Meanwhile with Patch...
"Let's see... We follow the path through a small clearing." Jib told Patch as they traveled together.
"This path is making me hungry." Patch chuckled to his new friend.
"No surprise." Jib smiled.
"Mind if we stop for a minute?" Patch asked.
"Well... I guess it would be okay." Jib replied.
They soon stopped walking before Patch caught the two scents. Jib walked over to a plant and began to take out a wedge, eating it while Patch followed the scents that he tracked down, and where his nose was soon met with another nose. This made him yelp a bit in surprise before seeing another dog.
"Hi!" The other dog smiled, wagging his tail to Patch.
"Oh, hello," Patch smiled back. "I didn't know that Candy Land had dogs here too."
"Hmm... I was gonna say the same thing about you." The other dog replied.
"Oh... So you're not from here?" Patch asked.
"I actually live in a place called Berry Bitty City with my owner, Strawberry Shortcake, same with Custard here." The dog replied as a cat soon came out to also see Patch.
"Custard?" Patch asked. "That's a unique name."
"Thank you." The cat replied.
"Oh, I'm sorry, where are my manners?" Patch smiled. "My name is Patch."
"Well, you know, my name is Custard." The cat said.
"And my name is Pupcake." The dog added.
"He got his name after eating so many cupcakes." Custard smiled.
Pupcake smiled back, a bit bashfully from that.
"Berry Bitty City, huh?" Patch replied. "I don't think I've heard of that place."
"Really?" Custard asked.
"Still trying to get used to this place actually." Patch replied.
"Where'd you come from then?" Custard asked.
"I live in Greendale now." Patch informed.
"Never heard of it." Pupcake said.
"Well, I guess we have something in common," Patch shrugged. "I'm sorry you got lost from your owner though, I'm sure we can find them. What did you say their name was again?"
"Strawberry Shortcake." Pupcake and Custard told the Dalmatian.
"Sounds like a dessert." Patch said.
"You could say that." Custard giggled.
They soon heard a ringing of a bell.
"Patch, it's getting late, we better speed it up." Jib suggested.
"Oh, right. The celebration." Patch said.
"Celebration?" Custard and Pupcake smiled.
"Um, would you like to come with us?" Patch offered. "I'm sure we can find your owner on the way."
"Well... Sure!" Pupcake beamed.
"Okay!" Custard added.
"Alright then." Patch smiled.
And with that, the gingerbread boy, the two dogs, and the cat soon ran down the colorful path together.
It seemed to get colder as they came into a different area of Candy Land.
"Ooh, it's a little cold." Patch commented.
"Even with that fur? I thought that would keep you nice and warm." Jib replied.
"You're thinking of bears." Patch said.
"Oh..." Jib said as they came into the new landmark before checking the map. "It's getting chilly... I wonder where we are? Ah... This must be the Peppermint Forest."
"Mm." Patch smiled.
Pupcake came up to one peppermint stick and soon licked it, unable to resist.
"Oh, what's this?" Jib smiled once he found snowflakes.
"Snowflakes, try catching them on your tongue." Patch suggested before doing so himself.
Custard began to do just that.
"Aw, it melted, I better try another taste." Jib pouted.
"Don't worry, Jib, it'll be just fine." Patch smiled.
"Yeah." Pupcake added.
Jib smiled as he got used to the snow as it usually only snowed in the Peppermint Forest and nowhere else in Candy Land. A giant snowball was seen coming down a hill and it soon crashed into them by accident, and there was a man shown from the snow pile after they crashed together, but thankfully, no one was hurt.
"What was that snowball all about?" Custard asked.
"I think we're about to meet a new friend." Patch guessed.
"I think you're right." Pupcake smiled.
"Hello, there," Patch said to the man. "Who are you?"
"Mr. Mint!" The man smiled as he held out his hand. "Oh, but Mister's too formal, just call me 'Mint'!"
"Um, okay." Patch said.
Mint soon shook hands with Jib, being a bit stronger than the gingerbread boy expected. "And what are your names?" he then asked with a smile.
"Uh... Jib." The gingerbread boy replied.
"And I'm Patch," The Dalmatian added. "And this is Pupcake and Custard."
"Hi." Pupcake smiled.
"Hello." Custard added.
"Ah, Jib, Patch, Pupcake, and Custard? Whatya say I call you Jib, Patch, Pupcake, and Custard for short?" Mint smiled back to them. "Nice to know ya, guys! You must be heading to the Sweet Celebration, right?"
"How did you know?" Jib wondered.
"Where else would you be going on such a sweet, sunny day?" Mint smiled. "I'm going too! Hey, let's go together!" he then suggested.
"Alright." Patch smiled back.
"Uh... I don't know... I..." Jib stammered nervously.
"I'm bringing the best peppermint stick!" Mint smiled to them as he looked through the snow. "Hmm... It's around here somewhere."
"Did it fall out of your pocket?" Custard asked.
"Oh, it probably did," Mint replied. "I swear, I'd forget my own head if it wasn't attached."
"Mr. Mint, we don't have time!" Jib panicked.
"Oh, plenty of gumballs left, my boy!" Mint smiled to the gingerbread boy.
"Yes, but we have to keep going so then we aren't late." Patch said.
"Ooh, I hate being late." Custard replied.
"Me too." Pupcake added.
"Don't worry, we won't be late." Patch assured them.
"Aha! Here it is!" Mint smiled as he soon found the peppermint stick he was looking for that fell in the snow.
"Great now let's go." Patch said.
"Hmm... According to my calculations, if we travel at a brisk pace, without stopping to eat-" Jib began only for his map to be taken away from him. "Hey!"
"You gotta relax, Jib," Mint said as he took the map away from the gingerbread boy. "This is Candy Land, and Candy Land means fun!"
