((Disclaimer: I do not own Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. At all. So there. ))
Hey y'all! I am back! Yup, I have been on a boat with my friends and it was really, really fun. But, I am back to be back in my home. The moment I got back, I read all of your lovely reviews and I started to write this Chapter. I am really getting into the momentum of this story and I hope you are too. I will also soon be getting a much newer computer to do my writing on, rather than having to transfer all of my fan fictions from one to another! This will also give me the ability to finally make the site I have always wanted to make and illustrate this very fan fiction! I will tell all of you up here when that has been done!
Warning: This Fanfiction may contain Movie Spoilers: So, if you don't like them, watch the movie, then come back.
Chapter Six Summery – Willy Wonka has received some letters concerning the press. Are they good, or are they bad? Willy will only find out if he reads the letters for himself. Also, after taking a break from reading, Willy delves his mind and tries to find out just why is Charlie so perfect, and what he could do to save his only hope.
Chapter 6 – Letters of the Press
The one thing that Willy Wonka hated the most, or well... the fifth most, was letters. He didn't like having to read them and answer their icky questions they would ask about his factory. Such as: What is your favorite colour? Why won't you come out? Can I have one of those tickets? Can you tell me how you brew your chocolate? Why can we never see your eyes? Why did you send out the Golden Tickets? Why aren't you answering anybody's letters?
But, Wonka had a bad feeling that these letters were much different from the past fan-letters he'd receive on a daily basis. Willy pulled the first letter off the top of the package of many others and turned it over in his hand, examining the back and the front. He frowned, holding it a foot away from his face.
"I suppose you should open it Mr. Wonka," Charlie said, taking the second one off the pile and looking at the envelope. "It might be a good thing."
"Yea... It's not like they can do anything anyway. It's only just words," he started to open the envelope and pulled out a sheet of floral writing paper.
It read:
Dear Mr. Wonka,
I have read all the newspapers concerning the safety of your Chocolate Factory. I, used to be a worker at your factory. (And I assure you, I was -not- one of those spies) I think that all of these people are over-reacting on the whole fact. When I worked there, it was very safe, and nobody got hurt. Though, I am very sure that it has changed more since we have all left, since I remember plans for some very interesting things. All in all, I am behind you 110 percent and so are many of your other factory workers. I hope that the young Charlie Bucket and family will stay living in your glorious factory.
From, John Macintosh
P.S. Tell Joe Bucket that I say "Hi" and that I hope his wife is doing fine.
Willy put down the letter and sighed, "well, that was okay... nothing mean at all."
"Good. It's always good to see that people are with you Mr. Wonka." Charlie handed Wonka the second letter, "it's best that you do them quickly-"
"-Like a Band-Aid? Yea... I know." Wonka took the letter out of Charlie's hand and opened it up:
Dear Willy Wonka
How dare you have a child inside your factory! Factories are dangerous places, certainly not a place for people to live in! So take the child out at once! Heaven only knows how harmed he could get. You are truly, truly irresponsible, and I am utterly disgusted by your actions. Even though I do like your chocolate, that will -not- change my opinion. Do the right thing, and stop being selfish for your own needs!
From, A concerned teacher.
Willy quickly placed the letter down and took a sharp breath. He never really truly been insulted in the longest time. And to be insulted, rather suddenly, was very nerve-racking for the poor Chocolatier. Charlie saw Wonka's face and picked up the letter and read it himself.
"Some people just don't understand, Mr. Wonka," Charlie said, trying to re-assure Willy, "this Factory isn't like other Factories at all. They just don't understand."
Wonka looked at Charlie for a moment, and said nothing. He turned and picked up another letter and opened it quickly. It was another floral paper, but it was written on quickly and angerly:
Dear Mr. Wonka,
How can you keep a boy in your factory? It just is not safe for a boy of his age. Why do you even have a boy in your factory? I run a factory myself and people can get very, very, hurt in them. Sometimes, even the safest of workers can loose their fingers. I run a button factory, and if making buttons is unsafe, then imagine the thousands of kinds of candies you make. Be a nice kind person and let the boy go. Don't be rude and selfish for your own purposes, I am truly disgusted on your blindness to the matter.
From, Carl Patterson
Willy frowned and passed the letter on to Mrs. Bucket who started to read it herself, with Charlie hanging over her shoulder, reading it aswell. Wonka thought to himself warily, am I selfish, am I rude? What does he mean by 'my own purposes?' What if he is right, what if Charlie could get really hurt? Am I really blind?
