Soda Wetlands was the sixth layer surrounding the Sweet Kingdom, and people who dared to venture out the kingdom never made it pass through the scorching heat in Pop Rock Desert, so not much has ever made it to the sixth layer before.
Though there were numerous rumors talking about the Guardian Candy Beasts of the Soda Wetlands, among all the guardians, it was by far the most mesmerizing creature that can lure any prey with its beautiful voice.
The Cherrymaid is often described as half cherry jam woman, half fish tail made out of cherry pie. Any person that laid eyes on her will be drawn by its alluring and irresistable charm, and it can be heard singing when it's calling for food.
Once the Cherrymaid captures its prey, it grabs them and pulls them into the bottom of the lake, drowning the prey before eating it. To take preventive measures, Marsh stuck some of his torn cloth in their ears so they won't hear the Cherrymaid's melody.
"There we go." He said after he finished putting the plug on Choco's ear. "You're all good." He patted on Choco's shoulder.
"What? I can't hear you."
"What?..."
"Marsh, you know I can't hear you."
"Are you saying something?"
"Huh?"
"Whuh?"
Since both their ears were plugged, they couldn't hold a proper conversation. Choco grimaced, pulling their plugs off, "How about we just wear this when we hear the Cherrymaid on the spot." He suggested.
"But dude, we don't know how strong the Cherrymaid's voice can affect us." Marsh puts back the plug in his ears. "Better safe than sorry." He smiles.
"Hmm, maybe you can plug your ears while I stay on the look out for that Cherrymaid." Choco suggested, still Marsh couldn't hear what he just said, "What was that?"
"Sure, just keep that ear plugged buddy." Choco rolls his eyes as they continue to move forward.
While the boys were walking, they were completely drawn to the beauty of the terrain. With the sun shining brightly, the soda ponds and lakes on this land were sparkling, the vibrant colors of the sticky rice trees blending well into view, providing the right amount of cool shade while dango fruits of different shades were dangling from the wind.
Choco snatched a green dango fruit and took a chewy bite, "Mm! It's sweet and so chewy, want some?" He offered Marsh.
"What? Oh, can I have some?" Marsh still couldn't hear properly, but he was starved when he saw the fruit on Choco's hand.
Giving him a pink dango fruit, Marsh chews on it and they both liked it. "Mmm! This is tasty." Marsh beamed, taking another huge bite.
"Sure does, but it sticks in your teeth and it's kind of annoying."
"What?"
"Nevermind!" Choco got annoyed at Marsh deafness, though it seems like he won't be taking the plug off his ear anytime soon. Sometimes he just finds Marsh ridiculously cautious.
Then as they keep on their track, Marsh who was still chewing on his dango, noticed that Choco was suddenly walking towards a different path. "Choco!? Where are you going?" He went after him, but no matter how much he called out his name, Choco won't stop and kept going.
"Dude?" Marsh grabs him by the shoulder, forcing Choco to face him and saw his blank expression. "Choco! What's happening with you!?" It was as if Choco was under control, then he pushes off Marsh and continued to walk towards somewhere.
"Dude, come on! Where are you going?" Marsh decided to follow him and soon they reached a large lake where Marsh spotted someone in the middle of the lake, it was a beautiful woman and she seemed like she's singing while playing with the surface of the soda lake.
Marsh got goosebumps as he met eye to eye with this woman, "Oh no." He gasped, turning to Choco who was going to walk into the lake and he noticed the woman started to swim to their direction, revealing its cherry pie fish tail when it dived into the lake.
"IT'S THE CHERRYMAID!" Marsh began to pull Choco away, "Choco, snap out of it! It's the Cherrymaid, it's controlling your mind!" He warned, though it was no use because Choco was strongly controlled by the Cherrymaid.
By then, the Cherrymaid is coming close, setting panic into Marsh as he realized that the Cherrymaid seemed bigger than it looks from afar. "AAAHHH!" He screams and managed to pull away Choco.
"COME TO ME!" The Cherrymaid commanded, and Choco struggled from Marsh's grip. "I m-must... go... to her..." Choco muttered.
