her throat, so they likely wouldn't have had time. I will make a note to have that clarified in the revision. Thanks for the question!
Jeanniestorm was curious to know what the Boy Wonder thought about Sir Robin, his older doppleganger in Star's dreamworld. That's a good question! Unfortunately, it's beyond the scope of this particular story, but I might write a short little fic later on about his reflections. Or someone else can do it if they wish. Feel free!
Chapter 8: A Trip Through Dark Places
Bound by some kind of taffy-like restraints, the five prisoners were marched through the dreary factory in a chain gang. All around them were dust and soot covered people in similar manacles doing a variety of tasks and watched over by person-sized gingerbread men with licorice whips. The moans and screams of the captives broken by the sounds of gears grinding and the snap of whips formed a constant background noise to the broken landscape.
Cyborg tugged at the restraints, grunting with effort, "I can't break this stuff. It sure isn't any candy I know." The Candyman who stood behind the group of captives sneered slightly at Cyborg's attempt. "My taffy is stronger than the finest steel. You'll never be able to break it, vagabond." Cyborg glared at the golem.
"Where are you taking us?" Robin asked, craning his head to look at the monster.
"To my personal interrogation room," the Candyman replied with a thin, evil smile, "I have... some questions for you, vagabond. Answers I must have."
The group trudged through the factory of horrors, the Candyman making motions for some of the gingerbread guards to join him. Dutifully the sweet soldiers did his bidding, falling into a march on either side of the line of heros. They were taken deep into the factory and led up some stairs, towards what was probably once a management office.
The interior was quite large, however, lined with cages containing clearly ill-fed people. More gingerbread soldiers manned horrific machines of torture in the room; one poor fellow screamed in anguished pain as his limbs were stretched rhythmically by some sort of taffy-puller. Another poor soul was dunked into a large metal container, then pulled out mummified in pink cotton candy, the form still struggling. Another poor soul was placed in a glass tube before a vat of molten chocolate was poured on her body, her form being frozen in a scream of pain for all eternity.
Queen Kory averted her eyes from the grotesque scenes in sorrow and disgust, causing the Candyman to sneer hatefully, "What is the matter, my Queen? Too proud to look on the consequences for your actions?" The Queen, of course, said nothing.
The group was led further on, witnessing more creative tortures as they went, before coming to a large steel door. The door opened to reveal a separate room with much of the same equipment as the first, but containing only one cell and a row of the taffacles attached to the wall. The sole occupant of the cell looked up and blinked in surprise. "M'lady!" Sir Robin looked a bit beat up, but otherwise fine. In the center of the room stood a pedestal which contained a glowing green glass orb, sparkling brightly in the otherwise dank dark of the chamber.
Robin, Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven were all shackled to the wall by the gingerbread soldiers. The Candyman roughly tossed Queen Kory into the cage and leaned down to glare at her. "I will finish with you later. First... I must have a word with the vagabonds." He turned away towards the shackles and made a quick motion with his monstrous hand to the gingerbread men, "Leave us!"
As the gingerbread soldiers marched from the room the Candyman moved towards the glowing glass ball and picked it up, toying with the object. He glared at the Titans strapped to the wall, holding up the sphere.
"This is the Queen's voice," he declared with derision, "I stole it from her. She was foolish enough to believe my entreaties of peace and willingly gave it to me. Her soldiers, including that hateful personage in the cage, warned her against the deal. But she insisted." The Candyman paused and began to pace. "She has never taken the advice of her soldiers. But she was willing to engage in a treacherous assault on me when YOU came along." Black eyes narrowed, "You have unexplained influence on her. Where are you from? Who are you? Why are you here?"
He was greeted with silence. The Candyman's features twisted horribly in rage. "YOU WILL TELL ME!"
"First you have to answer some of our questions," Robin spoke up. The creature whirled on the Boy Wonder and growled low, "You are not in a position to demand anything, vagabond. Tell me!"
While the golem was distracted, Beast Boy looked over at Raven and whispered softly, "Psst! Can you use a little magic words and get us out of this?"
"Yes," Raven replied quickly and quietly, "But it would be pretty pointless. We'd never make it past the guards and I wouldn't have time to summon the way home before that thing was attacking us. Besides, we'd not have solved Star's problem."
Unfortunately, the Candyman had overheard Raven's reply and whirled on the bound girl. "'Summon the way home'?" he quoted suspiciously, "'Star's problem'? Tell me, child, of what you speak."
Raven frowned slightly and merely narrowed her eyes. The golem responded by gripping the girl's throat with his candy-cane claws, the tips drawing a line of crimson, "Tell me or you die."
Raven raised her chin in defiance and remained silent.
Roaring in impotent rage, the Candyman withdrew his claws. "I must know! I must know the secret of why you are here! I must know why you are so powerful! I must know of the things you speak!" The monster fumed, pacing again. "If you do not tell me, I will do things to you that are beyond all known philosophies."
The Candyman paused then smiled wickedly, looking to the cowering Queen Kory in Sir Robin's arms. "... Or maybe to her? You might be able to resist my gentle persuasion, but could you stand to see your Queen suffer?" Black eyes looked towards the other manacled titans, "Or your friends? How about this one?" The Candyman pointed at Beast Boy's green form.
Raven's eyes flashed for a moment. "You try it and you will regret it." Her voice was icy calm.
"You will have to go through me, villain, before I will let you near the Queen again," stated Sir Robin flatly, transposing himself between the green eyed teen and the door to the cell.
"That can be arranged, knight," growled the Candyman, "But first I think I will have a little fun with the green fellow." He moved menacingly towards Beast Boy, who squirmed uncomfortably, but managed to hold a courageous front. Raven was about to let loose when Robin suddenly spoke up.
"Enough, Candyman! I'll tell you everything."
The other titans stared in disbelief at the Boy Wonder.
"Robin, you can't!" Cyborg exclaimed.
"We can fight, escape, and try again later," Raven said practically.
"Dude, this thing's nuts! Telling it won't help at all! Who knows what it will do once it knows!"
"It's okay," Robin said with confidence, staring at the Candyman's suspicious but twistedly curious features. "I know what I'm doing."