A/N: Sorry for the delay! I had just finished Chapter 7, but I need a bit of time before I post it up here. In the meantime, here's Chapter 6.

Enjoy! :)

Chapter 6

RJ

Another glitch, another tremor under my feet. I wrap my arms around my body, shaking back and forth. I cannot stop the glitches, but I can feel that they are getting stronger, racking my code with greater intensity.

The ground had shaken a few more times when I sat, and when I look up, maybe it's just my imagination, or the night sky seemed a bit dimmer than it was before.

The game is changing as I speak, and though I cannot stop it from shifting, I know what is behind all the changes.

But I can't tell them…

I find myself staring intensely at the tunnel entrance, eagerly waiting for Ralph's return. Not because I wanna blurt everything to him, but because I somehow find comfort in talking with someone I know.

I stare down at my feet; the cracks have widened by at least a few centimeters. I shift my position, removing my feet from the ground and curl them onto my chest. Maybe, just maybe, Ralph won't notice them if he doesn't pay close attention…

Just then, I hear a sound from the far side of the tunnel. I sit up. It must be the train, I thought. But wait, I don't hear any sound of a bell ringing when the train comes and goes.

So…what is it?

I stand and walk to the mouth of the tunnel, peering into the distance. The sound is still faint, but I can definitely hear that it's gradually getting stronger. But I still don't see anything…

Wait, no, cross that out: I can see something, but it is very small, unlike the train in which Ralph exited by.

I press my hands on the invisible wall at the opening of the tunnel, the one that prevented me from leaving. The 'something' is getting clearer by the moment, and now I can make out that it is like a small kart or something, approaching fast.

And it seems to be heading straight towards…

"RJ! LOOK OUT!"

I try to jump out of the way as the kart comes crashing in through the entrance, but I wasn't fast enough; the kart slams me straight in the chest. I fly backwards violently, and fall on the ground, head first, with a terrific THUMP.

And then I-

"-like, what have you done, kid; you'd killed him!"

"No, I haven't. See, he's stirring."

I turn my head side to side, and then open my eyes. Two faces, one anxious, one smiling, look down at me. I sit up.

The anxious face—Ralph's, peers more closely at me, and then he says "You were killed, RJ; you know that right?"

Wait, what?!

Killed?! Me?!

"I'm…I'm dead?" I ask, groggily.

"Well, yeah." Ralph replies, "I mean, a moment ago."

"Then, why am I still here?" I ask as I stand up.

"Well," Ralph says slowly to me with a sigh "simply put, you regenerated. You're still in your game, so when you die, you get to, well, live again." He rubs his head "yeah, I know, it's quite hard to explain; but that's just the way it works. Get used to it, bro."

"Okay…" I feel the words rolling slowly out of my tongue, suddenly glad that I'm not allowed to leave my game.

Ralph gives a small snort, "at least you're still here." Gesturing towards the kart, he asks, "you hungry?"

"Gosh, this is delicious!" I say, biting into the gigantic cherry, the juice running down my chin and staining my shirt.

"I told you he likes cherries." Ralph says to the pony-tailed kid next to him. "I told you not to bring the chocolate boulder; so heavy."

"Oh no," I say quickly "I love the chocolate as well; absolutely wonderful." I put down the cherry and take another bite of the chocolate boulder. I wasn't lying: the chocolate is one of the best things I've ever eaten.

Well, okay: I haven't eaten much before I got unlocked, but who cares?

"Glad you liked them!" The little kid calls to me on the side, her ponytail swinging from side to side. "Sugar Rush's delicacies. I'm Vanellope Von Schweetz, by the way." She says, sticking out her hand.

"Vanell…what?" I ask.

"Vanellope Von Schweetz." She repeats, "President of Sugar Rush."

"Oh, that's it." I say slowly. Gee, that name's a mouthful.

"So, you're RJ, right?" Vanellope asks.

"Yup."

"What does it stand for?"

I stop chewing, and literally freeze in my tracks. Don't tell, don't tell. I hear myself saying in my mind as my code pulses quicker in my chest. Finally, I smile and say "it's just a name, that's all."

Luckily they did not ask me any more questions about my name thereafter.

We talk for a while, Vanellope telling us how much funs she had during the last few days; by this time I had figured out that she was from a racing game. "…and then Taffyta was right beside me, and I then I found out that I could glitch right on top of her! Know what I mean? Stinkbrain?"

"Yeah, I know, I know." Ralph mutters. He then turns to me, "hope you're not bored while I'm away; right? RJ?"

"Nope, not bored at all." I say quickly, though some part of me still wishes to go out of this game and explore the outside world.

"So you're a glitch, like me?" Vanellope asks.

"Well, yeah; can't leave though." I say, turning away, suddenly jealous that Vanellope is able to leave her game while still being a glitch.

"Don't be sad, RJ," Vanellope says, jumping onto my lap and looking at me straight at the eye. "I can't leave too, back a few years ago. But then my code got fixed, the glitch got incorporated into my system, became my talent or something. Now I can leave whenever I want." She leans closer to me, "I'm sure Felix can fix your code like mine, and then you'll be able to leave whenever you want."

I close my eyes, trying to visualize what it would like if what Vanellope had said was true: me riding the train to who-knows-where, my body glitching like I just don't care. I could be free. I could be mended.

I could be whole.

Yes! If my code got fixed, then I could really be a part of this world, a part of this game, and never, ever return to my dark past.

Vanellope grips me tightly, and my eyes snap open. "Hey kid, what's up?"

"You…you glitched, and then…" She just points to the forest just beyond the brick pile. I look and I immediately see it:

Two trees had fallen in the edge of the clearing, and just beneath them, a long crack ran to through the clearing to the brick pile.

Right where we are gathered.

I swallow hard, while Ralph stands up and whistles, surveying the damage. "Whoa; earthquakes just got more impressive, right?"

"Shouldn't you, I mean, we, be worried about it?" I find myself asking before I realize what I was doing. I bite the inside of my cheek, my code pulsing like mad.

"Yeah. But our game's pretty old anyhoo." Ralph says slowly "We haven't had a bang-up checkup for years! Maybe I'll talk to Felix about this."

Ralph turns his head "Oh! And speaking of which…"

We all look in that direction, and we see Felix running towards us. His face is red from running, and is calling Ralph's name as he ran.

"Hey, slow down, Felix; we all know that something's up with the game, we'll just get someone to fix it up. What's the big hurry?" Ralph asks.

"Ralph, it's not just about the game," Felix says, panting "it's also about…him." He finishes, pointing at me.

I gulp. Please don't reveal it. I beg in my mind.

"RJ?!" Ralph asks, a hint of surprise in his tone, "What's wrong with him?"

"Can we talk about this, Ralph, please; alone?" Felix is eyeing me the whole time, and I feel a sense of uneasiness in the atmosphere.

"Why, sure." Ralph turns to us, "You two go hang out in the forest while we talk. This won't take long, I hope."

"Will do." I mutter, finally glad that I am able to get some distance from both Ralph and Felix after all of this. Without looking back at Ralph, I take Vanellope's hand and turn for the forest.