Chapter One- The Gift
This all began with a gift. That's the funny thing about gifts. We all love them, we all want them but it takes a certain type of gift to reveal who we are on the inside.
"REALLY?!"
Torvald Batterbutter stood slacked jawed in front of Vanellope, the candy President grinning gleefully as she held a piece of paper before the butter-themed racer.
"Do ya need more proof? Do I need ta make a billboard of somethin' for ya?"
With shaking hands, the racer took the paper and looked upon the fine print on it.
"With great joy, we welcome Torvald Batterbutters to the Paper Boy News team!"
The signature was real, the words were real….
THIS WAS REAL!
"WOW!" said Sticky "Tori's gonna be a reporter! A REAL reporter!"
"Heh, knew this book-worm could do it!" laughed Minty, giving her sisters a loving noggie.
"But-! But how?!" the amazed girl asked, looking back at Vanellope "I've-! I've put in for a spot on the team for so long! How did ya-?!"
"Let's just say I had a talk with Paper Boy." Vanellope smiled "I showed him some'a work an' he was impressed."
"Vanellope, NO!" Torvald gasped, letting the sheet slip from her hands "YOU had a talk with him?!"
"Um, is that a problem?"
"YES! Yes, it is!" the butter racer nodded frantically "If YOU talked ta him, that only means he let me on ta make YA happy! You're tha President here so-!"
"Tori, please! Don't get too crazy!" Vanellope said, trying her best to reassure the girl "I promise ya. P.B let ya on because he thought ya could write!"
"But I sent in samples before. Why of all times did he decide ta let me on NOW?!"
"I dunno, maybe there were backed up all these years." Said Vanellope, shrugging her shoulders "What I do know now though is that ya finally got a place girly! Don't let this slip through your fingers!"
A feeling of bashfulness went tgrough the girl, her knees knocking together. She knew she had wanted the job, she knew she had a massive love for reading and writing but now that it had come-
Nervousness. She was filled with so much NERVOUSNESS.
"Can I do it?" she meeped "C-Can I do this?"
"Doooh, I'm used ta seein' STICKY bein' so shy!" Minty said, rolling her eyes "Don't be scared Tori!"
"I KNOW ya can do this!" Sticky agreed, such fever coming from the middle triplet "You're gonna show 'em all how much of an ace reporter ya are! You're gonna knock 'em outta tha park!"
"This is NEW WRITIN', Stix. Not baseball…" Vanellope laughed "But yeah! I believe in ya, Tori."
"Ya….ya do?"
Torvald was still in disbelief at Vanellope's words. She did not need to be reminded of how she had partaken in the relentless bullying of the candy President for so many years so to see Vanellope being so kind, to her the girl telling her that she BELIEVED in her….
Her heart was a flutter.
"This is gonna be so wonderful!"
Torvald turned towards her little sister, Sticky smiling warmly as she always did.
"Think about it." The girl said "Mama an' papa did say you were the best when it came to words. If they were here?"
"They'd be so proud of ya…." Minty finished, putting her arm around Sticky as the two shared smiles.
Torvald could not fight back the lump in her throat from Minty's comment. The group had fought hard to bring forth the proof of their parents' existence some time ago and as their memories returned to them, so did the words of the Zaki parents. She could remember the smiles her parents would give her, their words and hugs. She had worried of what they would think about her behavior during Turbo's rule but to wonder what they'd think of her now, to have a boy at Paper Boy's newspaper.
It was the biggest honor she could think of.
"Th'nk you Vanellope!" the girl said as she hugged the vanilla racer, hopping over to hug her older sisters "An' thank ya."
"Awww, don't get THAT mushy with us." Minty chuckled, Sticky loving the warmth she was given "Maybe this way ya won't have so much time ta write those lame fan-fictions based on us!"
"It's not FAN FICTION! It's FRIEND FICTION!"
Torvald didn't think she could sleep that night as she thought about her time at the news desk. All she could think about was making headlines and passing out papers to the masses, giving them ground breaking stories of joy, sorrow, and excitement! She couldn't wait to go on assignments, interviewing new games and so much more!
This was going to be as exciting as racing!
Well, maybe not AS exciting….
"Okay everyone, look sharp!"
Paper Boy stood before his reporters, all them a gaggle from his game and various others.
"We have a new member to join our staff." The man smiled, stepping away to show the girl "Everyone welcome, Miss Torvald Batterbutters from Sugar Rush!"
The crowd clapped and said their greetings, Torvald giving a sweet bow.
"Th'nk ya veyer much." The girl said, hoping she sounded mature "I've always loved the work you've guys have done here an' I'm gonna make it my MISSION ta keep things boomin'! I'll bring even MORE readers in an'-!"
"Hey, settle down kid." The game's protagonist said "Don't blow your brains out before you even get to writing."
The girl couldn't help it, letting out a delighted laugh as she hopped upon her toes "Oooh, I'm sorry sir! I just cannot wait!"
She stopped, reminding herself that a MATURE reporter never acted as such, brushing her skirt down.
"I mean-! Ahem, I want to keep the integrity of this paper and this game. I will do my best and beyond."
A tall character smirked over at Paper Boy "Looks like we got us a fresh one."
"Aw, c'mon Geist." Smiled Paper Boy "Don't tell me ya weren't this excited when ya joined the team."
"Hmmm, ya got me there." The character chuckled to himself warmly "There's just that feelin', isn't it?"
"Well, once we get your place organized we'll give you an assignment." Said Paper Boy "Since you're on the starting roster, you have to do a short assignment first. Something to get your feet wet."
"Of course!" the girl said "Any assignment, so long as I can write, is good enough for me!"
A twinkle went off in the girl's eye, her feet spinning her around.
"AH! An' before I forget-!" she said, reaching for a massive box on the desk "I brought hot butterscotch rolls!"
At the very mention of FOOD the office took notice, the Sugar Rush confections shining like gems as they were presented before them.
"Fresh from the Candlewick Café an' your friends at Sugar Rush!" the girl smiled "Still nice n' hot!"
"Say, boss." Said a female reporter, taking one of the massive rolls in her hands gleefully "Think ya can hire any more of these kids? Ya won't hear anyone complain about tha lack of snacks here if ya do."
The lead smiled, placing a hand on Torvald's head.
"Tori?"
"Yeah, sir?"
"You're gonna fit in just fine."
