Chapter Thirty-Seven- Sugar Rush
There was light.
A massive light.
The entire code room was filled with it.
The racers could see themselves, becoming engulfed by either sides.
The power of the reset, the power of the virus-bomb.
All coming together.
One.
Two.
Three.
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!*
The children screamed as they mighty force blew them back, feeling the burn of the bomb and the power of the reset engulfing their entire bodies From her position, Vanellope watched as Beta let out one final terrified scream, going from monster, to person, to nothing but pixels and-
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-*
GONE.
The entire game was hit by a massive wave, everyone inside of it knocked off their feet.
"W-What happened?!" cried Felix, Ralph leaping to his feet.
"Vanellope!" he shouted in anguish "Oh programmers, VANELLOPE!"
But then…..
It began.
From the top of the floating tower, wondrous lights began to shoot out. Stars of all colors and sized raced through the sky, reaching the further reaches of the entire land. Marines, candy people, and returned arcade citizens alike looked around in both awe and fear as Sugar Rush began to reset.
But this time as it should have been.
The markets began to rebuild themselves but new signs were in place.
No, not NEW signs. Signs that should have always been there.
The Candle Wick Café!
The Muttonfudge Dance Studio!
"Look!"
The Malarkey Auto Garage returned, the Zaki inn began to rebuild itself! The gardens of the castles look healthier and brighter than ever! House began to return, statues of the REAL Royal family coming into view.
Ralph, Calhoun, and Felix were amazed at what they were seeing, at what they were witnessing but most of all….
Sparks began to appear before them.
Sparks, flashes, and stars.
"W-What now?"
A mint-colored hoodie.
A pink dress.
Familiar clothing all around.
"Kids?"
One after another, the kids returned to their places right in the middle of the track, exhausted, battle worn but in once piece.
"Vanellope!" Ralph cried happily, reaching down for the girl and embracing her in a hug "Oh programmers! Oh programmers I thought I lost ya!"
The light continued to fly about the game, the final touches of the reset going into place. Everywhere, the sugar looked brighter and sweeter than ever, as if the game had been freshly plugged in. The racers looked astonished, looking down as even their clothing began to change, the tiny details of their families love and care showing up in the little bits of candy and patterns they wore.
"W-What's is all of this?" Taffyta said, looking down as a pin popped up upon her coat. Vanellope was speechless as the little transformations continued, the girl turning to see the flags of all the Sugar Rush racers and their family crest hanging over the starting line.
Snowanna had to remove her glasses, making sure it was not a dream "G-Guys?"
Vanellope glitched out of Ralph's arms, looking at the game as it finally completed the full-reset.
She knew that things were back.
Back the way they should be.
"G-Guys" Vanellope cried out "Our-! OUR HOME! It's back!"
The racers could only let out a few little chatters amongst themselves, still not sure if it were all true. They reached out, touched the goal post, felt the silk of the flags against their fingers.
It was real
This was really happening.
Great cheers of joys came about as the racers jumped up and cried in delight! This was no dream; it was the Sugar Rush they remembered! The Sugar Rush that was always meant to be!
"OUR CREST!" Jubileena cried out as she took her sister by the arm "L-Look! They're there!"
"They are there!" said Sticky "Th-they were gone for so long but-!"
The girl was cut off as Taffyta made her way back to the palace, running at such speeds the likes the others had never seen before.
"Taff?"
"Please be there, please be there!" the girl panted, crying as she pushed passed the throne room, past the great halls and into….
The Hall of Racers.
She stopped, face red, chest heaving up and down. Soon the others gathered behind her and they too stopped. Ralph could not believe what he was seeing, the room was once empty closed off, the man remember that a massive picture of King Candy had once 'graced' the walls.
But now it was a giant room, a giant room filled with pictures.
Of EVERY family in Sugar Rush.
They were all there.
Looking own upon the racers were their families and finally….there was proof.
Proof that the racers had meaning.
Proof that the racers had stories.
Proof that the racers had families.
Families who loved them.
The kids slowly crept in but their excitment could not be contained for long. Much to their surprise, Crumbelina was the first to give a cheer, running up to the picture of her parents.
"I-! I remember everything! Mama and papa! How happy they were when they saw me race!"
Adorabeezle and Nougetsia ran up to the picture of their aunt, Adorabeezle speaking for the two of them "Auntie Bomba came out to see us! She had never been so happy!"
"An' daddy!" Candlehead squealed in delight "He cheered so loud I think they could hear him back for miles!"
"Mum and dad….they actually saw this together…." Sniffled Rancis "They…they came to see me race TOGETHER."
The racers all had something to say, the memories of what made them race and how much they loved it flooding back more and more.
After so many years, they had finally gotten their home back.
"Are….are these your parents?" Ralph said, looking up at the picture of the Queen and King. Vanellope recalled them both, the girl feeling as if she could actually feel their presence around her.
"Y-Yeah….that's them. Q-Queen Milka and King Tobias-Lerone….." the girl sniffled "A-An' their little Vanellope."
The girl shook her head, trying to push back the mushy feeling in her heart.
"A-Aw but-! D-Did they really have to draw me in such an awful dress? I mean-!"
Vanellope looked over, noticing that Taffyta had not said a word since entering the room. She looked at her family portrait.
Her name was inscribed on the golden plate along with that of her mother and father.
Berlingots Muttonfudge.
Malva Muttonfudge.
They were both there.
They were both their, holding onto their daughter, looking so proud, so happy.
Like the family Taffyta had always wanted.
"T-Taff?" Vanellope said, moving behind the girl with Ralph beside her "A-Are you going to be okay?"
Taffyta slowly sank to the floor, her hand covering her face, tears forming out of her eyes as she wept. She was crying, but it was a happy sort of crying. She knew that her parents were only there in the form of pictures but to her, after so much pain, so much worry, and so much doubt, she had finally seen them.
She could see them and she could remember them.
And she could remember what they told her.
She was not a bad guy.
She was not a bad guy.
As she had looked upon their faces, all those memories of Turbo doting on her, they now meant NOTHING. They began to weaken, replaced by every moment of joy of her backstory, all those moments where she had felt real love between the people who cared about her. The two people who at the end of the day, meant the most to Taffyta.
The two people who made her the racer that she was.
Vanellope looked at Ralph, the girl not sure what to do but after a moment or so, she knew there was but one thing that Taffyta needed.
Both she and Ralph got on their knees next to her.
And embraced her….
Once former enemies…..now friends.
Just as it had happened in the story
"Thank you." Taffyta said "Thank you for giving me another chance."