Lore

There are 4 total cutscenes: one at the beginning, one at the end of the first run, one in between a regular run and a Curse Crusher run, and one at the end of beating Curse Crusher.

## First [Act]

### Prologue

(At some party)

Truth... Or Dare?

Molli: Dare.

Suzie: Molli! What do you think you're doing? You aren't seriously going to the mansion?

Terrence: You're crazy! That place is haunted!

(Molli gets out)

Michael: Huh? Is she serious?

(Molli rides the bike)

Michael: Wait, Molli! We were just kidding! You don't have to do this!

Molli Pop, our brave hero, sped toward the forest that borders her cozy little suburban neighborhood. But why would she go to such a dark and dreary place, you might ask? A dare gone too far, proposed by her rambunctious friends, has pushed young Molli over the edge.

Tired of hearing the ridiculous tales of the abandoned mansion on the outskirts of town, Molli decided to put matters into her own hands to uncover the truth. Not only would she follow through with the foolish dare, but she'd finally put the spooky stories to rest, once and for all.

Young Molli was known to her peers as someone not easily spooked, but the imposing sight of the mansion as she trekked up the hill was enough to send a shiver down her spine.

Upon reaching the doorstep of the estate, Molli paused for a moment. With a deep breath, she pushed open the heavy wooden door and stepped inside. It was dark, and her flashlight barely seemed to make a dent in the black void set before her eyes. Though to Molli's surprise, the faint aroma of freshly baked sweets seemed to drift through the air. But before she could properly identify what kind of sweet treat was producing such a wonderful smell, an eerie gust of wind tickled Molli's back. And in the blink of an eye, the mansion doors shut behind her. Molli began to reassess her initial doubt of her friends stories. Was this decrepit mansion ACTUALLY haunted? Strange creatures began appearing all around her, bearing wide grins and startling glowing eyes. Molli soon realized this manor was home to more than just rotting wood and dusty furniture...

### Tutorial

(Bunber appears)

Bunber: Well hello, who might you be? Molli Pop? What an interesting name indeed. My name is Bunber, I'm the butler in this mansion. Now that you've been trapped in my master's manor, I suppose I should give you a few tips for survival, at the very least. Jump up to me when you are ready.

Bunber: Ouch! That FLASHLIGHT sure has a kick to it! Please watch where you're pointing that light. I'm one of the good ghosts, I can assure you. Oh! It looks as if one of those dreadful spirits has just appeared over there. Try hitting the ghost with your flashlight's light beam to destroy it. And try not to let the ghost touch you! It can be quite painful...

(After 3 ghosts)

Bunber: Excellent! I think you may have a knock for this, Miss Molli. Would you mind disposing of a few more spirits for me? They can be quite troublesome, and I'm not as quick as I used to be.

(After a few ghosts)

Bunber: Oh no... did you hear that despicable laughter? It seems as if my master is approaching! I'm sorry Miss Molli, but I must make a hasty retreat. I'd suggest you do the same before he arrives. He's not a very pleasant host...

(Molli is attacked by Phantom King, and Game Over)

## Second Act

In her run over the mansion, Molli talks to some characters in Treasure Vault

### Hector Greeting

"Huh? Who are you? Great, another lost kid. Now there are TWO of them running amok in this mansion. Anyway, I’m Hector, the hunter. My job is to seek out supernatural dens of evil and purge them in the name of the Hunter’s Society! But I wouldn’t expect a kid like you to understand the importance of my line of work. Stay out of my way if you don’t want to get hurt."

### Paige Greeting

"Oh ho ho! It’s good to see another friendly face in these haunted halls. You must be Molli! Bunber told me a bit about you. I’m Paige the Peddler, but you can just call me Paige! I’m a collector of ghostly oddities, and seeing as this mansion is haunted, it seems I’ve come to the right place."

### Olly's Tale

"Ah, you startled me! Who are you!? I’ve never seen you around the mansion before… Your name’s Molli? I see! My name is Oliver. My friends call me Olly. Though to be fair, not sure I have any actual friends left. It’s kinda hard to have friends when you’ve been trapped in a spooky mansion for 3 years! I suppose I could call Bunber the Butler a friend, if ghosts count as friends, that is."

