Chapter Seven – Façade

Vanellope yawned as she stepped from her hiding place in Diet Cola Mountain. She wanted to see if she could visit Taffyta in the hospital before anyone noticed her and she knew the best chance to do this was early in the morning.

"Just hope that Taffyta isn't too sleepy to see me!" the girl laughed to herself as she took off towards the village. Once she was some distance away from Diet Cola Mountain, the girl felt an odd presence come over her. Something wasn't right.

"H-Hello?"

Silence.

Maybe she was just worried about things. That HAD to be it.

Vanellope continued on her way, though she did so slowly, hoping not to run into anyone as she made her trek down to the village.

"I see you're up early…." Said an angry voice. Vanellope squeaked as she turned and glitched, looking at none other than Taffyta Muttonfudge. At the moment, Vanellope was much too surprised to notice how angry her friend look.

"Aw MAN! Don't SCARE me like that, Taffya! Ya could have given me a heart-attack!"

Taffyta didn't laugh at the joke. She didn't even smile.

Something else was on her mind and it wasn't jokes or fun.

It was just anger.

"So…where were ya headin'?" asked the strawberry racer, her eyes still glued on Vanellope.

"Er, I was gonna visit you…" the raven haired racer responded, backing away a bit "I mean, I thought you were still in the hospital but I'm glad that you're out an' about!"

"I'm sure you are…" Taffyta glared "I mean, if I were still in bed, what opportunity WOULD you have to see my kart?"

Vanellope blinked; see her kart? What was Taffyta getting on about?

"W-what are ya talkin' about? I just wanted ta see if YOU were okay!"

Taffyta slowly made her way over to Vanellope, the girl filled to the brim with rage "I trusted you…."

"H-huh?"

"I TRUST you, Vanellope Von Schweets! I thought I could trust you as a friend, as a confidant….even as a SISTER, but-!"

Taffyta stopped, a bit too worked up at the moment "How COULD you?!"

"W-what are ya getting' on about, Taffyta?" Vanellope asked, getting a little angry herself "You're actin' as if I broke in and did somethin' ta ya!"

"Oh, you DID VANELLOPE and I saw it plain as day!"

"An' just WHAT would be this thing that I did to ya?!"

"I wanna ask ya something, NELLY." Taffyta said, getting so close to Vanellope that their noses almost touched "Were ya upset that I didn't get killed and reset during the race? Did ya plan on shakin' me up SO BADLY that I would quit? Is that what ya were trying to do?!"

Vanellope looked at the racer with a confused look "You're not makin' an sense, Taffy!"

"If I'm not…." The girl growled, getting closer to Vanellope "Then maybe THESE should!"

The strawberry racer then pulled the broken parts from her kart, as well as Vanellope's hair candy, from her pockets and shoved them into girl's chest.

"HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THIS?!"

Vanellope looked at the items that had been given to her but it didn't take her long to figure out what Taffyta was implying. Her jaw dropped at the thought "You….You can't believe that I messed up your kart! YOU CAN'T!"

"And why NOT?!" spat Taffyta "I have more than enough evidence to prove that you did it!" and out came the photos, the strawberry racer forcing them into Vanellope's hands.

"TH-this doesn't prove ANYTHIN'!" Vanellope yelled, her face turning red "Ya can get candy like this ANYWHERE in the game an…an…."

Vanellope looked down at the screen shots. She knew that would be a big one to explain but she knew they were faked, SOMEHOW!

"Taffyta, you have to trust me! I didn't do this!"

"I trust you…I really did…" the strawberry racer said, tears running down her cheeks "An' now I'm startin' to see that I was STUPID for doin' that…"

"T-Taffyta…."

"I really thought you were different, Vanellope." Taffyta choked "I thought you were someone who could really understand me and see me as a friend, not just as some BOSS or somethin'. Ya really helped me learn to be more open towards the others because I could be open towards YOU…..but…..but was it all a façade? Did you just PRETEND to listen to me to get closer to what YOU wanted?!"

"Why are you saying these things?!" Vanellope quivered, backing away.

"DID YOU!? ANSWER ME!" shrieked the strawberry racer.

Vanellope shook in her shoes, her eyes filling with tears as she looked at the angry Taffyta "I…I-!"

"TELL ME THE TRUTH, VANELLOPE!"

"OKAY! YA WANNA KNOW THE TRUTH?!" the racer screamed "I WAS JEALOUS! I WAS JEALOUS THAT YOU GUYS GET TO RACE AN' I DON'T!"

Taffyta froze in her place, her eyes filling with even more tears.

"Ya just don't understand! Ya guys are SO lucky that you weren't left in this game ta ROT as some unwanted character an' ta see ya race day in an' day out…YES! I got JEALOUS! But I would NEVER, EVER hurt you for that! I promise I wouldn't!"

"LIAR!" Taffyta screamed.

"Taffyta, I'm not lying!" the raven hair racer pleaded, almost falling to her knees.

"King Candy was right!" Taffyta sobbed "You were using me to-!"

"King Candy?! H-He's the one who told you this?!" Vanellope said in a shocked voice "B-But he-!"

"Wh-what? What did he do?" asked Taffyta.

Vanellope just stood before Taffyta, her face paling "Taff….are ya tellin' me that ya would believe King Candy….or ME?"

"I'm glad that ya came back…" Turbo said in a soft voice, the man smiling a bit.

