225 New Candyland [Two-D]
225 New Candyland [Two-D]
New Candyland was loud in a way Lockworld had never been. Not the screaming, sirens, or panic kind of loud, but laughter, machinery, music bleeding from half-finished speakers, and the constant clatter of construction layered with sugar-sweet aesthetics that made no architectural sense whatsoever.
It looked like an amusement park had collided headfirst with a city and decided to commit.
Whimsy’s taste was everywhere. Curved buildings like spun candy, pastel bridges that arched too high to be practical, streetlamps shaped like lollipops that the construction crew had already rewired twice because she kept changing her mind about the glow color. Pink was out. No—rose gold. No—“a warmer joy-pink,” whatever that meant.
The Company had been generous, I’d give them that. Financial aid, logistics, even offshore consultants. Still, half our people were already lining up resumes, looking for work beyond the island. Old habits died hard. Independence mattered to us. Maybe now more than ever.
“So,” I said, licking at a soft-serve cone that was already threatening to drip onto my glove, “you’ve decided what to do yet, Vibe?”
She stood beside me on the elevated boardwalk, dark hair tied back, the pink at the tips catching the sun. Her eyes tracked a crane lowering a carousel roof into place.
“I still can’t believe we actually made it,” she said slowly. “Like… really made it. We’re getting a country. A real one.” She grinned, then added with far more enthusiasm, “And boys. We’re letting boys in now.”
I snorted. “Truly revolutionary.”
She elbowed me. “I’m serious! Do you know how long it’s been since that was even discussed without Whimsy glaring holes through people?”
I did know. Too well.
Back in Lockworld, Whimsy had ruled Candyland like a fortress monastery, bright, sweet, and absolutely closed off. The man-hating matriarch image wasn’t entirely fair, but it wasn’t wrong either. Whatever had happened to her before Lockworld had left scars deep enough that she’d rather build an entire civilization without men than risk reopening them.
Age had made her rigid. Experience, though… experience had finally softened her.
She’d chosen survival over purity.
“I thought you’d already slept with half the construction crew,” I said casually.
Vibe spluttered. “Hey! Allegedly. And besides… half of them are married, and the other half look at us like we’re radioactive.”
“That might be the capes thing,” I said. “Or the Company contracts.”
She rolled her eyes. “Still stupid. If a dozen hot women openly flirt with you, you say thank you. That’s just manners.”
I laughed despite myself. She wasn’t wrong. Even before Lockworld, there’d always been that gap… powered and non-powered, fear wrapped in envy, and envy dressed as caution. No one had ever explained it properly. Maybe no one could.
Since getting internet access back, I’d been reading obsessively, comparing worlds, histories, fault lines. Different contexts, same fractures.
“Two-D!”
Halo leaned out from the ice cream truck parked at the curb, silver hair twisted into a neat bun that absolutely did not match the cartoon decals on the truck. She held out a cone piled high with rocky road.
“For you.”
I took it after I just finished my soft serve in a few bites. “You’re a saint.”
“On the house,” she said.
“On the truck,” Vibe corrected automatically.
Halo waved her off. “Details.”
She leaned closer, lowering her voice. “Heard from Elena or Terra lately?”
I shook my head. “Not really. Terra’s talking with the boss about forming her own construction division, since she wants Candyland-built by Candyland hands. As for Elena…” I hesitated. “I don’t know.”
“So, any plans?” Halo asked, leaning her elbows on the counter of the ice cream truck.
Vibe didn’t even hesitate. “I’m waiting for the mercenary system to take effect. I wanna get off the island, have fun, hang around, sleep with handsome dudes, write songs, and eventually become a rebel rock star.”
I facepalmed so hard my fingers stung. This girl genuinely did not come with a concept of brakes.
Halo laughed and turned to me. “How about you, Two-D?”
“I don’t really know,” I admitted. “I might rely on the mercenary system too.”
The words felt strange in my mouth. Back then, everything I did revolved around Candyland, around survival, around the group. Now the group had… loosened. People drifted. People chose. With this new world came fewer constant threats, but also fewer reasons to cling to one another every single day.
