Vanellope's day off

Vanellope sighed absent-mindedly, playing with her hair tie. It's was her day off from all her presidential duties, because as she and the other racers were all adults now, her work had increased greatly, and so had everyone else's. They all needed a day off from time to time. However, most of them had jobs now, and quite a few had families, so they were often busy on her day off. She herself was to be married this spring, to Rancis Fluggerbutter. She smiled at that thought. President Vanellope Fluggerbutter …

Right now, she should be sitting in the candy corn fields, eating a picnic with her fiancé. But Rancis had had to go back to the art gallery he ran, because of an emergency. Therefore, she had nothing to do on her one day off for the next two weeks.

She suddenly had an idea. I know! I'll go see the other racers! Brightening up immediately, she ran to her kart and drove into town.

She stopped at CC café, and went inside. "Vanellope, honey!" said a smiling Citrusella (She calls absolutely everyone honey. She'd probably call a Cy-Bug honey.). "What brings you here?"

"Oh, nothing really, just had a day off and I wanted to see my friends."

"Well, I'd really, really love to stay and chat honey, but Saturdays are our busiest day of the week. Wait one second ... Crumbs? Vani's come to say hi honey!"

Crumbelina came rushing out the kitchen door. She smiled brightly at Vanellope. "Vani! How are you?"

"Oh, I'm good, a little bored though, because-"

CRASH!

"Oh no, I should probably go take care of that. Well Vani, looks like we might just have to talk later." Sighed Crumbelina. "You can call me when we've closed up, right?"

"Sure" said Vanellope, sliding off the stool on to the floor. "See ya later. Bye Citri!"

"Bye honey!"

Vanellope chuckled to herself. This Citrusella was a million miles away from 16 year old Citri, who was a punk fan, quite moody, and one time tried to dye her hair fifteen different colours at once (only to be stopped by Jubileena).

She hopped into her kart and drove to Gloyd and Candlehead's house, which was basically an enormous jack-o'-lantern. Hopefully Candles would be home, as she usually has cakes.

When she knocked on the door, she was greeted by a rather distracted Gloyd. "Oh hey Vanellope – Jack get off the curtains! – how are you – Lulu give Candy her doll back – today?"

Vanellope chuckled. "Fine thanks. I guess you've been left alone with all the kids again? Candles must really trust your parenting skills." She paused. "Or she's even more of an airhead then we thought."

"Oh hahaha, poke fun at poor Gloyd why don't you?" He said sarcastically, leading her into the living room, which of course was a mess.

Jack, Gloyd's four year old son, was hanging from the orange curtain rail by the tips of his fingers. There were toys all over the floor, but Lucy and Candy, the two year old twins, were both fighting over one doll. And Kernel, their six month old baby, was lying in his playpen in one corner of the room, playing with the spider and candles mobile that hung above him.

Gloyd took one look at the scene, then sighed and walked forwards, picking up toys as he went, until he reached the twins. He separated them, took the doll from them, told them sternly that they must share things, and then gave them both copies of the same doll. Then, he walked over to the curtains, stuck his arms out as soon as Jack fell, walked back over to the toy chest, put the toys away and sat Jack in the corner, which had a sign that read "Naughty Corner" above it.

"So, Vani, where were we? What have you been up to?"

"Oh, nothing really, all my presidential duties, just boring stuff. You?"

"Well, since Candles is usually in the bakery and my business isn't really taking off yet, you know, my story writing one? Turns out I might not be as great an author as I thought… anyway, I decided to be a stay at home dad until these four, or even just three of them, start going to school."

"Well, that's-"

CRASH!

"Oh no, Candles is gonna kill me …" Said Gloyd in a stressed voice as he ran into the kitchen, where the girls were attempting to make a fruit salad.

"Honestly Gloyd, they have Candles' daydreaming skills and your mischievous personality." Chuckled Vanellope, leaning in the kitchen doorway. "You might be a while, so I'm gonna go, see you at the roster."

She left Gloyd holding two squealing twins, one in each hand, with fruit juice all over the floor, several toys and packets of food floating in it, and the whole fruit bowl had been dumped in the mixer, skin and all. Also, a heap of smashed plates on the floor.

