Chapter 31: Sugar Rush Showdown
Twenty minutes later, Sour Bill was preparing to make a speech at the castle in Sugar Rush. Ever since the Sugar Rush racers has set out to fight Licortwist and Creamy, he had been getting reports of everything that had been happening throughout the arcade for the past couple of hours, and it had stressed him out. Letting out a breath that he had been holding, Sour Bill walked out of the castle and onto a stage that had been set up for the speech, where the waiting crowd of candy citizens burst into applause. Once the crowd had settled down, Sour Bill put a hand out and smiled.
"People, I know that you are all probably wondering about what is happening throughout the arcade. Don't worry, the racers are taking care of all of the different... setbacks that are happening." Sour Bill announced.
Pausing again to take a breath, Sour Bill opened his mouth to continue. But before he could continue speaking, someone in the crowd screamed. Muttering something under his breath, Sour Bill turned around, looked up at the castle, and gasped in shock.
A booming voice rang out over the crowd, far louder then Sour Bill could be and far louder then any normal person should have been.
"SETBACKS?" the voice asked angrily.
The candy citizens screamed and ran before Sour Bill could even process what happened. A second later, he too was running off the stage, but he didn't have enough time. The licorice pieces caught up to him, grabbing him and forcing his limbs backwards before surrounding him completely. Panic raced through the sour ball as he was brought closer and closer towards the owner of the voice.
Sour Bill was terrified.
He was brought up closer and closer to the roof of the castle, where Licortwist was, until he was level with him.
"Do you really think that I'm just a 'setback'?" Licortwist asked angrily.
"L-Licortwist. You..." Sour Bill stammered out, struggling slightly and trying to escape the licorice piece's death grip.
"Yes, Sour Bill?" Licortwist asked, his voice cold and unforgiving.
Sour Bill regained his voice.
"You... your insane! That's why people are afraid of you." Sour Bill replied.
Sour Bill let out a low groan as the licorice pieces tightened painfully around him.
"No! You know that I am far better then any of you, and you and those pathetic racers all have gotten in my way long enough!" Licortwist shouted.
With that, Licortwist looked over at one of the sides of the castle. Sour Bill followed his gaze and watched as the licorice pieces pulled the portal, which Licortwist had broken into halves after attaching the last piece for transport, up further and further, Licortwist using his hand to guide it.
"What are you doing?" Sour Bill asked through the tight grip.
Licortwist's head wiped towards him.
"You and the racers took everything from me when you dethroned and imprisoned me last week. Now I'm taking everything from you and the racers." Licortwist replied angrily.
The second that the portal clicked together, everything in Sugar Rush started breaking apart and getting pulled to the portal. Sour Bill saw Taffyta's fans stand from the racetrack get sucked into the portal, and it immediately disintegrated into tiny particles. Terror struck him speechless.
"It's going to suck and destroy everything until nothing is left." Sour Bill thought.
Licortwist then drew Sour Bill closer.
"Your going to watch everything else you know disappear. Then it's your and the racers turn." Licortwist sneered.
Just then, the Sugar Rush racers and Cinndon showed up. Minty had transformed into her Sakura form and flew everyone up to the castle's roof, and they faced Licortwist.
"Licortwist, stop!" Torvald ordered.
That got Licortwist and Sour Bill's attention. Sour Bill sighed in relief, while Licortwist angrily turned around to face the Sugar Rush racers and Cinndon.
"Let him go!" Vanellope ordered.
Licortwist made no movement, and just continued to glare at the Sugar Rush racers and Cinndon. Adorabeezle stepped forward.
"Hey, what do you hope to accomplish from all this?" Adorabeezle asked, trying to sound brave.
Vanellope stepped forward.
"This isn't right, Licortwist." Vanellope said. She then gestured to the surrounding chaos and asked "Do you really think that this is going to satisfy you? Is all of this violence and anger really worth it?".