"What? You wanna know how I ended up here? Well, it’s a long story. But to put it bluntly: I was trying to impress this girl I had a crush on. Her name is Suzie Butterscotch. What!? You know Suzie from school? Man, this is so embarrassing…"

"I guess I’ll tell you a bit more about how I ended up here. I was at the corner store, when I happened to overhear Suzie talking with a friend of hers. She was complaining how the store’s candy selection was lame. I’ve always been kind of a dork, but I thought maybe I could impress Suzie if I could find her some super awesome candy!"

"Guess I’ll continue my story… I was trying to think how I could get some super amazing candy for Suzie. I then remembered my dad telling me about the Candy King’s Candy Emporium, an awesome candy store utopia that used to be this big, popular place back when my dad was a little kid. There were rumors that the Candy King lived in an old mansion at the edge of town, but no one had seen him in years, ever since his shop was closed. I thought maybe I could visit him, and see if he had any spare candy lying around. Imagine how cool Suzie would think I am if I gave her some of this legendary candy! Boy, was I ever wrong!"

"You want me to finish my story? Alright… So I ventured into the woods, towards the mansion. I’d never done anything so scary in my entire life! I eventually came upon the mansion. It was way scarier than I ever could have imagined! But I decided that if I didn’t do this, Suzie would never notice me! It was only after I got trapped in this mansion that I realized how big of a mistake I had made. Why didn’t I just order some cool candy online? Or have my dad drive to the next town over? Just promise me you won’t tell Suzie about this if we ever get out of here! I can’t live with the embarrassment!"

### Ghost King

* "Oh! So you've met the Ghost King? He wouldn't want me to share this with you, but he isn't ACTUALLY a king of any sort. He poses as royalty to make himself feel special, hoping his wearing of a crown will put him at the same regal status as my master."
* "The Ghost King always admired my master, from afar. One day, he came to the mansion, begging my master to make him his assistant. Reluctantly, my master agreed. He had hoped that with my master has his mentor, he'd learn enough of the candy-making trade to start his own candy shop."

### Fire Spirit

* "I see you've encountered the hot-headed Fire Spirit. He was once the mansion handyman, working diligently to maintain the estate. For as skilled as he was, it was unfortunate he had such a quick temper!"
* "Our quick tempered handyman would spend hours in the basement, tinkering with the boilers. I think it was a form of stress-relief for him. I would occasionally bring him lunch as he worked, and he would tell me stories about the ambitious inventions he had planned to create. He truly had a fiery spirit - and still does, it seems!"

### Necro Witch

* "By the look on your face, I can tell you have thwarted the ill-advised escapades of the Necro Witch. It is truly a shame. Her time as a passionate bookworm came to an abrupt end the day she found that forbidden tome..."
* "My master's ￼curse instilled the Necro Witch with evil, sugar-fueled magic. Her knowledge of the undead, coupled with her newfound powers, became a recipe for disaster. Not to mention those skeletons she's always summoning make such a mess!"

### Phantom Worm

* "I see you've met the mansion's head chef? The Phantom Worm mas once a world-class cuisinier. If only he had heeded my warnings! He might have escaped my master's curse and continued his craft in a safer locale... Now, he's a mindless bug-like creature with an insatiable hunger for living souls!"
* "Did dinner with the Phantom Worm go over well? Ha-ha! Ahem. I am sorry, Miss Molli. That was a stuffy butler's attempt at humor. I couldn't resist."

### Jack

* "From those terribly loud explosions I heard coming from the ballroom, you must have run into Jack. He was once quite a lovely man. A talented gardener with a deep love for comedy. He became quite problematic when his jokes escalated from harmless puns to highly-explosive pranks!"
* "As you may have observed, Jack adores pumpkins. He's always loved growing them, constantly pushing his agricultural boundaries in the hopes of one day growing the ULTIMATE pumpkin!"

### Arriving at Shudder Shade Study

After Defeat, Phantom King transforms into Candy King.

Candy King: Can it be? Am I free of this dreaded sugar-coated curse?! ... No... Not quite. Oh, child. It's overwhelming gratitude that I thank you for waking me from my eternal nightmare. You see, I was once known as the Candy King. Perhaps you've heard of me, and the candy shop I once owned. I loved coming up with new, delicious candies to share with the world. It brought me great happiness, and an unwavering sense of purpose. Not to mention great fortune as well. But then... things began to change. Children fell in love with more than just candy. Comic books. Fancy new toys. Even video games. My time as a prosperous candy maker was coming to an end - and in my desperation, I made a grave error in judgment. I made a deal with the devil, so to speak. And before long, I became the monster you just encountered. This curse has yet to be fully dispelled. Soon, I'll return to the darkness, again to terrorize any who dare enter my manor. Quickly, before I lose myself again - I can open a door for you to escape this place.