Still laughing silently at Gloyd's expression, Vanellope prepared to climb into her kart and drive off, but then she heard panting noises coming from next door. She whirled around, worried it was a devil dog (She still had a slight fear of those things, the result of being chased by them for fifteen years) but it was just Sticky, who was eight months pregnant, leaning against her kart.

"Sticky!" cried Vanellope "What are you doing with that enormous bag? And why are you planning on driving whilst heavily pregnant?"

"Oh hey Vanellope," Sticky smiled, "I was just going to see Swizzie at the restaurant, he said he wouldn't ask me if he didn't have to, but he's had a computer problem, you know how bad he is with computers..."

"Listen, Sticky, knowing Swizzle he'll have forgotten to plug it in or something. You go back inside, I'll deal with-"

Suddenly Sticky phone went off. She got it out of her pocket with and apologetic smile, and read a text. Vanellope peered over her shoulder. It read; Sorry Sticks, forgot to plug it in. Don't worry about me, just relax, Swizz xxx.

Sticky laughed and prepared to pull the enormous bag back inside. Vanellope sighed. "Here sticky, give me that. What have you even got in here?"

"Oh, some giant cookies."

"What?! Why?!"

"Because sometimes I get cravings for cookies and they have to be the giant kind!"

They walked back into the house, and flopped down on to the sofa.

"Oh, thank goodness, my feet have been killing me." Said Sticky, as she rested her tiny feet on the coffee table.

Vanellope smiled sympathetically. "So, how have you been?"

"Okay really, I mean, pregnancy's a pain, but Swizzle takes care of me, I really miss racing though, sometimes Swizzle drives me down to watch but it's not the same, you know?"

"Yeah, that's how I always felt as a glitch."

Sticky blushed. "Oh, I'm sorry Vani, I didn't mean-"

"Aww, don't worry Sticky, it's fine now." Said Vanellope. "Except the devil dogs." She murmured under her breath. "Anyway, have you thought of any names for the baby yet?"

"Well, if it's a girl, we were thinking maybe Sunny or Mintyana, with possibly Torvald or Nougetsia or Minty - if we don't choose Mintyana - as a middle name. But if it's a boy, we were thinking maybe Skits, as Skits was one of Swizzle's closest friends in racing school, or Bennie, and as a middle name, AJ-"

"Why AJ?"

"Because Swizzie's closest cousin's name is Adrian, and my closest cousin's name is Jim. And we're planning on a double-barrel surname."

"So wait – your child's name could be Mintyana Nougetsia Malarkey-Wipplesnit?" Vanellope asked.

Sticky pouted. "Or Skits AJ Malarkey-Wipplesnit."

Vanellope chuckled. "Ok, ok I suppose-"

They heard the door open. Then Swizzle's voice said "Sticks, I'm back!"

"Hi Swizz!" Said Sticky, struggling to her feet, then going to kiss Swizzle in the doorway to the lounge. They kissed for a while. Vanellope sat patiently. They kissed for even longer. Vanellope started drumming her fingers against the coffee table. They didn't notice, and kissed for so long eventually Vanellope had to clear her throat very loudly for them to notice her.

"Oh hey Vani!" Swizzle greeted warmly. "How are you?"

"Oh, good, just the usual stuff really-"

Sticky's phone went off again. She answered it quickly. "Hello? Noggy? Oh dear, I'm so sorry! I forgot … I'll be there as soon as possible. Bye!"

She turned to the other two, and explained, apologetically, "I'm sorry, I was meant to go to Beezle's ski lodge to meet up with Noggy, Beezle and their cousins. Swizzie, could you drive me? Sorry Vani, I completely forgot …"

"Don't worry, I should be on my way, I'll see you guys at the roster…" Said Vanellope, as she exited the house.

She wandered around a bit, then walked over to her kart which was still parked at Gloyd's. Maybe I'll visit Candlehead, thought Vanellope, as she got into the candy kart and drove it down the road.

Before she could get to the bakery, she passed Taffyta's shop, a dress designing one. Vanellope remembered she'd dropped off a dress to be repaired last week, and hadn't had time to pick it up. Smiling at the thought of seeing Taffyta, who was her second best friend in sugar rush, she entered the shop, listening to the quiet tinkle of the bell – or at least trying to, as the shop was full of noise, Taffy's employees (mostly her fans) running around with armfuls of material or talking on the phone to a customer, customers complaining about the fit of their dress or praising the excellent craftsmanship, and Taffy herself talking to a customer, instructing an employee, or muttering to herself as she pinned or stitched a dress.