"Mr. Wonka, it's okay," Mrs. Bucket placed the letter down, "he hasn't seen your factory and as Charlie said, your factory is like none that has ever existed. His is nothing like yours."
Willy grinned nervously, not to sure whether to believe Mrs. Bucket or not. He had been to other factories long ago, and they were very different. But, times have changed, maybe the factories did too. What if his factory was more dangerous?
He sighed, he would still have to get it all over with, he picked up another letter from the pile and sighed again, much more heavily. Tearing it open he noticed that it was printed off from a computer, and Willy had trouble reading it. In fact, he couldn't read it at all, and gave it to Charlie to read outloud.
mr. wonka u suk. lyk d0n't be s0 mean. u d0nt 0wn the little b0y 0r anything. so, don't be stup1d. i h8 yur ch0c0l8s and it suks s0 much. u suk m0re. st0p being weird and be a n0rmal person. yah, whatever. i h8 u the m0st.
Charlie didn't dare read the last sentence, u should die, he thought that Willy would have either broken into tears, or left the room completely when he heard that. Willy, was a very delicate man.
He continued,
From, a sm4rt p3rs0n
Mrs. Bucket, who had been listening, said, "A smart Person? I sometimes wonder about people." She gingerly placed it on the table, glancing over the end and pursing her lips angerly.
"Charlie, I don't want to read anymore right now..." Wonka said almost sounding like a five-year old telling his mother that he wants to go home. He looked almost pleading, his eyes looking towards Charlie with sadness.
"Sure, Mr. Wonka, we can read the rest later." Charlie was suddenly glad that he didn't read the last part of the letter
Charlie thought inwardly that not allot of letters would be very healthy for Willy Wonka. Almost always, people who oppose are a little more verbal that people who support. He suspected that Willy would get a lot of hate mail until after the whole thing gets solved.
"There is going to be more, isn't there?" Wonka said in a small voice, looking at the rest of the letters.
"Yea, lots more. But I promise Mr. Wonka, I'll read them all with you, Okay?"
Willy's face lifted at Charlie's comment. Maybe, he didn't have to go through all of this alone. He frowned again, but, there was the letters. Those people said such mean things. He didn't do anything wrong, did he? Wonka was starting to doubt that. Maybe, if so many people were so mad, maybe, he did do something wrong.
"Okay?"
Wonka looked up, "Kay."
"Mr Wonka, " an idea hit Charlie quickly, and he knew it would help, "maybe we should attend to the other things happening in the factory."
"Hey... yea!" Willy grinned, and sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of his bed.
"Not yet, you're not," Mrs. Bucket said, stopping Willy by grabbing onto his shoulder. "We have to check to see if your fever has gone down. If it hasn't, I'm sorry Mr. Wonka, then you have to go straight back to bed." She held up the thermometer, ready to place it in his mouth.
Willy glared at her, opened his mouth, and looked away with his eyes.
Mrs. Bucket placed it under his tongue and closed his mouth with her hand. "Now, we have to keep that in there for a few minutes."
Wonka sat there, thinking to himself while he waited. He didn't like thermometers... at all. They were uncomfortable in his mouth, and he hated to have things placed in his mouth if it wasn't food. The last time he had a thermometer in his mouth was when he was three.
"Willy, open your mouth," his father said, holding a thermometer towards young Willy.
Willy, however held his mouth shut. Being as defiant as any normal Three-year old would be. "Nuh-uh!" he said shaking his head and holding his mouth as tightly shut as he could.
"Willy, you are sick. I need to see how sick you are."
"No!"
"Willy..." Dr. Wonka started to sound annoyed. His own son was by far, the hardest person to get his mouth to open. He couldn't handle it.
"Willy, open your mouth now!" he shouted loudly.
"No!"
"Willy!"
"No!"
Dr. Wonka leaned forwards and grabbed Willy by the waist hoisting him so that Willy was now sitting on his lap.
"Open. Your. Mouth. Now." his voice was harsh, and it bit down at the young child. He felt there was no other choice, he had no-idea how to take care of a three-year old child. His wife would have known. But he did not.
"No...!"
Dr. Wonka had shoved it into Willy's mouth when he exclaimed his protests to his father. Dr. Wonka grabbed onto Willy's mouth and held it shut to keep his son from spitting it back out.
They sat there for several minutes, Willy glared up at his father, and his father glared back. Finally, Dr. Wonka pulled the thermometer out.
"99.5."
