The Little Sugar Rush Racer (Candlehead Style) part 12 - Mishaela's Lair ("Poor Unfortunate Souls")

Past the Ships Graveyard, past the Canyon of Rocks, down, into the ravine filled with purple geysers that spewed noxious gas, a skeleton of a monster long forgotten sat. A pair of jaws large enough to swallow a whale gaped as if frozen in its last dying scream. Candlehead stopped right in front thankful that the jaws were so large so there was plenty of room to swim between the dead, but still razor sharp, teeth.

She bit her lip as her heart and courage flutter for a moment.

Jet and Gear: "This way."

Taking a nervous gulp, she entered the belly of the beast. The hallways were dark and the Turbo Twins led the way, and a nervous Candlehead followed him. But as they went in further, she heard a moaning and howling sound as they entered the next hallway. The deeper they were in, the louder it got, as Candlehead looked down and noticed something moving along the bottom. She then paled in fright as some light shined in and showed the horrifying polyp cake toppings. And then suddenly, one of them shot at her, wrapping around her wrist. She struggled, trying to pull it off, until one final tug, she broke free. In fear, she swam fast to twins' side as they reached their final destination.

It was a room with a huge conch hung from the ceiling, along with a few shelves full of strange concoctions, a vanity mirror, and a cauldron shaped like a closed clawed hand. It was when they entered the room, Taffyta spoke up from the conch,

Taffyta: "Come in. Come in, my child. We mustn't lurk in doorways -"

Candlehead nervously came in, as she saw Taffyta slither her way out of the conch and land on the floor, as she quirked,

Taffyta: "it's rude."

An orange seashell necklace hovered over her rather large bust.

Taffyta strutted towards a vanity in the corner and her words brought Candlehead out of her amazed stupor.

Taffyta: "One MIGHT question your upbringing. . . ."

She chuckled and sat down examining herself in the mirror

Taffyta: "Now, then. You're here because you have a thing for this human. This, er,"

one of her long dark tentacles squirted some foam from a shell onto her hands. Red nails ran through yellow hair.

Taffyta: "prince fellow. Not that I blame you - he is quite a catch, isn't he?"

Red lips puckered as she applied lipstick,

Taffyta: "Well, angel fish, the solution to your problem is simple."

She finished the phrase with a pop of her lips.

Taffyta: "The only way to get what you want - is to become a human yourself."

Candlehead gasped in surprise by that solution. She figured it was impossible to even become a human; she even knew her father wouldn't allow it with the power of the Trident. But then she looked to Taffyta with hope in her eyes,

Candlehead: "Can you DO that?"

Taffyta smirked as she turned towards Candlehead,

Taffyta: "My dear, sweet child. That's what I do -"

She then swam towards Candlehead as she stated,

Candlehead: "it's what I live for. To help unfortunate merfolk - like yourself."

She then sighed sadly as she cupped Candlehead's face with one of her tentacles, causing Candlehead to flinch away,

Taffyta: "Poor souls with no one else to turn to."

She swam up and Jet and Gear snaked around their mistress, her husky voice low and almost hypnotizing.

Taffyta: "I admit that in the past I've been a nasty

They weren't kidding when they called me, well, a witch

But you'll find that nowadays

I've mended all my ways

Repented, seen the light and made a switch"

The twins circles one last time before leaving Taffyta with a flourish as she floated back down towards the mesmerized mermaid.

Taffyta: "True? Yes"

The eels returned to circling her again as she strutted over to the claw hand cauldron growing out of the ground.

Taffyta: "And I fortunately know a little magic

It's a talent that I always have possessed"

With a wave of her arms the claw opened and pink steam rose up and whatever was inside cast an eerie glow on the witches face.

Taffyta: "And here lately, please don't laugh"

She grinned and waggled a finger at the princess who was slowly swimming closer, curiosity over coming her fear.

Taffyta: "I use it on behalf

Of the miserable, lonely and depressed

Pathetic"

Taffyta had pulled up two mer-candy-people made of the glowing pink steam and Candlehead was too enthralled to hear the last part she had whispered to her laughing servants.

