(no subject)

[keybearer]

Chapter 29: Mix it Up

After soaring across the candy landscape, Riku and friends dismounted the hover board. Side by side, they made way across the checkered ground toward a golden doorway decorated with stained glass windows, flanked by blazing torches, and blocked by a troop of enormous Oreo cookies, who paced back and forth with spears in their tiny hands, singing a ridiculous chant.

“Oreo. Oreeeeeo…”

“Oh brother,” said Donald. “Are all the people here food?”

The moment he spoke, the guards halted, snapping around and raising their spears. One of them thundered to the door, pounding with its tiny hands. The other guards swarmed the trio, spears pointed at their necks. Gulping, Goofy leaned back and lifted his hands.

“Gawrsh, fellers, we ain’t here to cause trouble! We’re just lookin’ for some pals and a spooky ol’ bug.”

“Yeah, back off!” Donald smacked one of the spears with his staff, but the neighboring cookie jabbed at his rump, making him spring into the air with a quack. As soon as he landed, smoke started rising from his weapon. “Oh, now you’re asking for it!”

Riku’s face met his palm, and he had every intention to tell Donald to chill, but a little green ball with floating hands and feet caught his focus instead. His half opened eyes became round as saucers when he saw the group, and he shuffled inside, pulling some kind of lever. Then, faster than you could say ‘cupcake,’ the floor flipped open, and Riku, Donald, and Goofy abruptly dropped through a dark, narrow chamber, Goofy hollering all the while.

“Yaaah-hoo-hoo-hoo-hooey!”

Despite Goofy’s kicking and flailing, Riku remained calm and still. Whipping out his hand, he called Oathkeeper into his grip, tipped the point down and spewed a whirling gust at the floor, turning their plummet into a slow, gentle drift. Moments later, their feet brushed up against a graham cracker floor, with chocolate barred windows and a pink wafer cookie chained to the wall as a makeshift bed. Mumbling and muttering, Donald stomped across the room, whacking his staff against the barred metal door.

“Aw, who do they think they’re messing with? That crummy lock’s not gonna stop us.”

“Yup,” said Goofy. “Plus, if the walls are made outta sweets, then we could eat our way out!”

“Yeah, but I don’t want to get sick.” Riku patted his stomach, then lifted his Keyblade. The tip started twinkling, but just before a beam could shoot out, the door screeched open, revealing a short, big-nosed, and bald man with a golden crown and purple getup. He took one look at the Keyblade and sprung back, teeth clenched, eyes buggy, and hands palms lifted.

“Wait! It’s all right. I come in peace…”

“Oh yeah?” said Donald. “Then why’d you lock us up in the first place?”

The king blinked, then giggled. “Oh dear. Did your friend get a Sour Patch Kid stuck in his throat? His voice is so—”

“My voice is fine!” Donald snapped, and though he started stomping toward the king, Goofy grabbed him and pulled him back. Watching the duo, the king inched closer and shook his hands.

“Look, this is all just a terrible misunderstanding. You’ll have to forgive us, but we had a little trouble with another group of outsiders, and we’re all still a little on edge.”

Rising from the wafer bed, Goofy crouched by the king. “Shucks, there wasn’t a feller with spiky red hair, was there? Or how ‘bout a great big bug?”

“A metal one,” Donald added.

“A giant bug? What kind of game do you think this is?” The king glanced out the door, then waved one of his hands. “Why don’t we go somewhere more comfortable? This cell, it’s just so… so cramped! So bleak. I don’t want to give the wrong impression.”

With no reason to stick around, the trio followed the king up spiraling stairways lined with velvet pink carpets. In time, they reached a long, towering chamber with a high, arched ceiling. Another pink stretched from the door to the wall. A pink-tinted chandelier hung over their head. Two winding stairways with similar rugs curled along the end of the throne room, and pink patches hung high along the walls. Between that and the pink and gold throne, it was your average little girl’s dream come true… Well, ignoring the fact that a tiny old man had led them there.

Once there, the little green glob from before toddled over, and Donald sent him a snarl.

“Thanks a lot!” he snapped, but the green guy kept a stoic, almost lazy expression and passed Donald without a second glance.

“Ah, Sour Bill! Could you fetch us some extra chairs? I want our guests to feel at home!” The king giggled, and Sour Bill complied with a silent nod. He raced up one of the stairways, then came zipping down the other, dragging a cart of giant donut rings, which he spread out in a straight line. Beaming, the king gestured to these frosty seats, and while it was kinda unconventional, Riku slowly sank down.

