Vanellope leaped out of her kart, swinging around a medal happily. The other racers congratulated her, some of the girls inviting her places, but she declined and they cleared, driving off. Those who didn't drive off immedietly sure did once Ralph appeared.

The Giant Jawbreaker (nicknamed by the racers) came over along with the crazy gun lady and the guy who carried the golden hammer.

"Awesome win today, kid!" Ralph praised.

"Thank you, my royal diaper baby!" Vanellope laughed, tossing her medal into the cup she won that was ordered away by Sour Bill.

The group was ready to go, only Ralph noticed one of the racers lingering back close to Vanellope. What got on his nerves was that he knew the kid, the start of their argument yesterday.

"Well, hello there!" Felix greeted with his good-guy joyfulness, earning a simple wave from Rancis.

"Guys, can Rancis come with us tonight?" Vanellope asked, even if it wasn't necessarily a question.

"Kid-"

"Of course he can! I'd love to get to know your friends, Vanilla!"

"Always room for another trooper."

"Great!" Vanellope beamed, turning towards Rancis. "Lets go to the train." The group followed, amazingly keeping up with the sugar-based chibis. Ralph, however, wasn't so pleased as he was moments before.

They each took their own seat. Vanellope hopped onto the train, Rancis on the seat next to her. Ralph mentally reminded himself to sit closer to Vanellope next time and make sure she sat beside one of the Fix-Its.

Once they were all properly seated, the train started up, driving through the wire towards the surge protector. Rancis was mesmerized by the flashing blue of the wire, but Vanellope said nothing. She was the same way. Turbo had ridden the game of the train after-all.

The train stopped literally ten seconds later, a female voice announcer welcoming them to Game Central Station.

A hologram human cop appeared, watching them walk by with ease before stopping Ralph, asking him some basic questions. The group waited patiently until Ralph could join them again.

"Name?"

"This is getting old!"

"Name?"

"Wreck-It Ralph!"

"And where ya coming from?"

"Sugar Rush."

"Did you bring any candy with you?"

"Do I ever?"

Surge Protector cleared his throat.

Ralph groaned, "No!"

"Anything to declare?"

"I still-and always will-hate you."

"Didn't expect anything less. Proceed." and with that, the Surge Protector was off, and Ralph walked back to the group.

When he was there, Ralph saw Rancis and Vanellope laughing.

"What's so funny?" the wrecker asked.

"N-nothing! It's just an inside joke, Ralphie!" Vanellope said once she stopped laughing.

That still bothered Ralph; who knew what kind of jokes they were?

Once they became closer to Tapper's, Vanellope grabbed Rancis' hand and ran into the entrance of Tapper's, while the rest of the group followed them.

Ralph eyed them as they hurried in. Unfortuantly, Felix and Calhoun were very aware of the wrecker's unhappy mood.

"Cheer up, Ralph. It's about time Vanellope started playing with the kids of her own game." Felix said.

"Exactly, Wreck-It, now calm down. She needs some trust from you." Tamora added.

"I just don't like him." Ralph muttered as they walked through the tunnel, Vanellope waving them over from her seat next to Rancis (much to Ralph's dismay).

"Is it because his theme is chocolate?" Felix guessed, knowing very well that was Ralph's least favourite flavour was indeed chocolate.

"No, Felix. It's just..." He whispered angrily, gesturing to the young racer.

Felix would have responded, but they were right there, and it would be rather rude to speak badly of the boy right in front of him.

Once they arrived at Tapper's and they all sat down, Vanellope yelled to the runner of the restaurant, "Yo, Tapper! Five root beers!"

"Comin'!" Tapper responded, coming back a few moments late with all their root beers and sliding them down the counter.

Vanellope took a big gulp of her drink, as well as Rancis, both of their noses getting topped with foam.

"You have some foam right..." Vanellope poked Rancis' nose, giggling, "there, Butterfingers."

Rancis chuckled, "I'm not the only one, Princess."

"Well ain't you two just so cute!" the fixer cooed, unknowingly only making Ralph watch them closer.

The two grinned, wiping off any remaining foam off their noses with their sleeves.

"I-I thought you didn't refer to yourself as a 'princess', hm, President Candyhead?" Ralph said, trying to sound casual. She had made it very clear she was known as a president, not a princess.

Vanellope looked back over to Rancis, "Only Rancis calls me that," she looked back over to Ralph, "it's like our thing. Like how I'm the only one who calls him 'Buttercup'."

Ralph nodded, pretending to dismise it with ease. Sitting next to each other, inside jokes, nicknames, what was next?

