Chapter One- Rouse

"Thaffyta my sweeth…" cooed the soft tone of the candy monarch "A lilth sour ball told me that you were seen traverthin' with a certain GLITCH this morning…."

"W-we just happened to run into each other, that's all!" said Taffyta, her voice shaking a bit.

"Ah, yes. Things like that DO happen…." The monarch said, getting off of his throne and petting the little racer on the head "But what have I THOLD you about traversing with that…that GLITCH?"

Taffyta sighed gloomily "You've told me that it's BAAAD an' that if she runs the race, she might get us unplugged..."

"Right!" the king said, tugging at the girl's cheeks, perhaps a bit too hard for her liking "I'm doing this to protect you AND everyone in this kingdom! You know that!"

"I-I know King Candy…." Taffyta said, looking up at the monarch with wide eyes "But c'mon! Every game glitches once in a while and people don't seem to mind! Besides, it's not like Vanellope has it in on us!"

King Candy turned around, giving Taffyta a rather concerned look. He lowered his head, shaking it.

"I never wanted to tell you thith…." The king said, turning around and walking back to this throne.

"Huh? Tell me what?" Taffyta was interested now, running behind the ruler and tugging on his coat tails. The king took another look back at the little racer, his mood darkening a bit.

"Thaffyta, it…" he paused, shaking his head again as he put his hands out before him "No. No, I couldn't tell you this! You'd never be able to take it!"

Taffyta pouted as she looked up at her king, her chest puffing out "What do you take me for? Some cry baby?! Tell me what's wrong, King Candy!"

The king sighed again as he flopped down on his throne, rubbing his temples as if a headache were starting to brew up "Thaffy….there's another reason I don't want you to hang out with Vanellope…."

"And? Why? She's not dangerous!"

"No…." the king said "But she's…she's…."

"King Candy!" Taffyta said, unable to take the suspense any longer "What aren't you telling me?!"

"Vanellope wants to take your place!"

"W-what?" the racer stuttered, falling back a bit "What do you mean she wants to take MY place?"

"Thaffyta, you have to understand people like Vanellope….she's a user. She's only began hanging out with you in order to get herthelf on the roster and take your place."

Taffyta paled a bit, her eyes widen "W-wait! How in the world did you find this out?! An'-an' why would Vanellope want to do that to me?! Sh-she's-! We're…"

"Friends?" King Candy answered, peering down at the small girl.

Taffyta shook her head but as the news was broken to her, she felt a sense of weakness fall upon her. After hearing the news that Vanellope didn't view her as a friend, she just didn't know what to think.

Ever since being plugged in, Vanellope had been Taffyta's only real friend in the game. Of course, all the Candy Racers had a bond with each other, but the others seemed to treat Taffyta more like a boss. Sure they would laugh at her jokes and all have fun but for a lot of them, they felt as if there was an OBLIGATION to hang out with Taffyta, as if they felt she would become upset with them if they didn't.

Vanellope was different.

Vanellope was able to see past Taffyta's very forward and brash attitude and treat her like another friend. They would also bounce jokes off each other and snark a few here or there but in that sense, that's what made them true friends. Ever since Taffyta had found Vanellope on the outskirts of the track, the two had formed a bound. She didn't care if Vanellope glitched, she didn't care if she seemed to be an unused character.

None of that mattered.

What mattered was that they had become friends.

But was all of this even true?

Taffyta stood before King Candy, unsure what to think anymore. On one hand, the little racer thought that the monarch was just being overprotective and what ruler wouldn't? He only wanted the best for his people and his little racers.

But he had always been so hard on Vanellope and this new information was no different.

Taffyta swallowed back the lump that was forming in her throat as she once again looked up at King Candy, her eyebrows furrowing.

"King Candy!" the girl started "While I appreciate the fact that you're tryin' to keep us safe, I…I can't believe that Vanellope is trying to take my place! There are plenty of spots on the roster for EVERYONE so-!"

"Thaffyta Muttonfudge!" the king shouted, losing his temper "You know better than to doubt your king like this!"

The little racer almost fell down on her bottom at the sudden outburst! She had never seen King Candy so angry before!

"B-but King Candy!"

The man once again tried to calm himself down, rubbing his temples as he shut his eyes "I-I'm thorry, my lil thweet….its justh…when I heard her say those things about you. About all of you, I justh didn't know what to do. I mean, even if she's a glitch, she's thill a KID. How can I punith thumone who-"

The man stopped, shaking his head in anger "No. NO! She MUTH be thopped, before she winds up hurtin' any of you!"

"King Candy, NO!" Taffyta said "Can't I just talk to her? I mean, she'll listen to me!"