Once they’d all taken their seats, he leaned forward and locked eyes with the king. “So, you were saying?”

“Oh! Right. Well, my subjects and I were minding our business and preparing for the next big race.” He paused when the three all gave him similarly puzzled glances and flapped his hand. “Oh, it’d take too long to explain! But, anyway, we were about to get rolling when this glitch came bursting onto the tracks, gold coin in hand! Now, I tried to be reasonable and escort her off the premises when a black-coated she demon thrust herself at me! I just about fainted, but I managed to stand my ground even when her shadowy partner attacked…”

“Wait a minute!” said Goofy. “That can’t be right. I know Sora and Xion, and they wouldn’t pick on somebody unless they were makin’ some kinda ruckus.”

“Well, there was definitely a ruckus, but it was their doing! Those two troublemakers used fire, and lightning, and all sorts of terrifying spells! My darling subjects tried to defend their beloved track, but that brute Wreck-it Ralph smashed his way through the stands and—”

Donald wobbled to his feet. “No way! Ralph’s our friend, and he’s trying to be good now.”

“Ralph? Good?” The king giggled and wiped his eye. “You’re joking. You can’t possibly think he’s capable of…” Donald’s glare only sharpened, and the king slid back. “Now, calm down! I mean no disrespect, but why would you want to be friends with a bad guy? Especially one with such horrible halitosis…”

“Here’s a better question,” said Riku. “Do you even know Ralph? Because if you did, you’d realize he’s a nice guy. Reckless, sure, and he doesn’t know his own strength, but he means well, and that’s more than I can say for all the real villains I’ve met.”

Goofy nodded. “Are ya sure there weren’t any Cy-Bugs crawlin’ around?”

The king’s bushy brows wrinkled. “What’s with your fixation on insects?” He paused, dipping his head down while he tapped his chin with his index finger. “Are you saying he brought some kind of… infestation with him, too?”

“No, it was just one bug,” said Donald.

“But they lay lotsa eggs!” Goofy added. “Plus, they become whatever they eat, and miss Calhoun says they don’t even know they’re part of a game!”

“You mean there’s more of you?” The king’s already shrill voice cracked, and he dropped onto the stairs. “That’s it. You’ve all got some serious explaining to do.”

“Heh, fair enough,” said Riku. After all, they were meddling with this king’s game, and it was at least partially their fault that things got this far to begin with. So, jumping straight to the point, Riku went over the whole ordeal so far, with occasional comments from Donald and Goofy. They covered everything from Axel to Ralph’s motives to their skirmish with the Cy-Bugs and inevitable arrival in Sugar Rush. Along the way, the king’s face flickered from pale terror to red, crumpled glares.

He paced back and forth, frequently looking away from the trio, and by the time they finished their recap, he stood stiff as a board, and made some jerky gestures as he spoke. “So he really has gone Turbo!”

Riku’s head tipped to the right, and he arched his brow. “Excuse me?”

The king sighed. “Right, you’re from the outside. Well, to keep it short and sweet, Turbo Time was once the most iconic game in this arcade until Road Blasters stole its thunder.” He folded his arms, expression souring even further. “It became so popular that the gamers forgot all about Turbo, and in an act of reckless jealousy, he abandoned his game and tried to claim Road Blasters for himself! Unfortunately, this careless act led to both their games being shut down for good.”

Goofy raised his index finger, chuckling. “Oh, I remember hearin’ somethin’ like that from King Mickey!”

“Yes, well, it was a lesson to all of us. Game jumping is reckless, dangerous, and puts multiple games at stake, so if Ralph thinks he can come in here and take over my kingdom—”

Before he could break into a temper tantrum, Riku butted in. “Relax. I doubt he cares about some candy-coated castle. Chances are he’s sticking around for the Cy-Bugs. Or he could’ve lost his medal in the crash…” Still, this talk of games getting unplugged painted a dismal picture. What even happened to the characters of those games? Did they just… disappear?

Instead of elaborating, King Candy switched gears entirely. “Wait! That’s it.” He turned toward Sour Bill. “The coin she used to buy her way into the race… it must have been his medal.” He set his eyes back on the others, eyes half-lidded and lips in a flat line. “I hate to say it, but your friends are conspiring with a glitch.”

