Now during all this, new foals had been born on the Westcider Farm. All the Sugar Rushians visited the farm now and then to see the new foals. However most, especially the Racers, knew that they couldn't have any of the foals so they made sure not to get too attached to a single one.
Vanellope, Ralph, and Reneult especially visited the farm. Ralph wasn't much of a pet person, mostly because he had been scared in the past of accidentally hurting one with his strength. This fear went away after he realized how gentle he automatically was with Vanellope, but by that point his interest in having a pet was gone. However, if Vanellope and Reneult wanted a horse, and if Candiel had recovered enough to let one back into the palace, then he wouldn't mind. He did like horses, especially how they could be gentle with their muzzles even though most of them were very strong. He related to them that way, and also through their loyalty to those they cared about.
Vanellope and Reneult had especially started to bond with one in particular. A malt-colored cremello filly who the Westciders hadn't named yet. Normally they were good at picking out names, but there was something about this one that made it hard. Maybe it was because that the filly seemed to have two personalities. One was the typical gentle nature that all the other mares had, along with an empathetic side. Whenever someone seemed to feel bad the filly would go over to him or her and let that person pet her. The other personality was playful and a bit teasing as well. Sometimes the filly would snatch Applelo's hat off his head and run off with it, and would do the same thing to other citizens' belongings. She also liked to join in games like hide'n'seek, and seemed to have a fondness for toilet humor. Vanellope still made 'doodie' jokes now and then, and whenever she did near the filly her whinny would resemble laughing.
As Ralph got to know the filly he too started to bond with her. Especially since most of the new foals were shy and wary of him, but this particular filly actually enjoyed his company. She enjoyed Vanellope and Reneult's company more, but still liked to be close to Ralph sometimes too. She even let Ralph pet her now and then, and sometimes she would nuzzle him.
Later on Candiel had heard so much about the filly from his family that he decided to see her for himself. So when Vanellope, Ralph, and Reneult played with the filly he watched from afar. He couldn't help but smile upon seeing them so happy together. Seeing Vanellope so happy especially warmed his heart. Unfortunately, he couldn't get closer to the farm. Even seeing horses gave him a stabbing pain in his heart. Meaning he couldn't buy the filly for his family...even though he wanted to so badly. He still felt bad for depriving Vanellope of getting the pet she'd been wanting for over a year... He just didn't know what to do.
One day he went to the horse farm alone, while still staying far away, and watched the horses romp about. The cremello filly his family loved wasn't in sight, but he stayed there hoping she would show up.
"Oh Maltina..." He sighed as he sat on a hill. "I still miss you so much...it feels like a part of my heart is missing. And because of that it's almost impossible to be near horses...even seeing them only reminds me of the wonderful times we had together...and can't have again. I wish something could help me...Vanellope loves horses almost as much as you do, and Ralph and Reneult have grown fond of them as well. Vanellope deserves a pet, especially a pet she wants so much...but if I can't even get near a horse then how can I buy one and take it back to the castle? How can I continue with my life with a horse living nearby and causing me further pain?"
He then heard a soft nicker. Startled he turned around and saw the cremello filly near him. The pain in his heart increased.
"What are you doing here?" Candiel asked, trying to ignore his pain. "You should be with your mother and the other horses."
The filly just walked closer to him.
"No...I'm sorry but...my wife loved horses and when she died I found it impossible to be near them...I still do..." Candiel shed a few tears. "Please...just go home before your mother starts to worry."
To his surprise, the filly actually shook her head. That's when Candiel remembered Vanellope, Ralph, and Reneult talking about her empathetic side.
"I know you want to make me feel better...but I don't think this'll work." He said sadly.
The filly just lowered her muzzle so that it was touching his chest right where his heart was located. Candiel started to feel as if his heart was going to break. He looked up, ready to try to gently get the filly to leave...when he looked into her eyes. They were a pale green, and for some strange reason they seemed familiar. Candiel couldn't stop himself from petting her, and as he did his sadness started to increase...until he ended up crying. The filly moved so that he could cry onto her, and as he cried Candiel found his pain starting to decrease. Eventually his pain went away almost completely and he was able to calm down.
"Thank you...that actually did help me." He sniffled a bit as he wiped his eyes; he then got up. "How did you know it would?"
The filly, for some reason, looked at him sadly. She then buried her muzzle into his chest. Candiel oddly felt some sort of connection to the filly, and couldn't figure out why. He looked down at her and to his concern saw that she now was shedding tears. She was crying.
"What's wrong?" He asked, concerned.
The filly looked up at him and whinnied almost desperately.
"I wish I could speak horse..." Candiel said regretfully. "Then I could help you."
The filly just looked even sadder. Candiel hugged her until she started to feel better, and then smiled.
"There...I guess we both helped each other." He said. "And it's time to do what I should have done over a year ago..."
The next day, Ralph, Vanellope, and Reneult were walking to the farm to see the filly again.
"I so wish I could buy her...but I couldn't bear to put dad through that much pain." Vanellope sighed.
"Yeah, I'd hate to see grandpa in pain too." Reneult agreed.
"It's okay Vanellope, someday Candiel will recover and when that time comes he'll definitely let you have a horse." Ralph put a hand around her comfortingly. "Who knows, he might even surprise you with one."
"But...but I want the filly we've bonded with." Vanellope said sadly. "I don't know why but...but I feel as if we belong together. As if there's a special connection between us..."
"I've felt it too." Reneult nodded.
"I have felt something too, but I don't think it's as strong as what you two have." Ralph admitted.