"Choco! Stop it, we gotta leave! That thing's going to eat you!" Marsh yelled, and got even more frantic when the Cherrymaid started crawling on land to reach them. "AAAHHH!" Marsh fell to the ground while he was still holding tight on Choco.
"Hehe, two plump boys. This can fill my belly." The Cherrymaid snickered as it menacingly crawls to them.
"Stay away from us, stay away!" Out of panic, Marsh threw anything in his reach at the Cherrymaid. The dango he was eating, candy rocks, and even the chocolate muddy crumb but the Cherrymaid didn't stop. He reached for his pocket, taking the orb out and threw it, hitting the Cherrymaid on the right eye. "OWW!"
The Cherrymaid stops in its track, incredibly hurt in the eye. Then at the very moment, its spell on Choco wore off, making him snap back to reality. "Huh!?—WOAH, WHAT'S THAT THING!?" He panicked at the sight of the huge beast near them.
"HURRY CHOCO!" Marsh got up and pulled his friend, "WE HAVE TO RUN!"
"ACK!" The two ran away as the Cherrymaid tried to get the purple orb stuck in its eye, and when it managed to get rid of it, the Cherrymaid examined the tiny orb in its hands, "Sheesh! What the heck is this puny thing!?"
But as the Cherrymaid recognize the purple orb, it was surprised to have such important item in its hands. It looks at the running duo and called for them, "ARGH! COME BACK HERE!... oh right."
Since they were terrified by the Cherrymaid, it figured they won't come back by measly words so the Cherrymaid started to sing, binding Choco in its control spell once again.
Marsh was stopped on his tracks when Choco began to walk away again, "Crumbs! Choco, don't let that beast control you!" He tried pulling him away, but Choco was too strong for him to stop.
Eventually, Choco dragged Marsh over to the Cherrymaid. "Good work, kid." And with a snap of the beast's finger, Choco was released from its control.
"Huh, what just—ARGH!"
"AAAHHH!"
"Heya." The Cherrymaid smiles at them, revealing its razor sharp set of teeth, but the two jumped in surprise to find themselves standing before the beast again. The Cherrymaid grabbed them by the shirt, stopping them from running away.
"IT GOT US! IT GOT US!" Marsh cried, squirming from the Cherrymaid's grip.
Choco on the other hand tried to retaliate, "LET US GO YOU FOUL BEAST!" He pinched on the Cherrymaid's hand, trying to make it loosen its grip.
"Ow, that hurts!" The Cherrymaid complained without letting go, "Relax guys, I just want to talk."
"LIES!" Choco exclaimed. "Why would a beast like you want to talk with us!?"
The Cherrymaid released its grip and held the purple orb before them, "Well, I've been wanting to get my hands on these for a while. I didn't expect I'd find this on some passerby like you guys."
"Hey! That's ours, give that back!" Choco demanded, and Marsh was quite bewildered with the situation because he still had ear plugs on. "...what's going on!?"
"I'll give it back if you do me a favor." The beast added.
Choco squinted his eyes with a raised eyebrow, "And why should we?"
"Because I won't return this orb...?" Even the Cherrymaid wasn't sure if its condition would work and force him to agree.
Choco scoffed at the beast, "Pft, sure go ahead. It's not like it was useful anyway—MARSH!"
"AAAHHH!"
It caught them off-guard when the Cherrymaid picked up Marsh off the ground, "Alright, if you won't help me then I might as well eat your friend."
"CHOCO, HEEEELP!"
"ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT! WE'LL DO YOU A FAVOR, PUT MY FRIEND DOWN!"
When the Cherrymaid finally got Choco to agree, it puts Marsh down and grinned. "Perfect!"
"What do you want us to do!?" Choco questioned, shielding Marsh from this beast. "Err, what's going on exactly!?" Marsh couldn't handle the confusing situation anymore and took out the plugs in his ears.
"This magical orb has the power to lead the user to its most desired thing in the world," The Cherrymaid explained, referring to the purple orb. "And I want you guys to help me use this so I can find my missing wife."
"What!?" Both Marsh and Choco uttered in unison.