Author's Note: This is a story I worked on over three years ago, and I thought I would share it with the Fanfiction world. Enjoy it!
It was just a normal day in Sugar Rush, where the racers were finishing up the day's Random Roster Race. Taffyta Muttonfudge was in the lead alongside the president, Vanellope Von Schweetz.
"Ready to lose your status as number one racer, Muttonfudge?" Vanellope asks the pink racer, who is now neck-and-neck with the perky president.
"Never, Vanilla Pee! You will lose your status as number one racer here and now!" Taffyta says, speeding ahead of Vanellope.
"Oh, it's on!" Vanellope says, speeding alongside Taffyta.
There is a young girl watching from the nearby candy cane tree, seeing the two racers go at it.
"No, no...can't let them see...can't let them know..." the girl says, tugging at the strings on her neopolitan-themed hoodie. "I'm a NPC...and I can't be like them..."
The girl's name is Nea Politan, one of the many NPC's in Sugar Rush to date. Her brother Neo was picking Tootsie Roll flowers near one of the taffy swamps.
"Neo! Don't you want to see the races?" Nea yells from the top of the tree she's sitting on.
"No, I don't, sis. You know we're only NPC's. We can't be avatars like the others." Neo says, putting the freshly picked Tootsie Roll flowers in a woven candy basket. "And we don't own karts like them. All we can do is try and be friends with them."
"Oh, darn it, bro, why do you always crush my spirits?" Nea climbs down from the tree and joins her brother by the taffy swamp where he was picking the Tootsie Roll flowers. "I wanna be a racer as much as I don't wanna be a NPC anymore. I'm sick of sitting on the sidelines. I want to be accepted by the others."
"I wish the same thing, sis. But we can't be racers. We're NPC's." Neo says, taking a flower from his basket and eating the chocolate part off of it.
There were other NPC's: ones who gave basic game instructions, ones who worked in the kart garage, and some who were simply race spectators besides the candy citizens. Each Sugar Rush Racer had one NPC cheering for them among their candy fans, all with different themes.
It was no surprise that these two NPC's wanted to be racers. Really, it wasn't.
Meanwhile, on the track, the racers had just finished the Random Roster Race, the next day's avatars being Taffyta, Vanellope, Rancis, Minty, Swizzle, Jubileena, Crumbelina, Cinndon, and Candlehead. So, now, the racers were standing around, chatting.
"Who wants to go to the Jelly Fruit Springs for an after race drink?" Citrusella asks. Most of the racers raise their hands eagerly. Everyone knew the Jelly Fruit Springs boasted some of the best soda in the game and made for an ideal after-game hangout.
"I have to meet Stinkbrain and Hammer Time for drinks at Tapper's, so I'll be back later." Vanellope says to the group heading to the Jelly Fruit Springs.
"I thought we were talking about your birthday party, Nelly!" Rancis said, jumping back into the Kit Kart.
"We will, Flugs, but for now, I need to meet my friends. I promise we'll talk about it soon!" Vanellope says, hopping into her kart and driving away.
"Well..." Rancis says as Vanellope drives off. "I guess it's just me and the rest of us, Ella."
Citrusella nods, taking the group toward the Jelly Fruit Springs.
In the Jelly Fruit Springs, the racers there are getting the assorted sodas that gush from some of the jelly fruit and some of the sodas that formed lakes in the springs.
"So, we should talk about the president's birthday, shouldn't we? I mean, it is coming up..." Rancis said, taking a sip of brambleberry soda.
"We should. You think she's gonna throw another kick-ass birthday bash just like last year, or do you think it'll be different?" Swizzle asks, his arm around Jubileena.
"I don't know, Swizz. I mean, she is the president. Doesn't she always have kick-ass parties?" Rancis replies, the swirl pop boy looking at him like he's crazy.
"You're right, Fluggerbutt. But it's the themes for all her parties that make them cool!" Swizzle says, smiling. "I still remember her glow in the dark party she had for her birthday last year! I loved all the neon!"
"Whatever theme it is, I'm sure it'll be super awesome!" Gloyd says, smiling and sipping the juice from a yellow wax bottle, which was his preferred drink at the moment. "All I know is that she gets pinatas filled with the best candy at all her parties! I look forward to that!"
"Well, my friends, the best part of any party is the music..." Cinndon says, getting himself a cup of pineapple soda. "You think she'll want live music?"
"Maybe so." Rancis says. "I don't know why Nelly doesn't want to talk about her birthday party, though."
"Well, maybe it's the fact that this is her second one since she started ruling Sugar Rush." Minty says, eating a gummy spearmint leaf.
"Yeah, that could be one reason." Rancis says, looking a bit worried about his girlfriend. "She's been confiding in her friends a lot lately, so her birthday is probably one topic she's real sensitive about at the moment."
"I couldn't agree more with you, Rancis." Cinndon says, putting a hand on Rancis' shoulder. "It's gonna be okay. Vanellope's gonna have a good birthday, I can promise you that. She's always enjoyed the parties she's thrown for us, so I know she will enjoy her own birthday party."
Rancis nods, lost in thought.
Meanwhile, in a chocolate shack near Almond Joy Alley, a few NPC's were gathered inside, talking among themselves.
"A birthday party for the president?" Nea says, a bit giddy upon hearing the news.
"Don't hold your breath, sis. Only the racers are invited to parties like that." Neo says. "We're not racers. Not yet, anyway."
Nea sighs. "I wish we were invited to parties and we could race and stuff."
Neo puts a comforting hand on his sister's shoulder, and sits with her. He knows all Nea wants is to feel accepted.
(End of Chapter 1)
A Little Rundown of the Racers' NPC fans (these fans are among the candy fans, keep that in mind, they don't race at the moment):
Vanellope Von Schweetz: Alison Turkton Delight (female)
Taffyta Muttonfudge: Strawbetty Pollipop (female)
Adorabeezle Winterpop: Pepper Cane (female)
Gloyd Orangeboar: Mitchell McMellowcreme (male)
Crumbelina Di Caramello: Tira Missy (female)
Minty Zaki: Mentha Spearmint (female)
Snowanna Rainbeau: Rainblo Di Sherbetty (female)
Jubileena Bing-Bing: Cherrypop Sugarfuse (female)
Swizzle Malarkey: Rodney Rancher (male)
Candlehead: Chip Chocolatte (male)
Cinndon Sodagard: Jonah Joralmond (male)
(you will meet these NPC's in the next chapter)