The next day soon came. A rooster crow was heard as everyone woke up after their sleepover. Crumbelina nudged Vanellope to wake her up.
"Huh? Oh, hey, Crumby," Vanellope smiled to her best friend. "How'd you sleep?"
Crumbelina smiled, even though she never spoke a word, Vanellope always knew what she would say if her best friend could talk. Even when the others were affected by Turbo/King Candy, they were still friends, like that time Crumbelina allowed Vanellope to use her racing kart to save their world, even if Vanellope was called a glitch at the time.
"I slept pretty good too." Vanellope said after a moment.
Crumbelina smiled as she was happy to hear that.
"Let's get some breakfast, huh?" Vanellope suggested.
Crumbelina nodded in agreement. The two of them soon went to get themselves some breakfast.
"Now, kids, I want you to make sure you get to the Sweet Celebration in time." Reese Jr told the younger ones.
"We will, sir." The racers replied.
"This is going to be amazing," Rancis smiled. "We're gonna see King Kandy and the Princesses!"
"Yeah!" Mo added.
"Have fun, kids." Grandpappy Reese smiled.
"Thanks, Grandpappy, we will!" Rancis smiled back.
"We sure will." Vanellope added.
The adults waved the kids off as they soon went through Candy Land to make it to the Sweet Celebration. Vanellope looked back to them with a smile, but then sighed as she thought about her long-lost parents again. Who were they and where were they now? Did they love her? Were they kind people? A thousand thoughts flooded her mind, and where she hoped that those questions would be answered by someone that would know about them. They walked down a colorful path as they left the adults as they wandered through the wonderful world of Candy Land, beginning a brand new adventure with each other.
"I really missed ya guys," Vanellope said to Cherry and Atticus. "Ya gotta come back to Litwak's sometime."
"We sure will." Atticus smiled.
"Promise?" Vanellope asked.
"We promise, Vanny," Cherry said. "We'll even bring Mo and Patch with us this time."
"Yeah." Atticus nodded.
Patch sniffed the air. "Does anyone else smell gingerbread?" he then asked.
"We must be close to the gingerbread people." Rancis said.
"Gingerbread people?" The others asked.
"Ah, someone must be going to the Candy Castle along with us." Minty smiled as she held hands with Swizzle.
"Oh, that sounds so sweet!" Taffyta grinned innocently. "They must be adding their own flavor to the celebration."
Cherry just glanced at Taffyta, she was never really found of the strawberry taffy girl, especially with how she was the lead bully against Vanellope when Sugar Rush was affected from Turbo, and not to mention that time when they had to go against her and The Phantom Virus with Mystery Inc.
"I can tell you're glancing at me, Cherry." Taffyta said.
"Hello, there... Taffy Cakes." Cherry hid a small smirk.
"Look, I'm sorry about what happened." Taffyta said.
"I'm sure you are..." Cherry replied.
"I couldn't help it... The Phantom Virus was manipulating me..." Taffyta told her. "I would never wanna hurt anyone!"
"Well, viruses can do crazy things to programs." Mo said.
I promise, I will never hurt you guys ever again." Taffyta smiled as she curtsied to Atticus, Cherry, Mo, and Patch.
"Alright, but we're going to keep an eye on you." Mo said.
"Fair enough, now, off we go." Taffyta replied.
They soon kept going, and Patch ended up following the scent of gingerbread since it was distracting to him since it was food and he was a dog and all, and where unknown to him, this would lead to meeting a new friend. Patch continued to follow the scent until he ran into a gingerbread house which appeared to have a family in it.
"I hope it's not far," A gingerbread man said until the tree seemed to fuss over him. "Mom! You've frosted me five times already! I'm going to be late!"
The other gingerbread kids seemed to chuckle to this. Patch could relate with how mothers and siblings could be.
"I just want you to look your best, Jib," The gingerbread mother smiled. "After all, this is a very, very-"
"Special day, yes, I know," Jib replied. "This is the Sweet Celebration!"
"Hmm... Maybe you should wear a tie." The gingerbread mother said, using green frosting to make her son a bow-tie.