"Hmn?" Willy said, turning to Mrs. Bucket. It seemed that he didn't even notice her pulling the thermometer out of his mouth. He supposed she said something as well.
"I said, your temperature is 99.5," she repeated, placing the thermometer down on a table. "It's not that bad right now, but it could get much worse again later."
"Does that mean that Mr. Wonka can get out of bed now?" Charlie asked, looking hopeful towards his mother.
Mrs. Bucket sighed putting her hands on her hips, she smiled, "Oh... alright. But, as soon as you feel strange Mr. Wonka... straight back to bed."
Willy straightened up in his seat and saluted like a serious solider, "yes ma'am!"
He then grinned, grabbed his cane and levered himself out of the bed and onto the floor. He looked towards Charlie, "Let's go Charlie. We have much to do, and much to see."
As he, Charlie, and Mrs. Bucket walked down the white-themed hall Wonka picked up a small pile of coloured envelopes of things to do, and tend to, in the factory that day. He thought, that at least he could get up and move around. It's not like he was ever planning to leave the factory that day. It's not like he'd ever leave the factory at all. So, he felt that being slightly feverish was nothing to worry about. No matter how many times Mrs. Bucket asked him how he felt, or if he was dizzy as he walked.
Charlie and Mrs. Bucket walked into the Elevator, and Wonka put on a nice aqua coat and placed his hat gingerly on his head. He checked to see if everything was order in the mirror, before putting on his shoes and walking into the Elevator along side Charlie and his mother.
He turned and grinned towards Charlie's Mother and asked, "Where should we drop you off Mrs. Bucket?"
"Home, please," she looked around wildly, "and if you can... make it smoother... that would be nice too."
"Right-o. Chocolate Waterfall," he pressed the button with his left hand, and stood up straight.
The Elevator whizzed down the corridors as quickly as it would have on any normal day, but it seemed to take the corners kinder and gentler. Mrs. Bucket actually found herself enjoying the ride, rather than being absolutely terrified of it.
The Elevator rested to a stop at the Candy Meadow and Mrs. Bucket walked off.
She turned around to face Charlie and hugged him, "be good for Mr. Wonka Charlie, try not to tier him out too much." She turned to Willy and handed him his ring of keys, "here, these are yours." She patted Willy on the shoulder, "feel better, okay?"
Willy flinched and forced a smile, he waved nervously at her as he pressed a button on the Elevator, sending them away from the Chocolate Waterfall.
"And be good!" he heard her shout as they flew around a corner and up another couple of floors.
"So, what's first?" Charlie said, looking at the multi-coloured envelopes, which were now in Wonka's pocket. It seemed like the pile of Envelopes had grown since the time they left for the sheep. He assumed that things usually happened more later in the day.
"Oh!" Wonka pulled out the pile, "yes, I almost forgot."
He handed his cane to Charlie while he looked throughout he pile, "Hmn. I think there is... no. Maybe I can... no. I'm not supposed to show you that yet..." he stopped at a black envelope, "here! The Pre-Idea Room! That's a good one to start with!"
"The Pre-Idea Room?"
"Yea, you see, all my candies go through different stages," he then listed them visually with his fingers while explaining, "First the Brainstorming Room (my living room), then the Pre-Idea Room, then the Inventing Room, then the Testing room, then the Re-Testing Room, then the Production Line or the Reject Room."
"Reject Room?"
"Incinerator."
"Oh," Charlie said. "That's a lot of rooms; are you sure that you need that many?"
Wonka grinned down at Charlie, "Would I be here now if I wasn't?"
He grinned again and made funny 'heh' noise before pressing the "Pre-Idea Room" button. The Elevator stopped, and went downwards. Was he sure? Wonka knew he was sure about this, but was he always sure? If he was so 'sure' about being a great Chocolatier, would he need a heir? If he was so 'sure' about being happy all the time, would he have flashbacks? Wonka started to worry. What if he was too sure for himself? What if he was just hoping that Charlie would stay, and was being sure not to think he was going to be taken away? What if... he was wrong?
He could never let Charlie be taken away. But, there was always the sickening possibility that Charlie could be taken away. He felt something grab his heart. He started to feel guilty, it would be his fault if Charlie was taken away. He was the one who got hurt, he was the one who didn't take safty precautions.
The Elevator stopped, and Willy was broken from his thoughts as Charlie stepped into the "Pre-Idea Room".
