A/N: Yuzz, I am a VanillaPumpkin fan, I have been for a while now. I mean, look at them! Aren't they the CUTEST THING EVAR!? GAWD, the cuteness level, it's causing me diabetes. GLOYD, VANELLOPE, JUST STOP. I WUV YOU TWO TO DEATH. /snuggles them both
Also, I love the movie as much as I loved Rise of the Gaurdians. Hehe, why you give me so much damn feels?! Anyways, I'm planning a spin-off with my OC and RotG on my other fic. advertising momentum~
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAND, this fic is pretty much based during the movie. I mean, it's kinda obvious Gloyd has a thing for Vanellope. He was emotionless when he was destroying her kart, was shockedplussortasad when Wynchel and Duncan were chasing after her AND looked ten times happier when he saw her for being her. Ugh, I srsly love these two. /sobs happily.
Enjoy! and please tell me what'cha think!
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but the plot.
The glitch.
For as long as he can remember, the residents of Sugar Rush were never overly fond of her, more or less, saw her as their equal. To them, Vanellope Von Schweetz was nothing but trouble to the citizens, the racers and the whole game. As Taffyta once said, she's just an accident just waiting to happen.
Wherever she went, no one would ever want to be associated with a mess such as her. She was treated like a plague that everyone just had to turn away from upon first glance, seen as an evil speck that had ever existed and known to be the lowliest code.
She's been treated badly by the racers, more particularly Taffyta and her wingmen – Candlehead and Rancis. Oftentimes, they'd get back-up from a few racers. At times, they'd try and run her down with their go-karts, they'd call her names, be pushed around or be beaten up by them. Even when she was only trying to befriend them, they'd turn her down and make a mockery of her.
Wherever she went, trouble was said to soon to follow, that's why King Candy had tried his earnest to track her down and lock her up in his Fungeon. And is the very reason why she decided to isolate herself from everyone and live somewhere far away, away, far from the outskirts of the vicinity of the kingdom, from everyone, from harm, from everything.
Just far, far away from them where she knew she'll be safe, safe, yet alone, so very alone.
And yet, despite all these hardships in her life, she still has this great optimism and great regard to life. She's still smiling up despite her many trials and attempts to redeem herself as a so-called player of the game, and to prove that for once and for all that she's more than just a glitch, that she's a somebody. That she's just like all of them, a racer. That's she's no more than a failure. She's a somebody.
These are the very thoughts Gloyd Orangeboar has been thinking to himself for as long as he can remember.
"Quitting time!"
The dark haired racer heaved a sigh of relief, putting a quick smile on his face. Today was such a tedious one, he'd been picked for about 10 times, been thrown off the Nesquick sand 3 times, smashed once by a gumball, smacked by a Sweet Seeker thrice and finally made it to the finish for about 4 times in second or third place. He could use a break, but then again, he was an energetic guy and this Halloween-themed racer's energy never wavers.
"Yo Gloyd!" Swizzle Malarkey, his good friend called from the side. "Me, Minty, Jubileena and a few racers are going out for a drink, wanna tag along?"
"Sure thing dude." Gloyd said in return as he started up his kart.
"Last one gets to treat us all!" challenged Jubileena by his side.
Before someone said anything else, they were already gone in a flash. Gloyd obviously was leading, being one of the top racers next to Taffyta and King Candy, with Swizzle and Crumbelina hot on his trail.
"Bingbing, what's the matter? Excited to be treating us all?" he heard Snowanna tease from behind, he watched them from his rear view mirror.
"Shut up!" the Cherry-themed racer shouted back, bringing her head away from the cotton candy clouds and back to their race.
Being in the lead, Gloyd didn't really have to focus on winning when he knew he was going to make it first. Instead, he kept his speed at constant while keeping his eyes on the road.
That is until; he caught a slight movement of something – or someone - climbing up one of the Candy Cane trees. Slightly turning his head, Vanellope Von Schweetz was in plain sight. She was jumping up the branches with ease even as she glitched. He had continually watched her as she settled on her stomach on the branch to watch them race. He couldn't see the expression on her face as he was speeding further and further away from the Candy Cane forest, but he was pretty sure that she was happily watching them race. Happy, yet at the same time sad and jealous.
"What'sa matter Gloyd?" called out Jubileena worriedly.
"Got your head in the cloud?" Crumbellina snickered.
"Looks like somebody's excited to be treating us." Swizzle said arrogantly as they were nearing their destination.
Shoot. He cursed to himself mentally.
Soon afterwards, a smirk formed on his face as he kicked on his speed, his kart roared loudly to life and soon, he was speeding through them, they all this stupefied expressions on their faces. Creating a full turn, he easily parked his kart, shut his engine, pulled out his helmet, jumped off his kart and walked towards the building. With his arms crossed, Gloyd leaned against the building as he watched the racers come one by one with a smug expression on his face.
