Chapter Twenty Five- Night(Mares) into Dreams

And now it was night.

Breaking through their fear, the other racers manage to drift into a slumber but it was a sleep that was not at all warm or soft. Even as their eyes shut their bodies still ached and their minds still raced. It was if something in their code had forced them to go down, had forced them to shut their eyes.

"Isn't it all wonderful…." Said the imitation, her hands holding tightly onto Vanellope. Both she and the real racer drifted about in the endless void of the code-space.

Vanellope had only visited the room on occasions since she had been reinstated her rightful place but she had never seen it in such a manner before. She was drifting free in the void but it was a flight that filled her with fear and panic. If she were to be let go, she would drift into the nothingness of the void. She had found out early that her glitch would not help her, it would not steer her towards an exist nor or a goal but only drain her of more power, cause her own code box to fade.

And through it all, this creature, the one who had stolen her face was enjoying every moment of it among the other things she had been causing in the arcade.

"Code….Didn't your former king say something about it being the life-blood of games?"

King Candy.

Vanellope usually had a snide remark whenever his name was mentioned but she was just too tired, just too weakened to say anything, the only thing she was able to do was glare at her captor as she pulled her along the void. The imitation then stopped before the President's box, looking at it with hungry eyes.

"Here's your box…." She cooed "Heh, its so heart-warming to see people fussing over a lame dog, isn't it not?"

Vanellope could feel her skin burning, the creature obviously making insults towards the damage that had been done by the former king.

"Or at least what they think is damaged. Heh, these people are so gullible, just show them something flashy and loud and they will attach to it like flies to garbage. This place is PERFECT!"

"W-What do you want with us?!" Vanellope growled, tearing her hands away from the copy "What do you want from ME?!"

"You?" blinked the imitation Vanellope "Nothing too particular. To me, you're just another lump of code for breakfast. There's nothing THAT special about despite what everyone here keeps feeding you."

The little racer swallowed back, still trying to find any way to retort towards the creature but she could not. It had to be the fear, the fear and just how STRONG this character was. For the first time, Vanellope was faced with someone who seemed to have the ability to counter everything she could do and what was worse, she could wriggle her way into things that took Turbo many trails and errors to finally get.

Whoever or WHATEVER this creature was, she had a plan and on top of the destruction she was causing throughout Sugar Rush and the rest of the arcade she had plans for Vanellope, plans to make her suffer the most.

The imitation moved towards the code boxes of the racers, the inner core of the boxes glowing brightly.

"Like stars…." She laughed "Little sweet, sugar stars. But do you know the sad thing about stars, Princess?"

Vanellope said nothing but kept her eyes upon this filthy copy.

"Stars eventually burn out….its a shame but it is true. And one by one, we shall watch them burn out together. One little racer at a time."

"D-DON'T YOU DO ANYTHING TO THEM!" Vanellope roared as she leapt upon her doppelganger, the two drifting off and hitting a few random boxes in their flight "I-I SWEAR! I-if you do anythin' ta hurt 'em, I'll-!"

The faux Vanellope smiled again, taking her opponent's wrist so gently into her hands.

"Oh, what is this talk? Vanellope Von Schweetz acting so righteous, as if she cares about anyone else in this game but herself."

"Th-that is not true! I do care!"

"Do you?" smiled the copy as she floated over to the President's box "Shall I pull out some memories, shall I pull out your words?"

Vanellope paled, eyes twitching as the other moved her hands tauntingly over her code "N-No! Don't touch it."

"There are so many things stored in these small boxes….." the copy giggled "Things that as I have found through my own investigation seems to not have returned to your memory core yet."

Vanellope blinked, the copy seeing a spark of interest coming into her eyes.

"W-What do ya mean?"

"Oh, I thought Vanellope knew EVERYTHING." The copy looked about, her eyes fluttering "I mean, you sure ACT like you do. Everyone here TREATS you like you do."

The little racer could not help but feel a pang of guilt rippling through her as the copy continued to talk to her, smiling evilly. It must have gone through her memories and seen the mistakes she had made, the moments when she had taken off more than she could handle. But how could she have known of such things?

HOW did it get into her memories?

"Look….."

Vanellope looked over, seeing the clone clutching onto Taffyta's code-box. Vanellope began to clumsily tear her way over towards the clone but each attempt she made to get her was met in vain.

"N-NO!"

GLITCH!

"DON'T TOUCH THAT!

G-GLITCH!

The figure cackled, pushing Vanellope back with a rough hand "Keep up the struggle, keep up the fight! It only makes you use more energy and that's energy that goes RIGHT into me!"

It wasn't as if Vanellope couldn't FEEL that the imitation's words were true, her entire body racked with pain each time she attempted to glitch. The only thing that happened was a weak flash, her code breaking apart but nothing more.