The whole thing was a kind pale blue, and it looked very clean. There were counters with papers stacked everywhere, labeled with different colours and markers. There were large dark red filing cabinets lining the whole of one wall, and an Oompa-Loompa was filing away some papers into one of the top-most drawers, standing on a latter.
On the wall next to the cabinets were shelves filled with jars and ingredients for minor prototypes of the inventions. The tables were tall, red, and had red stools to sit on.
Willy walked over to one of the tables and sat in on one of the stools. Charlie followed and sat on one of the stools that sat beside Willy Wonka. Willy unfolded the piece of paper that was inside the black envelope and read it quickly.
"So, what are we supposed to do?" Charlie asked, leaning, trying to read the paper himself.
"Well... an idea is ready for going into the inventing room to change and perfect. Our Oompa-Loompa's are going to show us the small test-versions."
"Mr. Wonka, if this is the 'Pre-Idea Room', then why are they making the candies?"
"What?" Wonka turned facing Charlie, "Oh, that. Well, you see, all candies are tested to see if they can do certain small things. Take the Three-Course-Meal Gum for example, before we put it in the Inventing Room, we had to see if we could make a gum change flavors without it blending. This room takes care of the simple smaller parts of the inventions. Usually, it's all done by hand."
"Oh, so it is basically the base for the inventions."
"Exactly."
Oompa-Loompa's came into the room, holding glasses, a pitcher of water, a long stirring spoon, and a clear bag with a strange white powder. They set it onto to table and handed Willy a piece of paper.
Willy grinned happily, "oh! Finally got out all the bugs?"
The Oompa-Loompa nodded and grinned back at Wonka before turning away, and back to whatever he was doing before hand.
"Oh, you are going to like this Charlie, like this a whole bunch!" Wonka grabbed the glasses and poured the water into them. "Now, I'm going to pour in some of the power, and you stir them, Okay?"
Charlie obliged and stirred both drinks while Willy poured the strange while powder into the glasses. Strange enough, the power disappeared as he stirred, and the water looked as clear as ever. Willy was happy, this particular invention looked as if it was almost even ready to go to production. Sometimes, his Oompa-Loompa's were so very efficient.
He pulled out a notebook from his pocket, "excellent," he said and closed the book happily. He turned to one of his Oompa-Loompa's, "turn off the lights."
Charlie looked around as one-by-one the lights in the room turned off and he was left in total darkness. All Charlie could see was the glint in Willy's purple eyes and the sparkle of Wonka's pocket watch.
"Mr. Wonka...?"
"Shh... Charlie," Wonka held up a hand to silence him, "have you ever gone to a lake turning nighttime, and you swish your hand in the water and saw the water glow green around it? Well... watch..."
Wonka reached for the spoon and placed it into one of the glasses and stirred viciously. To Charlie's amazement, and Willy's happiness, the glass started to glow with a bright white light. Charlie could now see Wonka's face as well as some of the table.
"It's amazing Mr. Wonka!"
"Yea, though, don't drink it. It will still taste like water," Wonka started to counter-stirr the liquid and it dulled down back into darkness. The lights turned on and Willy continued, "I think this is good for going into the Inventing Room now. You see Charlie, I am trying to get it so it will glow whenever you stir it in the dark. But, now that we have that done, we will try to make different flavors and colours in the Inventing Room."
"I think it would make excellent Camping Candy," Charlie said thoughtfully, picturing people sitting by the campfire sipping some glowing Candy Drinks. "It reminds me of glow-sticks!"
"Excellent Charlie!" Wonka pulled out his notepad and started to frantically write something down, "If I can make it a drink, why can I not make it a edible glow-stick? Brilliant Charlie!" He tore off the piece of paper and handed it to a Oompa-Loompa, "place that in the 'very important, need to tend to quickly' drawer, I'll come back later to do some work with it."
The Oompa-Loompa crossed his arms and bowed, Wonka grinned and followed suit and waved the Oompa-Loompa off.
Willy grinned down towards Charlie, he knew that Charlie would think up some really amazing things when he got older. Why, he was already thinking up some things now. Everything was perfect with Charlie; he was kind, nice, and not greedy, he cared for your feelings, he had good ideas, and he was a child. He even was starting to get the eerie Deep-Purple eyes that Wonka himself had. Everything was perfect with Charlie.
Except for that newspaper. Yet again, Wonka started to find himself worrying about Charlie and if he left the factory. Why was something so perfect, something that made him so very happy, happier than a Oompa-Loompa with a Coca-bean, had to be taken away? Why? He guessed that there would be some trouble with Charlie. But, he expected it with the child himself, not the opposing outside world.
