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Mandy's candy store used to fill up on holidays, especially when October came around. With Halloween almost upon us, Candyland's soft, innocent atmosphere became home to lots of glowing skulls hanging from the pillars, spooky pumpkins and bats made of paper cut out sloppily by a certain someone. The themed lanterns and employees costumes also helped a lot to attract the younger clientele, no matter how ridiculous it was to dress up as popular monsters to serve them. This was Chester's favorite part, to no surprise.
Bonnie filled her arms with candies, balancing them on her chest while her huge sleeves supported them—there was more room this way than in her small hands. Mandy placed one of her special candy on top of the sugary pile, and Bonnie cracked a huge smile, exposing the gap in her tooth.
“Thank you so much, Miss Mandy! You're a very nice witch,” Bonnie said, referring to the witch's hat that adorned Mandy's head.
“I'm always happy to serve you, Bonnie! Happy Halloween!” Mandy waved and her lips curved into a sympathetic smile for the child.
“Don't forget to come back on weekdays too!” Chester shouted, bursting onto the scene in his extravagant costume of a wood spirit. His wooden mask was almost impressive, Mandy had to admit.
Bonnie's shoulders shook with her laughter. “Okay! Papa Stu and Janet will like these so much,” she rambled and walked towards the exit.
But she couldn't reach the doorknob before a hand landed on her shoulder. Bonnie looked up to find Chester's woody face smiling broadly at her.
“Hey, kid. I think you should actually enjoy 99% of these candies! Whatever's left goes to them,” Chester whispered as if a decisive secret was being exchanged between them.
Mandy rolled her eyes. She knew Chester was probably up to something.
Bonnie stared at him confused, and Chester continued, “Do you know what 99% is?”
She shook her head negatively.
“It's practically all these candies!” he announced excitedly, pointing both hands towards the candies. A twinkle could be seen flickering in Bonnie's eyes. “Enjoy Halloween! Then just tell them that some playful birds stole the rest of your candy if they think it's weird.”
“Wow! You're right!” Bonnie jumped up with all her energy, making the pile of candy shake.
Chester crossed his arms over his puffed-out chest proudly. Bonnie's eyes surveyed his figure from top to bottom, those huge hopeful pupils raising a certain expectation in him—children were unpredictable, after all.
“Oh, thank you so much, Pinocchio!” she exclaimed and turned towards the door again.
Pinocchio? That was a new one.
“What was that, Chester?” Mandy asked. Her dry tone didn't seem very receptive of Chester's antics.
“Just guaranteeing another plentiful purchase of candy!” He waved his hands as if his words were worthy of special effects.
“We don't need that,” she assured him and went on to rummage through her basket of special candy.
Those candies. That's what was missing from Chester's Halloween.
Maybe Bonnie had given him a great idea of how to finally taste them.
Chester approached the counter, propping himself up with his elbow as he threw his body to the side. “You know, Mandy... I'm under a terrible curse.”
Mandy squinted at him. She already had an idea of what was to come, so a discreet smile had to paint her lips.
“It's awful not being able to taste my own candy,” he lamented, lifting his basket of goodies. "I think only special candy could solve that problem.”
“I'm not giving you my special candy, you have your own.” The denial came firm enough to make Chester almost slide off his position slumped on the counter.
“Tch,” Chester grunted, standing up. “Are you really going to let Pinocchio suffer without knowing what it's like to eat candy that real boys eat?”
“Pinocchio?” Mandy arched an eyebrow. “You're a wood spirit, Chester.”
“Not anymore! I'm Pinocchio now,” he said, staring at Mandy's incredulous face.
“All I wanted was to be a real boy.” His wailing continued, his torso leaning more and more towards where the basket was. Mandy had to hold back her laughter. Chester's hand snaking around the basket was so obvious.
“You idiot,” Mandy said, and gripped the thick sides of his wooden mask. The deep, glowing eyes were so mesmerizing, so easy to lose in the luminous tide, and if Chester knew that, it would be so much easier to ensnare her. “I think there's another way besides that.”
That statement could hit him with an avalanche of questions, but not when she was so direct about it and pulled his mask up just enough to release his lips into the fresh air of the store. It was a little stuffy in that costume, so Chester gasped at the sudden change in climate before he felt Mandy's lips close on his. A completely different hush enveloped his mouth this time, a hot kiss that made the arm stretched out towards the basket soften with each sweet wave that hit his body during the gentle movements of Mandy's lips.
Mandy took the basket behind her back and broke away from the kiss. Chester's body seemed to combust; his lips opened in paralyzed surprise.
She took one of the candies from Chester's basket and put it in his mouth. “Looks like you're a real boy now.”
Chester savored the strawberry burning on his tongue. Oh. Mandy had fooled him just right.
“Wow... Like in the Spider-Man movie, but without defying gravity!” he whispered in amazement, eliciting a snort from Mandy accompanied by a muttered “get back to work”.
He was going to let it pass this time, but only because her kiss probably had the same effect as the special candy he wanted so much.