Chapter Three

Taffyta hopped out of her kart after Galleta, who won the little race.

"That was luck," Taffyta joked, but she was a little furious for letting a recolor win. She was number one, not someone who literally been here for a few short minutes.

Galleta giggled and went towards a group of the other racers. The update had brought more characters. Specifically, recolors. Taffyta frowned, and hopped they weren't as good as her, although she wanted some competition.

Taffyta caught sight of Vanellope talking to Galleta, and she began to walk over and demand an explanation. Even though she said she didn't want to hear one before the update, she actually needed one. What did Candlehead have that Taffyta doesn't? And why was this such a big secret?

"Look, Vanellope, I-" Taffyta jumped when the girl who turned around /wasn't/ Vanellope. The girl wore different shades of gold/yellow with hazel eyes. That obviously wasn't Vanellope.

"Who are you?" Taffyta asked.

"Oh, I'm Melty! Vanellope's recolor!" She sounded much different than Vanellope. Her voice was smoother and more girly. She sounded like a sincerely nice person. Which was the exact opposite of Vanellope.

"Have you seen the president then?"

Melty looked puzzled. "President? I thought she was the princess?"

"Nevermind," Taffyta mumbled, liking around and spotting Vanellope again.

But when she approached the girl, it wasn't Vanellope. Just another recolor. But this recolor wore all red and had straight brown eyes.

"And who are you?!"

"I'm Twister, Vanellope's recolor," Twister told her matter-of-factly. "But, I'm nowhere like her. And I'm sure to win."

Taffyta didn't know whether to seem to be angry or happy. Her and Melty would be the perfect racers to befriend. And it would be the perfect way to get back at Vanellope. The gears were turning in Taffyta's head and she started to grin.

"I agree totally," Taffyta said. "You're nowhere like Vanellope. And I like that."

She held a hand out. "Taffyta Muttonfudge."

"Nice to beat you," Twister said, shaking her hand.

"You mean meet."

"No. I meant beat."

Taffyta began to fake laugh. "Of course, of course."

As if. Nobody was going to be Taffyta Muttonfudge anymore. As long as her being friends with Vanellope's recolors gets through to her thick skul, Taffyta will come out on number one. And Vanellope would realize how much she needed Taffyta. It was perfect.

"Attention! Hey, guys! Cut it out, will ya?"

The racers turned to Vanellope's popcorn box, where she was. "The update had obviously arrived, and we seemed to have...new recolors! That's so cool! Anyways, we have also gotten an addition in tracks, including places like Marshmellow Meadows, Butterscotch Desert, Raspberry Valley, and many more! And as you all know we will have a Random Roster Race later on to pick who will be today's avatars!"

The racers cheered and applauded, Taffyta clapped politely, glancing at both Twister and Melty. Twister looked calm and collected while Melty looked beyond excited.

"The fee to enter the Random Roster Race, as we all know," Vanellope continued, "is one gold coin from your previous winnings!"

Everybody held out their gold coins, even the recolors, Taffyta noticed. Did everybody get beaten by their recolors on racing here?

"The recolors automatically get a gold coin since they haven't, you know, actually raced before now. So, keep them safe until later on, when we'll have the race! Well, that's all for now. You may leave!"

Twister turned back to Taffyta, pocketing her gold coin. "So, Taffyta, what do you do when you wait for the Random Roster Race to start?"

"I usually race, or eat or something."

"Cool, wanna race?"

"I'd love to race!" Melty popped up beside the two excitedly.

Twister shrugged. "Okay then. Anybody else?"

Minty Zaki, Gloyd, Crumbelina, and a few other recolors agreed. Taffyta was about to get back in her kart when Candlehead popped up beside her.

"So, I've noticed you got a recolor, Taffyta," Candlehead said.

"Don't we all?" Taffyta coolly said, sliding into her sweet kart.

"Well, yeah. I've got one too. Her name's Lela Rainbowcake. Weird names, huh?"

"Don't we all have unusual names?" Taffyta copied Galleta from earlier. "Well why don't you hang out with your girlfriend?"

"Because she's going to visit Ralph and his friends. That's why the Random Roster Race isn't now."

"Oh, what a shame."

Taffyta started up her engine, a cue for all the other racers participating in the little race to copy her. "To Grape Gorge!"

"Grape Gorge!" The other racers shouted, before they all raced off towards their destination.

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Taffyta squinted her eyes as she got behind Twister. Most if the other racers were behind her, with Melty and Lela on her tail. The only two in front were Twister and Galleta. And Taffyta wasn't going to lose to a bunch of recolors.

The blonde swirled around a huge grape, slightly drifting, before turning her wheel around and straightening her kart. She was on Twister's tail, Galleta not far in front. Taffyta sped towards a power-up, receiving Sweet Seekers. She smirked as she shot one at Twister and Galleta. Twister narrowly missed it, but Galleta got one right in the back of her kart, making her spin out of control. Twister and Taffyta dodged her, and Taffyta began aiming at Twister. She shot, but it went straight forward as Twister turned around a bend just in time. Taffyta yelled in frustration.

"Maybe next time, lollipop!" Twister called back, cackling.

Maybe she was like Vanellope after all.