(Disclaimer in original post)

--Willy Wonka’s POV—

 

He set the phone down harder then usual, he couldn’t believe that had come out of his mouth. He had outright and unintentionally indicated something along a sexual insinuation with him was her reason behind the interview. Where had that come from? He had relationships in the past, but clearly none of them had worked in his favor and his bad habit of dumping candy on them when hurt hadn’t helped the matter either. He was by no means innocent and hadn’t thought along those lines in a very long time. “EW!” he shuddered at the thought; she was a reporter after all and not as nice as Charlie seemed to believe.

 

“She’s put the candy coating over Charlie’s eyes.” Willy jumped startled by his own voice; he had been in his office most of the morning grumbling about ‘Luna Raven’ and how Charlie was suddenly interested in the reporter. “Doris?” he was startled by the familiar female Oompa Loompa, she wore a pink skirt and white sweater, her glasses oddly too large for her tiny face.

 

“Good Morning Mr. Cocoa Bean.” She signed with a small smile and amused expression, she had heard every one of his messages and brief rants, it was amusing seeing a single reporter getting under his skin like that. “You have papers to sign for shipment orders, and this…” she handed him a professional looking letter again from the Town Post, before clearing her way out of his office with a resounding click from the door behind her.

 

Willy eyed the pale blue tinted envelope, this one was different then the others he had received from the editor, almost feminine. He eyed the easy to read curvy scrawl and sighed in annoyed defeat. It was quite possibly from the rather irritating Yvonne Lesley for her mishap the other morning. He nearly dropped the letter once he read the signature at the bottom, and wrinkled his nose attempting to make sense of the flowery scent that flowed from the paper. “Cherry blossoms.” He noted deciphering the scent after a moment of thought.

 

Dear Mr. Wonka,

 

        I would like to request a formal invite to see you. I would like to interview you and get your side of the story for our local public, and would wish for you to understand that I take my job very seriously. I will not under any circumstances allow anything between us during the interview to become public knowledge without your consent. I am not an average reporter and can give you some highly welcome references from previous interviews I have done. They also come with interesting tales of my stubbornness, but I kept my word to each of them. In this respect they have agreed to give me recommendation if needed. I have included the list and other information for your reference. Please reply as soon as possible at the enclosed email and I do hope you accept this offer.

 

                                                Sincerely,

                                                        Luna Raven (Reporter Town Post)

 

“Adding a little bit of a thicker sugary coating Ms. Raven?” he tossed the letter irritably inside the desk drawer with ‘reporter’s’ written on it. This woman was grating on his nerves without even really trying, and had somehow gotten to his Protégée’s kinder side. He would be seeing her that night at dinner, he knew this for a fact and at that time he had a plan to confront the girl. Whether she was permitted to leave the factory afterward would be anyone’s guess, but he was determined to find out what her game was.

 

--Luna Raven’s POV—

 

I stood uselessly inside my closet for several minutes, I couldn’t stop fuming over Willy Wonka’s rather blunt and rude behavior and what was worse is I couldn’t shake the image of him out of my mind. I had combed the folder Yvonne attempted to assault me to death with a hundred times, his pictures seeming to burn his image within my brain somehow. I freely admit I found him oddly attractive, but his personality was much to be desired and clearly he was full of himself. I smacked my wall angrily without realizing it and winced feeling my palm throbbing painfully; I had let the inanimate win over my temper. “Alright…if he wants to play games, so be it. I’m good at this and I will not give into him. I will strangle the man with his own licorice whip candies first.” I smirked at the rather dangerous thought and slid into my clothes, making sure my bellbottoms weren’t too wrinkled and buttoning my long sleeved bell sleeved dark sapphire top. I was satisfied with my outfit, but I wasn’t satisfied with how I felt at the moment.