She couldn't move.

She couldn't attack.

She was powerless.

"I can't believe people treat you like some sort of savior." The clone chortled, shaking her head "When facing up to a real challenge you wouldn't last a second. You're just some over-glorified chunk of damaged pixels that people are using as an excuse."

"A-an excuse?"

The clone ran her hands against Taffyta's code, her tongue lapping at the surface as if it were a sweet candy.

"Do you KNOW the things I have gotten away with just b wearing your little mug? The things people let me do because they feel that by letting you do ANYTHING they are somehow so much better than everyone else? I gave you the view, don't tell me you have forgotten already."

Vanellope huddled in the void, trying to push out the memories but even as she shut her eyes she could still see them. She could see the actions of the clone as she lead bullies into her game, bullies who had broken into the other racer's homes to steal and destroy, bullies who acted no better if not worse than former tormentors.

But they all did it for her.

They all did it for revenge.

REVENGE.

The girl began to sob, realizing just how things were turning in the arcade she had only spent so much time in. These people were not her friends, they did not care about her.

All they cared about was her title.

All they cared about was using her as a shield to do what they wanted to do.

To make other people miserable.

Making people MISERABLE in her name.

"But this is what you wanted."

"No, no its not!"

"Are you not the one who said they wanted revenge on all the racers?"

"I-I…I did!" cried the girl "B-But th-that was back when I was angry!"

"But isn't this the right thing to do?"

"NO! YOU CAN'T HURT PEOPLE LIKE THIS!"

"But it's not hurting people!"

"YES IT IS!"

"When you do it, it's okay!"

"NO! NO I DON'T WANT TO BE LIKE THAT! I NEVER WANTED TO BE LIKE THAT!"

"But Princess…" said the clone "People LOVE you this way. This is who they want you to be! This is how they want to see Vanellope Von Schweetz? Isn't it so wonderful to be so free, to do whatever you want?"

Vanellope cried out in agony, knocking her fist against her temples. She couldn't take any more of this mental torment, the clone playing with her emotions and her memories once more. It had happened before in that terrible nightmare when the girl was given images of what her kingdom COULD have been if she had followed the path of revenge as so many had wanted her to.

But she didn't want to do that.

Not anymore.

Vanellope knew what she wanted when she got back into the game and it wasn't the images she was seeing, it wasn't the wishes of pain she had made when she was cast out of the game. But her words were not being used against her, her face being used as an excuse.

Vanellope had become the nightmare she had always dreaded.

The crying got louder, the girl thinking about to how the other racers looked, how Ralph and Felix had reacted to her. She was hurting to many people but she could not do anything to stop it. Once more she was left to watch, helpless to do anything as someone took over her home, took over her game, took over her friends.

Why was this happening again? All Vanellope wanted was to race, to have FUN.

"This is what Litwak wants…." The clone said "Then this is what they will get. They will get the princess they so desire, the one who wants nothing but revenge, the one who does whatever she wants to others but it will be their downfall…."

Vanellope looked up, the imitation sneering down at her with clouded eyes.

"This arcade has shown to me that is the perfect base."

"The perfect base…for what?"

"To begin the infestation. Right here, right here in Sugar Rush! It will begin here and spread! It will spread because of all the carriers! The ones who want to continue on with their hate! The ones who want to continue to bully! I thrive on such feelings! I thrive on such emotions! We all do!"

"W-We?"

The creature turned, placing her hands on Taffyta's box "Do you want to see what nightmares are made of?"

"D-Don't do anythin' ta Taffyta!"

"BRATTY-TA is useless." Smiled the creature "Did you like that? I got that name from YOUR banks!"

Vanellope felt her body crumple over in pain again as she recalled throwing the insult towards the other racer many times before.

"W-Why does it hurt?!"

"Why does it hurt?" smiled the clone as she took a hold of Vanellope's throat "You mean to tell me that you have feelings aside for those who stroke your glitched pathetic little ego? Oh my, maybe Vanellope has actual feelings towards others who don't grovel towards her."

Before the girl could say anything more she felt herself THROWN into the box, a might rush of air hitting her face as she flew like a stone into a space of rapidly moving code and pixels. She screamed, the safety of the void no longer holding her up as she continued to hurtle down and down and down-!

"N-NO! HELP! SOMEONE HELP-!"

She looked over, seeing a familiar sight.

Sugar Rush?

Was she back outside the void?

Her mind preoccupied Vanellope didn't notice that she was falling near the strawberry fields but as she neared the edge…

"AAAAH-!"

STOP

PAUSE

Her nose was but a mere inch from the ground, her body stiff as a board.

"We're heeeeere…."

That voice, that sickly familiar voice.

