Crumbellina's Cadence

Racing is a talent and hobby that all the little candy children in Sugar Rush had. It was something they were coded with, something they could not deny.

But there was more to them than that. More to them than just racing.

They had other hobbies, other talents, other skills and other loves that included things off the tracks.

But if you were to ask anyone about Crumbellina Dicarmelo, then their replies would be a bit vague at best.

Crumbellina was a racer everyone knew, but they didn't KNOW her. They knew what she liked but they didn't know the full story. They knew she had a vast collection of books in her library but they never knew what of. They knew she had many paintings in her home, but they never looked upon them to see exactly what they were.

And when they asked, the answer was always the same.

A single reply, a simple word. Crumbellina never went into full detail with her things and for her, that's what it was always meant to be.

To so many of the racers, Crumbellina was a bit of a mystery. In the many years they had known her, they knew so little. Some fact here and there but she never said much, never did a lot around them. She was her own person and as far as they knew, she would always be so.

But there was one thing they did know.

On nights when the moon was at its brightest and the stars twinkled high, they could hear it.

The violin.

Aside from Vanellope, Crumbellina owned the finest home in all the land and her bedroom was centered right in the middle of the great structure on the highest floor. On those nights, they could see her there, violin in hand, playing a collection of songs that only she knew, that she had created.

If there was one thing that everyone knew about Crumbellina, it was that she could play when the moon was out and the stars were bright.

And so they left it at that.

All except for one.

Snowanna Rainbau would always stand outside the window on those days, watching and hearing from afar, wondering and wondering what was going through the racer's mind.

She just had to know, from one music lover to another, she just had to know.

The guitar lay strapped on her back as Snowanna looked up, the shadow of the girl still showing strong through the window.

On any other day, Snowanna wouldn't have cared, she wouldn't have said anything and why not? It wasn't as if the two were best of friends.

As a matter of fact, they weren't.

It was always something.

One day they would argue over the design of a cake, one side saying it needed to be more colorful while the other said it needed to be neater.

On another, it was something about flowers.

Orchids and tiger-lilies were better.

No, roses and tulips were.

And then clothes.

Lace and silk is more graceful!

But it's not colorful enough! Not exciting!

And all the racers were there to lay witness to it all. Day in and day out, the two would fight over something.

But now Snowanna found herself entranced by the music that Crumbellina was playing. The music was going about so gently, so smoothly. It was if the notes were dancing on air around her. She closed her eyes, the warm night air and the sweet scent around her made the more heavenly as she just took the music in.

Music.

Such pretty music.

And in her room, the caramel racer played on, eyes shut, mind off but fingers and dreams going. This was her peace, this was her sanctuary. To be herself and enjoy her hobbies.

No one was looking, no one was asking questions.

It was just her and her violin alone.

The next day, Crumbellina came out of her house as usual to prepare for another race but Snowanna was there, waiting at the gate.

"I heard you last night…." The snow-cone racer said "I heard you last night as I always do."

Crumbellina said nothing, her posture solid and her eyes ahead "That is nice. Unless it was bothering you of course."

"Of course not!" Snowanna said as she caught up "I enjoy it a lot, as do so many of the others."

Snowanna noticed a little twitch happen on the side of the other girl's cheek.

Was she trying to smile?

"Again, I must thank you." Crumbellina said "But as you know, I-WE must get ready for another race. I wouldn't want to be late."

Snowanna tried to say another word but before she could, Crumbellina had darted off to her kart and taken off.

Darn it, she had missed her.

Next time, next time.

The races went off as they usually did. Crumbellina showed off her grace on the track, maneuvering about with the strength of a storm but with the grace of a floating petal. She had her own style and she knew.

And she loved it as well.

She took second place this time. Not what she wanted but at least she was on the rooster but to her surprise, who should be on it along with her?

Snowanna Rainbau.

Ah well.

"Nice race…" Snowanna smirked, trying to come off as surprised "Didn't know you could make sharp turns like that."

"Yes." The caramel racer responded, her voice showing her true feelings. She did NOT want to be involved in a conversation right now, not with anyone "It's all in the wrist as they say."

"Speaking of that…." Snowanna said "Um, I was thinking…."

Crumbellina stopped in her walk, turning only slightly.

"I've been thinkin', Bellina. Have you ever considered playing one night?"

Crumbellina cocked her head to the side. Snowanna wasn't fooling anyone, she knew EXACTLY what was talking about.

Best to play clueless anyway.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"What I mean is…Well."

"Snowanna?"

"Do you think you could come to the music bar one night? Just ONE night?"

