*Chapter 73*
Vanellope and Taffyta slowly made their way out of Ralph's large outlet and into gorgeous Game Central Station. Vanellope inhaled a deep breath and looked all around. The hall was decorated and as gorgeous as last year. Large chandeliers and beautiful dark brown drapery lined the station. Vanellope could hardly even recognize that it was her beloved station. She smiled a small smile and gazed all around. In the middle of the massive station was what seemed to be a round, black stage. Surge and a few other working gamers were there with clipboards and a few other things; they looked busy and chatty. Vanellope inhaled softly and nudged Taffyta.
"What's that stage for?" Vanellope ventured as Taffyta gently linked arms with her sister. She began to lead her to where she found Felix and Calhoun.
"The award ceremony, remember?" Taffyta said plainly.
"Oh yeah," Vanellope chimed, "Those only happen really once in a blue moon. I don't remember the last award ceremony."
"You don't remember it because no one from Sugar Rush won anything," Taffyta chuckled, "I hope I win this year's fastest racer. That'd be awesome."
"Well, if you don't, at least we have that volleyball trophy," Vanellope smiled as the two girls moseyed up to Felix and Calhoun.
"Hey," Felix chimed happily as Calhoun nodded once towards the two girls, "You guys find Ralph?"
"Yeah," Vanellope breathed with a frown, "He won't be able to make it. He's really not feeling well."
"Shame," Felix said with a worried frown as him and Calhoun caught eyes. Calhoun shot Taffyta a small look as Felix continued, "Well, I'm sure you'll go see him after the ball, correct?"
"Yep," Vanellope said confidently as she gazed back at Ralph's outlet, "I-I tried to tell him that I would gladly stay with him, so he wouldn't be all alone, but he insisted I be here tonight."
"I'm sure he wouldn't want you to miss this," Felix said softly, "All the hard work put into your look and your dress for nothing. I don't think he'd feel very good about himself if he actually let you miss the New Year's ball."
"It's okay though," Taffyta smiled, "You'll see him later. I'm positive he will be fine. One of us can go check up on him later, if you'd like."
"Maybe," Vanellope pondered as she glanced back at Ralph's outlet.
"Leave it to me," Felix smiled, "I don't mind. Besides, I don't think either of you two should miss the award ceremony. I heard, this year, there's an award for fastest racer."
"That'd be me," Taffyta boasted with a playful smile. Vanellope scoffed and rolled her eyes; she finally allowed herself to genuinely smile.
"We'll see about that," Vanellope barked, her eyes showing happiness. Taffyta suddenly grabbed her arm and gave her a look of distress.
"There's Rancis," Taffyta breathed before she quickly began to drag Vanellope away.
"Ow, Taff!" Vanellope hollered with a loud giggle as the two quickly tore away from Felix and Calhoun, "What's your deal?"
"I-I don't want to see him right now," Taffyta hissed as she began to weave around the crowd, Vanellope practically tripped over herself a few times as Taffyta kept her hand glued to her arm.
"Why not?" Vanellope heaved a small laugh as the two finally hugged a far wall. Taffyta eagerly looked around and scanned the crowd. She slumped once she lost sight of Rancis.
"Because," Taffyta said in an annoyed tone, "H-h'es probably going to ask me to dance, and I'm just embarrassed. I have a problem with showing affection, if you haven't caught on by now."
"Well, THAT much is obvious," Vanellope laughed as she tried her best to make sure her dress was wrinkle free, "Why don't you just say hi to him? The poor thing has already been through so much grief within the past month, the least we could do is be friendly. Why, you nervous he's going to propose to you tonight or something?"
"He's not going to propose," Taffyta hissed as she eagerly looked around, "We're not even dating right now, he's not that naive."
"Well," Vanellope sighed as she looked around as well, "Maybe you should just-"
"C'mon," Taffyta hissed as she grabbed Vanellope's arm again and began to drag her in another direction. Vanellope's eyes widened as both girls began stumbling across the hall. The crowd was large and lively with chattering gamers.
"Is this some sort of joke?" Vanellope laughed as they pushed past happy gamers. Everyone at the event looked absolutely dashing, their demeanor was alive with the air of the New Year. After a few minutes of weaving down Game Central Station's massive grid, the two finally hugged the opposite wall they were previously at.
"This is pathetic, huh," Taffyta barked with a wide smile. Vanellope scoffed and fixed her hair.
"Little bit, Taff!" Vanellope laughed as she nudged her arm, "Come on, knock it off. If he sees you, just be yourself! Why are you so nervous all of the sudden?"
"I'm not nervous," Taffyta said as she heaved a shaky sigh. Vanellope cocked an eyebrow at her.
"Taff, you're dragging me across creation because you don't want him to even SEE you," Vanellope laughed as she put her hands on her hips, "You're bound to run into him sooner or later."
"Let's hope it's later," Taffyta beamed.