As Swizzle and a few others came, Gloyd would glance at the Candy Cane forest every once in a while, wondering what she was up to. Being a prankster gave him a lot of acting skills, making his glances barely noticeable until the last person came in.
In the end, Jubileena ended up treating them all.
"Vanellope Von Scweetz!" the commentator called out, sending Vanellope jumping for joy for finally being part in the race, surprised gasps followed afterwards.
Gloyd's ears perked up to the sound of her name and tore away from his kart up towards the raven haired girl. Big brown eyes widened as they stared up at her, unbelieving that she was in the race. From afar, Taffyta approached Vanellope's supposed spot and tore the cloth to reveal her rather cheap 'kart'. Clearly, she had made it herself; he has to admit, he was rather impressed at her dedication and perseverance for this very occasion. Going as far as to create her own kart from spare parts obviously found at the dump, all because she can't make her own at the Kart Bakery.
King Candy was sputtering words of assurance to calm down his citizens, and then screeched at the top of his lungs for security. Not long afterwards, Duncan and Wynchel appeared and began to march right towards the raven-haired girl, sending her running for the hills.
He felt himself twitch; his body acted on his own as he took one step forward. He wanted to help her, he really did. Are you really going to help someone like her? Are you serious? His conscious was telling him, stopping him in place. Aren't you forgetting that she's a glitch? Both his fists clenched hard at the conflict he was dealing with himself. What was wrong with him? Why would he dare and think to help a glitch? He's being ridiculous.
He watched her jump off the ledge and run past her, fear evident all over her face as she ran towards her 'kart'. The game avatars did nothing but watch her, making the least motion to help her. She was freaking helpless! Just as she's about to reach her kart however, a goopy green giant appeared itself and began charging towards her. He felt a pang of terror wash over him as he ran for his very life.
Taking refuge behind his kart, he watched Vanellope being chased by the goopy green giant as he thrashed and bashed wherever she hid. He threw the candied citizens with unexplainable strength and force, his booming voice sending shrivels of fear as he charged towards Vanellope. She tumbled clumsily and was struggling to get away from him. Furiously swatting away some pink obstruction, the giant failed to notice the large cupcake above him. Fast on her feet, Vanellope scrambled away as the cupcake fell on the giant, immobilizing him. She laughed at him, skipping care freely around him and ran away from him.
Gloyd had released a sigh of relief. He caught himself dumbfounded, why was he relieved? Why the name of all that is sweet did he just do that?
Vanellope had hidden herself behind some random kart not far from him. The dark haired racer had realized that all the racers had taken refuge to the side, catching their breathe as they glared daggers at the glitch.
"It's okay! It's okay! We'll repair the damage in meantime. The race will follow!" announced King Candy.
Hearing this, Vanellope looked up, her face brightening up as she saw her name. "And I'm in it!" Skipping off happily as she ran towards her 'kart' and quickly drove off elsewhere with a wide grin on her face. He watched her trail off, something warm and rigid begun stirring up inside him.
"She's in the race…" he whispered to himself, disbelieving.
Just then, he heard Swizzle call out for him. He blindly followed after them, looking at the Jumbotron one last time just to be sure – Vanellope Von Schweetz was in the race.
He didn't want to, but he did.
"Stop it!" He kicked the kart with all his might. "Please, just stop it!" she tugged and continued to plead.
He stole an itty bitty glance at her, seeing her face pale and pixel with fear at her beaten up 'kart' – the Lickety Split. Seriously, she calls this dirt pile a kart? Psh, more like a pushcart! A dirt pile pushcart more like it. It didn't deserve to be a part of the race; she'd just be embarrassing herself! He was merely doing her a favor of having it wrecked no matter how much effort she put on making it. So he kicked and punched the kart as hard as he can, keeping in thought that he was only doing everyone a big favor. She's nothing but trouble anyways.
That's right, she's all but trouble. That glitch. Being part of the race with that contraction she calls a kart? What a joke!
"I just want to race like you guys!"
Like them? Is she serious? A glitch like her will never be like them!
Having heard enough of her flimsy excuse, Taffyta merely huffed haughtily at her. The words that she had sputtered were cruel, threatening and vile, hurting even. But this was Taffyta, she was always like that. He always knew what that Pink themed racer was like. Once she smelled a threat, she always knew it was a threat. He knew her too well.
But did he know Vanellope too well as well? Was she really just an annoying glitch everyone said she was? If she was, then how come he had second thoughts on who she really was, what everyone says she was?
"HEY!"
All further thoughts were disrupted; he and the rest of the racers stopped whatever they were doing and looked up. "YOU LEAVE HER ALONE!" A large hulking ape-like man with ripped overalls and freakishly large hands, who was then identified as Wreck-it Ralph from the Fix-it Felix Jr. game console, came running towards them.
Even before Jubileena shrieked at the top of her lungs, he was already scrambling away from what's left of the Lickety Split. "ARGH!"
