The sweet feeling of relief. An intoxicating drive that suddenly rushes through your veins. Its forceful takeover of the senses is that's just as rapidly lost. A feeling that can light the soul ablaze and silence wild flames. It's world-changing. Or perspective shifting.

A shift of perspective that Larry was now overwhelmed by. He sat in a mound of cookie crumbs and a viscous clear liquid. He inspected his left hand, his fingers smushing the goop around his palms. His fingers made a sickening sound as they required extra force to spread apart.

Then he looked to his right. The missing limb and how his wires frayed on end. He felt like he should wrap it somehow. Not with bandages but something more robot friendly. Electrical tape?

*squelch* *squelch* *squelch*

The sound of soggy footsteps came from his left. He leaned backward till he needed to brace himself with his remaining palm. Melodie was somehow limping her way forward. Each step looked like torture as she gripped her throat, sucking in the blood that threatened to flow through her lips.

Despite her demeanor, Larry sent her a confident wave. She tried to raise an arm in response but just lifting her elbow past her shoulder fuzzed her vision. She dropped to a knee with filthy coughing fits following. Seeing her crumble got him moving. His gears creaked under his weight. Had he'd taken that much damage? How jumbled up were his insides?

He helped her to her feet. Her right arm rested across his shoulders and he braced her kindly. They hobbled along toward the new crater that Lawrie rested inside. Larry gave a hopeful call, "Lawrie! Can you stand?"

Lawrie grumbled something while he lay on his back. His brother asked again, "Are you okay?"

Lawrie's grunts got a little louder. Larry asked him to speak up only for the enforcer to shout, "Who am-am I? Colt?!" He glitched about some more before bracing himself. Pushing up till he was sitting upright. A confident fist bashed against his chest a few times with a hearty (yet fragmented) guffaw. There was a sizable dent where he absorbed the force of Otis' kill shot. Though it wasn't as bad as he expected.

He turned to his brother and gave a thumbs up. Larry and Melodie returned his smarmy smirk with disturbed grimaces. Lawrie followed along until he saw his back. There was an exit hole along his spine. It covered his entire abdomen. He saw pistons pumping and cogs spinning. Cross wires and beams peeked out of the metallic gash.

Larry turned away almost immediately. He couldn't wretch but something about the scene made his motor stall. Melodie massaged his back and confirmed for a concerned Lawrie that his brother was okay.

After they got acclimated to Lawrie's new opening the three rested against the jawbreaker from before. Lawrie was able to hobble his way to an elevated seat. Melodie sat beside him with a lopsided Larry standing up. The three felt themselves unwind.

It was finally over.

It must have been a few minutes but it felt like hours. A deployment overseas with no clear explanation had turned into a nightmare. But they were awake. They'd survived.

They won.

A fact that Melodie was quick to point out. "...we're awe-ack! Aguck-cugh!" Her throat closed on her. Flagellum and blood rushed up from her lungs. There was milk visible in the vulgar mix. Lawrie moved to assist but his servos locked up. Larry gently patted her back till she halted. She gripped her throat to signal she was okay.

Larry figured that it wasn't the best situation but at least Starr Park's physicians were the best in the world. Surely they could fix her larynx with the ease of a carpenter crafting a coffee table. Lawrie spoke through warbled stutters, "W-W-We looked hor-hor-hor-*fzzz* remarkable!"

His little brother snickered, "It could be worse." He nudged Melodie with his missing hand (an action that sent shivers down her spine), "We could be dealing with one of the Castle's 'pest' problems."

Lawrie stuttered out, "Or exiled like Ch-Chest-er-er *fzzz* Clown Boy."

Larry put a finger up dismissingly, "He's innocent until proven guilty." Their anecdotal comments continued as they bobbed along with the brook. The sound of settling chocolate chunks kept their focus as they rambled on. They drawled on till their adrenaline subsided. The pain receptors in Larry's arm sent shockwaves through his chest.

Lawrie began to contort from the heat. He let loose a harrowing wail, "Why were we given pain-ain-ain receptors?!"

Larry bit into the jawbreaker till it cracked, "I DON'T KNOW!"

Melodie kept coughing as her robotic allies writhed around like babies. She tapped the more mobile brother's shoulder to get his attention. She pointed up the ice cream hill at the statue above. Another droplet splashed into her palm just as they focused ahead. Larry asked, "Why do I have to do it?"

Melodie pointed to her throat as if it should have been obvious. Larry signaled his missing appendage which the pop star quickly ignored. He rolled his eyes; it was more logical to just play along with her delusional worldview than waste the energy arguing.

He trudged up the slick mound. His feet sank inward to the chocolaty center. He had to use his good hand to claw his way to the top. Using the statue's leg as an anchor to hoist himself up. Pulling on her solid skirt till he was to a knee. Grabbing her stagnant arm to help himself up.

Now he had made it to the peak. He was face-to-face with her for the first time. This gorgeous statuette sparked this turmoil. Their wounded bodies were all thanks to this lifeless figure. Her guardians crumbled to bits in the arena below. Their noble resistance would live on in Larry's databanks for years to come.

