Chapter One: Getting There

(F.Y.I: This chapter kinda strays from the pool scence ; it really focuses more on them getting to the pool, getting ready to "jump in" and the importance of each other in their lives. More pool scenes are coming in later chapters, though! Hope all enjoy! :) )

"Wow! Can ya believe the size of of this place?!" Vanellope von Schweetz asked the villain Wreck-It Ralph excitedly as she glitched to and fro in front of his large feet.

"Well, I would if I could actually see," the large man replied with a huff.

Being the (obvious) bigger of the two, Ralph had the arms and hands to carry two beach chairs, two umbrellas, two beach towels and a large tote that contained sun block, bathing suits, sun glasses, a few books, water toys- and who knows what all else Vanellope threw in there.

"I can't be it! I'm actually here- at the Game Central Statio pool! " Vanellope squealed excitedly as she wiggled with pure, childlike excitement.

Although he even couldn't really see her (the stuff he was carrying mostly blocked the poor man's walking vision), Ralph couldn't help but smile at the child's excitement.

It had already been a few months since the game jumping adventure and game reset for the two friends, but Ralph still loved how Vanellope loved exploring the world. Which was all still pretty new to her - after she was finally able to explore outside own her game. Since then, the two had been into every game and back, loving every moment- Vanellope, loving discovering new games and different parts of Game Central Station; Ralph, simply loving spending time with his small yet feisty friend. This (coupled with the whole life-saving adventure that began it all for the two) made them inseparable. You would rarely see one without the other after the arcade closed for the day.

But this day was special- it was Vanellope's first time to the pool at the Game Central Station Pool. And Ralph wanted it to be perfectly memorable for his best friend.

After rejecting many spots Ralph practically begged her to pick, Vaneollpe finally found the perfect place- a spot right between the pool (a safe distance from slashing, she said) and the snack bar.

Ralph practically threw everything down at once, relieved she finally found a spot (although it looked exactly like the spot he had picked earlier). Then he started the daunting task setting of the beach chairs as Vanellope practically wigged out beside him.

She could barely take it all in - the sight of the shimmering, gorgeous pool full of characters from all games; the feeling of the electronical sun kissing her skin; the delicious smell of hot dogs and burgers from the already packed snack bar; the buzz of nosie beaming from excited guests waiting their turn for the changing rooms.

She loved it all- and couldn't wait to experience it all.

"Cmon, Ralph! Move your molasses!" She whined impatiently.

"Well, it might go faster if I had a little help," he growled as he struggled with opening up an umbrela with his ginormous hands.

Vanellope just stared at him, not catching a hint.

"Well, then go get a little help!" She yelled, laughing her head off. Ralph wasn't so amused.

"You get your little glitch butt over here to help or I'll throw ya in the pool," he threatened her, but Vanellope knew he was only kidding.

"Was that a threat, Stink Brain? " She pushed mischievously.

"More like a wish," he teased her, reaching over and gently tickling her. Giggling, that was all that was needed to motivate her to help set up the umbrellas.

When the umbrellas were finally attached to the chairs, Vanellope zipped off to change into her new bathing suit that she had picked out herself- with Ralph's approval, of course.

The one piece (on the "must" list for her bathing suit by Ralph) was a mint green with purple and white swirls on it. It also came with a purple sprinkled brown ruffled skirt (a "plus", Ralph had said, liking the way it was modestly covering up the child's partly bare legs) and a matching towel.

It was cute and spunky -right up Vanellope's alley, yet modest and non-revealing, making a protective Ralph more at ease being at the pool with her. It was definitely a change from her mint sweatshirt and tights, but Ralph was happy Vanellope was happy with it.

When she came skipping back from changing at the dressing rooms at the pool, Ralph went to change into his bathing suit- which was really just trading his orange shirt and overalls for a plain brown shirt and shorts.

"Hey! We match! " Vanellope squealed with delight when he came back, pointing her brown shirt.

Ralph smiled at her, loving how she got excited over little things like that.

