A/N: Hey guyzz! So just an FYI, when the music comes on the song is 'Don't Stop the Party' by Pitbull (feat. TJR)... Hope you enjoy another chappy and leave some reviews cuz they make me happy happy! (See what i did there ;D )
Vanellope ran as fast as her feet would carry her to the end of the tunnel, where when she heard whispering and quiet giggles and she smiled a victorious smile. Phase one of the plan was complete, time for phase two.
"Vanellope! How'd it go with the surge?" Taffyta asked as Vanellope reached her friends. They were all huddled behind the large wooden door that would lead to the bar.
"Great! Oh, you should've seen his face! He-"
"That's great and all Vanellope, but I think we should get back to the plan now." Rancis interrupted.
"Oh, right, right." Vanellope started, realizing she was getting a little sidetracked. "Taffyta, the bag." The black garbage bag was placed in her hands, and she started pulling out everything they would need. The more objects she pulled out, the more she smiled and told herself what a brilliant idea this was. Vanellope pulled out a large green trench coat, long enough that it would probably even fit Ralph. "Okay, now Swizzle, get on Gloyd's shoulders."
The two did as their tiny president instructed them. "Now Rancis, you get on Swizzle's shoulders. Now you on top Juby." Vanellope said, as Jubileena grunted trying to climb up the tower of boys. Taffyta picked up the green trench coat and flung it over the stack of wobbling little racers. She buttoned it up and stood back to admire her handy work. Only Jubileena's head could be seen, and she looked normal height, if not taller. The point being, she looked like an adult, which was exactly what they were aiming for. They did the same thing with Taffyta, Vanellope and Candlehead, with only Candlehead's face shown because somebody was bound to notice Vanellope as the president of Sugar Rush.
"Let's do this!" Vanellope cheered, her voice slightly muffled from the trench coat covering her face. The sound of muffled laughter could be heard from all around her, and she had to frantically shush her gang when she heard the door creak open. They wobbled around, a little out of balance when the kids on the bottom started walking. Vanellope could hear the slow steady rhythm of the Tapper's bar music, and it made her stick out her tongue and blench on the spot. How could anyone listen to this boring, sappy stuff? She was definitely going to have to make some drastic changes to the soundtrack in this place.
"Hey Tapper." Came Jubileena's voice from somewhere close by. "I've got something for you."
"What is it?" Tapper's muffled voice asked followed by the squeaking of a glass being cleaned.
"It's from Peach." Jubileena whispered. Everyone knew Tapper had a thing for Princess Peach. He tried to hide it, but somehow almost the whole arcade knew. Vanellope and her friends decided they could use that to their advantage. There was a long, silent pause, and Vanellope was considering tugging on Candlehead's pink racing jacket to get her attention and see what was going on, but then Tapper spoke.
"Come 'round to the back." He said, and Taffyta, with her eyes poking out from between two buttons on the trench coat, started to follow after him.
The stack of racers wobbled around as they tried to carefully walk to the back, pausing here and there to regain balance. Tapper glanced over his shoulder a few times, eying the two stumbling figures suspiciously. Something didn't feel right, but the curiosity of whatever Peach had to give him over rid his sense of security.
They reached the end of the long room, the strangers standing with him in the doorway to the hall that contained the restrooms. They blocked the entire doorway, their tall figures looming over him, which made him even more uneasy and anxious to get it over and done with.
"So, what's the big surprise?" Tapper asked smoothly, but his stomach was doing flips as he wrung his hands nervously.
The two strangers exchanged knowing glances, then turned to him, expressions unreadable.
"Sorry, Tapper," the one with the red hair said, and he swore he recognized her voice. Come to think of it, he recognized her face as well, but where had he seen her? He looked to the other stranger with the candle atop her head, scratching his chin and humming thoughtfully.
"Don't I know you two from some-WAH!" Tapper yelped in surprise as Jubileena tackled him to the floor. The three other racers jumped out from underneath the long trench coat, scrambling all over Tapper and trying to keep him quiet.
"Get him! Get his leg!" Jubileena whisper-shouted at Gloyd, who clung to Tapper's leg for dear life as it swung him around as if he weighed nothing at all.
"Gu-u-u-uys!" Gloyd panicked, and Candlehead quickly dropped the other trench coat she, Vanellope and Taffyta were in.