"TAFFY!" shouted Vanellope at the top of her lungs. Still, Taffyta only just heard her.

She stood up, and looked around, bewildered. Then, she saw Vani and recognition filled her face. "Vani!" she shouted, walking over, "How about we talk in my office?"

"OK!"

They went into Taffyta's office, which must have been sound proof, because as soon as she closed the door the noise died down to a gentle hum in the background.

Taffy slumped in her chair, and gestured for Vanellope to sit down in the other one. "Honestly, if I knew how hard being an adult would be, I wouldn't have stayed in Sugar Rush for the upgrade." She joked. "Would you like a cup of coffee? Tea? Anything?"

"No thanks Taff, I was just passing through, and-"

They heard a knock on the door. Breathing heavily through gritted teeth, Taffyta stormed up to the door and flung in open.

"WHAT?" She yelled at the small terrified strawberry lollipop who stood nervously in the doorway. She had obviously lost some sort of bet with the other employees about who knocks on the door, as she was holding a short stick and all the other employees were hidden, watching with scared faces.

"Um, well, you see ma'am, Miss Zaki is back, and, well, we can't find her dress, and, uh…" She stuttered, on the verge of tears.

Taffyta's face softened, realising how much she'd scared her fan. "Don't worry, I was making some last minute preparations on it last night, it's in the store room." She smiled kindly, and the lollipop immediately relaxed. Taffy walked past her, and into the storage room.

"And madam President, your dress is ready…" Said the employee, as she produced a dark brown chocolaty coloured (and possibly made out of chocolate) dress from behind her.

Vanellope smiled. "Thank you. What's your name?"

"Shelly ma'am!" The lollipop squeaked, before having to run off again.

Vanellope grinned. She walked towards the exit, waving at Minty, who was getting fitted for her dress and had a look of absolute boredom on her face, then jumped in her kart and drove off.

After a short stop at the bakery - where Candlehead gushed on about absolutely everything until Vanellope kindly but sternly stopped her, then left with a dozen freshly-baked cupcakes - and a text to Taffyta telling her to give Shelly a pay rise (for being brave enough to talk to Taffy when she was aggravated), Vani decided to go to the ice cream parlour. When she got there, she saw Torvald and Sakura sitting at a booth together. She waved at them, ordered her ice cream, and then went to talk to them.

"Hey guys!"

"Oh hi Vani! Great to see you!" Grinned Torvald.

"Hello Vanellope." Smiled Sakura.

"What have you two been doing?" Asked Vanellope.

"Not much, we have an important business meeting in fifteen minutes, so we decided to get ice cream beforehand." Said Sakura.

"Oh yeah, how's the business going?"

Sakura and Torvald were trying to set up Sugar Rush Airways, so people from different islands could see each other more easily. Recently they've been having troubles with New Citriland.

"It's ok, rather stressful though." Sighed Torvald. She perked up immediately. "But we can do it!" Then she died down again. "Or can we …"

Vanellope smiled. Torvald, as opposed to Citrusella, was exactly like she was as a fifteen year old. Her moods go up and down within seconds, and their only constant if something's really, really extremely good or bad. You know something's good if Torvald stays happy!

"Aww, cheer up Torvy. Of course you can!" Said Vanellope.

"OK!" Said Torvald happily.

"Uh speaking of our business, that meeting starts in five minutes Torvald …" said Sakura, nervously checking her watch.

"Oh, fudge! We better go!" Said Torvald.

They ran out of the ice cream parlour, waving hasty goodbyes to Vanellope, who sat and ate the rest of her ice cream alone.

Why is everyone always so busy nowadays? She thought to herself, as she got in her kart and drove past Sugar News studio.

Wait a minute! Snowanna works there! She thought excitedly. She ran up the steps and entered the building. She could hear voices shouting, people running, random music being played, but above all of that there was one voice, shouting orders at everyone in sight, babbling away to her earpiece constantly – Nougetsia.

"Noggy!" Shouted Vanellope as she walked over.

