Hello Again
Thank you all for tuning into another chapter
I've loved writing this story and I hope you all loved reading it
As usual the quick disclaimer
Herschel and Ella Nougatson belong to Captain Alaska
Lucy and Kevin Fluggerbutter belong to Agent BM
Kit Smoreline and Sebastian Buttercream belong to Mangle6
The following OCs belong to me
Marcy Mars, Annie Brownie, Phipps Twix, Akio Cookie Dough, Lodhi Crisp, Norville Crisp
Batterbutter, Lodhi Jr, Christie Batterbutter Crisp, Ricky Road, Ryan Sof Serve, Martin B. Brownie, Hope and Faith Buttercream Brownie, Vick Rainbeau Twix, Carl Brumblestain Mars, Olivia Cookie Dough, Sophie Flugpucker, Floyd Orangeboar, Nya Muttonfudge, Linder Winterpop, Linke Bing, Charles Malarkey, Nikki Zaki, Mercucio C DiCaramello
Ch.12 Done Playing Games
Lucy would place the orbs containing the adults on a pillow setup on a table beside her mother's throne
"You did well Lucy." She'd hear her mother directly behind her
"Thank you, mother."
Vanellope would sit on her throne Lucy would look at the orbs than back to her
"What are your plans now?"
Vanellope would smile. "Finish what I started so long ago…and ensure what I went through never…ever happens again."
"Are you sending all the adults to the Hell-Realm?"
"Not all…not all need to suffer the exact way I did…couple in particular don't deserve it at all…though that is my issue to deal with…you are dismissed for the night."
"If you need me, I'll be in the Fungeon, my new enforcers shall begin their training tonight."
Vanellope would smile again. "When I look at you, I truly see myself at your age my dear, ambitious, prideful, and filled with enough energy to take on the world…-Vanellope's smile would disappear-…what could have been…" She'd finish with a sigh
"It's best to look forward and ahead mother, as you always told me…"
Vanellope would smile again. "Indeed, I'm glad you took my lessons to heart."
"I always have and always will mother."
Vanellope would hug Lucy. "I love you my dear."
"I love you too mother, but I shouldn't keep you away from your work any longer, you know where I'll be." Lucy would bow and head to the stairway
"One last thing my sweet."
"Yes?"
"Do not return up here until I tell you that you can, should you need to leave the Fungeon take one of the built in secret passages, what transpires here…I'd rather you not see."
"As you wish mother." Lucy would walk down the steps
Vanellope would close and lock the doorway to the stairs, she'd sit on her throne silently for a minute, staring silently at the torch above illuminating the room around her
She'd take the orb with the imprisoned adults and clutch in tightly in her hands still staring at the torch above
(Meanwhile)
The imprisoned adults would all wake up from a forced slumber, their last memories being of Lucy speaking before capturing them
Except for Annie who had been asleep the whole time her final memory being talking to her sister before going to bed
Annie would sit up and rub her eyes, she'd look around alarmed and confused at the blank landscape around her, and the panic and terror of the others
"What's going on?"
Sebastian would immediately by her side. "Darling! I…I don't know how to explaining it without hurting you…but Marcy turned on us! Lucy caught us! We're going back to Vanellope!" He'd shout in a frantic panic
Before another word could be said everyone would be silenced by the sound of glass cracking and shattering, the blank sky above would shatter and they'd see Vanellope staring up at a torch above her throne
Vanellope would speak with her eerily sweet tone "…It's fitting really…on this exact day nearly 3 decades ago…Turbo took everything from me…my rule…my home…my friends…my entire life…I was meant to die alone…unloved…unmissed…as a glitch…a sweet little girl…turned into what was considered a monster and an outcast…a blank check was put on her head…abuse her to your hearts content…just leave her alive to beat her again the next day…you may not remember our first days plugged it…but I…-her voice would turn dark and sinister-…VIVIDLY DO!"
Everyone would look at one another terrified
Vanellope would look away from the torch and back at the orb and everyone would see her eyes replaced by flames
Vanellope's voice would turn almost demonic "Let's take a trip down memory lane…my dear friends…."
Annie would watch as she'd crush the orb, unable to scream, and for a few brief moments, she'd find herself falling in an empty void
She'd feel a pair of hands gently grab her shoulder and she'd stop and find herself in a dark cell with only a torch in the center of the room for light
"What? Huh?! Where am I?!" She'd cry out
She'd hear Vanellope in a much calmer tone and notice a shadow with red eyes gazing at her on the wall furthest from her. "I'll be back for you later…you do not deserve my wrath…-Sebastian would suddenly appear beside Annie-…and neither does he…"
The shadow would disappear and she'd clutch a panicking Sebastian tightly. "Will be fine Seb…we'll be fine…" She'd reassure him as he'd hold onto her tightly
Herschel would feel himself floating in a void, he'd cry out, only for his voice to echo dozens of times into the empty blackness surrounding him.
