((Here's the newest chapter. I should let you guys know that I won't update as quickly as I used to since I'm now attending college. Also, I think I'm now writing halfway into the story, more or less.))

Chapter 13

"How did you get in, Vanellope?" Taffyta growled as she, Candlehead and Rancis approach closer.

"I went through the back door, Taffyta. Duh!" Vanellope snapped back in a cheeky manner. She was walking backwards while glancing sideways to find an escape.

"Glitches aren't welcome in the castle," Taffyta said, narrowing her eyes as she licked her strawberry lollipop. "You just earned a one-way ticket to the Fun Dungeon."

Behind the platinum blonde, Rancis and Candlehead snickered. Then Taffyta broke out a shrill scream, "GUARDS! GLITCH IN THE CASTLE!"

Vanellope glitched in fear when she heard the thundering sounds of footsteps running to their location. She looked behind her and saw several Oreo guards coming at her with their sharp-looking chocolate spears.

Vanellope decide to run through Taffyta and her posse, who tried to block her but they missed. She kept on running while being chased the guards.

She soon came to hall where giant glass bottles of milk stood in rows. Thinking quickly, she came to last bottle of the row and pushed it off from the pedestal with all the strength she can muster. The glass bottle fell against another bottle, which fell on another forming a domino effect. Then all the bottles crashed to the floor, spilling milk everywhere and soaking the Oreo guards. The guards then crumbled over, their bodies heavy after absorbing the milk.

Vanellope laughed mischievously. "Sorry, Oreos! That's the way the cookie crumbles. Or in your usual case, licked and dunked."

Then she hurried away before more guards came.

She went through a door and found herself in another long hall. Portraits of the King Candy (wearing different kinds of expressions) hung on one wall. The other wall across is are huge red velvet curtains, covering something.

"I'm tired of running in halls!" she groaned out loud. Vanellope wasted no time to look at the portraits or see what's behind the curtains. She has to find to the Fungeon, hoping she can finally find-

"Swizzle?!" Vanellope gasped, when she saw the eponymous racer walking into the hall across from her.

"Vanellope?" Swizzle stared in shock. He quickly ran towards her, who was glitching a bit. "Why are you here? How did you get in? Most importantly, how did you get pass the guards?"

"Relax, cavity-butt," she grinned. She was so glad to see him safe and not behind bars. She noticed the coin bag he was holding, and questions began to reel in her head.

"What's with the money bag?" she asked. "I thought King Candy was going to lock you up!"

"Apparently, he changed his mind because he wants me to be a racer again," he explained.

Swizzle quickly filled in the details about the 15th Anniversary Roster Race (or the Anniversary Race for short) to her, and the glory and the fame that comes with winning the Platinum Cup- the ultimate and most prestigious trophy award. Anyone who wins it gets the status as the greatest racer of Sugar Rush. Vanellope's hazel eyes went when he told her that King Candy gave him enough money under the impression that Swizzle is going to bake a new kart for himself.

"Except I already got a cool kart," he said. "So, I'm going to help you make a kart instead. But we mustn't let anyone know about it yet until on the day of Anniversary Race."

"I can't believe it!" Vanellope is bouncing and glitching with excitement. "I'm gonna get a real kart, and I'm gonna race on the 15th anniversary of the game! I can't wait to the win that trophy cup!"

Swizzle chuckled. "Looks like you got some competition right now because I'm going for that big prize too."

"I won't lose to a cavity-butt like you!" she smirked, placing her hands on her hips. "Besides, you really do owe me a new because my Likkity Split crashed to pieces while I was being chased by those devil dogs."

"What?! Oh, my gobstoppers... I'm really sorry that it happened, even though I'm not particular fond of it. No offense."

"None taken," Vanellope muttered.

"But what about you, were you okay?" he looked at her with concern. "Did those dogs bit you or anything?"

"Well, I wouldn't be standing here in front of you if something bad really happened to me, dumbo!" Vanellope rolled her eyes. "But look on the bright side, you're going to help me get a better kart!"

"That's right!" Swizzle smirked. "And we shall see who happens to be the better driver the Anniversary Race."

"The Swizz, or The Schweetz!" Vanellope added with enthusiasm.

They heard doors suddenly banging open from both sides of Confectionery Hall. Swizzle quickly grabbed Vanellope's hand and took her behind the velvet curtains, where they both hid from sight and waited for someone to walk by.

Swizzle and Vanellope can hear King Candy and Taffyta speaking.

"Taffyta, Rancis, Candlehead! You three kids must be careful wandering around here," King Candy warned her. He sounds worried. "The glitch is still on the loose."

"I don't understand how she got in," Taffyta replied, "but the next time I see her, Your Majesty, I will knock all the shabby sprinkles off from her dirty hair."

"I hope the next time I see YOU, Taffyta, I'm gonna shove your stupid lollipop down your throat," Vanellope whispered angrily.

