WiR 2: What is Needed :)
(A/N: First off, I'd like to say that I did love the goodbye scene in WiR 2. It was sweet and simple... But I still felt a little disconnected from it from some odd reason. It didn't hit me quite the way the first movie's ending did...
So, honestly, this is mostly a "Man, I really wished something kinda like this had happened in Ralph breaks the Internet" kinda one-shot lol (I actually started writing this before the movie came out lol; I really thought something like this would happen at the end, but it didn't XD)
Quick little backstory on this one-shot: in my headcanon, most of "the Giant Ralph" climax has stayed the same- except one crucial point.
When the Real Ralph is about to be squished by the Giant Ralph, Vanellope quickly says it would be better for her to come back to the arcade instead of staying in the Internet (of course, in order to get the Giant Ralph to let her Stink Brain go). But instead of him quickly disagreeing with her and telling her she deserves to "be free" and that he "doesn't own her" (like canon in the sequel), Ralph instead lets Vanellope make that decision for herself, telling her he'd be ok with whatever she chooses, whether that's coming back home with him or staying in the internet...
In order to make him happy (and to get the Giant Ralph to let him go), Vanellope determines she will go back to the arcade and that she must help Sugar Rush get plugged back in.
With Ralph feeling secure and at peace again (and content that she chose to come back home on her own), the Giant Ralph falls apart- and now safe, the two head back to the arcade and wait for Mr.Litwak to replug in Sugar Rush...which is the starting scene for this one-shot.
Hope all enjoy! :D)
For a moment frozen in time, Vanellope stood rock still, blankly, unemotionally staring up. She felt numb for some odd reason, as if something inside her was slowly, painfully dying.
Above her was the overhead sign where the scrolling of bright red words once was, now as blank and dark and empty as she felt. It looked so weird to her still, seeing the overhead sign like that, so...lifeless, powerless.
Just in front her was the huge, dark, closed off tunnel that now lead to nowhere instead of the once candy game.
Once her candy game...
As the child shook her head free of any strange, far-off thoughts, she realized that there were many others around her. Many random arcade inhabits, trying to get a closer look and/or rubbernecking at the scene...
Ralph and both of the Fix-It's were there, too, all eagerly and impatiently peering up at the blank overhead sign as well...
But Vanellope couldn't focus on any of them, really. The other game characters around all faded together into one big blob in her peripheral vision. Even her big ole' best friend and the family-esque hammer man and war lady barely caught or held the little girl's attention for very long.
All the little girl could focus on was the humanoid candy characters pacing around her knees. All the dessert creatures with huge and over-exaggerated heads shaking slightly in their place...all of the fellow children and racers with their signature racing gear on, crossing their fingers and biting their lips in agony...
All of the very people, the very citizens of the broken, unplugged game.
My people, my citizens, Vanellope sadly reminded herself- yet, still feeling painfully numb in her stomach as she gingerly stepped forward... a peace in her dying painfully.
My broken, unplugged game.
That game -the happy, bright game of Sugar Rush- was all of these candy characters' home, their job...their everything. All they've ever really known. Now that it was unplugged and gone, they had nothing.
Please, Vanellope silently pleaded mentally, closing her eyes tightly as wishing on a shooting star. For everyone else's sake, please replug Sugar Rush, Ole' Man Litwak...Ralph and I got the steering wheel to the arcade...please fix it and replug the game in...
As she opened her huge hazel eyes and looked up, though, she saw that all was the same, making the twisting in her gut feeling that much more empty and hollow.
The little president had given up all hope when suddenly loud beeping noises filled the arcade- and looking up, everyone saw that the once inactive overhead sign's two little lights were starting to flash red... making each character around jump in their place and hold a deep breathe in.
A plug-in alert.
The beeping getting more cautionary and the lights blinking faster and faster (as fast as Vanellope's heart was racing), everyone quickly gathered around, more than anxious to see just what was getting plugged in.
Vanellope jerked backward in shock and in uncertainty when the colossal prongs of a plug suddenly filled the huge empty slots up above the overhead sign, sparks of blue electricity lighting up the now filled spots. Everyone far below on ground level watched in awe as a longer, dome-shared prong also appeared, about to give them free access from the Grand Gaming Station grounds to whatever was now plugged in.
More loud, electronic clicking was heard as the bottom prong slid securely into place...
A dark, eerie tunnel now formed.