Bypassing the fallen glitch, he started up his kart.
He had looked at his side mirror to check if he was chasing after them, only to find Vanellope's fallen state in chocolate mud. He froze as he stared at her; she looked so sad, so fragile, yet so...awfully familiar. Like he had seen her before, where had he seen her before?
"ARGH!"
Shaking himself off his thoughts, he hurriedly drove off. He never looked back at his side mirror again.
Later that day, Gloyd decided to ditch his friends and have some time for himself. After all, it was only hours until the Random Race Roster to re-begin thanks to that hulking ape villain and that glitch for ruining the said event.
The dark haired racer was lying on top of Diet Cola Mountain, one of his most favorite hideouts and hot spots whenever he wanted to sit back relax and just think. Just think about his latest pranks, the talk of the town, the strategies he can come up with his next pranks, and the latest thing to infiltrate his mind – the glitch, namely, Vanellope Von Schweetz.
He always thought of her as not only loud, annoying and pushy, but also, in some other ways he cannot fathom. There's just something about her he just can't seem to put. At times, he'd ignore the issue but it will always come back to taunt him, like an itch.
Exhaling an exasperated breathe, his brown eyes lazily looked up at the cotton candy clouds come and fro.
She's just a glitch Orangeboar, a glitch. Nothing more, nothing less. He tells himself, oh boy was he so wrong about that.
There was just something about her. The more he thought about it, the more she beguiled him. It's like there was something, something deep dark in the forgotten part of his code that told him that Vanellope Von Schweetz was something more to him, more than what meets the eye. She's not just a glitch, but something like a forgotten friend.
"Psh, what? A friend? Get real Orangeboar." He berated to himself, pushing himself off the Mentos filled crater. The landscape of Sugar Rush bore into view; he could never get enough of it. It was places like these that he could turn to and forget about just about anything, absolutely anything.
And yet, as he continually stared out with bored eyes, he could not rid himself of the raven-haired girl. Surrendering, he heaved an angry breathe and buried his head on his hand.
"What's wrong with me?" Taking off his pumpkin hat, he ran both hands through his dark locks, tangling his fingers together as he buried his nose into his lap. Deep brooding thoughts filtered his mind. "She did look miserable…" What, so do you pity her now? Really?"Ah geez."
"Maybe some ice cream smoothie might help," he muttered, picking himself from the ground and walked towards the ledge of the cliff when he caught sight of burning smoke from afar. Was that the Kart Bakery? Who would be making a kart at this time? Surely, none of the avatars seem to have damaged or seem to be in need of a new kart. As he was putting on his pumpkin hat, he noticed rapid objects escaping the bakery, a blur of black, white, red, pink and green.
His eyes narrowed for a better look. "Is that…King Candy?" Yep, definitely is. Duncan and Wynshel were right behind him, but who were they chasing-Is that Vanellope Von Schweetz? And was that her new kart? And why the fudge is Wreck-it Ralph behind her paddling for their lives? Why was he the one moving the kart? Why isn't she driving the kart instead?
Upon hearing the wailing siren, Gloyd quickly ducked from view, creeping up slightly to watch the ongoing goose chase. Vanellope was shooting out rapid instructions to the large wrecker behind her, he easily complied. King Candy and the rest of the security were at a safe distance.
"HEAD TOWARDS THOSE TWO LOLLIPOPS!" Gloyd was taken aback. "What!?"
"WHAT?!" The wrecker screamed in disbelief.
"Is she crazy? They're both going to crash!"
"JUST DO IT!" She screamed. The wrecker immediately and reluctantly paddled faster and faster, his mouth opening to scream in preparation for the impact, when the wall suddenly pixelated then went back to normal – as if nothing happened.
"Wha-?"
Not waiting for an explanation, he quickly jumped into his secret entrance, returned the Mentos back harshly in its place, and began to explore the cave. Gloyd hadn't fully explored the mountain since he feared he might run into a heaping hot pool of cola lava, but luckily, he had trust his instincts and followed it as his guide until he had found the right cave that had lead to his secret hideout.
However, he did not know that there was a wall that could pixelate.
A loud crash, followed by a series of groans filled the cave. Following the sound of their voices, Gloyd began to quicken his steps until he saw some stalactite Mentos, and an unfinished strawberry wafer bridge directly below. Woah, this is a sweet place. Gloyd thought, admiring the spectacle before him. Wreck-it Ralph and the glitch were in clear view, he could observe them from up here.
"So let me get this straight, you don't know how to drive?" Gloyd flinched, she didn't?
"No, but…I just thought-"
"Just thought what?" the ape was then making mimicry of her annoying voice of how she'll be in the race and stuff. He giggled, he had thought the same.
"Look wise guy, I know I'm a racer. I could feel it in my code." She argued, toying with her steering wheel.