"Yes, I do believe that! The programmers thought that they could prevent me from existing, but they were wrong!" Licortwist replied angrily.
Vanellope sighed and tried to reason with him.
"This won't change anything. Trust me. We all make mistakes. It doesn't have to end like this." Vanellope said.
Licortwist became quiet. He thought of his parents from his backstory, Cindy Lickerish and Gary Hothead, wondering what they would think of him right now, as a criminal about to destroy a president and her friends for vengeance. His expression softened, and it looked like he was about to consider what Vanellope said. However, Sour Bill opened his mouth.
"Listen to her, Licortwist. Let me go. We'll forgive you if you stop." Sour Bill pleaded.
Licortwist's expression darkened.
"I don't want to be forgiven by any of you! I want you all gone!" Licortwist snarled.
Licortwist then sent a large wave of licorice pieces at the Sugar Rush racers and Cinndon. They were all thrown back and separated. Vanellope and Minty were on one side of the wave, while the rest of the Sugar Rush racers and Cinndonwere on the other.
"Stop Licortwist!" Vanellope ordered.
Vanellope got onto Minty's back, and the two of them flew towards Licortwist. However, Licortwist had the licorice pieces grab a hold on Minty's leg, and he threw them against a wall. Vanellope was thrown off of Minty and flung into the throne room of the castle, which began to get sucked up into the portal. She also started to get sucked up into the portal, but she grabbed a rope before she could be pulled too far. Minty tried flying after her, but Licortwist had the licorice pieces grab Minty's leg again, lift her into the air, and then throw her to the ground.
"Minty!" the other Sugar Rush racers and Cinndon shouted.
The Sugar Rush racers and Cinndon tried to attack Licortwist, but he overpowered them with the licorice pieces.
Adorabeezle slashed at the licorice pieces with her claws, but the licorice pieces took pieces of the castle and trapped her between them in order to crush her.
Taffyta stretched her feet into wheels and she started skating forward towards Licortwist. Licortwist sent two licorice spears at her, but Taffyta dodged the licorice spears. But then the licorice pieces trapped her in a sphere that started to close in around her.
Candlehead got thrown back by a wave of licorice pieces. She got up and started breathing fire at the licorice pieces, but the fire didn't do any damage. The licorice pieces then grabbed Candlehead by both arms and started pulling them in different directions.
The licorice pieces tried to harm Sticky by throwing sharp jabs at her. In defense, Sticky encased herself in a marshmallow bubble, but the licorice pieces kept puncturing through it, narrowly missing her. Normally, Sticky would be calm because she was able to withstand getting stabbed, but if she got stabbed by the licorice pieces, then she would get killed and not be able to regenerate.
Cinndon shot globs of cinnamon goo that stuck licorice spears that came at him together. However, the licorice spears broke out of the cinnamon goo easily, and then the licorice pieces wrapped around Cinnadon's body, preventing him from moving.
Rancis spat out sprays of toxic sugar waste at the licorice pieces, which burned away from the sugar sledge. Rancis was about to destroy more licorice pieces, but then the licorice pieces wrapped around his body.
Candi and Crumbelina used caramel whip to harden the licorice pieces that came towards them. However, the licorice pieces eventually overpowered them and formed a wall around Candi and Crumbelina, preventing them from escaping.
Nougetsia used her ice powers to freeze the licorice pieces that came towards her. However, while she was distracted, a layer of licorice pieces went underneath Nougetsia and lifted her into the air and formed a sphere around her.
Snowanna sent sound waves at the licorice pieces. But while she did, a swarm of licorice pieces picked her up, crushed her guitar and threw the parts away, and then wrapped around her body.
Gloyd used the pumpkin bombs to fight against the licorice pieces, but they ended up trapping him in a sphere.
Citrusella's body got restrained by the licorice pieces, and Swizzle got trapped in a sphere. Jubileena found herself lying restrained on a licorice altar. And Torvald was in a licorice cage.
