Much to Vanellope's disappointment, Ralph hadn't shown up like he usually did after hours.

Her 8-bit buddy, Mr. Ham-hands, was usually punctual, but apparantly he had better things to do than hang out with his best friend.

She figured that she could excuse him just this once. After all, since their little adventure, he was a busy guy now. He actually liked to hang out with the nicelanders and include himself in their activities and parties.

Plus, he had a bunch of homeless characters to help out. Not that they couldn't take care of themselves, but they were still new to their job and environment. A little bit of guiding and a look-out wouldn't hurt.

When he was able to make it, they had a blast. She could always think of something to do, no matter how ridiculous it was, and he'd follow along, sometimes with a roll of his eyes. Only a few suggestions he'd put his foot down to, but for obvious reasons.

She gave it a minuet more before sighing and yawning. Well, she might as well turn in for the night. The light was slipping away, giving into the darkness. It wouldn't do much good to stay out any longer.

With a last hesitant glance, the raven-haired girl stepped inside and allowed her servant, Sour Bill, to close the door and skitter after her. He, unlike most of Sugar Rush's population, had not changed much. However, his scowls to the visitors from out of game, and the obvious annoyance of the younger sovereign would give one the assumption that he missed the old reign and the 'simpler times.'

Of course, if challenged, he would deny it entirely. Saying anything positive about that would be implying that he wanted a lying, cheating scumbag (AKA) King Candy, or revealed as Turbo, back on the throne.

Even so, the former Turbo-Time racer had been taken care of. For good.

As Vanellope walked down the hallway, she watched her long shadow follow her, thinking.

"Why is this place so big?" She wondered aloud.

Bill shook his head slowly, "Because it was programmed that way...?" .

"Yeah, but it gets kinda lonely in here...like it was meant for more than two people, Y'know? Or even a whole village! I mean, its huge!"

A moment passed as the sour candy eyed her thoughtfully, "Well-..." As if suddenly remembering something, he abruptly cut himself off and stared hard at the ground, leaving suspicion to float thickly through the air.

"Well, what?" She snapped, turning on her heel to face him, immediatly intruged.

A guilty- if not pleading- look spread over his face as he looked up at his President, "N-nothing to be concerned, your presidentliness..."

Vanellope crouched down and grinned at him, "Alright, if ya don't tell me, i'll lick ya!"

Horrorstruck with the memory of what this may lead up to if he refused, and surprised at how fast this had snowballed on him, he answered cautiously, "...You wouldn't like it..."

A little, pink tongue stuck out threatningly.

"Ok, ok!" He quickly yielded, waving his jellybean hands, "The castle wasn't very big at first, but King Candy coded it like this for his family to live in!"

"Wait a minuet, a family? But Turbo doesn't have a family!" She cocked her head to a side curiously.

"I wasn't talking about Turbo..."

Outside, a sickly sweet tune drifted through the night air, looping around the stony castle and echoing into the candy-cane woods. It faded for a moment, a quiet moan and a 'huff' following, but then continued on, just a little louder than before.

"I'ts Now my tu-urn to pLaay, so juSt sit ba-ack and sEe

That sinccce oUr last encouNter...tHere's a fe-ew triCks up my-y sLeeve..."