He'd feel a hand softly take his arm and he'd find himself in a dark cell being illuminated by a single torch in the center.
"I'll be back…you don't deserve this…" He'd hear Vanellope faintly whisper
He'd look around and see there would be no windows, not even a door to escape the room
"Guess I'm stuck in here…"
Minty would find herself wandering alone in the dark, there'd be solid ground beneath her, it'd be so dark however she couldn't even see her hands in front of her face.
She'd keep her arms out in front of her. "Guys? Can anybody hear me?! Hello?! Is anybody out there?!"
The ground beneath her would give way and she'd fall through in landing into a pool of liquid she couldn't see no tell what it was
"W-what is this?!" She'd ask as she'd stand up, the liquid only coming up to her knees.
"Water? Lemonade? Gasoline? Fresh blood from a corpse? Who knows?" She'd hear Vanellope's echo around her, followed by the sound of several people walking around her
"If this is your idea of getting to me! Far fucking chance!" She'd throw a punch every time it sounded as if someone was walking up beside her, only feeling empty air every time
"Who said I wanted to break you? As Minty would throw a punch Vanellope would catch her fist and hold it tightly
"There you are!" Minty would throw a punch with her free hand
Vanellope would catch it as well and twist both of her arms to the point they'd almost snap
She'd force Minty to her knees. "No. my dear sweet Minty…I want to take a trip down memory lane…"
"For what damn purpose?!"
"I want you to see the monster I saw every time your bright green kart approached…and I want you to see the monster you turned me into…"
"What?! I didn't turn you into anything!"
Vanellope would chuckle. "Then you don't remember how you snapped my arm all those years ago…perfect…that was one of the memories I was going to show you…but now…time for a quick fire bath…"
"…W-what?"
"Take a big whiff Minty…there's was some truth in my opening statement to you…"
Monty's eyes would widen in horror. "…G-G-Gasoline…"
"Right, you are…my dear friend…" Vanellope eyes would glow with flames as all around Minty the gas would ignite quickly engulfing her in flames, she'd scream and try to thrash her arms about but Vanellope would keep her in place, laughing menacingly the whole way through.
Minty would open her eyes and she'd find herself laying on the beaches of Lemonade Lake, she'd rub her forehead and hear several voices around her.
She'd look around and would be surprised when she'd see a younger version of herself and all the other racers playing on the beach
"What is this?"
"The day before Turbo's takeover…our last party on the beach…figured we'd start here…all the way at the beginning…" Vanellope would respond behind her
Minty would look over her shoulder and see no one there. "Face me you coward!"
There'd be no response as she'd see the younger racers playing hide and seek, she'd see her younger self counting as everyone else would scatter, a younger version of Swizzle would run directly through her.
"What's the point of all this?!"
"You'll see…" Vanellope would respond
Minty would see her younger self walk in to the forest, followed by a shadow with red glowing eyes.
"I don't know what you're doing but I'm stopping you…" She'd mutter and run over
She'd follow her younger self as she'd find most of the others, each time she'd find one she'd sneak up and pounce on them, eventually only one racer would be unfound, that Racer being Vanellope.
"Vanellope! Come out come out wherever you are!" Younger Minty would shout out playfully
Eventually Minty would see Vanellope standing near a tree with her back turned.
Her younger self would look at Vanellope apparently not seeing the same monster her adult self was seeing.
"Gotcha…" Her younger self would start sneaking up on her
Minty would also start sneaking up towards Vanellope as she'd begin to speak
"We all used to love hide and seek…when you were the seeker you always added the extra twist of you'd sneak up on a hider and jump at them…to the point there was a pattern that I had noticed…"
Minty would get close to her ready to attack as Vanellope would continue talking
"You always got really quiet…and you always…ALWAYS…without fail…-Minty would spring up and throw a haymaker at Vanellope who'd catch her fist and twist her arm-…attacked from the right…"
Vanellope would watch as Minty's younger self would sneak by her and tackle a younger version of herself to the ground.
"Got you!" Younger Minty would state
"You won't find me next time!" Younger Vanellope would state with a laugh
Minty would try to pull her arm free to no avail, she'd look at Vanellope. "Why show me this?! What on earth was I meant to learn from this?!"
"If you'd shut up and listen, you'll see…" Vanellope would ask watching their younger selves.
Minty would turn and see all the racers going to their karts, her and Vanellope's younger versions being the last ones remaining.