"I think you should at least give him the pleasure of letting him dance with you at least once," Vanellope sighed as she looked around the active hall, "I must warn you though, he doesn't lead very well."
"I-I'm aware," Taffyta mumbled as she looked away. Vanellope quickly whirled and gazed teasingly at her sister.
"Oh you are, are you?" Vanellope beamed, "All those lonely days where I was away, busy with Presidential issues, what were you two quite possibly up to?"
"Bite me," Taffyta barked as she looked away and avoided eye contact with her sister. Vanellope quickly put her hand on Taffyta's arm and glitched, causing Taffyta's code to wig out as well. Taffyta squealed and yanked her arm away, "Hey, glitch face! Keep your paws to yourself!"
"Darn," Vanellope scoffed as she snapped her fingers; she noticed Taffyta's hot pink code was the same as it has always been.
"…You really thought I code swapped with Rancis?" Taffyta gaped in surprise. Vanellope giggled.
"Well, the way he was talking to you the other night, I feel like all bets are off with you two," Vanellope laughed. Taffyta rolled her eyes and rubbed her arm where Vanellope had glitched her.
"No code swapping was ever involved, nosey," Taffyta muttered, she desperately tried to hide a smile.
"So what WAS involved?" Vanellope prod, "And, if I do recall, I have a lot of payback still saved up."
"Nothing was 'involved', your highness," Taffyta rolled her eyes, her cheeks progressively getting red.
"Is that, a blush I see across your face?" Vanellope gasped as she leaned closer to her sister. Taffyta beamed and rolled her eyes.
"Vanellope," Taffyta whined, her defenses weakening.
"Come onnn," Vanellope begged as she grabbed her arm, "Spill, spill, spill!"
"Th-there's nothing to sp-"
"Bullroar, tell me!" Vanellope pleaded. Taffyta gazed at her sister with a mildly annoyed smile before something caught her eye behind Vanellope. She gasped and quickly grabbed Vanellope's arm as she began to yank her away. Vanellope protested loudly before Taffyta quickly shoved both of themselves into a nearby photo booth. Both girls crashed into the tiny booth with loud grunts of struggle.
"Taffyta MuttonFudge, User help me! OW!" Vanellope hissed as both girls pushed and shoved on each other in the small space. Taffyta beamed sheepishly.
"Sorry, sorry, shh!" Taffyta whispered as both girls stumbled to stand up straight, "I-I think he may have seen me."
"User forbid he sees you! Oh no!" Vanellope hissed before rolling her eyes and straightening out her dress. She suddenly beamed and gazed at the photo booth camera next to her. She slyly began to take pictures of her and Taffyta without her knowing.
"I-I just don't want to deal with this right now," Taffyta mumbled as she put her hands on the side of her head. She very carefully peeled the red curtain back and peeked out to the crowd, "I think he left."
"We should stay here for the whole entire night, just in case," Vanellope said sarcastically as she continued to take a few more pictures of her and Taffyta; Taffyta remained clueless.
"I wouldn't mind that one bit," Taffyta said as she whirled around and noticed Vanellope making playful faces, in the camera, at Taffyta. Taffyta gasped and furrowed her eyebrows, "Hey!"
"It was your idea to come in here!" Vanellope laughed aloud as both girls began to struggle for their turn with the camera button.
"My intention wasn't so you could take pictures of me while I wasn't looking," Taffyta laughed as both girls continued to struggle for control over the machine.
"I wonder how many pictures we've taken now," Vanellope heaved as she wiped a few tears from her eyes from laughing so hard. Taffyta inhaled a short breath to reply but was quickly interrupted.
"I should make wanted posters out of these," said a familiar voice outside the booth. Taffyta froze and gazed at Vanellope in stunned silence. Vanellope beamed and rolled her eyes before gently shoving Taffyta outside of the photo booth. Taffyta exhaled a noise of protest as she stumbled into Rancis. Vanellope quickly followed her out of the booth and beamed a look of accomplished surprise.
"Hey, Rancis," Vanellope smiled a sly smile in Taffyta's direction. Taffyta glared back, her face hot red.
"Wow," Rancis breathed as he glanced at the two, though he kept his eyes practically glued to Taffyta, "You two look beautiful tonight."
"Why thank you," Vanellope smiled a happy smile before she softened.
She watched as Rancis very delicately took Taffyta's hand in his. He leaned down slightly and placed a gentlemanly kiss atop her hand. Vanellope let her soft smile quickly revert to that of a beaming, overjoyed smile; she kept her eyes glued to Taffyta. Taffyta's facial expression sloped to that of gentle, blushed surprise. The two, secret lovers caught eyes in an intense string of a century's worth of longing. Rancis inhaled a slow breath as he kept his loving grip on Taffyta's hand.
"I think I know who wins the award for most stunning, tonight," Rancis said sweetly to Taffyta. Taffyta beamed and looked down; Vanellope was shocked at just how red her sister's face could actually get.