Vanellope blew into her drink, causing bubbles to flow out of it.

Rancis chuckled, "You're gonna get that everywhere, Nellie."

Nellie?! Was that some kind of cutsie, couple nickname?! Ralph thought angrily.

"So what?" she replied simply, "Oh, hey, hey guys!" the group looked at her, "What does a janitor do in the bathroom?" they all looked at her weirdly, "Say what!"

"...What?" they all asked.

"His DUTY!" she said happily, bursting into giggles.

Rancis joined in the young president's laughing, programmed to be equally as immature. Calhoun even smirked as she sipped her coffee, amused how Vanellope still found that word fun. Felix also snickered, complimenting Vanellope on it. Ralph tried to laugh, but he never did find the joke funny, nor was in a laughing mood.

"Good one, Vanilla. You and your jokes." the brunette chuckled. "No offense to you, Tammy."

"None taken. Besides," Tamora grinned, "I didn't pick the name for my game." And she took another sip.

"Oh, Rancis, you gotta see this cool handgun Sargent T. carries!" Ralph's eyes widen when Vanellope said that. She looked over to Calhoun with huge eyes.

The blonde woman set down her mug. She suddenly pulled out an odd-looking handgun out from her regular jeans. It was normal-looking, except for the green lines streaking the side of the gun with an interesting appearing trigger. To Ralph's complete bewilderment, the sarge slide the gun across the table to the little girl.

Vanellope caught it, standing on her seat and leaning over the table to show Rancis a more clear view. "Look! This green stuff shoots out and totally chews out those creepy bugs! It's called plasma I think."

"Whoa, I don't see stuff like this in our game." Rancis said, looking at the gun with wide eyes.

"Calhoun!" Ralph gasped, looking straight at the woman who calmly sipped her coffee.

"State your buisness, toddler trooper."

"Why would you just GIVE Vanellope that gun?!"

Tamora set down her mug once more, chuckling to herself. "Relax, Wreck-It. Look at that trigger," Ralph looked at the trigger once more, seeing how oddly complicated it appeared as Vanellope held her tiny fingers around it. "She can't unlock it. Only I know how and anyone from my game. So no harm done, she can try all she wants but that gun won't shoot. So keep your overalls on."

Ralph relaxed once more, knowing now for sure Vanellope wouldn't start shooting that green stuff everywhere. But still, giving a gun to a kid? He sometimes wondered what happened on those 'sister bonding' times Calhoun and Vanellope had.

Vanellope hopped down from her chair, "We are humanity's last hope! Our mission: destroy all cybugs!" she began to pretend to shoot cybugs, "Pew, pew, pew! Meet your doom, bugs! Pew, pew!"

The Sargent smirked from where she watched the little girl, followed by a chuckle from her husband. Ralph couldn't help but smile at her, while Rancis laughed.

Vanellope turned back to her female role-model, "Pretty good, huh? Bet I could be one of your soldiers someday!"

"Ah, we'll see about that kid." Tamora said.

Vanellope grinned and climbed back into her seat next to Rancis, sliding the gun across the table back to Tamora.

"So, Buttercup," Vanellope started casually, stirring her half-filled root beer cup, "enjoying yourself so far?"

Rancis looked up from the tall glass in front of him, briefly looking towards Vanellope's friends. He smiled and nodded back towards his ruler.

"Yes, actually. Your friends are really kind."

"Great! Then maybe you can hang out more with us." Vanellope chirped. "Is that alright?"

Ralph would have easily then and there said no, started talking about how he didn't want his little girl spending so much time with a boy, but Felix spoke first.

"Of course, Vanilla. It's always a pleasure to meet your friends, and like Tamora said, there's always room. You seem like a sweet little gentleman."

Rancis beamed at that. It was in his code to act polite as such one like a gentleman. He was also glad Vanellope's friends appeared and acted with kindness towards him back. Well, at least two of them. He hadn't actually spoke yet with the giant, or uh, Ralphie was his name?

If he was going to spend out with them more, he might as well start talking with him now. He looked up at the big guy, "Um, I-I don't believe we've really talked, sir."

Ralph looked down at him, trying to be nice to the boy for Vanellope's sake, "Yeah, guess not. Name's Ralph, in case you didn't already know."

Rancis nodded, "Y-Yeah, I think I knew already."

Vanellope sighed thankfully that Ralph had been kind to Rancis... at least for that one sentence. Well, he wouldn't be mean, he would just get... protective.