YM: "Vanellope you alright? You look off…I didn't hurt you, did I?"
YV: "No I'm fine…I just feel…strange…"
YM: "Strange how?"
YV: "I don't feel too good…"
-Younger Vanellope would suddenly glitch-
YM: "Vanellope you alright?!"
YV: "No…I'm going back to my castle…Sour Bill will know what's wrong…I'll see you tomorrow…"
YM: "If you ever need help you know I'm always ready…if anyone hurts you, I'll beat them into next week!"
YV: "Thanks Minty…but I'm sure it's nothing major…Sour Bill did say we might have some glitches or errors…we were only plugged in 3 days ago game is probably working out the kinks…"
YM: Alright than…see you tomorrow!"
YV: "See you tomorrow…"
Both racers would jump in their karts, Minty noticing Vanellope driving the kart Turbo would later use when he took the role of King Candy
Minty would look over at Vanellope. "So, I promised I'd be there for you…it's like you don't remember all our memories got locked away! I didn't remember this day until the day you took back control! Hell, I barely remember it now it was so long ago!"
Vanellope would suddenly grab her neck tightly with both hands, her eyes becoming literal flames with rage
"THAT! DOESN'T! EXCUSE! WHAT! YOU! DID! NEXT!"
Minty would black out, when she'd re-open her eyes, she'd see all the younger racers standing at the Royal Raceway, King Candy would be giving them a speech about how it was there first day, that they needed to be ready to give their best for the players.
"I remember this…it felt like he would never shut up…" She'd state to no one in particular.
Suddenly Vanellope would stumble out from the forest next to the track.
"The Glitch! My sweet subjects back away! Let the guards handle this! She's a danger to our game! If a player sees her, we'll be unplugged for sure!"
Vanellope would try pleading but whatever she said would be drowned out by the guards charging towards her and King Candy practically screaming to drown her out
Minty would black out again, she'd open her eyes and see all the younger racers forming a large circle around a younger Vanellope in the junkyard
Minty would witness the group beat Vanellope mercilessly, she'd tried to look away but some unseen force would make her watch every hit
By the end of it only her younger self would be left standing above the younger Vanellope
YV: "Why?"
YM: "You're a monster and a danger."
YV: "Minty you have to believe me…that feeling I had yesterday, the glitching, King Candy caused it! He's not even a character from this game!"
YM: "Man you're a terrible liar! We didn't even exist yesterday!"
YV: "Minty the game is 4 days old! The arcade was closed for 3 days! All we did was race, laugh and play! How do you not remember that?!"
YM: "Because you're a liar!"
-Young Minty would grab young Vanellope's arm and snap it in 2, young Vanellope would shriek in pain-
YM: "If I catch you anywhere near me or my friends again, I'll do way worse!"
Young Minty would storm off leaving Vanellope crying on the ground, the memory would slowly fade and Minty would find herself in an empty void once again
"…I never went that far…I couldn't have…we…we…we were never that cruel…" Minty would state
"Minty…these are your own memories we're watching…" Vanellope's voice would echo around her
Suddenly several memories of Vanellope getting beaten by the racers would play Infront of Minty
"And they only ever got worse…Turbo told you all to avoid me…instead you all directly sought me out just to harm me…you all CHOSE to come after me!"
Minty wouldn't respond
"Something you all failed to realize though…you were building me into what I became…all I learned each and every day at the hands of all of you…was pain, suffering, how to inflict it to it's maximum potential…how to be cruel…how to be brutal…how to be merciless…how mercy was something no one deserved…I'm what you all made me Minty…and you started it all…you snapping my arm that day…it was foreshadowing what the next 15 years of my life was going to be…"
"No! King Candy! He! He made us do that! We never would've gone after you otherwise! Our first interaction showed that!"
A hand would suddenly latch on tight around her neck and she'd see 2 glowing red eyes appear Infront of her.
"King Candy never ordered you to do what you did…his direct orders were to avoid me at all costs…you all CHOSE to make my life hell…you CHOSE to hate me…you CHOSE to make me suffer…you CHOSE to make me a monster!"
"We didn't make you a monster! You chose to be one!"
Vanellope would pull Minty forward and she'd see they're in the code room, she'd see a large glowing orb beneath them and a large code box beside Vanellope
"What is this?"
"Below you is the Hell-Realm…where you're going to feel how I felt for 15 years…-Minty would look down and see a world of fire appear in the orb-…beside me is my code box…tell me Minty…look at my description…traits…personality…likes…dislikes…desires…ambitions…tell me what you see…"
Minty would look at the code box and her eyes would widen in horror.
"No! NO! IT…THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! HOW?! HOW ARE YOU? IF THAT'S TRUE! HOW ARE YOU DOING ANY OF THIS?!