Then as they neared the farm, they saw the filly...who had a gold collar around her neck. Vanellope felt tears coming to her eyes and she ran off in the opposite direction.
"Vanellope-!" Ralph called after her.
Too late, Vanellope glitched away.
"Aw man, someone already bought her." Reneult sighed disappointedly.
"Come on son, maybe we can buy her from her new owner." Ralph said. "Let's go talk to the Westciders about it."
They did, they headed for the orchard where they found Mr. Westcider.
"Well hello, what can I do for...where's President Vanellope?" Mr. Westcider asked, looking around. "Had business to attend to?"
"No, she saw the collar on her favorite filly and glitched away upset." Ralph said. "Can you give us the contact info for whoever bought the filly? We'd like to buy her from her new owner no matter the cost."
"Oh...well you don't have to worry about that." Mr. Westcider smiled knowingly.
"What do you mean?" Reneult asked.
"If you saw the collar properly you would have noticed that it was ah gold one." Mr. Westcider continued smiling. "Not everyone can afford those..."
"So...only those of nobility or royalty can buy them?" Ralph guessed.
"Exactly." Mr. Westcider just continued smiling.
That info, combined with Mr. Westcider's knowing smile, made Ralph start to smile.
"No way...you're not saying that...?" He said.
Mr. Westcider nodded.
"What is it dad?" Reneult asked.
"Candiel bought the filly." Ralph said excitedly, trying to contain his joy so that he wouldn't accidentally harm any of the trees.
"What?" Reneult gasped happily. "We've got to tell mom!"
"Right." Ralph agreed; he and Reneult started to leave. "Thank you Mr. Westcider!" Ralph called back.
"Yeah, thanks a lot!" Reneult agreed.
"You're both welcome!" Mr. Westcider called back.
Ralph and Reneult headed back to the castle, but Vanellope wasn't there at all. Candiel was however.
"Where's Sugar Cookie? I have something to tell her." He said.
"You bought the filly she loves right?" Reneult grinned.
"Ah so you two know, does Vanellope?" Candiel smiled.
"No, she teleported away sadly upon seeing the collar on the filly." Ralph explained.
"Oh dear..." Candiel said concernedly. "Where could she be?"
"Probably somewhere where she'd want to be alone...and I know exactly where that place is."
Ralph led Candiel and Reneult to Diet Cola Mountain.
"I've never been here before." Reneult said.
"Same here." Candiel agreed. "Not since Turbo took over anyway. This used to be a hiding place for royalty back when we used to have wars with other kingdoms."
"And it became Vanellope's home after Turbo took over." Ralph added. "Most of it got destroyed when I caused that diet cola beacon though...doubt much of it was restored in the reset."
"So...how do we get in?" Reneult asked.
"This way."
Ralph led them over to the two lollipops that made an archway and walked through the wall under them. Reneult and Candiel followed, though Reneult was a bit caught off-guard at first.
Once all three were inside they heard crying nearby. Ralph, remembering where Vanellope's bed used to be, walked towards that area...to find another bed there, only larger. And one it was Vanellope bundled up in a larger version of the candy wrapper blanket she used to own.
"Van?" Ralph said, both surprised and concerned.
Startled, Vanellope stopped crying and turned over and saw her family there. She wiped an eye.
"Should've known you'd think to look here Stinkbrain." She couldn't help but smirk.
"You restored your bed and blanket here didn't you?" Ralph realized.
"Yeah, a long time ago." Vanellope sat up. "I decided to make this place my alone-home, for whenever I would want to be alone. Since the three of you know however..."
"No, we'll keep it a secret. And we'll only visit you here if there's an emergency or something." Ralph shook his head.
"Okay...so are you three here to comfort me?"
"No, we found out who bought the filly you love mom." Reneult smiled.
"Who?"
"Me." Candiel admitted.
Vanellope dropped her mouth open and her eyes widened.
"What?" She said. "But...I thought..."
"So did I, but the filly came up to me yesterday and let me cry on her." Candiel explained. "As I cried...the pain started to go away. And it's almost completely gone. Not entirely because I still miss your mother so much, but I can at least be near horses now."
Vanellope beamed and went over to her father to hug him.
"We can't have her yet of course." Candiel returned the hug. "She still needs to be with her mother, but once she's old enough to be sold then she'll be able to move in with us."
"It's okay...and it does give us plenty of time to get the old stables ready." Vanellope smiled.
"True."
So, that's what Vanellope and her family did as soon as they got home. They fixed up and cleaned the old stables, and placed a order for supplies they would need. As they cleaned the old stables...
"Hey, what's in here?" Reneult asked after finding a huge box made out of a jawbreaker.
"Something special, something I should've given Vanellope a long time ago." Candiel said.
Reneult opened the box after his parents and grandpa came over, and discovered an old royal saddle. The saddle almost looked like new, and contained the initials MVS.
"This was your mother's old saddle Vanellope." Candiel said. "She bought it not long after we were married. She did have some old saddles back where she grew up but wanted a new one with her new name on it."
"She really did love you huh?" Vanellope traced the initials on the saddle.
"Yes...and I still love her..." Candiel sighed as memories went through his head. "I still wish she hadn't died...but I'm also grateful for the time we had together. And that we had you. I wouldn't trade you for her even if I was given the chance."
Time passed and summer came. The cremello filly became old enough to leave her mom, and was so happy to be with Vanellope and her family. Vanellope, Candiel and Reneult especially bonded further with her. They named her Maltessa because of her coat. Plus 'tessa' was kinda close to the word 'tease', which Maltessa liked to playfully do.