Mr.Litwak had plugged something into the outlet. But was it the repaired Sugar Rush? Or something else...like a replacement game for the popular candy racing game?
Waiting off to one side, the once bored Surge Protector suddenly became lively and sprung into action as the once empty outlet became filled again. Racing and weaving through the thick crowd of characters, the blue-skinned man already had a blue hand on his caution tape- ever ready to protectively section off the tunnel that connected the station.
In pure suspense, every character near the newly occupied outlet stared at the overhead sign- waiting, even silently begging for two particular words to reappear once again where they originally were.
Please, oh please let it be Sugar Rush, Vanellope begged again as she crossed her tiny fingers, standing by her best friend as he too silently pleaded the same request...
And as if it was able to read their minds, the overhead sign now suddenly became alive again, flashing bright red letters... simply stating two calming, familiar words...
"SUGAR RUSH!" someone close by Vanellope screamed out excitedly, no doubt one of the citizens of the sugary candy itself. "It's Sugar Rush! Litwak must've got the steering wheel and fixed it! And now it's been plugged back in again!!"
At the random characters' confirming words, a happy frenzy overtook the crowd, almost all now more than excited to have Sugar Rush back in operation.
To one side of Vanellope were Minty and Jubileena, gawking up at the overhead sign in awe for a split second in time, half in shock, half in ecstasy. The moment the fact that their game was up and running again had sunk in, the girls shared in an ear-piercing squeal of delight before hugging each in joy.
Beside them, a humanoid few jolly-rancher candies melted to their knees and squealed excitedly and loudly. Rancis and Gloyd blinked repeatedly at the tunnel and then turn to gawk at each other, unable to fully express their disbelief.
The non-Sugar Rush characters around couldn't help but share in the happy moment as well. Zangief and Bowser, gathered close by, shared in a round of high-fives as Mario and Luigi exclaimed happy Italian phrases. Even Surge shook his head in a shock yet happy stupor as he placed his tape back in his back pocket and scribbled on his clipboard.
Holding back tears, Felix randomly pulled Candlehead into a tight hug, who squeezed him back in response and briefly lifted her semi-adopted father off the ground- causing him to laugh gently and noogie the child once his feet touched the ground again.
Perhaps the most touching of all the elated reactions, though, was oddly that of Tafftya, shakily clatching on to Calhoun's leg to bawl out happy, relieved tears into it... despite the child being at great, combative odds with the war lady just a few hours before.
Sincerely taken back, Calhoun (who the Sugar Rush racer had tentatively and mockingly called 'mom') began to blush deeply at the pink-outfitted girl's clinging... and although she tried to hide it, the tough woman couldn't help but smile.
Looking up as Tammy looked down, the small girl shared a matching blush herself as she wiped off a bunch of mascara running down her checks.
So this is what the rewards of parenthood looks like, eh? her 'mother' affectionately thought as she reached down to lightly pat Tafftya's back. I guess that'll do...
Somewhere beside the two slowly bonding girls, Ralph too was excited at the game being inhabitable again. He excitedly fist bumped the air too many times to count, forcing himself not to soil himself.
Yes! After all that he himself had to face to get that steering wheel- like going into that crazy, exciting place called the Internet...Meeting all those crazy, exciting weirdos along the way, like Yess, Spamley, Double Dan...
Meeting Shank...
Making all those crazy videos that embarrassed him to earn all the money needed, and then nearly getting killed by...well, ironically a whole army of other Ralphs...
Even after his brutally hurtful verbal fight with Vanellope to try and get her to come back to her home here in the arcade...
Everything single bit of it was worth this moment.
Litwak had got the steering both the wrecker and Vanellope had worked so hard to get, gone through so many ups and downs to own, and now, no doubt, Sugar Rush was fix and ready to be played on again.
Now, finally, finally, things could get back to a happy normal for everyone involved- especially Ralph and Vanellope.
Turning to share an elated smile with his best friend, Ralph eagerly looked down at Vanellope, expecting to see her beautiful eyes to be focused on him, too, happy and bright and ready for a new adventure...
But all he saw was that she was still staring upwards... so blankly, so emptily.
In all too rarity for her, the child's face was emotionless, as if voided of all real feeling. It was clear that she wasn't exactly disappointed or upset, but it also wasn't clear that she was absolutely ecstatic as Ralph had expected her to be.
She was just simply there...existing...
Accepting...
