The Cursed Batch (Wonka)
This is a writing for @gtgotcha4gaza
I'm sorry this took so long omg hopefully the donator will enjoy it-
This is a short story that revolves around the 2023 Wonka movie. This is a SFW work.
You can find this story on Wattpad and AO3
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If Noodle had to pick her most favorite place out of the entire world, that would be Willy's factory. Like most kids her age with a sweet tooth, she adored being surrounded by sweets, chocolate, and the soothing smell of fresh cocoa. Compared to the faceless candy shops in her area that presented their mass produced and imported goods as top quality, Willy's creations were on a whole other level. He used unique and rare ingredients, always achieving a new, unique and improved flavor. Whenever he felt inspired, he would create.
It was one of those days when Noodle passed the gates of the brightly colored building in search of her friends. Walking through the long corridor, she pushed a door that read “Experimentation Room” which she recognized as their usual hangout spot. Inside, she found the familiar image of Willy mixing several odd liquids of different porosity and color in a small pot. Meanwhile, the shorter man was running around, searching on shelves and cupboards for the ingredients requested. His short legs made for a comedic sight but Noodle managed to contain her giggles. She was glad Willy and Lofty overcame their differences. It seemed the one thing they both adored made them unite: chocolate.
The two men were so absorbed in their work it took them a good while to notice the girl that stood by the half closed door and timidly observed their whereabouts.
“Noodle!” called out Willy, “What are you doing there, silly? Come on in already!” His cheerful demeanor coaxed her to approach the wooden table the taller man had been hunched over.
“New recipe?” Willy hummed in agreement. The same moment, Lofty approached, holding a glass vial which contained a bright blue liquid with an almost gelatine look and texture. Her curiosity got the better of her. “What's that?”
Willy grinned. “That, my dear Noodle, is a secret ingredient known to bring happiness to anyone who ingests it.” Soon after, the whole vial is poured into the mixture and Willy is mixing the contents of the pot until the liquids develop a soft, minty color. “You'll have the honor to try it first.” He announced, and if it was any other day she would've been overjoyed, but her mother's stern words still rang in her ears.
“I'm sorry, but mom said we're having guests over tonight and I can't spoil my appetite. She'll know if I have even the tiniest piece…”
“Oh.” The cheerful guy seemed to falter ever so slightly after hearing her words. Lofty on the other hand perked up and looked at Willy with longing.
“Don't look at me like that. You're not having any.”
“Why not?” The frustration in his voice was evident.
“Should've thought about this before emptying yesterday's batch, little guy.” he teased, expecting the smaller man's flaring temper in return which didn't disappoint the slightest.
“First of all, I am NOT short. My height is quite respectable, and second of all, it was just so tasty I couldn't restrain myself.”
“Then your punishment is to watch me try it all by myself.” he stated before bringing a small piece of chocolate past his lips. He didn't expect so many flavors to burst in his mouth, his tongue not knowing which one to pick up first. A trace of vanilla, a hint of salted caramel and the bittersweet aftertaste of mint were the main tastes battling for dominion in that singular piece of chocolate and once the short lived delight was over, Willy felt obliged to have some more. The content humming that escaped his throat was the only evidence of how much he enjoyed it and the jealousy on Lofty's features was visible.
~~~
Although her visit ended quicker than she would've liked (as per her mother's orders), her time there was proven to be no less fun, despite the shorter duration. She also unwillingly noticed how Willy scarfed down the entire bar of chocolate by the time she had to leave. She was mostly amused by Lofty's refusal to speak to him for that exact reason and she had to keep herself from laughing lest she resurgened the shorter man's anger. Like always, Willy prepared a basket for Noodle to take home, filled with several chocolates and sweets, saying she should treat her guests as well. And like always, Noodle jumped in the man's arms for a hug. But something felt out of place. Willy had always been a tall guy, but Noodle could've sworn she used to come at least up to his chest. She shrugged it off, thinking it was merely her mind playing tricks on her and left, but not without giving Lofty a hug as well.
The next day she was pleasantly surprised when her mother announced she was baking an apple pie and that she'd like her to deliver it to Willy, as a thank you for the treats he sent. So there she was, skipping through the busy streets of her town, pie in both arms and a big smile to conclude the merry image. Before she knew it, the all too familiar walls passed before her in a flash and she was about to traverse the production room which was supposed to be the final obstacle between her and her friends.
It was supposed to be, but it wasn't.
She didn’t expect to find her friends in such a predicament but there they were, Willy leaning against a wall while trying not to knock over any of the precious cauldrons with the sugary substance, mainly because he was nearing about 20 feet in height. And crazily enough, his body was still expanding. Lofty, who seemed even smaller when compared to Willy's current stature, was standing on his shoulder and trying to reassure him. Their previous bicker appeared to be the last thing to occupy his mind at the face of his friend's problem.
Noodle couldn't hold the gasp that escaped her mouth nor stop her eyes from turning beady at the sight. The shock was so great her arms buckled and the pie was met with the cold floor. The man that was perfectly normal sized not even a day ago now towered over the entire room like a mountain.
“Noodle? Is that you?”