We needed capable people more than ever, yet I’d already heard rumors of executives stepping down, veterans deciding to explore, combat power thinning out as freedom took root. That was the price of choice, I supposed.
I changed the subject before the mood could sink. “What about you, Halo? Are you really satisfied with this? An ice cream truck?”
She scratched the back of her head and laughed, a little embarrassed. “You might not believe me, but yeah. This is all I ever wanted.”
I blinked. “Seriously?”
“Before I got kidnapped, brainwashed, forced into villain business, caught, and dumped into Lockworld,” she continued cheerfully, “I was an ice-cream truck owner’s daughter.”
Vibe snorted. I stayed quiet.
Halo clenched her fist dramatically. “I still remember the heartbreak. Cookies and cream. Slipped right off the cone. And then—bam!—abducted by perverts. Truly tragic. If I could relive my days with ice cream, I’d take it in a heartbeat.”
Not with her dad. With ice cream.
That… explained a lot. No wonder she’d been one of the most well-adjusted among us in Lockworld. Even Vibe, born and raised in Candyland, wanted out. As for me?
Candyland had always been home. And now it wasn’t the same home anymore.
“Hey—h-hey guys! Sorry, I’m late!”
Terra jogged over, slightly out of breath, waving. There was a guy beside her, tall, awkward, clearly not used to being stared at.
Vibe’s eyes lit up. “Oh shit. You two got together? What’s your name again?”
“Lance,” the poor guy said, immediately shrinking under her gaze as she openly sized him up like he was a dessert menu.
I smacked the back of her head. “Control yourself.”
“Ow! Worth it,” she muttered.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. I checked the message and sighed.
[Elena: Boss wants to see you. Now.]
I looked back at them. “Catch up without me. I’ve gotta go. The boss is calling.”
Halo gave me a small wave. Vibe grinned. Terra smiled apologetically.
I walked to the boss’s office at the center of the island, a two-story building that still smelled faintly of fresh paint. Construction hadn’t fully stopped, but it had slowed to a crawl. From what I’d heard, Whimsy insisted on personally “fixing” things, and whenever she got involved, schedules died screaming.
To be fair, she’d built Candyland herself from its structure, its defenses, and its entire ecosystem. No diploma, no formal training, just raw experience and stubborn brilliance. Without her, none of us would’ve survived Lockworld.
I stopped in front of the door.
From inside, I heard furious cursing.
“I am telling you to shove your twelve-inch dick down your own throat, choke on it, jerk off your partner, and then die, cock-sucking—”
I knocked, suddenly very aware of my timing.
“Come in,” Whimsy barked.
I stepped inside.
Whimsy was leaning back in her chair, squeezing a stress ball so hard I thought it might explode. Her expression was pure irritation, the kind that had flattened armies in the past.
“Sorry you had to hear that,” she said without prompting. “I’m trying to apply future knowledge in a world that’s a hundred years behind, and what do I get? Scam accusations. Me. Pffft. Their loss. The Organza Mafia family just picked up a new ally anyway. Damn idiots.”
I hesitated, then asked carefully, “Is there really any point in intervening with time? You were imprisoned for a long time. Wouldn’t your knowledge be… outdated?”
“I’m not helping this world,” she said flatly. “I’m helping the other me.”
That caught me off guard.
She continued, seeing my confusion. “In this life, apparently, I never pulled. Do you know what happened? I got married and even had a happy family! It was normal, boring, and painfully peaceful. But my descendant? Coerced into a mafia family. That’s who I’m trying to help.”
That was… unexpected.
“As for the future knowledge,” she added, waving a hand, “that came from Eclipse. He gave it to me willingly. Said it was better to extract value from it before the butterfly effect wrecked everything. Strange man. Efficient, though.”
My chest tightened slightly at the name.
“And that,” Whimsy said, finally looking at me directly, “is why I called you.”
There was another knock.
“Enter,” she said.
Elena walked in, bright-eyed and composed. “Sis, you’re here!”
I nodded. “Good to see you’re healthy.”
As a high-level psychic, Elena would become a natural shield against spies and intrusions. No wonder she was getting pulled deeper into administration work.