"Code? But I thought she was a glitch?" Gloyd asked himself, looking at the raven-haired girl in question. It was then that he noticed of her brand new kart, its crazy and messy design sure spoke a lot about the driver. Without knowing, a fond smile had crept into his face. He liked it. "…it suits her."
He didn't mean to, but eventually, Gloyd had ended up eavesdropping on their conversation – Wreck-it Ralph's reason for appearing in Sugar Rush as he played in Hero's Duty, how he was sick of living in a dump and how earning that medal will have changed everything. It was kind of noble actually, noble yet kind of illegal. I mean, come on! Who other villain would want to quit the villainous acts for a will and be the nice guy? Everybody practically hates the bad guy! And this was kind of rare, this was quiet rare.
And then, Vanellope spoke. He stared down at the raven-haired girl as she stopped pulling out her kart and started explaining her reason for wanting in the race. The 'coin' that Vanellope had inevitably used to get in the race was actually the medal Wreck-it Ralph won in Hero's Duty. She just wanted to be like everybody else, to be seen and treated fairly, that she's not just a mistake. Gloyd swore that he was touched by that, also, he sort of knew already.
"Well guess what?"
"What?"
"We're both not getting we want!" Ralph sobbed and stomped childishly. Geez, he's the adult here and yet, he acts like a stubborn kid! The mountain rumbled at the impact of his jump, sending a mentos down towards the pool of diet cola, an explosion followed, sending hot cola everywhere. Luckily, where Gloyd was situated, he was safe from exploding hot colas. Also, he can't be seen from high above.
"What is this? Diet Cola Hot Springs – Beware of falling mentos?" he heard the wrecker read the sign.
"Yeah look, hmp!" taking a rock from the ground, she aimed for the tip of the mentos and the prankster watched in anticipation as it broke off and drop into the pool of cola. The pool had gurgled a bit, before it laud into explosion, hot cola dripped everywhere, spitting down even onto the wrecker's foot much to his delight. He snickered silently.
"Oh, you gotta watch out for hot cola, those things are boiling hot." Vanellope warned.
"What is this dump?" asked the wrecker, referring to the unfinished wafer bridge above them, just below the stalactite mentoses where Gloyd hid himself.
"I think it's some sort of unfinished bonus level? Yeah. It's pretty cool, huh?" It is? Sweet, wait 'til Swizz get a load of this place. He thought to himself as he remembered his friend, Swizzle Malarkey, resident daredevil amongst them racers and probably one of the worst racers. "I found that secret opening, and now I live here see." Gloyd's thoughts about his horrendous friend dispersed as he retracted what she had just said. She lived here?! "Oh look, look, look, look!" jumping off the hard caramel ground, she ran towards her makeshift bed situated at a safe distance from the spring. "Welcome to my home!" she said proudly. Gloyd inched closer for a better view and felt his heart drop and guilt rise up within him. She calls this beat up, run down single space her home? "I sleep in these candy wrappers and bundle myself up like a little homeless lady."
"By yourself?" he heard the wrecker ask his tone was anything but sad, and almost like in understanding. This made Gloyd feel the guilt biting into his core as he peered closer, so close that his forehead touched the debris, tilting his pumpkin hat back.
"Well…yeah, I mean everyone here says I'm just a mistake and that I wasn't even suppose to exist. What do you expect?" Well what did he expect? He never actually gave much thought about where she lived, only focused about her. It pained him to know this much of her humble abode.
"Listen kid, I know it's none of my business, but why do you even stick around this game?"
"You really don't anything know do you? Glitches can't leave their game." She slumps back into her bed, her hands lay limp on both sides. "It's one of the joys of being me." That stung him deep, he never knew how hard her life was. Everyday, she was always bullied and made fun of by everybody when all she wanted was to be accepted. Now he knew how exactly miserable she was. Of course, she could just escape Sugar Rush to escape this hell, but then again, she couldn't. She was a part of the program, a malfunction, and that meant no escape for her. She was to stay in Sugar Rush forever. Gloyd slumped back against the wall, propping a leg up and looked up at the rocky caramel walls with sullen eyes, he felt ten times worst for treating her that way.
The wrecker was quiet for a while, taking a moment to ponder before turning his direction to the ground and starts pummeling them flat. He doesn't stop though, he began to move at a certain direction and continues along and along, like he was marking them or something.
"Hey, what are you doing? Come on!" she got off her bed and starts to look at the deranged man in disbelief. "I know it's a dump, but it's all I got!"
"You're gonna be a real racer, you're gonna have to learn how to drive…And you can't do it, without a track."
"A track- whoa!" True to his word, a track was revealed. It circled around the spring and was long enough to learn how to drive. He's gotta admit, this was a pretty neat track for a beginner. Though, he's not gonna lie that starting off at a rocky terrain has got to be a great perk, he should know, he started off the same.