 

I was still angry and I knew for a fact Charlie would pick up on it, and then I would have to explain the rather rude messages, and the previous phone call. He didn’t need that on his mind, I could deal with Mr. Wonka on my own and I would make sure the man got a piece of my mind when I met him. I would be polite and proper, but if I could manage an alone time with him, I would show him I wasn’t as sugary and spicy as he thought. Determined to calm myself down I put in the soundtrack from “Pan’s Labyrinth” and brushed out my damp hair. The songs soothed my nerves and after adjusting my silver earrings and skull pendant I felt pretty good.

 

“That’s neat.” I was surprised by the sudden appearance of Charlie outside my doorway and glanced at my skull pendant. “I take it you are as dangerous as the skull and crossbones make you out to be?” he questioned with an amused tone noting my smirk.

 

“Nope, but it is effective when Yvonne pushes her luck.” I giggled slightly at the curious expression on his face before making my way to the kitchen. “She doesn’t like me much Charlie, rather she hates me in case you forgot…she’s the one that shoved me the other day.” His sad frown made me pause; he was truly sympathetic to my situation and offered me a brief shy smile. “Don’t feel sorry for me, I can handle her easy. She’s just jealous that I can handle jobs, which she doesn’t have the grace for…” I paused noting he had been reading one of my many favorite books. “…I take it you’re fond of Sherlock Holmes?” he nodded realizing I had changed the subject quickly from my job, clearly he knew whom I was avoiding in our conversation and again that oddly concerned look seemed to haunt his eyes.

 

He motioned for me to follow him into the living room and placed the books aside. “Luna…” I met his concerned blue eyes, he fidgeted nervously before continuing. “…Willy isn’t dangerous, I swear that isn’t the reason I’m worried. He’s just far more demented than anyone really understands. I have no idea what he’s planning, but since I mentioned meeting you he’s been oddly…” he paused watching me almost as though studying me. “…He’s been acting far more unusual then he normally does, he’s got hundreds of schemes going through his mind I can see it behind his eyes, but he’s far more occupied then usual.” An almost glimmer appeared in those eyes and I got the sudden sinking feeling he was reading this situation in the wrong way.

 

“Charlie…are you saying you’re concerned that Mr. Wonka has possibly taken a romantic interest in me?” I eyed him skeptically. “Yeah right, more like an interest in making me another confectionary treat for the office to gossip about; as long as it isn’t Cherry I’m good.” I ignored my thoughts and kept my gaze firmly locked on the boy before me.

 

“Maybe…he hasn’t been this off since…” he considered what he knew about Willy Wonka and what the Oompa Loompa’s had shared with him on his personal life. “According to Fletcher, an Oompa Loompa that’s known him for a while, he hasn’t acted like this in five years, since his last girlfriend sort of…well scratch that, she cheated on him several times over and rubbed his broken heart into it. That’s all I know of the story. He’s very secretive about his past.” He said that almost melancholy like, clearly he had a great deal of respect for his mentor.

 

I kept my opinions on Willy Wonka to myself, I still didn’t want to share the odd messages or phone chat. “Were you in the factory then?” he shook his head at the question. “It was before the golden tickets?” he nodded and noticed me study him almost curiously.

 

“What is it Luna?” I had a theory and was considering it when I noticed Charlie was intent on me.

 

I glanced at the clock realizing it would be time to leave soon, our conversation having taken up far more time then I expected that afternoon. “I think there’s a reason why Mr. Wonka hates reporters so much. If I’m guessing correctly one hurt him.” I frowned at this, a story somewhere in the back of my mind slowly coming to haunt my thoughts. “A reporter that used to work for the Town Post, I remember her having some strange relationship and cheating with someone with the editor, I just don’t know what happened.” I started briefly as another thought occurred to me, I wondered if Tadeo had been the editor at the time before realizing Charlie was standing getting ready to leave. “Coming.” I realized I had again let my thoughts wander away with me.