Taffyta: "Poor unfortunate souls

In pain

In need

This one longing to be thinner

That one wants to get the girl

And do I help them?"

A snap of her fingers and the two figures were transformed, the scrawny bow was now a handsome peppermint man and the chubby peppermint girl was now slim, both were the way they wanted to be.

Taffyta: "Yes, indeed"

The two embraced each other and Taffyta continued to strut and sing around the cauldron.

Taffyta: "Those poor unfortunate souls

So sad

So true

They come flocking to my cauldron

Crying, "Spells, Taffyta please!"

And I help them?

Yes, I do

Now it's happened once or twice

Someone couldn't pay the price

And I'm afraid I had to rake 'em 'cross the coals"

Her hand clenched into a fist and the two dissolved in a tornado, scraggly little polyp cake toppings in their place.

Taffyta: "Yes, I've had the odd complaint

But on the whole I've been a saint

To those poor unfortunate souls"

She grabbed one of the fluorescent curling seaweeds off the roof and loomed over the other polyp cake toppings until they all began to quake and cry in fear again. Then with a sharp turn on her tentacle she wrapped the girl in the seaweed and pulled the retreating girls form close.

Taffyta: "Now, here's the deal."

She began pulling her over towards the cauldron, releasing the plant once her surprisingly strong hand had a hold of Candlehead's arm, sharp maroon claws biting into the soft flesh.

Taffyta: "I will make you a potion that will turn you into a human for three days."

A distracted look crossed her grimacing face as she tried to brush off a stray tentacle that had wrapped itself across her shoulder and chest.

Taffyta: "Got that? Three days."

They had arrived at the terrible black claw which had sealed up again and leaning over it Taffyta grabbed Candlehead's chin with a tentacle as the girl had been unconsciously looking for a way out.

Taffytas: "Now listen, this is important."

Three glowing yellow suns floated out between the cracks in the claws

Taffyta: "Before the sun sets on the third day, you've got to get dear ol' princey to fall in love with you."

A crown followed as the suns set and a heart, pulsing and beating red floated up in the center.

Taffyta: "That is, he's got to kiss you. Not just any kiss - the kiss of true love."

The heart pulsed and it's shinning red glow over powered the gold of the crown.

Jay and Chuck were swimming around the corner, keeping out of sight, and saw what was happening and heard everything. Out of the cauldron then popped a silhouette of Candlehead and Swizzle together, but this image, Candlehead had legs as Taffyta explained,

Taffyta: "If he does kiss you before the sun sets on the third day, you'll remain human, permanently,"

Candlehead smiled at this outcome, but then frowned as the silhouette changed from her and Swizzle together, with her back as a mermaid.

Taffyta: "but - if he doesn't, you turn back into a mermaid, and -"

she was sucked back down and Taffyta's grinning face filled her vision,

Taffyta: "you belong to me."

Chuck couldn't take it anymore

Chuck: "No Candlehead!"

But then he and Jay were quickly silenced by the witch's twins and Taffya once again grabbed her chin bringing her attention back to her.

Taffyta: "Have we got a deal?"

Seeing Chuck and Jay reminded her of home and an interesting thought crossed her mind that caused her to furrow her brow.

Candlehead: "If I become human, I'll never be with my father or sisters again."

Taffyta faked her concern as she nodded,

Taffyta: "That's right. . . ."

But then she smirked and chuckled,

Taffyta: "But - you'll have your man. Life's full of tough choices, innit?"

she jeered lying back on the claw.

Taffyta: "Oh - and there is one more thing. We haven't discussed the subject of payment. You can't get something for nothing, you know."

Oh that look on her shocked little face! Hmhmhm!

Even though this witch and her magic scared her she a touch of desperation colored her voice at the thought of the chance being taken away.

Candlehead: "But I don't have any -"

A thick dark tentacle cut off her sentence.

Taffyta: "I'm not asking much. Just a token, really, a trifle. You'll never even miss it. What I want from you is . . . your voice."

The way it came out, the way that red nail insisted on touching her chin again, it felt…sinister. Candlehead gingerly touched her throat

Candlehead: "My voice?"