(The door is summoned)

Candy King: I only ask that you take this small token with you. It's a special candy - the last of my creations before I lost my sanity.

(Molli gets the Peppermint of Souls)

Candy King: What was your name? Molli Pop? I'm sorry I couldn't be a more courteous host, my dear Molli. Now please, go now before it's too late.

Molli, clutching the strange peppermint candy gifted to her a moment ago, was still processing the events that had hist occurred.

Candy King: You must go! This doorway will only remain open for a short time. If you don't leave now, there will be no other way to escape!

Molli looked once more at the Candy King, and thanked him before stepping through the Mysterious portal.

A colorful, sugar-coated vortex began to swirl around her and the wonderful smell of sweets filled the air. Molli quickly glanced back at the doorway, where she saw the Candy King waving good-bye to her, wearing a melancholy smile on his face. Before long, the vortex had completely enveloped her, and she was gone.

The Candy King watched as Molli vanished, and the magical doorway crumbled to dust. He let out a sigh of relief, knowing that Molli had safely escaped the confines of the mansion. However... He soon felt the chill of a sinister presence... Although Molli had brought him respite, the curse would soon overtake him once again, trapping him in candy-coated darkness for all eternity. But, just maybe, there was a chance for fate to take a different turn.

The night was still. Then, a sudden bright light fell upon a small glade on the edge of the forest. A doorway had appeared out of thin air. It creaked open. Its mysterious light brought about an eerie glow. Molli was thrown from the door. She felt the crisp, fall air across brush across her face. She had actually escaped the mansion! As Molli was internally celebrating newly found freedom, the magical doorway shut tightly behind her. And as if it were never there in the first place, it disappeared without a trace. Molli stood up, and turned to look back at the mansion. Although she was glad to have made it out in one piece, she couldn't help but feel sorry for her friends still trapped in the manor. Was there nothing she could do for them? She then remembered the strange candy the Candy King had given her before she escaped.

She held the Peppermint of Souls in front of her, and quickly let out a shriek. The candy seemed to be alive! What was this spooky creation? And why did the Candy King entrust it with her? As the questions continued to pile up in Molli's head, there was one thing that was crystal clear. This peppermint was emanating a mysterious power, one of insatiable hunger. Perhaps the Peppermint of Souls was more than just a spooky souvenir... Only time would tell.

## Third Act

After escaping the mansion, with the help of the Candy King, Molli returned home. However, knowing the Phantom King’s curse was still looming over the mansion made it difficult for her to move on. Molli had seen firsthand the power of the curse - and she knew, deep down, that she was the only person capable of destroying it. With the Peppermint of Souls in-hand, Molli set out once more for the haunted mansion at the edge of town… Will Molli find a way to crush the curse?

### After defeating Ghost Baron

* Benny: Is this really happening? I'm not a ghost anymore!! Thank you! I hope Candy king is alright. If there's anything I can do to help, let me know! Not sure what I'd do without him...
* Bunber: Molli - may ask where you procured that strange peppermint? It seems it somehow holds the power to contain that wretched curse! Young Benny seems to be back to his normal self again. Perhaps now he can help me clean up the mess his little ghost lackeys have made across the mansion. To become a true candy craftsman, one must take full responsibility for his actions. It's a lesson my master desperately tried to instill in young Benny.

### After defeating Blaze Devil

* Anwar: Gosh dang-it!! How'd I go and let myself get cursed!? Well, thanks for helping me out, kid. I'd better get back to work. That confounded boiler won't fix itself!
* Bunber: Ah! You've rescued mister Anwar! This is splendid news, Molli! I must see to it that he fixes the washing machine. It's quite difficult to do any laundry when the machine is spewing all manner of ghostly goop instead of clean water.