Vanellope held onto the rope for her life, but her hand slipped slightly and she floated closer and closer to the portal. Minty was also trapped under the licorice pieces, but only her head showed.
"No!" Sticky shouted.
"He's too strong!" Snowanna shouted.
"There's no way out!" Taffyta shouted.
"You can't beat him!" Gloyd shouted.
"There's too many licorice pieces!" Candi shouted.
Vanellope watched as her friends became trapped. She was still holding tightly onto the rope that she grabbed onto earlier. Suddenly, something small hit her in the face. She groaned and gasped upon seeing that it was a licorice piece, which got sucked into the portal, and a few other licorice pieces followed.
"That's it! I know how to beat him!" Vanellope thought. She then looked at the Sugar Rush racers and Cinndon and shouted "Guys, listen up! Look for a way to get out of your predicaments!".
The Sugar Rush racers and Cinndon heard her, and they started looking for ways out.
Nougetsia looked around in the licorice sphere that she was in for a weak spot and eventually found one. She shot a blast of ice straight at it, causing a hole to form. She then jumped out of the hole and landed on the ground on her feet, in a fighting pose.
Gloyd took out a pumpkin bomb and threw it at the top of the sphere that he was trapped in. The pumpkin bomb damaged the licorice pieces and he climbed out.
Sticky waited for the right time. Once a licorice spear penetrated the marshmallow bubble, she used a marshmallow orb to grab the licorice spear, and then she jumped out of the marshmallow bubble.
Taffyta stretched her feet into wheels and then sped around the sphere that she was trapped in as fast as she could, and it was sliced in half, so she jumped out.
Adorabeezle unsheathed her claws and cut a hole in the ground beneath her. She dropped through the hole and escaped the licorice pieces.
Candlehead looked at her arms and concentrated. The licorice pieces that were acting as restraints around Candlehead's arms beginning to smolder. The licorice pieces then glowed green, and Candlehead let out an anger growl, forcing her hands upwards and out of the licorice pieces, which fell to the ground before melting into a pile of burnt sugar.
Candi hardened a section of the licorice wall that she and Crumbelina were trapped in, and the section turned into hardened caramel. Crumbelina then broke the caramel wall down, and she and Candi ran out.
Swizzle used telekinesis to part some of the licorice pieces of the sphere that he was trapped in, so he could form an exit. He made a hole in the licorice sphere and then ran out.
Citrusella concentrated deeply and electrified the licorice pieces that were restraining her body. They fried enough for her to burst through.
Rancis was able to get one of his tentacles out of the licorice pieces that were restraining his body, and he used it to smash through the licorice pieces, freeing himself.
Snowanna looked at the remains of her guitar and concentrated deeply. The guitar fixed itself and then flew back to Snowanna, who had it release a sound wave that shattered the licorice pieces that were wrapped around her body.
Jubileena concentrated hard, and a cherry bomb formed. She then had it drop on the licorice alter that was restraining her, and it blew up, freeing her.
Torvald formed three butter clones on the outside of the licorice cage, and the butter clones smashed the licorice bars, thus making an exit for her.
Finally, Cinndon formed cinnamon goo on the licorice pieces that were wrapped around his body, and he had the cinnamon goo burn away the licorice pieces.
Meanwhile, Minty was still stuck in the licorice pieces that were covering her body, and she was unable to move. She turned her head to look up at Vanellope. A sharp candy cane branch gashed Vanellope's shoulder, and she groaned.
"Vanellope." Minty thought in horror.
The licorice pieces then covered her up. But then, after a few seconds, Minty, who had transformed back into her normal form, punched out of the licorice pieces that were holding her down. Minty transformed back into her Sakura form, and then she had her feet transform into two foot-equipped rocket thrusters before flying toward Vanellope. Vanellope smiled and let go of the rope that she was holding. Minty caught her before she was sucked into the portal and started flying back down. The two of them landed on the top of the castle, and the other Sugar Rush racers and Cinndon met up with Vanellope and Minty.