He looked at Charlie in the face for a second and found himself gazing into his eyes. Purple. He was like Charlie when he was younger. More so than he thought. He had been an only child, like Charlie. He loved Chocolate, like Charlie. But, if he was Charlie, and he met a man like himself, what would he think if he was taken away?
I'd probably be very upset, he thought, I would have been very happy to be here at his age, making candy. Living with a Candy-man. I would probably have cried if I was taken away from it all. His own eyes widened a bit and he turned away from Charlie. If Charlie left, he would cry. I can't let Charlie cry... no... no... that would make -me- cry. I will have to do -everything- in my power. Why, I'm a billionaire, I can do -something.-
Willy frowned, not everything, I can't buy-out the authorities. Willy grinned slightly, I will have to use my Wonka-charm to prove that everything is safe for Charlie! No matter what! I will use my mind, not my money, which is what a brother would do. That's what I will do.
He turned to Charlie and grinned. "Don't worry Charlie," he suddenly said, "I won't let anything happen to you. So, I'll tell you everything that has happened, will happen, and what is going to happen in this factory, kay? You'll be safer that way, and those icky reporters and nasty letter writers won't write mean things about you and this factory."
Charlie smiled back, "okay Mr. Wonka."
Willy got up, "first I will have to tell you what I am actually going to do in this factory." He strode over to the cabinets and pulled open a drawer. He spoke as he shuffled through the thousands of papers, "it's very important that you know, Charlie. I would like some of your insight on the subject."
He pulled out several large blueprints and walked over to Charlie. He slapped them on the table and sat right back down.
"Mr. Wonka, what are you planning to do with that very large field?"
"What I'm planning Charlie, is the biggest secret ever."
"Really?"
"Yup, you will be one of the first people to know. Only a couple of my Oompa-Loompa's know."
"Why me?"
"Why you? Silly! You're my heir!"
He pulled the paper in front of Charlie.
"Let me explain..."
Authors Thoughts – I finished this chapter faster than any of the others. I don't even feel like I was rushed when I wrote it. I'd say that this chapter took under five hours in total to write completely, and I am extremely happy about that fact. I know I am evil and I left another cliff hanger... sorry... It just worked out nicely this way. -does a Wonka grin-
Wonkaland Info – Allot more info Today.
The button Willy Pressed to go away from the Chocolate Waterfall – I call this the "tour" button. When he presses it, it cycles through some of the rooms in the factory randomly. I feel that this was the button he pressed when Mike Teavee and Charlie were the only children left.
Glowing Water? - I accually saw some glowing creatures in the water when I went boating. So, I thought... "Hey! Wonka would want to make some sort of candy out of that!"
Somebody asked, "What colour is his Bathroom?" - I pictured it as a very pale pastel orange, with some nice different shades tangerine orange on everything else. Also, his study is green themed, his room his plum-red, his living room is blue, his kitchen is purple, his entertainment room is silver and his den is chocolate brown. Any rooms I have forgotten?
"Are there any Chocolate Milk Cows?" – Good idea darkyvixon, I think there is now. I will see if I can add them to the story if they are necessary to the plot at that point.
The Letters – I'm sorry that most of the letters were fairly mean, and I assure you that quite a few of the letters are going to be -with- Willy aswell. He was just unlucky and pulled three bad ones in a row. Yes, probably the most important thing concerning this and the next chapter. I wonder, what do you think some people would write to the famous Willy Wonka? In support or opposing of the factory?
Chapter Seven Preview – Willy is finally going to tell Charlie his plans for the huge field that Charlie saw. What are his plans? And, WIlly and Charlie are going to read some more of the letters... what will they say, and will they make Willy think that it is allmost usless for hoping Charlie to stay? Or will it give him the spark of creativity to solve this problem once and for all?
To the Past Reviewers: Don't worry about Charlie becoming too much like Wonka. I needed some way to describe Willy and his fever through someone else. A flash back seemed very good for the job. Personally, I don't think Charlie will really change much in personality, and that's the way Wonka likes him. I think the most we will for get is the purple eyes and the same love for chocolate. Wonka and Charlie are similar enough already.
Important Note: Please Review. I wanna know if any of you liked it. Plus, I may feel like updating faster if I know that people actually read what I write. (No flames... I'll only feed them to Gloop, although, I don't think even he likes flames. I think I'll dip them into Chocolate first.).