Imitation Vanellope

From what little she could do, Vanellope glanced over towards the smirking clone. With a snap off her fingers, Imitation put Vanellope right side up again, putting her down gently near the front door of the cottage.

"Have a nice flight?"

Vanellope said nothing, glaring at her doppelganger.

"I brought you to the home of your BEST FRIEND." The clone smiled "Why don't you go in to say hi to her?"

It was Taffyta's house all right but what was the intentions behind her sudden appearance at the place? Was it real? Was it another dream?

Poor Vanellope had no clue.

"What are you waiting for?" the clone sneered, her features warping into something much more sinister "HAVE A LOOK INSIDE!"

Vanellope felt the hard push from the clone's hands, her face hitting the door and causing great pain to her lip and nose but to her shock the door flew open, the racer hitting the floor hard.

"GET UP!" shouted the clone, clicking Vanellope in the side and forcing her further into the room "IT'S JUST LIKE WHAT THOSE KIDS DID TO YOU RIGHT?!"

"N-No! No!"

"But everyone said they did this to you!"

"Th-they lied!"

"Up! UP!" snarled the clone "Up so you can see what your face has done!"

Another hard blew landing on Vanellope's side, the girl crying out for any type of help but as usual there was no one there to help her. Ralph couldn't hear her, the other racers couldn't hear her….

But she was in Taffyta's home.

Where was she?

"Mom?"

Mom?

Taking a breath, Vanellope turned on her side. She could see Taffyta walking out of her room, a worried look on her face.

"M-Mom? Daddy?" the strawberry racer said, hands clutching near her chest "Is anyone home?"

"TAFFYTA!" Vanellope cried out in jubilation, forcing herself up "Taffyta, thank goodness you're-!"

A hand reached out…

But it glitched right through.

The vanilla racer cried out as she phased through her friend, all hope of reaching out to someone fading. The clone cackled cruelly, enjoying Vanellope's failed efforts to get the attention of Taffyta.

"Isn't it so sweet when things like this happen?"

Vanellope could do nothing more but watch, standing around like a confused audience member as Taffyta looked around her kitchen, the raven-haired racer able to see the tears forming in her eyes.

What was Taffyta looking for? Why was she so upset?

"M-mom!" Taffyta called again "Please come out! Where are you?!"

"Mom?" gulped Vanellope "B-But we don't have parents! D-Do we?"

"It's so sad what that Turbo fella did to your minds…." Said Imitation, sitting in a seat next to the girl "You'd think when you did that oh-so-SPECIAL reset, EVERYTHING would be reset, right?"

The clone was taunting Vanellope again; clearly it knew more than she did at this point and to see her smile, to see that toothy grin….

It was driving Vanellope mad.

She couldn't stand it; that look of arrogance but as she looked back at it, she had to think.

"D-Do I make that face?" she gulped "D-Do people feel like that when-?!"

"Thinking to yourself won't hide your questions." said the clone, gripping Vanellope by her hair "We're LINKED. REMEMBER?"

"Ungh! STOP!"

"Poor Mutton-Flub." Said Imitation "She is so lost, so pitiful. You like that, don't you?"

Vanellope continued to struggle to free herself, her scalp feeling as if it were being TORN from her skull.

"A-AUUUURGH!"

"But shall we make this better? Shall we see how far little Bratty-Ta makes it in her dream?"

The real racer twisted and trashed around but the clone's grip upon her was too strong. She opened her eyes, watching the figure of Taffyta look up, as if she had heard something.

"M-mom?"

"Taffffytaaaaaa?" came a low voice from within the house "Taaaaaafffyttaaaaaa….where are yooooou?"

The strawberry racer's eyes lit up as she ran towards the source, joyful tears running down her cheeks.

"Mom! Mom, you do exist! You are real!"

"W-What is she talking ab-?"

"Taaaaaaffytaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa…."

The clone rose off the chair and flew off behind Taffyta, Vanellope dragging along the floor by her hair.

"Y-You monster! Put me down!"

"Not until you see what I can do! Not until you see just how much I know about you and your little gang of munchkins!"

"What are going to do to her?!"

"I know what the little brat desires." Said the imitation, her lips curling into a cold smile "All these weeks I have watched her, have listened in on her dreams and wishes. She wants something much more important than gold, than popularity, than medals."

"W-What is she-?"

The entire cottage began to warm and change, the house feeling as if it were stretching above everyone. Vanellope cried out as the wood moaned, the glass broke, and the light dimmed but Taffyta didn't seem to take notice of ANYTHING that was going on, of anything that was happening around her. All she could see was a door; a door that towered over her but within it was the treasure she had been looking for. Her skin was pale and cold but a smile formed on her face, tears still falling from her cheeks. Both she and Vanellope could hear voices on the others side, voices that Taffyta felt were calling out towards her.

"Mom? Daddy?"