"Make sure you burn her hair too," Swizzle suggested evilly under his breath.

Vanellope snickered. They quickly became silent when they heard Sour Bill speaking, arriving with some news.

"The glitch is nowhere in the castle," he said gloomily. "It appears she escaped."

"That's too bad, I was so eager to put her in the Fungeon," King Candy sighed. "But now that our little problem is out of our hair for now... Are you excited for the Anniversary Race, Taffyta my dear?"

"You bet I am. I'm going to win that Platinum Cup and become the ultimate racer ever. Oh, and make you proud, King Candy."

"That's the spirit! Hoo hoo ha! Well, you better get going now. I have to clean up the milky mess that the glitch caused."

"Stay sweet!"

Vanellope and Swizzle listened to Taffyta and her posse walking away, and they heard King Candy's cheerful tone becoming serious and angry.

"Sour Bill, that glitch was in this castle," they heard him growl. "It was a good thing that she wasn't near the code room... But she will pay for stepping a foot inside MY castle!"

They waited for the king and his assistant to leave and the hall is now empty. The two kids crept out and checked to see if no one else is around.

"Okay, the coast is clear," Swizzle told her. "Let's sneak out and head straight to the Kart Bakery and... Vanellope?"

"Hey, Swizzle, I think there's something on the wall," she said.

She grabbed the curtains and pulled it to reveal a huge tapestry showing colorful pictures of the Sugar Rush racers, minus King Candy, smiling and looking proud. The curtains wasn't pulled the entire way, and it was still covering one corner of the tapestry.

"Wow, this is pretty cool!" Vanellope stared in awe. "Look at that perfect craftsmanship!"

Feeling a little curious, Swizzle licked the tapestry much to her disgust.

"Ugh! You're gross, Swizz," she shuddered.

"It's made of candy," he told her. "Each racer is not only drawn but they tasted in different flavors."

Vanellope licked the image of Swizzle and she chuckled to her delight. "You taste like blueberry!"

"Oh, I do?" Swizzle raised a a sly eyebrow. "You wanna try confirming it with the real person right now?"

"Don't be a wise guy, bub!" Vanellope pouted, but she was blushing. Swizzle laughed and returned his attention to the tapestry.

"It looks kinda old," he said, inspecting it closer. "This must have been around since our game first plugged in. I walked through Confectionery Hall a few times before, but I've never seen this tapestry until now... I wonder why King Candy covered this up?"

"Eh, who cares about it?" Vanellope shrugged. "Let's head down to the Kart Bakery now!"

Swizzle and Vanellope quietly moved around the castle, trying not to get caught by anyone. All the guards were busy looking for Vanellope so the two kids have an easier time sneaking into the garage where the Tongue Twister is parked.

"Oh, I miss you, my baby!" Swizzle threw his body against his precious kart and kissed it several times. "I hope Sour Bill didn't put a scratch you!"

"Okay, are we going now, or should I leave you two alone?" Vanellope asked, smirking.

"Haha," Swizzle laughed sarcastically. "You're a riot, aren't ya?"

He hopped into his seat and started up the engine. Vanellope quickly got on top of the kart, holding on tight. The Tongue Twister then zipped out of the royal garage leaving the castle and heading straight for the Kart Bakery.

As the wind blew against her face, Vanellope couldn't help but glance down to stare the top of Swizzle's head. She holds on to his shoulders for support, and she could feel her cheeks burning a bit. For the first time, she saw him more than just a daredevil racer and a former jerkbreaker; he was her first friend in all her fifteen lonely years, and she was grateful for everything he did for her, going against King Candy and everyone just to help her fulfill her lifelong dream.

Vanellope then remembered that not only Swizzle is a racer and friend, but he's also a boy... and also for the first time, she realized how she enjoyed seeing the devilish twinkle in his eye, his playful smile, his warm hands... a part of her wants to run her fingers through his long green hair and touch his face... She also remembered how scared she was when saw Swizzle being forcibly taken to King Candy's castle, how she was so desperate to find him, and how happy she was to find that he was safe and unharmed.

Vanny, stop what you're thinking! she thought to herself. Swizzle is an amazing guy of course, but I don't wanna think of him that way! It's... it's so weird!

She admits that there's some attraction going on here, but she's worried that Swizzle might find her weird and crazy. Plus, he's an infamous flirt and he might not even like her the same way. What if her crush ruins their friendship?

Vanellope keeps reminding herself that Swizzle is a friend and nothing more. However, all these blossoming emotions are driving her nuts! She hopes that she might get over this little crush some day; but for now, she just wants to enjoy this moment as she holds on to him, having no desire to let him go any sooner.

((Looks like Vanellope has realizes her feelings for Swizzle but would he return her affections? Anyway, the kart baking shall appear next chapter. To anyone curious, Vanellope's kart's appearance will be a little similar like the one in the WiR movie, but it will be different and more original for this story.))