The word glitch brought to mind clumps of black and red blocks, his friends’ bodies flickering and distorting… The memories made him shiver and reach for the front of his vest. But still, it was Ralph, and with his determination to break the bad guy mold, would he really team up with a threat? They knew too little to pass judgment. The puzzle was still incomplete.

Plus, there were other factors at play, which Donald voiced with one of his typical sneers. “Aren’t you forgetting Axel and the Cy-Bugs?”

“Of course not, but I’m just one king, and even my guards aren’t designed to deal with such a prominent threat.” He placed both his hands over his chest, looking up at the others with a small, soft frown. “But you are, so I’ll let you three stay as long as you promise to take care of those vermin and… one other thing.”

Well, that sounded dubious. “You mean our friends?”

“Well, yes! I doubt they’d listen to me, but you know them, so if anyone can talk some sense into them, it’s you.” He slumped, shaking his head. “But that still leaves the glitch…”

“Gawrsh, is she really that bad?”

“She’s a glitch. That goes without saying.” His expression darkened, and his voice trembled. “And if she makes it past the finish line, there’s a chance she’ll destroy the stability of this game and put us at risk of being unplugged! That’s why she cannot be allowed to race under any circumstances.”

“Hmm…” Riku waved for the others to come closer “Hey, Donald, Goofy. You got a sec?”

“Sure thing, pal!” And both he and Donald booked it across the room, huddling close to one another.

“So, I don’t know about you guys,” said Riku, “but I don’t think we’re getting the whole story. I mean, if Sora and Ralph are helping her, they’ve gotta have a reason for it.”

Donald nodded. “And don’t forget Xion. I don’t care if she’s keeping secrets from us; she’s a good kid, and I know she’d never work with a real bad guy!”

“Well, I dunno what to think of him,” said Goofy. “But he seems like he really cares about this game, so ain’t it unfair to start treatin’ him like the enemy?”

“Right.” There were two sides to this mess, and choosing this early would be careless on their part. “I do think we should play along, just until we get a feel for everything. Not like we’ve got any clues about the bugs, anyway…”

When Donald and Goofy both voiced their agreement, the trio broke apart and turned their focus back to King Candy.

Chin up and hands on his hips, Riku flashed him a grin. “Tell you what, Your Majesty. Why don’t you leave the glitch to us?” At least then they’d get a chance to see her for themselves.

x.x.x



Sneaking into the factory proved simpler than expected, but with Sora’s Sleep spells, was that really such a surprise? With the security guards down for the count, all it took was a single swing of Ralph’s fists to shatter the door leading into the factory. Good riddance, in Xion’s book, since it bore a grotesque picture of Vanellope colored in green. How could they treat a little kid like a criminal, anyway?

Shadows filled the next room. Red curtains spread along the round walls. At the center of the floor sat a huge red button, which Vanellope bounced on top of in a heartbeat. The second her little shoes made contact, the once dim room lit up with brightly colored letters instructing them to select a kart and little screens showcasing different models, some thick and chocolaty, others sleek and red. From beyond the curtain, a sweet scent trickled into the room. Whiffing, the air, Xion circled the wall, eying each little screen closely. This was all so new, but how did it work? Did they just have to press a button?

Huffing, Ralph tugged at one of the curtains. “Hey, what is this place? Where are all the karts?”

“We gotta make ‘em!” Vanellope grinned, rubbing her hands together, but Ralph balked, stepping back and lifting his hands.

“Whoa, bad idea, kid. I don’t make things, I just break them.”

Pulling his focus off the screens, Sora crawled up to Ralph and sent him a wide, toothy smile. ‘Aw, don’t say that, Ralph! Have you ever tried making stuff before?’

He looked to the wall, rubbing his neck. “No, but if I mess this up, then we both lose.”

“Then don’t mess up!” said Vanellope. “It doesn’t take a genius to work that out.” She sprinted across the floor, hopped up, and smacked the button of the bright red kart. The moment she made contact, the curtains pulled away, and a tinny voice blasted over their heads.

Welcome to the bakery! Let’s bake a kart!

A whole string of lights snapped on, revealing a long hallway filled with giant tubes, crisscrossing pipes, thick, stripy funnels, and all sorts of other doodads. As she stumbled after Vanellope, Xion glimpsed all across the room, taking in the new sights until she settled on a giant image of a smiling chef above a stage topped with a giant mixing bowl, an orange trash can, and a smaller platform stuck to the center of a rounded dial.

Slow, plodding footsteps closed in from behind. “What is this, a game?” said Ralph, and Vanellope snickered.

“Technically, it’s a minigame.”

