Of course, Wonka had expected for the little girl to only bring her parents. To his surprise however, there was a third person. At first, when he saw her around the corner of a doorway, he thought the woman to be some kind of servant. A white winter dress with red roses didn't exactly seem fitting for a servant, but Wonka didn't linger on the thought. He liked the way she kept glancing at him with a shy smile while she helped the family pack and move everything. Thinking that she did so in fascination from being in the presence of the one and only Amazing Chocolatier. She had long waves of chocolate brown hair. Soft and shiny like kitten fur. Her crystal blue eyes gleamed like glittering gemstones when she looked at him.
Disappearing back inside the palace, the woman was gone from his sight. Veruca noticed Wonka watching when she came back out into the snow. "That's my cousin, Julia." Tossing a small cardboard box into the red truck, she stands by the chocolatier to tell him more. "She moves back and forth from us to Uncle James and Aunt Linda a lot." She looks up to the man in the top hat. Dark sunglasses covering his amethyst eyes. Veruca's face glows with joy. Contrast to the unholy tantrum she threw when she heard how much she'd have to leave behind. Angina tried to protest against bringing only the important things, but Wonka assured her that the factory had everything they could possibly need.
"Now listen here, little girl. This isn't gonna be like the tour. Instead of behaving well to win, you behave well to stay. I'd be terribly upset if I brought you into the factory, and had to kick you back out because you keep being a rotten little wart."
Silence clouded the cold winter air. The peace was short-lived before Veruca spoke up again. "You mean we won the special prize for good behaviour? You should've told us that on the golden ticket."
Wonka chuckles at the girl. "How was I supposed to know your true character if I told you how to act? Believe me, you're only my third choice. Now run along. I believe there's still more to load into the truck."
Veruca pulls the white sweater tighter around her purple dress. Skipping along the white dusted ground, she passes by Julia, who tried to keep her eyes on the lightly falling snow.
Storing away another box, Julia glanced up at the smiling chocolatier. A gentle wind softly howls in their ears. Granting Julia some time to think about what to say.
"Veruca's told me a bit about you. Your factory sounds like a paradise."
"Oh it certainly is. It's the most amazing place in the world."
Julia breathes out a warm mist of air. Her cheeks turning pink from the cold. Chocolate waves of hair swung over her shoulder with a startled look back at her Uncle Rupert. Catching her by surprise, he places an empty hand on her shoulder. Most of the boxes were being carried by the servants. Rupert and Angina couldn't be bothered to do that much work. "Mr. Wonka, I can't say how pleased I am to see my little girl feeling so happy. I look forward to the future of our business as well." He smiles with a show of great pride.
With the final box placed inside of the truck, the servants stood in a straight line as they watched the family's departure. Rupert had taken his daughter in his shiny black Cadillac, with Julia going with Angina in her equally shiny white Cadillac. Driving behind Wonka in the red truck, Veruca's parents had their hearts racing the whole way to the factory. Not because they were eager to see it (again), or because of this exciting change in their lives, but because trying to keep up with Wonka was utterly terrifying.
He drove along the roads at dangerously high speeds; even with snow still falling from the silver sky. Swerving and jerking around corners and somehow managing to not tip the truck on it's side. Angina's hands were still shaking by the time they arrived at the factory.
"Now," Wonka says as he turns to face everyone. "Don't worry about the boxes. I'll have my workers bring them in for you after dark."
Julia remembers Veruca talking about something called 'oompa loompas'. They were identical little people who lived and worked inside of Mr. Wonka's factory. Sometimes, they'd sing and dance to strange songs that came from nowhere.
Everyone carried or rolled along one or two bags with them as Wonka brought them into the factory. Walking down the main hallway, everyone starts to crouch below the shrinking walls and ceiling. Angina's face painted itself with confusion at the tiny door and red ropes down by the floor.
"You can eat everything in this room." Veruca tells her family. "But you can't touch the chocolate river." She adds.
"Chocolate river?" Angina questions.
Wonka proudly smiles at his new student. It appeared that she was in a much better mood in comparison to the last time she was in the factory. Maybe having to choose this girl wasn't such a bad thing after all. Scanning the faces of every person in the room, sure that all were watching, a gloved hand slowly pushes open the door.
Julia gasps at the gorgeous sight before her. Noticing first the chocolate waterfall her cousin told her so much about. The warm smell of melted chocolate filled her nose along with a touch of mint. Julia didn't like the taste of mint. She made a mental note not to taste the grass unless Mr. Wonka explicitly asks her to. Aside from the bright green below her feet, everything looked delicious.