"…See you on the other side…" Vanellope would let go and would watch Minty fall into the orb shrieking in horror the entire way.
Vanellope would sigh as she'd look at her code. "…Amazing how it never dawned on them…neither Torvald nor Lodhi seemed to think of it either…"
She'd clench her fist. "Now for Gloyd…"
(Meanwhile)
Gloyd would sitting alone in the dark, in complete utter silence, a pin drop could be heard for miles, he would stare blankly ahead of him
Suddenly a pair of red glowing eyes would appear several feet in front of him
"You're not real…this is all just another night terror…I'll wake up any minute now…" He'd state his voice shaking
The eyes would approach him. "That's what I thought each and everyday for 15 years…that the world hadn't forgotten I was the ruler…that all my friends didn't turn on me…that I became an outlet for your damn frustrations!"
Gloyd would back away as a hand would suddenly clamp around his neck. "Come on Gloyd…I've been waiting for this…"
Flames would burst out from beneath them and Vanellope would slam Gloyd face first into them
Gloyd would wake up and find himself on a hill overlooking a junkyard, he'd see a younger version of Vanellope in the junkyard taking spare parts from totaled karts and would seemingly be building her own kart out of them.
"Huh? Why am I seeing this?"
He'd remain silent and confused when he'd notice a younger version of himself walking up to and through him carrying a cherry bomb and pulling a wagon filled with Sweet Seekers behind him
"…Oh…I see where this might be going…"
"Keep watching." Vanellope's voice would echo around him
Gloyd would silently watch as his younger self would take a few Sweet Seeker launchers and fashion them together, his younger self would spot Vanellope in the junkyard and chuckle
YG: "HEY! GLITCH!"
The young Vanellope would jump and look over towards him
YV: "He-hey Gloyd…w-wh-what do you have there?"
YG: "This is what I like to call the Triple Sweet Seeker! And I thought to myself, who better to test it on than Mc-Glitch face herself!"
YV: "WAIT! DON'T!"
YG: "Too late! Fuse is lit!"
Young Gloyd would laugh as several Sweet Seekers would fire towards Vanellope would run and glitch around trying to dodge them all, she'd make it out of the Junkyard only to step on a bear trap and fall to the ground shrieking, young Gloyd would chuckle and walk over to her.
YG: "Ouch…that looks like it hurt Glitch…"
YV: "Just go away."
YG: "What? Not going to plead with me as you always do? Tell me I'm not remembering things that never happened? Not going to try and convince me that you're actually a racer just like all of us?"
YV: "No…you refuse to believe me anyway…so just leave me alone…I didn't do anything to you…"
YG: "You were building a kart…that's a big no-no…as you should know…take this as a punishment…"
Young Gloyd would light the Cherry Bomb and leave it beside Vanellope and run away pulling his kart behind him
Vanellope would grab the bomb and throw it away but it would blow up just a few feet from her
Gloyd would watch as the smoke would clear and he'd see young Vanellope covered in blast marks, she'd pry the bear trap off her leg, limp a few feet away than collapse back to the ground
He'd feel a burning sensation on his shoulder, he'd look behind him and see Vanellope standing there enraged.
"That is not me! It's not! That is not me we just saw!"
"These are YOUR memories Gloyd!" Vanellope would slap him
"I never…I never could've done this!"
"Day 34 of our second year!" Vanellope would slap him again. "I remember it vividly! YOU! TRY! TO! KILL! ME!" She'd slap him after each word
Gloyd would back away only for Vanellope to grab him by the collar. "No! We're not done yet! Day 98 of our third year! You are going to watch just how low you went!" Vanellope would scream at him and he'd black out
Gloyd would re-open his eyes and see he'd be right outside the entrance, he'd see his younger self pulling a tarp over a giant hole, he'd snicker as he'd take out a tablet and run over to the entrance
YG: "Vanellope! I know you're in here! We got to talk! I-I-I never thought you were telling the trust but turns out I was being played for a damn fool!"
Young Vanellope would cautiously glitch closer to him
YV: "How did you find out?"
YG: "I noticed you on the games damn box art from GCS! It made too much sense! How could you be a damn error in the games code when you are literally one of the characters representing the game! Common we got to tell the others!"
He'd run out and Vanellope would follow, he'd run beside the tarp and would shove Vanellope as she'd reach it, she'd fall into the hole and Young Gloyd would laugh
YG: "Glitch did you really buy that hook line and sinker?"
YV: "…You're an asshole…"
YG: "I caught you near my house again…I know you like rummaging through trash cans but damn it I told you to leave my alone! But since you won't I guess there's only one way to take care of this…see you never Glitch!"
