rarestcandy | First Lap. [video/action for goldenrod city.]

[The feed turns on to Vanellope checking over her shoulder to the opening in an alley. When all seems clear, she looks back to the screen with a growing grin.]

What's a girl gotta do to get some space around here, jeez. I know, I know. What's not to love about someone as utterly adorable as me? I should be used to the admirers competing for my attention. [She drops the high and mighty tone with a swipe to her bangs.] Anyway, never had a guy like that chase me around before. The portable volcano thing's kinda new.

[A bat flaps tiredly down the alley before settling on Vanellope's shoulder.]

Not even Boogie likes 'im, and she likes everybody. So how do I get Volcano Guy to cool it for a while, huh? C'mon, don't be shy, these ears are open to suggestions. Even if they practically talked the things off before... Yeesh.

[She sits herself down on a discarded box with an exaggerated sigh, which transitions smoothly into a hesitant smile. It won't be long before the Numel spotted her again, forcing her to move all throughout Goldenrod City, but she had the time for one more important question.]

Hey Stinkbrain, you still around?

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_{[He sits her on his shoulder and stoops down to pick up his cup. Most of it has spilled, but at least the lid stayed on.]}

Again? Sounds like a pain...just. Hah, wow! I really wasn't expectin' you to come back, y'know? What...was it like out there? Outside this game, I mean. What happened?

[With a perch like this, she can see Diet Cola plodding into the alley next to them. He wouldn't suspect her being up high like this, but Vanellope taps the top of Ralph's head and points in the opposite direction anyway. Onward, noble steed.]

I donno. I guess they just sent me back to Sugar Rush? [She sounds a bit unsure, though. Time had obviously passed, but she couldn't remember anything new happening back home... Hmn.] But hey, they can't keep me away! Like they'd want to in the first place. C'mon, world, just admit that you love me already!

[Yes, she's addressing the sky. At least until she shifts to rest an arm on top of Ralph's head.]

What about you? You been here this whole time?

_{[As she explains, Ralph sets his jaw. Well, he still doesn't know any more than anyone else. He may have been the teeniest tiniest bit homesick, but not now. Not now that he has somebody who knew good and well what they were and where they were by his side...or on top of his head again.]}

I lived in Violet for a few months. I only came back home recently to go to the dentist. Pal 'a mine set up an appointment for me so I couldn't say no.

Dentist?

[Did you mean The Devil?]

What didja go to a dentist for? You know, your breath can just be fixed with a pack of mint-flavored gum, or twelve.

_{[The wrecker's brows furrow as he glances aside. Nothing had changed at all, had it? Though he still knew little about her, what she'd told him long ago must have been true. They had been friends. How else could he have missed her so badly. An awful grin crosses his face.]}

I had a cavity--and if you've never had one let me tell you. I almost died. It was awful. I'm lucky I walked out of that place with a tooth in my head.

Edited 2014-03-04 00:43 (UTC)

[The characters of Sugar Rush didn't get cavities -- they gave them. Or...were them, sometimes.

Point is, even if she's sure Ralph is exaggerating, Vanellope recognizes that cavities were a terrible thing. He has earned a pat on the head.]

Hero's Duty must'a rubbed off on you. [Pause. Snrk. Okay, okay no more duty jokes, hold it together...] You get anything for your bravery?

_{[He shrugs nonchalantly.]}

I got a lollipop. Kinda defeats the purpose if you ask me. The holidays are just one big dental scam!

No way, take the win!

[Time to ignore the smoke from an angry Numel in the distance...]

Gotta enjoy life when you can, Ralph my buddy. Anyway, I never heard of anybody back home getting a cavity, and there's nothing but candy there. Don't go blaming all your dental problems on sugary goodness!

Yeah, but I bet your game worked different than this one. This one's weird. Somebody sat down and thought of way too many different ways to get hurt.

_{[Ralph's too caught up in catching up to even consider being on the lookout for mobile volcanoes.]}

You woulda liked Halloween though, I think.

Halloween, huh?

[Seemed kind of...familiar...]

I think I've heard of it. When players chose Gloyd to be their racer, they brought it up sometimes. What is it?

It's this holiday where all the kids dress up as monsters or whatever and go around to houses asking for candy. Then the day after there's tons of the stuff on sale.

Huh!

[Absently, she picks at Ralph's hair, almost as if plucking out bugs.]

Aaaand when can we expect the next Halloween, good sir?

_{[Ralph's eye on that side twitches as she starts picking away at the jungle on his head. She'll stop. Surely she'll stop. Eventually. Right?]}

Not till October. I don't think whatever this place has for spring is even here yet.

First Lap. [video/action for goldenrod city.]

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