The night had come. She had been eagerly—almost impatiently—waiting for it to arrive: the weekly Bad-Anon meeting. For it was this night that she, of all people—Vanellope von Schweetz, President of Sugar Rush—was going to join the ranks of the Bad Guys and attend a Bad-Anon meeting. Not just bringing cookies afterwards. But participating. She was reminded of that day long ago, when she and Ralph had made the new kart, and were leaving Diet Cola Mountain to head to the Random Roster Race. Of that funny feeling in her stomach. How had she expressed it to Ralph? "Now I think I'm gonna puke, actually...you know, like a 'vurp'...a vomit and a burp together...and it's just like, rising up and you can taste it...Ralph, am I ready to be a real racer? What if the gamers don't like me?" Was she ready to unburden herself to all these Bad Guys? Many of them were kind of scary-looking. What if she started talking and looked at someone and then she freaked out because they looked like they didn't like her? Look, Vanellope. You said you're bored. You said you want challenges. This is a pretty big one. And c'mon, you know how this has been making you feel. Clyde and Ralph have been so encouraging that you do this.

Yes. Ralph too. She had been dreading talking to him about this. Afraid he'd think she was dredging "that old thing" up again. Afraid he'd object to her talking to others so intimately about that night. Afraid he'd be offended by her having anything good to say about her old life. That it meant she belittled what he did for her. That he would get angry and turn away from her. But she had decided on this course. That she couldn't simply go on as she'd been going. That some stuff had to change, and that it had to come from her. She wasn't looking for anything from anyone else: only their understanding about her situation, which over time had started seeming really weird to her.

When she sat down with him the night before on the brick pile in Fix-it Felix, and started pouring out the same things she had said to Clyde a few days before, her heart was in her mouth in a way it hadn't been when she spoke to Clyde. Because Ralph was at the center of all of this. He had changed the course of her quite unhappy life. And for this her gratitude went beyond all bounds. They did not talk about it much afterwards—she felt he thought it had been 'no big deal' what he did (Hah!) and didn't want to dwell on it. So she did not tell him directly how she felt about it, but tried to show it in a thousand small ways. So as she made her way towards that central thing—her feelings of guilt—she prayed he would not interrupt and let her get to that. Because she felt that once he knew how bad she was feeling about this, he would understand, and sympathize, and not feel disrespected.

She had decided to tell him about coming to the meeting first, and get his surprise about that out of the way. At first he thought she was kidding: "Are you like secretly filming this or something? Is this like Candid Camera? You're just messing with me, right?" But the seriousness of her expression brought him up short. He could see she was in earnest. "Ahh—okay. You are going to come to the meeting tomorrow night. What's up?" She said a silent thanks for him having opened the door to begin her story, and so she proceeded to tell him. As she went on, he grunted a few times, but did not speak. She wondered what he was feeling. She felt like she was rushing, to get to that. Finally she had gotten there: "Ralph. I figured out...only the other day...why I think this is making me feel so terrible." She paused. Am I hoping he'll now ask, 'What is it, kid?' I guess I am. "It's that...it's that I feel this terrible guilt for feeling anything positive about the time before we met. Like...I'm terrified you think it dishonors you, and what..." Her throat tightened any time she thought about that scene, and her eyes moistened. "...what you did for me, to save me. You gave everything. You gave your life." She began crying. "You gotta understand how deeply I feel about that. I know it was amazing enough that you went to Diet Cola Mountain, after I told you...that you should go without me. But I was watching the whole thing, when he took you up in the air, and...I saw what you did. I saw you…break away from him on purpose…to…make the beacon and…save me…though…though you were…gonna die. My...my spirit blew apart into a million fragments in that moment and then...reassembled...and I glitched myself to a kart as fast as I could go, to save...to save you...this...this amazing person I could not believe actually existed." The deep emotion was contagious, and Ralph found himself tearing up as well, as he took in the depth of her feeling about him, and what he had done. He turned towards her, and she was already looking at him; and she fell onto his chest and cried for a good long time, while he shed tears as well while holding her close.

After a time, they grew quiet. Snuggled into Ralph's chest, Vanellope said, "So I hope...knowing how I feel about you, and what you did...you understand that nothing I say or feel about the time before we met can touch that...or remove it from first place, where it is and will always be." Ralph couldn't speak. I'm not even sure I can think, let alone say anything. But I guess I better let her know I understand that... "Yes. I understand." Say more. She's afraid. Remember outside the mountain all those years ago? She gets afraid sometimes. "You don't need to worry about me. I get it. What happened to you...never happened to anybody. That's...that's gotta be weird, because you can't talk to anyone who's had the same experience." And then his mind lit up in enlightenment. "That's why you want to come to the meeting! Of anyone in the arcade, we come the closest to what you had to deal with back then. I get it now!", he beamed. She leaned back to look at him as he said this, her heart unclenching, letting go, feeling relief, and she began crying again. Only this time, from relief; from happiness; from connecting with this most important person.

All this ran through her thoughts as she set up a chair for herself in the meeting after showing up early. She did not sit next to Ralph. They had spoken of this the night before: "I've gotten used to the Bad Guys, but not as an equal. More like a mascot. I think that if I look around the room and don't see a friendly face, I might get all tongue-tied. I want to sit where I can see you, and if I get nervous, I can look at you and I'll feel better." Ralph liked this idea. She sat next to Clyde, actually; though she was hoping to be able to look at him for support too. When she mentioned it, as they set up the chairs, Clyde had said, "Why don't you sit next to me? That way, you can have Ralph in your vision; and since I run the meeting, the attendees give me a little more respect. With you at my side they will behave themselves—not that they wouldn't anyway, but I understand your trepidation." After a moment he added: "What you're doing is very brave, Vanellope. I will stand up for you and stand with you." She squeezed him in a hug. Man, he's unbelievable, thought Vanellope. Why are people such dorks about Bad Guys? They're some of the nicest people in the arcade.

Finally the moment came. Others outside their charmed circle began drifting in, getting coffee and donuts, and making small talk. There was the hulking M. Bison...spindly Dr. Eggman...ginormous Bowser...shuffling Zombie...strutting Zangief...suave Saitine. She started to feel it. Oh my gosh. A vurp. I feel like I'm gonna puke. No, don't have a donut. You'll just barf it back up. Her mind continued to race. Ralph noticed her distraction. "You doing okay?", he asked. She motioned for him to come close. She whispered, "No. I feel like I'm gonna barf. Oh Ralph, I'm so scared." "Come on. It'll be fine. Our looks are worse than our...um...feelings, I guess." She squeezed his giant hand for a moment to reassure herself.

Clearing his throat, Clyde took charge. "Okay, everyone, please take your seats." Trying to appear as inconspicuous as possible, Vanellope shuffled in and among people and made a beeline for Clyde, and sat next to him. Did Zangief raise his eyebrow just now? What's that guy with one eye thinking? They think I'm a poser! She fought down the panic—and the vurp. No. No. Remember. Ralph is here. Clyde is right next to you. They think this is legit. Clyde continued. "You will no doubt have noticed a new face among us this evening. She came to me a few days ago, asking about coming here tonight, and what she told me convinced me completely that she had a place in this circle. Does anyone object if she addresses the meeting first, so we get to know her story?" There were a couple of grunts of agreement. Chairs creaked. Then silence. Clyde turned his gaze to her and nodded. This was the signal to begin.

Vanellope cleared her throat. "Uhmm...I'm...I'm Vanellope, and I'm...I don't know what I am."