"Okay, new plan. Forget fighting Licortwist. Take out the licorice pieces because they will get sucked up into the portal and get destroyed." Vanellope ordered. She then turned to Candlehead and Gloyd, and asked "Candlehead and Gloyd, can you give us some cover?".
"Like you have to ask?" Candlehead asked sarcastically.
Gloyd took out four smoke bombs and threw them into the air.
"Let's do this, guys!" Gloyd shouted.
Candlehead flew up and breathed fire on the smoke bombs. A giant cloud of smoke was created as a result, and it covered the entire area of the fight. Licortwist was annoyed by the smoke, so he went higher up, above it. Once he was higher up, he saw that Vanellope and Minty were heading straight for him, so he sent several waves of licorice pieces their way. Vanellope and Minty both spotted that, so they flew up to the portal and turned around. Minty dove down and broke the licorice pieces with one swift motion, and they were all sucked up into the portal.
Below the smoke, the other Sugar Rush racers and Cinndon were focused on breaking the stems of licorice pieces. Adorabeezle jumped, and she realized that she was floating down. She then realized that it was helpful, so she jumped onto a wall and sliced numerous stems with her claws.
Taffyta skated through the stems, breaking all of the ones that she passed by with her taffy stretching powers.
Sticky threw a couple of marshmallow bombs in an opening of a licorice stem. She then threw another marshmallow bomb at the multiple marshmallow bombs, causing a massive blue and white explosion.
Candi hardened whatever licorice stem that she came across, and Crumbelina broke apart the caramel stems right after.
Candlehead started breathing fire at the stems, and the fire destroyed them with ease.
Citrusella threw large balls of electricity at the stems, and they broke. She ran around and threw more balls of electricity as she passed by the stems.
Cinndon shot cinnamon spikes at the licorice stems, and they broke apart easily.
Snowanna released huge sound waves from her guitar that broke multiple licorice stems at once.
Swizzle shot blasts of energy that broke apart the licorice steams.
Rancis spat out sprays of toxic sugar waste at the licorice stems, burning them away.
Jubileena released a bunch of cherry bombs that obliterated the licorice stems.
Torvald formed nine butter clones and had them go around and smash the licorice stems.
Gloyd released a couple of pumpkin bombs that blew up most of the licorice stems that he came across, while he had some snappers destroy the rest.
And Nougetsia froze whatever licorice stems that she came across.
Meanwhile, Vanellope and Minty were still going up against Licortwist in the air. Licortwist was sending streams of licorice pieces at Vanellope and Minty, but they dodged the licorice streams, and Minty broke through them. Eventually, Licortwist had enough and used the licorice pieces to trap Minty in one place.
"THIS ENDS NOW!" Licortwist shouted.
Licortwist then gestured for more licorice pieces to come up, but none did. Licortwist became confused and tried it again, and once again. But nothing happened. Vanellope smiled smugly as she realized that he was out of licorice pieces.
"Looks like you're out of licorice pieces." Vanellope said.
Licortwist became confused.
"What?" Licortwist mumbled.
Licortwist looked down. The cloud of smoke was dissolving, and the only licorice pieces were the ones that he was on, the ones that he trapped Minty in, and the ones that were holding up the portal. Minty broke out of the licorice pieces and flew down to Licortwist with her fist outward. Licortwist regained his composure and attempted to summon more licorice pieces. However, before he could, Minty slammed into him, and the blow caused him to slip off of the licorice pieces and fall to the ground. He landed with a sickening crunch, glitched red pixels a few times, and then regenerated in the same spot. However, he was unconscious.
And because Licortwist was unconscious, the licorice pieces that were holding the portal in the air collapsed. The portal fell to the ground and broke apart from the impact.
Minty flew down to the ground, and Vanellope got off. The other Sugar Rush racers and Cinndon then arrived and gathered around Vanellope, Minty, and Licortwist. Taffyta sighed in relief.
"It's finally over." Taffyta said.