"I don't know if that'll be any good now…." King Candy said, looking down at Taffyta "She's already made her move."

"W-what MOVE?" Taffyta said, arching an eyebrow.

King Candy clicked his fingers, a few Oreo guards coming in carrying boxes of items in their arms. Taffyta was curious as to what the items were but as the box wa put down before her, her heart sank.

In the boxes were parts from karts and not just HER kart, but EVERYONE'S.

Wheels from Candlehead, breaks from Swizzle, engine parts from Rancis.

All of these parts were reported missing in the weeks past and now, they had suddenly turned up. Taffyta reached in, pulling out a break-pad from her kart.

"W-where did you-?"

"Where else?" King Candy said, a sad look on his face "She has a whole collection of these in her little hidden 'garage'."

The girl's thoughts were at a lost now; before her was proof. Proof that Vanellope had been using her and the rest of her friends to sneak into races.

"B-but she said….we were…..sh-she's my friend."

King Candy rose from his seat, walking over to Taffyta and putting his hand once again on the racer's head "Now do you see my dear? You called Vanellope your friend….but what friend uses others just to win medals?"

The little racer shook in rage, the shortbread cookie pedal breaking in her hands as she held them tight.

How dare she.

How DARE Vanellope use the other racers as a way to build parts for her own kart? If she wanted to make her own kart, she could have just asked but to steal from them and then lie?

She was no friend.

She was just a GLITCH!

Without saying another word, Taffyta stormed out of the castle, slamming the door behind her. All alone in the throne room, King Candy once again shook his head, walking over to the window of the huge room.

"Poor, poor children…." He said with a sigh "Friendship for them is tho fragile. It only takes one thing to break it apart."

The man watched as Taffyta hopped into her kart, blazing off at top speeds. Once the girl was out of sight, the once concerned look on his face began to curl into a devious smile.

"An' that's what makes things like this thooooo easy…" chuckling to himself.

"I wonder where she could be…." Vanellope said, balancing on a peppermint bridge in the far part of the forest "Taffyta is NEVER this late for a run!"

The loud hum of an approaching engine hit Vanellope's ears, the girl turning around to see a flash of pink coming over the horizon. She smiled, seeing Pink Lightening.

"TAFF!" the girl shouted, waving like mad "OVER HERE! OVER-!"

Pink Lightening keep a steady speed, cruising right towards Vanellope. When the raven-haired girl realized that Taffyta wasn't going to stop, she knew it would be best to jump out of the way.

"WHOA!" the girl cried, leaping off the bridge just as the kart struck it "Ya okay there, Taff! Had ya not stopped sooner, I think we'd both end up in traction!"

No reply. Taffyta just looked at Vanellope with cold eyes. The other girl looked around, a little worried that there was someone else around and Taffyta was shooting her glare at them.

"Er, somethin' wrong?"

"Yeah….there's somethin' WRONG." Taffyta growled, getting out of her kart and marching up towards Vanellope. The little racer felt a sense of worry growing in her as Taffyta approached, still scowling and looking all the more upset by the second.

"Hey there….ya lose a race or somethin'?"

"NO." the strawberry racer said in a harsh tone "But somethin' tell me ya wouldn't care if I DID, would you?"

"What are ya goin' on about, Taff?" Vanellope said "Ya know I love it when ya win! You're actin' as if I was placin' bets again ya or-"

"Oh, STUFF IT VANELLOPE!" Taffyta shouted "We all know what's goin' on here, so drop it!"

Vanellope blinked as she looked at Taffyta, obviously confused "Noooo, I don't know what's goin' on here! Care ta explain?"

Taffyta reached into her pocket and SHOVED a piece of Pink Lightening into Vanellope's chest, "Care to explain THIS?"

Vanellope looked at the part for a moment, unsure of what it was. She then licked it, taking in the sweet flavor.

"Hmmm, strawberry with a small hint of vanilla….it's part of your ride but…but why are giving it to me?"

"Because you're the one who took it from me!" Taffyta spat, her little hands balled into fist.

Vanellope jumped at the accusation, dropping the candy part to the ground "WHAT?! I took it?! Taffyta, that's….that's CRAZY!"

"Oh yeah?" the strawberry racer growled, going back to her kart and reaching in "Then what about all of THIS?!"

Taffyta then began tossing parts at Vanellope, the girl glitching in place as she attempted to dodge the flying objects.

"HEY HEY HEY! Watch where you aim, Taffyta! Ya could'a nailed me in the head!"

"Tell me THIS, Vanellope Von Schweetz…." the other racer said, her arms crossed and her head down "Do you consider me a FRIEND?"

Vanellope was taken aback; of course she saw Taffyta as a friend! Why wouldn't she?