“A mini… game?” said Xion. “But what does that—”

That same tinny voice interrupted her by shouting, You have one minute to win it!

At the same time, a red timer lit up above her head, and Vanellope bolted onto a small metal podium, with Sora dashing behind her and waving at Xion to follow. “C’mon, c’mon! Time’s a wasting!”

Ralph ran his hand through his messy hair. “Uh, but what are we supposed to—”

MIXING! cried the voice, and as it shouted, big, blue letters flew through the air, smacking into Ralph’s face and sending him wobbling backwards. Put the ingredients in the bowl and throw away the trash!

That was the only warning the machine gave before the funnel sputtered out sacks of flour, hairbrushes, underwear, sugar, and socks onto the now tilting platform. Beaming, Vanellope latched onto the steering wheel, tilting the platform left and right, but with her legs so short, her head barely reached over the rail. A bar of soap, a hairbrush, and underwear all rolled into the mixing bowl, while butter, flour, and eggs all crashed into the trash bin instead. While this all went on, Sora tapped Vanellope’s shoulder and hastily scribbled some notes, but the ingredients kept pouring too fast, and it got to a point where he started shaking his head like crazy and waving his arms.

Ralph was in the same boat. He grabbed his head with his hands, shouting, “Hairbrush, no! Underpants, no, no! You’re getting all the wrong stuff, kid.”

“I’m trying!” Vanellope snapped, but Xion snapped her fingers and called for her Keyblade, filling the room with a low tick, tock. The timer above their heads froze on the dot, and she climbed her way onto the podium.

“There, Vanellope. That should buy us more time.”

“Ooh! What are you, a walking game genie?” She laughed, continuing to turn the wheel, but Sora and Ralph exchanged a glance and bolted for the machine before Xion got a chance to ask what a game genie even was.

Growling, Ralph dragged himself onto the platform. “We’ll take it from here.” That was all he got a chance to say before a fish skeleton slapped him in the face, and he ripped it off, flicking it over to the garbage.

Meanwhile, Sora flickered over the mixing bowl, plucking out the underwear, sock, hairbrush, and other junk and warping back over the trash bin. He scooped out two eggs, a stick of butter, and a flour sack and shoveled them into his arms, flashing back over the bowl just in time to crack the eggs, toss the shells over his shoulder, rip open the sack and send the flour spilling inside, and slice up the butter with the tips of his claws. He was… efficient, and when Ralph tossed him a milk carton, he squinted at the label, then pulled it open, drizzling in some but not all of the milk before he set the carton aside.

This continued for a few more seconds, with Ralph throwing brown sugar sacks, cinnamon, and other assorted baking stuff toward the bowl and Sora ripping through the packaging, measuring it out, and moving onto the next item without batting an eye. It was strange, almost as if he was another part of the machine. Was Sora always this good at baking? She leaned over the rail, brows knitted as she watched the two perform.

Vanellope, on the other hand, gave another snippy remark. “Hey, I thought you weren’t good at making stuff!”

This made Ralph stop and peek down at the bowl. “Well, I guess I just got lucky this time.” But not completely lucky, because that one moment of hesitation caused another sack to slam into his back, shoving him right on top of Sora and into the mixing bowl just as the clock started counting down again. If that wasn’t enough, the conveyor belt beneath them pulled the bowl toward a giant egg beater, which flew down and started spinning the two around and splattering them with dough at the same time.

Though she held her breath and tried not to laugh, her body rebelled against her, and laughter bubbled from her chest to her lips. When the egg beater stopped, the bowl slid up to a large metal pan, tipping over to pour the batter inside before flipping the other way and dropping Sora and Ralph behind, all covered in goop. As funny as it all was, though, Xion hopped from the podium and climbed onto the conveyer belt, grabbing their hands and lifting them up at the cost of goopy batter on her gloves and her sleeves.

“C’mon, no sleeping on the job!” Vanellope called, rushing over to a big red pump in front of an enormous, pink oven. As soon as she reached it, big, blue letters flew through the air, and the announcer called out again.

BAKING! Pump up the heat and hold the perfect temperature!

At first, Vanellope tried bouncing on the pump herself, but it only took a few seconds before she looked to the others. “A little help here?”

Xion and Sora both inched forward, but Ralph barreled past them. “I’m on it!” He towered over the pump, so it made some sense, but as soon as he pushed down, the whole thing snapped, and the red of the thermometer plummeted to the very bottom.