Young Gloyd would toss a Cherry Bomb into the hole and proceed to pull on a rope that would be connected to another tarp holding a mountain of dirt, as the Cherry Bomb would blow up, the dirt would fall into the dirt completely burying Vanellope.
"Welp…-Young Gloyd would smack his hands together-…I can now tell King Candy the game is safe from any Glitch related issues…wonder if I'll get rewarded…" He'd walk off
Shortly after Gloyd would see the younger Vanellope dig herself out, blast marks and cuts covering her body, tears falling down her face.
"No! none of this is real! I never did any of this!"
Vanellope would shriek enraged behind him and beat him to the ground. "THESE! ARE! YOUR! MEMORIES!"
Gloyd would try to defend himself but Vanellope would continue landing hit after hit. "You did this to me! You and you alone! You came after me for solely existing!"
Gloyd would try get away only for Vanellope to pounce on him again. "You and your fucking bear traps! YOUR FUCKING CHERRY BOMBS! THOSE DAMNED FUCKING SWEET SEEKERS! I always knew when you weren't on the daily roster cause your first stop was the junkyard to find me!"
She'd stop beating him and grab his shirt and pull him close to her. "And I cannot begin to tell you the satisfaction I felt when you got stuck in your own bear traps…the sheer joy I had in watching you explode…it's a memory I would play back a hundred times if I could…but it'll never…ever make up for what you did to me…and if I'm being honest? Jubileena didn't go far enough with what she did to you…"
A sudden flash of light would blind him, when it would fade, he'd find himself being held above a giant orb where inside he'd see a world on fire
"Wh-what is that?!"
"The Hell-Realm…where you and all the others are going to experience how my life felt for so long…don't worry your re-uniting with Taffyta…but neither of you are ever going to leave that wretched hellscape…not sane anyway…"
"Please Vanellope! I know I fucked up! I'll forever admit I fucked up! But you have to understand I was manipulated! I literally was taught to see you as an enemy and a threat to the game!"
"Turbo's direct orders were to AVOID me! You CHOSE to try and kill me!"
"Has it never dawned on you that as much as he said to avoid you King Candy highly encouraged our worst behaviours?!"
"I don't want to fucking here it Gloyd! I'M DONE! I'm done hearing excuses! I'm done hearing pleas for mercy! I'm done with desperate attempts to justify past actions! I'm done! With all of it! I decided exactly what I was going to do to everyone when I set this final plan into motion and believe me…I'm not changing my mind…not for you or anyone…"
"You can say we were evil all you want! How are you any better?!"
"I'm not…I'm evil, I admit it, I embrace it…I'm simply what you all made me…the difference between you and I…you refuse to accept you did what you did voluntarily…and I admit everything evil I've done I've done intentionally…"
She'd go to drop him. "One final thing Gloyd…look at my code box…"
Gloyd would look at it, his eyes would widen briefly. "…Honestly…unsurprising…" He'd state in a defeated tone
"See you on the other side asshole." Vanellope would drop him and watch him fall into the Hell-Realm
She'd take a deep breath. "Now…Sticky…"
(Meanwhile)
Sticky would be sitting silently in the dark, shaking in fear
She'd feel a cold breeze pass by and she'd look up and see a pair of red eyes a few feet in front of her, they'd be bright enough that she could make out the outline of Vanellope's face
"…Stare into the abyss long enough the abyss stares back…" She'd state trying to keep calm
"At different points in our lives we both found ourselves staring into it." Vanellope would state
"Which one of us blinked though?" Sticky would ask
"Hard question…I feel I'm still staring into it…" Vanellope would reply
"Vanellope…at this point you are the abyss…" Sticky would state nervously
"You're not wrong…" Vanellope would say with a sigh
"Kill me, torture me, alter me…just get it over with…at this point do whatever you desire just make it quick…" Sticky would continue staring into Vanellope's eyes
"I'm not going to hurt you…heck I didn't even hurt Minty…despite the beatings she gave me…"
"Why is that?"
"I got tired of the game Sticky…it didn't feel like having a redo of what transpired 11 years ago…heck I just wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible…less things the children will need to forget…at this point I didn't want a large convoluted scheme to gain victory that any resistance would have a chance of beating if every card was played right…which is why I went with a quick strike…some only surviving due to luck and circumstances…"
"Essentially it was game over when we didn't kill you years ago wasn't it? A bomb specifically designed to deal with you…and it didn't do anything…""
"Indeed, it was…depending on how I'm feeling after this…I may show you why none of you stood a chance to begin with…"
"Yea…you mentioned memory lane…what you have in store for me?"