Vanellope quickly grabbed some licorice rope out of the black bag they had brought with them and shouted to the Halloween-themed racer, "I'm coming Gloyd!"
Soon they had Tapper secure with the licorice, and with a strong heave of effort from every racer, they managed to shove him in a nearby broom cupboard. The little racers gasped for breath, Vanellope and Taffyta leaned against the cupboard door while the others just sprawled themselves across the floor.
"Okay…so…time for…phase three," Vanellope breathed, tilting her head up toward the ceiling and cringing, "Let's give this old Jazz crud the boot."
"I agree," Taffyta nodded, narrowing her brow in annoyance, "because what are we, still in the 1940's?"
They crept quietly over to the sound system, not wanting to be noticed until just the right moment. Swizzle pulled out a flat, grey square-shaped object out from the black bag. It was labeled 'Dance Dance Revolution-Top 10', and Swizzle smiled triumphantly as he pulled a large black record out of it. Vanellope shot him a thumbs-up, and as he began to set up the new soundtrack, Vanellope peered over the wooden table at a certain booth in the far left corner of the room. Ralph, Felix, Gene, and Zangief were all sat there, laughing and drinking together as if they had been friends all their lives.
Even though he couldn't see her, Vanellope shot a hateful glare at Ralph. He had other friends now, ones that he would rather spend time with than her. She couldn't help but send a few jealous glances toward the other characters sitting with him in the booth, her face getting hot at how happy they all looked, having so much fun…without her.
"Hey, what happened to the music?" Someone asked, looking around in confusion. A few people nearby shrugged their shoulders, going about their business without any suspicion.
"It's ready," Swizzle whispered to Vanellope, and everyone turned their attention to the tiny president, waiting patiently for the signal.
Taffyta noticed Vanellope's red face and clenched fists, and she gingerly placed a hand on her shoulder, "Hey Vin, you okay?"
Vanellope whipped her head around, nearly smacking Taffyta in the face with her ponytail. Taffyta reeled back at the look of absolute rage and envy on Vanellope's face, and she squeaked out a startled, "Vanellope?"
"Let's do this," Vanellope growled, nodding to Swizzle who gulped nervously. He'd never seen his friend so angry before, and he risked a quick glance at her as he started up the record player. Soon a steady beat began to fill the room, and a few people looked away from their conversations to see what was going on with the sudden change in music.
"Hello everyone!" Vanellope greeted happily, she was standing on one of the wooden tabletops holding a microphone in her hand, all traces of her earlier anger was gone. "Hope all of you are having a great night, but I think now it's time to move away from the sleepy, sappy stuff, and get this party STARTED!"
She threw down the microphone, jumping off the table as all the other racers came out of hiding. Swizzle worked as the DJ, playing the songs and turning up the volume. The adults in the bar looked around with stunned and confused expressions on their faces, watching as all the little kids started to dance. Vanellope danced with her eyes closed, waving her arms in the air until she bumped into something. She opened her eyes and looked up into the agitated-looking face of Ralph.
"Ralph my man!" She smiled, "Come, join the party!"
"What are you doing here, kid?" Ralph questioned seriously, crossing his arms and giving her a stern facial expression.
"Um, isn't it obvious?" Vanellope asked plainly, gesturing to her friends, "We're having fun. Unlike you, Mr. Boring, just sitting there."
Ralph narrowed his eyes, "No, I mean what are you doing here? Kids aren't allowed in here!"
"Yeah, well that rule just flew right out the window, didn't it?" Vanellope giggled, waving a hand in the air.
Suddenly, a rumbling noise came started to vibrate the room, making everyone turn to look at the source of the sound, the game tunnel.
"What is that?" Ralph shouted over the noise, eyes wide and staring down at Vanellope when she spoke.
"They're here!" Vanellope said in a singsong voice.
All at once, dozens upon dozens of children from all different games burst through the door, running into the game and making the adults go into a frenzy. Koopalings jumped up onto the tables and knocked over glasses, Diddy Kong yelled at the top of his lungs to turn up the music, and the rest of the children swarmed into the bar, laughing and dancing.
"Woo hoo!" Vanellope squealed with glee and ran into the crowd, leaving Ralph standing open-mouthed with his arms hanging down at his sides.