"Of COURSE I do! Why wouldn't you think so?!"

"I don't like bein' lied too…." Taffyta said in a low, hurt tone "I don't like being lied to. I don't like being used…."

The girl looked up, still angry but her eyes filling with tears "An' I don't like it when my entire home is being used because of someone's greedy purpose!"

Vanellope began to back away a bit, an angry look on her face "W-wait….you seriously think I stole all of this stuff?! Who told you that?!"

"IT DOESN'T MATTER!" Taffyta shouted "I just want to know! Would you ever, EVER use me for your own gain?!"

"Taffyta, stop!"

"ANSWER ME!"

"NO!" Vanellope shouted "NO! I WOULDN'T! WHY WOULD A FRIEND DO THAT?!"

Taffyta shook a bit, "I-I don't know what to think anymore…."

"I don't even KNOW what you're thinkin'!" Vanellope said, putting a hand to her forehead "You just suddenly come outta nowhere an' start up all this crazy talk!"

Taffyta took a deep breath as she looked at Vanellope; she could tell from the girl's eyes that she WAS telling the truth but at the same time, she could not deny the words of her leader. He had done so much for the racers already so why would he lie? He had nothing to gain if he did.

So who was telling the truth?

Vanellope?

Or King Candy?

Taffyta wrung her hands together before looking back at her friend.

"Nelly?"

"Yeah?"

"Um, can I talk to you for a moment?"

"So what do you think 'bout Turbz comin' back?" Vanellope asked, putting on her racing goggles.

"What do I THINK?" asked Taffyta, a small smile appearing on her face "What do YOU think I think?! It's HORRIBLE!"

"Hmm, expected…." The president replied with a smirk "But I hafta admit, Taff. I did like tha lil greetin' ya gave him durin' that disaster of a party a while back! A FITTIN' welcome for his return!"

"Serious, Nelly. What did you think I was gonna do? Drop down on the ground and kiss his feet?"

"Okay, sorry I asked…." Vanellope said, turning on the ignition "I still don't know whether I find what happened to him funny, ironic…or just both!"

"What happened?"

"Yeah! Goin' through all that trouble just ta get back at us, only to wind up in jail!" the racer said with a grin "Make me wish tha guy ran into viruses fifteen years ago! Maybe it could have saved us all the trouble from the takeover!"

"Please tell me you're joking!" Taffyta said, a shocked look on her face "Really, Nelly! How can you take his return so lightly! I mean, the guy is BACK IN THE ARACDE and not too far away from us!"

"Ya act like Hero's Duty doesn't have him under lock an' key!" chortled the raven-haired racer "Even if he so much as DARES escape, Calhoun an' his boys will cook his butt faster than a deep-fried Twinkie!"

Taffyta could only WISH she had the same amount of confidence Vanellope had at the moment; it had only been a week since the entire showndown at the arcade and knowing the fact that Turbo and Sugar Rush were once again sharing the same space put Taffyta on edge. It wasn't as if the girl was completely terrified of the man, but instead it was the realization that another ghost from the past had returned and unlike the guilt that had once been held over her, this was something (or to put it better, SOMEONE) who she couldn't just will away.

Turbo was real. Turbo was back.

And who knew what he was planning within the depths of his prison cell.

Taffyta shook her head. She was over-thinking the entire thing! Perhaps Vanellope was right to face the situation with a sense of humor rather than just worry about it constantly. After all, she and the other racers were able to fend of Turbo in his enormous Candy Bug form, so what was stopping them from doing the same in his normal form?

Then again, in his normal form he was still able to take over the game.

For FIFTEEEN long years.

"Hey Taff?" Vanellope asked "You gonna be okay, right? I mean, we're not going to have another repeat of your lil gloomy spell are we?"

The strawberry racer let out a deep sigh, shaking her head "Sorry if I seem outta it, Nelly. It's just…"

"Hey, c'mon…" Vanellope cut in, placing a hand on Taffyta' shoulder "There's no need to worry about this junk! Let's just go back to what we do best okay? Or are ya scared that I might beat your butt this time?"

Taffyta smirked, reeving up her engines, "Von Schweetz, I would LOVE ta see ya try!"

"Last one to cross the finish line is Turbo!" Vanellope laughed, taking off in a cloud of sugar. Taffyta smirked as she followed, catching up with Vanellope a moment later.

"HEY! HEEEEEEEEEEEY!"

Mouse continued typing on her computer, ignoring the calling of the racer not too far from her.

"I know ya hear me, tho why don't ya answer?"

Silence.

"Hmm-hmmm-hmmmmm….Its tho NICE ta see tha diligent lil MOUSIE tinkerin' away at her computer…." Said the voice in a rather condescending tone "Make me wonder why thumone of YOUR intelligence is just another NPC."

