Chapter Twenty Four – Dyed
Vanellope's sights upon the ripped card was enough to send her back into doubt, the girl once more missing another day on the track.
"It's been too long." Said Rancis as he looked up at the castle "Way too long."
"Let her stew." Said Lumi, helping Taffyta with her kart and looking not at all concerned "At this point, I think she's fakin' it. Somethin' in tha wind 'bout all'a this makes me feel she's only stickin' it 'cuz she's scared."
Rancis scowled, not at all keen on the boy's attitude "Scared? What would she have to be scared of?"
"All tha time she lost." Lumi said, slamming the hood of Pink Lightening down "Ya guys got a good load'a races ahead of her now an' if she's had her CREEPS watchin' us she knows she's lost ground."
"Oh, Gumbettino. That's SILLY." Said the peanut-butter boy "She…she knows she can catch up just fine and we'd have no….no…."
The boy stopped himself there. He knew that no matter what he said, something negative would come up with it. As much as he wanted Vanellope to return he could on dread her new 'friends' coming with her and only serving to make their races miserable again.
"Well, at least while she's in the castle they haven't had time to heckle us AS much."
"AS MUCH." Taffyta snorted "She still has some stragglers."
"Yeah, but ya saw 'em leave once they got caught in some of tha spray." Minty laughed "'Member when Sakura hit that last-second win with a Whipple Whirl an' sprayed THA ENTIRE LOWER ROWS with cream?"
Sakura tittered to herself "It was what I had to do, darling. I wasn't gonna let a win escape me like that."
"Yeah, but they were all booin' us!" Minty continued "Till ya got 'em an' that shut 'em up real good! Haven't seen those booger faces come back for a while!"
"Heh, maybe that's what we should be doin' for tha time bein'." Smirked Lumi "Sides, it makes for great entertainment."
The group shared a laugh, feeling some comfort they could all laugh without worrying about Snake and the others breathing down their necks. And for the rest of the day things went along just as the group had guessed. Vanellope being sick meant that those who did venture into the game during the day were very few and far between and if they were heading anywhere, they were headed to the castle.
Vanellope on the other hand….
Vanellope felt MISERABLE. Her body still tingled with glitches and twitches but she was starting to feel much better, finally able to move about in her room. The girl had WANTED to move further than that but the crowds at her door made it impossible, all of them asking and scrambling for HER.
In the past maybe she would have liked it, so unused to having such positive attention thrown her way but by now the girl was absolutely SICK of it. She could tell by the way they pawed for her, the way they called her name there was something important missing from their sentiments. They didn't want to see Vanellope to check upon her health, to see if she were recovering. She knew it deep within her code that they only came to see her so they could brag to their home-games they had 'Rubbed Shoulders with a President'.
She could no longer lie to herself about the fact; her TRUE friends were few and far in-between and at the moment they were still at work. She looked over at the phone, knowing she could call Ralph or Felix or even Calhoun and chat with them during a break but she felt embarrassed, a little scared when once upon a time she would waste no time in doing so.
Why did it feel so bad now?
The hours ticked away PAINFULLY, the final call shouted out as characters went about their evening. Vanellope looked at the large grandfather clock in her room, itching with anticipation that Ralph should arrive.
"Mr. Wreck-It! How are things?!"
"Is there any news of-?!"
"What do you have to say about-?!"
She could hear the cameras clicking behind the door but FINALLY, Ralph burst through, looking exhausted as he slammed the doors behind him.
"They're still there?"
The big man nodded, swallowing as he cautious stepped forward.
"Y-Yeah…." The man said "Th-tha Nicelanders made ya a pie."
"THEY care about me?" Vanellope asked in surprise.
"Yeah." Ralph nodded again "They've been tryin' ta send ya gifts for a while but every time I tried ta bring one in, Snake took it an-!"
Snake.
Yet again.
The girl felt her ears buzzing as she remembered what the two had 'discussed' the other day, the pieces of paper now shoved in the dresser drawer.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Ralph asked, looking worryingly at his friend.
"Nothin'…." The girl said, her voice glum "I wanna get outta this room but….."
"Yeah?"
The girl looked to the left, then to the right, trying to figure out what to do.
"I wanna glitch through tha walls but I don't think I'm strong enough…." She said, whispering over to Ralph "If I even try ta go out an' go ta tha potty they're gonna follow me!"
"Tha crows, ya mean?" Ralph asked, Vanellope nodding.
"Sarge cudda gotten 'em away." The girl said "Has she gotten lax or somethin'? It has been rather quiet 'round here."
Ralph blanched, remember that NO ONE had told the girl what had happened to Calhoun, his throat going dry. He remembered what the Marine had told them, had told EVERYONE close to the group; let her take care of what happened. Vanellope didn't need anything else to get sick over.
"She'ssssssss….." Ralph said, feeling the AWFUL twang of the lie coming from his mouth "She's been SUPER BUSY with Cybugs. A massive infestation came in an' she an' tha boys are tryin' ta make sure they don't get out, ya'know."
"We both know." Vanellope said, her eyes widening "A Cybug invasion would be ten times as nasty as what's goin' on here."
"But ya still wanna get out?" Ralph said.
"Yeah, kinda."
"Then here." The big man said as he picked the girl up, holding her in his massive hands "Maybe it's time I took a stand on this myself."
"Stink-breath? What are ya doin'?"
Without another bit of hesitation, Ralph opened the doors to the sight of the large crowd in front of the chamber doors. They talked loudly, cameras flashing before the two heroes.
