Summary: Vanellope is a game hacker, using bugs and glitches to her advantage. When clashing against botfighter101, her hacks make them go way farther than a tantrum. Hiro is a super-smart robotics designer that plays video games for leisure; he'd prefer the real thing. But when playing against CandyCrusher14, Hiro wants to find out who has given him such a challenge.

Life Hack

Botfighter101

Hiro pulled out his laptop. He didn't want to go out fighting or deal with sore losers. He didn't want to do anything really, but not doing anything gets really boring, really fast. This was rather convenient, at the moment anyways.

It wasn't like he had anything against playing video games, it was just that going out and doing bot fights gave a bigger thrill, not to mention made some cash. Well, if he wasn't caught. But the last time he was caught, he was with Tadashi.

And Tadashi was long gone.

Hiro loaded and waited for a player willing to play against, although he had no idea who would at such an ungodly hour. He looked at the picture of him and Tadashi, him— Hiro— holding an envelope of acceptance. It was taken just a few hours before the fire. Hiro unwillingly allowed himself to sink some more. So it hadn't actually been that long of a time. It had been 6 months and 12 days. Hiro cringed at the number in the right corner of his screen. Maybe 13 days. But it felt like Tadashi had been gone for so long, like years and years. And he definitely wasn't coming back. And the sooner he believed that, the sooner—

A ding broke Hiro from his hostage, which was a relief. His thoughts were going farther than they had in 5 months.

Hiro click the "fight" button underneath the words "candycrusher14 wants to play".

Candycrusher14

Vanellope was always up at such late hours at night. It bothered the hell out of her foster siblings. Sometimes, if she was feeling especially cruel, she turned up the volume. As far as foster children went, she was, by far, the luckiest.

Well, out of terms in orphanizm? Maybe not. In terms of luckiness? Definitely... maybe. Just as long as the place had Wi-Fi.

Her family died in an electrical crash. As in a semi crashed into electrical poles, resulting in the smash-and-electrocution of the contradictory German-and-Japanese Von Schweetz. Vanellope had opted not to go on that trip, and, there were some days she wished she had.

But those days weren't that day. Vanellope checked her watch; the clock side of her screen was smashed. Or maybe it would be in 3 minutes. Never knew. Vanellope blew at a purple stripe of hair (or maybe it was her natural color; computer lights are very vague at 12am. Excuse her, 11:58). What a wonderful world.

Vanellope shifted in her bed. She was uber uncomfortable. Why hadn't she changed out of her clothes? Oh well, at least she had taken out her hair clips.

Vanellope smiled to herself in a moment of light heartedness. Ah, first world problems. Very different and so much better than crispy parents. Or bullies. Those were just as awesome. Especially for a fourteen year old.

Vanellope shook her head. Maybe it was best just to go to bed. It wasn't like there would be anyone on... Oh, who was she kidding? Of course there were people on! Vanellope shrugged off her feelings as she normally did and looked for player waiting for an opponent. Vanellope scrolled through the list. She preferred to play people she hadn't played against before. It gave her the benefit of surprise. But she did on occasion, since she usually did have a trick up her sleeve.

It looked like tonight was going to be one of those nights. Then Vanellope found a player she hadn't seen before. She smirked and clicked battle and awaited the confirmation.

Botfighter101 ready to play.

A/N: Heads up, this is way shorter than I usually make these. I'm at 1000 min, but every else I wanted to save for next chapter... of there is one. But, hey, the last one I did got 5 reviews in 1 week, and that was awful, so maybe this one... ?

~ Sam