Crumbellina felt herself shiver; play in public?

No, there was no way she was going to do that but before she knew what was going on, she felt something lash out within her.

"Alright Snowanna! I get the joke!"

Snowanna jumped back "Whoa, hold on! What JOKE?"

"Al this talk!" the other racer snapped "You're trying to get me to embarrass myself aren't you? To play in public so others can laugh?!"

"That's not it at all!" said Snowanna, getting a little angry.

Crumbellina huffed, crossing her arms "Then what it is it? What other reason would you have to be following me around like this?"

"Look, okay. Ya want you space THAT much I'll give it to you!"

"Yes, PRIVACY is a good thing. I just wish others would understand that…"

"Hey, it's not like we can't hear that mess from out homes!" Snowanna said in an angry tone "So maybe if you want your home to be PRIVATE, put the thing down for a while!"

Crumbellina turned around and glared at Snowanna, her cheeks burning red.

Mess? That wasn't what she meant?

"MESS?!" Crumbellina said "You're one to talk about MESSES, Ms. Rainbau!"

"What's THAT supposed to mean?!"

A few yards down, the other racers could hear the argument starting.

"Hey, what's that?" asked Rancis.

"Is it that time already?" said Gloyd, looking down at his imaginary watch "'Ey everyone! Snowy an' Bellina are at it again!"

"AGAIN?!" said Vanellope, putting her hands to hear head in worry "Oh no, we don't need this!"

Indeed, with only a few slip of words, the argument had begun and like clockwork the others gathers around, trying to pull the two girls way from each other.

"Do you think anyone actually ENJOYS those blaring chords on that thing you call an instrument?!" Crumbellina shouted, obviously talking about Snowanna's guitar.

"At least MY music doesn't put others to sleep!" said Snowanna.

Shy Adorabeezle tried to stop Snowanna "N-Not so loud!"

"I'd rather be asleep than TONE-DEAF!"

Swizzle pulled Crumbellina back "Crumbs, lay off!"

"Stop, STOP!" Vanellope said, glitching in-between the two "Guys! Day after DAY we hafta go through this! What are ya arguin' about THIS time?!"

"SHE SAID-!"

"IT WAS-!"

Vanellope ducked between the two, suddenly feeling as if they were over-towering her.

She knew better than to get in-between THESE two during a fight!

Crumbellina looked, but then Snowanna looked.

Both were eyeing each other with so much vitriol and hate but then….

But then, Crumbellina seemed to crumble. Snowanna could see it in her eyes, she suddenly lost all anger and all energy.

"I-I don't have time for this…." The caramel racer said, going off to her kart and returning to her home as quickly as she could. Once at her home, Crumbellina rushed back in, still kicking herself inside that she allowed herself to turn in such a way again.

"Why did I do that?!" she growled at herself, pacing in her bedroom "Always, always, ALWAYS! I always do that!"

She didn't want to antagonize herself with Snowanna. After so many years, after so many races, she had begun to question herself as to why.

Why couldn't they be friends?

Crumbellina looked at the picture of the group on her dresser. Typical of her; she looked so stoic compared to the others but that's how she was.

That's where she was most comfortable.

But all the while, she knew the others meant well when they asked her to join in with them. She knew that they meant well when they wanted her to do things.

She wanted to be with them but all the while, she just didn't feel comfortable.

Unless?

Unless she was playing.

She looked over at her violin, the thing still resting in its place as she had left it. She trembled, reaching out and adjusting the strings and readying the bow.

She put bow to strings and…

Awful.

Simply AWFUL!

She was just too upset now. Her mind was swamped with fret and worry after what she had done. This was how things went every time she got upset, every time she was taken from the comfort that she desired so much.

*Knock, knock, knock!*

"W-Who is it?"

"Crumbellina?" came a small voice from the other side of the door "Are ya feelin' better?"

Crumbellina opened the door to find Vanellope standing before her, looking worried "Ya ran off so fast."

"I am fine, Vanellope." Crumbellina said, trying to put up her post demeanor once more "I can promise you that things are-!"

"No, no there not. And I can tell!" Vanellope said "Ya can't lie ta us anymore, Bellina! We know ya!"

Crumbellina blinked twice, taken away by the statement "You do?"

"YES!" Vanellope said, but her strength wavered and she looked down, blushing brightly "Well, NO. I mean….I think we have an idea?"

Crumbellina looked at Vanellope, seeing that she was trying hard to figure out a way to solve the problem but the girl sighed.

Vanellope didn't have to wrap herself into this. This was something that she had started with Snowanna ALONE.

