Meanwhile, at the ball, Vanellope hadn't found the right guy. In fact she was starting to get bored. The men however were enjoying themselves because they believed that they would be chosen even when one of the female servants was dancing with them instead. To help keep the guests from being too bored Candiel and Maltina allowed the non-kitchen servants to dress up and dance as well. Plus they weren't snobby royalty either, they treated their servants equally. Almost like members of the family really.

Instead of her usual pink dress Vanellope was now wearing a mint green ball gown and tiara. Green was her favorite color so she thought it'd make her feel more comfortable (the pink dress was just for basic everyday wear). It wasn't really working, but it wasn't making things worse either.

Tamora, in a black formal dress instead of her usual armor, was escorting the men to the princess one at a time. Sour Bill was making sure that there was plenty of food to go around.

"So many handsome men." Candiel smiled. "She'll find the one tonight I'm sure of it."

"And if she doesn't?" Maltina asked.

"This ball will never end."

"I don't think we ordered enough food." Sour Bill muttered as he carried a tray of hors d'oeuvres past Candiel and Maltina.

"What?" Candiel couldn't believe it.

Motor and Careen, very impatient, couldn't take it anymore.

"I want a chance at her!" Motor cried.

Turbo quickly slapped his hand over Motor's mouth.

"I know your name is Motor but that doesn't mean that you should have a motormouth." Turbo warned under his breath.

"Sorry father." Motor whispered back. "I lost it for a second."

"Well don't lose it again."

"Yes father."

"Look at her face." Candiel suddenly said to Maltina as he watched Vanellope dance. "Is that a smile."

"It's a wince." Maltina said.

"Tiny little smile?" Candiel suggested.

"Wishful thinking." Maltina shook her head.

"Oy." Candiel sighed disappointedly.

Meanwhile, Tamora was going through last-minute arrivals.

"Pardon me." Turbo suddenly popped through a window. "I'm thure you have notithed my two handthome thons."

"Sir." Tamora sighed before glancing over at the sons; handsome her eye. "Sir for the last time her highness will dance with all the gentlemen in due time. Please, try to exercise some restraint before I do something I may regret."

Turbo had to smirk at this woman's spunk. Plus if his sons didn't luck out with the princess after all, then maybe he could get them into royalty another way. He took her hand.

"Naturally any father would be eager to see their thons danthe with the printheth." Turbo flirted. "But what I would like to know is: who's going to have the honor of danthing with you?"

"Excuse me?" Tamora glared, not liking where this was going.

"There's no need to be coy, look at yourthelf." Turbo said. "That womanly phythique, those highly defined featureth, those lovely...short golden lockth." He ran a finger through her hair.

"No touching please." Tamora said tensely, trying very hard not to punch Turbo's teeth out.

Turbo quickly removed his finger and moved his hand to her arm.

"Thurely there's no need to pretend, I know you felt that thertain thomething between uth." Turbo smiled.

"You know I honestly wish there was something between us." Tamora couldn't resist.

"Really?"

"Yes. A continent." She said coldly before going back into the room.

Turbo frowned disappointedly. Looks like he was going to have to speed up if he wanted to win this race.

It turns out the next man was Careen...but Motor cut in and ended up dancing with Vanellope instead. They started off like Vanellope had with the previous men...though it soon became obvious that this was going to go differently.

"Do you have an itch?" Vanellope asked.

"Why no your highness why would you say that?" Motor said innocently.

"You just scratched yourself."

"No I didn't."

"You just did it again."

"I don't think so."

Turbo, back with Careen, facepalmed.

"Ships that pass in the night," Motor recited. "And speak to each other in passing."

"Excuse me?" Vanellope was confused.

"On the ocean of life." Motor finished before pulling Vanellope closer. "It's poetry!" He said through his teeth.

"Oh." Vanellope secretly gestured for the next partner.

Tamora started to take Careen.

"Ships that pass in the night, that's you and me." Motor explained. "On the ocean of life."

Two of the guards, Sonic and Tails, pulled Motor away.

"Don't you get it?" Motor pleaded.

"Got it." Vanellope said dryly.

Another man was about to dance with Vanellope, but Turbo lead him away and Tamora brought over Careen. Careen started laughing.

"Did I miss something?" Vanellope asked, confused. "Oh you laughter is...incessant." She caught herself before she said 'annoying'.

"But your highness is tres amusel." Careen said, pronouncing the last two words wrong.

"I don't think anyone's ever found me funny." Vanellope remarked.

"Good one!" Careen laughed...and then started snorting uncontrollably.

Sonic and Tails came to drag Careen away.

"Oh and we were getting along so well." Careen was still snorting.

After those two disasters Vanellope had to take a break. So she went over to the snack table and grabbed a few sweets.

"Hello Vanellope."

Vanellope then smiled. The one who spoke was Taffyta, her best friend. Taffyta was actually one of the servants in the palace, but she and Vanellope had grown up together so Vanellope always overlooked that detail. In turn she insisted that Taffyta forgot about her own position and not call her princess or anything similar.

"Hey Taffyta, having fun?" Vanellope asked.

"About as much fun as you're having." Taffyta chuckled.

"Yeah." Vanellope sighed. "I can't wait for tonight to be over so that I can find my true love my own way."

"Don't lose heart, I know you'll find him." Taffyta smiled.

"Heh, if dad doesn't force the ball to last forever." Vanellope scoffed.

"Relax, those guys have to go to bed sometime." Taffyta grinned.

"Yeah...in fact I think it's time to pep things up a bit." Vanellope grinned back.

"I getcha." Taffyta winked. "I'll go inform the band."

"Thanks Taffy, I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Anytime Vanny." Taffyta left.

The music soon started to speed up as Vanellope reentered the dance floor. Tamora had to race to get each man to Vanellope at the proper point of the tune...thank goodness she had been trained to handle rougher situations. The men however weren't used to dancing so fast unlike Vanellope and her servant friends, who had practiced dancing rapidly ever since Candiel first started the balls. Also the balls originally just had princes and other men of nobility as guests, as expected, but Candiel had gotten so desperate that he decided to remove the law about a princess only being able to marry nobility. It was an out-of-date law in his opinion anyway.

Anyway, the new speed of the music meant that Vanellope and the servants were enjoying themselves a bit more now.

"I think it's going awfully well don't you?" Maltina noticed that her daughter was smiling for real this time.

"Key word being 'awfully' dear." Candiel playfully punched her shoulder; after all he knew why the music had sped up in the first place.

Things were going to get better though, for Ralph had finally arrived. Slick and Sam got down, and Sam opened the door as Slick helped Ralph out.

"Thanks guys." Ralph smiled. "I'll see you later tonight."

Q*Bert agreed in his own language, and his friends nodded in agreement.

Ralph nervously went up the steps.

"Ralph."

It was Felix.

"You're on your own now." Felix said.

"Aren't you coming with me?" Ralph was even more nervous.

"I got you to the ball, the rest comes from you." Felix smiled. "Don't be afraid, just remember that you've got to be out of there before the clock strikes twelve. And don't worry, I'll be nearby in case there's trouble. Remember your stepfamily is there too." Felix grinned and took out his hammer. "I'll take care of them, you take care of your future."

"Right." Ralph sighed. "Thanks Felix."

"Anytime brother."