Nougetsia looked around inn confusion, there were so many people that Vanellope had to literally stand in front of her and wave her arms frantically for Noggy to notice her.

"Oh, Vani! Hey! How are you? I'm good, a very busy week, can't wait till Saturday, what about you? I mean, I haven't seen Domini all week, he's been in Cape Cake, we should really have a girls' night out soon, and invite all our friends for racing school, remember them? I still keep in touch with most of them, I'm visiting Choca in Bonboningham when the holidays start, oh do you remember that time when-"

"Noggy, slow down already!" Cried Vanellope, amazed at how quickly and for how long Nougetsia could talk without breathing.

Noggy blushed and giggled. "Oops. Sorry." She said, covering her mouth. Then her eyes widened as she turned the volume back up on her earpiece. She held up one hand, asking Vanellope to wait, as she answered at least thirty questions in about twenty seconds.

"Well Noggy, you're definitely the best person for this job." Said Vanellope, grinning.

"Thanks, we're missing an ending to the show though … Vani! An interview with the president would be perfect!"

She turned, grabbing Vanellope's hand, and walked into a room where several of Jubee's fans were applying make up to the reporters and the interviewees, whilst the cherry-themed racer herself was re-applying blush in front of one of the big mirrors.

"Jubee! Vani needs make up, she's on in five!"

"No, Noggy, I'm not doing an-"

"Vanellope! It's been ages!" Smiled Jubileena warmly, as she dusted the president's cheeks with blush and painted her lips with gloss.

"Listen, guys, I can't do an interview right now, you should talk to Sour Bill, he organises my appointments…" Said Vanellope as she slid out of Jubee's grasp. They both pouted, but smiled and waved as she left.

On the way out, Vanellope bumped in to Snowanna. Literally.

"Oh, Anna, I'm so sorry!" She said as she helped her friend up.

"Aw, don't worry about it, I'm going to make up anyway, my show's in five minutes. How've you been?"

"Oh, ok, everyone seems really busy lately, so-"

"ANNA GET IN HERE NOW! YOUR SHOW'S NEARLY ON AND YOU HAVEN'T HAD MAKE UP YET! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!" Came Jubileena's voice.

"Guess that's my cue!" Said Snowanna, as she ran into the building. "Bye Vani!"

"Bye …" Said Vanellope half-heartedly.

She wandered around a bit more, before going home. Well, what a complete waste of a day, she thought, as she fell on her bed. She felt her eyelids growing heavy, and decided a nap wouldn't hurt.

She woke up, and look around the room. Someone had obviously been in, as she was comfortably tucked under the covers and her shoes and hoodie had been put in her closet.

When she got dressed, she found a note in her shoe.

Hey Nelly, I came home and you were asleep, so I tucked you under the duvet, can you meet me at the gallery when you read this? Love, Rancis xxx P.S: You might want to put on your new dress. It's in your closet.

She smiled, and got changed into her dress. She admired herself in the mirror. Taffy had really done a good job on this one. It had a sleeveless bodice, and a tulle skirt, which reached to her knees. The whole thing was a rich chocolate brown, with a cream ribbon around the waist. To finish off the effect, she let her hair down, and scattered some brown and white candies in it.

When she arrived at the gallery, she gasped, shocked by its appearance. The main hall had been transformed into a sort of ballroom, with multi coloured streamers hanging from the ceiling, a disco ball and floor, music playing from every corner of the room, party food on either side, but, the best part, was that all her friends were there, smiling at her.

All the racers (even Sticky and Swizzle), several fans (she spotted Shelly, her PA Poppy, and countless others), and characters from other games (Ralph, of course, Felix, Tammy, and others, like some of the guys from bad anon and some of the other game rulers) were there, mingling, laughing, and dancing.

Rancis walked towards her. "You look wonderful Nelly."

"Wha… what…?"

"Well, I figured I do something special for you on your day off, so I organised a smallish party, and while I was preparing the gallery, I asked all the other racers to act busy, and to text me as soon as you'd been to see them, and as soon as you'd got home, everyone came over and helped, then you arrived!"

Vanellope smiled. "Rancis, you are the greatest fiancé ever."

"I do my best." He smiled. He held out a hand. "Care to dance?"

"I would love to." She replied, placing her hand in his.

And they danced the night away, and it was the best day off Vanellope ever had.