"Woah." The raven-haired girl stared at the track in awe, it's not much of the speedway, but it'll do. Her brown-almost green eyes sparkled with amusement and excitement the longer she lingered on them.
The wrecker picked up her kart with ease, setting it to the ground and turned to her. "Alright now, let's hussle up, we got some driving to do."
Upon hearing this, Vanellope couldn't keep her excitement much longer. "I'm gonna learn how to drive! I'm gonna learn how to drive! I'm gonna- wait, do you know how to drive?"
"Yeah." What? "I mean I haven't done it. But look, I flew a spaceship today."
"You crashed it." He snorted.
"Just get in! How hard can it be?" Easy for you to say hotshot. "Okay. Uh, start it up."
Looking confused, Vanellope took time to identify each button before finding the start button. "Ah!"
"There we go!" Using his big hands, he picked her off from her seat and began his 'lesson'.
"So there're some buttons on the floor-"pedals. He groaned inwardly, seriously, this guy does not know how to drive. "Pedals!" she piped up.
He can't stand it, listening to his inexperience with race karts, the works, the parts and the like. Sheesh, just say you can't drive for crying out loud!
Brake, Accelerator- BAH! This guy's a joke! He can't even name the parts for crying out loud! The darkhaired Halloween-themed racer frustrated. Again, he can't stand it when this hulking ape that is Wreck-it Ralph is teaching her the wrong mechanics and basics. He cannot stand it. Heck, it would probably be a lot better if he were to teach her instead!
…
Okay, forget he ever said that.
Plus, that hulking ape would probably crush him the moment he sees him not only because he had bullied her, but because he had been eavesdropping on them for a while.
So as much as it irked the living code out of him, Gloyd had to endure keeping himself from going there himself and simply sit back relax and observe. As he watched the large man struggled to slur up encouraging words while the little girl worked on the mechanics as she was behind the wheel. He laughed once, when Vanellope toyed with the gear stick, sending the car forward and the hulking ape to the ground. He laughed the second time when Vanellope's kart steered forward and hit his knee, making him fall. He laughed the third time when hulking ape took precautions and guided her from behind; she ended up backing on him twice. And the fourth time he laughed, hulking ape took the precautions very well and hid behind a rock, as Vanellope accelerated forward towards the sturdy caramel causing a crack, she was too focused on remembering the parts to actually notice hulking ape's misery.
Eventually, Gloyd had found himself watching and silently cheering on Little Miss Glitchy. It was entertaining to watch. He was rather impressed at how fast she picked up; she was a fast learner (with a rather terrible teacher). It was a sight to see – Wreck-it Ralph guiding the Lickety Split 2 bypass the stalactite caramels, it almost resembled a father guiding his daughter. It was pretty cute actually.
"That's right, that's right, change shift, change it. That's it! Then just keep going, just keep going!" Gloyd had whispered, almost repeating what Wreck-it Ralph had instructed her.
"I TOLD YOU, RACING'S IN MY CODE!" Vanellope said happily, feeling the pride in her chest. The rising adrenaline, it was almost indescribable.
"Woah ho ho, I got that medal in the bag!"
"Hey Ralphie watch this!" Her kart turned away from the track and unto the dirt, slipping and sliding with ease as she kept her speed on to perform a clean drift. Gloyd could almost feel his jaw dropping, not even Taffyta knew how to do that! And it had practically a week for him to master a drift, and here she was, a pure beginner perfecting it! She howled in delight as her kart found its way up towards the wafer bridge. She was going to do exactly what he think he's doing, she awfully reminded him of Swizzle, always so daring. Her kart sped so fast that when it leaped off, he held his breathe and felt time slow down.
Suddenly, she had glitched a few inches up, directly towards the of stalactite mentos.
"Look out!"
"Whoa!"
Ducking in time, the rear of her kart knocked a few mentos, a rough landing followed leaving the wrecker to suffer the consecutive explosions. Luckily, he hasn't suffered any great burns thanks to his panicky evasiveness, quickly dodging with ease. He only suffered a slight burn when his feet came in contact with the burning liquid. "Oww, Hot cola!" Again, Gloyd laughed, hard. He held unto his stomach and cover his mouth to prevent getting caught, it should be a major crime to laugh at one's misery.
The Lickety Split 2 banked against the gritty slopes of the cave, steering and veering with precision and ease until it completely stopped beside the hulking ape. He hair was swept by the dust, sticking to her sides to reveal an overjoyed, hyper-looking and adrenaline driven newborn racer.
"So how'd I do?" the words immediately escaped her lips as she panted.
"Uh…you almost blew up the mountain." Stated Wreck-it Ralph, scratching his head absentmindedly, oblivious to a falling mentos behind him until an explosion followed. "Woah!"
"Right, right, it's a good note." Vanellope nodded, turning to tuck her wind swipped hair.
"You gotta keep that glitchin' under control kid!" he reprimanded.
"Okay, I will, I will, I'll- and then you think I have a chance?"