"Being honest? That was more directed at Minty and Gloyd…each had taken part in bullying me for so long…Minty was the first to truly injure me badly…Gloyd took his frustrations of not making the roster on me and even tried to get rid of me at one point…things they seemed to have forgotten or refuse to accept they did…things that turned me into this…monster sitting before you…you however…were different…just like Torvald, Nougetsia and Citrusella…"
"How is that?"
"None of you ever really laid a finger on me…you followed the racers to bully me for a short while…but like after the first month or so you stopped…the only thing you ever did was shout at me if you caught me near your place…it always led me to asking myself the same question…"
"Which was?"
"Why?"
Sticky would look at Vanellope silently
"Why…why were you not like the others? Why did you leave me alone? Even though you may not have liked me…as long as I didn't bother you, you didn't bother me…why?"
Sticky would take a deep breath calming herself. "Honestly you answered your own question…you never bothered me so I never bothered you…King Candy's orders were to avoid you…so I avoided you…I was told you could easily harm us so never quite understood why the others went after you…but in all honesty…during those 15 years I harbored no hatred towards you…at most you annoyed me when you got to close…because chaos would ensue cause the citizens and fans would go crazy in a panic, the other racers immediately dropped whatever they were doing to go after you…and in the end I was always left with a giant mess I was asked to pick up…"
Vanellope would tilt her head to the side. "…You…didn't hate me?"
"I never really had a reason too…you were a danger to the game yea…but for the most part you kept your distance…I never felt genuine hatred…just annoyance when you were caught close by since mass hysteria would ensue." Sticky would respond
"…Interesting…" Vanellope would state
"…Before you enact whatever punishment you have for me…may I ask a question?"
"…Go ahead…"
"What made you like this? Did the years just get to you and you snapped long before Ralph showed up? Did the racers destroying your kart push you over the edge…did regaining your throne and having all that power of your finger tips go to your head and bring out a darker side of you?...I don't mean to insult you…I just want to know what turned you into this…and what me and the other recolours could've done to prevent it…"
To her surprise Vanellope's eyes would stop glowing red and she'd disappear into the darkness.
"…Honestly…there wasn't anything you could've done…in our 5th year when I jumped off Rainbow Bridge…neither you or the other recolours…could've stopped…what came next…" Vanellope would respond in a saddened tone
"I assume that's where you snapped?" Sticky would ask hesitantly
"…I'll just show you…" Vanellope would respond
Before Sticky could say anything, they'd be floating in the code room, she'd see Vanellope floating next to her code box. "I can't find the words to describe it…it's better if you just see for yourself…"
Sticky would look at it and her eyes would widen in horror. "But…but…that…that shouldn't even be possible…how…like how are you here?" She'd ask horrified
"…To be completely truthful with you Sticky…I don't even know…I've spent days in here trying to figure it out…yet there's no answer to be found…but do you see what I mean when I say I'm simply what they made me?"
Sticky would nod horrified.
"Good…you will go to the Hell-Realm for a brief time…since like the others…I need you to see and feel how I felt for 15 years…you've angered me in the past Sticky…I even hated you briefly when you ruined my plans right before Lodhi and the others were added to the game…I'm not sending you there out of malice…I'm sending you there to learn…just how it feels to be truly alone…"
Sticky would look down and see a world in flames, she'd look back up at Vanellope who to her surprise would have a saddened expression on her face.
"See you soon Sticky…" Vanellope would snap her finger and watch Sticky fall down into it
She'd sigh. "…What could have been…"
(Meanwhile)
Herschel would sit silently in his cell, he'd stare silently at the torch in the middle of the room, he'd hear Vanellope glitch into the room, he wouldn't raise his head to look at her, keeping his gaze solely on the flame
They'd sit silently for what could only have been minutes but for Herschel felt like hours, eventually he'd sigh and break the silence
"Not going to give me a speech? Not going to say a word to me?"
Vanellope would remain silent
A few more minutes of silence would pass, and he'd grow annoyed. "I know your sitting there…why aren't you speaking?"
A few more minutes of silence would pass and he'd raise his head and look at her. "Answer me! Why are you not saying anything?!"
"…What can I even say to you?" Vanellope would respond
Herschel would look at her confused
"…You never wronged me…you were lie to by everyone…thrown into a fight that was not yours…tormented because of decisions you never had a real say in…lost everything…everyone…because I could never truly see the tragedy that was unfolding before me…so blinded by my own rage…need for vengeance…I never took a moment to consider how I was hurting the one person in this world that didn't deserve one bit of my wrath…what can I possibly say to you…to even address the wrongs I've committed against you…"
"I feel there's nothing you can say at this point Vanellope…you showed me…showed us all your true colours…there's no going back on what you've done so if I were you, I'd quit this act of you trying to sound and act sympathetic!"