"Yeah, we do, huh President Fart Feathers?" He affectionately ruffled her hair as he sat down on the side of his chair.

"Yay! Now that we're finally ready," Vanellope began, "we can go play!"

She took off, but a familiar jumbo finger gently wrapped around her tiny waist, stopping her and pulling her back.

"Woah woah woah there, Booger Face," Ralph commanded her. "You need sun screen on first."

Vanellope gave an annoyed huff as the wreckor grabbed their bag and fished around for the sun block. When he found it, he squirt a big blob ito his massive hand and began gently rubbing it all over the squirming-to-get-in-the-pool kid.

"There! Done," Ralph said, and just to annoy her, added, "Wait, I forgot a spot."

Vanellope, obviously annoyed, just sighed as she rolled her eyes. "Uh, where?" she glared.

"Oh...just...here ,and here and here!" Ralph exclaimed slowly as he picked up a squealing Vanellope and tickled her under her chin repeatedly.

Giggling, she mischievously grabbed the sunblock from the bag and squirt it into her hands. "Now it's your turn."

After the two were literally covered in sunblock, Vanellope started to get antsy again.

"Now can we go play now?" she whined to Ralph.

"No quite yet, kiddo," Ralph told her. "One more important thing to do."

"What?!" Vanellope asked impatiently before addly wearily: "And it better not be just more tickling."

Don't get her wrong: any little girl loved a good tickling matched with her best friend (especially whenever she'd come up victorious). But even that got old in comparison to the prospect of cannonballing into a large, cooling pool on a hot day.

Just when Vanellope thought she'd never get to get in the pool, Ralph just shook his head, smiled and extended one of his large hands flat in front of her, expectedly.

At first, Vanellope stared blankly at his hand, not fully understanding what he wanted from her.

He cleared his throat impatiently, trying to make it more clear as he pushed his hand gently towards her once again.

"Oh, yeah.." she said, remembering the earlier discussion they had had about going to the pool and what could/couldn't get wet with pool water. She quickly reached up to unclip her random pieces of candy clips in her hair.

"There," she said rather quickly as she placed the pieces in his hand, hoping that they were all he remembered that needed to be removed.

Ralph just pointed silently at her licorice tie holding up her hair, indicating it needed to be removed as well. She quickly compiled, allowing her raven black hair to fall messily around her face.

"Earings, too," Ralph said automatically.

She quickly pulled them off and placed them cautiously in his hand, too. Pausing for a slip secound, Vanellope figured he had...well, forgotten about the...

But it didn't really matter; besides, she sure as heck wasn't going to remind him.

"Great," the child began quickly. "Now I can- "

"Remove the necklace, too," Ralph interrupted her, placing the hair tie, clips and earings in their bag.

Dang it. Almost got away with it.

"No, I am NOT taking the necklace you made me off! Nuh, uh! No way!" she refused, backing away from him.

"Kid, we talked about this, remember?" Ralph told her gently. "It might get ruined if it gets wet."

Vanellope just shook her head viciously. She had purposely chosen to "forget" this part of their conversation earlier- and was determined to leave it that way.

Sighing in her defiance, Ralph could only think of one other thing to do.

He grabbed their beach bag and opened it to reveal that he too had removed his most prized possession: the necklace Vaneollpe had given him so many months ago.

The heart-shaped cookie necklace inscribed with the words "You're my hero" was safely placed on top the other random items in the bag as to not get squished.

"I always hate removing mine, too," Ralph comforted Vanellops by admitting, nodding down at his necklace.

"But... I'm getting there, Kiddo," he smiled sheepishly at her before continuing.

"I only removed it when there's a chance it might get ruined- like getting wet by pool water."

Vaneollpe cluched her most prized possession closer to her: a messy, big-hand made necklace from Ralph. She thought back to whenever Ralph "gave" it to her...

He had made it shortly after her leaving her game for the first time as a "Welcome to Game Central Station" present. In the middle was a heart- shaped bead that contained the same message the necklace she had given him so many months ago did: "You're my hero."

