Chapter 8: The Fourth Golden Ticket Winner

Author's Note: Happy Sunday, everyone! I know this isn't my usual publication day, but I just couldn't bear to wait in publishing this chapter! I do hope that you'll enjoy finding out about the fourth Golden Ticket winner, but first, it's time to respond to your lovely reviews! :)

Matt, I'm really happy that you love Mindy 2.0! I loved making her a "love to hate" character. As for whether or not Daniel will reappear alongside Mindy during the tour, be sure to read to find out!

emeraldphan, I'm glad you're like what I'm doing with the rival chocolate makers! They will have a presence in upcoming chapters in some form, so I hope you're looking forward to that. Additionally, while Stephanie might not have as big a presence as other characters, she will have appearances in future chapters as well. Now, on with the story, everyone! :D

(Credits: Special thanks goes to MysteriousMaker1185 for massively inspiring me during the development of this chapter, as well as Turrislucidus for influencing the Golden Ticket method in this chapter.)

The following morning, Chris and Jenna awoke from their sleep together. Jack had dropped them back off at Chris' house, and they turned on the television to find out that the fourth Golden Ticket had been found.

"Just like that," Chris sighed, "only three Tickets left."

"Don't worry, Chris," Jenna smiled. "Even if we don't get a trip to the factory, we still have each other."

Chris smiled back, and the two watched what was going on. However, they weren't the only ones watching at that very moment. Mr. Wonka, Charlie, and Mr. and Mrs. Bucket were watching as well, eager to hear news regarding the recent finder.

"It's only been a day since Mindy Bell found the third Golden Ticket," a news anchor announced, "and the fourth Golden Ticket has already been found. This Ticket was found in Boston, Massachusetts, by a boy named Daniel Sparkman."

"This winner better not resemble Mike Teavee," Mr. Wonka sighed, his head on his hands.

"Mr. Wonka," Charlie said, "even if he does…"

"I know what you're gonna say," the chocolatier said, patting his heir's shoulders. "Everyone deserves a chance."

"You're getting there," Charlie smiled, and Mrs. Bucket smiled at him as the television began to flash news about the lucky winner.

Daniel's interview was being held in an average-looking house with an adjoining garage. The garage was open, and beeping sounds, lights, and other things could be seen and heard inside it. There were cars parked outside of the house as a bunch of reporters drove to his house in order to interview the lucky boy.

When they entered the house, Mr. Sparkman was inside waiting for them.

"I expect you're looking for my son," he said. "He's out in the garage, although I don't think he'll be happy about this interruption."

Mr. Sparkman guided the reporters into the garage towards a small room located in the very back of it. It was about the same size as a storage closet except slightly larger, and there were wires and cables plugged into what seemed like hundreds of various outlets. In the back of this room, there was a computer that was turned on. The computer itself was located underneath the desk, while the monitor was on top of it. Sitting at this desk was none other than Daniel Sparkman himself.

Mrs. Sparkman, Daniel's mother, was standing in front of the entrance to this strange place. She nervously knocked on the doorframe, but Daniel didn't turn around. Instead, he said with a firm voice, "Who is it?"

"It's your mother," Mrs. Sparkman said, "and I've come to bring you your breakfast. There are also some reporters here enquiring about your Golden Ticket."

"Put my breakfast on the tray next to the computer," Daniel sighed, "and let them in."

Mrs. Sparkman did as Daniel told her. She took his breakfast of eggs, bacon, and orange juice and placed it on a portable tray with a stand attached to it that was next to Daniel's desk.

Hesitantly, Daniel Sparkman turned around with a bored look on his face and looked at the reporters standing in front of him. He had short brown hair and brown eyes, and was wearing a black t-shirt with the picture of a video game controller on it. Daniel also wore black leather shoes fastened with large, silver buckles. There was a golden trophy located to the left of the device, and inside the trophy was the fourth Golden Ticket.

Daniel's mother was a relatively thin woman with brown hair. She was wearing a grey t-shirt with a black video game controller on it. Below the controller, it said, "I'M A GAMER GIRL." She was also wearing high-heeled shoes, as well as different colored bracelets that borrowed the color schemes of various video game systems, such as red and black, purple and grey, and green and white.

Daniel's father resembled his son. Mr. Sparkman had spiky brown hair, and he was wearing a plain black t-shirt with red sleeves. He was also wearing blue jeans, but his pair wasn't faded like Daniel's. Rather, they were bright blue, and he was also wearing black dress shoes.

A reporter was about to ask him a question, but Daniel spoke first.

"You want to know more about me, right?" Daniel said with a neutral expression. "As you know, my name's Daniel, and I'm twelve years old. I like to spend my days developing video games in the hope that I can get some of them published one day."

"What kind of games do you create?" one reporter asked.

"My favorite genre of games are first-person shooters," Daniel replied, "although I do sometimes delve into other ones as well, such as platformers and action games."

"But don't video games take a long time to develop?" another reporter asked curiously.

"Not for me," he snarked. "For instance, take the project that I'm working on right now. It's a three-dimensional platformer combined with a shooter. In just half an hour, I was able to complete an entire fourth of the game with no bugs and glitches."

"What else do you like to do?" a third reporter asked.

"What else do you think life's all about?" Daniel snapped. "In addition to developing video games in my domain here, I also take part in competitions, where I compete with other people to see who can complete their game the fastest. Of course, I always come out on top. That's where I got this trophy from." He turned his head towards the trophy standing next to the computer.

"How did you get your Golden Ticket?" the second reporter asked.