"THERE SHE IS!"
"SHE LOOKS WORSE THAN I THOUGHT!"
"IS SHE EVER GOING TO GET BETTER?!"
"ENOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUGH!"
The halls went quiet as Ralph stood over everyone, a soft growl rumbling in his chest.
"Listen here, guys…." The man said in a HARD voice "We got us a sick kid here an' tha LAST things she needs is ya guys pokin' your noses where they don't belong! She's been cooped up in her bed for days an' just wants ta get out! Can we have one moment, JUST ONE MOMENT, of peace?! HUH?!"
The characters knew better than to get on the bad side of Ralph, their forms shrinking back as they slowly made a pathway for the big man to move.
"Thanks…." He mumbled, feeling a might bad for having to raise his voice in such a manner "Sweet toasted COCONUTS, this is crazy."
One of the 'reporters' peeked their head through the crowd, watching as Ralph and Vanellope made their way down the winding halls of the castle. Without waiting for a second they then took off, rushing out to the tracks where many of the others were starting to file in for the random roster racers.
"Has anyone seen Snake?" the little character said as they shuffled through the crowd.
"Sssssomone call me?"
The character stopped, turning and walking backward as he motioned Snake to follow him "Got some news."
"About WHAT?"
"Vanellope's finally gotten up." Said the small character "She an' Ralph are makin' tracks in tha castle."
"An' why sssshould I care about that?" hissed the reptile.
"Ya kiddin' right, Slim? Tha kid is up an' 'bout so she's more than willin' ta start askin' some questions an' I know Ralphie is gonna start askin' too."
"Puh, there'ssssss not much more me to worry about."
"Yeah, but what about Calhoun?"
"What about her?"
"Tha kid is gonna ask. Ya know how close she is ta her. What if Ralph has some ideas of his own on what happened? Ya don't think-?"
Snake rubbed his chin, remembering the close calls he had with Ralph before. Perhaps there were some things he should worry about, one of them being Ralph leading Vanellope to doubt HIM.
"I sssssee what you mean…." Snake said softly, keeping his composure clear "But there isssss nothing too much for me to worry about."
"An' tha racers?" the character said "What should we do 'bout 'em?"
"Asssss I have ssssaid ssssso many timessssss, we have to keep them ssssscared. We have to remind them that they mean nothing in thisssss cavity-ridden track." The reptile said "Jusssst keep them bussssy while I take care of thingsssss casssstle-sssside."
With a smirk on his face, Snake slithered his way to the castle, the racers unaware of what awaited them.
"This soup stinks….."
Ralph sniffed the bowl, finding a hint of NOTHING.
"Um, I smell…..canned soup?"
"Candlehead can make better than this…." Vanellope mumbled again, blearily sipping her soup "I…I know she can an' she does."
Ralph didn't reply, surprised that Vanellope was talking about the other racers in such a manner. Taking a hint from Felix, the big man leaned forward and kept an ear open; he wanted to see if Vanellope went any further with this.
"Back when Candy-Corns used ta run tha place…." Vanellope said grumpily "She used ta cook a lotta things. They smelled so good an' it wasn't just CANDY things. It was dishes from all over tha arcade. When I was able ta snatch some, she's tha reason I know about any non-candy food at all."
"Really?" Ralph asked "Do go on."
"An' when I got back…..she had this cookbook. She said she was gonna fill it up with recipes from EVERY GAME in tha arcade. New, old, forgotten, traded, ya name it. An' she showed me HOW ta make some of tha things in her book."
"An' how did ya do?"
"I stunk." The girl said "I can't cook, Ralph but C-Butt? I don't know where she gets tha talent from. She…she can just create with food like no one else. But she told me somethin'. Somethin' I'll never forget."
"A-huh?"
"She told me King Candy didn't want her 'messin' with people' 'bout her book." The girl said "I guess back then she didn't get it an' neither would I but I think….I think he held her back from explorin' cuz he didn't want her gettin' smart of what he had done ta tha game….an' her."
Vanellope placed her spoon back in the bowl, feeling soggier than a wet cracker.
"Everyone talks 'bout how I was trapped in tha game, as if everyone else was free or somethin' but….but tha more I think about it, tha more I realize that everyone else had their own prison. They had all their memories kept away just so Turbo could do what he want an' even then, even when they wanted ta do somethin' NEW or found somethin' they liked, he'd tell 'em no or how worthless it was."
Like a certain someone else?
"Didja know that tha Sugar Rush song is sung by Snowanna's mom an' her band?" Vanellope said "We've been around it for YEARS but even Snowanna had no idea that tha voice she heard all these years was her MOM."
Ralph was a little surprised by the fact, wondering why Vanellope had kept this iota of information from him.
"An' with C-Butt's cookin'. I can only imagine all tha times Turbo used ta tell her what she was doin' was stupid, even though it's what she LOVES." Vanellope continued "I…..I don't wanna seem like I'm doin' tha same thing with her. I just don't know how ta go with all'a this."
"But she seemed so welcome ta teach ya before, right?"
The girl nodded "She DID."
"Did?" asked Ralph "Then what happened?"
Vanellope put her soup spoon down, elbows hunching "W-Well….things started out good. She saw that I couldn't cook worth beans but she never held it against me. She just wanted ta see me happy an' have fun with me."
"But what stopped it? Did one of tha other kids tell ya somethin'?"
"N-No…."
