"Hi Mister Ralph!"

Ralph jumped at the cheerful, piping voice beside him, half-turning to see a green-haired, green-eyed little girl with a lit candle embedded in her hat perched on the wall beside him.

"Uh, hey... Candlehead, right?"

She nodded, beaming.

"Yeah! How'd you remember?"

He bit back a retort as he realized she was completely earnest, instead shrugging as he turned back to the jumbotron.

"Lucky guess. Shouldn't you be out racing?"

"Oh, I decided to sit out today. I mean, I've been on the roster almost a month straight - Nelly even gave me a roster spot the day the bugs tried to eat us!"

The statement was so absurdly chipper that Ralph could only stare. He remembered to nod after a moment, clearing his throat.

"Yeah, I think I heard. So, uh... giving the others a fair shot?"

"Yep!" She leaned toward him, speaking in a stage whisper she likely thought was secretive. "Swizzle hasn't been on the roster in forever."

"Is that so." He didn't have the heart to tell her he hadn't quite learned who Swizzle was; Candlehead was already distracted anyway, peering at his hand and then reaching out to pat the knuckles.

"Can you really bust a jawbreaker?"

"Uh... yeah. I did it the first night I came here, right after..." He frowned, remembering how he'd chased the kids out of the junkyard; come to think of it this one had really only watched until her friends started leaving, the only sign of distress a nervous smile. "You're uh... not scared?" Most of them had been decidedly hesitant in the week or so since; Candlehead, though, only giggled.

"Nuh uh! You're Nelly's friend, after all!" She hopped down from the wall, swaying rhythmically on her feet. "Hey - I can't bust a jawbreaker, but watch what I can do!" She clenched her fists, cheeks puffing; a few seconds later her flame flared brighter and bigger until it was nearly as large as Candlehead herself. After a moment she stopped, gasping and teetering slightly before looking expectantly up at him.

"Huh. Yeah, that's... I admit it, that's pretty cool." Ralph grinned at her happy squeak; the kid was sweet. A little too sweet, maybe - he had a feeling the sarcasm and playful insults that punctuated at least half of his conversations with Vanellope wouldn't fly here - but he'd dealt with worse.

"Looks like the race is almost over," he said as he looked at the jumbotron again. Candlehead nodded and started moving toward the finish line; after a few steps she stopped, glancing back at him.

"Mister Ralph, when is your birthday?"

"My what?" He blinked, rubbing the back of his neck. "Um, not sure - I don't think I was actually programmed with one."

"Oh." She mulled that over a moment. "Tomorrow then!"

"Wha-tomorrow? Look, I... there's already stuff going on, and..." He took in her crestfallen expression and sighed. "How about next week?"

She brightened up again, nodding.

"Okay! Your birthday is in one week!"

Candlehead hurried off as the race ended (the leaderboard showed Swizzle in fourth place, Ralph noticed); moments later an exuberant Vanellope had appeared on his shoulder, and before long he had entirely forgotten Candlehead's proclaimation.

"SURPRISE!"

Ralph stumbled back in shock at the shout; Vanellope, on his shoulder as she often was, was giggling in his ears and the throne room was filled with pastries and streamers and people. Felix and Calhoun were there, of course, and Kohut and Markowski and one or two other Marines, and Mary (who had skipped out on their usual baking lesson for two days, evidently to help with the large cake at the center), and most of Bad Anon, and the Sugar Rush racers (who he could now identify for the most part and who were growing more comfortable with him).

Candlehead, of course, was right in the middle of the gathering.

"Y'know, Ralph," Vanellope said, "I am hurt you didn't tell me it was your birthday. I might die from it."

"But it..." He looked at the happily bouncing Candehead and smiled. "I... guess maybe it is. It was a big secret."

"Yeah, even from you."

"And we're gonna have all the birthdays!" Candlehead sang. "I decided! Mister Felix's birthday is May twenty-seventh, and Miss Mary's is is July twenty-third, and..." She paused, head tilting. "Miss Sergeant Calhoun, do you know your birthday?"

"February thirtieth," Calhoun replied straightfaced.

"Okay, got it!"

"Y'know," Vanellope muttered in Ralph's ear as they were serving the cake, "Candlehead's just gonna always think it's because of leap year and have a party on March first."

"Sounds about right," Ralph said. "But hey - we don't have to tell Calhoun that."

Vanellope giggled wickedly in agreement, and Ralph settled in to enjoy his party.