Chapter Two Stands to Reason

Princess-turned-President Vanellope von Schweetz stood facing the other fourteen racers of Sugar Rush. The arcade was closed and they had all Sunday to decide the next roster, so she was having a meeting to announce some changes.

"Do we REALLY have to change this? It's worked great for years!" Taffyta Muttonfugde objected.

"Let me explain, before you cry about it!" said Vanellope, in a loud voice. This had the desired effect; everyone quieted down.

"Yes, King Candy's idea of a race to decide the roster works well, and we're keeping it," she said, and everyone gave a sigh of relief.

"But what I want to change is the eligibility," she added, "I looked over the records, and found where some of you, mostly the recolors, rarely make the cut. So, starting after today, each day's top six can race, but they can't be avatars the next day. The day after that, they are eligible again, and the last six are not. Get it?"

There was silence as everyone worked it out.

Sour Bill, standing by her, looked up at Vanellope. "I told you they wouldn't go for it."

She glared at the green hard candy for a moment, then turned back to the others.

"Okay, it sounds fair to me," said Candlehead, "As long as I can still race."

That broke the uncertainty, and the other racers agreed to try it.

"Let's get the Random Roster Race underway!" said Gloyd, loudly. His voice carried, and the stands of different types of candy shouted in agreement.

The other fourteen racers headed for their cars waiting at the START line, and Vanellope turned to her assistant. "See? I was right."

"Uh huh..." the depressed candy answered.

"Hey, President Glitch, what's going on?" said a voice the black-haired girl was happy to hear.

"Ralph!" she shouted, and jumped into his huge arms, giving him as much of a hug as their size difference allowed.

"Don't forget us!" said Fix-It Felix, who was standing by his wife Tammy. She was still wearing her game armor.

"Hiya, Short Stack!" the gruff soldier said with a smirk.

"What are you guys doing here?" asked Vanellope, with a smile as wide as her face.

"Oh, we're going to cut a rug at Dance Dance Revolution, and thought we'd see if you want to join us," answered Felix.

"You bet!" said the girl. "But first we gotta..."

"Hey, Prez, you're holding up progress!" shouted The Swizz from his car.

"Back in a bit," the aforementioned Prez said, "Why don't you watch from the King's Stand?"

"Let's do this!" she shouted, and headed for her kart.

The race started to a thunderous roar, both from the engines and the crowd. Ralph, Tammy, and Felix watched from the stand, cheering on their friends.

Near the end of the race, Taffyta was in the lead, to no one's surprise. Vanellope was a distant sixth, having been the victim of a sticky trap set by Adorabeezle. Vanellope had decided that, even though her glitching teleport ability made her a favorite of the gamers, she didn't use it during the Roster Race.

The race ended with Vanellope coming in seventh; Jubileena had power-upped at the last moment and blew past her. She didn't begrudge the position she earned; she was having fun. The recolor named Torvald had won for the first time in weeks.

Everyone was cheering as the racers crossed the FINISH line. Felix happened to look up, and saw a dark object against the blue sky and cotton candy clouds. It had wings. He tapped his wife's arm to get her attention.

"Honey, look," he said, pointing, "Is that a..."

"A cybug? Yeah, I think so," she replied, "I'm on it." She pulled out her flying sled and tossed it to the ground, where it expanded into shape. She jumped the side of the stand and landed neatly on it. A tap of a switch at her foot and it powered up, the blue flames of its rockets flaring to life. "Back in a bit."

She took off toward the cybug, angling to come up behind it. Below, everyone stopped and watched. The nervous talking started almost immediately. They all remembered what had happened when the cybugs had invaded the game.

Overhead, Tecna watched the end of the race. She counted fifteen cars, more than what the roster on the console showed. Preoccupied, she didn't hear the whoosh of Calhoun's jet sled behind her, but she did hear the rising whine of her laser as it activated.

Just as she started to look behind her, a pencil-thin beam of coherent light flashed and cut a hole through her left wing.

Tecna screamed in agony, and started losing altitude.

"What th- that's not a cybug!" muttered Tammy.

Instantly deciding what to do, she angled down and headed for the wounded... person. Getting under her, she easily caught the now-unconscious girl, trying not to further damage the wings.

Moments later she landed in a clear spot near the karts, and stepped off the sled. Everyone was running toward her. Ralph was the first to arrive.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed, "Who is she?"

"What game did she come from?" asked Felix.

"No idea," said Tammy, laying Tecna down carefully. "You've been here longer than me. You tell me."

Vanellope and Taffyta arrived at the same time. They studied the girl for a moment, puzzled.

"Wait a sec," said Taffy, "Candle, wasn't there some kind of game that involved fairies and elves fighting trolls?"

"Oh, yeah, I remember," she answered, the flame of her candle flaring briefly, "It wasn't very popular. I tried to talk to the fairies a couple of times, but they were all stuck up and ignored me."

"Guess she must have been out of the game when the plug was pulled, and ended up in here somewhere," said Ralph.

"She doesn't look like the others, though," added Candlehead.

"Anybody ever seen her before?" called Taffyta, but only got 'nos' in response.

"I can fix that wing," said Felix, pulling out his magic hammer. He gave the hole a gentle tap, and with a ping and shiver, it closed. You couldn't even tell where it had been damaged.

"Good job, buddy," commented Ralph.

"Her wings are pretty," said Minty, and Citrusella agreed with her.

"Sour Bill, don't we have a bed big enough for her in the Candy Castle? We can take her there," said Vanellope.

"If you must," said Bill in his monotone.

"Go make sure the bed is ready; we'll be right behind you," she directed, and the green ball rolled his eyes and left.

"I shot her, so I'll take her," said Tammy, picking up the fairy.

"Thanks, darlin'," said Felix.

Just then Tecna rolled her head and groaned.

"I think she's coming to," said Ralph.

"Ya think, Stinkbrain?" said Vanellope, "What was your first clue?" She was grinning at her best friend, to take the sting out of the insult.

"Don't make me come over there, President Seventh Place," retorted Ralph, "You probably wouldn't survive a spanking with THESE hands!" He grinned back, but narrowed his eyes at her.

Vanellope gulped, and took a step back.

Tammy laid her back down, and motioned everyone back a step or two.

Their visitor sat up, opened her eyes, and took in the people around her. "H- hello, I'm Tecna of Zenith, the Fairy of Technology."

Everyone was silent, staring at her.

Tecna stood up and flexed her wings for a moment. "No pain, and the damage is repaired. Thank you for the attention."

"Thank Felix, he did it," said Ralph.

Felix held up his hammer. "With this."

The fairy raised an eyebrow. "With a hammer? Hm. Must be magic."

"Why, yes, it is!" he answered, twirling the tool and putting it back in its holster.

With a flash of light, Tecna reverted to her normal form.

"I'm Vanellope von Schweetz, President of Sugar Rush. What game did you come from?" asked the girl, putting her hands in her sweatshirt pockets.

Her answer was the last thing they expected.

"Actually, I didn't come from a game," she answered, "I'm from the outside."

"Didn't come from a game?" asked Taffyta. "What, did you hit your head or something? You can't be a gamer, that's completely impossible!" She unwrapped a sucker and put it in her mouth.

"Not at all," answered Tecna, "I'm the fairy of technology, and I'm magical. I have a bonded pixie that goes into games to play." She looked around at the crowd of game characters. "But it's my first time doing so."

"Okay, putting that aside for now, why are you here?" asked Ralph.

Tecna turned her attention to the large man. "I felt something was wrong with this game, and when I sat at the console it pulled me in."