Blocking out everything around him but her as she just stared blankly forward, Ralph stared down at Vanellope. A tiny, unreadable half smile surfaced on her face- although it looked as if it was forced to be there out of mere respect for the joy that her fellow game mates were feeling then.
Ralph watched her as she stuffed her hands in her hoodie pocket as she bit her lower lip. As if in a clearly vain attent to clear whatever was on her mind, she looked over and made eye contact with Rancis, who smiled widely at her in return. Her empty half smile seemed to shriek instead of grow, however, as the fellow racer then ran to her side.
"You did it, President Vanellope!" Rancis told her in admiration as he gently grabbed and shook her hand. "You saved our game!"
Our game...our game, Vanellope found herself repeating mentally as she forced another smile.
Maybe she repeated his words over and over to force herself to remember that fact and restore the feelings she used to have for the game...
But she still felt nothing at those words all the same. A painfully empty nothing.
She could see, but not feel it herself, all the pure joy all the Sugar Rush characters were feeling now- the happiness all of the other racers, the candies and treats had at their game getting plugged back in.
Their game...their game...
Suddenly, another full frenzy erupted, Sugar Rush characters everywhere now flocking towards their game's opening portal. Racer after racer was the first in the pack, some even betting they could get to their karts before the others could.
The other Sugar Rush characters -humanoid candies, desserts, even a piece popcorn or two- became eager to get back into their beloved game as well. Pushing past their frozen child of a leader, they all rushed to get back inside the game and get on with their lives.
In their mad dash to get back into their game, some accidentally bumped into Vanellope's shoulder, justling her forward a little bit. Still, she somehow stayed upright and rooted in place as her eyes darted around blankly and slowly at the fellow game characters around her.
Having Sugar Rush characters flow like water around his own feet, Ralph remained unmovable as well... his eyes rooted solely on Vanellope with growingly painful yet undeniable clarity.
Although she tried everything she could to mask it- hunching her eyebrows, half-lowering her eyelids to leave her large eyes harder to read- Ralph could already see all she was truly feeling right there in what he could see in those beautiful deep eyes of hers.
And what he saw now punch him in the gut.
He saw no real elation in her eyes, no real joy or excitement over Sugar Rush getting plugged back in.
And no trace of happiness whatsoever.
All that was truly there in her eyes was just utter emptiness...pain... sadness...acceptance...
And it was now clear as day to Ralph himself. He could no longer deny it, pretend it wasn't there...
And the clearer it all became, the blurrier his vision got.
Sugar Rush was no longer Vanellope's game. These characters around her were no longer her people, her gatemates, her friends...
Her family...
It was just some other game to her, some other people she used to share a game with but now seemed to bearly know in her heart anymore.
Sugar Rush was not this kid's home, not her everything anymore... Not where she belonged...
Not nearly the way Slaughter Race was.
The light in her eyes when she was in that dangerous game, the smile on her face with breathing in the smoggy air it had, the pip in her step as she strolled down the streets containing no tracks...
Slaughter Race was indefinitely Vanellope's true home now- and Sugar Rush would never be able to fill that place in her heart again.
Yet for the sake of the citizens of Sugar Rush...for their needs... she was willing to leave behind that fierce racing game in the Internet...which was all she ever wanted...to come back and be the leader for Sugar Rush.
Vanellope was a good enough person to put a whole group of peoples' need above her wants...
But now she here she was, back in the arcade before a replugged in Sugar Rush...and couldn't just hide it all- especially not from Ralph.
He could see solely in her eyes, painfully in her eyes that she was pretending that she didn't feel utterly empty. Or in pain. Or sad.
Sometimes you have to put others' needs ahead of what you may want...
Ralph could tell she was going to force a smile, force a spark to be in her eyes for a game she now felt nothing for- and nothing could ever truly bring back.
Sometimes you have to put others' needs ahead of what you may want...
Deeply sighing, Ralph knew his compassionate little sister was just merely going to accept her fate as the programmed President of Sugar Rush- as empty as it meant to her now.
How can you love something so much yet let go of it so easily?...
Or maybe not so easily?...
An involuntary hollow smile on her face, Vanellope became to allow the gushing crowd of frantic Sugar Rush characters to pull her too towards the mouth of the Sugar Rush tunnel. Making her mind over, rejecting any other feeling for another game to come up, the child emptily, painfully, acceptingly moved forward...
When she suddenly felt herself being held back from movement.
