XIII.
Now within the castle walls
assembled king, the cops, and Ralph.
"Let's see what creature have we here—
Wynchel, Duncan—get to work."
They broke the taffy round its head;
and much to the surprise of all,
Ralph's visage stood there, revealed.
"Milk my duds, it's Wreck-it Ralph!"
exclaimed the king. "And who are you—
a baker here?" asked Ralph, without
a trace of fear. "No—I'm King Candy;
I rule here." Ralph looked about
and saw the dominance of pink
within the castle's color scheme.
"I see that you're a fan of pink",
said Ralph with cheek. "Salmon, salmon—it's
clear as day it's that, not pink—
but I've no time for trivial talk—
by gum, what mischief mean you here?"
"That I easily can explain—
if you release me from this cake,
I'll get my medal, and go home."
The king, quite shocked: "Your medal? Bad Guys
aren't wont to gather medals to'm."
"Well, this one did—I earned it fair
and square, did I, in 'Hero's Duty'."
The disapproval of the king
grew double: "Ralph! You game-jumped?
That's a crime, as I'm sure you know well!
Are you going Turbo now?
For if you think you can here come,
into my kingdom, steal my game—
I'll not take such things lying down,
you see!" "Now look, Your Puffiness,
I've no designs upon your game.
One of your candy children took
my medal, and I'd like it back,
quite simply—that is all."
"Candy children? 'Arf a mo'—"
It dawned on him: "—the glitch! She must have
used that medal as her fee,
to buy her way onto the board."
"What?! I need that back!" Ralph cried.
"Well, sad to say, it can't be helped;
that medal's code—no longer gold.
And it will stay in such a state
until the winner of this race
the contents of the cup wins back."
"I guess that then I'd like to stay,
chat with the winner, then go my way."
This, the king took as a threat:
"Ralph, the only thing you'll do,
if I have anything to say
on it—once you're removed from that"
—he meant the cake—"you're leaving here
forthwith, and never coming back.
And should I e'er once find you here,
I'll lock you up, and lose the key;
intó my Fungeon you shall go
and never more see light of day.
Now, I must haste, and catch that glitch
before she causes mass unrest.
Fare you well, you smelly lout;
be gone before the hour's out."
Upon his heel the king did turn,
his orders clear—he'd not return.
Then the pair of donut cops
turned to their work—this Ralph to free.
But when the one a chainsaw grabbed,
Ralph rolled away—with urgent speed.
Through a window he did fall;
a normal day at work for him.
The cake did break—he was now free—
ran from the castle; then did duck
the manhunt raised to track him down.
"Let's find those racers—maybe I
can talk some sense to them—I'll try."
Wandering, crossing the track
he saw their karts go flying by;
their attention did he try
to catch—they drove like ones pursued
by demons, and they heard him not.
"I'll follow them—that's what I'll do",
said Ralph, and taking to the road,
came on a clearing. In it stood—
a figure too well-known to him!
Next to a homespun kart stood Van,
repairing tools lay close to hand.
"Why, there's that brat—but soft! What's this?"
The racers in their karts approached
Vanellope, stopped, and got out.
"I'll stay unseen and watch this meet—
they seem unhappy, her to see.
She's naught but trouble, that's for sure!
Let's hunker down, and watch the show."