Hello and good evening, readers! Here we are once again with a new chapter. I hope you've liked what you've read so far, for there's much more to come! Sit back, relax and enjoy as always, and please leave lovely reviews once you've finished. :)
The following day after school, the track teams gathered to practice, the girls and boys doing warm up activities. On the bleachers sat none other than Mr. Kingsley; he always enjoyed to go to practices for his school's teams. On the other side of the bleachers, Vanessa and Gregory stood, Vanessa exhaling sharply.
"Why so nervous?" Gregory asked. "It's just a practice."
"I have no idea... I just have a bad feeling."
"Just show them you can beat them all, and there's no way it can turn out bad... I think."
"Thanks..." Vanessa rolled her eyes, peeking around. "I think they're getting set up for a practice run. Now's my chance."
"Okay everyone..." Coach Bill held up a hand. "Everyone ready?" The children gave him a flat look. "On your mark, get set..." He let his hand drop limply to his side, and the children were off.
"Okay now, now!" Gregory exclaimed.
Vanessa gave him a nod, running out from behind the bleachers as they passed. She focused on each racer as she gained speed, passing one, two, five, inching closer and closer to first place.
"What in blathzes-!" Mr. Kingsley stood up, flabbergasted.
Vanessa had just passed Candace, and now was neck and neck with Taryn, who glared at her angrily.
"What in the heck do you think you're doing, you freak?!" Taryn shouted.
"Feeding you my dust!" Vanessa replied before she passed her, shocking Taryn.
Mr. Kingsley observed in shock as Vanessa was now passing even the boys, getting closer and closer to the finish.
"Some race, hm?"
The older man jumped at the voice, straightening his tie. "Oh, hello Bo... here to watch the practice?"
"Yes... too bad I didn't come sooner." He glanced at Mr. Kingsley, smirking a bit.
Vanessa crossed the finish line first. "Yes!" She exclaimed, catching her breath. Coach Bill simply blinked a bit, and she jogged up to the principal and Mr. Turner.
"Mr. Kingsley... you just saw me beat the ENTIRE track team. Now do you have the proof you need to add me to the roster?" Vanessa asked.
The older man, cleared his throat uneasily as he stepped down. "Vanetha Vonthtark! N- Now just what do you think you're doing?"
"I... I'm showing you that I'm qualified to be on the track team."
"As much as I appreciate your enthusiasm, I'm afraid thith is unacceptable conduct, Mith Vonthtark. There are ruleth in place for a reason, and onth rothters have been finalized, they cannot be changed until the following year! I'm thorry, but if you interfere with the team practice again, I will have to give you detention."
Vanessa's expression fell. "But... but I-"
"That'th my final word!" Mr. Kingsley furrowed his brows. "I'm thorry, but thith is how it hath to be!"
Taryn came up to Vanessa with Candace behind her. "You heard Mr. Kingsley, Vanessa. This is how things have to be, because losers don't get their name put on team rosters. So just accept that and stop wasting our time." She turned around then, walking away with the other girls, leaving Vanessa to deal with the shock alone. She stood with her eyes wide, not believing that things had turned out this badly. Just then, she heard one last person walking away, gasping lightly.
"Mr. Turner!" Vanessa called to him, jogging a bit until she approached him, slowing to a stop. "You'll help me, won't you? You saw how fast I could run. I can win for the school, Mr. Turner. You have to believe me."
Bo turned, sighing lightly and gently patting Vanessa's shoulder. "I do believe you can win for the school, Vanessa. But... for whatever reason the principal decided he doesn't want you on the team, I can't argue that decision. Sometimes, it takes a lot of hard work to be a champion... some are fated to be, and some aren't. In time, you'll see which fate decides for you." He gave her a nod before continuing on his way. When there was no one left, she heard footsteps behind her, but didn't bother to turn around.
"Vanessa?"
A pause. "Thanks for doing what you could, Gregory. But... there's nothing else I can do." Vanessa sighed. "There's just one more favor I have to ask... for a friend."
Gregory frowned, the two turning to head away from the school as Vanessa continued with her request.
Ralph sat in deep thought in the trees as a light breeze turned into higher winds. He looked to the distance as he noticed a storm approaching, furrowing his brow at the omen. He then heard footsteps, looking down to see Vanessa enter the forest, sniffling as she did so. She sat on a rock, hugging her knees and sighing. He hopped down with a thud, approaching her.