'Wow, she's like my mother only as gingerbread.' Patch thought to himself.
"Mom, it's getting late!" Jib complained.
"Hold still, Jib," The mother smiled. "Oh, this is a big responsibility. You're taking our gingerbread frosting to the Castle this year."
"Are you sure they'll like our icing?" Jib frowned at first.
"Oh, of course, there's none better in all of Candy Land," The mother smiled as she put something in his backpack. "Neat, and sweet, and sticks to just about everything. Let me take a look at you~"
"I think he looks perfect, ma'am." Patch said as he came out
The gingerbread family looked over.
"Huh? Who are you?" Jib asked Patch.
"My name is Patch Pongo." Patch smiled.
"Well, hello there," Jib's mother replied. "Oh, are you from Sugar Rush here for the Sweet Celebration?" she then asked.
"Not exactly." Patch said, though he wasn't sure what he could say.
"Oh, then, where are you from?" The gingerbread mother asked.
"This might sound strange, but I'm from the real world," Patch replied. "Um... Well, we don't have Candy Land where I come from, and Sugar Rush is a video game."
"Ah, you must be one of Vanellope's friends," The gingerbread mother said. "I was going to guess that, or you were one of Taffyta's cousins from out of town."
"Taffyta has a cousin from out of town?" Patch replied.
"Ah, yes, her name is Strawberry Shortcake." The gingerbread mother smiled.
"Is she nice?" Patch asked.
"Oh, she's one of the sweetest girls you could ever meet." Jib's mother smiled about the one called Strawberry Shortcake.
"I can already tell," Patch smiled back before noticing the others weren't with him. "Uh-oh..."
"Oh, my brave gingerbread boy's first time away from home!" The gingerbread mother smiled to Jib. "Now, you remember what to do."
"Take our gift of icing to the candy castle, then place it in the sweet circle by noon," Jib replied. "Don't worry, Mom, I can do it, and Patch can come with me."
"I know you can, Jib." The gingerbread mother smiled as she hugged her son.
"You can count on me, Mom!" Jib smiled and hugged back. "Come on, Patch, you can come with me to Candy Castle."
"That's where I was headed anyway." Patch smiled back.
"I have my backpack, and my gingerbread icing, and my map!" Jib smiled as they walked down a path together.
"And Jib? If you ever feel lost or don't know what to do-" Jib's mother prompted.
"Use my head?" Jib replied.
"Use your heart." Jib's mother smiled.
"She's right; the heart always knows the way." Patch said.
"Thank you, Mom!" Jib smiled and waved.
"Bye, Jib's family!" Patch added as he followed the young gingerbread boy down the colorful path.
The others called back and waved as they began a brand new adventure through Candy Land together.
"So is everything eatable here?" Patch asked Jib as they walked.
"Pretty much, yes, but please, don't eat me." Jib replied.
"Don't worry, I won't." Patch smiled.
Jib smiled back as they began to make it to the Candy Castle together.
A lot of people were eager as they came to the Candy Castle before them as it was the annual Sweet Celebration which was special and valuable towards the people of Candy Land.
"Oh, this is so exciting!" Rancis smiled.
"I can't believe we're honored guests to King Kandy's Castle!" Minty beamed. "Ooh, this is a great time!"
"Yes, you are..." Swizzle smiled to her before blushing. "Oh, I mean, yes, it is."
"And looks like we're not the only ones that have arrived." Taffyta smiled as she noticed her cousin.
"Is that you, Taffy Cakes?" A voice asked.
"Sure is!" Taffyta beamed.
"Who do we have here?" Mo asked.
A girl with short crimson hair in a floppy hat with strawberry print on it in a striped long-sleeved shirt and jeans with sneakers came out.
"Everyone, this is my cousin, Strawberry Shortcake." Taffyta introduced.
"And I see you all know my cousin, Taffyta Muttonfudge." The redheaded girl replied.
"We sure do," Atticus said. "Although, we've met on bad terms the first and second time."
"Oh?" Strawberry Shortcake asked.
"Uh... Yeah... I wasn't exactly the nicest girl around..." Taffyta replied. "Especially around Princess Vanellope since King Candy tricked us, and that time we ran into The Phantom Virus."
