#memory redacted

[ask-his-puffiness-king-candy]

She chuckled back at him, covering her mouth a bit to not make it SO loud.

“I don’t believe a person such as yourself could ever be found to be boring, Your Majesty.” she said with a broad grin. And, honestly, that hadn’t been her first time in a Fungeon. Not that that needed to be shared persay, but still.

“But thank you, I really appreciate it. It’s nice to have your permission, sir. Thanks again for walking me here.” she bowed to him once more, before she started up the bridge and gave him a small wave.

———————–

The King smiled brightly when Cat suggested that he could never be boring. The ego boost was quite pleasant. He waved her off.

“Until next time, then! Hoo! Safe travelsth!” he called.

[ask-his-puffiness-king-candy]

“No, no, it’s fine. I have an absolutely horrible sense of direction.” she told him with a small sigh, and was both shocked and flattered when he took her arm and led her not only out of the castle, but clear up to the Rainbow Bridge.

“Wow, thank you so much!” she laughed, knowing it was a clear shot from there to Game Central.

“Ah…. well, no, I think I’m pretty good so far as getting back to where I need to be, Your Majesty. But…” she rubbed her arm a bit, staring somewhat sheepishly down at the ground before she cast her eyes upwards.

“Would it be okay if I came back to visit under less awkward pretenses?” She meant the whole, ‘You kinda did but kinda didn’t lock me in the Fungeon’ ordeal, but she would at least like to come back at some point, and would feel better having the King’s permission to do so.

———————

The King leaned forward on his cane and tried to look up into her face when the girl cast her eyes to the ground.

“No need to be shy, ah ha hoo! Of-of COURSETH you can come and visit! Any time you want to, in fact. I’m sure it’ll be more fun to get together when I don’t have sthomeone taking ova my brain. Or… tho I would assume. I could be wrong. Perhapsth I’m secretly a terrible bore.” he laughed.

[ask-his-puffiness-king-candy]

She grinned and laughed a bit.

“Heh, no, I’m fine. A bit sore from running into that stand before, but I’m alright. Thank you for the concern, though, I appreciate it. And I’m glad you’re alright now, I’m sure everyone is!” she added earnestly.

“Sorry I didn’t help or anything. Guess I’ll definitely have to start paying more attention to Minthe when she’s telling me about these things. Oh!” she said suddenly, remembering the Queen and put her hand on her forehead.

“Cripes, I forgot all about her! I hate to be a bother, sir, but do you think you could show me the way out of here so I don’t get lost again?” she asked, though sounding somewhat disappointed. She really wanted to stay and visit a while, but she was sure he probably had a lot of things he had to do as well.

————————————

King Candy giggled into his hands, then took the poor girl by the elbow to lead her out.

“Ah ha ha…! Ith-ith justh around the corner, here, actually. You’re about thirty secondsth from freedom, Cat, aheh. I’m not laughing AT you, I promiseth! Ith a little funny, I’m sorry.” he chuckled.

They took a few short turns away from the throne room and immediately found the main entryway. A couple of Oreo Guards obligingly held the door open and stood at attention as the King strolled outside with Cat. He escorted her as far as the rainbow bridge, then stood in place, rocking on his heels and twirling his cane playfully.

“Now, can you find your way from here, or ith there sthome other way I can help you?”

[ask-his-puffiness-king-candy]

“Thank goodness.” she sighed in relief, before she gave him a bit of a sheepish grin.

“Ah, yeah, well… helps when you have the right keys, I guess. Oh, so, we weren’t properly introduced-” she cleared her throat, and bowed to him.

“My name is Caitlin, Your Majesty - but please, call me Cat. It’s an honor, sir. Are you okay then?” she asked him, concerned. She hadn’t met a King Candy yet that she didn’t like.

——————————

He couldn’t stop a goofy grin from wiggling onto his face at the immediate jump from nervous to formal that Cat made. He returned the bow obligingly and tipped his crown to the young lady.

“Yeth, a pleasure to meet you, Cat. I am King Candy, of courseth, hoo hoo! And-and I am wonderful, actually! Neva betta, now that Turbo ith gone. Goodnessth. I apologize for your treatment, that wasth terrible. I do hope you’re alright…”

[ask-his-puffiness-king-candy]

“S-sorry, I ~ I WAS JUST GOING BACK.” her tone went from apologetic to worried mid-sentence, and she put her hands in front of her face, as though waiting for that blast from the cane.

“…wait what?” she lowered her hands and gave him a look at his confused tone, and returned it with a similarly dumbfounded expression.

“….King Candy?” she asked, wondering out loud.

———————————

The King gave himself a little bonk on the head, realizing who she was. “Aheh, yeth. Don’t-don’t be afraid, hoo! I thee we’ve found our way out of the Fungeon.” he chuckled. 

[ask-his-puffiness-king-candy]

“Ninja.” Cat poked her head out of the stairway, having slunk past the guards after successfully opening the cell door. She looked left and right, trying to remember which way they had taken her to the Fungeon in the first place.

“….Left, right, straight…. so…. right, left straight? Yeah, I’ll go with that.” she stepped out into the hallway, and made the right, hoping she had called that correctly on the way down.

And hoping she wouldn’t get caught and just sent back down there, not knowing the King was back to normal yet.

————————-

King Candy had been absent-mindedly shuffling through some papers while walking back to the throne room. He looked up just in time to see the young lady before they bumped into each other. He gave her a confused look, for a moment forgetting about the Fungeon ordeal because of everything that had happened in the last day.

“Can I help you with sthomething?” he asked, blinking in surprise.

[ask-his-puffiness-king-candy]

Grumbling and complaining about being locked up, Cat explored the cell  for a few minutes, checking out the walls and the small window at the back of it. She shoved the bars a bit - but they didn’t budge.

Who decided this place was fun?

She frowned to herself and glared at the cell door, pulling her keys out to look at them - there were only two on that little keychain of hers. One to get in, and one to get out.

And the shovel, naturally.

Welp, better see how the guards were doing. She walked over to the door to see if there WERE any guards out there, or if they had just locked her up and left her there.

——————————

The Guards were all playing cards with bubblegum squares in the far corner of the Fungeon. If King Turbo had known that, he’d have been FURIOUS. But for now, what did they have to worry about? A player with no special abilities? Not likely.

[ask-his-puffiness-king-candy]

“Ow, watch those spears! I kinda LIKE my jacket in one piece!” she grumbled angrily at the guards as she was led to the Fungeon. Great, just great.

Oh well. Not like this was the worst thing that could have happened. To be fair, it would have been a rather fitting end, dying in a video game was pretty cool.

She eyed the guards, trying to come up with some kind of plan or another… nope, too tired. Her brain refused to let her think about another mad dash. She still had her keys, though - she shoved her hand in her pockets with a huff, hoping to hide them from view. They unlocked cabinets to let a gamer through, why not a candy cell door?

She’d wait, though. Perhaps those years pent playing as Rouge classes might actually pay off. Or she’d just get really lucky. Either or.

———————-

King Turbo had noticed her pocketing the mini shovel, but didn’t register it as something to be concerned about. It was a toy at best. He sauntered back to the throne room, leaving the Guards to shut the prisoner away.