XX.
From the mountain fast she went;
in hand, the medal for her friend.
"He's gonna love it! I can't wait
to see his face, 'pon getting it!"
'Round a corner came she then;
Ralph sat there with drooping mien.
"Miss me?" she did brightly ask.
"Yeah...mind if we have a talk?"
"First, take a knee." "No, really, Van—"
"Just do it!" And he did comply.
"Now close your eyes…" "Vanellope—"
"Close 'em!" He did, silently.
Suddenly he felt a weight
around his neck—what could this be?
"Okay—now open them back up."
He found a pendant 'round his neck—
he turned it: "To Stinkbrain", it read.
He arched an eyebrow. "Thanks a lot—"
"Turn it over." This he did.
And the pain coursing around his soul
grew tenfold then. For on the obverse,
th'inscription read: 'You're my hero'.
His heart did shrivel. She explained,
"I made it just for you, in case
we do not win—not that there is
the slightest chance of that! Now rise,
my royal chump—let's go! We've got
a date with destiny!" "Thanks, kid."
He drew a breath. "Look, I've been thinking—"
"Dangerous!" "Who cares about
this stupid race in any case?"
"That's not too funny." "Not meant to be.
'Twas fun to build the kart and all—
but now I think you shouldn't go."
"Paging Ralph! Is he inside?
I'd really like to speak with him."
"What I'm saying's, you cannot
become a racer. Racing's out."
This sucker punch did Van enrage;
her feelings in a whiplash swirled.
"What is all this? Why would you say—
hey wait! What's this?" She spied the golden
medal Ralph tucked away.
"Where did you get this?" "Listen, kid—
spoke with the king of late, I did."
"King Candy?" "Yeah—" "You sold me out?"
"It's not like that. You understand
me not—" "I understand plenty! Traitor!"
"No!" "You rat—out of my way;
your help's not needed." "I'm just trying
to save your skin!" And now he used
his larger size to pick her up,
so she could not reach the kart.
"Put me down! Out of my sight!"
she cried, her ire running hot.
"Van, if gamers see you glitch,
they'll think the game is broken, and
when Litwak finally pulls the plug,
you'll die—and that, I can't allow!"
"I won't listen to a word you say.
I'm going to race—out of my way!"
Out of options, Ralph was forced
to do a thing he dreaded fierce—
to keep Van safe from coming wreck,
suspended her from candy tree,
by her green hoodie's drooping hood.
"Take me down, Ralph! Take me down!"
"I'm sorry, kid, I'm doing this
not 'cause I want to—have no doubt.
I sadly do it—for your good."
And then his large hands skyward he
raised high above their kart. Then Van,
slowly grasping what he'd do,
began to scream, "Ralph! No! Please don't!"
With heart drowned in wretched pain—
he brought his arms down. Th'onslaught
began to wreck the kart they'd made;
and in the background, Van's shrill screams
of "Stop it! No! Please, Ralph! Oh no!"
further drilled into his heart.
He bashed until the deed was done;
Vanellope glitched off the tree,
and lying there upon the ground,
wept bitter tears; then looked at him,
and in sad voice, said words that killed him:
"You really are a bad guy."
Off she ran, towárds her lair,
weeping quietly. Ralph stood there
and watched her go. "My only friend—
what hell this is."
With nothing else for him to do,
he made his way towards his home game.
Though armed with medal, his heart was shot;
yet now, this was all that he'd got.
He found Niceland deserted—called,
"Felix? Mary?" Opening Gene's door,
he there Gene found, the usual drink
close by his hand. "Well, look who's back."
said Gene, nonplussed. "You went and did it."
"Where's everyone?" "Well, after Felix
went to find you, and did not
come back, all ran away." "But I am
here now—" "Ralph, it's far too late.
The game's on death watch. In the morn,
Litwak's gonna pull the plug.
But never say, that I am not
a man who keeps his word—here, Ralph,
here is the key to my penthouse.
The place is yours! Enjoy! I'm off!"
He took up his small suitcase then,
and climbed the stairs to go. "But Gene,
this isn't what I wanted." "Well,
what did you want, Ralph? Tell me that."
"I simply tired to live alone
in yonder garbage." "Well, now you can—
live alone in penthouse high."
Gene turned and left. The weight of Earth
bore down on Ralph.—To the smallish
balcony he shuffled out,
the 'Out Of Order' sign to see,
taped across the game's front glass.
Miserable, he gazed at it;
and fingered medal—then did rip
the filthy thing from off his neck.
Winding up, he mightily threw
the thing away—what pain it brought!
Striking far away upon
the glass, the impact loosened up
the tape that held the sign in place.
Drooping low, it gave a view
of 'Sugar Rush' across the way.
Sadly Ralph in trembling hand
held th'heart-shaped medal,
made by Van—he read the words
once more. Pain coursed through every part—
then looking up, he gave a start.
Upon the S.R. cabinet:
Vanellope! Driving a kart!
She was a racer—something stunk.
Immediately he made his way
to 'Sugar Rush'; to put to rights
all of these wrongs.