Confused, the child looked over her shoulder to that Ralph had gently grabbed hold of her mint green hoodie, forcing her to stop in her tracks...and to prevent her from entering the game.
Allowing his huge fingers to let go of her hoodie as she slowly turned to face him, Ralph pursed his lips together. In pain. In sadness.
In acceptance.
Eyeing the ground beneath him to make sure there was no stray, small Sugar Rush-ians, Ralph carefully knelt down to Vanellope's level...and hesitantly beckoned the child closer.
As she crept forward in growing confusion and uncertainty, her Stink Brain sighed deeply through his nose- not at all sure about what he was about to do.
"Kid," he shakily began, a large, gentle hand of his finding its way onto her back and pulling her closer. "Sometimes...sometimes you have to put others' needs ahead of what you may you want...and you...," he gulped out, "you need to be Slaughter Race to be truly happy, don't you?"
At his words, he saw her eyes light up in happiness and hope for a second in time- then as she winced in shame when she subconsciously felt herself do so. She looked down now in embarrassment for feeling such strong emotions over a game that wasn't really hers...then felt her eyes drift over to the WIFI tunnel- the very one that leads to the Internet, that lead to Slaughter Race...
That lead her to her dream game, where she belonged...
Shaking her head hard and looking back at him, Vanellope gulped with her chin tucked closer to her neck and nodded slightly.
When Ralph's face twitch slightly -in marked pain- the child quickly lifted her head and leaned forward.
"But-but the racers here in Sugar Rush need me more," she confirmed...accepted. "I'm their leader, after all..."
Looking beyond her for a second, the wrecker before her suddenly broke in a soft smile. Rolling his eyes slightly and shaking his head, he looked back at her.
"Actually, they don't, kiddo," he smiled at her, nodding pointedly behind her. "I think they'll be just fine without you as their leader..."
Curiously turning to see what he had seen, Vanellope's eyes took in the scene at the Sugar Rush portal- and a strange smile overtook her, one she had never had before.
Hammer Head and Sergeant Crazy actually make good parents, don't they?
Each hastily grabbing onto one of his hands, both Minty and Gloyd were currently dragging an eager Felix behind them towards the Sugar Rush portal- and not too far from that trio was Tafftya and Calhoun. The blond-hair girl gingerly and shyly latched onto her new mother's hand and lead her into their game as well, all the children excited to show their parents their home game.
Turning back to face him in peace, Vanellope and Ralph shared a knowing smile.
"They don't need ya," Ralph commented, earning an eye roll from Vanellope. "The game is a democracy, after all."
"I bet Calhoun could even train Taff to be a semi-good leader," she replied, over-casually shrugged and smirked, shoving her hands into her hoodie front pocket, her eyes half-lidded. "Ya know, if Laffy-Taffy ever learns how to control those water-fountain eyes of hers."
Snorting, Ralph gently pinched her cheeks...right before Vanellope seemed to shrink back in her place a little, her light, joking manner gone again- and her look of fear and hesitancy resurfacing in her telling eyes.
"But... you need me here to be truly happy, right?" she sincerely asked her best friend, her hero- delicately wanting him to answer her truthfully.
To her absolute surprise, Ralph half-smiled and shook his head- although there was a definite sadness to his way of doing so.
"No...," he tells her sincerely, delicately. "That's just what I wanted... Desperately, even. So much I thought it was a need," he admitted as he looked away from her gaze, abandoning rubbing her back to instinctively switch to rubbing the back of his neck for a moment instead.
"But...what I really need," he told her gently as his soft eyes met hers again, "is for you to be truly happy. I'll only be happy then."
Her large eyes doubling in size, Vanellope watched as Ralph stood up...and slowly held out his large hand for her to jump into. His eyes softer than she had ever seen them, he beckoned her up into his hand.
A strangely weak smile surfacing on her face, the child readily hoped into his hand- and quickly scampered up onto her Stink Brain's large shoulder.
As he began his walk over to what Vanellope quickly realized was going to be towards the WIFI tunnel, she eyes clouded up as she peered behind her towards Sugar Rush.
There she saw Calhoun and Tafftya -still holding hands- making their way inside Sugar Rush. Felix, meanwhile, had paused in his walking- and at seeing that Vanellope wasn't making her way inside as well, he waved his two other kids inside after their mother.