Cringing, Xion looked to her Keyblade. Could she use Firaga to heat things up? Well, even if she could, Ralph had already snatched the hose and began huffing and puffing deep, hefty breaths. As he did, the thermometer rose, hovering just a hair below the middle. As it did, Vanellope waved her little hands.

“Almost got it… There!” The thermometer hovered just at the middle line until, DING! The pan slid out the oven, Ralph dropped the hose, and he wobbled backwards, face purple and chest heaving.

Only fifteen seconds remained, and Vanellope dashed over toward another metal platform with a golden cannon fixed to the top. Jumbo-sized tubes dangled above the conveyor belt, stuffed with round discs, a rainbow of frosting, candy corn, cookie chunks, and a whole bunch of other goodies. While Sora leaped toward the cannon, Ralph snatched the controls, flashing his teeth in a broad smile. Who knew he could get so pumped?

The announcer shouted, DECORATING!

Not wasting a second, Vanellope said, “Wheels first!”

“How many?” said Ralph, and Vanellope rolled her eyes.

“Four, doy!”

“Got it!” He pounded the cannon, blasting the swirly target over a tube of white and pink cookies. As they rolled to the conveyor belt, the machinery buzzed and pushed them into place. In the mean time, Sora pointed at a tube of red frosting, and Vanellope nodded.

“Yep, frosting’s next, and I want lots of it!”

This time, Xion took the wheel, turning the cannon toward a tube of chocolate frosting. She started hammering at the button when Ralph threw up his hands and seized the cannon.

“No way! I hate chocolate.”

“But how come?” said Xion. “I always thought it was—” She stopped, instantly tearing her eyes off the tubes. Did she always love chocolate, or was it… Riku who did?

“Aw, why stop with one flavor?” said Vanellope. “Gimme a whole butt load, Ralph!”

“No problem!” Ralph slammed his fist into the cannon, but the single blast cracked the tube, sending minty green goop pouring over the kart. Even worse, the tube smacked into the next tube, and that tube smacked into the next, until all the different colored frostings oozed and melded together. By then, Sora had formed a big X with his arms, shaking his head even faster than before.

But it didn’t end with frosting. Soon an avalanche of candy corn pelted the kart, followed by cookie crumbs, sprinkles, and marshmallows galore. By that point, both Ralph and Sora launched themselves off the platform and hustled toward the end of the conveyor belt. As frosting continued spilling over the machinery, Xion grimaced, but Vanellope tugged on her coat and bounced up and down.

“C’mon, slowpoke! You’re gonna miss the best part.”

“Oh. Right!” Sliding down, she followed Vanellope, joining Ralph and Sora at the end of the assembly line. There, a metal door showcasing a picture of a kart flashed bright blue, and the announcer shouted that the time was up. A drum roll sounded, and Vanellope fidgeted with an even bigger grin than before, while Sora leaned back, lips pulled to the side of his face, and Ralph twiddled his thumbs.

CONGRATULATIONS! the announcer said. You did it, and here’s your car…

Then came the moment of truth. As the door slid open, Xion took a deep breath, shoulders slightly hunched as she braced herself. But, instead of a car, a tidal wave of goop, gumdrops, marshmallows, and sprinkles came drizzling down the ramp. The kart came soon after, carried by the current and smothered in a mishmash of chocolate, mint icing, even more sprinkles scattered across the shell, mismatched cookies for wheels, bent, and overall a clash of colors that left Xion utterly speechless.

Sora took one look at the sugary mess and grimaced, and while Xion understood why, his reaction pulled her lips back into a small smile, and she sauntered beside him with her hands on her hips.

“What’s the matter, Sora? I thought you liked sweets.”

He sighed, lifting his pen and paper and wore, ‘Yeah, but that’s a sugar overload!’

Hiding his face under his hand, Ralph said, “I tried to warn you. I told you I couldn’t make things, but—”

“I love it!” Vanellope’s voice came out in a squeak, and she bounced around the cart. “I love it, I love it, I love it!” Zipping to the front she leaned toward the steering wheel. “Look, it’s got a real engine, and look at these wheels!” She started kissing them, then bounded back to the others. “I love it! I’ve finally got a real kart…”

“Hmm…” Xion glanced from her to the kart, chuckling. “Well, it’s unique.”

“Uh, yeah! And that’s the point. This car’s got me written all over it.” She slid over to a cart lined with frosting tubes and whipped two up like pistols. “But since you did help out, I’m thinking we should all sign it. Then it’ll be a real work of art.”

