((This is set before Turbo took over, and just my version of the characters relations and what happened during the time he was in control. De Minthe is my own character. ))

Prologue

It was the same nearly every morning in Candy Castle, in the arcade unit known as Sugar Rush, every day since they had been plugged in. The artificial sun would come up, waking up the racers and the residential candy themed people for the day, giving them an hour or so before the races actually started to get up and prepare for the day.

At the Castle, it was mostly the same. The servants ran about, getting everything cleaned for the day. The King, always an early riser, was having his morning conversation with his right hand man and best friend, Sour Bill. He sipped his tea with a jovial laugh at something his friend said, before he paused to look up at someone else whom had made her way into the kitchens for the morning.

"Good morning, M'dear! Hoo hoo, you look LOVELY thith morning, ath alwayth." he cooed at the women dressed in greens, browns, and whites,the very colour scheme for her namesake – save the silver crown with a pink jeweled heart on her head.

She smiled warmly at the King, striding over to him and into his open arms (after he had set down his tea cup, of course ). They embraced each other tightly, the King swirling her around in a circle as she let out a laugh before he let her go, taking hold of her gloved hands.

"Good morning to you, too, My Candy King." she replied, leaning upwards to kiss him on his forehead. He giggled slightly, his cheeks getting a faint honeyglow to them. She turned her gaze down to Sour Bill, whom was offering her a warm cup of tea. She let go of her husbands hands to take the cup from him, but not before she leaned down and gave the sour ball a small peck on his head, too. Sour Bill's face went a deep green, and the corners of his mouth went up ever so slightly in his own odd smile.

"Good morning Your Majesty." he said as she took the cup from him and sipped it.

"Good morning to you, too, Sour Bill. How are you this morning?"

"Oh, I'm fine ma'am. I'm to tell you that the Hard-Tac Trees are blooming today in the Royal Gardens."

"Oh?! My, it's about time, I was hoping those seeds from the Sugar Crystal Caverns would eventually bloom for us."

"Hard Tac trees?" King Candy asked, surprised, and she giggled a bit.

"Sorry hun, Happy Early Anniversary! I know how much you love Watermelon hard-tac candies, and how hard they are to come by, so I planted two trees of them out in the gardens for you for our game's Anniversary."

King Candy's face lit up into a broad, excited grin, before his expression changed, and shrank down into a frown, taking the Queen back a bit.

"What's wrong?"

"You went into the Crythtal Cavernth, by YOURTHELF, at NIGHT, jutht to get the theeds?" he asked her, placing a hand on his hip.

"Well, no, I had Wynchel and Duncan with me, of course, and a few Devil Dogs. Don't you like the gift?" she asked, looking a little hurt. He shook his head at her, placing his hand under her chin.

"De Minthe, I LOVE the gift. I don't like YOU being in danger. What if thomething had happened? You're not an avatar, I'm not sure if you can regenerate or not. If you got deleted, then..."

"I know, it might break the game." she replied with a sigh, looking away for a moment, but he placed his other hand on her other cheek, and leaned his forehead against hers in a loving manner.

"No, My Queen. It would break my heart."he replied, and she smiled at him, feeling her coding threatening to flutter shamelessly. She lifted her head up and kissed him, before they broke apart, hearing the familiar chime through the game – the Arcade would be opening in twenty minutes.

"Fudge thticks." King Candy grumbled, reluctantly letting her go. She smiled and laughed a little bit.

"You know I'll be here for you when the day is done. Say hello to our niece for me." she smiled at him as she fixed his bow-tie a little bit. He chuckled a bit, taking one last, large sip from his tea.

"Vanellope really should come up to visit more often."

"She's a kid, sweetie. They'd rather hang around with their friends then they're relatives boring old castle."

"But she'th a PRINTHETH. She should at LEATHT-" The chime went off again, signalling that he had fifteen minutes to get down to the track and get ready.

"Go on. Sour Bill and I will be here when you get back."

The King sighed, still reluctant to leave, but knew it was his job to, as he was on the Roster for the day.

"I should be home early. I'm not entering the Random Rothter Race for tomorrow."

"Why not?" De Minthe asked, shocked. He smiled at her, taking her hand.

"Becauthe, I haven't been around tho much lately, with how popular the game hath been, and you detherve to have me all for yourthelf for a day." he replied, kissing her hand. She blushed furiously, and smiled at him, trying to hide her apparent excitement as he let her hand go and left the ktichen.

"Good bye, My Queen! I'll try not to keep you waiting too long, hoo hoo!" she waved at him, as he left, not thinking that that would be the last time she ever saw him.

At least, as HIMSELF.