Although cute and sweet, the necklace had it's fault, though. Other multicolored, misshapened beads surrounded the middle one, making the necklace itself have no order, and be sloopy and non-consistent.

It was, as Sergeant Calhoun had said, "obviously a man's work" and "the sorriest necklace ever created".

All this made Ralph reconsider giving the necklace to the child in the first place, thinking she'd hate it and trash it.

He should've known better.

Vanellope (snooping around in Ralph shack one day) found it and absolutely loved it, saying it "matched" everything she own. She then begged Ralph to let her keep it.

"That was the original plan for it, Fart Feathers," he said, relieved, yet shocked she loved it so much.

Eyes wider than Ralph ever thought possible, Vanellope squealed with absolute delight, begging Ralph to help her put it on.

"I made it. ...for you, you know," he admitted sheepishly as he slipped it over her head.

The child turned around to face him, her face uncharacteristically serious.

"Really?" she whispered. "Its so... amazing," she added, then her eyes fell on the middle bead's message that mirrors the one she had given him.

Staring at it, her hazel eyes began to fill with tears.

Ralph immediately got worried. Did she suddenly hate it, causing her to cry? But before he could ask her what's wrong, it became clear nothing was.

She just jumped up and hugged his neck gently.

"Thank you," she whispered so softly he had to strain to hear it.

After a minute, he pulled her back so he could see her face, so full of suprise... and untold appreciation.

"I had no idea that I was your hero, too," she told him wide eyed.

"Of course, kid," Ralph told her as he tucked a few of her bangs gently behind her ear.

Vanellope smiled at him, then tearfully at the necklace.

"No one has ever giving me a hand -made gift before," she admitted, sounding slightly ashamed. "Especially not one this beautiful." She began to play affectionately with the necklace that now hung around her neck.

Ralph wasn't used to this side of Vanellope, so sensitive and innocent; he was used to the tomboy, rough and tough girl who never really showed much emotion. But he, of course, loved both sides of her, amazed at how cute she looked just then.

"It fits its new owner well ,then," he commented fondly, causing her to blush slightly as he ruffled her hair gently.

"You truly are my hero, kid," he confirmed. "And always will be, too."

Tickling her, the gentle man immediately knew he really was a "stink brain" for ever thinking she'd hated his gift.

As for Vanellope, the mere fact that she meant that much to someone- to be someone's hero- touched her deeply.

Although never spoken, it was obvious that she loved the way that felt and the way it made her feel: special, wanted and loved.

All completley new feelings to her.

And Ralph loved that he was the first one who really made her feel that way.

Quickly after receiving the necklace from Ralph, Vanellope vowed to never to take off the necklace.

So, like Ralph did, Vaneollpe wore that necklace everywhere- while racing, exploring different games, even while sleeping (which came in handy when she had nightmares).

Loving the warmness it gave her, she never took it off- and, with everyone knowing how much it meant to her, never asked her to take it off.

Up until now, that day at the pool.

By the man that gave the necklace to her in the first place.

"Cmon, kid," Ralph coaxed the anxious child, shaking her from flashback. "I know how much that necklace means to you- mine means alot to me, too. But, look, took mine off- and it's safe in here," he reasoned with her.

"Yours will be, too."

Vanellope glanced down at her necklace- then back at the shimmering pool.

"O-okay," she finally gave in, slowly pulling the necklace off and handled it to Ralph.

With her watching like a hawk, he placed it gently in the bag, right next to his.

Instantly, Vanellope hated the way it felt being off her neck; it felt like something major was missing, the warmness she treasured so much, gone. Stuff into a bag... abandoned or something.

She frowned, thinking she'd never like being apart from her precious gift- even for a little bit. She almost even asked for it back instead of being able to swim.

But when Ralph smiled reassuring and affectionately at her, she couldn't help but smile back.

She knew was still his hero- with or without the necklace.

The warmness coming back, Vanellope knew she never going to get miss anything again. And although it felt weird without having the necklace on, she could handle it.

She could see herself getting there, at least.