INSaNUTTY Chapter 3

By Lolitafreak88

The next morning, the dungeon was illuminated once more by the morning, and Nutty awoke. He sat up and stretched his arms, gave a big yawn, and scratched his back idly. He saw the creepy murals of the dungeon and realized that the dungeon most definitely was real and that his whole experience thus far was not a dream. The forest, the mansion, the dinner, the torture, everything was real. He also saw Handy's hard hat next to him and sighed sadly. If Handy truly had been the previous victim, it probably had been worse for him than it was for Nutty. Nutty still had his arms, Handy didn't, so to torture someone more vulnerable and innocent than Nutty was inhumane and much more cruel. Then again, why would Mime, Flaky, Giggles, and Sniffles do something like this? The Mime Nutty knew was always willing to help out and entertain others. Flaky was always careful and considerate of others, even Flippy. Giggles was pretty nice too, maybe a bit of a tease but nice. And Sniffles of all Tree Friends had rehabilitated Nutty once, when Nutty's sugar addiction got him into hot water. So why had they soul their souls for dark magic?

Nutty couldn't get much further into deciphering this as a few things appeared in the dungeon by magic. First was a cooking table, like one might see in a kitchen, with several ingredients on it. Then there was a note that appeared on the table. Nutty realized that this was probably some instructions and seeing as it involved food, it was likely instructions for cooking something. Nutty could ignore it but seeing as the dungeon door was still locked and knowing full well what the demonic mages were capable of, decided it was best not to ignore them. Nutty walked over to the table, using his magic to levitate Handy's hard hat into the air and follow him, and read the instructions. Sure enough, it was instructions from the four to cook breakfast for them with a firm warning that if he did not cook it properly, "playtime" would commence as soon as possible. They also said to call them when he had prepared breakfast and not to take too long. Nutty gulped, they still hadn't changed either. The possibility that they had regained their sanity was obliterated but for some reason Nutty didn't feel scared. He had followed the grimoire like an acute pupil and believed in its magic. Also, he realized that this gave him an advantage as the four mages did not realize he had come across this book of magic. He could use this knowledge against them.

"Tee-hee..." Nutty chuckled and set to work on preparing breakfast. His magic made things a lot easier as he levitated ingredients, stirred, cut, and set things down. Nutty soon had made delicious pancakes with syrup and butter, fancy muffins with a delicious icing on top, and four beautiful fruit smoothies. Nutty realized that if he was to fight back, it was best to disable the mages in someway. He could poison them but it would take too long and they could potentially cure themselves as soon as they figured it out. Nutty realized that this was a time to break out of the mold and come up with his own poison. Nutty summoned four popsicles with crème filling and inserted them into the smoothies. A magical light green gas emerged out of the smoothies before disappearing. Nutty's respective magical energy was the same color as his own skin so it was very fitting. Nutty then pulled out the popsicles with his magic. Only the popsicle sticks were left, the popsicle part having magically melted and combined with the smoothie. It was definitely an elaborate and mysterious conjuration. Nutty smiled, and then his hands glowed with light green energy one more time...

Later, the mages gathered at the same dinner table as before and were chatting eagerly with one another. Except for Mime of course who had instead chose to do some magic tricks. It was as if they had reverted to their normal selves as they had the same cute voices and same happiness as they normally would've had. The atmosphere changed as soon as Nutty walked in. Though interestingly, the atmosphere became one of confusion rather than malevolence. It was because of Nutty's appearance. He now had a hairstyle on that was the same one he had after he had gotten out of rehabilitation and he was smiling happily. In his right arm was a tray with the four plates of food and smoothies on it. It was clear he had been designated to serve the mages their food. He served Giggles first who looked at him with flirtatious eyes though half-heartedly as she seemed puzzled at Nutty's shift in appearance. The last time she saw him he was bawling like an annoying baby but now he seemed like the normal, carefree Nutty. She turned her attention to her food as soon as it was on her table, as she was hungry. Flaky was next and she kept a stern look of annoyance and coldness as Nutty served her food. Nutty then gave Sniffles his plate who was studying Nutty intently but with an actually more natural expression, like how the normal Sniffles would observe something. Maybe he recognized this hairdo and the time he had saw it. Finally, Nutty served Mime who accepted it graciously but then shooed Nutty away with a motion of his hand. Mime took his smoothie and the four other mages quickly followed suit. Nutty began to back away, with a face that was simply pure excitement. Things were going according to plan, which was a rather rare occurrence in Happy Tree Friend Town. Mime, Giggles, Sniffles, and Flaky then made a toast with their smoothies and then drank them.

