*Chapter 79*
Taffyta eagerly knocked on Rancis's door, Ralph and Vanellope hung back and shot each other knowing, teasing looks. After a few moments, Rancis slowly opened his door, his facial expression almost nervous, yet happy. He opened his door a little wider and peered at Taffyta with the sweetest of eyes, though he quickly glanced at Vanellope and Ralph in confusion. Rancis inhaled a nervous breath and eagerly gazed out at his three friends. He was wearing a comfortable, mustard yellow shirt with a rugged pair of dark brown jeans; they were worn to the point of almost being dark grey. His hair was a slight mess, his dark blue eyes looked renewed and hopeful, though he still looked like a deer in headlights.
"H-hi guys," Rancis said softly.
"Hey," Taffyta said plainly, though Vanellope could tell she was trying her hardest to keep her cool, "We're going to go find the crossed stripe branch that Ralph planted for Vanellope's engagement ring. We were thinking of relocating it to the castle grounds and were wondering if you could come help us figure out how to uproot it without, you know…"
"Killing it?" Rancis chuckled as he eased up a bit and slid his hands into his jean pockets.
"Yeah, that," Taffyta said with a sheepish smile.
"I'd be glad to come help," Rancis said with a small smile as he glanced between the three before him, his smile grew more and more eager with the fact that he was being included, "Are you guys going right now?"
"Yeah," Ralph said gently as he rubbed the back of his head, he quickly averted his attention across the cul-de-sac as Candlehead could be suddenly seen stepping out of Gloyd's house.
Everyone drew their attention across the street, towards Candlehead, and froze. Vanellope covered her mouth and grinned a sheepish grin as her and Taffyta caught eyes in a knowing way. Candlehead obliviously began to walk away from the four, towards the direction of the castle. The four remained silent and hoped they weren't seen. Once Candlehead was out of ear shot, Vanellope whirled around to Taffyta and gave her a beaming look, though Taffyta almost looked sheepish.
"Did Candlehead…" Vanellope trailed off, Taffyta lulled her head and nodded a little.
"I-I think so," Taffyta concluded as Rancis stifled a laugh and looked down.
"Happy New Year's indeed," Vanellope chuckled as she nudged Taffyta's arm; she wrinkled her nose at Vanellope before sheepishly glancing at Rancis.
"S-so, Ralph, do you remember where the tree is located?" Taffyta rushed, hoping the topic would change. Vanellope rolled her eyes as Rancis gently emerged from his house, after stepping away to get shoes. The four slowly began to mosey away from Rancis's house and towards the trail that led to the racing arena.
"I have a good idea," Ralph said gently, "It's all kind of fuzzy though. That day is kind of a blur to me, because the only thing I could focus on was getting that branch for Vanellope."
"I don't think I ever got to say a proper congratulations," Rancis said to Vanellope and Ralph with a small smile, "I must say, messing with your code to make you appear sick was brilliant."
"I didn't just appear sick," Ralph scoffed in annoyance, though he smiled, "That head cold was about to drive me Turbo."
"It was definitely convincing," Vanellope laughed as she nudged Ralph's arm.
"Where are you guys going to Honeymoon to?" Taffyta asked curiously as the four began to step across the racing tracks in the arena.
"I don't think we've really thought about it, yet," Ralph said gently as he glanced at Vanellope.
"You guys should Honeymoon in EZ Living," Rancis suggested, "There are some suites up on the cliff side. It's kind of pricey, in EZ Living currency, but I've heard it's more than worth it."
"How much do you suppose it'd cost?" Ralph prod, "And, how does one go about earning EZ Living money?"
"You earn money by helping people out, getting 1-ups, charity work, the list goes on," Rancis said gently, "Though, one of those suites, for just one night, could easily cost you a thousand EZ Living dollars."
"A thousand? For ONE night?" Ralph choked before he slumped his shoulders and gazed up to the gorgeous, morning sky. Vanellope laughed and pat his back; Ralph and Taffyta were a few steps ahead of her and Rancis.
"It's okay, Ralph, we can always just go somewhere in Sugar Rush, there are lots of gorgeous places to stay," Vanellope said gently before she averted her curious attention to Rancis, "How is it you knows much about these suites? I didn't even know they were there, let alone the fact that you could earn EZ Living money."
"Just through hear-say, I guess," Rancis fibbed before he tilted his head towards Vanellope and gave her a sullen, knowing look. He then glanced at Taffyta a few times and motioned towards her gently.
"Oh, I see," Vanellope said before silently scoffing with a smile.