"Hmm," he took time to consider this, and then: "tiny."
Bubbling feelings of mirth spilled out of her system that she was jumping for joy, running around her kart happily as she cheered happily. "YES! I'M GONNA WIN, I'M GONNA WIN, I'M GONNA WIN!"
Wreck-it Ralph looked down at her proudly, like a father to a daughter. And Gloyd wished so much that he could go down there himself and tell her that she could bag the race without even trying. Yep, even top racers admit their feat the moment they know what's coming. He wouldn't just admit it...yet.
"Topshelf!"
"Topshelf!" she repeated, bumping their fists together.
Smiling to himself, Gloyd took this as a cue to stand from the ground, he had to get back. He had seen enough. He must admit, he was glad he had the wrong impression about her. And with that, he was looking forward to competing with her.
"See ya at the race Vanellope." With that, he was off. Strange, he almost never calls her by her name other than – Little Miss Glitch. This was a first.
And yet, as he said it, intangible familiar feels got to him.
Loud music blared into the speedway, the racers in their karts as they prepare for the race. A few racers had taunted the other with their kart's specialty, while the others chose to ignore this and focused more on their good looks from their side mirror. Gloyd did neither, he settled on putting on his visor and steered clear for the impending race, like always, he can hardly wait! Next to pranking, he absolutely loved racing. It sent his blood pumping and the adrenaline rushing.
However, something seemed to be a bit off.
Taking his chance, he peered to his side, to Vanellope's supposed to be spot only to find that neither the Lickety Split 2, her kart, nor the racer was present. Inwardly, he panicked. Where was she? The race is about to start at any moment!
One of the gobstoppers clicked on his remote, presenting the racers on the Jumbotron screen with Vanellope Von Schweetz's name being marked as 'No Show'. Upon seeing this, a few racers had snickered. No nuisance, they were probably thinking.
Gloyd sighed, he expected her to be here. He wanted to see her race, wanted to see how good she really was. Plus, he wanted her to prove herself to them.
Maybe she got sick? Last minute thoughts? Womanly problems? Ate too much sweet that she had a stomach ache? Backed out?
"No, no way. She'd never back out, she never does." He whispered quietly to himself in assurance. He was sure that she would come, he just knew it.
"…LET THE RANDOM RACE ROSTER BEGIN! HA HA!" King Candy announced as the horn blared loudly for the race to start. Gloyd's attention returned to the race, only a bit half-hearted now that he seemed to have lost all motivation to race.
In the middle of the Gumball Gorge, as a Sweet Seeker took him and a few racers, he could have sworn a blur of brown, pink, green and black bypass him at an incredible speed. It was Vanellope! She was in the race! He instantly felt a whole lot better now that she was racing, feeling nonchalantly proud at her as she easily passed by the other racers. He laughed at her coyness, it was just so her.
Sadly, it didn't last long when a moment later, screams of terror and fear echoed from the pit stop. Sugar Rush had just been infested with Cybugs. Gloyd's mind went into rapid motions; panic surged into him as he saw the terrified faces of his co-racers. They were paralyzed with fear.
Sergeant Calhoun's voice was suddenly heard, apparently, one of the gobstopper crew had left his microphone on when he started to run off. "Alright, everyone to Game Central Station NOW, MOVE IT!"
They looked at each other, Gloyd wanted to face palm. "Well? Don't just stand there, follow what the lady says, MOVE IT!"
"B-But, w-what about the race-" Adorabeezle whimpered.
"Forget about the race, I'm outta here!" Snowanna shrieked, turning her kart around and drove back towards the pit stop. Everyone else had followed.
The cybugs were everywhere, and there were a lot of them. Luckily, none of the citizens, nor the racers have been caught up or eaten. Just as he was about to dash away from his kart, he heard Wreck-it Ralph from behind him.
"KID!" Gloyd's blood instantly froze, Vanellope was still racing?!
"Sh-She's still racing?"
Looking up at the Jumbotron, Vanellope and King Candy were the only ones racing, going on toe-to-toe. He would probably keel himself if he was to cheer for her under these circumstances; after all, she was clearly leading.
You can do it Vanellope. He silently cheered.
Out of nowhere, King Candy jumped over her kart and started to bash her rather violently and seemingly out of hatred. This was not the King Candy he knew, the jolly, goofy, kind and childish monarch. Vanellope was dodging his scepter/clutch, grabbing the thing with her fingers to pry it off of him. Her glitching had chosen this time to help her, it stuck unto King Candy and blue pixels had appeared on his body.
"Is that?" Fix-it Felix Jr. said, unsure of what he's seeing. The monarch was slowly pixelating into a jolly egg-headed king, to a horrendous zombie-like racer. It was Turbo.
"No…" Wreck-it Ralph and Gloyd said at the same time.
