Chapter 13: Sugar Rush Vs Licortwist
Licortwist glared at the Sugar Rush racers, Cinndon, Candace, Toxika, and Damon.
"You know, I'm really getting tired of all of you keeping on interfering with my plans." Licortwist said angrily.
Jubileena suddenly remembered learning about how Cindy and Gary had died in Licortwist's backstory. She realized that he was hurting inside from their backstory deaths, so she tried to reason with him.
"Licortwist, wouldn't you save your parents if you could?" Jubileena asked.
Licortwist narrowed his eyes.
"Of course I would, but it's not that simple. My parents are gone!" Licortwist replied angrily, glaring at Jubileena.
Jubileena sighed.
"No, they aren't." Jubileena said.
Licortwist raised an eyebrow.
"What are you talking about?" Licortwist asked, confused.
Taffya, Rancis, Swizzle, Minty, Adorabeezle, Candi, Sticky, Cinndon, and Toxika realized what Jubileena was talking about, so they joined in.
"The upgrade didn't just introduce the new characters. It introduced Licorice Island and it's inhabitants, including your parents. They're still alive." Cinndon replied.
For several moments, Licortwist just stared at them. There was still a very small portion of his heart that wanted to believe that it could be that easy, that all of these years of suffering could be over just like that, but he wasn't capable of that kind of hope anymore and he knew it. The hurt ran too deep to just be cast aside like that. Shaking his head, the Licorice themed racer let the glare return to his face.
"Your lying. It's just a trick to distract me... to save yourselves and this piece of filth." Licortwist sneered.
Taffyta groaned.
"Oh, come on, Licortwist. Please just believe us. Why would we tell you that if it wasn't true?" Taffyta asked angrily.
Licortwist sighed heavily.
"It seems we're not going to agree, Taffyta. That's a shame." Licortwist replied.
Licortwist then formed the licorice pieces into spikes and shot them at the Sugar Rush racers, Cinndon, Candace, Toxika, and Damon. They dived out of the way and split up in order to attack Licortwist. But before Taffyta and Rancis started to attack Licortwist, they pulled Vanellope to safety behind a candy cane tree and then ran off to join the fight.
At first, Licortwist tried for a total annihilation approach, sending waves of licorice pieces down in an attempt to crush his enemies, like he had done back when he tried to use the portal to destroy Sugar Rush. However, the Sugar Rush racers, Cinndon, Candace, Toxika, and Damon eventually figured out ways around the crushing attacks, and he noticed when they began to focus their own attacks on the licorice pieces instead of him. At that point, Licortwist opted for a stealthier approach. While allowing them to think that they were taking out the licorice pieces, he continued to call them back once the Sugar Rush racers, Cinndon, Candace, Toxika, and Damon thought they were destroyed, keeping them in reserve just for the right moment.
Licortwist kept the brunt of his attacks focused on Rancis, who filled in as the position of being leader of Sugar Rush since Vanellope was too injured and since he knew Rancis was her boyfriend, pursuing him and Minty, who was in her Sakura form and had her feet transformed into two foot-equipped rocket thrusters, across the increasingly treacherous battlefield.
"Come on, Licortwist! Think you can keep up with me and Minty?" Rancis challenged.
Licortwist couldn't quite help sneering. He was about to show Rancis and Minty just how well he could keep up. As they eventually did turn around and focus on taking out the licorice pieces, Licortwist pulled a feint, pretending to be unable to summon any more licorice pieces.
"Oops. It looks like you're out of licorice pieces." Minty said mockingly.
"That's what you think." Licortwist thought angrily.
That moment of triumphant distraction was all Licortwist needed. With the speed of a thought, he easily summoned up a battering ram of licorice pieces.
"RANCIS, MINTY, LOOK OUT!" Citrusella screamed.
But it was too late. The fresh wave of licorice pieces slammed into Rancis and Minty with such force that Rancis flew back and slammed into a candy cane tree many feet away. Licortwist had one strand of licorice pieces keep Minty imprisoned, and he had another strand of licorice pieces grab Rancis and throw him forty feet into the air. Once in the air, Rancis started plummeting towards the ground, but at the last possible moment, Candlehead flew up and caught him. Feeling a brief spike of irritation, Licortwist quickly pursued them. No sooner had Candlehead set Rancis safely on the ground when she was assaulted by a new wave of licorice pieces. She was slammed hard against the ground, her head giving a loud crack as it impacted, and when she didn't rise, Licortwist felt a small flare of satisfaction.
"CANDLEHEAD!" Snowanna cried out in horror.
Before Snowanna could go to her fallen comrade, Licortwist formed the licorice pieces into a spike in order to make a decisive end of Candlehead. But before Licortwist could deliver the blow, Taffyta stretched her arm out and punched Licortwist in his stomach. The blow knocked him sideways and onto the ground. Turning to look over his shoulder, Licortwist saw Taffyta readying for another punch. Large-scale attacks clearly weren't working on her, the other Sugar Rush racers, Cinndon, Candace, Toxika, and Damon. More subtle tactics were called for. And because of that, Licortwist quickly canceled the thought of using the licorice pieces all at the same time. Instead, he realized that all his task would need was one.