"DO YOU THINK YOU'RE BETTER THAN VANELLOPE?!"
"YOU'RE JUST BEING A SNOB! STOP SHOWING OFF!"
"IF VANELLOPE CAN'T COOK THIS, OF COURSE IT'S WORTHLESS! JUST LIKE YOU!"
"TALENTLESS LITTLE PLACEHOLDER! YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING RIGHT! VANELLOPE IS THE BEST COOK IN THE GAME!"
The girl shivered again, her fingers tapping against the counter in nervousness. There had been some 'incidents' that prompted the candleheaded racer to cease her lessons with Vanellope and it wasn't as if she were the only one who lost interested.
Gloyd had stopped showing Vanellope his drawings.
Sakura had stopped showing her fashion collection.
Snowanna no longer wanted to play music in front of her.
Torvald no longer wanted to talk about books.
One after another, the racers had stopped doing the very things they loved while in Vanellope's presence and not because they didn't WANT to share those things with her.
But because they were told they COULDN'T.
"I-I think she got discouraged…." Vanellope lied "It's been so bleh here lately with everyone. But I don't know what ta do an' I hate seein' her an' tha others without anythin' ta have fun with. Food's C-Butt's thing but I don't know how ta get her back on it without comin' off, I don't know, kinda careless 'bout it."
Ralph rolled his eyes and smiled "Not gonna name names but all this cookin' talk? Kinda reminds me of someone else I know."
"Felix?"
"No…." the big man said "You're not gonna believe it but it's actually Ge-!"
"PRESSSSIDENT!"
Vanellope let out a shout as she JUMPED in her seat, the bowl of soup spilling on the counter.
"Ah, dang it."
"There you are….." the snake said in a sickly sweet tone as he slithered up to the others "I wasssss getting WORRIED that sssssomething had happened to you when I found that you were not in your chambersssss."
"Give her some space, Snakey." Ralph said, a little perturbed by what Snake had admitted "I mean, geeze. Tha kid hasn't been out in who knows how long. Let her stretch her legs a bit."
"Oh, I would NEVER, EVER want to impede on Vanellope'ssss recovery." The reptile baddie said as he pulled a seat up for himself at the counter, Ralph feeling far more uncomfortable than he could ever hope to be "I jussssst hope thissss issss what ssssshe needsssss in order to get back on the track and ssssshow everyone who the real ssssstar of thisss game isssss!"
"I'm not the 'real star'….." Vanellope mumbled, looking at the spilled soup on the counter "I….I mean, I'm President, maybe? But there's more than one racer her for anyone to choose."
Snake remembered to pick his words carefully, place-holder far from his mind.
"Perhapssss, perhapssssss. But we wouldn't want thossssse OTHERSSSSS to get lazzzzy now would we?" he chuckled, lightly bumping Ralph on the shoulder.
The big man grimaced, holding back his tongue from saying anything else.
"I am just glad to ssssssee you up and about. I don't know what I or the otherssss would do ssssshould we find out that what happened wasssss sssssomething that could not be fixed."
"She can pull through it." Ralph smiled "I know she can."
"Asssss do we all, Wreck-It. Asssss do we all."
Silence fell on everyone in the kitchen, Snake the only one looking as if he had any energy to share. Ralph and Vanellope felt trapped even if there were but three around, Snake making things far more awkward than needed.
"M-Maybe, if I feel better…." Vanellope said "Next week I'll get out."
"That sounds great." Ralph said "I'm sure everyone will be happy ta see ya."
"Yeah." Vanellope said, remembering the card "Maybe."
"Kid?"
"Sssspeaking of that-." Snake cut in, placing a hand on Ralph's shoulder "I musssst inform you that there ssssseemsssss to be sssssome trouble on the tracksssss?"
"Trouble? What kinda trouble?"
"Jusssst the ussssual." Snake said "Thossssse racersssss are pusssshing a few of usssss back, essssspecially ussssss bad guyssssss."
The Wrecker arched his brow, suspicion going about him but not towards the target he knew Snake had hoped for "Hmmm, is that so?"
"Issss sssssomething wrong?"
"Yeah, there kinda is." Ralph said, crossing his arms against his chest as he looked at Snake "If this has been goin' on, why didn't ya tell me SOONER? I mean, ya know how I handle things like that an' I wudda-!"
"I jussssst didn't want to bother you, that isssss all." Snake said.
Ralph was no fool; Snake was lying about his scales but he was being so cool and sly about it that he knew no matter what he did he wouldn't have an evidence to refute the claims. He had no choice but to go upon Snake's words or at least check for himself.
But that would mean having to go out on the track and he KNEW he couldn't take Vanellope with him.
"Well, perhapssss we should call the PROPER authortiessss?"
"Nah, nah. Lemme take care of it." Ralph growled, waving a hand "Kiddo, let's head back to-"
"Um, just lemme hang here for a sec, okay Ralphie?"
The man was a little surprised by what Vanellope had told him "Ya sure?"
The girl nodded nervously, Ralph once again not at all trusting to Snake's presence in the room.
"Do not worry, Wreck-It. Thingsssss will be jusssst fine."
"I can take care'a myself, Diaper-Baby." The girl said, forcing a smile as she glitched slightly "Just make sure the guys are okay….okay?"
Ralph could hear it in her voice that she was concerned about the others, even if she never wanted to say so in front of Snake. It was just a little hint but it made Ralph feel so much better, the big man lumbering out of the kitchen….
But he had left a mouse alone with a snake in a cage.
