A/N: Response Time: To Linkwonka88, well, I'm glad we made you feel that way about Claudia, because that was our full intention. To XXCandyLoverXX, that's a great idea, but sadly, I won't be including that in this story. However, all I'm going to say is stay tuned for my next story after this one if you want your wish semi-fulfilled. To mattTheWriter072, yeah, I wish Magic Hand Fudge was real as well. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. Let's not waste any more time, though. This chapter was brought to you by dragonserpent18, and now, enjoy!
Leaving the Invention Corridor, the group was moved to a new area labeled the "Testing Labs". Wonka escorted them inside and led them to a specific machine.
"Before I give you permission to move around," Wonka said, "I want to show you something special." He flipped a switch, and the machines started moving around. Gears were turning, springs were tightening, and ball bearings were doing whatever it is they do. Within a matter of time, a red candy came out of one side, and a bottle came out of the other. Wonka picked up the candy and asked, "Now, who would like to try it?"
Max jumped up and down saying, "I want to try it! I want to try it!"
Wonka handed it to him while he grabbed the bottle. He then asked, "Who would like to have a drink?"
Violet held up her hand and said, "I sure am thirsty. May I have a sip?"
He handed it to her and asked them both to start trying it. He held up a clipboard and was ready to take notes. Max and Violet both tried their respective items out.
A few seconds after swallowing the candy, there was an explosion in Max's mouth. He was suddenly pushed back by the force and was knocked onto the floor. Violet immediately began to become worried, as she had just finished the bottle.
Mr. Wonka helped up Max as he said, "That's Exploding Candy for your enemies. It's a great idea, huh?"
Max said, "That was fun! Mummy, let me do it again!"
Wonka ignored him as he walked to Violet. She asked him, "Mr. Wonka, what is in this? My tongue is starting to feel fizzy." He didn't get a chance to answer, because she suddenly jolted with electricity. She began to feel the shock a second time. She felt it a third time before it finally stopped.
Wonka took a few notes on his clipboard before saying, "That is Shock Soda, which is also for your enemies. I always thought they go better hand-in-hand. Say you give your enemy Exploding Candy, and you help them cool off by giving them the Shock Soda. It's a two-in-one prank for the punks who have it coming."
Violet weakly replied, "Well, can't help but feel that I should've seen that coming."
Claudia got up and asked, "Vhat's going on? Vas I asleep?"
Mr. Wonka smiled, "I see you have awakened! Welcome back to the world of the living, Miss Gloop!"
Claudia panicked, "I vas dead?"
"Of course not! Now, this Testing Lab is the step after the Invention Corridor. Inventions have to be approved in order to move on to here. If there are less than 2 defects in a product, they are approved so they can be put under heavy testing. Now that it's been explained, I will let you move around freely for the time being! Now scooch!"
Max looked at a specific machine that said, "Flavor Powder." He pushed a button and the machine went to work. A bunch of powder poured into a cup. Max looked inside, grabbed a handful, and put it in his mouth. He immediately tasted a great sweetness to it. Max asked, "Mr. Wonka, what is this fantastic stuff?"
Wonka told him, "It's Flavor Powder. The powder is all the same, but the flavor that you taste is dependent on your taste buds. You may taste it one way, but if someone else takes the same powder, they'll get something different. You are highly likely to get a taste that you like, so a lot of people will have a candy they universally like! Isn't that neat?"
Damon tried it as he said, "It certainly is! I taste sour apple, which is my favorite!"
Claudia was leaning against the machinery, watching everyone else have fun. Augustus walked over to her and said, "Darling, please, try somezhing! You may like it!"
Instead of getting mad, like usual, she smiled and said, "No zhanks, Vater. I'd razher watch everyvone else have fun. I'm fine vhere I am. Maybe I'll try somezhing later." As her father left, she was about to get up, but the machine's wall broke open, and she fell into it.
Mr. Wonka walked over and asked, "Are you okay, Miss Gloop?"
Claudia got up and looked at herself. She spotted grease on her outfit, which she rubbed off. She had scrapes on her legs and a metal shard in her arm. Damon came over and attempted to remove the shard without making her bleed. It took him a while, but he finally got it out. "Zhank you, Damon," she said.
Damon was surprised, but he said to her, "Certainly. You know, you seem different now." He walked away as he spotted Rouge sneaking something.
"What are you doing?" he asked Rouge.
She scowled and said, "None of your business." She spat, and it went down a drain.
"Then, I don't have a choice," Damon said. "Mr. Wonka!" he called out.
Rouge put her hand over Damon's mouth as she said, "Will you be quiet? You're going to get us in trouble! Look, I'll give you some if you just go away—"
"What are you two doing?" Wonka said to them.
Rouge took her hand off and said, "Nothing. We're getting along just fine."
Damon calmly said, "She has something behind her back."
"You ratted me out, you little—"
"Stop it! Now, Rouge, what do you have?" Mr. Wonka asked.
