Sugar Rush

One

Vanellope rubbed her eyes. Soft golden light swept through the windows in her castle. Vanellope giggled. Her castle. Quite a change from the dump in Diet Cola Mountain. Speaking of, she’d have to talk to Felix about fixing that particular bonus level. Then she’d be able to add it to the game. Vanellope never really understood why it was a bonus level. She had never found any others. Then again, she had never really gone looking.

“Vin!” Vanellope shot out of her covers as two girls burst into her bedroom. Taffyta yanked the curtains open as Candlehead gently shut the door behind her.

“Hi!” Taffyta exclaimed. “Guess what day it is?”

Vanellope yawned.

“Taff, Vanny just woke up. Let her have a minute,” Candlehead said softly. Taffyta, of course, displaying an unusual amount of excitement, didn’t listen.

“It’s the twenty fifth anniversary of our game! And in two more days, the Game Central Station New Year’s Ball will start!”

Vanellope opened her eyes wide. “Sweet mother of monkey milk!” She exclaimed. “I still need to set up the Sugar Rush party for today! Will you guys help me?”

Taffyta elbowed Vanellope. “I thought Ralph was going to be the one ‘helping’ you.” She jabbed slyly.

“Taffyta!” Vanellope wailed. Candlehead giggled softly. For a few months, Vanellope had started to get a fluttery feeling around Ralph. Taffyta and Crumbelina had helped her identify it as a crush.

“What about you, miss ‘I’m so sweet,’” Vanellope countered. “I know for a fact that you have a crush on-”

Taffyta lunged for Vanellope, tackling her. “I do not have a crush on Rancis!” She hissed.

“Who said anything about Rancis?” asked Vanellope, grinning.

Candlehead giggled. “Walked right into that one, Taff.” she said softly. The others were too busy tussling to take notice.

Crumbelina poked her head in the door. “Hey, guys? Aren’t you supposed to be getting ready for the party?” She walked in further. “Oh, hey Candlehead.”

Crumbelina pulled the two apart. Vanellope was trying to hold Taffyta down with her bare foot. Taffyta bit her foot, which was currently in her mouth.

“Come on, guys,” Crumbelina laughed. “We should prep the castle. Taff, you get on cooking plenty of sweets for our sugar high racers. Snow and Frosty are going to pop in later if you need any help.” Taffyta nodded. She had been waiting for the chance to show off her baking skills for weeks. Not that she needed to. Taffyta’s sweets were practically legend, especially her signature taffy.

“Vanellope, you Rancis, and Swizzle are going to be decorating the ballroom. You have... I regret to say... completely free reign.”

Vanellope looked ecstatic.

“Candlehead, you are going to help Gloyd set up the outside. Lanterns, flowers, things like that. Make it pretty. “Oh, and Candlehead,” she added as a last note. “Try not to ruin anything. Just be careful.”

Crumbelina continued on about the Sugar Rush citizens and what they would be doing tonight - staging their own little parties across the citizens’ town, free to mingle in with the town parade whenever they like. Candlehead sighed. Sure. Taff got to make her special candy, Vanellope was tasked with making the night beautiful, able to let her inner designer go crazy(that matched with Rancis’s fashionista designer skills and Swizzle’s extreme ideas would not go well), and little old Candlehead just had to try to stay out of everyone’s way.