He followed her gaze upward. Her body was entirely brown, her eyes carved out with colorless pupils. He placed a hand on her arm and traced the length. He let his fingers entwine her own just as another droplet splashed within. The smooth liquid stuck to the miniature panels that allowed his thumb to bend.

Instinctually he opened his mouth. He tasted the custard outside. It was sweet, as expected, but it was rather spectacular. Something made it taste... better. There wasn't another word to describe it. It was better. So what was this going to taste like?

Just before it could reach his synthetic tongue Lawrie shouted, "Get the sample!"

He jolted away from the liquid. The sudden outburst made him remember, "I don't have a knife!"

Melodie reached into her drenched pockets to retrieve her pink switchblade. She tossed it up for her teammate to equip. He flicked it open and marveled at the bejeweled hilt. He looked back at the statue as he inspected a spot to carve away.

Another droplet splashed in her palm. It seemed too obvious not to choose. Nessy's thumb pointed at his head thanks to her diminutive stature. He only had one hand to work with, so he struggled to slice through the thick cocoa in a single clean swipe. When he finally got it loose he fumbled about accidently letting it slip to the ground.

Lawrie shouted, "HA! Klutz!"

Larry grumbled, "Didn't glitch that time."

He had to crouch after his lost trophy. When he had the thumb in his hand he rolled it around a few times. He checked the slice, frustrated at the dirty edges. Again he inspected it as his want to snack increased.

Then a drop of chocolate landed on his wrist. It splashed on the ground mixing with the ice cream to make a creamy wave.

It crashed into the ground shooting vanilla droplets across his arms.

It... splashed.

Larry slowly looked to his side. Something was missing. There was a distinct lack of silky-smooth legs. He found himself struggling to stand. He saw no elegant dress. His body shuddered. His shock absorbers finally shattered.

Nessy was gone.

...

...

"...AGK!" *thud* *thud*

The sound of bodies collapsing could be heard from behind. He forced himself to look at his friends. Their bodies violently thrashed about on the ground. A viscous brown ooze spewed out their orifices. Lawrie's back oozed with the same goop that was swallowing up Melodie's face. He could hear her choking under the deep brown goo. She scratched and clawed as it solidified faster than she could swipe.

Standing between them was a deep brown mistress. Her skirt flowed in a non-existent breeze. Her fingers flexed wildly while her neck rolled around like a marionette doll. The sound of solid chocolate cracking apart showed her body breaking free.

For a moment she looked over her shoulder. He could see the cracks rolling up her chin. They increased in length as she began to sink. The chocolate below morphed into a course liquid that swallowed her slowly. Just before her head vanished a green light could be seen.

With a quaint pop, she disappeared. The ground returned to its original stillness. Larry traced the grounds around him. He refused to move from his perch. The high ground. It was the one advantage he had.

A drop of chocolate landed on his head. He swung around with a back fist hoping to knock her away. But no one was there. He was graced with another drop. He stepped away to inspect his surroundings. It was the same drops that she had caught just a moment before.

He followed them as they increased in intensity. One turned to two. Two to four. Lone releases transitioning into a constant stream. It poured down from above glazing the ice cream below. As it caked up something plugged the hole from above. He looked at his feet. They were covered in a layer of chocolate.

Then suddenly a massive object shot from the ground. It erupted from the peak like an active volcano. Nessy had suddenly arrived. She was again staring up at the ceiling. She had her eyes closed as if waiting for another drop to fall.

Larry was unable to speak. He felt a fear he had not experienced in the fights before. A terror like no other. He thought for a moment about his match with Plymouth. That fake Lawrie from before. What he said. About Plymouth being undefeatable.

'Plymouth lied.'

At first, he thought it was Otis that he should prepare for. But now, staring at her forehead as a drop finally plopped down. Watching her eyes flick open like a light switch. A set of neon saucers in a forest of summer leaves. A view so stunning he lost his grip on her severed thumb.

They'd made a mistake.

He reached for his pistol.

She flicked her index.

Suddenly, he felt incredibly heavy.

A massive weight had lodged itself in his chest. He followed her raised hand. The finger had rapidly grown twenty times the size. How it ran through his chest with a massive, spiked base in the front and a razor-sharp needlepoint speared through his back. He released his grip on his gun. A hand rubbed against the chocolate spike.

It was so smooth.

She pulled back, retracting her living weapon and removing some electronics with it. Larry fell back into a junk pile of his parts. He felt his motherboard soak in the melting cream. His vision shifted to static. He slid down the mound until bumping against the chocolate floor.

His systems went into overdrive. He needed to back up this data. Send it to Starr Park. Warn others. The mocha villainess made her way down the mound. She strutted like a model. Yet her measured approach made him think of a crouching puma.

He tried to send out his final message, but he had no connection within the cave. Not even Lawrie was able to receive a message with his transceiver damaged.

She was now at his feet. She slid to her knees. Crawling up his body. Placing her hand into the donut she created with only a finger. He could barely see her face now. She had her mouth open. Her tongue dripped a bit of chocolate onto his chest.

