Here's to hoping

I'm back!

Sorry for not updating this story in ages, but I have been busy!

So, this chapter, you'll notice, doesn't feature Vanellope. It's just because I thought this would be interesting to write, and would show you the interactions between the different characters!

Taffyta grimaced her hands were splattered with chocolate oil. She pulled a grimy rag out of her pocket and wiped them, making sure they were clean before plunging them back into her engine. She was just about to change a rusty pipe, holding it delicately in one hand, when a voice boomed around her section of the garage.

"Taff!"

Minty and Citrusella ran into the room, flinging themselves onto the small sofa in the corner and helping themselves to the crisps on the worktop. She lifted her head to glare at them. "I just dropped the pipe! Thanks a lot!"

"Hmm." Minty got up and came to look at the strawberry girl's engine. She reached down and pulled out the pipe, covering her arm with grease as she did so. "There you go!" She smiled brightly. Despite herself, Taffyta grinned. These two were the best friends she could ask for – much more trustworthy, and easier to get close to than that treacherous Rancis or cry-baby Candlehead. She grabbed the pipe off Minty and threw it at Citri, who squealed and ducked. Taffyta giggled as she sat on the stool next to the kart, and picked up the fresh pipe.

"Wrench, please."

Minty handed her the wrench, and Taffyta sighed happily. She so loved working with these two, because they never felt the need to lean over her shoulder and tell her she was doing things wrong, they never sat in awkward silence, and they were always able to lend a hand.

"So Taff, what are we working on today?" Citrusella asked, emptying the bowl of crisps steadily. "Just noticed a rattling noise in that race the other day, so I decided to open her up and check it out – turns out it was a rusty pipe." Taffyta said in between fits of silent concentration.

"Boring!" Minty cut in. "Let's do something fun!"

Minty always wanted to do something adventurous, something fun, something energetic – which basically translated into something dangerous. She'd get them to go to dark caves where vampire bats are meant to live, to hang out at dark around Tappers with the shadier characters, and then there was her favourite.

"Let's go to street fighter!"

Street fighter was her favourite place to be. She loved being surrounded by all the action, and learning how to fight with her friends there. Citrusella and Taffyta would get into it too, but Minty – Minty loved it.

"Sorry Mintz, but I've got to do this. Otherwise, come the next race, Gloyd'll ram into me and it'll dislodge and I'll lose the race." Taffyta said, still concentration on her task. Citrusella scoffed. "Or, you know, you might crash. That might be a bit worse than losing."

Taffyta finally looked up. "Nothing is worse than losing." She said, her icy blue eyes staring into Citrusella's deep dark blue. Whereas most would have cowered, the blueberry girl simply smirked. "That's your Muttonfudge pride coming through there Taff. We Flugpuckers aren't nearly as competitive."

"And a good thing too, else you'd always be in a strop, 'cause you never win!" Minty joked. Taffyta laughed as Citrusella gasped with mock amusement, and the mood was returned to a happy neutral.

Meanwhile, just across the hall, Crumbelina was listening patiently to Snowanna's newest song. The rainbow girl's voice danced around the room, and the melody was enrapturing – she had a way with notes that had developed over time, until they flowed freely from her, as natural as racing. Crumbelina had always been a big fan of jazzy music, so Snowanna's disco beats were not usually her cup of tea, but the way the other girl made the music spring to life made Crumbelina think she could enjoy anything, as long as her best friend was playing it.

Snowanna finished her song, and Crumbelina mimed wild applause. Snowanna grinned and jumped to her feet, pretending to bow to an enormous audience. In the last throes of the girls' laughter, they heard a knock on the door. Rancis's head peeped round the corner.

"I heard beautiful music, so I figured you two must be here. Mind if I join you?" He said, a crooked smile on his face. "Of course, come in." Crumbelina said warmly. She and Rancis had had a mutual break up only a few months ago, but they had stayed on such good terms it was hard for anyone to believe they actually split apart. But they both knew though they were the best of friends, they weren't right for each other in that way.

"What've you been up to then Rancy?" Snowanna asked, putting away her guitar. She, Crumbelina and Rancis had formed a strong bond since the two have been dating, and she couldn't be happier to call the two her best friends.

Rancis sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Just been down at the track again… Last race, Candlehead rammed me off of the track in the speedway, so I'm working on my drifting so that next time, she'll miss and it'll set her off-course – maybe even put her out of the race for a while, which would teach her." He smiled almost savagely, and frowns grew on the faces of his two best friends.

"You know, you four – you, Candlehead, Taffyta and Gloyd, that is – have gotten way too competitive. It was okay when you all just had a simple rivalry, but with this attitude, I think you might end up killing each other to win." Snowanna said, concern in her voice. Rancis shrugged it off. "Let's not talk about that, please … but you two are on my side, aren't you?" He said, half playfully, but with definite suspicion in his eyes. Crumbelina's eyebrows furrowed as she took his hand.

