((Here's chapter 2! I'm not entirely sure if I'm gonna update new chapters every day, but for now enjoy~))

Chapter 2

Swizzle cannot believe he got caught and reprimanded by the stiff-looking Surge Protector.

"Name?" The blue electrical man demanded as he jotted down information in a small clipboard.

"Swizzle Malarkey," the young racer grimaced.

"Are you heading out somewhere?" Surge Protector asked.

Swizzle sighed. "Nowhere in particular."

"Then I suggest you return to your game and stop vandalizing the walls. Anything else to declare?"

"I think I hate you."

"You're not the first who said that," Surge Protector replied, with no expression.

Swizzle turned around and walked back to the tunnel leading back to Sugar Rush. He glanced back just in time to see Surge Protector pulling out a spraying can and started writing graffiti on the wall.

"Why that—that hypocrite!" he exclaimed in a low voice.

As he approached the end of the tunnel, Swizzle was now feeling a little grumpy since his special outing has been cut short thanks to Surge Protector. His mood was quickly replaced by shock when he saw who was waiting for him: Taffyta and her posse.

"How was your little game-jumping adventure, Malarkey?" Taffyta asked, frowning as she licked her strawberry lollipop. "I didn't know King Candy gave someone… like you… special permission to leave the game."

"Well, he didn't, Muttonfudge," Swizzle said, digging his hands into his jacket pockets. "It's none of your bees-wax about where I go."

"You're right." Taffyta flicked her lollipop away. "It's not my 'bees-wax', but rather King Candy's. Imagine his reaction if he learned that one of his loyal subjects deliberately disobey his rules and sneaked out behind his back."

"I wasn't doing anything dangerous, Taffyta!" Swizzle told her, fear evident in his eyes. "I saw lots of cool things which you haven't seen before. And if you try to rat me out to King Candy, I'll—"

"You'll what?" Taffyta asked, haughtily. "Work your playboy charms on me, hoping I'll change my mind?"

Rancis and Candlehead behind her chuckled.

Swizzle became hesitant. "Well, it wouldn't hurt to try…"

Taffyta sauntered forward and placed her gloved hand on his cheek, batting her eyelashes at him.

"Why would I betray a fellow racer and have him thrown into the Fungeon?" she began. "You're the only one who makes my life easier thanks to your buffoonish antics every roster race. You make me feel more confident about my skills."

"Hey!" Swizzle cried.

"I think I could give you a few private lessons on how to become a better racer?" Taffyta gave him a flirty smile which made him roll his eyes.

"After you insulted two seconds ago, I don't think need lessons from some snot-nosed, makeup-wearing little brat," he said. "I'm already a good racer. Heck, I could even be better than you if I put enough hard work into my skills. Even I almost beat you in today's roster race!"

Taffyta yawned as though she was bored and leaned close to Swizzle, speaking in a low voice next to his ear. "If you ever try to sneak out again and disobey our king one more time… I might 'accidentally' slip something."

Swizzle narrowed his eyes at her. "You may be King Candy's favorite racer, but you'll never be as good as The Swizz."

Taffyta laughed as if he made a joke. Swizzle tightened his fists. "Leave me alone," he muttered. He bumped her as he walked away, and continued his path down into Sugar Rush where his kart is waiting for him.

His head was ready to burst from anger when he reached the bottom. He saw Vanellope leaning over his precious kart, inspecting it with child-like longing.

"GET AWAY FROM MY KART, YOU GLITCH!" he exploded as he stomped toward her. Vanellope jumped, her image glitching with surprise, and before she can do anything, Swizzle violently shoved her away and she landed on her butt with pain.

"Hey, what's the big whoop?!" she demanded. "I was just looking at your dumb kart, I didn't even touch it!"

"You just looking at it is enough for me," he snarled as he gets on his signature ride. "I bet you had a good laugh telling Taffyta about my secret outing."

"Whaaat?!" Vanellope's mouth dropped in outrage as she stood up, glitching momentarily. "You think I told TAFFYTA about you sneaking out? I would never do that to someone who had the gumballs to defy that crazy King Candy!"

Swizzle didn't listen to a word she said. He picked up a small gobstopper lying around and threw it at her. It missed her head, only knocking a couple of candies from her hair. Her eyes widened.

"Get out of my sight, glitch," he spoke in a dangerous low voice.

Vanellope did not wait for another word. She hurriedly scampers away. She was glad Swizzle did not see her eyes brimming with tears.