She held out a packet that contained these white-colored drops. Wonka said, "Oh, those are just the Rainbow Drops. This gives me the opportunity to show them off." He gathered everyone over and took the bag before continuing. "These are Rainbow Drops. You take one, you can suck on it, and then, you can spit in six different colors. Normally I don't condone the habit, but it works wonders with nausea, seasickness, headaches, and stomach pains."
Rouge took the bag back and said, "Now, this is something I can use." She opened it up and took a look at them.
"I'm not so sure it's a good idea. There is one defect with them," Wonka warned.
"I'm certain I can handle it. What could it possibly do to me?" Rogue asked.
"Why don't you ask your mother?" he mumbled.
"He's right," Damon said. "I'm not sure about this."
Rouge turned angrily at Damon. "Why do you care? You've humiliated me once, and I'm not letting you do it again. In fact, maybe I'll take these just to spite you and Wonka. What do you think of that, Machine Man?"
Damon shouted, "Rouge, don't! It's not worth it!"
It was too late. Rouge had already put one in her mouth. She began sucking on it. "Wow! It has a great grape flavor!" She spat out in a purple color at a trash can. She then continued sucking it. "Now, it tastes even better! It's blueberry!" Her mother cringed a little at the mention of blueberry. Rouge spat again; this time it was blue.
"Okay, you've tried some! Now, please, stop!" Wonka warned.
Rouge ignored him and went to the next flavor. "It now tastes like watermelon." She spat, and the spit was green. She continued to suck. "I knew it was going to be lemon next! It's my second favorite fruit!" After spitting yellow, she then moved on. "As expected, it's now orange-flavored. It's surprisingly juicy and tangy!"
She spat orange as Wonka warned, "Please, Rouge! The next flavor is the one you shouldn't try. It's cherry, but it isn't ready! Just quit while you're ahead!"
Rouge said, "But cherry is my favorite. I can't quit now. It's not like I'll explode!"
Wonka shouted, "That's exactly what I'm afraid of!"
Rouge continued to suck the drop, "Wow! The cherry is so flavorful! So enjoyable! And definitely the best flavor. Now, for the grand finale…" She spat for the final time, and her spit was a red color.
Violet walked over to her and said, "I knew you could do it. You are hardcore!" She noticed Rouge's cheeks were red, so she said, "Rouge, there's no need to be embarrassed!"
"What do you mean?" Rouge replied. "I'm not embarrassed."
"Wait, that isn't…oh, no." The sudden realization hit Violet.
Veruca put a hand on Violet's shoulder and said, "It's happening again, isn't it? I'm so sorry, Violet."
Rouge became nervous. "What's going on?" she asked. Her whole face was turning red, and even her eyes had turned a crimson shade.
Violet looked at her and said, "Your whole face is turning red! Rouge, you're turning rouge!"
Rouge started to panic. Even her hair was becoming red. "Mr. Wonka, please, help me! I'll do anything!"
Mr. Wonka said, "I'm sorry. It's out of my hands now."
Rouge looked at her hands, which were turning deep red as well. She looked at her mother and said, "I'm sorry, Mother."
Rouge then began to swell up. Her clothes had turned even more red than they already were, and she continued to swell into a ball shape. She tried to move, but she became immobile. It didn't take long before she looked just like a cherry. A ten-foot-tall cherry.
Suddenly, Mike and Jake arrived. Jake was pale as a ghost and was shivering. "H-h-h-ey, e-e-e-v-v-v-erybody. W-w-hat d-d-id I m-m-m-iss…O-o-oh, m-m-m-my g-g-gosh!" He had just noticed Rogue in her current state.
Violet said, "What do we do now?" She was answered by a sudden guitar riff. Oompa-Loompas with guitars began shredding their instruments as they began a haunting thrash metal song. Wonka took his hat off and was headbanging to the music.
"Rouge is in a turmoil.
Her plot, it just did foil.
She's always turned her destiny
Into an eternity.
Her doom was very swift, indeed,
And now, she's quickly in our need.
Why did she just have to spit?
It seems like, now, she's just unfit.
Poor, little Rouge, it just seems that she fell
Into her own, little spell
Now, she's immobile, she's stuck to her fate—
A personification of hate.
So, her condition, she will desperately hide.
A victim of her own self-pride.
It seems as if, to her own self, she lied…
Now, we must chide.
It's only through us she finds peace!
Otherwise, she will still increase.
Her size continues to expand.
She still just hangs on by a strand.
We will work quickly so she may
Go back to a decent day.
We will work to erase her fate.
We hope that it's just not too late."
They continued to shred on their guitars before finally finishing. Wonka said to an Oompa-Loompa, "Please roll her down the hallway to the Juicing Room at once. And don't worry, Violet, the equipment has been improved. She'll look exactly as she did when she got here, and her skin and hair will be completely clear of redness. We'll be seeing you again when you're done, but Rouge has lost her chance of winning." When they left, he said, "Now, let's move on."