Her big robe still clutched around her, Vanellope carefully jumped from the high stools and began to clean up.
"Th-tha soup wasn't even that good." The girl said "I kinda stopped havin' tha cooks do everythin' since it made me feel laz-!"
"Hasssss he told you?"
Vanellope froze in her place, looking back at Snake "H-Has WHO told me HUH?"
Snake looked around, making sure another pixel wasn't present around them. Shutting the door, he slithered back to his own seat, a saddened look on his face.
"Oh, poor poor POOR Ralph." He hissed "I can only guesssss he wasssss doing it to protect you."
"D-Doin' WHAT?"
"I HATE to be the bearer of bad newsssss…." Snake said "But if it musssst be thissss way, then it musssst."
"Snakey, what's goin'-?"
"Have you wondered? Why your friend Calhoun isssssn't here? Why ssssshe hasssssn't called you?"
The notion of Calhoun hit Vanellope quickly, the girl wondering if there were a BIGGER reason as to why she had been MIA for so long, the worst coming to her.
"Oh no…..SHE'S NOT-?!"
"I know what you're going to sssssay…." Snake said, holding out a hand "And thank the programmersssss, it issss not ssssssomething THAT terrible!"
Vanellope breathed out, feeling as if she were about to hit the floor "I know I shouldn't think that but when someone goes MISSIN' that long an' no one talks 'bout 'em….."
"It sssstill troublesssss me to tell you…." Snake continued "All becausssse I know you look up to that woman very much."
Vanellope moved closer, wanting to know the truth "Look, I know I may be SICK but-! But I can take tha news! Just lay it on me, Snake!"
"Are you cccccertain?" the creature said "I don't want to upssssset you."
"JUST TELL ME!" the girl shouted, pounding her hands on the counter top….and then feeling the pain a second later "Ow…"
Snake drew in a breath and exhaled "The Ssssargent."
"Yes?"
"Ssssshe hasssss been….."
"SNAKE!"
"Sssssshe hasssss been sssssupended….." Snake said, watching as Vanellope nearly GLITCHED through the ceiling.
"SUSPENDED?!" the girl shouted "SUS-PEND-ED?! Why-?! WHAT-?! WHAT HAPPENED?!"
Snake turned away from Vanellope, playing sad as best he could. She growled, moving herself to the countertop as she tugged at the creature's collar.
"C'mon! I need ta know! Not just because I'm PRESIDENT! SHE'S MY FRIEND!"
"That'sssss what I am ssssso worried about."
"Huh?" the girl asked in confusion.
"Jusssst how well do you know thisssss Calhoun? Jusssst how much can you trussst her?"
"How much can I-? I trust her with my LIFE!" said Vanellope "She-! She'd stop at nothin' ta save ME, ta save ANYONE! No matter who they are an'-!"
"Vanellope? President….."
The girl panted, sweat going down her forehead as she looked at Snake, his composure calm.
"It may be one thing to be a hero in your game….." Snake said "But it takessss quite the will to carry thosssssse ssssentimentssss outssssside to othersssss."
"S-Snake you're not making any sense."
"Sssshe was caught harasssssing bad guysssss."
Vanellope went ASHEN as she heard the words "What?"
"Yesssss…." Nodded Snake "You're HERO? Calhoun? Ssssshe wasssss ssssuspended becausssse ssssshe wasssss caught misssstreating bad guyssss around the arcade."
"No. NO!" Vanellope yelled again "No! I don't believe that! She would never hurt a bad guy! At least an INNOCENT one!"
"That isssss EXACTLY what ssssshe wasssss caught doing however." Snake said "Ssssurge hassss the video evidenccccce at hissss officcccce assssss well asssss the tessssstimony of many bad guyssssss sssssshe hurt."
The girl could not believe this, she didn't WANT to believe it. How could Calhoun, a person she trusted with her life, a person she saw as FAMILY, turn on the arcade in such a manner? And if SURGE had evidence about it….
No, no it couldn't be true! Someone had to be pulling a prank on her! A terrible, CRUEL prank.
"No, this doesn't make sense…." The girl said "Ralph is her buddy! He's a bad guy! Why would she even TRY doin' somethin' so stupid when she knows-!"
"Even if sssssshe hangsssss out with Ralph when you're around, do you think that meansssss ssssshe actually TRUSSSSSTSSSSS him?"
"But….but all this time-?"
All thisssss time ssssshe hassss played ussss all….." Snake said "I had a feeling ssssssomething wasssss up after all our run-inssssssss. And the way ssssshe defended thossssse placccce-holderssssss."
Vanellope looked up at the reptile, her brows creasing. She had already warned him from calling the other racers PLACE-HOLDERS for some time but the way he used the term in conjunction with his attitude towards Calhoun.
"N-Now hold on a moment…..you're not tryin' ta say-?"
"Look, Pressssident. I know I am rough, I know I am a bit fiessssty but thisssss isssss how I became after ssssso many yearsssss of being misssstreated becaussssse I am a bad guy. Ralph knowsssss all about it."
"Yeah, but RALPH doesn't an' HASN'T gone all out on everyone who was scared of him." Vanellope said "I know there's a thing as bein' TOUGH but I hate ta admit it, SNAKE. You've taken things too far."
"You really think so?"
"YES!" Vanellope said "Don't-! Don't you think so too?!"
"No, I do not." The reptile said "If thossssse place-holdersssss treated you ssssso rough over all thessssse yearsssss then maybe they DESSSSERVE sssssome-!"