Her eyes briefly meeting Felix' as he began to dart after Ralph was all that he needed to know what was happening. A small understanding smile and ginger wave from the small handy man was enough to make Vanellope sniffle slightly.
You and Tammy take care of my kingdom for me, please, Hammer Head... they deserve the best...
Turning to face forward again, the child's hazel eyes then danced around the station... and all other the characters still standing around.
As she and Ralph walked on, they passed Zangief, who smiled at her up on Ralph's shoulder- where the fighter had gotten accustomed to seeing the little girl...
They strolled by a waving Peter Pepper- Vanellope's stomach already missing the taste of his fresh-made, extra peppery, extra ketchupy burgers on her tongue...
They lumbered past Clyde and Pacman, Mario and Luigi, Yoshie and Bowser... and a ton of other characters Vanellope knew and friended and even loved...
Ones she knew she may never see again...
And ones she realized she would've never been able to meet had it not been for Ralph.
Overwhelmed with conflicting emotions, the child was about to hug her hero's head close to her when suddenly she was plucked from her perch on his shoulder and place gently on the ground by Ralph...
Right before the WIFI tunnel.
Peering up at the overhead sign -now with a totally different set of emotions filling her now- a strange, peaceful smile surfaced on Vanellope's face. She closed her eyes, completely unable to fathom what was happening.
This can't be happening...
She could almost smell the smog-filled, think air, snuggling her in like a blanket...She could almost hear the orchestra calling out to her, magnificent beckoning to come back...She could almost feel the chill of excitement racing up her spine, the thrill of racing overwhelming her once again-
"That crazy lady Shank will take care of you, right, kid?" a gruff yet soft voice interjected half-jokingly, causing Vanellope to turn to see Ralph standing behind her.
A weak chuckle was Vanellope's only response, gulping back tears as she pursed her lips together again. She shyly stared down at her twisting fingers yet again, unsure of what to say or do for a moment- wanting all of this to happen but not really wanting all of this to happen...
But her emotions weren't nearly as divided as Ralph's were then. His partly negative, worrying mind inwardly pushed and shoved back and forth with his partly postive... trusting mind.
Should I really let her live in such a violent game? What if she gets hurt...or worse?...
But she deserves to be sincerely happy- and if Slaughter Race is the only thing that truly makes her this happy...
We'll be so far apart, though...which, I guess, could possibly be good for us to have some space...but that allows other people to wiggle their way in between our friendship! You can't handle that!... But that won't happen, Ralph! You're still her hero, no matter who she meets!...
It was as if his emotions and thoughts were at odds with each other, battling each other. As if they were separated into parts...
As if they were split down the middle...
"Oh," the wrecker recalled as he shook off his worrying thoughts, catching Vanellope's gaze once more as he slowly knelt before her. "Before you...um, go, I wanted to give you this."
Fishing in his back overall pocket, his huge fingers bearly dug around for a moment before carefully pulling out something...something small and fragile...
And when he opened his massive hand, there was one half of his precious cookie medal necklace- in the perfect shape of half of a heart.
Her eyes wide, Vanellope befuddledly took the half of the cookie, unable to know what to think or feel. Holding it in her small hands, she realized just how odd the medal felt- now that it was no longer in one whole piece.
All at once, the harsh reality of why it was now split now the middle came washing over Vanellope once again...and the remembrance of what she had screamed so bitterly at Ralph drowned her in overwhelming grieve.
"You don't care about me, Ralph!"...
"I'm starting to wonder why I ever did make that stupid medal for you in the first place!...You clearly don't even deserve it now!"...
"Because all you are is a selfish, clingy, needy bad guy!!!"
Phycially wincing, the child shut her tearful eyes tightly, unable to bare the fact that such heinous, monsterous...untrue words ever spilled out of her mouth.
Those harsh words, once so loudly and so blindly screamed in anger, now badly cut her now- likes knives deep into her heart...
Especially when she looked up and saw how soft and kind Ralph's eyes were towards her then.
How could I have ever said any of that?! How could I have pushed him away like that?!...
How could I have savagely broken his beloved medal like that?
Blinking back the ocean of tears filling her eyes, the child bit her lip in remorse- causing Ralph's kind, gentle smile to instantly and worriedly disappear.
"I'm so sorry I broke it, Ralph!" Vanellope gulped out, pleading for his forgiveness as she tried not to sob. "I didn't mean to! We can fix it-"
"No, no, it's ok, really!" the wrecker surprised and reassured her by saying without hesitation, no anger or resentment left over. That kind and loving smile resurfaced on his face instead, calming the child a tiny bit. "The medal doesn't need to be fixed! 'Cause now we can both have a half, see?"