"Yes, but we have to follow the map to get to the celebration on time." Patch said as he took the map back.
"Yes, but in Candy Land, you oughta, you gotta, have fun!" Mint smiled to them all.
"You're not going to make this easy, are you?" Patch sighed.
"It doesn't seem like he is." Custard added.
Mint smiled to them as he shared the wonders of Candy Land with them. And where they did start having fun along the way. Mint smiled as he helped them through the Peppermint Forest in a fun way through song. They even began to meet a group of peppermint beavers who looked very friendly.
"Hey, there." Patch smiled.
"Hi!" The peppermint beavers smiled back.
"Man, just about everyone is nice in Candy Land." Patch smiled.
"Not everyone." Pupcake said.
"Oh?" Patch replied.
"You'd be surprised, it's not all sunshine and rainbows." Custard added.
"Guess so." Patch said.
"So, whatya say, guys?" Mint smiled.
"Maybe you're right," Jib smiled back. "As long as we stick to the road, we'll be fine!"
"Peppermintyriffic!" Mint beamed. "This'll be fun!"
"Yeah!" Pupcake cheered.
"We are gonna have fun~" They all sang together as they walked down the path. "We are gonna have fun~"
They soon walked out of the Peppermint Forest as Mint was telling them about a time when he got his head stuck in an ice cream bucket, and it was rather funny. They soon heard the ringing of the bell which meant that they were running out of more time.
"That's the next gumball! There are only four left!" Jib gasped before looking to Mint. "Are you sure this is the right way?"
"Well, of course!" Mint smiled to him as he walked off. "Why?"
"This path is kinda bouncy." Patch commented.
"Did we stray off the path?" Custard asked.
Jib soon took out the map just to make sure, and something bounced beside them.
"What is that?!" Custard yowled at the strange creature.
The creature bounced and it then seemed to morph into a cat like Custard before meowing.
"Oh, that's just Jolly, he's a gummy," Mint smiled. "Ooh, that must mean we're at Gumdrop Pass!"
"Are we supposed to be going down Gumdrop Pass?" Patch asked.
"Watch this!" Mint smiled as he soon jumped down over the path.
"Oh, no!" Jib panicked. "Mr. Mint!"
Mint was soon seen bouncing. "Nuh-uh! No Mister, just Mint, okay?" he then reminded the gingerbread boy as he bounced. "Jump on in! The gummy's fine!"
"That does look like fun..." Patch had to admit.
"And I think Pupcake agrees." Custard said as she saw her dog brother joining in the bouncing.
"This is peppermintyriffic!" Mint laughed as he joined in on the bouncing himself.
"What're you doing down there?!" Jib called out.
"A front flip, whatya think?" Mint smiled as he bounced.
"But Mr. Mint, people are counting on us!" Jib reminded.
"1, 2, 3, 4!" Mint laughed as he counted while bouncing.
"Mint, take this seriously!" Custard told him.
"I don't have time for this, Mr. Mint," Jib sighed as he walked away. "Have fun!"
"Hey, wait up, guys!" Mint smiled as he soon bounced up with Jolly and Pupcake. "That really was fun, you guys, you should've jumped down with us. Exhilarating like mint!"
"But we don't have time to stop and have fun." Custard said.
"It wasn't on the road, and we have to stick to the road!" Jib added. "Otherwise, we'll be-"
"Be late, I know," Mint replied. "Don't worry, guys, we won't be late. Will we, boy?"
Jolly shook his head as he joined their adventure.
"He's coming with?" Patch asked.
"What, you don't like dinosaurs?" Mint replied. "Then how about a fellow dog?"
Jolly then shape-shifted himself into another dog like Patch and Pupcake.
"So he can shape-shift?" Patch asked.
"Yep, and he can become Gingerbread Man's best friend!" Mint smiled as he pet Jolly before opening his collar up. "See? Aw... Four gummy hearts!"
Jib just glanced over until Jolly gave sad puppy dog eyes so he could come along. "Fine, but we have to move fast, and we have to stick to the road!" he then said after giving in.
"Agreed." Pupcake nodded.
"You got it," Mint added as he picked up Jolly. "We did it, Jolly! Gimme paw!"
Jolly just licked his face like any other dog would.
"You two coming?" Jib asked.
"See? Jolly's ready to go, and I've got my perfect peppermint stick right here!" Mint smiled before taking out his stick, only for it to be split in half. "Oh... I'm out... I gotta get a new peppermint stick."
"Seriously?" Patch asked.
"Where are you going?" Jib asked their new friend. "The Candy Castle's the other way!"
"But the Peppermint Forest is this way!" Mint replied as he walked off the other way. "Ah, don't worry, guys, it'll only take me a gumball. Two at the most."
"This is taking longer than it should." Custard sighed.
"I shouldn't be using this, but we're so late already... Sorry, Mom." Jib frowned as he decided to use his icing to fix Mint's peppermint stick so that they could keep going to the Candy Castle.
"I'm sure your mom will understand once we explain." Patch said.
"Well... I'll only use a little bit." Jib suggested as he used the icing like glue and stuck the two pieces together.
"Wow... It's just like new!" Patch smiled.
"You can barely see where it broke." Custard added.
"That's what I was hoping for," Jib smiled to the animals before rushing out. "Mr. Mint! Look! All fixed!"
"Wow, you're smart!" Mint smiled back. "What is that stuff?"
"It's my mom's special gingerbread icing," Jib replied. "Now we better get moving."
"Mm-hmm!" Mint nodded in agreement.
"We don't have much time." Custard said.
"Well, come along then, let's get going." Mint smiled.
"Now you're talking!" Patch smiled back to that.
"And away we go." Pupcake smiled back.
And so, they went off to get to the Candy Castle together as a team.