Setting down her pink bag, Veruca runs out into the land of candy. She stops to look at all that surrounded her. The white light directly above her head brightened her face, soaked thru her skin, and set her soul aglow. 'This is mine now.' she thinks, feeling as something like an angel. A smile crosses her lips at the words in her mind. Scanning the room for one of the little workers, Veruca points to one spotted near a jelly-filled pumpkin. "Julia, look over there! Those are the oompa loompas. They work all around the factory."
Angina grins uncomfortably at her husband. "Oh, my. What... cute little things."
"Don't worry, dear. You get used to them." Rupert whispers back.
The two women flinch at the sound of Wonka ululating to call over the oompa loompa that was only a few yards away from them. Everyone gathers round to get a better look at the tiny man.
"I want you to take everyone's bags over to the Sweet Suite. Kay? Put them in a nice place to sleep."
The oompa bows, and Wonka does the same in return. Several more oompas step closer to the family to gather their belongings and take them to a suite somewhere in the factory. Once the little workers were on their way, Veruca grabs ahold of her cousin's wrist. "Come over here. I'll show you where the ice cream cones are."
While waiting for some kind of further instruction, the parents soon grow uneasy at the creepy gaze the candy man was placing them under. Mutely observing them with unblinking eyes and parted lips.
"Come along, darling." Rupert guides his wife somewhere they won't be watched like a vulture's dying prey by a madman in a top hat.
•••
Several hours later, the parents had stayed behind in their suite while Wonka went on a small tour with the cousins. The suite they stayed in was chocolate themed. Lots of shades of brown and white. Similar to the s'mores themed suite that was given to Julia. Unsurprisingly, the child was put into the most colourful suite. A cotton candy theme with pinks and blues in every room.
Touring around the colossal world of candy once again, Wonka had noticed new things about his new heir and her cousin. Veruca seemed to love riding in the Great Glass Elevator, while Julia seemed to always be on edge. The woman kept her eyes near the glass ceiling like she was afraid to look down. Fingers clutched onto Veruca's shoulders like she needed her for balance. Halfway thru the tour, Julia would sit down on the floor instead of standing. Veruca sat down with her a few times, not even questioning what was wrong with her. Rather, she'd talk to her like nothing was out of the ordinary. When it was Veruca's turn to press a button, she chose one labeled 'Candy Creature Care Clinic'.
A few minutes of zipping and zooming thru various rooms and pathways lead them to someplace resembling a small hospital. Entering the clean-smelling room, Wonka's cane tapped along the white floors of rooms with white walls. Pictures, diagrams, and statues of different animals decorated each and every area.
"Now this room isn't used very much. Unfortunately, the oompa loompas don't understand much about animal medicine and neither do I. It's far too difficult to learn about as well. All these weird names for things, and all the disgusting things that come out of their bodies. Ew." Squeezing his cane tightly in his hand, he forces away the mental images before continuing. "The best we can do is basic check-ups. Anything worse than that, well, I'm afraid we often times just have to let nature take it's course."
Wonka stands off to the side to let the others explore and examine the rooms. Julia looks at the posters on the walls, while Veruca looks at things inside of the white drawers. One poster in particular caught Julia's attention. A pink poster explaining the anatomy of a female cotton candy sheep.
"Cotton candy sheep?" Closely observing the poster on the wall, Julia's voice takes on a breathless tone. "You don't mean..." Removing the laminated paper to get a better look, Julia's heart begins to race. "No... Is it really true?"
Veruca turns to look over her shoulder. Calmly watching Julia across the room. Hands still inside of a drawer.
Wonka lifts one hand off of his cane, clenching it into a fist. Gloves squeaking between his fingers. "Are...you okay?" His voice shakes nervously.
Julia's slow twist to face him brought some relief onto the candy maker. Her eyes sparkled like a lake beneath a clear blue sky. Still holding the poster in her hands, she locks eyes with the man in front of her. "You have candy animals here? Living, breathing, candy animals? Inside of this factory?" Julia's body was vibrating with excitement. Wonka was almost afraid she'd explode if he answered her.
"Take me to them!"
Well, it looks like he didn't have to.
•••
One more elevator ride (with Julia sitting on the floor) later, and the trio stood before the bleating pink creatures. Julia didn't appear to be breathing. Feeling like she wanted to jump into the sky.
Oompa loompas dressed in green busied themselves with sheering off pink wool and sending it thru a vacuum of swirling tubes. Stalking closer, her fingers hungrily held up in front of her, Julia reaches out to touch the fluffy animal. A subtle sugary scent reaching her nose. The oompas stop their work to stare at her. Sharing with each other puzzled looks.
