A Racer's Heart (Wreak-it Ralph Fanfic)

Chapter Four

"Okay, so you got your...stopper-thingy here,"

"Break,"

"Right. And here's your go-pedal-thingy,"

"Gas," I groaned. "Ralph, do you even know how to drive?"

He continued to push random buttons and levers, not daring to meet my eyes. "Yes. Well...no..." He sighed. "Look, I flew a spaceship today,"

I leaned against the side of the wall, nodding as I crossed my arms over my chest. "Uh huh. And what happened to said space ship?"

Ralph rubbed the back of his neck. "I...crashed it,"

"You know, I'm a little uncertain about you being my driving instructor," I said. He huffed, casting a glare my direction. I put my hands up in defense. "Woah there, I was just joking,"

"I don't do jokes," he said, standing to his full height and looking down at me. I then realized how tall he was--almost an entire gumdrop taller than me!

"Right, just like you don't build anything," I muttered. He ignored my comment, motioning for me to get in the seat. I did, and he stood over my shoulder. We both stared unsure at the controls.

"Okay...now how do we start it?" He asked under his breath. I glanced at the buttons along the dashboard, my finger hovering over the one closest to the steering wheel. I pressed it, and the engine roared to life, purring beneath my feet for the first time. I smiled slightly at the vibrations, a spark of excitement shooting up my veins. My hands gripped the steering wheel, and for the first time, I was eager to start rolling.

Ralph cleared his throat, trying to hide his surprise. "Well there we go then," he walked past the vehicle, standing a couple meters away from the front end of the kart. "Try to drive to me,"

I nodded, leaning my foot against the gas pedal, shivering at how well my feet fit the pedals--almost like a puzzle piece. I took in a breath to calm my excitement, then pressed gently on the pedal.

The kart shot forward, slamming into Ralph. He grunted, falling over. I peered over the edge of the kart. "You okay there, Ralph?"

"Oh, just fine," he wheezed. "Just give me a moment,"

He stumbled to his feet a moment later, trudging behind the kart. He urged me to drive forward. I nodded, glancing down at the controls. I sat back, my elbow brushing against the shift stick. I glanced at it a moment, unsure of its purpose. I pulled it back, hoping it would slow things down a bit. Once again, I pushed the pedal as gently as I could.

My kart jerked forward, then shot back, once again slamming into Ralph's torso. He shouted in pain, falling to the ground once more. I turned, flashing him an apologetic smile.

"Sorry,"

***

Meanwhile, King Candy was pacing the length of his throne room, the bells on his shoes jingling merrily as he walked. Sour Bill fought to keep up with him, trying to fan His Majesty with a fan.

"Sour Bill, that glitch can't be allowed to race," he said for the thousandth time. He stopped suddenly, intertwining his fingers, untangling them, then knotting them together again. He began to pace again, his mind wandering back to that split second at the kart factory.

His one moment of weakness.

He shivered when he thought back to it--he hated the feeling of being weak. It was the feeling of a loser, one thing he certainly wasn't. But, at the same time, he yearned for that feeling; the feeling hidden behind that weakness. The feeling in which he couldn't put his finger on.