The four walked and chatted for a little while as they slowly trailed through the candy tree forests. Taffyta and Ralph had unknowingly distanced themselves from Vanellope and Rancis, their happy and loud conversation was just within ear shot as they trailed a dozen or so paces ahead. Vanellope hung back with Rancis, though he was quiet. Vanellope glanced over at him a few times and noticed the nervous expression plastered across his face. His eyes were glued to Taffyta, as if he was deep in worry and thought. Vanellope gently put a hand on his shoulder and let a silent laugh escape her.
"Rancis, you look worried, is everything okay?" Vanellope asked sweetly, Rancis jolted and shook his head with a sheepish smile.
"Yeah, no, I'm fine," Rancis stammered; Vanellope cocked an eyebrow at him, causing him to slump his shoulders and roll his eyes, "Alright, since you're the master of problem solving and I'm a push over, I'll just cut to the chase and let you win."
"Let me win?" Vanellope said through a surprised laugh as she nudged Rancis's arm, he chuckled and looked down, his cheeks here red, "Taffyta told us everything…er, rather, I got it out of her by force."
"Y-You did?" Rancis asked nervously as he inhaled a shaky breath, his dark blue eyes glued to Taffyta's sister with eager apprehension, he bit his lower lip and prayed to User he'd be greet with more acceptance.
"Of course I did," Vanellope laughed as she gestured towards Taffyta, who was loudly laughing and bantering with Ralph, "We're sisters, after all."
"S-so, you're not mad?" Rancis worried with a frown, Vanellope shot him a confused look.
"Mad? Why would I be mad?" Vanellope wondered.
"We, ARE thinking about the same thing, right?" Rancis squinted his eyes and wrinkled his nose bashfully.
"Code swap?" Vanellope stated bluntly; Rancis's face immediately turned beet red.
"Y-yeah," Rancis choked as he looked away in an embarrassed way, though Vanellope could tell he was trying his hardest not to smile.
"I'm not mad, Rancis," Vanellope chuckled as she nudged him, "I have no reason to be, really. I owe it to Taffyta, actually."
"How come?" Rancis asked gently.
"Well," Vanellope exhaled a deep sigh, "I'm sure bringing in a unimaginably powerful bad guy to Sugar Rush, code swapping with him, and deeming him King material wasn't exactly what Taffyta and I had in mind for one of our dream guys, when we were little girls."
"I remember all those times you told Taffyta and I that you wish you were taller for Ralph, before our upgrade," Rancis said with a wide smile, "Remember that one time you almost confessed your feelings to him?"
"Yeah," Vanellope scoffed as she rolled her eyes, her face turned red, "Before our upgrade, nonetheless. I'm glad Taff talked me out of it. That would've ended horribly."
"Well," Rancis sighed, "I don't think Taffyta's upset about your decision…I mean, look at her." Both friends gazed ahead of their path and noticed how easily Ralph and Taffyta got along; they laughed and joked to each other like brother and sister.
"That's exactly why there's no reason for me to be upset towards your situation with Taffyta," Vanellope smiled towards Rancis, "She's obviously happy, not to mention you guys had a dark and mysterious past, that none of us knew about for over a year and a half, that's finally all out in the open," Vanellope finished in a teasing way as she glared at Rancis; he rolled his eyes with a wide smile.
"It'll go down in history as the largest misunderstanding ever," Rancis laughed as he lulled his hands into his jean pockets.
"As long as Taffyta's happy, then it's all good," Vanellope said gently before her demeanor became serious, she looked at Rancis with purpose and protectiveness before she grabbed his arm to stop his pace. He looked at Vanellope in a confused way, his facial expression quickly became riddled with nervousness again. Vanellope gently pointed a finger to his chest and quickly began to look intimidating.
"Though, if you so much as harm one single hair on Taffyta's head," Vanellope started deeply before Rancis gently beamed a smile and took both of Vanellope's hands in hers.
"Vanellope, you don't have to do that," Rancis said softly as he gazed earnestly into her eyes, "I love her, so much…I didn't know you could love someone this deeply, but believe me, she's safe with me. You don't have to worry."
Vanellope fell silent and gazed deep into Rancis's eyes, her demeanor was still stern yet worried and almost confused. His dark blue eyes held so much grief and pain, yet the smile on his face led to suggest he was stronger than all of it. Vanellope inhaled a breath and admired Rancis's will to carry on through the wreckage. She squeezed his hands before gazing down at them; she knew that underneath those hands was the very thing that held Taffyta's code, her heart, her well-being, safe and sound. She furrowed her eyebrows and inhaled a deep breath.
