Ooh Piece of Candy

The inn felt so quiet without Miss Luna. Everything was so saddening and depressing without the greatest being in existence, but now Mai just sat alone in the inn, chomping away on some candies without much of a care. If nothing else, she was easy to please.

By time she had finished her eighth chocolate covered pretzel, she looked up to see a small envelope with her face on it. If her face was on it, that meant it was for her! She learned that much in dumb, stupid school, at least. After a few attempts to open the envelope, she finally burst open the seal and saw that a single candy was wrapped inside of the letter, but more pressing was the voice of Kenna speaking directly to her.

"Hello Mai!" Kenna's voice said, Mai looking around for the source until realizing it was from the letter. "You've been doing a good job as of late, and therefore we wish to reward you! However, one more test awaits you before we can...

Do. Not. Touch. The. Candy.

Imai would like to eat it later."

Upon hearing that last line, Mai immediately reached out to grab the candy, prepared to eat it even if it was simply eating it out of spite for the evil human she hated oh so very much. Her vision flickered on and off for a moment as her hand touched the probably sweet tasting candy, and all of a sudden she was in a world of candies. A bright smile flashed on her face as she starting running in circles, not knowing which delicious part of this wonderful wonderland she would go for first. Waterfalls of chocolate in the distance, trees made of cotton candy, the floor made of chocolate treats, and buildings made of hard candies. All of it smelled so good! Plus, there were the people that were making their way towards her. They looked like candy, too! People with cookies for heads, and cupcakes for bodies! There was absolutely nothing that could do wrong! She sprinted towards a woman made of stringy, tasty taffy, ready to hug and eat her. She pounced into the air, going in for the hug...

...and was immediately caught and punted away. She soared through the air, too confused by what was happening. A bulky behemoth of bubble gum soared in the air to meet her, Mai's teeth ready to latch on to the incoming hand!

Instead, she was spiked to - and through - the ground like the world's most child shaped volleyball in existence. Her legs were grabbed as another being picked her up, a massive gummy bear! Mai closed her eyes, ready to eat this beastie! Instead, it strung her up against a tree by her shoelaces and began to punch her in a way akin to a speed bag. The rolling punches rattled Mai in terms of pain, but there would be no long term damage to Mai's barely existent brain. Soon enough, the remaining candy people came to join in beating Mai up, the taffy girl chewing on Mai's arm, which admittedly tickled.

But then, a distant cry shouted out, and the candy people fled, a horde of green cavaliers charging down to the rescue! Mai thought them to be more candies, perhaps even apple flavored gummies themselves, but she was horrified when the cavalry came close enough for Mai to recognize the appearance and smells of her saviors.

Veggies.

At the head of the group was a man who looked like broccoli, immediately brawling with the bubblegum behemoth. The smells of his absolutely disgusting veggieness clashed against the cavalcade of wonderful candy scents floating on the air, the wonderful smells of good, tasty, yum yum candy being drowned in this... abomination of a smell.

She was soon cut down. Her savior was a man who looked like a head of lettuce. "You are safe now, my lady!" he called out in his annoying, veggie like voice. Mai immediately punched him in the face, sending him crashing into the taffy girl.

"Fear not! We will keep you safe!" the third member of her rescue team, as it were, called out, a giant with the scents and appearance of a green bean.

The three candy people disengaged for a few moments, leaping back before the bubblegum behemoth called out. "No! It cannot be! The Veggie Victors, the greatest heroes in the land! They've come to rescue Mai Stormschild from us, the Candy Criminals! Our power is no match for Lettuce Larry, the excellent source of Vitamin K, preventing her from having neurological decline and keeping her eyesight at a peak level!"

The taffy girl hissed. "Yes, and we need to be especially wary of Broccoli Benjamin, who provides a high amount of protein for a growing body in comparison to other vegetables and also is very fibrous, helping with overall health!"

The gummy bear roared, with subtitles appearing at the bottom of Mai's vision, reading "And Big Bean can beat us up with his ability to be a great source of Vitamin C, helping keep people be less sick, kuma!"

The bubblegum behemoth shook his head. "We can only do one thing! We must drain Mai's powers! Now! Candy Criminals Ultimate Move: Cavity Causer!"

Mai quickly fell to her knees, her teeth roaring in pain and her magical and physical strength draining. She looked up to see that the candy people were standing tall, and the disgusting veggie beasts were at Mai's side ready to protect.

"No! It cannot be!" the broccoli called out. "We cannot let them defeat Mai this way! They're using their ability to cause cavities!"

The Green Bean shook his head. "We cannot let this continue! If it does, then she'll have her teeth decay! And if her teeth decay too much..."

The lettuce nodded. "Yes, I fear that would be the case. If they keep this move too long, her teeth will rot and she will lose them."

The three looked at each other and nodded before the broccoli looked at Mai. "We'll need your help to defeat them, Mai!" He extended a hand, and a small green bird appeared besides Mai's face. "They're draining your powers, Mai! Quick! Eat the Peagle! He's rich in coumestrol, a nutrient that plays a role in protecting against stomach cancer!"

With that, the evil veggies ran off to duel with the good candies, Mai still in pain as her powers were sapped.