"STOP CALLIN' THEM PLACE-HOLDERS!" Vanellope screamed "I told ya before, why do I hafta tell ya again?! They're not place-holders!"
"But-!"
"NO! THIS ISN'T RIGHT!" the girl shouted again "I KNOW what tha guys did ta me all those years ago! I LIVED IT! I CAN'T UN-FORGET IT! But you're not makin' things any better for ME or THEM!"
"Why SSSSSHOULD I care about THEM?"
"BECAUSE THEY'RE RACERS TOO!" Vanellope roared back "I don't care if ya think they're funny lookin', they're racers like ME an' they don't need all these people rushin' up to 'em! An' when ya SLAMMED Candlehead onto Lumi's kart-!"
Snake's eyes widened as he looked at the girl, control returning to her as she sat on her chair.
"I know I ran….but that's because I HATE blood. Hate it more than anythin' in tha world….But why did ya do that? Why did ya hurt her like that?!"
"Ssssshe…." Snake began, trying to remain calm "Ssssshe got SSSSMART with me."
"So instead of callin' me ta sort things out, ya HURT HER?!"
"Ssssshe sssstumbled and fell hersssself." The creature continued, showing not an once of caring "You know ssssshe was proragmed to be a little dunder-head sssssso it isssss no sssssurprisssse that ssssshe sssshould sssslip on her own feet at the mere gusssst of-"
"BOOTY, SHE DID!" Vanellope glitched again "Candlhead is GOOFY but she's not STUPID. She's not CLUMSY an' she sure as heck didn't just 'fall'! Stop tryin' ta hide it, Snake! Ya went too darn far with her!"
"Alright, alright….maybe I did. But can you blame me?"
"YES."
Snake jolted at the girl's words, feeling as if he had slipped up once more. Vanellope wasn't keen on how Snake or anyone had been acting, the memories of Candlehead's body crashing into the car replaying over and over again in her memories.
"I shudda done somethin' ta help her. I know she may have come off like she was gettin' on ya but she only does that when she thinks someone is REALLY in trouble! Ya didn't hafta HURT her like that!"
"Well….if you feel that way…..I am sssssorry."
Vanellope didn't reply, feeling uncertain about the exchange.
"I…..I jussssst wanted to do the besssst for you, to make everything in thissss game to your liking."
"But I am NOT tha only person in this game, Snake." Vanellope said "There are HUNDREDS of other citizens, racers an' NPCs, who live here an' if I just made tha game run on everythin' I like? It wouldn't be any different than what King Candy did."
"Don't ssssay that." Snake said "You are one HUNDRED timessss the ruler than he'll EVER be."
"I don't feel like it." Vanellope said "I just…..I just feel like I'm not doin' enough. That bein' President or even just bein' a PRINCESS isn't me because I can't lead ANYONE."
The girl slunked down in her seat, feeling awful.
"I couldn't even stop Turbo from gettin' in all those years ago. All I'm seein' now is I'm a junky leader."
"I believe in you…." said Snake "Sssssince the moment I sssssaw you I knew there wasssss sssssomething ssssspecial about you."
Vanellope's skin prickled over in discomfort at Snake's choice of words and tone; memories were coming back and they were not GOOD ones.
"Let usssss forget thisssss whole thing….." smiled Snake as he got up and slithered over to Vanellope "And perhapssss you're right. Someone did frame Calhoun."
Vanellope gave Snake an odd look "I know Calhoun couldn't have done all that stuff people said….but I didn't say ANYTHIN' 'bout someone framin' her…."
"I think the rossssster raccccesssss are over…." Snake chuckled, as if he had not heard a word the girl had said "Myabe we ssssshould see who won?"
"TAFFYTA MUTTONFUDGE TAKES THE WIN!"
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Another roster race had been completed, the final contestants marking their placements but as the stands were once again filled with outsiders the racers were not met to a welcoming crowd. Taffyta didn't seem to hear the crowds though, taking her first place medal but for the second and third place winners?
GET OUTTA HERE!
BOOOOOOOO! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
PARASITIC PLACEHOLDERS!
BULLIES! NOTHIN' BUT A BUNCH'A BULLIES!
The strawberry racers saw Nougetsia lowering her head, Rancis hitting his head on the horn of the steering wheel, the color drained from them both as they wanted nothing more than to escape the onslaught of jeers from the stand.
"C'mon guys!" the strawberry girl said in anger "Don't let 'em get ta ya! Don't let 'em beat us like this!"
FRAUDS!
TURBO FOLLOWERS!
Rancis looked over, seeing the pink girls' face going red. She had heard enough and despite her advice to the others she was having a hard time keeping her own temper down.
"Ya still won tha race." She said to herself "That's all that matters. That's all that mat-!"
"AAAAH, STOP!"
The kids looked over, seeing the Zaki trio and their matcha cousin being sounded by a group of 'fans', one of them grabbing Sakura by the bow of her yukata.
"Let go, let go!" she cried out "Unhand me, you jerk face!"
"Hehe, the prissy one wants to play!" said one of the 'spectators', pulling even harder on ribbon. Sakura tried her best to pull back the other was far too strong for her.
"LEAVE MY CUZ ALONE!" Minty roared as she tried to stomp over towards the adversary but she was soon stopped herself, her two sisters shoved back.
"MINTY!"
"HEY, HEY, HEEEEY!" Taffyta shouted as she rushed towards the growing fight, Rancis and Nougetsia following in worry "What tha ho-ho do ya think you're doin'! Leave them alone!"