"No, I can't," Adorabeezle whispered. It is the following day, right before the arcade opens. Adorabeezle and her companion were sitting together in the middle of a vast licorice field.

"You have too many girlfriends, Swizzle," she continued, her tone soft and hesitant. Her pink face blushed immensely.

Swizzle smiled and brushed a finger against her cheek. She couldn't help but giggle as he leaned closer.

"You got it all wrong," he said. "I don't have a girlfriend."

"Then I want to be your number one," Adorabeezle said, her eyes meeting his. "Make me your number one girl, Swizzle."

Swizzle stared at her, smirking like the roguish playboy he was. Girls are such hopeless romantics, he thought. Too bad I don't DO this relationship stuff.

"Sure."

"YOU IDIOT!" A female voice broke his mesmerizing gaze and a powerful fist punched him in the back of his head.

Swizzle got knocked off his feet. He rubbed his sore bruise and looked up to see Minty glaring down at him. While she was busy shouting at him Adorabeezle giggled with embarrassment and quietly distanced herself from them.

"Hey, Minty! What are you doing here?" Swizzle grinned up at her. "Aren't you supposed to be racing today's roster? Ow, you really hurt my head…"

"The arcade's going to open in ten minutes, and I've been looking everywhere for Adorabeezle so the players won't miss their chance to play her!" Minty shouted, her face red with fury. It made her look cuter than frightening. "I let you out of my sight for a few hours and I caught you here… being all touchy!"

She rubbed her temples. "I swear, you keep on hitting on every girl in sight, you're going to end up paying for it!"

Swizzle gets up and wipes dust from his clothes. "I don't hit on girls, they hit on me," he said cheekily.

"Right," Minty rolled her eyes. "Drop dead."

At this moment, Snowanna drove up in her kart.

"Minty! Beezle!" she called out. "The arcade's gonna open soon! Better move your sweet molasses!"

Minty and Adorabeezle hopped into their karts, parked next to Swizzle's Tongue-Twister. Minty gave Swizzle one last disapproving look. "See at tonight's roster race, Dweeble Kneivel."

She zoomed off, followed by Snowanna and Adorabeezle. Swizzle, now feeling bored and lonely, decides to go for a drive since he won't be racing with everyone else during the arcade hours.

Vanellope sighed as she laid on her stomach on top of a huge candy-tree branch, watching the race starting and players picking their favorite characters.

If only she could be part of them! She could show them that she's a good racer like them and not just some flawed programming. For as long she can remember, she's been an outcast for fifteen years and she had toughen up to endure all their bullying and rejection. It wouldn't hurt to have her own kart, or maybe make a few friends! Sadly, everyone thinks she's some sort of monster ready to bring doom to their world thanks to King Candy's propaganda.

"If only I weren't a glitch," she muttered out loud. She hated herself for being this way. She often wondered why she was created but then dummied out. It wasn't fair! If the programmers didn't want her to exist, then she wished that they didn't give her any emotions to feel sadness and resentment.

Vanellope knew she couldn't sit around and wallow in despair. She has plans; she's going to find ways to become a real racer even if it will take years to accomplish her dream. Then she would find a better home and make new friends who won't frown or flinch at the sight of her. She couldn't wait to rub her victory into everyone who treated her like mud, especially Taffyta, King Candy, Swizzle...

She stopped, remembering Swizzle's harsh words he told her yesterday and then she frowned. She couldn't believe she almost looked up to that guy! Of course, he was daring and a thrill-seeker, but she was so sure that he'd be at least sympathetic to her plight since they're both made fun of by Taffyta. Vanellope was disappointed that 'The Swizz' is just as obnoxious and stupid like the other racers...

Vanellope had enough watching the race and makes her descend down the tree. She jumped down on a random branch not realizing sooner what she stepped on.

DING!

"Double-stripes! I forgot!" she yelped. The branch under her feet disappeared and she fell with a scream.

Swizzle's rainbow kart zoomed fast, driving pass tall candy cane trees and avoid crashing into gumdrop stones. He was humming to himself, thinking of his future plans of becoming a winner and beating Taffyta, King Candy, and many others. He was not paying attention when a familiar pony-tailed girl suddenly jumped down in the middle of the path, probably after she had been climbing up candy-tree branches.

Their eyes locked on one another for a moment before they screamed.

((I apologize for making Swizzle really mean. This was before he gets his memories back after being brainwashed by King Candy. Don't worry! He will soon learn the error of his ways and eventually warm up to Vanellope))