"You may not believe me but I am sorry for what happened to you…I should've never let you become involved…I got lost in my own schemes…you suffered for no reason…by my hands…the one person in this world who played no role in me becoming this…honestly…it may sound bad but…I honestly should've ended this…all this…before you got added…I never should've allowed resistance to carry on so long…I should've enacted my plans far earlier…you should've been added into a world I had already corrected…you shouldn't have experience any of the violence…bloodshed…misery…trauma…everything I inflicted on you…should have never happened…I truly am sorry for that…you should've been a beacon of light in a world I perfected…not a scarred being as you are now…"
"There's no changing that Vanellope…I don't know why your sorry about it…you've rarely if ever been sorry for anything…"
"Even a monster can feel regret…if they can't than they're not a monster…just an animal that needs to be put down."
"Shouldn't you be torturing me? Killing in the most vicious and painful way you can imagine? Shouldn't you be making me suffer? What's the hold up?"
"I…don't want to…"
"Quit the act Vanellope…"
"I'm not acting…these past few days…for once in my damn existence…I'm being honest…"
"Don't expect sympathy points from me since now you've seemingly grown a conscious!"
To Herschel's shock and amazement one of the walls would give way and he'd see several code boxes beside him.
"What is all this?" He'd ask
"Codes of racers, servants, citizens and what not…I wanted to show you mine…since I feel…it would explain to you why I am the way I am…"
"Doubtful…"
"Just take a look."
Herschel would look and be would be shocked for a moment before turning his attention to Vanellope
"I don't know what lies you are trying to push here…but none of that can be true…otherwise me talking to you would be impossible…"
"As I've said for so long…I am what they made me…this…-she'd gesture at herself-…isn't me…-she'd point at her code box-…none of that is me…it's what they did to me…what they turned me into…it's why at times I get so mad I can't think straight, how I become vicious on the turn of a dime…how I failed to realize you deserved none of what I did to you…"
"Vanellope…even if that were true…it changes nothing…infact…it only means we truly have to take you down…before you destroy everything…"
Vanellope would glitch over to him and place a hand on his shoulder and he'd be frozen in place, unable to move a muscle.
"I'm saving this world for the children…by destroying the one that came before it…the children will never have a chance of experiencing what I did…as I'll eradicate the very possibility…I just need you to know…I never hated you…and it was never…ever personal…I'm sorry it came to this Herschel…you should've never experienced any of this…"
Before Herschel would respond he'd feel this numbing sensation take over, he'd try to scream, thrash his arms about, even throw his head back, yet he's remained frozen in place unable to do anything
Vanellope would watch as Herschel would begin to glow, she'd look at his code box and after a few minutes would remove her hand
Herschel would stop glowing and would fall forward, Vanellope would catch him and help him to his feet.
"What happened? My head hurts…how did I get here?"
"Questions for another day Herschel…-she'd glitch them into his home-…go rest up…tomorrow at 9 you may come collect Sticky from the castle…"
"As you wish your highness."
"I shall see you then…" She'd glitch back into her throne room and sigh. "…One day…I'll have to make things right with him…"
She'd take a deep breath. "Only 2 left to go…"
(Meanwhile)
Annie would sit quietly as Sebastian would pace Infront of her
"Sebastian please sit down and take some deep breathes…" She'd state
"It's hard! We're trapped in this inescapable box! And we're at the mercy of Vanellope who from the stories is cruel and brutal beyond imagination as if she didn't have a soul!"
"…That would imply I'm a soulless husk…which I wouldn't see myself as…" He'd hear Vanellope behind him
He'd quickly look over his shoulder and see her sitting across from Annie, Sebastian would nearly trip over himself as he'd put distance between himself and Vanellope
"So, you haven't killed us…and you said we didn't deserve your wrath…what's going on?"
"I wanted the game to end Annie…I wished to enact my plans…and this time…I didn't want to play games with any sort of resistance that may form…I have plans for this world and I couldn't let anyone stop me from fulfilling them…"
"What were your plans?"
"Make the perfect world for the children…where there's not even the slightest chance of a child experiencing what I did…no bullying…no prejudice…no one feeling like an outcast…no one growing up…alone…to do that…the racers of old…couldn't be the racers of old…the old world had to be burned to the ground…so the new one could rise from it's ashes and build up…I've seen the darkest of the racers depravity…and I could not, would not let the children be exposed to it…"
"You say that but you're no saint yourself…" Sebastian would state nervously
"Everything I've done is just a portion of what was inflicted on me…if you wanted Sebastian I could let you see my memories…and would let you witness my 15 years of pain and torment…hell I could make you experience them…and I'd like to see you remain sane…" Vanelloope would glare at him.