"It's no one here, that's for sure," Taffyta scoffed playfully, though she gave Rancis a grateful smile.
"Quite the contrary," Rancis said confidently with a smile. He was dressed in a dashing tux, his dirty blond hair was fluffed and spiked in a smoldering way, his blue eyes pierced Taffyta's soul with so many different emotions. He inhaled to continue, "Speaking of awards, I think the award ceremony is going to be starting soon. You guys want to go find a good spot to stand?"
"Sure," Vanellope smiled as she stepped closer to the two, "We should go look for Felix and Calhoun as well."
"Sounds good," Rancis smiled as the three began to weave through the crowd, closer to Ralph's outlet, and the large ceremony stage.
Vanellope beamed and glanced back at Taffyta, who had remained suspiciously quiet during their trek across the station. Rancis led the way through the crowd, his sights were set on Felix and Calhoun across the way. Vanellope inhaled a small breath and knew that her sisterly teasing era had only just begun. Her heart practically jolted out of her chest as her eyes landed on Ralph's game plate, high above their heads. She frowned and peered into Ralph's game outlet. She hoped he was hanging in there. It took all of her not to go bolting down his game outlet and burst into his home. She furrowed her eyebrows and peeled her eyes away as the three continued to step across Game Central Station.
"I wonder if Sugar Rush will win any awards this year," Rancis chimed softly to the two girls that were following him. Vanellope shrugged and glanced at Taffyta.
"Who knows," Vanellope sighed, "So much has happened within the last month or two, I've kind of forgotten that this was the year for the award ceremonies. I don't know if being unplugged from this arcade, for a month, has rendered us unable to receive awards or not."
"I guess we'll find out," Rancis said softly as the three quickly approached Felix and Calhoun. They beamed eagerly as they drew closer.
"There you guys are," Felix laughed as he nudged Taffyta, "That was a speedy get-a-way, Ms. Muttonfudge."
"Y-yeah," Taffyta scoffed as she rubbed the back of her neck nervously, "Sorry about that."
"I think I'm the only one here who understands not liking to be put in situations that require too much affection," Calhoun muttered, only audible to Taffyta, as she nudged her arm. Taffyta smiled up at her gratefully, yet her expression was written with annoyance for the situation.
"At least I'm not alone," Taffyta laughed softly.
Vanellope heaved a soft sigh as the house lights in Game Central Station suddenly dimmed a little. A few spot lights hit the stage that everyone had begun to crowd around. The house lights of Game Central Station came back on slowly, signaling to everyone that the award ceremony would begin shortly. Vanellope gazed up at the large chandelier high above everyone's heads. After a few moments, she let her eyes close softly as she suddenly felt a nostalgic flash back hit her. She inhaled deeply and remembered the last time she caught herself gazing up at these very chandeliers in End of Line Station last New Year's Ball.
It was at that moment, in the past, when Ralph surprised her by showing up to the ball. He swept her off of her feet, making every last pixel in her body swell with affection for him. She opened her eyes and gazed longingly up at the chandelier. She finally tore her eyes away and very slowly turned around. She prayed to User that Ralph would be there, standing happily, his gapped tooth grin as loving and friendly as ever. She caught eyes with a few gamers, whom of which she didn't know, behind herself. She peered through the crowd, hoping that somehow Ralph had shown up, but he was nowhere to be found. She heaved a long, sad sigh and looked down to the ground as she could feel her eyes become wet with tears. She shut her eyes tight and shook her head, to get rid of the sad feelings, before she inhaled slowly and turned back to face her group of friends.
They all had gathered close, each of their faces read a different expression. Rancis looked absolutely love struck, though his quiet and smoldering look hid it well. Taffyta looked smitten, embarrassed and overall a little uncomfortable; though she kept a happy air about herself. Felix looked cheerful and happy as always, his cheeks were flushed with honey glow. Calhoun looked a little bit more comfortable than she usually would be in a dress. She and Felix stuck close to each other as Taffyta eagerly gazed at the ceremony stage, Rancis tried his best to keep his distance. He, too, could sense the tension. Vanellope inhaled a breath to speak, about what she didn't know, but a voice came over the speakers as Surge made himself present on the stage.
The house lights in Game Central Station dimmed yet again as Surge greet everyone, and gave his opening speech about how well the arcade did this year. Surge looked handsome; he, amongst most of the other guy gamers, wore a stunning tux. His blue, hologram self was holding a proper, fancy list of all the awards he was prepared to list off. There was a beautiful table and podium at the other end of the large, round stage, where at least two dozen awards were placed and ready to be handed out. The awards were glorious, golden statues of a game controller. Each one shone and sparkled under the spotlights the stage was drenched in. Every gamer in Game Central Station was quiet, the large crowd eagerly held their eyes on Surge.