At first nothing happened and the smoothies were finished quickly. Then the four mages took a seat and were about to start eating when they stopped. They suddenly looked down as though they felt something uncomfortable and then saw that some icy covering, like that of a popsicle, was developing on their feet and was growing. It was numbing their feet and freezing it like ice. The ice was spreading at a rabid place and the mages could only gasp in horror as their entire bottom half was turned into ice. Giggles screamed, Flaky gasped, and Sniffles started to wail. Mime mimed a gasp of shock and was able to raise his arms quick enough to avoid them turning into ice and his hands glowed with magic. Nutty gulped, worried that Mime was about to rescue the other three and therefore put the odds in their favor but it seemed like he was only trying to save himself. Giggles, Flaky, and Sniffles arms had already been frozen and soon their heads were about to be turned into popsicle-colored ice. Giggles continued to scream, Flaky seemed to accept her fate bitterly, and Sniffles closed his eyes solemnly and winced. Mime managed to break the ice off his body and stop it from spreading just as the three other demonic mages were permanently encased in ice. The smoothie definitely had its own special poison. Mime directed a very intense look at Nutty, having suspected him as the one responsible for this before he started to channel his magic energy to free the others. But Nutty wasn't finished quite yet with his magical attack. He conjured three jawbreakers out of thin air and shot them towards the frozen mages. They moved at a rapid speed, like bullets fired out of a gun. They soon hit their marks and the frozen statues of Giggles, Flaky, and Sniffles broke into pieces instantly and crashed to the ground. Now they were truly dead, broken into countless pieces of ice that could not be brought back together again. With their hearts frozen and broken along with their bodies, the same ritual that brought Nutty back to life could not be used for them.

Mime mimed a gasp and then mimed a growl. He definitely did not expect this at all. Where did Nutty learn this? When could he have learned this? He had been in the dungeon overnight and Mime was sure that there was no materials that could imbue him with magical power in that room. Mime decided it didn't matter and smiled. With those three out of the way, he didn't have to share the replenishing ritual with anyone anymore and all Nutty's life essence would be his and his alone. He got up elegantly and then snapped his fingers. Instantly, the surroundings of the mansion dining room and the mansion itself unfolded and changed. In a moment's time, Nutty and Mime were now in outer space, or at least it seemed like that as Nutty and Mime were levitating and able to breathe. Nutty was a bit shocked but knew that this was his only chance of breaking free from Mime's grasp and earning his freedom. Nutty surrounded himself in his magic and then dispersed it, revealing that he was now sporting a light green wizard's hat and cape. Both had a candy corn pattern on it and he now looked the part of a wizard. The two mages of different factions stared at one another with cold stares, their hands crackling with their magical prowess. Then they began the duel to the death.

Nutty took on the offensive and created at least 100 candy-coated chocolates in a myriad of colors out of thin air in front of him. He then shot them out towards Mime as though to attack him. Combined with the surroundings of space with glittering stars and rocky asteroids, and Nutty's candy barrage could be viewed as a meteor shower. Mime observed with a careful eye but also with some genuine admiration. He was glad to see someone who had truly submerged themselves into their magic. He then went on the defensive. He created a large, ornate silver birdcage that had many doves in it. He then opened the door to the cage through what seemed to be telekinesis. The birds immediately flew out and headed towards the rain of candies. When the birds collided with the candies, the candies exploded as though they were Flippy's grenades. Soon a cloud of dust and explosions was present in space and then to Nutty's surprise, four birds managed to fly out of the cloud and headed towards Nutty at rocket speeds. Nutty was caught off-guard and the birds clawed at his face and it seemed like they hit. But then they found that they couldn't remove themselves off Nutty's face, their claws stuck to some sticky substance. Then they heard some giggling not far from where they were. It was Nutty, the real one, having created a decoy made of caramel. With a flourish from his hand, the decoy exploded, defeating the last four birds.

Reality had definitely fallen into that of a fantasia, where mystical and arcane things could exist. These displays of imaginative magic proved this. Nutty's next move created a whip made out of licorice. He had never used a whip before but he knew that his magic could augment his physical traits and so he swung the whip towards Mime, hoping to catch him. Mime didn't catch the sight of the whip as it was moving towards him at a superb speed making it near invisible and then he felt the edge of the whip wrap tightly around his left wrist. Feeling that the edge of the licorice whip had caught hold of something, Nutty pulled it and swung it around, aiming for a nearby asteroid. Mime was dragged by the edge of the whip as he was swung around like a tether ball and he spotted the asteroid. Mime was able to use his other hand to create a pillow at the exact spot he was about to crash into the asteroid. As he crashed into the pillow, the impact was softened though he still felt a rough impact. He then summoned a pair of scissors and cut part of the licorice whip, freeing him. Seeing that the whip would no longer be effective, Nutty dispersed it and prepared for his next spell.