King Candy was actually a fluke, he was actually Turbo. A maddening man craving for attention and power just to be the greatest racer in the world. Gloyd's blood boiled with hatred towards Turbo, he had been deceived all this time by a wacko old timer?
"END OF THE LINE GLITCH!" Turbo said maniacally, flipping her kart to its side.
G-GLITCH!? SHE'S NOT A GLITCH! Gloyd angrily thought, clenching his fists and gritting his teeth as he glared at Turbo from the Jumbotron. He's the glitch here, not her!
"GLOYD! I FOUND YOU!" Jubileena's voice chirped from behind him, distracting him of his thoughts. The cherry themed racer ran towards her big brother figure, sobbing into his chest in relief when she finally found him. Gloyd remained stupefied and frozen; he did not know what to do. Noticing their presence, Fix-it Felix hopped towards them. "What are you two still doing here? You have to be at Game Central Station right now!"
"B-But what about-"
"C'mon Gloyd!" Jubileena cried, already dragging him towards the exit.
They were only half-way towards Game Central Station when they heard something at the entrance.
"Ralph, I told you, I can't leave the game." Stated Vanellope as an invisible barrier kept her from escaping.
His grip on Jubileena's hand had loosened at the very sight of this.
Glitches can't leave their games.
"No…no…no…!"
"Gloyd?" Jubileena tugged his hand, looking at him worriedly.
He had to go back, he had to, he just had to!
She's not a damn gitch! SHE IS NOT A GLITCH! The words repeated in his head as he trekked towards her, Jubileena's cries seemed inaudible to him.
"Ralph, stop it, it's no use!"
NO, IT'S NOT!
"Just go without me…"
And risk yourself? I don't think so-
Gloyd was swept away in a sea of panicked candied people and Jubileena and Snowanna's grip dragging him back. Her grief stricken face was the last thing he saw before finally arriving at Game Central Station.
"Gloyd, what were you thinking?!" Jubileena asked at her big brother figure, tears ready to fall down her face.
Gloyd wouldn't speak, more like couldn't. He was shaking, shaking with fear. Vanellope's face was haunting him, that sympathetic face of hers that selfishly told the big guy to leave with the rest, leaving her behind. That was a huge sacrifice. Seeing him like this took Jubileena by surprise. "Gloyd?"
"I'm going back." He simply said, turning towards the Sugar Rush.
"What? Are you crazy?!" Rancis asked, directing all attention towards the Halloween themed racer.
He did not look back, he was standing his ground. He turned and began running towards their game.
"GLOYD ORANGEBOAR, YOU GET BACK HERE!" Adorabeezle called, but he was already gone.
"Geez, what's gotten into him?" Taffyta asked gruffly, Jubileena shrugged sadly.
They all decided to run after him after 10 minutes of awkward silence.
His heart was beating fast, faster than a speed of light. It scared him, scared him that she might be gone, scared that she may be the cause of this.
He had fought every urge not to cry, it wasn't manly! Never mind that no one was around, Gloyd Orangeboar never cries. It was just depressing, plain depressing. He didn't want that, never wants to experience that. He's more of a cheers and laughter kind of person, he's never and will never get used to such negative and sad emotions, and it wasn't cool.
And it was damn as heck not suited for someone like Vanellope Von Schweetz to be feeling that way. She can hide it all she wants, but he knows exactly how broken down that girl really is. She can laugh and shove snarky comments all she wants, but she can't fool him. He's a prankster, so he knows exactly when one really is alright or not.
As he walked right up Sugar Rush, he half-expected cybugs to be waiting for him at the entrance and that scary lady with Fix-it Felix Jr., but no, that didn't happen. Instead, he has a clear view of a perfectly messed up Sugar Rush landscape. Almost everything was in shambles!
"Wait, where are Fix-it Felix and that Sergeant Lady?" he asked himself.
"YO PUMPKINHEAD!" screeched an all too-familiar voice from behind him, Candlehead.
Turning on his heel, he found the racers looking up at him then at their broken landscape from behind them.
"Oh. My. God. It feels like Halloween has visited Sugar Rush!" exclaimed Taffyta. Usually, Gloyd would snicker or be offended, awkwardly, he wasn't.
"Jeez, what a mess." Swizzle said, Minty nodding beside him.
"Hey look, they're fixing the finish line down there." Crumbelina pointed.
Gloyd's body flinched, quickly looking down to see four moving objects at the finish line. No mistaking, the tiny one with unmistakably raven hair was obviously Vanellope. Gloyd ran without another word. All the racers were shocked at his sudden enthusiasm, looking at each other before heading off to go after him again.
Gloyd ran fast, his tiny legs picked up as he was descending the slope. He had to see her, he just had to! He wanted to be sure that she was alright, that she was safe, and more importantly, that she was still here, glitch or not. Spotting the hulking ape behind her kart, Gloyd quickly hid behind one of the stands and watched them. He heaved a sigh of relief twice. She was alright, she was safe, and more importantly, she was here.