Still smiling in hope and peace, he reached into his shirt and revealed the other half of the medal hiding under his shirt, his half hanging so securely around his neck.
Her bottom lip quivering, Vanellope's eyes stared at his half of the medal for a moment, that half so safe around his neck...yet so incomplete at the same time...
Blinking down at the other half of the medal in her hand, she gulped heartedly- realizing that it was now her beloved half of his medal...
"Yeah," was all she could chuckle out, her voice so sad and wobbly that it broke Ralph's heart even more so deep inside his chest.
He watched in frozen silence as the child took a moment to trace her hand over the icing of the cookie, to allow the feelings of its now crumbly edge to brush on her fingertips...
Her eyes softer had she remembered them ever being before, Vanellope remembered all the hard work she put into making that medal...and how the words on it will ever be true.
In her brief moment of reflection, her mind strangely didn't fill with all the memories she and Ralph had made these past 6 great years. On any the great memories, in fact.
She didn't reflect on the night they had met, all that night had done to and for her- or how her life had changed so much for the better since she had met Ralph.
Her mind didn't even pause to think about how much she really loved Ralph for how sweet he was, how kind he was...
How much he cared for her- or how much she cared for him in return.
No, all Vanellope could think about right then was what she had told Shank after she had expressed how she couldn't go home to Sugar Rush, how she couldn't just go back to the arcade...
What she had truthfully told Shank right after the Buzziephone had cut out on Ralph's end of the call.
"...But what about Ralph?" Vanellope had asked Shank then, her voice suddenly broken and scared- and completely unsure. "I also can't just leave him to live here in Slaughter Race!"
"You won't be leaving him, V," Shank told her softly, leaning back on the hood of her car. "You two will just be a little further apart if you stayed here, that's all. Even if you guys don't see each other day, you'll still be friends."
"But that's the thing- Ralph's not just my friend," the child simply replied, looking down and fiddling with her pull strings. "He's my only best friend, and was my first real friend..."
In deep inner pain and worry, the little child sighed as she trailed off. Looking up, she stared off into the distant Sequoia Speedway- unsure of how to explain just how conflicted and worried she felt...and just how much Ralph meant to her.
"He's the most special person in my life...," the child finally said candidly and softly, every bit of her heart into her words. "In fact, he's my hero, Shank..."
"And he always will be, too," the older, wiser woman told Vanellope pointedly, reaching over to shake the child's shoulder gently. "Nothing can ever change that."
Always will be... always will be...
Even if Ralph and Vanellope fought and agrued and bitterly said things they'd never mean in their right state of mind...Even if they wanted to live in different places, to have different dreams in life...
Even if they would be a little bit further apart now, living semi-separate lives... Even if they didn't see each other, hang out with each other every day now...
Even if the precious hero medal Vanellope made so long ago for Ralph was split down the middle...
Wreck-It Ralph would always be Vanellope von Schweetz's hero- and they'd always be best friends.
And nothing could ever change that.
The heavy, emotional gravity of what was happening hit Vanellope all at once- and she couldn't take it anymore, swallowing her whole. It was like a nightmare, a fog...just her imagination...
This just CAN'T be happening...
Unable to hold back the sea forming in her eyes anymore, the child abandoned all thoughts and quickly sprung into her best friend's arms, hugging his neck so tightly she was sure she was choking him.
At her surprise hug, Ralph was a little startled- but quickly and silently hugged her back. And as he started to instinctively pat her back so softly and understandably, Vanellope knew that in his arms was were she felt the safest, the most loved in the world...
And that she couldn't just give that up now.
"You...you can just come live in Slaughter race with me," she suggested softly into Ralph's neck, forcing herself yet again not to break into a sob as he gently continued rubbed her small back. "You can wreck stuff and no one would even know... and you'll never get thrown off the roof again..."
Lifting her head off his shoulder to wipe her running nose on her hoodie sleeve, the child sat back in her hero's hands- to reveal to Ralph that his tough little girl was openly crying.
"You can be truly happy...with me...in Slaughter Race," she eagerly and hopefully weeped. She delicately shifted her eyes to stared down at her fingers again, trying not-so-slyly to desperately beg him to agree with her...