And then everything went silent.

Even if she knew Taffyta could not see her, Vanellope still held her breath as if she feared that if her heart beat too loud the girl would turn, would turn and shout. But Taffyta seemed to be too preoccupied with what was facing her. It was her ticket to truth, her ticket to realization, her ticket to proof that she and the others were more than what everyone in the arcade had said about them!

Behind this door…

Were her PARENTS!

She knew it! She could feel it in her code.

"Look at that smile…." Said the clone "Is it real? Or is it fake?"

Vanellope could feel the dread starting to well up inside of her; nothing good could come from this!

"Taffyta! DON'T!" cried the girl, reaching out "It's a TRAP! I-It's DANGEROUS! IT'S-!"

"But Vanellope….."

The little racer stopped, she froze.

Taffyta had spoken to her.

"T-T-Taffyta?"

Taffyta was crying, but no make-up stained her cheeks. The tears were clear and honest but Taffyta's eyes were full of sorrow, of madness and pain.

"Why can't I be happy too?" the girl sobbed "All I want is to feel real!"

"W-What?"

"EVERYONE PRAISES YOU FOR BEING 'SPECIAL'!" the strawberry racer screamed "WE HAVE NOTHING! WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!"

Vanellope rose to her feet, flabbergasted by what she was being told.

"B-But that's not true…."

"You have a KINGDOM. You have POWERS. You have EVERYONE in this stupid arcade who PRAISES and ADORES you! Who will go out of their way to make US miserable!"

The little racer had to take a step back, never having seen such hate in Taffyta's eyes.

She was terrified.

Was this how Taffyta felt inside?

Was this how ALL the racers felt inside?

"I just want a real family." Sobbed Taffyta "I want to know that there is a purpose to my life, to be something other than your stupid stooge! I KNOW I have a family, a family who actually LOVES me! They are what I need! Not YOU or anyone else in this backstabbing arcade!"

Vanellope felt her own eyes welling up, her throat tightening "T-Taffyta. D-Do you think I'm a backstabber?"

"You care more about acting cool and getting people to bully us." Hissed the girl "You're no President to me. You're just another KING CANDY!"

And then….

The door flew open.

HAHAHAHA! TURBO TASTIC!

There before both girls stood not one but TWO horrific looking Turbos, the man adorned in outfits that Vanellope had never seen before but Taffyta seemed familiar with. The girls screamed out in fright, Taffyta looking the most petrified of all.

"N-NO!" the girl screamed "NO! WHY ARE YOU HERE?!"

"TAFFYTA DARLING!" said the first Turbo, the one in the dress "TAFFYTA DARLING!"

"WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER!" cackled the second, suit wearing Turbo "HAHAH! WHERE IS MY FAVORITE RACER!?"

"Taffyta watch out!" cried Vanellope but the girl was too late, the massive hands of Turbo grabbing Taffyta and pulling her into the void. The girl shrieked and hollered as she was trapped, her legs kicking but Turbo did not let go, he only drew her closer and closer into the pit of darkness and dread.

"YOU ARE NOTHIN'!" the grey racer said "YOU WERE NEVER NOTHIN' YA LIL BLIGHT!"

Taffyta's cries grew louder and louder, drowned out by the loud moan and cackles of so many in the room.

"B-But! But I have a family!" screamed Taffyta "I-I have parents! I have-!"

"You are NOTHING!" spat Turbo, his long tongue wrapping around the little girl "You know it! Everyone in the arcade knows it! ACCEPT IT! ACCEPT THAT YOU HAVE NO PURPOSE! THAT YOU CAN ONLY BE A BULLY!"

"STOOOOOOOOOOOP!" cried Vanellope trying to reach the girl but without her glitch she could do nothing but look on in horror.

BULLY!

USELESS!

YOU'RE NOTHING!

JUST LIKE ME!

JUST LIKE MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

It wouldn't stop! It just would not stop!

Vanellope let out a horrific scream as everything broke around her, the girl falling into the empty void.

But remember darling….

"Taffyta!"

This is what you wanted.

"Taffyta, help!"

They can't help you.

"Oh gobs, STOP!"

Because this is all…

Just.

A-!

"NIGHTMARE!"

Taffyta Muttonfudge.

The girl awoke in a sweat, her body shaking and her blankets clutched to her chest. Never a dream as such had passed through her head. All she could remember was the longing she felt, the longing of finally finding out the truth but then in the last moment it was ripped away from her, replaced by images of Turbo.

And Vanellope?

Was Vanellope in her dreams as well? She…she remembered yelling at someone, shouting towards another to leave them alone, that she only wanted to be happy again.

That's all that Taffyta wanted.

She wanted to be happy again.

The girl buried her face in her hands, crying weakly.

"W-What….what is happening to us?"