“Wow, you really think it’s artistic?” said Ralph, eying it over his shoulder, but Vanellope nodded and flung him one of the tubes.

“Uh, yeah. I just said that, didn’t I?” Snickering, she added, “You could totally be one of those abstract painters.”

“Not that I’m complaining, but maybe we should take it slow. I’m still not used to being anything but a wrecker.”

But, wrecker or not, he started drizzling the icing over the edge and spelling his name out in big, red letters, while Vanellope etched hers in a neat blue cursive. And while before Sora might’ve grimaced at the wave of sugary snacks, he whipped up a yellow tube and scrawled his name in uneven, drippy letters. In no time, Xion added her own mark in purple, completing the kart at long last.

With the work done, they gathered around, and Ralph set his eyes on Sora.

“Y’know, I’m impressed, kid. Why didn’t you tell me you could bake?”

He scratched his cheek, a sheepish smile on his face. ‘Aw, I’m not that great. I just helped with a lot of the baking back home.’

“Really?” said Xion. “Huh. I didn’t think you could cook…”

Sora’s chest puffed out, and he pouted. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

The urge to hold her breath or bite her lip took hold once more, but the temptation failed to stop her giggles from bursting out of her. “S-Sora… You should see the look on your face!”

His notepad dropped to the floor, and his arms dropped to his sides. His lower lip poked out, and he folded his arms, but this only served to squeeze laughter out of Ralph and Vanellope.

“What’re you trying to be, a puppy?” she said, and Xion grinned, leaning forward.

“What do you mean, ‘trying?’ Sora’s always been like a puppy, ever since—” They were kids, except that wasn’t her memory. It was Riku’s. She… she still barely knew Sora, save for brief encounters at the tower. The realization alone made her stomach bubble and twist, her gaze cloud over, and spread a glacier over her body. She took two steps back, arms pulled tightly around her.

One of them was bound to ask what was wrong. It’d probably happen any second now, except the low groans of machinery filled the hall instead. A wide garage door cranked itself open, and three figures barged into the factory.

“Hiya, Ralph!”

When Xion looked up again, Riku, Donald, and Goofy stared her in the face. Immediately, she ducked behind Ralph, grabbing the edge of her hood. This in turn made Ralph send her a puzzled look.

“Hey, what’s gotten into you? These guys aren’t that scary.”

She said nothing, which in turn made Vanellope prod her shoulder.

“I’m with stink brain on this one.”

“Hey!” said Ralph, but Vanellope carried on.

“I mean, it’s a giant duck, a dog in clown shoes, and some guy with old geezer hair. What’re you so worked up about?”

“It’s probably my fault,” said Riku, and while the others inched closer, he hung back, hands in his pocket and head low. “Look, Xion, I’m not here to cause trouble. If you don’t want to talk, fine. I get it.” Sighing, he looked up just in time to meet a galloping Sora, who zoomed up to him in a heartbeat.

“Heh, good to see you too.” But he still stayed put, causing Goofy and Donald to both look back at him, each of them wearing deep frowns.

Donald leaned past Ralph, and Xion squeaked, though she stayed plastered to the floor. “Hey, who’s the kid?”

“Oh, her?” Ralph laughed. “She’s nothing but a little troublemaker.”

“Says the guy with wrecking ball fists.” Vanellope blew a raspberry, and then her body flickered and pixelated, making Xion flinch.

“Vanellope!”

When her body stabilized, she flapped one of her hands. “Relax, Xion. I’m fine. It’s not like it hurts or anything.”

“But you—” She chewed the corner of her mouth, gulping. “Well, if you’re sure…”

“Hmm…” Squinting, Goofy tapped the side of his head. “Say, are you the glitch?”

“My name’s Vanellope.” She glowered, hands on her hips. “And I’m not a glitch. I just have pixlexia…”

“Wow,” said Donald. “King Candy’s gotta be crazy if he’s scared of a little kid.”

“What?!” Xion pushed away from the kart, staring Donald dead on. “Don’t tell me you’re working for him!”

Vanellope’s eyes narrowed further. “You better not sell us out, or you’ll be dealing with Captain Muscle over here. Right, Ralph?”

“Whoa, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I know these guys, and there’s no way they’d help that bald-headed nelly wafer.”

“Gawrsh, he didn’t seem all that bad,” said Goofy. “Little fussy, but he told us you fellers made a big ol’ mess at the race track!”

