HD   ▽ Thanks again for treating me! ▽

HD   ▽ You've really found a place here, huh? :o) ▽

When she looks over at you, her smile is replaced by an exasperated scowl.

HD   ▽ Again? ▽

HD   ▽ Lou-Lou! Don’t eat so fast-fast! ▽

HD   ▽ You'll choke, or asphyxiate, or... ▽

HD   ▽ Dang-nabbit, it's not a race! :o( ▽

Her hands start reaching for your face, and you lean out of the way. It turns into a bit of a scuffle.

LO   I'm Chewing

HD   ▽ Hardly! ▽

HD   ▽ You're just inhaling that whole thing! :o( ▽

LO   Who Cares

LO   It's Just Food

LO   Why Does It Matterr

HD   ▽ No buts! ▽

HD   ▽ I better see you take your time, mister. ▽

HD   ▽ Don't turn me into fuss-budget. ▽

LO   ..

Under her watchful eye, the following bite includes a few extra seconds of chewing.

LO   @_@

LO   @.@

LO   @_@

LO   @.@

As you swallow, she gives you grin paired with a thumbs up.

HD   ▽ Louie, that was great! ▽

HD   ▽ See? Was that so hard? ▽

LO   Yes Actually

HD   ▽ What? Are you kidding? ▽

LO   I Don't Get It

LO   Why Make Time For Teeth Things When I’ll Digest It Anyway @_@

HD   ▽ That's not the right attitude! ▽

HD   ▽ As much as you have guts of steel, it sets a bad example for the kids! ▽

LO   Oh, The Kids!!

LO   I Forgot About The Kids

Wait a second.

LO   There Are No Kids

LO   We Haven’t Had Them Here Since The Lawsuit

HD   ▽ I didn't mean that! I meant... ▽

HD   ▽ Wait. Hold your horses. ▽

HD   ▽ The lawsuit? ▽

LO   Don’t Worry About It

HD   ▽ It sounds like a lot of trouble! ▽

LO   Don’t Worry About It

HD   ▽ :oI ▽

Her face is mildly contemplative. Then, she shrugs.

HD   ▽ Okie-dokes! ▽

HD   ▽ Anyway, I meant the factory tours, you silly goose! ▽

HD   ▽ You’re going to have visitors, right? ▽

HD   ▽ This place deserves more than ol' Heidi wandering its beautiful insides. ▽

You haven’t done factory tours since the lawsuit, either. But you bite your tongue (not hard) and nod.

HD   ▽ So, do it for them! ▽

HD   ▽ There are kids that look up to you, all over the world! ▽

HD   ▽ Kids who could use an adult who's a good example. ▽

HD   ▽ Just like how you had a good example. :o) ▽

LO   Pat's Basically My Age

HD   ▽ No! I mean Mr. Switser! ▽

LO   Oh!!

LO   So You Mean I Have To Be The Mini-Switser To The Kids

LO   Kind Of Like I Am With The Brand

HD   ▽ Mmm-hmm. ▽

HD   ▽ Except... I think you'll be even better. ▽

HD   ▽ Because bite-sized always tastes better. :o) ▽

She pokes you in the cheek, and you're suddenly overcome with the urge to bite hers. It would taste like the most delicious treat.

HD   ▽ And even when they aren’t around, it’s good to do. ▽

HD   ▽ Make it a good habit in private, and it’ll solidify in public! ▽

LO   Would That Help Them Like The Candy More

LO   If I Was A ‘Good’ ‘Example’

Speaking of Lucas... he told you something similar. As fun and fancy-free as he looks, he’s much more disciplined than people know. He’s the one who taught you about not touching your face, picking your nose, and generally caving in to whatever bodily impulse comes to mind. Because it’s good for you. And it’s good for the people looking at you.

HD   ▽ Abso-posi-lutely! ▽

HD   ▽ I know a thing or two about company mascots, Louie. ▽

HD   ▽ As the face of the brand, you’ve gotta be the people’s person! ▽

When you were first given your proprietary role, you didn’t expect the job to come with so much caring. At first, all you really cared about was candy. When it’s in front of you, the people around tended to fade into the periphery.

HD   ▽ You’re sharing all this with us, after all. :o) ▽

Heidi’s never blended into the background. No, even when you came across her back then, there was no doubt that she was one of a kind. You could try recreating a cupcake with her frosting, her colorful sprinkles, and her bouncy flavor. But it would never taste the same. Not like her.

LO   If It’s For You, Then

When you take your next bite, you make sure to chew for a minute straight. The flavor and texture starts to resemble the natural state of your mouth. Heidi’s expression grows increasingly more concerned.

HD   ▽ Umm... ▽

HD   ▽ Okay, Louie, maybe that’s a bit much. ▽

HD   ▽ I don’t think there’s anything left to chew at this point! ▽

She’s right. By the time you swallow, it’s practically dissolved.

LO   Yum Yum

LO   Food

HD   ▽ That was kind of hard to watch. ▽

HD   ▽ Did it taste good at least? :o/ ▽

LO   It Sucked Bad Actually

HD   ▽ Then, don’t listen to what I said! ▽

HD   ▽ Geez Louise. ▽

HD   ▽ Eat however you like. Heidi never claimed she was a doctor. ▽

You brighten.

LO   Wow Really??

HD   ▽ Just… be careful, okay? ▽

HD   ▽ Choking is a serious issue! Especially with your appetite. ▽

HD   ▽ You're putting yourself at risk all the time. ▽

HD   ▽ And I'd never want to see you hurt, Lou-Lou. ▽

LO   I'm Glad To Hear That

HD   ▽ Glad? For what? ▽

LO   @u@

HD   ▽ You say the oddest things sometimes. :oP ▽

HD   ▽ But I like the oddest things! ▽

LO   @u@

HD   ▽ :o) ▽

HD   ▽ Now, tell me all about those renovations! They look great, from what I'm seeing! ▽

After your joint lunch break, you make sure to show Heidi around the new wings of the factory. You wanted to make sure that something as amazing as confectionary production wasn’t reduced to anything efficient and clean. It’s all worth it as she jumps on the gumdrop mushrooms and picks from the fruit snack trees. It’s a candy wonderland, and it should be open to the public. Just like that park she's lost in, now.

When she leaves, you already miss her.