"Why should we listen ta a widdle pinky punk like YOU?" laughed the large character, reaching for Taffyta but the girl quickly jumped the opposite direction, a sharp SNAP heard under her feet.
"Ya can't treat us like this! Not in our own homes!"
"This is VANELLOPE'S home!" cackled the third rough-houser "Besides, I'm sure she won't mind if we make sure the TRASH is taken care of!"
"W-We're not trash!" Sticky meeped, trying her best to stand up for herself but she and Torvald were once again grabbed, the others gasping in shock.
"STICKY!"
Taffyta was caught off guard, the girl feeling her wrist snapped up tight by a might hand, her feet leaving the ground. She shrieked in horror, legs kicking as hard as she could but the large character smirked at her efforts, the others taking ahold of the rest of the nearby racers.
"No!" shouted Snowanna, the other racers around her looking on in fear as they say the scene unfolding but Rancis turned towards them, panic on his face.
"Run! Don't go near us! RUUUUUN!"
The lot of tiny characters prepared to go off but larger bodies surrounded them, the rowdy crowd leaving the stands and starting to whoop and cheer as they surrounded the racers. Taffyta paled further, realizing that the racers were now trapped with no means of escape.
This couldn't be happening, this couldn't be possible. In their own homes they were now targets, surrounded and unable to escape.
"I'll be taking THESE."
Taffyta looked up in time to see Baston grabbing the three winners' trophies, the girl growling.
"WHAT ARE YA DOIN' WITH THOSE?! WE WON THOSE FAIR AN' SQUARE!"
"A race isn't FAIR 'less Vanellope is here ta win it." The man chuckled, stepping as hard as he could on Taffyta's first-place cup to dent it "These things are as worthless as those junkers ya call KARTS."
So much was being committed right before the entire arcade yet no one did anything, the candy racers left to the mercy of those who called themselves 'friends' of Vanellope, their fate unknown but feared.
"OH NO!" Candlehead said as she and Lumi came from around the corner of the garage, seeing the mess "Wh-what do we-?!"
Lumi ran towards the melee, of course not having a clue as to what to do but he just had to do something, he HAD to help!
"You can't do that!" growled Lumi, aiming a hit towards the character who had Taffyta "Put them down or-!"
"An' what do we have here?"
The boy felt a tub on the back of his collar, his scream echoing across the track as Baston had caught him, just one more candy racer to add to the collection. Back at the garage, Candlehead ducked in fear, far too scared to act as she watched her other friends rounded up. She whimpered, falling down on her bottom as she hid, frozen.
"Someone help, someone help, someone-!"
"HEY!"
SILENCE.
The outsiders turned their heads, a massive figure approaching them.
"What in tha arcade do ya think you're DOIN'?!"
Wreck-it-Ralph?
The one and only.
Ralph glowered at the group but the racers looked far more fearful of the man than the others; when did he arrive on the scene?
"Let us go, let us go!"
The Wrecker looked down, Lumi still struggling in Baston's arms.
"Filthy BRAT, stop movin'!"
"I'M NOT A BRAT!" the boy protested, arms and legs flailing "Now let us go before-!"
"Before WHAT?! What makes ya think some talentless placeholders like you can-!"
"Drop those kids this second or YOU'RE ALL GONNA END UP BROKEN INTA BRICKS!"
Baston gave a cry as Ralph's voice thundered towards him, the baddie dropping Lumi onto the ground.
"As I asked before, what the heck is goin' on here?!"
"What's it matter ta ya, Wreck-It?" asked one of the others "Vanellope may get ya VIP views here but that doesn't mean EVERYTHIN' here is your business!"
"Considering it looks like you're tryin' ta trash these kids, I think this case makes it alright ta make it my business!" the man shouted back "Why are ya bein' so rough? Tha arcade is tryin' ta rest an' all ya wanna do is fight!"
"Don't pretend ta be clueless, Ralph." Growled Baston "Ya know if ya had tha chance ya throttle tha lil rotters around too!"
"What?! Are ya nuts?! I-!"
"THIS one is tha reason Vanellope is sick." Said the baddie, shoving Lumi onto the ground "If it hadn't been for HIM, she wouldn't be messed up in tha castle!"
Lumi was writhing inside with anger, once more subject to being the target of the wild outrage. The others echoed Baston's words, the racers still rounded up within the circle.
"I told ya…." Lumi said, finding his voice "I didn't have anythin' ta do with that!"
"LIAR!" hissed Felia, swiping at Lumi's jacket with her sharp claws, making him scream. Ralph was AMAZED by what he was witnessing, quickly taking a step towards the group.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! There's no need for that!"
"Look at all this mess you've caused!" screeched the feline fatal "An' it's not just YOU! It's all tha rest of you pathetic placeholders!"
"RRRRGH, STOP!" Roared Ralph "Ya guys have CROSSED THA FREAKIN' LINE with this, so-!"
"If it hadn't been for you guys, Turbo would have never come back!" said someone else, shoving the kids into each other hard, making them bump and bruise each other "It was YOUR fault he attacked!"
"STOP!"
"It was YOUR fault Vanellope was glitched!"
"NO IT WASN'T!"
"It was YOUR fault all of this is happen!" said Baston again "If ANYTHING bad happens here, it can all be traced back to you!"
