Whoever you are: step out of doors tonight,
Out of the room that lets you feel secure.
Infinity is open to your sight.
Whoever you are.
With eyes that have forgotten how to see
From viewing things already too well-known,
Lift up into the dark a huge, black tree
And put it in the heavens: tall, alone.
And you have made the world and all you see.
It ripens like the words still in your mouth.
And when at last you comprehend its truth,
Then close your eyes and gently set it free.

-Dana Gioia

The pixelated pool of mud hugged Ralph in a cold fashion yet again. How could such a small puddle stay whole for 30 years? It's not like the majority of it resided on Ralph's clothes. This question always stumped the reluctant giant, but he brushed it off and continued on.

It was Saturday night and the familiar ring of the Arcade closing up was always music to Ralph's ears. His unpleasant chores finished up which meant he would have Sunday all to himself (Considering the arcade was closed on Sundays).

The giant of a man was literally fumbling over his own hands due to pure exhaustion. He just wanted to curl up on his stump and go into hibernation. Nevertheless, he knew better than this, the little candied horror he loved oh so much was bound to show up jumping in all directions full of as much energy as Mentos in Coca-Cola. It was only a matter of time before she would manifest and bluster up a storm. Knowing this, Ralph rested his eyes for a few split seconds before hearing the rasp of a little voice greeting him.

A mass hit his chest, bouncing a couple of times before settling. "Hey Stinkbrain! Waz-up my main man!" Ralph groaned barely able to think through Vanellope's slur of words. "We should get going on wrecking our havoc, big man. I know we have like tonight and all tomorrow but this is some serious business. We need to start as soon as we can! Times a' wastin'!"

"Beat it kid, this Wrecker is pooped." Ralph rolled over to his side, eyes clamped shut.

Vanellope jumped to the heap of garbage near Ralph's head to avoid getting smashed by his bulk of a body. Twisting her head to the side to be eye to eye with Ralph she continues in a singsong tone, "Aw com'on grumpy lumps! How can you resist this opportunity?"

"Like this-" Eyes narrowed, Ralph retorted while alternating to his other side.

"You're no fun anymore. What happened to our old times? Huh?" Vanellope pouted crossing her arms and plopping to the ground in defeat.

Ralph was half asleep, which meant his caution level was on low. "Sorry little Miss Nuisance," eyes forced shut and sounding like he was hyped on root beer he prolonged, "dealing with a personified headache isn't the easiest of things. Plus abolishing a building everyday sure beats racing in a stupid little car. Your job is nothing-" he trailed off, almost on the edge of sleep.

The aura of happiness Vanellope owned had seized. She was a lot quieter than she normally was. "It's not stupid," she whispered sounding distraught. Ralph, unaware that his words hurt her, ignored her utterance. A sound similar to a malfunctioning Mario receiving a coin radiated from Vanellope as she broke up into blue pixels and then reassembled on her feet. "And it sure isn't 'nothing'!" The memory of Vanellope being pushed around by the other racers flaunted in her mind; therefore making her upset to the point of tears. "I don't know why I expect a Bad-Guy like you to be nice," she finished, face flushed with tears, as she glitched to the exit of the game, 'Fix it Felix Jr.'

Ralph sighed and sat up, watching her leave. He didn't say much but the intelligence she yielded made him forget sometimes that she really was just a traumatized kid. He had to thoroughly think about what he was going to say so he wouldn't bring back any bad memories the child possessed. So riddled in exhaustion he figured she would be fine for the night and he would go after her to apologize in the morning. Laying back down he shut his eyes, but he couldn't help but worry about the kid.

Vanellope was frustrated. Ralph could always top her. He was stronger and older. He seemed to toss away everything she threw at him. While he says something to her and she just gets upset and leaves. He was patient with her and she just wished she could return the favor. She was being a real diaper baby.

The President was lost in her own thoughts, oblivious of where or how long she was walking once she reached her home game. It was dark but the sweet moon highlighted the white of the candy cane trees, giving them a magic glow. But something was different. Something was… off. Soon coming to this realization, Vanellope stopped in her tracks. She looked around, every land mark was hidden in shadows and the area she stumbled upon was not recognizable.

She stood in the middle of what looked like a dirt circle. Funny though, Sugar Rush didn't assert any earthly materials; they were always made out of candy. In the very center was an enormous candy can tree. Vanellope couldn't help but notice there was something different with this hierarchy piece of nature. Its trunk twisted into a spiral of the colors teal on black. It almost looked like it was photonegative. You know, when the colors of something are switched to its opposite. The exterior of the dirt circle slowly faded into a black fog in all directions.

A thought of tracking Vanellope's trampled footpath crossed her mind but it was soon found pointless since they were no where in sight. She even noticed that stepping in the dirt made no trail where she was situated. It was almost like this odd region didn't exist. She turned on her heels to face the spot her shadow would be casted. But it wasn't there. Head pounding due to this large conundrum, the president groaned giving all her weight to the eccentric candy can tree. Hands in her hoodie's pockets and nibbling on one of the jacket's strings Vanellope rested her head on her knees.

Wuuum!

Vanellope shot up after hearing the peculiar sound. Her eyes followed the reverberation only to be greeted by a horizontal ocean like void. It was slowly quivering and captured a color of neon blue. It looked like it continued infinitely up, right and left. Being too thick to see through the gel, Vanellope's curiously got the best of her.

"Mother of monkey milk," the girl gasped, glitching to her feet, as she approached the weird galactic mass. She poked the wall then recoiled in fear. The partition replied with a ripple, similar to water, where she had touched it. Smirking, Vanellope reached her hand farther into the mass only to get stuck.

The president's stomach felt like it was being eaten by a cy-bug. She tugged at her hand in attempt to loosen it, but her appendage was only sucked in more. The accumulation continued to tug on her fragile body until she was completely devoured. "Ralph!" She screamed as she was no more.

Welp. Sorry it was kind of boring, next chapter will go into more detail. Reviews are appreciated! :) I hope you enjoyed! I'll try to get chapter two out soon.