"No need no need! I'm sorry I didn't mean it that way!" Sebastian would cower behind Annie
Annie would glare back at Vanellope. "What did you do to Marcy? She would've never joined you willingly…"
Vanellope's glare would fade and she'd sigh
"Marcy wanted me to tell you she went down fighting…enduring the Hell-Realm…a world I created where the pain and misery I endured is given form…a place people can see just how I felt each and every day…till she no longer could bare it…though to be honest…I didn't keep her there long…but I did program the world to play heavily on her fear of fire…"
Annie would spring to her feet. "You bitch!" She'd lunge at Vanellope who'd glitch behind her and place a hand on her shoulder and on Sebastian's shoulder freezing both in place.
"I would've like to have talked more…but…I feel you wouldn't want to hear it…just letting you know Annie…I always liked you as a friend…during those 11 years of peace…I did appreciate your efforts on being one of my closer friends…"
Both Annie and Sebastian would begin to glow, after a few minutes Vanellope would remove her hands and would catch Annie as she'd fall backwards than catch Sebastian as he'd fall forward
"Take it easy you 2…you maybe a little bit dizzy…" Vanellope would state
"What happened? What are we doing here? I last remember making breakfast this morning at home." Annie would state
"I'll fill you in later…but don't worry everything is fine now…" She'd glitch them to Annie's home. "Rest up…both of you…come to the castle later tomorrow…"
"As you wish your majesty…" Annie and Sebastian would respond in unison
Vanellope would nod and glitch back to her throne room
"…I…I'm close…Lodhi…he's all that's left…" She'd tell herself as she'd take a deep breath
(Meanwhile)
Lodhi would be working in his lab, swiping frantically at his tablet.
"How?! Fucking how?!" He'd shout frustrated
"Vots ze problem boss?" Heinz would ask him
"Vanellope…she…she keeps changing zings faster zen I can't fix them…it's to ze point I'm practically locked out of ze code…"
The lights would suddenly flicker and all 4 of his assistants would de-spawn
"And now you're here…" Lodhi would state aloud
He'd see movement in the distant shadows and he'd press something on his tablet and several barriers would form around him and throughout the lab
"Lodhi…it's over…don't make this harder…"
"As long as one person stands against you zere's a battle to fight!
"Fine…it's about time I show you that there was no beating me…"
Before Lodhi could react his lab would start breaking around him, a wire would wrap around his arm and pull him into the games very code
He'd be pulled into the center of the room as where he'd see Vanellope floating next to a large group of code boxes
"Lodhi it's over…please…stop resisting…" Vanellope would state
Lodhi would look at her. "How...how did you become so masterful viz ze code?"
"Lodhi…I was always this good with the code…I made an entire damn world within the games code without you noticing for crying out loud."
"You never did zis before…"
"Because before it felt like I was playing a game…this time…I'm not…no more games…no more schemes…I have a vision…and I'm doing everything in my power to see it come to fruition…"
Lodhi would pull at the wire and Vanellope would float over to him. "And you will help me accomplish it…your intelligence…your way about the code…it's all to good to waste…"
"Send me to your damn Hell-Realm…I'm never helping you!"
"No…you're joining me and your siblings…Phipps is joining us tomorrow…"
Vanellope would put her hand on Lodhi's shoulder freezing him in place
Vanellope would look him in the eye and she'd smile slightly. "Don't worry…I want what's best for the children…"
Lodhi would glow brightly for a few moments and Vanellope would remove her hand
"My head hurts…" Lodhi would state
"Don't worry…it'll fade in a few moments…" She'd glitch him to his bedroom. "Rest up…once you wake up, I left a list of tasks to do in the code for you on your nightstand…do those as soon as possible than meet me in my throne room…"
"As you command…" Lodhi would state
Vanellope would nod and glitch back into her throne room
She'd sit on her throne and call Lucy. "Lucy my dear…if you wish to leave the Fungeon you are clear to go through the throne room."
"Alright mother…I'll be a few more hours…still working on my enforcers…"
"Very well…have fun down there…"
"I shall…" Lucy would hang up
Vanellope would lean back in her throne and let out a loud sigh
"It's done…no one left to resist…only thing left to do is make alterations…then…this world…will be all I want it to be…"
She'd look up at the torch above her throne
"Fitting…they tormented a sweet little girl…made her a monster…only for that monster to end up being their ruler…"
She'd smile slightly when she'd suddenly hear faint echoes of Turbo's laughter in her mind.
Her smile would disappear and she'd sigh
"…What could have been…"
End Ch.12