"Rancis, of course we're on your side, but you four can't plot the rest of us against each other like this. We're supposed to be a team, all of us – we're supposed to work together, not against each other, and race in good sport." She replied pleadingly. He shook off her hand. "There's nothing wrong with a little competitive spirit, Crumbs." He said in a dead tone. She sighed. That was a sentence he'd uttered many times before.

As they were talking, the group of people down the hall were celebrating. Candlehead, Sticky and Sakura were laughing together as they watched the cake-themed racer unwrap her presents. Candlehead's birthday parties had become less grand over the years, as was to be expected, so instead of the clowns and bouncy castles she had wanted in her youth, she was now content with the other racers simply wishing her a happy birthday, or giving her a card, and to spend the day and night with her two best friends.

"Alright, cake time!" Sakura grinned as Candlehead finished opening her presents. At the word, Candlehead's head turned. Even if she wasn't quite as bothered about her birthday as she used to be, cake was the best bit, by far. And for the last three years or so, Sticky and Sakura had insisted that she would have no say in the making of her cake. The first year had been an absolute flop – their cake was so runny it looked more like a flan. The second year they had managed to produce a cake of reasonably good quality, and they had steadily improved their baking ever since.

Sticky placed a covered dish in front of the candle girl, and then, very dramatically, whisked the top off, revealing the three tier chocolate cake underneath, covered in pink icing with piping that read "Happy Birthday to the best racer in Sugar Rush!"

As they sung and Candlehead blew out the candles, there was only one wish going through her mind.

I wish I was the best.

And then she smiled, and grabbed her hat, blowing out the candle on top of that as well, making the others laugh before grabbing her knife and cutting out slices for everyone.

The boy in the section next door was oblivious to their celebrations as he polished his kart vigorously, his music playing loudly in the background. Several shouts of "turn that down, Gloyd!" were heard from different sides of the garage, but the pumpkin by ignored them. Then, the radio dimmed its own volume! Gloyd looked up in alarm, but relaxed when he saw a tall, green haired boy leaning against the worktop.

"Oh, it's you. That's okay then. What's up Swizz?" He grinned, getting up and wiping his hands on his polishing rag. Swizzle shrugged. "Not much - Jubi wanted to know if you wanted to go out of the game with us. You up for it?" He asked. Gloyd turned back to his kart. "Actually, I was going to take a few more spins on Cake Mountain this afternoon. Thanks for the offer though…" He replied.

"Dude, all this obsessing over racing cannot be healthy. You've got so much else to obsess over, and you go for the thing we do every day anyway?" Swizzle groaned. "Come on! You've got to get out man, or you'll be one of those hermits who only ever come out for racing or to practise. Do you want to become Rancis?" He joked, but there was an edge of seriousness to his voice.

"Listen Swizz, I want this. I want this more than anything. I need to win, just once." Gloyd moaned, staring at his kart. "You win all the time!" Swizzle scoffed, but Gloyd cut through him. "You know what I mean – I need to win the grand prix. One time. Then, I will go out with you every night. I will wait patiently when you get drunk and start flirting with random girls – I will get drunk with you, for Mod's sake! But I just need to win. Once."

The Sugar Rush grand prix was the biggest race in all of Sugar Rush. It was a tournament that only happened every four years, and any racer from any island could join. It had been Gloyd's ambition all his life to win it. Last year, he had come to the finals, so close to the winner's post he could practically taste it. Then, it had been snatched from under his nose by two racers – Taffyta and Rancis. They had used a double ram on both his and Candlehead, which was really the moment any loose bonds of comradery they had crumbled to dust. Ever since, Gloyd had been training nearly every day. He was determined to win, and he would not let anyone deter him.

"Fine man. You want to waste your life working with no play, go ahead. But I'm going to go out with a nice girl and have fun. And maybe Jubi will be there to." Swizzle smirked. He got up, ruffling Gloyd's hair as he went, an old habit. Just as he turned the corner, Gloyd shouted "Don't forget about your girlfriend, Swizz! Remember Sticky at all?"

"Relax! I've got myself covered. Jubi would never let me go home with anyone." Swizz laughed, his head popping round the side of the wall. "Besides, Sticky's great – good friend, really good kisser, and a safe bet, she's head over heels for me and a forgiver – but a guy needs a little spark in life, you know?"

"You're sick sometimes Swizz." Gloyd sighed, shaking his head as Swizzle simply rolled his eyes and left.

Gloyd sighed, turning back to his beloved kart. He gave it one last wipe, before bouncing into it and driving off to the track.

Meanwhile, posters were going up all over the towns, in every island.

Sugar Rush Grand Prix! Any racer allowed to enter, with own kart, free of charge! Turn up on the day, and race your way to victory!

Hope you liked it!

I really enjoy writing about Swizzle like this for some reason, even though I love him and Sticky together. But please, if I accidently start making this story all about Swizzle's secret affairs, I give you all permission to yell at me!

This is Sticky (a.k.a Miss Wipplesnit) signing off for the night! Goodnight!