Chapter 3: Computer Problems
"Hello, Candlehead. How have you been?" P.I.X.A.L. asked.
P.I.X.A.L.'s warm voice made Candlehead smile, despite her feeling kind of eerie after hearing someone call her name back in the office.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for asking." Candlehead replied.
Candlehead then waved goodbye and made her way out of the castle. However, once outside, she waited until she saw all of the lights in the castle turn off. She flew up to the office's balcony and then pressed her ear up against the door. She heard more of the humming noise and then laughter.
"It sounds like... but it couldn't be could it." Candlehead whispered in shock. She then asked "Hello?".
After Candlehead asked that, she heard no more noise. The humming and laughing had stopped.
"Oh man, this is creepy stuff. I should tell Kandle. The others would never believe me." Candlehead thought.
Candlehead ran to her house and made sure that night that her laptop stayed out of her room.
"Location: Litwak's Arcade, The World Of Disney, January 24th 2109"
The next day, Vanellope woke up and heard Candlehead and Kandle at her bedroom door. She got up, walked over to the door, opened it, and looked at Candlehead and Kandle.
"Hey, guys. What is it?" Vanellope asked.
"We have something important to tell you. But, why don't we tell you in your office?" Candlehead asked.
Vanellope nodded, and she, Candlehead, and Kandle walked into the office. Vanellope sat behind her desk, while Candlehead and Kandle sat in front of the desk. Vanellope didn't know what was so urgent, and why Candlehead and Kandle looked nervous. Nobody spoke. Vanellope noticed both of them looking at the computer with fear in their eyes.
"Okay, what is it?" Vanellope asked.
"Okay, it's that computer, and it is weird. I told Kandle in the morning about what happened and he thought it was weird too. It sounds like you! It's laughing and humming all the time when you are not here, or when it thinks nobody is there, and it keeps flashing." Candlehead replied with panic in her voice.
Vanellope rolled her eyes.
"Candlehead, I told you yesterday at the park that it's like a technological error or something. And the laughing must have been in your head." Vanellope said in disbelief.
Candlehead looked at the computer.
"That computer is evil, I tell you." Candlehead whispered.
Vanellope and Kandle started laughing. Candlehead glared at them.
"When I left your office yesterday, I heard you call my name, but you were already upstairs and it was coming from the computer." Candlehead said angrily.
Vanellope looked at Candlehead like she needed help.
"Look, Candlehead, I know that there are a lot of alternate universes and evil counterparts, but there's nothing to worry about." Vanellope said.
Vanellope turned to leave the office, and Kandle followed her. After they left, they bumped into the other Sugar Rush racers, Cinndon, Candace, Toxika, Damon, and Crepe, who had entered the castle to visit.
"Hey, guys. What's up?" Vanellope asked.
"We just decided to visit. How are you doing?" Jubileena asked.
Vanellope told everyone exactly what Candlehead had said, and they started laughing. Kandle glared at them.
"Stop being so mean. For the record, I had no doubt in believing Candlehead. There was nothing but panic in her voice and truth in her eyes when she told me, so you guys should learn to appreciate her more." Kandle said angrily.
Kandle then turned around and stormed out of the castle. The Sugar Rush racers, Cinndon, Candace, Toxika, Damon, and Crepe all looked shocked at his abrupt departure.
"Maybe we were a little... mean." Candi said, looking guilty.
Everyone else nodded, but Vanellope was still smirking.
"Look, guys, I know we were. But to be honest, I have never heard anything so ridiculous." Vanellope said. She then sighed and said "But... maybe we should apologize. Candlehead is our friend.".
Meanwhile, back in the office, Candlehead looked at the computer with disgust. Vanellope and Kandle had left, and she knew that they would never believe her. Candlehead turned to leave, but then she heard the voice again.
"Candlehead." the voice whispered.
Candlehead looked at the computer.
"What are you? What do you want?" Candlehead asked.
The computer screen turned red again, but in a second, a webcam came up. Vanellope looked back at her, but the only thing was that she looked different. Vanellope's hair was rearranged in a messy half up half down ponytail, her brown eyes looked darker, and she wore black lipstick and dark makeup. Instead of the outfit that she normally wore, she wore an elegant black dress that included a black spiky lace collar, a small black cape, and black elbow-length gloves.
"Candlehead, it's me. Help me, that other girl is an imposter." Vanellope replied.
"What if your the imposter? Your the one with the evil laugh! And besides, you don't even look like Vanellope." Candlehead asked angrily.
Vanellope rolled her eyes.
"Evil laugh? What are you talking about, Candles? And I chose to update my look because I could." Vanellope asked. She then shook her head and said "Listen, we don't have much time. Touch the screen and I can come out and we can fight this imposter.".
Candlehead asked her questions about everything that had happened after Sugar Rush got plugged in, and Vanellope answered every one of them correctly. Candlehead became confused, and she didn't know what to do. She hesitated before starting to hold out her hand in order to touch the screen.