"I can't believe it." She says softly. "Candy animals. Here in this factory. The factory that I'm staying in."
Wonka watches from inside the elevator. Veruca stepped out to go see the sheep as well. Although she didn't seem as astonished by them.
Delicately folding her hands together, Julia comes over to Wonka. "Mr. Wonka, when I woke up this morning, I couldn't have dreamed that today would be the day that I finally got to see one up close. Everyone tried to tell me that I would never get to see one, or that they didn't truly exist. But I knew better."
Wonka flashes her his perfectly white teeth. Absolutely delighted that she was so overjoyed by the wonderful things inside his factory. "Oh my dear lady, of course they exist! You'd have to be nuts to think that they didn't."
Joyful laughter spilled from Julia's mouth. "That's exactly what I thought! When I was studying them, everyone kept saying it was a waste of time. That I should be doing better things. But look!" She stretches out her hand in a grand gesture towards the pink beings. "There they are! Alive and well."
"You studied them?" Wonka questions.
"Yes. I learned about them from a book I read as a child. They were so fascinating to me. I wanted to learn more about them, so I..." Losing herself in a recollection of something Wonka said not too long ago, her heart flutters with hope. "I... became a veterinarian."
Wonka focuses on her. A faint smile resting on his unwitting face.
"... That takes special care of candy creatures." Veruca clarified for him.
Wonka's brows shot up with his widening eyes. "You mean you're a candy vet!?"
Holding her breath, Julia nods her head.
Wonka gasps. "That means you can care for all the sick animals!" He exclaims.
Julia felt like she might explode into stardust. Could this really be happening!? Could she finally, after 23 years of life, be getting the job of her dreams!? The job that everyone told her was impossible!?
Reaching out, Wonka grabs ahold of Julia's hand, violently shaking it. "Miss Julia Salt, it is my pleasure to officially crown you as the head veterinarian of the Wonka chocolate factory!" His grip on her smaller hand felt like she was being crushed by iron. The bones in her fingers cracked under the tight pressure. "I'm absolutely certain you'll do great things to help our dear little creatures. Now I'll have you know that the Candy Creature Care Clinic is all yours. Every last room of it."
"Mr. Wonka?" Her voice was strained by the pain in her hand. "My last name is actually Sugar, not Salt."
Wonka stops his aggressive handshake. "Oh..." Letting go of her hand at last, he smiles and tosses up his cane. "Well in that case, Dr. Julia Sugar, it's time to set up your workspace."
She couldn't believe it. This was really happening. She was called 'doctor' and given a job with candy animals. Real candy animals! Beaming with glee, she joins her boss inside of the elevator along with her little cousin.
A gloved finger pushes the button to the Candy Creature Care Clinic. During the ride, Julia was too excited to be nervous like it seemed she usually was.
•••
In the clinic, Wonka began gathering up contracts and paperwork for Julia to sign while Veruca was left to wonder around for further exploration.
Minutes soon become an hour. Veruca was getting impatient and Julia still had more to sign. In the midst of checking off boxes and writing down signatures, Julia lays down the black pen. Closing her eyes to temporarily relieve the increasing pain inside her skull. Peering down at the white papers on the white table that stood on a white floor of a room with white walls, Julia felt the pain would only get worse from here. This condition was not something she'll be able to work in.
"Mr. Wonka? You said that everything in here belongs to me now. Right?"
"Of course."
"These walls... Everything is too bright. They need to be painted a different colour."
"Oh yeah? What color do you want to paint them?"
"A nice calming shade of blue." She says with her eyes still closed.
The chocolatier's mouth widens in an excited gasp. "Like cotton candy!"
Thru the stinging in her eyes and pain in her head, Julia smiles happily. "Exactly! That's my favourite colour. It'll be perfect.
"Your favorite color is cotton candy blue. That's wonderful. Mine is cherry red and royal purple. Heh."
Julia fights thru the feeling like her brain was swelling up to finish all the paperwork. By time she was done, Veruca was almost half asleep.
"I want to stay in my suite next time." The girl commented.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Fun Fact: the Sweet Suites are a canon thing inside the factory. I heard from a fairly reliable source that they're listed somewhere on the elevator buttons.
Another Fun Fact: Veruca originally had a strawberry ice cream cone while in the Chocolate Room, but dropped it when she tripped on something. That's why we see her with a lollipop instead. You can even find a picture of her with the ice cream if you search around enough.