 

--Factory—

 

I followed Charlie down the crumbling sidewalk barely taking notice to the familiar surroundings. I was considering the issues behind Mr. Wonka’s hate for reporters and felt a light tap on my shoulder. We were currently standing before the familiar foreboding gates of the enormous cathedral like Factory, its pillars of smoke climbing to the heavens and setting giving off a medieval forbidden like feel to it. The factory wasn’t gloomy, but gave of an odd almost ‘don’t enter me’ aura and made me briefly reconsider my plan. I was suddenly following Charlie through the massive gates, my feet moving of their own accord and crushing the fall leaves under my feet, the chill in the air making me shiver. “It’s going to rain again.” I could feel the threat in the air, my skin tingling reminding me that I hadn’t anything to prevent myself from getting soaked when I left.

 

Before me loomed two very large doors hidden at one time behind a massive curtain, currently tucked up within the massive structure. Without hesitating Charlie slid a key from his pocket into the doors and opened them before me, gently nudging me within the rainforest like heated room. I took notice to the massive hall, reminding me at once of an old opera style hall with arches and dark colors covering the enormous room around me. I watched Charlie take both our coats and toss them at random on the floor before leading the way down a further narrowing hallway. I felt uneasy at the sudden shrinking effect and noticed him lean down to an obscenely tiny door before hearing a rather large click for such a tiny clock.

 

Slowly the now very big doors opened from the illusion like effect and led me to stare around a huge colorful room, almost a forest like in ways. I was invaded with hundreds of sweet smells and realized everything appeared to be made of candy, which include to my amusement a flowing chocolate waterfall and lovely Weeping Willow like candied apple trees along some of the edge. For a moment I was taken back by the room and then slowly adjusted to its beauty and smiled warmly at the amused expression Charlie offered me.

 

He nodded as if to confirm my suspicions. “Welcome to the chocolate room, everything is eatable as Willy would say, including himself and then he would go into some sort of cannibal type rant.” I rose a brow at him before giggling at the imagery I had in my mind. “That’s my house and my family will be waiting…maybe even him.” I took notice to the sudden nervous tone in his voice; clearly he was concerned at how Willy would react around me.

 

I placed a hand gently on his shoulder. “And I think you need to stop worrying about me. I am a big girl and can handle him. You on the other hand have to deal with your family’s reaction to my weirdness; after all you have witnessed it first hand.” He chuckled at this; clearly I had eased his worries with my amusing rant.

 

I started to follow Charlie to a crooked like structure in the back of the chocolate room, realizing it had been his house with a few modification for the family’s new surroundings. I heard chatter inside and smiled slightly when he entered introducing me rather proudly. I was first greeted by his mother and father warmly, and then turned meeting the four wonderful grandparents. They seemed in very good spirits and were all praising Willy Wonka for his great help in restoring their health, and including them in his factory as a part of his own family. I took notice that they were all rather warm toward the chocolatier whom I had noticed clearly wasn’t present at the moment, I wondered if he was shaken up by the idea of a reporter being able to come into his safest environment and shake the tree a bit so to speak.

 

I wasn’t quite that lucky. “Good evening Willy…come meet our guest.” Mrs. Bucket’s warm tone and dark eyes seemed to lighten when she glanced over at me, her curly bob like hair moving with her small nod in his direction.

 

I almost snorted at the way she invited him to meet me. We had already met in a way on the phone and I already disliked him. Did I really want a sure image in my mind to scowl about in my darkest thoughts? No, but I had to play nice for the time being. I hesitantly turned to face the doorway and there he stood with a rather curious expression between annoyed and forced welcoming. He had dark hair cut in a pageboy style, with black silk top hat and deep red Victorian style frock coat, slacks and an interesting candy filled cane at his side. He was a bit taller then I expected with porcelain like skin and defined features, surprisingly his most curious feature was his shocking violet eyes, I hadn’t ever seen ones so bright before. They were deep violet and if you were foolish enough to look long enough, you could fall into them. Thankfully the amused smirk that seemed to form on his face shook me from my curious study of him. “Arrogant little bugger aren’t you?” I didn’t like the overly bright too straight smile either; it was almost sincere which made me wonder again what I had gotten myself into.

 

Willy stepped into the small house and nodded in a small greeting fashion. “Nice to meet you in person Ms. Raven…Charlie speaks highly of you.” I could hear the undertone of a taunt in his voice, an almost challenge to say something to him.