"Why would I stop now?" Taffyta replied, handing him another care package "I mean…after what I found out, I just don't know what to think anymore."

"Hmmm? What do you mean?"

"What I mean is…." The racer sighed heavily "It's all starting to come back. All of it….everything you said? It all fits now."

Turbo opened the care package; doughnuts. The former racer let out a small chuckle as he took one of the delectable things and took a bite out of it.

"I found a photo." Taffyta began "I found a photo that confirmed everything you said."

"A photo? Wh-who was in it?"

"Us of course….but there was something about Vanellope in it. It tied into EVERYTHING you said about her and…and…."

The girl stopped, her body shaking as she shut her eyes tight.

"I just can't face this anymore!"

Turbo gave the child a look of pity as he approached her, putting his hand on her head.

"Dear thweet Thaffyta. I knew the news would be hard ta take but….but I just had to say it. I couldn't let it fester within me any longer…"

Taffyta gazed up at the man with her huge blue eyes, tears running down her cheeks.

"Perhaps it was fate that would land me here an' perhaps it was that same fate that would prevent anyone from believing the real truth of what has happening in you game. That was….until ya came along." The man went down on his knees, smiling at the girl "But I'm glad that SOMEONE was able to see things through without jumping to conclusions! I just wish…."

"Y-yeah?"

"I just wish…for once….that maybe I would be given one more chance. That I would be able to see light once more instead of laying in this hovel!"

Taffyta shook her head "I-I just can't help you on that Turbo, I'm sorry!"

"I…I understand, Thaffy. I understand…."

Taffyta stood back, drying her tears as best she could "But I want ya to know this, Turbo. Even if everyone thinks differently, at least there is someone who will ALWAYS be on your side." The girl smiled, removing her hat from her head "Me."

For the first time in a long time, Turbo felt a sense of hope coming within him, a huge grin on his face. He chuckled once more, putting a hand to his eyes as if he were embarrassed.

"I just…wow." He snickered "I don't know how to feel about that one! I thought I would be a bit more prideful if someone told me that but here I am! Feelin' all embarrassed! Ya really know how to work through me kid!"

"Of course…" Taffyta whispered "I have an' always will be your favorite racer."

Turbo smiled, reaching out and taking Taffyta's hand, holding it gently.

"Thank you. Thank you for remembering that I am a character, not a criminal. I am not saying that what I did was right or that I even condone it now….I just….it just feels so good to have someone see me as a livin' character instead of a threat."

"Trust me Turbo…." The girl smiled "I know EXACTLY what it feels like to have the entire arcade hate you. To have the entire arcade treat you like dirt and never even consider giving you a second chance. But….but I'm not like that. Unlike those people, I DO give second chances…and I think you deserve y-!"

"TAFFYTA!"

The girl jolted up in shock as she turned, seeing Vanellope standing at the end of the prison hall, an angry look on her face.

"I thought I said you couldn't come here any longer!"

The strawberry racer walked to her friend, a desperate look on her face "Vanellope! You know I had to see this to the end!"

"An' ya also know that as your PRINCESS, I make the rules in the game an' you're BANNED from doin' this interview any longer!" the raven haired racer roared in anger, almost as if she wanted everyone in Hero's Duty to hear her.

"Vanellope, NO!" the strawberry racer screamed "Why are ya doin' this to me?!"

"Ya didn't think I'd find out about your lil search through our archives, right? Ya thought I was too stupid NOT to notice the missin' pictures?!"

Taffyta hung her head low, her demeanor very meek "L-look, I just had to be check on somethin'! That's all!"

"Yeah, you're right THAT'S ALL!" the raven haired racer said, taking Taffyta roughly by the arm "An' now we're gettin' outta here!"

"V-Vanellope! STOP!"

"YOU HEARD ME!"

"Well, hear me out! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME DO THIS!"

Vanellope stopped in her tracks, her shoulders hunched in anger "Taffyta….who is the MAIN character of our game?"

Taffyta stopped, her cheeks blushing red as she looked away from the girl but she finally spoke out "Y-You are."

"Riiiight…." Vanellope turned on her heels, crossing her arms "WHO is the RULER of our game?"

"Y-you…"

"Hmmm? What was that? Who is the RULER of Sugar Rush?"

"YOU ARE!"

"Correct again!" cooed Vanellope, patting Taffyta's head condescendingly "An' as RULER of our WONDERFUL game, I'm gonna be lenient on ya an' NOT revoke your drivin' privilages AGAIN!"

Turbo could only look at was unfolding before him. Sure, the girls had moved their argument down to the hall but one quick peek around the corner, and Turbo could see the two arguing as plain as day. Wanting everything to end, Taffyta shook her head and followed the angry Vanellope, the two racers disappearing down the hall.

"Wow…that was intense…" Turbo whispered to himself as he sat back on his cot "Huh, it's a lil sad though…"

Sad?

Sad couldn't cover what had unfolded before the man!

"An' ta think, Taffyta told me that Vanellope had changed!"

Turbo found himself once again alone in his cell, the droning of the machinery above him echoing throughout the halls. For anyone else, the sound would have been maddening…but there sat Turbo, the man resting peacefully on his cot.

And grinning from ear to ear.

"This change seems to have been for the better…." The man chuckled "An' from the looks of things…it's all comin' inta play."