His voice betrayed his anguish and frustration as his body kept steadily enlarging bit by bit. His clothes thankfully remained intact but the fear in his eyes made her heart shatter.
“Willy? W-What happened?” she asked reluctantly.
“I don't know! It was so sudden it caught us by surprise as well…”
Instead of being the one surprising him, he ended up surprising her. The gears in her head turned hastily as the girl tried to connect the dots for her friend's sake, who was now drowning in despair. “Was it something you ate…?” she questioned. Willy appeared to be in thought for a moment but hastily shook his head. “No way. All I ate was chocolate.”
Noodle wasn't surprised by his revelation but she still wondered how he could eat so many sweets yet never gain a single pound. Then, it was almost like a light bulb switched on inside her head. She turned to Willy with a questioning look.
“What did you put in the chocolate?”
Willy had to think for a second, but Lofty took the lead and started stating the ingredients one by one. After naming nearly twenty ingredients that Noodle had never heard of before, Willy seemed to perk up at the mention of one in particular.
“...Liquid stardust, Unicorn's milk, Giant's size–”
“–Giant's size?!” Willy exclaimed wide-eyed. “I asked for a Giant's smile, not Giant's size!”
The room fell silent.
For Willy, the situation felt hopeless. As for Noodle, she was incredibly disheartened by her friend's predicament and aimed to find a solution in her little mind. And then, it suddenly dawned on her.
“If a chocolate made you grow, then another chocolate might make you shrink.”
Willy's head rose, his eyes lighting up at the prospect but the hope in them immediately dwindled upon remembering his still increasing size. At this point his top hat had nearly reached the ceiling and his expanding body could barely fit in the small corner he tried to fit into.
“It's hopeless. I'm in no position to make chocolate in this size. I'm simply too big.” he mused, plunging into despondency with every inch he gained.
Noodle and Lofty shared a glance, apparently having the same idea. Lofty cleared his throat, indicating he was about to speak to their giant friend.
“Well, this was an error on my part and I am terribly sorry. I therefore am much obliged to create an antidote for your predicament with the help of the little lass over here.”
Noodle almost rolled her eyes at the last part, as it was unfitting for someone who barely reached 3 feet to call her “little”. She wanted to say something sassy to the shorter man but refrained as she noticed the way Willy's face regained some of its usual warm expression.
“You'd do that for me?” he asked with a smile on his face. As for Lofty, he coughed and removed his gaze from the giant before him. “Of course, we are colleagues,” he said in a rush, “now if you don't mind I have urgent work to do!”
Noodle and Lofty raced through the chaotic remains of the Experimentation Room, where Willy, now an oversized giant, sat in an awkward position, his head almost scraping the ceiling.
“We don’t have much time!” Noodle exclaimed, her eyes darting around the room. Willy groaned, his voice rumbling in the distance, “Please… hurry…”
Lofty scribbled down a quick recipe on a piece of paper he found lying around. “Our main ingredients are shrinking berries,” he muttered, “and something to stabilise the formula. Got it?”
Noodle nodded. “On it!” She sprinted to the factory’s greenhouse, returning moments later with a handful of tiny purple berries. Meanwhile, Lofty fired up a small pot of melted chocolate on a portable burner.
“Start with the berries!” Lofty ordered, his hands moving fast. Noodle crushed them, their juice oozing a vibrant violet, and quickly mixed them into the sizzling chocolate. The room filled with the scent of sweetness and ripe berries.
“We need something to balance it!” Lofty said, grabbing a vial from a nearby counter. He poured in a few drops of an amber liquid, essence of balance, he called it and it was apparently a rare ingredient that would neutralise any extreme effects. The mixture hissed and swirled, turning a deep shade of indigo.
“Done!” Noodle exclaimed as Lofty quickly stirred the mixture, making sure it was smooth. They poured it into a small mold, cooling it with liquid nitrogen in seconds. At last, the chocolate was ready. Noodle climbed up onto one of Willy’s enormous hands and held out their creation. “Here, eat this!”
Willy, carefully trying not to drop the child in his palm, managed to grasp the tiny chocolate between two fingers and popped it into his mouth. At first, nothing happened. He’d plunge into another depressive episode if he hadn't eventually begun to shrink. His massive limbs receded, his body shifting to becoming more like his original size. In minutes, he was back to his usual lanky self, sitting in the middle of the dishevelled room.
The former giant sighed in relief, glad to be back to his normal size. “It worked!” he exclaimed, not believing his eyes. He feared he'd grow big enough to bust through the ceiling! Noodle, happy to see her friend back to his cheerful self, she jumped in his arms hugging him tightly. “I'm happy you're not a giant anymore, Willy. You got us worried back there.”
The man smiled fondly, wrapping his long arms around the girl in his grasp. “Thank you for helping me out.” his gaze shifted to meet Lofty's eyes as well. “You too.” he added. The shorter man merely nodded, acknowledging Willy's appreciation. After a moment of silence he opened his mouth to voice something but was interrupted by Willy, who somehow read his thoughts. “No, we're not making another batch of that cursed chocolate.”
Lofty frowned but sealed his mouth nonetheless.