And if she were half the girl she thought she was….

"Vanellope, I don't mean to have outburst like that…" Crumbellina said, leading the other girl into the garden.

"Then why?" asked Vanellope "Why is it everyday ya find SOMETHIN' ta argue about with Snowy?"

"I like my peace." Crumbellina said, sighing "I like my things in order, to be perfect, to be neat. That is what makes me happy. But…."

Vanellope nodded "But?"

"It's hard for me to break out of that. I know you guys don't mean anything bad when you want me to join you. You're not acting out of ill will, I know that but…but it's just hard. I'm just scared."

"Scared?"

"Scared something will mess up, all because I didn't do something RIGHT. And it will be MY fault for not sticking to it perfectly."

Vanellope leaned forward, surprised that Crumbellina was talking as much as she did.

Crumbellina NEVER spoke this much to the others!

"Sometimes, I watch Snowanna play and when I do, I don't hear the 'noise' that I called her music before. I see someone who loves music as much as I do, someone who has a passion much like mine. And even with that, I just never knew what to say."

"It's easy, Bellina!" Vanellope smiled "All ya gotta do is-!"

"No, no it's not that easy. Not when things go through my head." Crumbellina interrupted "Things always get in the way when I try to do things with her and I know it's not her fault!"

"It's not?"

"No. When I am not here, when I am not with my music I always feel like I have to remain perfect. I told you it feels as if I let something fall out of place, it will call come down."

Crumbellina stopped, looking down at the ground.

"But…but I guess in doing so, I've been causing more harm than good."

Vanellope looked at the racer, surprised that so much had come from her in such a short time.

"There are some things I just cannot get comfortable with, but I should not take it out on you."

Vanellope thought….

And thought….

And thought.

And then, an idea came.

"Bellina? Do you have anything to do tomorrow night?"

The next night, the moon was out the stars were bright and everyone was gathered near the soda lake for an event. To what the event was, that was still a mystery.

Especially to a certain snow-cone racer.

"What is everyone done here?" Snowanna asked, Nougetsia and Adorabeezle behind her, smiling but shushed.

The entire area had been decorated to its finest, Candlehead's work of course. Candy people and racers were everywhere, chatting, laughing but there was more to the show than Snowanna knew. She looked, seeing the stage and for some reason she could feel it calling to her. It clicked to what was going on.

"Wait….you want me to play?"

"A'course we do!" Vanellope smiled as she suddenly appeared before Snowanna "But don't worry 'bout goin' solo with this!"

"What do you mean?"

"Look who's gonna be joinin' ya…." The vanilla racer smiled, pointing towards the stage.

And then Snowanna saw her.

Appearing on stage right then and there was Crumbellina, her violin in hand.

And ready to play.

Snowanna didn't know what to think but from the looks of the others, she HAD to go on stage. Begrudgingly she walked up those stairs but the air of annoyance that hung around her quickly disappeared once she saw how honest Crumbellina looked at her.

"So…what's this all about?"

"It wasn't too hard to hide, Snowanna." Crumbellina smiled "All those hints you were dropping before. This was what you wanted, correct? To play together?"

Snowanna was astounded; had it finally happed?

"Wait, this isn't a trick is it?"

"Why in the arcade would it be?" the other girl smirked, tuning her instrument "I don't play around when it comes to music."

Snowanna could feel the smile forming on her face and no matter how hard she tried, there was no way of hiding it.

After all this time, after all the fighting both girls usually partook in they were finally playing with each other.

"So what should we play?"

Crumbellina didn't answer, at least not with words. Instead she began to play.

Soft gentle notes flowed from the violin, mixing with the night air. In the crowd, everyone was entrance, feeling relaxed and calm as Crumbellina continued to play.

This was what she loved, this is what she desired.

And to see everyone enjoy it was even better than she thought.

Crumbellina gave Snowanna a nod and the racer picked up her guitar. Fingers plucked the strings with finesse and grace but the notes were sharper, louder, much more energetic and electrifying. The crowd reacted as such, feeling the urge to suddenly dance along with Snowanna.

And then….

Violin notes joined in.

The notes began to mix together, the beat increasing the tempo flowing. Everyone in the crowd cheered as the two continued to play together and before both girls knew it…

EVERYONE in Sugar Rush was dancing along!

The two played their instruments, Snowanna moving along more and more but through it all, Crumbellina felt the most excited, the most engaged.

She was feeling something new, something that assured her that there was no longer so much reason to hide from the others any more.

Why should she hide when there was so much music to play?