"But we understand it was because she only had bad influences to thank for her behavior." Atticus said.
"So, um, Strawberry, do you have any pets?" Mo asked, hoping to change the subject.
"Hm? Oh, yes, I do," Strawberry replied. "I have a cat named Custard."
"Where is Custard?" Taffyta asked.
Strawberry was about to answer that question only to see that her cat wasn't anywhere near. "Custard? Oh, Custard, where did you go?" she then asked out of concern.
"Strawberry? Custard? I don't know if I can take any more of this." Cherry groaned.
"Says Cherry." Vanellope smirked.
Jubileena even giggled as she was themed around cherry candies.
"Ha, ha." Cherry rolled her eyes.
"Oh, she must be with Pupcake." Strawberry smiled.
"Okay, then where's he?" Atticus asked.
"Pupcake?!" Cherry's voice complained.
"They couldn't have gone too far," Strawberry said as she began to look for her pets. "It's not like them to scamper off like this."
"Isn't Pupcake easily distracted?" Taffyta asked her cousin.
"Oh, you have no idea," Strawberry replied. "I guess he's just a curious little puppy."
"I think I know what you mean." Atticus chuckled about his own experiences with Patch.
"So then Pupcake must have gotten distracted by something he thought that looked fun and decided to chase it..." Taffyta started.
"...And Custard went after him so then he wouldn't get lost." Strawberry finished with a smile.
"You're not worried, are you?" Mo asked.
"Oh, I'm sure they're fine," Strawberry replied. "Pets are curious creatures."
"That's true." Atticus smiled.
"Now, let's get going," Strawberry smiled. "I believe I've been invited to a Sweet Celebration with my favorite cousin."
"You have, and so have I." Taffyta giggled.
"I wonder where the youngest princess is?" Atticus said.
"The youngest princess?" Cherry replied.
"I think I might have an idea where she is." Vanellope said.
"What is this about a princess?" Cherry asked.
"The Princess of Candy Land?" Snowanna guessed.
"Yep." Vanellope nodded.
"You wanna lead the way then, Vanny?" Cherry asked.
"Try to keep up. 3, 2, 1..." Vanellope smirked as she dashed off, giving herself a head-start. "GO!"
"Hey!" The other racers complained before running after Vanellope.
"And they're off." Mo smirked playfully.
Vanellope laughed as she ran off from the others while everyone else just walked after them.
"Nice to meet you, I guess, Strawberry Shortcake." Cherry said to the new girl.
"I'm Atticus Fudo, the beautiful girl right next to me is my girlfriend, Mo Brown and the other girl is my best friend and sister figure, Cherry Butler and the puppy behind us is Patch Pongo, my pet." Atticus smiled before they saw that Patch wasn't behind them.
"Um... Nice to meet you, Patch." Strawberry said as she began to pet the air, thinking Patch was imaginary.
"Oh, great," Cherry rolled her eyes. "Spot got off his leash again."
"He must have went off on his own." Mo frowned.
"He must have followed the scent of gingerbread." Atticus added.
"Dogs..." Atticus and Mo sighed as they should've seen that coming.
"Seriously though? When are you gonna put that dog on a leash?" Cherry said to Atticus.
"I just feel like leashes are too controlling." Atticus said.
"Isn't it the law you have to keep Patch on a leash though?" Cherry asked.
"Dang it, you're right." Atticus groaned.
Cherry gave a cheesy grin.
"Let's just catch up with the others." Atticus muttered.
"I hope Patch is alright." Mo said.
"I'm sure he's fine, this doesn't look like a dangerous place," Atticus smiled. "I doubt any villains live around here."
"Um, well..." Strawberry smiled nervously.
"There are villains in a sugary utopia like this?" Cherry asked.
"Well... There is Lord Licorice..." Strawberry replied.
"How bad is he?" Mo asked.
"Compared to most villains, he might seem tame, but that doesn't mean he isn't dangerous, so you might wanna watch out just in case," Gloyd replied. "He's sneakier than I am when it's around Halloween time."
"Whoa." Mo said.