Taffyta: "You've got it, sweetcakes. No more talking, singing, zip."

She listed off the stipulations on her fingers and ended it with a pop of her lips.

Candlehead: "But without my voice, how can I -"

but was cut off again.

Taffyta: "You'll have your looks! Your pretty face! And don't underestimate the importance of body language! Ha!"

Taffyta responded in rhythm like she was singing on "body language", she started shaking her butt and began to sing again.

Taffyta: "The men up there don't like a lot of blabber

They think a girl who gossips is a bore"

As she said this, she went to a cupboard and opened it.

Taffyta: "Yes, on land it's much preferred

For ladies not to say a word

And after all, dear, what is idle prattle for?

Come on, they're not all that impressed with conversation"

She threw a few ingredients into a cauldron as Candlehead looked on.

Taffyta: "True gentlemen avoid it when they can

But they dote and swoon and fawn

On a lady who's withdrawn"

Taffyta then threw a tongue into the cauldron

Taffyta: "It's she who holds her tongue who gets her man

Come on, you poor unfortunate soul

Go ahead!

Make your choice!"

and then as Candlehead looked in the smoke, Eric's face began to form. She absentmindedly gazed into it until she heard Taffyta's voice,

Taffyta: "I'm a very busy woman

And I haven't got all day

It won't cost much

Just your voice!"

And then Taffyta's face shot through the image, scaring Candlehead as she finished. She was holding a little blue jellyfish cookie and threw it right into the pit of her cauldron. It exploded into blue smoke, and I couldn't help feel a tad twinge of pity for the poor creature.

Taffyta: "You poor unfortunate soul

It's sad

But true"

Taffyta then put a hand on Candlehead's shoulder and made a contract and quill appear.

Taffyta: "If you want to cross a bridge, my sweet

You've got to pay the toll

Take a gulp and take a breath

And go ahead and sign the scroll!"

Candlehead read the first part, which read, "I, hereby hand over to Taffyta, one voice. Signed X._"

Taffyta: "Jet, Gear, now I've gother, boys

The boss is on a roll

This poor"

A stern look came onto Candlehead's face as she looked up.

Taffyta: "un"

Candlehead grabbed the pen as Chuck and Jay gasped in shock.

Taffyta: "fortunate soul."

Candlehead then turned her own head away while clenching her teeth as she signed "Candlehead" on the dotted line. When Candlehead finished signing her own name, Taffyta took the contract and smiled evilly. Her cauldron then started glowing blue.

Taffyta: "Paluga, sarruga, come winds of the Caspian Sea.

As Taffyta chanted this, a blue whirlwind appeared around her and Candlehead who looked extremely nervous.

Taffyta: "Now rings us glossitis and max laryngitis,

La voce to me!"

Then two huge green phantom like hands appeared. Each was to her left and right, and Taffyta looked towards Candlehead as she stated,

Taffyta: "Now . . . sing!"

she looked at Candlehead with an insane look in her eyes and an evil toothy grin.

Without any hesitation, she sang out, or vocalized, the tune of her song. But as she sang, a small golden sphere glowed in her throat; the small golden glowing sphere in her throat was none other than her voice. The spell was working

Taffyta: "Keep singing!"

As Candlehead did so, the hands reached out for her. As one hand reached for her, Candlehead flinched a little, but still held her tone. And then like a viper striking for a mouse and getting it, the hand shot into her mouth and ventured down Candlehead's throat. And in a few seconds, it pulled out, along with Candlehead's voice as it continued to hold the notes in her song. Candlehead saw the golden orb that was her voice, and held her throat, knowing it was lost forever. And then the hands were reeled right into Taffyta's shell necklace, which she insanely grinned at as she cackled like a maniac.

Then Taffyta began to laugh wickedly as Candlehead got trapped in a yellow bubble and she began to completely change.

Chuck and Jay watched in complete horror as Candlehead was transforming from mermaid, into human.

Candlehead's lower fish body begins to disappear as it starts to lose it's color and match Candlehead's skin tone. Her legs emerge and her tail fins become feet.