 

“That voice is more irritating in person, especially when I can’t fight back.” I forced the most sincerely kind smile I could and nodded in turn. “Nice to meet you too Mr. Wonka. Charlie just seems to adore you. Speaks quite highly of you as well.” I noticed with a satisfied smile his disappointed look, when he didn’t get the reaction he was going for. “You arrogant little squeaky man.” I ignored the odd look Charlie offered the two of us; clearly he could guess we weren’t overly fond of one another.

 

Charlie appeared to be the only one to sense the tension and immediately went into his morning chat with Luna, and how much fun they seemed to have joking with one another. Willy only seemed to grow farther away from the conversation; he was busy in his own thoughts curiously studying me.

 

--Willy Wonka’s POV—

 

“She didn’t take the bait, still all sugary goodness.” He winced at the almost too polite greeting he had gotten from her, she wasn’t any more pleased to meet him then he was her. He studied the woman closely, trying to determine just how much of a threat she was. She interacted quite easily with the Bucket’s and carefully avoided any eye contact with him. She was tall with bouncy curly waist length blonde hair; her eyes were a dark blue that seemed to come alive with her words. He found her strange whimsy like personality amusing and grating at the same time. She wore a simple dark sapphire blue shirt, the bell sleeves brushing just above her knees, her black bellbottoms fitting to her figure quite elegantly.

 

He shook his head from his thoughts briefly, and realized he was focusing more intently on her then he wanted to. He wasn’t going to get in this mess again, he had been hurt enough and this reporter was no different. This reporter just carried a kinder and far too sweet demeanor then the last, she was much more dangerous and that was his final conclusion on the matter. Willy was going to continue to go through with his plans, even if he did have to resort to far more demented means then usual. Reporters were evil in disguise and none, not even this one was as nice as they seemed.

 

“Mr. Wonka?” Willy started from his thoughts coming to focus on his protégée’s concerned expression. “He had to be having a flashback again.” Finally violet eyes settled on his and he noticed an almost whisper of a smile on his face. “Willy are you alright?” he nodded seeing a relieved look come into Charlie’s eyes.

 

“Yes Charlie…just concerned with things in the factory.” He knew he was lying, but Charlie seemed to take it in stride returning to his newfound friend and family. “I should find a way to confront her.” He smirked seeing her eyes were finally lingering on him again, she knew he was up to something an almost spark within her own eyes.

 

--Luna Raven’s POV--

 

“That man is up to something and I’m going to be on the receiving end of the situation. I can already feel it.” I studied those intent violet eyes, it was almost as though gears were working within their depths, calculating and predicting my next move. I got the uncomfortable image of a predator, but shrugged it aside listening intently to the happy chatter within the room around me. Mrs. Bucket was talking avidly of how they had enjoyed the layered cake I had given Charlie the previous day and I smiled kindly at her.

 

“Thank you Mrs. Bucket…I couldn’t do it without Mr. Wonka’s bakers chocolate, it’s the only thing I will use in any of my baking.” I smirked slightly seeing the almost sour expression cross his face, before that unnerving almost leer come across his pale face. “Why do I get the feeling I’m digging myself deeper into a hole here?” I ignored the thought and glanced up carefully at the curious expression on Charlie’s face, he knew something was off.

 

During dinner I had been placed next to Willy to my great distaste, but I remained indifferent over the situation and made polite conversation with the Buckets. I couldn’t shake the feeling that those violet eyes were taking in every detail of me and what I could possibly be thinking. He was demented, I had to give Charlie that, but there was also an almost uncharacteristic hurt in his actions. I could feel the hatred there, but it wasn’t necessarily directed at me, but what I stood for. A reporter and with that mark on my being, he had taken it upon himself to instantly dislike me and view me as a threat. “I wonder what happened?” I studied my fingers lost in thought before noticing something was off.