Rancis looked over at Vanellope and gave her a look, as if asking her a certain question in silence. Vanellope's eyes widened for a moment, but then realized they should probably get it over with. She nodded back, as if to say it was okay.

Rancis gulped, "I, um, actually had to ask you a question, Ralph, i-if that's alright."

Ralph raised an eyebrow, trying not to act too protective too soon, "What's your question?"

"Well," Rancis began to nervously poke his two index fingers together absentmindedly. "I-I... uh, see I wanted to ask you if... i-if you'd mind, um, if you'd mind Vanellope... being my girlfriend?"

Ralph's eyes widened at that. Too young for dating, huh? Well obviously they weren't! Where had that whole issue from yesterday gone?! Vanellope clearly said she wouldn't for awhile, and now here she was, looking at him with the corner of her eyes with a hopeful expression.

"Look, Ralph..." Vanellope started, hearing Rancis sigh with relief that she was speaking, "Rancis and I had something special before our memories were wiped. During this month, we didn't know, only being friends, but recently, more memories are coming back and... well, we want to start dating... again..."

"'Course," Rancis said again, "Vanellope told me that we should wait and I agreed. We have been thinking when I can meet you and maybe talk and get approval since your like Vanellope's guardian a-"

But Ralph cut in.

"Hold it right there, you two." Ralph cut in.

They looked at him hopefully.

Ralph ran a hand through his messy hair, then looked at him, shaking a massive finger at him accusingly, "You want my approval? You need to prove to me that you care about my little girl, and will take care of her, and be there for her, and everything and anything else!"

Rancis nodded, "Of course, sir. I'll do anything."

Felix cut in, "Brother, don't you think-"

"Nope, Felix, this is absolutely necessary! If he wants to date her, he has to prove a few things to us first."

"Well, they were dating before the whole Turbo incident, Brother. I think he's a good man for our little Vanellope."

Tamora nodded in a agreement, "I think so too, Wreck-It. He seems like a good kid."

Ralph looked back and forth between them, "Well he needs MY approval before they can become a couple again."

"Alright," Rancis agreed, nodding, a light hue crossing his cheeks. He looked over to Vanellope who had a hand on her forehead to lean on, her face also red, seeming a bit embarrassed. "How can I prove it to you?"

Ralph shook one massive hand dismissively, "Nuh uh, Fancy Pants. I'm not going to tell you. But I am gonna be watching you. Lemme just say, don't get any ideas."

Tamora and Felix responded to this with a facepalm, almost choking on their drinks when Rancis asked:

"Um... what ideas would I have?"

Ralph shook his hand yet again, "Y'know, spending too much time with her! And stuff like that..."

Tamora spoke up, "And by that, he actually means to-" but she was interrupted when Felix said:

"Darlin'! They're only nine, th-they don't need to know," Felix said to his wife, chuckling nervously.

"C'mon, guys, this is totally unfair!" Vanellope cut in, still blushing from embarrassment, "Rancis shouldn't have to be stalked to be allowed to be my boyfriend!"

"It's just so I know how he treats you, Vanellope." Ralph explained, "It's for your own good."

Vanellope face-palmed. This is why she didn't want Rancis to come! Yes, she liked him, but tonight was supposed to be fun! Not Ralph getting all protective. Nothing was going right!

"Perfect," Vanellope mumbled.

"Um, perhaps we should leave Tapper's, hm?" Felix offered. "The night's still young, maybe we could go back to Fix-It Felix Jr. or some other game?"

"I don't care where we go. Wherever you troopers wanna march, I'll go with." Calhoun said, finishing up her drink.

"Let's just go to Fix-It Felix Jr.," Vanellope mumbled once again. She then took Rancis by the hand and started walking towards the exit. The group hesitantly followed, Ralph muttering something under his breath, and keeping an eye on the two crushing racers, like he had said he would.

"Sorry, Rancis," Vanellope whispered to Rancis as they walked, "I knew Ralph was gonna act like that. That's why I didn't want you to come!"

Rancis slightly nudged her shoulder, "Hey, don't be sorry. We had to get this over sooner or later, right?"

"Yeah, but-"

"So it's good we got it done now. That way we'll be together again sooner." He said smiling sweetly.

Vanellope blushed and smiled, her usual, sweet little smile, "Yeah, you're right, Fluggerfingers."

The two remained silent, letting Calhoun and Felix do most of the talking while the remaining three listened. It wasn't until they were on the train heading into the said game when Rancis asked:

"So...what's this game like?"

Vanellope was surprised before nodding, "That's right, you never been to this game. Well, it's 8-bit gaming system pretty old; it's thirty years old!"