"You appear distressed." He said to her, standing a few feet from her.
Vanessa looked up at him. "I'm giving up. No matter what I do, I can't be the racer I want to be. But don't worry... I kept my end of the promise. I've already done a couple things to try to help save your forest."
Ralph smelled the scent of cherries as he inhaled, his hair gently blowing in the wind as he looked to the sky. He heard whispers in the wind, closing his eyes for a moment before looking back down at Vanessa. "No."
"No? No what?" Vanessa replied.
"You will not give up. There is still hope for you."
"Hope? Hope?! So you're saying you want me to be humiliated MORE? This is just too hard for me, Ralph!"
Ralph remained calm. "You have kept your word, and I shall keep mine. I will help you find your dream."
"How? How can you do that?" She asked Ralph looked around him, narrowing his eyes a bit. He went over a bit, startling Vanessa when he started pounding the ground, and she blinked as he continued in circle, all around her, before stopping where he started. She looked up at him in awe. "Woah. Remind me never to get on your bad side, huh?"
Ralph dusted his hands off, looking to her. "Do you know why I choose to help you?"
"Because you have nothing better to do?"
"No. I choose to help you because I see a light within you. For decades I have lived in darkness and despair. I was forced to leave the sacred place of someone very dear. You are a source of light to dispel the darkness and I must not let that be extinguished."
Vanessa tilted her head. "Uh... I don't get it."
Ralph sighed, shaking his head. "Come now. You have to train."
Vanessa shrugged, still feeling a bit down. She hopped down onto the track Ralph made for her, and she blinked.
"Uh, Ralph? These rocks have to go."
"Do you humans not have these obstacles to jump over?"
Vanessa turned, raising a brow. "How do you know that if you live in the forest?"
"I have been alive for thousands of years. I have seen many things." Ralph replied.
"Huh. So you're reeeeeally old then, huh?"
Ralph rubbed his forehead. "Are you going to begin or must I run for you?"
"Okay, okay, fine. But I've never jumped hurdles before..." She crouched down, exhaling sharply as she started off. She was doing well until she tried to make the first "hurdle," tripping and falling flat on her face. "Ow!" She groaned, sitting up. "Well don't just stand there, aren't you going to help me up? For being alive a thousand years you could learn to be more of a gentleman." She went over, lightly punching his arm, Ralph shook his head, lightly nudging her back. Vanessa smirked, lightly jabbing his arm and giggling. "Tag, you're it!" She laughed, running into the forest, thinking Ralph had no clue what she was talking about.
Ralph blinked, and for the first time in years, a small smile graced his features. He ran after her, and Vanessa's eyes widened a bit when she looked back and saw he was catching up to her fast. She emitted a squeak, running as fast as she could, dodging trees, ducking branches and leaping over logs, rocks and streams. She didn't even think about it, her feet seemed to just work on their own. Ralph smiled to himself as he saw her run, about to catch her when he saw something out of the corner of his eye and stopped short, ending their game abruptly. Vanessa slowed to stop just ahead of him, panting a bit.
"Hey, give up already?" She turned back when she received no reply. "Hey, Ralph!"
Ralph took a step forward, parting some of the foliage to reveal a barbed wire fence. On the other side was a metal manufacturing yard, men melting, molding, and welding metal on the other side to make car parts. Ralph's expression was something between haunted and uneasy as he watched in silence. Vanessa quietly walked up beside him, looking from the metal yard to him.
"Each day, more and more of the forest is killed to feed these monsters. These... cold blooded monsters. The humans ally with them and help to create more."
Vanessa frowned, glancing up at Ralph. "Don't worry, Ralph... we can get your old home back. Just like... I can make the track team. We can do this... okay?" She smiled, and Ralph's expression softened as he smiled back. Vanessa soon headed home, sighing lightly as she looked out the window. With her determination renewed, she knew she had to figure out why principal Kingsley didn't want her to be on the team... only then could she work to change his mind.
It would be the first of many hurdles to jump.
Well, I think we can all agree here that we are really starting to see some connecting back to the first story and the film, of course with a few tweaks for the sake of the plot. I hope you've all enjoyed so far, and there is more to come! Don't forget to review and see you next time! :D