So she could always be with him and he with her, never having to live part of their lives without their best friend by their side.
Without even a moment of hesitation, Ralph smiled softly at her request and her down-casted face. Using one of his huge fingers, he gently lifted Vanellope's chin up to look at him in the eye...
And there she saw the very thing she had earlier harshly denied, foolishly ignored, horribly screamed wasn't there right in her Stink Brain's soft brown eyes.
Unrelenting, loving care.
Something that would always be there, Vanellope knew- no matter what had happened, where they were.
Gulping back the tears in his own eyes, Ralph sighed- fully knowing just what his reply needed to be to Vanellope... his little Fart Feathers...
His little identity...
"I'm already truly happy," he told her sincerely, using one hand to hold her while the other hand was used to softly pushed her bangs from her face. "I've got the coolest...and now the happiest best friend in the world."
Weakly chuckling again at his kind, truthful words, Vanellope blushed and wipes away more stray tears, shaking her head humbly...
Before squeezing her eyes, emtionally jumping up to hug him again- and saying words that made Ralph's heart pound hard in his chest.
"I love you so much...," her raspy voice broke unevenly as she whispered so softly- her words ones Ralph had never heard directed towards him before. "I'm so sorry for everything I said and did...a-and I'm going to miss you so much."
Brown eyes wide and full of scared, emotional yet beyond happy tears, Ralph readily hugged her back. Laying his head on her small shoulder, he felt wrecked to his code again... but for a whole different reason as he tried not to squeeze the life out of her, never wanting to let her go.
How can you love something so much...yet let go of it so easily?...
"I'm sorry for everything, too, kid...," he shakily admitted as well, closing his own eyes in pain, in worry. In love. "I'm going to miss you more...I really am..."
The two friends, nestled safely in each other's arms, squeezed each other a little tighter than ever before... and everything else -the fears, the worries, the regrets, the guilt, the battles they both inwardly fought- instantly melted away. Everyone else standing around them fell into a foggy mist of blobs, blobs that all ran together and that didn't matter or exist, even...
And for a moment they both wished was frozen in time a tiny bit longer, it was just the two of them. Ralph and Vanellope, Stink Brain and Fart Feathers.
A hero and heroine who would always be together... and nothing could ever change or wreck that-
"Brother...," a blog with a rich southern accent began, his voice soft and gentle- and clearly apologetic for intruding the tender moment the two friends were having. "The-the arcade is about to open..."
Pulled out their own moment in time and sucked back into reality, both Ralph and Vanellope painfully sighed in unison- wishing more than anything it wasn't time to let the other go...
But after squeezing the other a little bit closer, they slowly pulled away from their warm embrace- hearts pounding yet in a strange, familiar peace.
Leaning back in his large, safe hands, Vanellope wiped her now red eyes and forced a weak, embarrassed smile up at Ralph.
After pinching her blushed cheeks one last time, Ralph chuckled softly.
"Who's got water fountain eyes now, Diaper Baby?" he teased her softly- although he wiped at his own eyes as he gently set her on the ground and stood up tall.
"You," Vanellope ever-ready teased back, that familiar soft, happy glow in her large eyes evident once again. "As always."
His fondness over her clearly seen on his face, Ralph smirked down at his best friend and held up a large, casual fist...
Which caused the child to immediately smile even wider as she quickly reciprocated the desired fist bump- then forced herself to begin to slowly back up.
"Au Revoir, Admiral Underpants," Vanellope then sadly chuckled out as she saluted the large man- her gesture mirroring Shank's trademark tribute...
Her nickname for him causing him to snort, Ralph mocked a bow. "See ya later, Non-President Fart Feathers..."
"And good-bye, Major Body Order!" the child laughed out, still teary eyed as she began casually waving to her best friend...the distance between them getting slowly wider...
"Well, warewell to you, Booger Face!" said best friend responded, himself waving quickly...although not backing up even an inch...
Loving the overwhelmingly playful, happy emotions overtaking her as she now stood into the enterance of the WIFI portal, Vanellope paused to finger point at him. "Ha! Hasta la Vista-"
But she was cut off by Surge suddenly appearing right before her in the tunnel, giving her a sharp look of annoyance as he raised a sharp, glowering eyebrow and placed his gloved hands on his hips impatiently. He pointedly and repeatedly tapped his foot, making it painfully clear it was time for her to leave...