“Yeah, but he started it!” said Ralph. “All she wanted to do was race, and he sent his little donut patrol at her like she was some kind of criminal.”

Nodding, Sora scribbled a new note, complete with crude doodles of what Xion assumed were popcorn clumps. ‘There were popcorn bombs blowing up everywhere, and the whole crowd went nuts! And I’m not talking about applause, either.’

“Heh. So we’ve been duped… Figured as much.” Shaking his head, Riku took a small, tentative step closer, sending a jolt down Xion’s spine. When she winced, he stopped, his torso stooped and slack. “Okay, I get it. I’ll stay back…”

Looking between her and Riku, Ralph stood up straight and folded his big, beefy arms. “Okay, there’s obviously something going on between you two.”

“No!” Xion squeaked. “It’s nothing. I’m fine…” Except she wasn’t, and her lie was about as transparent as air.

Donald wedged his way past Ralph, tugging the tail of her coat. “What’s gotten into you?”

“Yeah, don’t ya remember all that stuff we told ya about bottlin’ up yer feelings?” said Goofy. “Sure, it’s been a while, but this ain’t gonna get better unless ya communicate.” He swiveled around. “And that goes for you too, Riku!”

He held up his hands. “Hey, I’m all for it, but it’s gotta be on her terms.”

“I…” Why was he so nice? It filled her chest with a dull ache, doubt slithering into her heart. She was being irrational. She knew that she was, but he was just so… scary. So intimidating. How could she even face him when his memories swirled within her like a whirlpool?

Caught in her own dissonance, it took a moment for Sora’s presence to register, and when she blinked and found a pad of paper hovering in front of her face, she instinctively scuttled back. The note read:

‘I dunno what you’re really going through, but I think you two’d be really good friends if you gave him a chance. I mean, you both care about people, even if you don’t always show it in the right ways.’

“Don’t think I didn’t see that,” said Riku, but Donald’s snickering drowned out anything else he may have said.

“But it’s true and you know it.”

“You wish.” A smirk curled across his face, and while the ache inside her softened ever so slightly, Xion looked away, instead eyeballing the kart.

“Well… don’t you think you should give this kart a test run?”

“Oh, uh… There’s just one teeny tiny problem.” Vanellope tittered, fidgeting with the wheel. “I don’t know how to drive a real kart…”

“You what?!” Ralph slammed his fists down on the floor.

Out of nowhere, the lights dimmed, and an alarm siren shrieked so loud it rattled Xion’s ear drums and made her slap both her hands over her ears. Red lights whirled against the walls, and a familiar tiny figure strode through the still open garage, joined by the donut cops from before and a pack of heavy set, muscled cookie men carrying batons of their own. Straightening his tie, King Candy traipsed over to Riku and the others with a sickening grin.

“Good, you found them! Now, hurry up and destroy that kart.”

Spreading her arms, Xion slid in front of the car and Ralph squirted a stream of pink frosting right into King Candy’s face. While he staggered back, Ralph threw himself onto the vehicle, and Xion flung herself in after him. Once Sora leaped onto the hood, Ralph launched the kart forward by swinging his enormous arms, and they whizzed past King Candy and his cronies, blew down the ramp, and swerved onto the chocolate road below.

The roars of multiple engines soon closed in, forcing Ralph to pick up his paddling. Xion, all the while, turned around and dragged the tip of her Keyblade along the road behind them. The ground rumbled, and spikes exploded behind them. A huge truck and King Candy’s white kart screeched to an abrupt stop, and Riku, Donald, and Goofy swooped over the kart atop a sleek black hover board.

Smirking, Riku aimed his Keyblade back at their pursuers. “Not bad, Xion, but why stop there?” The tip began to swell with greenish black energy, and King Candy shouted from afar.

“What are you doing?! Don’t you remember what I told you?”

“Sure. I just don’t trust you.” The moment King Candy’s kart smashed through the spikes, two wide domes wrapped around him and the truck trailing behind. Their wheels froze up, plastered to the road, and Sora pulled himself onto Ralph’s shoulders and threw his palms out.

Sheep cried out, and King Candy started yawning. His eyes slid closed, and he slumped over the steering wheel. For added coverage, Donald blasted smoke out the tip of his staff, swirling it around until it spread from one end of the road to the other. Even so, Ralph kept paddling on overdrive, digging his nails in as they swerved around a giant gumdrop.

“Get off the road!” said Vanellope. “Head for Diet Cola Mountain!”