Mouse's brows tightened in anger but she continued typing; she couldn't let the man break her concentration.

"What did tha programmers really want with ya? Just ta be thum thort of background fodder? Do ya have FUN just bein'tha person who gives tha players info they never really pay attention to? I mean, the only person they REALLY pay attention is is that Calhoun an' we all know that the's nowhere as good asth-!"

*CLICK CLICK*

Turbo froze once he saw the barrel of a rather large gun pointed towards his cell, the man's eyes widening in shock.

"This is a H.U.G or Hug Unlimited Gun, one of the MANY programmed special features in the game that one can find with a little tinkering around." Mouse said, her eyes still on her computer screen, the gun still pointed "This baby actually has the power to blast through that panel that's separating YOU….from ME."

Mouse then looked up, rage in her eyes.

"An' if you want to remain in one piece, TURBO, I would advise you that you keep your mouth shut!"

After a second or two, Turbo let out a snicker and that snicker soon grew into an uproarious laugh, the man laughing so hard that his knees buckled.

"O-oh! That's a good one kid! Threaten ME when ya know full an' well that if ya blow me ta smithereens, then any chance of ya guyths findin' out about those virusthes is out the window!"

"I wouldn't say that…." The woman replied in a cool tone "I'm sure there will be PLENTY of pieces left once I blast ya. And with that collective data, I can push that through a filter and get all the stuff we need without the worry of you keeping it from us!"

The woman smiled sweetly at Turbo, charging the gun "In fact, I don't see why I haven't tried this out NOW! It would save us so much time!"

"OKAY! OKAY! YOU MADE YOUR POINT!" Turbo said, walking back and sitting on his cot "Geeze, is everyone here GUN CRAZY?"

"I wouldn't call it that…." Mouse said, putting the gun down "We like to consider ourselves well-informed and well-armed!"

Turbo grumbled as he reclined on his cot, looking back at the woman who had once again returned to her research. What a pile of luck he was in; just when he thought he was going to be king of the arcade again, something had to happen to ruin it and in this case, the viruses had to turn on him.

Granted though, Turbo had turned on them FIRST but that was a minor formality.

Now instead of a lavish palace, he was rotting away in the prison cell of Hero's Duty and hating every minute of it. He had been promised that his holdings would be upgraded if he would release the information on where he had heard of the two viruses but Turbo wasn't going to let anything spill. If everyone at Litwak's were as smart as they played, they could figure it out themselves!

But of all the things that had been said to him, one thing stuck out the most.

And that was the fact that he was getting bored.

It was eating away at the man, knowing that a few stories above there were game characters bustling about in their jobs yet he was unable to do ANYTHING. On some days, he could have sworn he heard the sound of race cars speeding by and what made things even worse was hearing the voice of Vanellope when she came to visit Calhoun.

How he HATED that voice. Just hearing it made his blood boil and to hear it in such high spirits when he was being held prisoner.

It was just too much for the man to take and while he played cool on the outside, something inside was starting to wear away.

He needed to get out, but he had to figure out how.

If he even attempted to break out, guards would be on him in ten seconds flat and as he saw, these guys were no joke. This wasn't the eighties anymore; characters were bigger, tougher, and they didn't hold anything back. Even MOUSE, an NPC who was more or less designed for instructions had the abilities to beat the man to a pulp if she wanted to, with her hands and her GUNS!

No, a forceful escape wasn't going to get the man anywhere.

He needed to do something different.

Something more….deceitful.

Turbo closed his eyes, trying his best to clear his head to come up with an idea. He knew he couldn't count on his game or his friends considering they were long gone and the only other games he had any real ties to were Sugar Rush. Without his control on the citizens, who would come and help him though, especially when they made it clear that they resented the man for what he had done to them and made them do to Vanellope.

There was no way he could get their trust again.

Or could he?

He then thought of Taffyta, his 'favorite' little racer.

Ah, Taffyta Muttonfudge.

So forceful, so ambitious, so easy to mold.

Of all the racers, she was the easiest to get on his side once he had inserted himself into the game. All it took was a bit of the concerned father act, some scare tactics and BAM! Perfect little leader to round up the rest of his sugar soldiers.

Ah, how wonderful it would be to have her back on his side.

His side?

Turbo's eyes shot wide open; he knew that if he wanted to grasp the sweet touch of freedom once more, he had to act fast. The man sat up, walking over to the panel of his cell.

"Hey Mouse."

"It's Private Ornelaz." Mouse said coldly, not looking away from her computer.

"Private…." Turbo said in a low voice "I….I think I'm ready to talk."