"Oh, that thing," Daniel sighed. "It was simple. Using scarce accounts remaining about the previous contest, I was able to track down three of the original Ticket winners, Augustus Gloop, Violet Beauregarde, and Veruca Salt during one of my rare breaks from video game development. After talking with them on my portable phone, I was able to determine the pattern in which Wonka's machine packages his candy, and my mind told me that, stepping into his shoes, it would hardly change, if at all. With the information I gathered, I was further able to determine the location of the fourth Golden Ticket, and from there, it was the meager task of eliminating possible candy shops in the area. The easiest thing I ever did. Anyone with an IQ more than a pebble could do it. In the end, I only had to buy one candy-bar."

"How did it taste?" the first reporter asked.

"I don't know," Daniel said flatly. "I'm not really a fan of chocolate, so I gave it to my father, since he likes chocolate more than I do."

"What do you think of your son?" the third reporter asked, turning to Mr. Sparkman.

"I'm very proud of him finding a Golden Ticket for us," Mr. Sparkman answered, "although I must admit, I disapprove of the method he used to obtain it. I don't think it's fair compared to the other winners who got their Tickets by buying Wonka Bars as the contest was supposed to function."

"I did buy a Wonka Bar, Dad," Daniel said firmly, "so technically, I followed the rules. Anyways, speaking of the Golden Ticket contest, I'm not a fan of how it was executed. Doesn't Mr. Wonka understand that with new technological breakthroughs surfacing, there could've been better ways to go about it, like through the Internet?"

"Are you excited to be going to Mr. Wonka's factory?" another reporter asked.

Daniel shrugged.

"I'd rather much be right here in my domain with my games," he answered, "but I guess I'll go. I'm only going to show Mr. Wonka and Charlie a real genius at work. I'm at least fifty times smarter than the both of them combined."

"To tell you the truth," Mr. Sparkman added, "I myself am rather nervous going to Mr. Wonka's factory. My wife told me that she'd prefer to stay home and tend our house while we go on the tour."

"Why are you nervous, Mr. Sparkman?" someone asked.

Mr. Sparkman inhaled before finally saying, "I'm worried that my son's tech obsession could get him in trouble during the tour. I heard about what happened to Mike Teavee back then, and I don't want my son to end up like him."

"Nonsense," Daniel Sparkman remarked. "I won't get into any trouble during the tour whatsoever. In fact, with my prowess, it's bound to be me that will come up on top in order to claim whatever that special prize is. Just for show, of course. Even if I do win it, I probably won't use it that much. Instead, I'll likely just go back into my little domain here with my video games. Regarding Mike Teavee, that person was a loser. I'm much smarter than him, and I'll prove it."

Mr. Sparkman looked rather uncomfortable. He was about to say something, but a reporter interrupted him.

"Before we close off this interview," the reporter said, "do you have a message for Mr. Wonka and Charlie?"

"All I'd like to say," Daniel said, "is those two better watch their backs, cause I'm going to win that prize whether they like it or not. Now please, I'd like to continue developing my video game...in peace."

Charlie turned off the television, and Mr. Wonka threw up his hands in anger.

"I knew it!" Mr. Wonka cried, standing up out of his chair. "He's just like Mike Teavee! I can't believe it! Even like Mike forty years prior, Daniel still managed to crack the system in order to obtain his Ticket! I've got to do something about this brat right now!"

"Willy, please!" Charlie cried, but Mr. Wonka ignored him as he turned around and stomped his way to the Music Conservatory to inform the Oompa-Loompas about Daniel. "Chances-!"

"It's alright, son," Mr. Bucket said, putting a hand on his son's shoulders. "Sometimes, you can't teach an old dog…" he chuckled, "er, chocolatier, new tricks."

"Didn't Mike hack his Ticket back then?" Mrs. Bucket asked.

"I don't remember Mike hacking his Ticket," Charlie remarked. "He just said back in his interview he tracked the manufacturing dates and all that mumbo-jumbo without a single mention of hacking. But I have to admit, though, even though what Daniel did was kind of manipulative, it's still pretty impressive, considering his age."

"I guess kids do keep growing smarter and smarter every generation," Mrs. Bucket remarked, "even if brattiness is a part of it."

"I guess you're right, Mother," Charlie answered, getting up from his seat. "While Mr. Wonka is in the Music Conservatory, I guess I'll make my way to the factory kitchen and get myself some breakfast as well."

Charlie sighed as he exited his cottage, making his way to the factory kitchen as thoughts of Daniel and his family flashed through his mind.

Come to think of it, Charlie said as he was walking, Daniel's father seemed like he had something to hide during his interview. I wonder what it could be?

Author's Note: That was the fourth Golden Ticket winner! What did you think of Daniel Sparkman? As for older readers, which version of Daniel do you prefer? Admittedly, in the first draft, his interview was really similar to the one in Next in Line, but thanks to MysteriousMaker1185 suggesting a couple ideas, I was really inspired, and it ended up being what you just read. I wanted to try to find a way to make Daniel different from Mike Teavee, and he suggested showing his video game side more. I loved that idea, and here we are. Speaking of Daniel, what could possibly be up with his father? If you'd like, leave your thoughts and guesses in the review section, and be sure to stay tuned for the next chapter! If you'd like, you can guess what will happen in it, but you don't have to if you don't want to.

Also, the original story implied that Mike hacked Mr. Wonka in order to obtain his Ticket, while in reality, Mike just used his brain. Reviewer Sonny April, during Next in Line, additionally pointed out that Mr. Wonka could possibly admire Daniel's smarts despite him hacking, so I decided to include that, but give that quote to Charlie instead.

I hope you're as excited for Chapter 9 as I am, everyone!

Until then,

Gabe S. :)