Resisting the urge to snarl at the ill-timed blue man standing in her way, the angry child was about to growl out some sort of insult- but as she leaned over and peered around Surge, she saw that most of the arcade characters had already dispersed, all scattering off into their own games before the arcade opened up business for the day...
All except Vanellope's hero, still loyally standing there- biting his lip with deeply soft, mushy... accepting eyes...
Making Vanellope see the unchangable, much needed truth.
He can do this...I can do this...
Peering deeply into her own soft, mushy and accepting eyes, Ralph found himself giving her a small, surprisingly easy nod.
We'll be ok. We always will be...nothing can change that, kiddo...
At seeing the peace in his eyes, the child sighed and stood tall. At peace.
"Alright, alright," she finally called loudly, her voice cracking a bit as her wave suddenly got harder and faster. "To be continued!"
"Yeah!" Ralph couldn't help confirmed in one word, halfway choking and halfway laughing...
And after sharing one last brief, fond smile, Ralph watched and waved francially as Vanellope's small body suddenly began glowing in green and blue pixlels- and in one last hestiant, strong glitch, she was gone right before his eyes could even blink.
At seeing the brute of a girl was gone, Surge rolled his eyes and shook his head as he glitched through the floor as well- leaving Ralph as the only one left in the now bare station.
Staring blankly at where his kid had been just seconds before, a familiar, horrible feeling surfaced in the wrecker's stomach. A large, harsh hole.
Just like that, Ralph's little Fart Feathers, his little sister...his heroine was gone. Completely leaving the place by his side empty, the place on his shoulder somehow heavy.
Just like that, his life was now free of the normal, everyday routine he had once had with her. His focus while working was shifted now that he knew wouldn't be hanging out with her afterward. His games of 'I Spy' was now without a partner. His place up on the rooftop was already lonelier once again...
She was partly out of his life and off to live her own little life. She was now without him...and he was now without her...
And Wreck-It Ralph was now left without an identity.
Unwelcomed emotions washing over him and feeling his heart ache and divide harder than ever before, Ralph sighed painfully...
Right as he felt his half of the cookie medal, clinging so close to his beating heart in his chest.
And instead of feeling divided or hurt or alone or worried or wrecked, the feeling of the split medal soley filled him with a strange, calming peace as her words rang clear in his mind.
"I love you so much...I'm really going to miss you..."
Briefly closing his eyes and subconsciously feeling his meaty fingers gently cluthing onto his half of the cookie heart, Ralph felt a content smile on his face.
Vanellope isn't my identity anymore...and my life will be way different now without seeing her all day, every day...but that's all needed. And it's all ok...
Because I'll be ok. We'll be ok.
She's still going to be my kid, and my little sister, and my best friend. And I'll always be her best friend and hero, too...
And nothing can ever change that.
As he opened his eyes, the wrecker felt his smile and peace grow that much more as he peered down at his cherish half medal and made his way back toward his game- somehow excited to see what his new normal would be, what his new life will turn into...
And eager to earn a whole new identity all on his own.
-0-0-0-0-0-0-
In a moment frozen in time, Vanellope stood rock still, blankly, emotionally staring up. She felt beyond elated for some odd reason, as if something inside her was slowly, happily growing deep inside her again.
Above her was the Slaughter Race entrance sign, now as bright and strong and awesome as she felt. It looked so weird to her still, seeing an overhead sign like that, so...edgy and cool.
Just in front of her was the huge staircase that lead up a threatening, intense, and amazing game.
Now her threatening, intense, and amazing game.
As the child shook her head free of any strange, dazed feelings, she realized that there were many others around her. Many random internet inhabits, trying to get to Buzztube or Ebay or another place she could think of the Internet might have...
Yess, Spamely and even Knowsmore were there, too, each eagerly and impatiently waiting for the child before them to get a grip on her feelings and go inside...
But Vanellope couldn't focus on any of them, really. The other Netizens and Internet inhabits around all faded together into one big blob in her peripheral vision, not catching or holding the little girl's attention for very long.
All the little girl could focus on was the loud announcer of Slaughter Race warning others to enter at their own risk. All of the huge and over-exaggerated flames seeping from the pipes ...Shank and all of her gang biting their lips in excitement...
All of the very people, the very family from the forever amazing game.
My people, my family, Vanellope reminded herself- still tearing up in elation as she began racing up the stairs two-by-twos in deep peace unknown to her.
My forever game.