 

Charlie glanced up slowly from his desert and saw Willy was casually gathering his hat and cane. “Good evening my friends, Ms. Raven.” He said the last part with just a hint of sarcasm. “See you in the morning Charlie.” With this and a flourish of too theatrical like movements he was out the door.

 

“Mr. Dramatic.” I steadied my eyes briefly on my now empty plate. I wandered if I should go talk with him over the obvious tension. I knew that something had irked him over me, but it was more then I had knowledge of. “Maybe trying to get on his good side would help?” Charlie apparently read what was going through my mind and almost hesitantly shook his head to the contrary of my decision. He didn’t want me to get further into this then I already was, but I had to do something. My job depended on an interview from the man after all and no matter how demented, or eccentric he was, I had to try. Charlie went to protest my action, but I hushed him with a look and excused myself from the others. I quickly walked from the crooked house of warm loving people out into the chocolate room.

 

The candied meadow gave me an almost foreboding feeling, the Oompa Loompa’s were nowhere in sight like before and an odd darkness had taken residence within the candy Land. I noticed a fake moon high in the chocolate room sky and studied the dark sky with sugary like stars, before twitching my nose in surprise at falling snow and realizing it was powdered sugar. “Pretty…even if he is a little off, this is a work of art.” I noticed footprints within the powdered snow and started to follow the path, pausing in surprise when a form slid from the shadows startling me enough to jump back about a foot. “Annoying much.” I met those violet eyes, noting the dark look lingering within them. This was going to be much harder then I thought, I could tell just by his body language.

 

Willy leaned casually against one of the licorice trees, his eyes scanning me with the utter most contempt in those violet orbs. I ignored the odd squeak noise his gloves gave off and met his eyes head on. I wondered who could have hurt this strange whimsical man within his amazing factory, I knew Tadeo was quite capable of such a thing, but was anyone other than that able to hurt the chocolatier so much? “Yvonne?” I shook my head at that, she couldn’t have been the one, and she still worked at the Town Post.

 

His gaze was intently tracing my thoughtful face; it unnerved me a great deal to say the least. “You pretend to be too nice, I would think you would cause toothaches with your fake disposition.” His words bit into me rather bluntly, I hated more than anything being considered a fake.

 

“I’m not a fake…and don’t take your past out on me. I am not what I appear, granted…but I am by no means a bloody fake.” My eyes seemed to burn with the rest of me, I could feel anger within every inch of my being. “Being hurt doesn’t make everyone your pawns.” This I made sure was laced with venom; at that point civility was the furthest thing from my mind.

 

His violet eyes seemed to present themselves in an almost challenging way, scanning me with an almost amused smirk on his face. After my rather long indignant rant, he had to consider his next words carefully. He shifted his position absently against the licorice tree, debating on whether to approach me in a way to make me uneasy, maybe test to see how far he could push me?

 

“How are you not a fake?” His voice was almost musical, taunting me. Apparently he found a way to push my buttons again, unfortunately. “You sugar coat everything you do and say…you’re like one of the very few rejected candies from my past experiments, just a bit more…” he paused eyes flashing with his choice of word. “…distasteful.” He sneered right then, and it wasn’t a look that befit his personality.

 

“Charlie was right, this was a bad idea.” I frowned at his lack of civility as well as my own. This was a discussion for another time and place. “Good evening Mr. Wonka.” I turned to walk back to the Bucket’s, this discussion now over in my opinion.

 

Interviewing this man would eventually drive me over the edge, whoever hurt him did a number and I wasn’t getting through those barriers by trading insults all night. I jumped a foot when something stepped in my path, and met the piercing eyes of one of Willy Wonka’s workers. His eyes read curiosity and concern at the same time; I then heard slow deliberate steps approaching from behind me. “He’s more demented then Charlie realizes.”  The little man before me almost pleaded with those eyes, but pleading over what I wasn’t sure. I turned seeing an odd sort of malice in those violet eyes and felt my heart leap into my throat. I was alone in a dark room, without the knowledge of how to defend myself and Charlie wouldn’t be coming to my rescue.