Digging his nails in again, Ralph sent the kart skidding around another corner. A giant, pop bottle-shaped mountain grew larger and larger as they closed in, and the short lived silence gave way to the wailing of sirens. Sora’s spell must have worn off.

Gritting her teeth, Vanellope leaned over the wheel and pointed. “Drive into the wall!”

“Where?!” said Ralph.

“Right between the two sugar free lollipops!” The lollipops in question overlapped to form an arch right at the base of the mountain.

“Wait, are you sure that’s a good idea?” said Xion. “We could always open a—”

“Just do it!”

Ralph held his breath, giving the car one final push, but instead of crashing and shattering against the mountain wall, the car zipped through the gap, sending static crawling across Xion’s cloak. The abrupt jerk sent them careening down the swerving, chocolate track. Without really thinking, Xion clung to Ralph’s back, Sora latched onto Ralph’s arm, and before any one of them managed to slow the kart’s momentum, they slammed right into a low, bumpy ledge, burst out of their seats, and scattered across the cave floor.

The walls seemed to rock as Xion pushed herself up, head spinning wildly. She shut her eyes, slumping against the ledge, and took a moment to catch her breath. In that time, Riku, Donald, and Goofy passed through the wall, driving the board to a gradual stop, unlike their less than graceful entrance.

Flipped upside down, Ralph cracked a dry smile. “So, lemme get this straight. You don’t know how to drive.”

“Well, no, not technically,” said Vanellope, “But—”

He flipped to his feet, standing on his tip toes. “What’d you think? Oh, I’ll just magically win the race just because I really want to!”

“Ralph, back off!” Xion growled, sliding down to the floor and stepping to her side. “Just because she doesn’t know yet doesn’t mean she can’t learn.”

Nodding, Sora patted his hand on the front of the car. ‘It can’t be that hard. There’s only a couple of buttons.’

“You mean pedals,” said Vanellope, and when she set her foot on one of them, the engine moaned. “Huh! I guess this one makes it go…”

“Well, I do remember some stuff about piloting Gummi Ships.” Leaning over the edge, Xion squinted at the controls, but while the steering wheel and stick shift rang familiar, the three pedals at the bottom did not. There were no colorful buttons. No flashing radar screen. In fact, when she tapped another pedal, nothing happened. “Er… well, we could always experiment!”

“Fine.” Ralph plopped on the ledge next to the kart. “Heh. Can’t be that much harder than flying that escape pod.”

“But you crashed it,” said Vanellope.

“Only because of the bug! Plus, there’s seven of us, and I bet if we all joined up, you’d be stealing first place in no time. Then I’ll get my medal, and we can all have a good laugh.”

“Uh, about that,” said Riku, creeping closer to the others. “I hate to say it, but she might not get a chance to race.”

Vanellope froze, whipping around. “What?! But I paid my way in. There’s no way I’m backing out.”

“We’re not trying to make you,” said Donald. “But Calhoun’s gotten all worked up over some Cy-Bugs, and if they are still alive, then we’ve got bigger things to worry about than races and medals.”

Rolling to his feet, Ralph spread out his arms. “No way. I saw that thing die in the taffy!”

It was true. The Cy-Bug did sink, but… Shivering, Xion pushed away from the ledges. “Wait. What if it made it out alive? It was taffy, not lava. For all we know, it could’ve chewed its way underground…”

“Exactly,” said Riku. “Calhoun’s scoping it out with Felix and Kairi, but if it’s still out there, there’s no way of knowing where it’s at or how many eggs it’s laid… This whole game’s like a bomb just waiting to blow up, and if we don’t do something fast, those bugs are gonna light its fuse.”

And what if they made it past Sugar Rush? What if they made it to the rest of the arcade? What if they made it outside? If what they said was true, and there were more Cy-Bugs, then what stopped Axel from using them to his advantage? Could they really wait around? Could they really waste time? A little voice in the back of Xion’s head called out to her. Shouldn’t they go out there? Shouldn’t they start searching again? What mattered more, one race and one medal, or all the lives of those both in and outside the game?

What could they do? Vanellope’s hopes were riding on that race. It was her big chance, but what stopped the bugs from attacking them while they struggled to get on their feet? They’d come so close to making her dreams come true, but now…

Xion sank onto the hood of the kart, burying her face in her hands. She should’ve known this would happen, and she should’ve prepared, but Vanellope’s struggles had her hook, line, and sinker.

After all, they were the same.

TO BE CONTINUED