### After defeating Necro Scholar

* Lilly: Oh my! You're the one who freed me from the curse, right? Thank you so much! Now I can get back to my books. Though I might have to clean up this mess first... The library is a disaster!
* Bunber: Miss Lilly is back to her old self again, I presume? Wonderful! I've been searching for a specific book for many months now. But trying to find a book in that disheveled mess of a library without our librarian is like trying to find a marble in a mountain of caviar! Oh? You want to know which book I've been looking for? It's titled "Brooms and Bowlers - How to Maintain a Fashionable Aura in a Messy Career.

### After defeating Blast Worm

* Theo: I can't believe I'm finally free! I must prepare a fantastic feast for you to show my gratitude! Now, where did Bunber put my favorite frying pan?
* Bunber: Our Jolly chef, Mister Theo, seems to be back on his own two feet! This quite the joyous occasion! Molli, do you know what this means?  I can finally stop preparing all the meals! Why are you giving me that look? Do you know know how difficult it is to cook with no fingers? If you’d like, I can glue oven mits to your hands and you can give it a go. One slice of sheperd’s pie, please!

### After defeating Pyro Jack:

* Jack: Well, bury me in the ground, and pluck me like a turnip! You managed to break that dastardly curse! Thanks kid, I owe ya one. You like veggies? I’ll send you home with a big ol’ squash from my garden! Just don’t eat it all at once - you might burst! Ha ha ha!
* Bunber: Jack is back, eh? Although I can't say I'm a fan of his pratical jokes, I'm very much glad to see him back to his normal self. The garden has grown quite unruly, and needs his expert care if we are to ever be featured in "Exceptional Gardens" monthly column again!

### Arriving at Shudder Shade Study (Curse Crusher)

(Candy King appears in the center of 2nd level, kneeling down)

Candy King: Mo-Molli? You've came back to this horrible mansion? Run now, child! The Phantom King has grown much stronger since your last encounter - there isn't much time before my soul is completely lost. I-I can't hold him off any longer... Molli... Please forgive me...

(Candy King transforms into Phantom King Omega)

Phantom King Omega: YOU... YOU!! HOW DARE YOU!! I REFUSE TO ACCEPT THAT A MERE CHILD HAS DEFEATED MY SPECTRAL SERVANTS! NOT ONLY HAVE YOU RUDELY MEDDLED IN MY GHOSTLY AFFAIRS - BUT YOU'VE STOLEN MY TREASURES AND TAMPERED WITH MY CHARMS! YOUR HUMAN TOUCH IS A POISON TO MY INVENTIONS. YOUR TIME HAS COME, GIRL. PREPARE TO WITNESS MY TRUE POWER... THE TRUE POWER OF A PHANTOM KING'S CREATIONS!!

(Boss battle starts)

After Phantom King Omega is defeated, the Peppermint of Souls starts to absorb the last curse fragment

With all her strength, young Molli held the Peppermint of Souls to the sky, her body shaking as the Phantom King's darkness flooded into the mystical candy. The room was flooded with light as the peppermint's magical energy battled against the ferocious curse.

And then, as if nothing had happened...

... the Phantom King's spirit was gone - devoured by the Peppermint of Souls.The room was still.

Molli looked at the candy in her hands. It felt warm, and the sense of insatiable hunger it regularly emanated was now replaced by a feeling of fulfillment. The peppermint's eyes then closed, as if it were sleeping. A sugary energy tingled Molli's hands, and in the blink of an eye, the Peppermint of Souls had disappeared. Was the curse finally destroyed?

With the Peppermint of Souls now gone, Molli rushed to the side of the exhausted Candy King. She helped him to his feet, and after adjusting his crown, he looked at Molli with warm eyes and a big smile.

Candy King: Molli, I cannot thank you enough for what you have done. Without your bravery, my assistants and I would never have escaped the clutches of that dreaded curse. I did not expect you to return to the manor. However, I gave you the Peppermint of Souls with a sliver of hope that if you ever did, it might be the key to breaking the curse. I am not sure how I could ever repay you...

The Candy King led Molli to the mansion's front door. Olly, Paige, and Hector were already waiting there. "Thank yous" and "good-byes" were exchanged, and the Candy King waved to Molli and Olly one last time as the sunrise creeped over the horizon.

And with that last good-bye, Molli headed home.She turned to look at the mansion one final time, reflecting back on her candy-coated adventure and the new friends she'd made along the way. What else is in store for young Molli Pop? Only time will tell!

After-credits: In the candy shop, Candy King was at the reception desk, Molli was with a broom and wearing an apron, and Goober was asleep.