"Stop it, stop it, STOOOOOOOOOOOP IIIIIIIIIIIIT!" shrieked Taffyta "WHY WON'T YOU LEAVE US ALONE?! WE'VE NEVER DONE ANYTHIN' TA YA BUT YA COME HERE AN' TREAT US LIKE WE"RE MONSTERS! LIKE WE'RE-!"
"BULLIES."
Ralph looked up, Baston and Felia heading the group as they looked down at the racers with disdain.
"Look at all of ya…." The male of the lead duo said, huffing "Snake was right."
Snake?
Ralph peered up at his 'fellow baddie' once more, his brows starting to furrow in anger.
"They're nothin' but a bunch'a stinkin' bullies! PROGRAMMED FROM THE START!"
"No we're NOT!" shouted Minty again, holding up her fist as if she were ready to fight "Say that ta my face ugly an-!"
"Don't even WASTE your energy on them, Mintz!" Taffyta said, snapping her fingers with a spark as she turned back towards the lot of jeerers "There's no way we can convince 'em anyway. Considerin' tha kinda company Snake keeps anyway."
"What was that, a lil SKUNK?!" Baston growled, the girl remaining in place.
"Ya guys all talk like you're so good. Like you're a buncha innocent sweethearts." Taffyta hissed as she looked at Baston "Where was YOUR butt back when Turbo lorded over us, Smarty?"
"H-huh?"
"Ya act like ya knew from tha start what was goin' on here, like ya came inta tha game ta see an' check on Vanellope! Ya didn't! Because ya didn't care! Ya don't care 'bout her! Ya don't care 'bout Sugar Rush! All ya care about is pickin' up whatever droppin's Snake leaves behind for ya!"
Ralph was rather surprised to hear the girl say such a thing, especially towards a larger adversary. Baston had shut his lip, astonished that the girl he was certain he had scared into silence had found the will to talk back to him. Taffyta knew she was just ASKING for trouble, her eye twitching but she kept herself steady, not for herself but rather for the other races whom she knew were watching her.
"Yeah. Ain't got nothin' ta say now, do ya?" the girl growled.
"Taffyta…."
The girl squeaked, turning around to see Ralph standing over her but the man was not mad. Much to her shock, he looked WORRIED; worried about HER.
"Break it down, berry-boo." The Wrecker said as he pulled the girl back away from the crowd "M'not gonna let ya get into a fight all because of-"
"GET HER!"
Both Ralph and Taffyta moved in that split second, seeing a second wave of the crowd rush in and bombard the racers. All the big man could hear were the sounds of high-pitch wails as even HE was caught, a massive weight falling over him as he was knocked to the ground.
"OOF!"
He lay on the ground, face coated in dirt as he watched feet rushing around him, many hands stomping over him in the melee.
"GUYS! OW!"
What was going on? All he could hear were screams and shots, people laughing cruelly as the sounds of breaking candy and ripping fabric was heard.
"Kids?! KIDS!"
The man got up, surrounded by a storm of chaos as the children ran for their lives, older and larger characters rushing after them.
"NO! NO, STOP!"
"I GOT THE MUTT!" cackled Felia as she took the girl by her arm, claws digging into her skin.
"LEMME GO! LEMME GO!"
"We're not done with you yet, MUTT!" the female feline hissed as she threw Taffyta into the middle of the crowd, Baston reaching for her hair and YANKING it.
"LET'S SEE IF SHE'S A NATURAL BLOND!"
Taffyta cried out in great pain as the larger character near RIPPED her locks from her scalp, Ralph trying to make his way through the crowd.
"Oh my LORD! STOP! STOP!"
"Let go of my HAIR!" Taffyta shouted, Baston shaking her like a rag doll.
"OH! IT IS FAKE!" the man laughed cruelly, bonking the girl over and over upon her skull, each tug more painful than the last upon her scalp "Let's recolor it to its natural shade!"
Ralph tried his best to see, only seeing nothing but Taffyta's pure white hair clenched between the hands of a MONSTER.
"Get offa her, ya creep!" Lumi shouted as he tried to rush the others but he was tripped and held down, he and the other racers caught in the mercy of the gang.
Taffyta wasn't out yet however, the girl going hand and claw on her own as she grabbed Baston by his face and much to his own surprise.
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAURGH!"
A massive GASH lay across his face where Taffyta had YANKED him as hard as she could, her mind telling her not to let go until she felt him rip in two in her hands.
"Little monster!" Baston cried out "LITTLE FREAK!"
"I am not a FREAK!" Taffyta scrambled to her bottom, trying to find her gloves and hat in the mess "I-I am not a MUTT! I'M NOT A FR-!"
"Look at what she did to my FACE! She's not HUMAN! She's a FREAK!"
"STOP IT!"
"FREAK!"
"STOP IT!"
"FREAK, FREAK, FREAK, FREAK!" the crowd cheered as they encircled the girl again, keeping her from escaping "MUTTONFLUB THE FREAK! MUTTONFLUB THE FREAK!"
"STOP IT!" the girl shrieked out again, feeling a familiar sense of anger welling within her "If you don't stop this, I will SHOW you what the Muttonfugdes can-!"
And then….
SPLAT.
Taffyta was hit once more by Baston in the back, the wind knocked from her lungs as she tumbled onto the ground as a massive barely of used icing was POURED over her. Ralph and the others stood back in HORROR at what they saw, the others hooping and cheering at their work as the girl lay covered from head to toe in a sick puddle of rancid sugar and muddled colors.
"AHAHAHAHA!" Laughed Baston "Maybe this will dye your stupid hair the right-! HRUUURHK!"