Nutty summoned many pink bubblegum bubbles in the space between Mime and him. Then he shot them out towards the former performer. Mime however smirked, having come up with an idea to use this against Nutty. Mime conjured up many darts, the kind that would be thrown at targets in a circus or as a game and levitated them into the air before pointing them downward, aiming precisely at each bubblegum bubble from above. As soon as the darts made contact and popped the bubbles, the bubbles exploded in fearsome explosions, creating clouds of smoke that made it hard to perceive things. Nutty gulped, realizing that this cloud of explosions would be the perfect method for deception and stealth for Mime. He braced himself for an attack only to be caught off-guard when a gigantic hammer emerged out of the dust and hit Nutty, causing him to plummet down into space. Mime then appeared, flying much like Splendid, with an array of knives behind him, pursuing after Nutty like a vulture after its prey. Nutty gasped and as he descended at an accelerating rate, he knew he would have to pull off a powerful trick. Fortunately, his desire for freedom and to avenge Handy, he figured by now that Handy must've been killed by the four demonic mages, helped his thinking. He came up with a brilliant strategy.

Nutty took off his cape and then manipulated it into changing it's chemistry into that of a liquid. It was white and frothy, similar to that of the richest milk. It rushed towards Mime with the same intensity as a stream. Mime was shocked at this sudden attack and reacted far too late before he was caught in the stream. The blades he had conjured vanished and the milk's sheer intensity prevented Mime from being able to gain enough momentum to cast anymore magic. This was the chance Nutty wanted, desired, and needed. Nutty then levitated himself and stopped his descent and he started to fly towards Mime, still caught in a milky stream that was twisting and turning like a roller coaster. He took off his hat, hurled it into the emptiness of space, and pointed at it. The hat instantly changed shape and grew bigger, forming what appeared to be a blender of some sort, big enough for about all the Tree Friends to be put in it. There was no lid however, so it was just an open blender with nothing inside it... until a millisecond later. The milky path fell into the blender, taking Mime along with it and he crashed to the bottom of the blender. He quickly emerged out of the milk, gasping for breath, but with no sound for Mime was still dedicated to being silent.

Nutty then made Handy's hard hat appear before him and patted it kindly. The hard hat in response grew big enough to cover the blender and it teleported itself above the blender before closing in on the opening and sealing it. Mime looked tormented, like he had been caught in a trap even he couldn't escape from. But then he eventually closed his eyes and nodded, deciding that what was done was done. Similar to Flaky before she was encased in an icy tomb, he was accepting his fate. It's also a pretty fun way to go, Mime thought secretly. Nutty drew closer to the blender with an intense glare that he usually didn't give to the other Tree Friends. A glare of revenge and triumph. He snapped his fingers and two giant ice cream scoops and syrups of chocolate, caramel, and white chocolate appeared in the blender and landed on Mime. Nutty then gave a satisfied smile, checkmate was well in hand. He floated over to the button that would activate the blender and pushed it. Instantly, everything in the blender was shaken, mixed, cut, and blended into a milkshake of true insanity. The recipe was flawless, a sweet outside of ice cream and syrups with a demon of a mage mixed inside of it. After a minute, Nutty pushed the button again, silencing the blender with efficiency and speed. The milkshake was a very beautiful solid-white color, like that of the make-up Mime would wear on his face. The hard hat cover was removed and shrunk down to a size that would fit Handy's head, and then the blender itself was shrunk down to the size of a regular blender. Nutty held the blender by its handle and with a mighty drink, he consumed the milkshake. It was by far the best milkshake he had ever had the fortune of drinking with all the kinds of sweetness in it. Sweet revenge, sweet ice cream, sweet victory. Once he was all done, Nutty took it from his lips and uttered,

"Ahhh!" Then instantly, the space surroundings around him faded back into that of the mansion dining room. The icy remains of the three other mages had disappeared but there were noticeable wet stains on the carpet. Four plates were still set with food on the table but Nutty was full from the milkshake and decided to leave it there, almost like graves. Handy's hard hat also lay on the table and for the first time since Nutty's dinner, the atmosphere was calm and inviting. Nutty's hairdo had vanished and so had anything he had conjured before. He still felt the taste of something sweet in his mouth but he had a hunch about something. Nutty snapped his fingers, trying to create a delicious sweet of some sort but nothing happened. His magic was gone. Nutty shrugged his shoulders, deciding that even the power of creating all the candy he wanted didn't match up to the prize of freedom. Nutty took Handy's hard hat in his arms and then, with no real reason to stay in this gorgeous but despairing mansion, he headed towards the front door. What awaited him outside? Delusion or reality? He turned the door knob and pushed opened the door. He felt warmth from what he knew was the sun. Then he smelled something buttery...

So second to last chapter before this story comes to a close. I think I've made this story pretty interesting eh? I do think it's darker than some of my other Happy Tree Friend story but I try to still keep it my own style of writing. That includes the dark moments. Anyways, just a heads up but my trip to Chicago will be next Thursday so I won't be active for a few days between the 22-25th. Be patient for me my dear readers, I'll be back soon, and hopefully with good experiences ^_^. So what does await Nutty behind those doors? What smells so buttery? The answer will be stunning and will force you to make your own conclusions. Find out on the last chapter! Chapter 4! Once again I take no ownership of copyright and all materials used in this story belong respectfully and eloquently to Mondo Media and Happy Tree Friends. Thank you ^_^.