Elena clasped her hands behind her back. “Someone from the Company just arrived. They’re here to pick you up.”
I frowned. “Am I getting sold or something?”
Whimsy laughed, avoiding my eyes. “It’s not like that.”
For someone who’d lived centuries, she was an awful liar.
She sighed. “Let me explain. You can refuse, of course. The future information Eclipse gave me? It came with a request. He wants you. Specifically you.”
My stomach dropped.
She grinned, trying to soften it. “Isn’t that great? Maybe you moved his heart. You’ve got the body, the face, the power—”
I snorted. “I don’t think he’s that kind of man.”
Elena nodded thoughtfully. “I doubt it’s romantic. More likely… research. You’re an intangibility-class cape. He’s the same. From what I’ve studied, Eclipse is a genius in his specialization. This could be about deepening his understanding of his own power.”
She paused, then added far too casually, “If it’s about DNA, that’s still advantageous. Connections matter.”
I stared at her.
Whimsy looked anywhere but at me.
So that was it, huh?
I took a moment to think, tuning out the noise of their voices and forcing myself to look at the situation objectively.
This wasn’t a summons. It was an opportunity.
If I went, I wouldn’t just be some pawn dragged into Eclipse’s orbit. Instead, I could become a bridge. A liaison between the Company and New Candyland. That alone made it worth serious consideration. As for why Eclipse wanted me specifically… that part was still a mystery, but mysteries weren’t always bad. Sometimes, they were leverage waiting to be understood.
Elena was definitely overthinking it.
I looked back at Whimsy. “Boss, is there more? Did Eclipse say anything else?”
She leaned back, folding her arms. “He said he’s very interested in your power. Beyond that, nothing. And just to be clear, you’re free to decline. I’ll take my people’s side any day of the week. This is your call, D. What do you think?”
I didn’t hesitate. “Let’s take the deal.”
Whimsy raised a brow. “Just so everything’s crystal clear… the future information he gave me? That was a gift. A sweetener. He said outright that if you don’t want to come, you don’t have to.” She paused, then added dryly, “He did mention that if you refused, he might visit you himself at some point to… confer. Sounded a bit like a threat, didn’t it?”
Elena shook her head. “I was there, boss. I’m fairly certain it wasn’t a threat. He projected an empathic handshake, very controlled, very deliberate. He genuinely doesn’t mean harm. He wants to do business with us in a straightforward, honest way.”
I nodded. “I believe that. I want this. So what do I need to do?”
Whimsy smiled, a rare expression that carried more pride than mischief. “By agreeing, we get more benefits, so that’s already a win. When you get there, you’ll be asked to sign a contract. He let me read a copy, and the terms are good. Very good.” Her eyes sharpened. “You can renegotiate if you want something more, but I suggest you send me a copy after you sign. Just so I can make sure you didn’t get cheated.”
She gestured at the mountainous stack of paperwork on her desk. “Now, Elena, take her to the helipad. I’ve still got work to do.”
I stood and inclined my head. “Thank you, boss.”
We reached the helipad just as the wind kicked up, carrying the smell of salt and fresh concrete.
Two figures were already there, leaning near the aircraft like they owned the place. One had white hair, neatly kept, posture relaxed but alert. The other was huge and built like a wall that decided to walk around instead of staying put.
The big one snorted. “So, you bleached your hair for real? Doesn’t suit you. I thought you were just dyeing it, trying different colors.”
“Focus,” the white-haired man said flatly. “She’s here.”
Elena gestured toward them. “Two-D, this is Abner and Keegan from the Company. They’re here to pick you up.”
Abner inclined his head, polite and measured. “Nice to meet you, miss. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.”
Keegan flashed a wide grin, rolling his shoulders. “And if you need someone to take a beating, I’m your guy.” He glanced around the sky, amused. “I’ll be escorting you two back home, though honestly, I doubt you need one. Still, expect a little skirmish or two.”
I raised a brow. “Skirmish?”
He chuckled. “This world’s capes are a curious bunch. And they’re dying to find out what New Candyland is capable of.”
I smiled back, letting a little anticipation slip through.
“Oh,” I said lightly, “you’re going to find out soon… if we really are expecting a fight.”