Famous last words.
Baston felt a vice grip crush his neck, the man looking back for a second to see the dirty and bruised Ralph glaring at him.
Uh-uh.
"A-AAARCK!"
Ralph didn't need to say anything to display how angry he was, the man HURLING Baston over his shoulder towards the exist of the game.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaauuuuuurgh-!"
Everyone stopped, everyone froze.
They had done it now.
Ralph marched to the middle of the pile, seeing Taffyta still hunched in the puddle of ricing. He could smell the burnt sugar and oil, his mind going back to the moment he had rescued Vanellope when SHE had been the one to lead the bullying.
But even though Taffyta had done such things long ago, he could not stop himself from helping her now. He knew this wasn't right. NONE of it was right but he was so angry, so furious-!
"R-Ralph?" trembled Felia "Y-Ya okay?"
Ralph turned towards the female cat, growling like a lion. She yowled and quickly went back into the crowd, the others ducking as well.
He had to see if she were okay, the little racer trembling in the pile of sludge.
"M-Miss Muttonfudge?" he asked, his voice sounding so small "Kid? Are ya-?"
The racer turned, her eyes wide but hollow. The big Wrecker felt himself jumping back and before he knew what had happened-
A bright flash of pink!
A strong just of wind!
WA-POW!
"OH!"
Everyone looked on in shock, Taffyta still standing in defense below the man with her leg raised. She breathed heavily, the mess of color still dripping on her body but Ralph was knocked clear on his bottom, feeling a POWERFUL punch to the middle of his face.
But he hadn't been PUNCHED.
He had been KICKED.
And by Taffyta Muttonfudge of all characters.
The big man was still surprised, still caught off guard as his nose throbbed, finally able to look down at the angry girl, tears beading in her eyes as she trembled slightly. She growled at the big man, finally resting her body before him but she still held her fist towards her chest in defense, toes up and ready to strike again.
And Ralph.
Ralph said nothing.
"Satisfied NOW?" the girl growled, staring down Ralph, the man still speechless to what had happened "This is what ya wanted ta see happen ta me, RIGHT?!"
"She kicked Ralph!"
"She hit him!"
"SHE CAN'T DO THAT!"
"GET THE BULLY!"
"GET THE BRAT!"
BRRRRRWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!
The loud roar of an engine erupted in the middle of the crowd followed by a massive spray of pink and glitter filled smoke. The crowds cried in shock as they were all covered, the thick cloud of sugary smoke choking them.
"E-Everyone!" coughed Swizz, trying his best to fell around as his eyes sting "SPLIT!"
The crowd was still in a melee of confusion as the smoke cleared, not a single racer to be found.
"RRRRGH! They got away!" growled another character, Felia placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry! Those little morons couldn't have gotten THAT far!" she hissed, showing her sharp claws "We'll get 'em, won't we Ralph?"
Nothing.
"Ralph?"
The big man stood up, covered in dust and sugar but he continued to silence himself. Without another word he stepped past the others and made his way up the rainbow bridge.
"Ralph? Where are ya goin'?"
He didn't know. He just didn't know. Even after he had rode his way back to the station, he was still out, still thinking deep in what Taffyta had done to him.
She kicked him.
She had actually STRUCK him and it wasn't as if the hit registered nothing to him.
He could feel it. He could feel the ANGER and HATRED behind it.
While Ralph left the game, he had no idea that two others had witnessed those moments, or at the least the moments of Taffyta's strike.
"What did I tell you, Presssssident?" Snake said, both he and Vanellope watching the chaos ensure from the tower windows "Thosssse bratsssss jusssst aren't any good."
Vanellope was trembling and glitching with anxiousness; she had witnessed it with her own eyes.
Taffyta had hit Ralph when he was trying to HELP her.
Snake was right.
There was nothing good about her.
"Ralph?"
He hit her.
"Ralph?"
He had never been hit by a child.
"Ralph!"
She hated him. She hit him because she hated him. She saw him as a bad-!
"RALPH!"
"AURGH!"
The big man looked about, turning his head all corners to see who had called him.
"What who HUH-!?"
"Ralph, calm down! It's US!"
"US?"
The man looked around, surrounded by his Bad Anon buddies. Finally he was with company he wanted, company he could confide in.
Could he?
"Goodness!" said Sorceress "What…what happened to you! You look like a complete DISASTER!"
"I-!" Ralph coughed, tasting the smoke in his mouth "There-!"
The others stared at the man, awaiting his reply. Why did they have to look at him like that? Ever since the fall of Turbo people HAD been looking at him differently and at first, the feeling of praise, the feeling of such celebrity felt good. It was something Ralph had never experienced in his life but now?
Now he was starting to have different feelings about holding such responsibilities. NOW he wanted to go back to being a normal Bad Guy again, not someone that people rushed to for advice and constant answers.
"Things just got a bit outta hand…" he wheezed, lurching down a bit.
"I can see." Said the winged woman "Whatever you ran into, your nose is starting to bleed."
"No, that's probably just icing." The man said, reaching up for his nose "There was a spillage and-!"
OW.
Ralph touched his nose again and found it surprisingly VERY sore. He winced as the pain rippled like a sharp shock from his face to the tip of his feet and when he pulled his large fingers back….
There was blood.
Ralph hadn't gotten that from his encounters with the other Bad Guys in Sugar Rush.
Which could only mean.
No way.
Had Taffyta stuck him THAT hard?