Verdant half-lidded eyes stared longingly. She dragged something along his nose. Her thumb now used as a stick of dark-brown chalk. She placed it on her tongue so he could watch her chew. When it was a fine paste, she opened her mouth once more as she drew closer. Their lips mere centimeters away from each other.

Her tongue pushed past his lips first. His cold metal maw forced open as something colder slinked along his tongue. It lathered its sauce along every inch of his mouth. Soft tulips rested against his metallic jaw.

She continued for a few minutes more. Holding his jaw as she ground deeper into him. Despite him being a bot, she desperately tried to take his breath away. After an intense moment more, she pulled away with a powerful smack. Threw ragged breaths she swooned, "You... are..."

PERFECTION!

It's the only word that came to mind. His CPU knew no other phrase. It was a feeling he'd heard of once before. She huffed a sweet scent into his nasal passage. His registers lit back up as if he'd been born a new. His neck craned forward like a chick begging for Mother's meal.

Yet she pulled away. Denying him his dinner. He no longer felt the pain. Was he dying? Can a robot experience heaven? If so, he'd die over and over again. So long as he got to taste her one more time.

Life itself wasn't worth it if he couldn't have her. Or was the wait for her flavor worth the suffering of existence? He chased after her. Crawling ahead despite his wounds. He paid no mind to how his body changed. The oozing brown liquid rushed down his throat clogging up his systems. He followed her as she beckoned him forth. A waving finger pulled him with an invisible string.

His hands sunk into the ice cream. When they came back up, they had changed colors. It began at his chest. The brown goo turned into an oozing red rush. It crept along his plates and worked through his inner workings.

His body morphed.

Twirling tendrils of red licorice replaced his limbs. They wrapped around atop each other until his body developed candy muscles. Lean limbs with powerful quads. His knuckles were yellow with a thin weave of veins running up to his shoulders. His toes were the same.

His groin and eyes had orange accents. They traced his torso to meet in the middle. Right where the massive hole Nessy left once was. A massive swirling spiral of amber candy twirls on his chest with a matching tiny orange dot on his back. Perfectly filling the gash that his queen had left him.

He was disrespectful. Defiant. Insubordinate. He deserved to be struck down.

But Lady Mocha Lota, she was so merciful. Despite his treason, she spared him. Gave him a gift. A life.

Purpose.

The madam returned to her perch atop the ice cream mountain. She held her shoulders and pushed back her hair. Again she graced him with her gaze. A sultry wiggle of her rear was all the sign he needed.

Gumdrop eyes nearly popped out of his skull as he tripped over his gummy feet. As he got closer something bumped into him. It clambered over Larry's back and rushed after his queen. Larry snatched the black mass's leg and pulled it back. This filthy beast dared to touch her perfect skin?

HE'LL KILL IT!

It turned around appalled that something stopped it. Larry looked at himself in a blacked-out mirror. It had lemon drops for eyes whereas he had purple gumdrops. Black licorice with blue knuckles and veins. Deep purple accents that matched his yellow knuckles. The only creative difference was that he had a tiny dot in the center of his torso. When he checked his back he saw a giant purple spiral of licorice. His wounds were reflections of Larry's.

"Lawrie?"

The twins stared at each other in vague silence. Their eyes spun in circles as they took the other in. Then Lawrie raised a black squishy foot. He smiled down at his brother. "Sorry!"

He kicked his little brother back down the hill. The authoritative twin grimaced as his brother popped up with a nice little swirl of ice cream on his head. He shrugged explaining, "I'm sure you understand." He turned back to Nessy as she winked at her dark protector, "The Queen's NECTAR!"

Just as he leaped ahead he was immediately smacked back down the mound. He slammed into a very angry Larry who quickly jumped up and began wrestling with his brother. The two spun around in the rubble of their previous clashes kicking up a sugary sweet dust cloud.

"AHEM!"

The two stopped mid-conflict. With one munching on the other's fist, they stared upward. Something was floating. It had light green and white swirling skin. Its glossy carapace reflected the milky aquifer and milk chocolate floors. It floated up to the duo, pushing its teal flossy follicles aside and adjusting the golden halo on her head.

A translucent strip of mint followed her rear as she flew circles around them. She opened her mouth as an unintelligible sound came out. It wasn't a voice but a sound effect. Like a soft humming coming from a strummed piano string.

She wagged her finger in their face shunning their immature actions. The two looked at each other before agreeing. They stuck out matching pink tongues and flipped off their now mute companion.

She huffed at them before floating back up to Nessy. The two ladies whispered something before snickering to themselves. The boys exchanged glances with each other before rushing up again. Melodie pushed ahead stopping the two in their tracks once more.

Nessy watched as her new guardians bickered with one another. She had gained quite the protectors this time. She didn't think anyone could defeat Otis and his friends. But as more of them fell with each visitor it was only a matter of time until a new bastion was born.

She returned to her original stance. The nectar from above began its regenerative effects on her missing thumb. Melodie saw her queen resting and began a sentry-like watch over her. The boys agreed to rest at her feet. They would guard the entrance in preparation for visitors much like themselves. All the while the three thought about that cookie monster's claims. The promise that spurred his rabid resistance against their exploration.

Some day she would awake. Then they would get to taste her gift once more.