Rancis whistled which kinda bothered Ralph. He didn't need to always be reminded his and Felix were old. Thirty wasn't old. The guys by the Whack-A-Mole were old.

"But I've got to warn you," Vanellope started, "There's this really annoying little guy in there who doesn't take too kindly to kids..." she beamed, "I've kicked him in the shin!"

Rancis' eyes widened, "What did he do that you had to kick him in the shin?"

"He was always a big jerk to Stink Brain!" Vanellope said, which dispite the circumstances, caused Ralph to smile a bit, "Plus, he's wicked annoying!"

"You are, too." Rancis smirked.

"Ha ha, so very funny." Vanellope said sarcastically, "But really, this guy's like, REALLY annoying, and a Huge Sour Baby! Plus, he's even shorter than me."

"Wow, I never knew that was possible!"

"Shut up, Rancis!" Vanellope said, shoving him a bit with her shoulder.

Rancis just laughed as the vanilla-scented racer pouted, crossing her tiny arms over her chest. The train came to a stop, a voice announcing their arrival at the game. They stood up, walking into the old 80's game, when pixels were considered 'great graphics'.

"Wow... why is that tree a square?" Rancis asked.

"In these times, pixels couldn't be shaped to anything more than squares." Vanellope explained, almost like a professional. Then she turned serious once more, "Now beware. That little sour short dude is always here. He has a face like Sour Bill's."

"You mean like this?" Rancis asked, imitating Sour Bill's common facial expression.

Vanellope doubled over in laughter, "Keep working on your impressions, man." she said between her constant laughing.

"Ahem." Speak of the devil...

The five of them turned around, only to see no one other than Gene. His arms were crossed, and his eyes were narrowed.

Ralph groaned quietly in annoyance.

"Why, hello there, Gene. How are you?" Felix asked, polite as always.

Gene responded, still quite cross, "I'm alright, I suppose."

"Suppose? Oh my, is somethin' wrong, neighbour?" Felix asked, carrying on his politness and offering his help.

Gene just sighed in frustration, "No, it's alright, Felix. Thank you, though." he eyed the others, "I see you and Ralph brought company. Again."

"I promise we won't bother you, Gene. We'll just be in the pent house."

"Right. Just make sure nothing gets blown to bits or anything breaks."

The last time they had been at the penthouse, so about a few days ago, Felix and Ralph left the girls just for a moment as they went to go get some pie from Mary. While the men's absence, Calhoun took the time to practice aim, which didn't end well for some windows and items, and Vanellope had just woken from a nap and was cranky. It was also the day Vanellope threw pie on Gene's head.

"We'll be safe, Gene." Ralph assured him as he ushered the two children towards the Penthouse, with Felix and Calhoun following.

Once they arrived in the Penthouse, Vanellope and Rancis ran off to the kitchen.

"Be careful, you two!" Felix called after them.

"We will, Uncle Felix!" Vanellope yelled back.

Felix and Tamora sat on one couch, while Ralph sat on the couch across from them. It barely stood because of Ralph's weight.

"Brother, what are you expecting of Rancis to be Vanellope's boyfriend?" Felix spoke up.

Ralph ran a massive hand through his hair, "For him to prove that he's really good enough for our little girl! Don't tell me you guys aren't worried about that at all?"

"Of course we do; We want what's best for Vanilla Bean just like you, Ralph." Felix explained.

Tamora then spoke up, "But we also have trust in the little guy."

"Trust? How could you have trust? Tonight was the first time you two met him."

"Well, we have been watching Vanilla at her races everyday for a month now, Brother. So we've seen the races. I never seen him once shoot anything at Vanellope."

"That's true, Wreck-It. He always aimed for others."

"You guys weren't there when he and those other cavities bullied her."

Felix sighed, "But you know what me, Tammy, and Vanellope will say to that."

"I know it was Turbo, but I just can't trust any of them after that."

"Tell me, Wreck-It: Do you want Vanellope to be happy?" Tamora questioned.

Ralph leaned forward a bit, "Of course I do!"

"Rancis makes her happy. Dating Rancis again will make her happier than she already is."

"And when he breaks her heart, she won't be happy!" Ralph fought.

"And you know that he'll break up with her?"

"Well, no, but-"

"Then give the kid a chance, Wreck-It. And if he did, which I doubt, then of course we'll all talk to him and teach him a lesson." Tamora finished.

Ralph leaned back on the couch and pondered that. It was true. He just couldn't beat down that protective feeling. But if it made Vanellope happy, then the least he could do was give Rancis a chance. ...Right?