He summoned the licorice piece from overhead, calling it down with the speed of a bullet shot from a gun. It moved with such force that it shot straight through Taffyta, piercing the skin just above her chest and exiting through her lower left shoulder. She didn't cry out. Her mouth just opened wide in a silent scream of pain as she collapsed. But before she hit the ground, Taffyel, who had been watching the fight safely from outside of the Candy Cane forest, showed up and raced to her, catching her in his arms and gently lowering her to the ground. Blood was already smearing red against the girl's clothing.
"T-Taffyel." Taffyta whispered, reaching a hand up to touch the boy's face.
"Just don't move. Don't move. Your going to be fine." Taffyel repeated several times, panic evident in his voice.
"Taffyel... it hurts." Taffyta whispered, trembling as she clung to her friend.
"Stay with me, Taffyta. Don't you dare die on me!" Taffyel ordered.
Licortwist might have killed them both then and there had Adorabeezle, who had transformed from her snow beast form back into her human form, not suddenly moved to stand in front of them, along with Minty, who had escaped Licortwist's hold in his moment of distraction.
"Pressure must be applied to the wound in order to prevent blood loss. If you will allow me, I will administer treatment." Adorabeezle explained calmly.
Taffyel nodded faintly and passed Taffyta into Adorabeezle's care. Meanwhile, Damon seemed dazed, but then he stood to face Licortwist and threw himself at the other boy. All Damon knew was that Licortwist had tried to kill Taffyta, and he was going to make him suffer for it. Damon fired mods at Licortwist, but Licortwist had the licorice pieces carry him out of the way each time. However, Damon kept coming at Licortwist, eventually not leaving him time to get out of the way. Damon could hear the others shouting at him, but he didn't let himself hear what they were saying. He just kept going at the other boy.
"Licortwist, I swear, if you take Taffyta away from any of us..." Damon started to think.
Damon didn't let the thought finish. He couldn't. It was too painful. He just threw himself into the fight, body and soul, and giving everything that he had to stop Licortwist's rampage. When one of the mods finally struck Licortwist in his chest and knocked him to the ground, Damon didn't let up for even a moment. He kept going at Licortwist as the licorice pieces rained down all around them. As he did, he felt a small spike of glee. Springing forward, Damon took out a knife and drove it into Licortwist's shoulder, straight into the ground and pinning him in place. Damon then proceeded to beat Licortwist without mercy. Eventually, Crumbelina seized Damon's shoulder.
"Damon, stop! We've beaten Licortwist. It's over." Crumbelina said.
"No. It is not over!" Licortwist snarled.
Licortwist used the moment of distraction to pull the knife from his body. He then shoved Damon away and rolled clear of him, easily getting back to his feet. Immediately, he launched himself back at Damon, and the two of them continued their fierce brawl. Eventually, Licortwist got the upper hand over Damon and tossed the boy away. Damon slowly moved towards the Sugar Rush racers, Cinndon, Candace, and Toxika, bleeding from several small wounds.
Licortwist then shot a licorice stream at the Sugar Rush racers, Cinndon, Candace, Toxika, and Damon, and they were all thrown back onto the ground before they could react. Licortwist smirked and walked away from them, but before he was gone, he turned around to eye them one last time.
"This time you were lucky! But the next time any of you cross paths with me, I won't hold anything back! You will all die by my hands, personally!" Licortwist warned.
Licortwist then got onto the licorice pieces and swarmed away deeper into the Candy Cane forest, vanishing from site.
"No!" Gloyd shouted, struggling to get to his feet and swaying for only a moment.
The Sugar Rush racers, Cinndon, Candace, Toxika, and Damon got to their feet.
"We have to go after them." Rancis said faintly, fighting to stay standing on his own.
"Rancis..." Sticky started to say.
Before Sticky could finish speaking, Rancis spoke.
"I'll be fine, Sticky." Rancis said.
Vanellope hobbled over to them, holding her broken ribcage with her right hand.
"I'm going with you guys." Vanellope announced.
"Vanellope, you shouldn't..." Candi started to say.
Before Candi could finish speaking, Vanellope spoke.
"If I can still stand, I can still fight. We've got to stop this before anything else happens." Vanellope said.
Adorabeezle took out a first-aid kit, and Taffyel stepped over to them.
"Go ahead. Me and Adorabeezle can stay with Taffyta and Candlehead." Taffyel said.
The other Sugar Rush racers, Cinndon, Candace, Toxika, and Damon nodded. Vanellope turned to Sticky and Cinndon.
"Sticky, Cinndon, I need you to go to Licorice Island and find Cindy and Gary. Bring them here so Licortwist can see that they are alive and hopefully change his ways." Vanellope ordered.
Sticky and Cinndon nodded, and they ran off. Once they were gone, the other Sugar Rush racers, Cinndon, Candace, Toxika, and Damon flew off into the air in search of Licortwist.