He collapsed on the ground and cried, doing the last thing he wanted to do. It was tears of joy, relief and fear. He was overjoyed that she was alright, relieved that nothing bad had happened to her, yet scared of what might have been. He almost lost her. After a quick while, he stopped crying and started to stand, brushing away dirt from his pants.
He was about to taken one step when a pink something caught his eye. Kneeling down, he took the accessory from the ground and examined it, quickly, he knew who it belonged to.
"Gloyd!" Swizzle called from afar, a few racers followed afterwards.
"Yo!" he called back, pocketing the goggles in his pouch. He'd give it back to her later.
As the racers walked down the track together, they could only gape in shock at the sight of Vanellope being rolled across the finish line. The finish line seemed to have computerized as it was beeping and blinking to life, all systems and codes whirred as the game was starting to reset.
Vanellope was lifted in the air, gleaming sparkles fluttered around her, taking her as a whish of a transformation was going on. Instead of the pony tailed glitch they expected, standing before them was a refined looking princess dressed in pink, her hair was in a bun, and she had a pink scepter and tiara.
In a flash, their eyes sparkled and memories began to fill their heads. The past and present of their memories clashed in their heads.
"Now I remember," Sour Bill said in a mild shock-like monotone, awkwardly fumbling his way beside the transformed raven haired girl. "All hail the rightful ruler of Sugar Rush, Princess Vanellope."
Everyone gasped, even Gloyd. His face began to heat up from mild embarrassment as he avoided looking her way, the memories started to sink in. An awkward smile plastered upon his face as he heard Taffyta, Rancis and Candlehead blabber out their excuses. Seriously, he cannot look her in the eye. He just can't. After...everything.
Then they all began pleading for her forgiveness, Swizzle was already on his knees looking at her apologetically. Gloyd tried to mimic his expression, but found the action impossible. Just one glance at her, and his face would be burning.
"Tut tut, as your merciful ruler I hereby decree that everyone who was ever mean to me shall be…" they all looked up at her expectantly, Gloyd pretended to care. "Executed."
"WHAT!?" the racers said in unison, that was the only time Gloyd bothered to look at her direction, but not directly at her. He was already on his knees, begging and pleading and sobbing for her to reconsider.
An obnoxious laughter was then heard from the leader.
"Nah, I'm just kidding. Stop crying Taffyta!"
Gloyd pulled his face from his hands and stared. As a prankster, he was always proud to know that he knew when one was lying or not, and this was the first time he didn't read the person and actually fell for it. And coming from the princess! Now isn't that something. Very slowly, he began taking in her new features as princess. All form of vocabulary synonymous to 'beauty' and 'elegant' had just left Gloyd's brain. There was no other definition to define someone like her; she was in all forms, perfect. Just absolutely perfect.
"So, this is the real you huh?" Wreck-it Ralph asked as he walked towards her.
"Ah Ralph what're you nuts? This isn't the real me," Glitch back to normal clothes. "This is me!" And he couldn't agree more. Well, whatever she wore she'll always be perfect and beautiful to him. She's just that amazing.
With a smile, he listened to her endless rambling over her newfound ability to glitch wherever she wanted and the cool prowess it came with. It was music to his ears just listening to her voice.
Having enough with a delicate and petty title of 'Princess', Vanellope constituted a new democracy, so no longer was she a princess, she was now President Vanellope Von Schweetz!
It had a a nice ring to it.
He liked this new Vanellope. Oh heck, he's always liked Vanellope just the way she was. Same old spunky, energetic, sharp tongued, witty and mishcievous Vanellope.
Just then, Sergeant Calhoun announced that the arcade was opening in a while. Wreck-it Ralph looked sadly down at the president, but the president would have none of it as she jumped up to give him a hug. The expression on his face was priceless. It was a mixture of shock and happiness; this seemed to be his first hug in years. Jubileena sniffled from beside him, smiling sadly at the two.
The two had the perfect father-daughter relationship ever.
As they began to part ways leaving out atrocious yet comical names at each other, Vanellope slowly found herself reuniting with her friends and rekindle the memories they all had. Gloyd had not once turned away from her; he finally regretted not looking at her in the eye. Yet, he couldn't find himself to approach her. He sighed under his breathe.
Oh well, there was always a next time.
Newsflash, since I am bedtired and lazy, I made this. This isn't the official ending my friends. I am just a bit sad that writer's block got me just when summer began, and I was really looking forward to writing a lot :( just a heads up though, is the ending alright? Or does it seem hanging? Let me know! I srsly have to update my other fics nyuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh.
Okay, another newsflash, I just edited this today thanks to a few readers who noted me about it. I loves you all! No, I do not ship Jubileena and Gloyd, I only see them as the perfect sibling team. Hee hee. Well, I'm still having second thoughts making the sequel. NAHAHAHAHAHA.