"I trust you, Rancis," Vanellope said softly as her eyes caught with his in a wary string of clouded faith. Rancis smiled and tilted his head down a little.
"You don't know how good it feels to hear you say that," Rancis chuckled, "I was certain it'd be years before those words were said to me."
"Lucky you, it only took three weeks," Vanellope laughed as the two slowly let go of each other's hands and began walking again. Vanellope looked ahead and noticed Ralph and Taffyta were nowhere to be found. Both Rancis and Vanellope froze and eagerly looked around.
"Whoops," Rancis breathed as the two quickly continued to look around.
Rancis eyed Vanellope as she inhaled a deep breath and cupped her hands over her mouth. She hollered Ralph's name loudly, her voice echoed through the candy tree forests. The two eagerly looked around for a few minutes before the sound of angry, heavy and fast moving footsteps could be felt approaching. Vanellope whirled around and beamed as she caught sight of Ralph. Her joyous expression quickly dropped as Ralph practically rocketed at the two. He slowed down once he approached Vanellope and Rancis, though he wrapped a firm arm around his fiancée. Vanellope widened her eyes as he tugged her into him. He panted and gazed down at her, almost horrified.
"A-are you okay?" Ralph breathed nervously before he shot Rancis a confused, almost angry, look.
"Ralph I'm fine," Vanellope barked with an annoyed laugh as she gently pushed on Ralph's chest to tell him to ease up, "We just lost you guys, is all."
"Oh," Ralph said as his shoulders gently slumped, he shot a nervous glance at Rancis, "I-I…I thought you were hurt."
"I'm not hurt, Rancis and I stopped for a second and when we turned back, you guys were gone," Vanellope said as she cocked an eyebrow at Ralph.
"You'd think, after all we've been through, that I'd really try and hurt Vanellope?" Rancis suddenly barked; Vanellope flinched at his sudden outburst, but his eyes looked full of hurt. Vanellope nervously pushed her palm to Ralph's chest to quell him. She knew that he was a patient, gentle giant, but when it came to Rancis, he was a ticking time bomb.
"Look, I'm sorry…I-I can't be so certain, just yet," Ralph said deeply as he tried his hardest not to glare down at Rancis, "I'm just protective, surely you understand why…"
"It's fine," Rancis said gently, though his tone was subtly laced with annoyance, "Where did Taffyta go?"
"I'm right here," Taffyta groaned as she strolled up, she looked exhausted. She swat Ralph's arm and glared up at him, "Hey, Turbotastic, next time you decide to go tearing off, warn me!"
"Sorry, Taff," Ralph mumbled as he looked down at her nervously.
He furrowed his eyebrows and felt a confused sweep of code rush through his mind. He glanced between the three racers before him, each one of them held a completely different importance in his life. He glanced at Vanellope, his future bride and future Queen of Sugar Rush. She gazed up at Ralph in a nervous, contemplating way. He knew she wished that he'd ease up a bit on Rancis; her facial expression was written with the 'I want to talk about this later' look. He glanced at Rancis, the past Sugar Rush enemy, a misunderstood chunk of sweet and sour binary. His facial expression was a bit more annoyed, but he had a look of mental exhaustion, his eyes sunk a little as if to tell Ralph to come off of it already. Ralph knew he'd have to forgive Rancis eventually, that is, if he kept his swordsmanship skills in line. He then glanced at Taffyta, his feisty little sister. She gazed up at Ralph in a playfully annoyed way but her eyes peered into his in question. Ralph heaved a long sigh and felt that pang of brotherly, protective urge come over himself, towards Taffyta. He bit his lower lip and nervously stole a glance at Rancis; his mind was flooded with the obvious fact that Rancis was now in possession of Taffyta's sweet code. He hoped everything would turn out for the better, now that the two dove head first into the code swapping pool of no return.
"Come back to Arcade, Ralph," Taffyta said as she waved her hand with a small laugh; Vanellope furrowed her eyebrows as the three racers peered up at Ralph curiously. Ralph shook his head and wondered just how long he had allowed himself to sink into deep thought.
"Everything okay?" Rancis asked sincerely, Ralph rubbed the back of his head nervously and heaved a long sigh.
"Everything's fine," Ralph mumbled as he quickly began to scan his surroundings, "Taffyta and I found the tree, it's not too far from here."
"Perfect," Vanellope smiled as she felt her heart jolt; she was eager to see Ralph's handiwork.
