Author's Note: Uhhhh...This is based off the Headcanon of King Candy being a pre-existing character AND a completely different person from Turbo. He's also Vanellope's father. Vanellope is still "the rightful ruler of Sugar Rush" as King Candy is an NPC who would just watch his daughter race. My theory is that the real King Candy doesn't even KNOW how to drive. But the not driving thing isn't really addressed in THIS story.

Enough of this babble...enjoy the story.

The King's purple clad feet hurried along the hallways. It was dark and the only light was that of the moon shining through the high decorative windows of the castle, casting down odd shapes of light onto the candy-tile floors. His eyes constantly tried to adjust as they were thrust in and out of a light source as he passed the windows. The King's breathing became labored in his efforts to rush around corners, and raw panic occasionally shot through his rapidly beating heart as thoughts of an innocently sleeping candy haired girl ran through his muddled mind. He skidded around another corner, his shoes slipping to the side before gripping the ground. Coming to two large double doors leading into the throne room, he strained to throw them open as quick as his small, lithe arms allowed.

Finally pushing one of the heavy doors aside, he rushed into the room, immediately heading toward the curtain behind the throne and swiping it aside, before sprinting into the hall leading to the code room. It was slightly warmer in here than the throne room and an electric blue glow pulsated from the walls. The light caressed his fair skin, making him look as if he were glowing.

At the end of the short, glowing hallway, the door was open into the dark vortex of a room. A dark red licorice whip was tied to one of the thick silvery blue wires in the wall. The King rushed forward and he grasped the side of the opening as not to fall into the darkness he leaned into, his panicked hazel eyes searching for only a moment before he spotted the intruder. He sucked in a breath in a distressed gasp.

A white and red clad figure floated in the middle of a cluster of code boxes as if he were waiting for the King. A large red and a white helmet, an obnoxious red T slashed on the front, adorned his head and equally red licorice was tied around his extended waist.

The ghostly skinned figure chuckled darkly and the King's eyes widened in fear, his right hand gripping the door frame harder.

"Why, hello, your Highness," the figure mocked, his yellow luminescent eyes brightening for a moment before he placed a grey palm on a glowing purple code box, leaning on it in zero gravity and grinning a toothy, yellow smile.

I'm too late, was the only coherent thought in his head at that moment. The King sputtered for a second, his mind searching for words before he managed to stutter out, "T-Turbo. . .Wh-"

Turbo gave a chuckle that held anything but humour. "That's my name, don't wear it out," he said calmly before grabbing the wires sprouting from the box he was leaning on and swimming over to the door, a few feet out of the King's reach.

Swallowing hard, the King tried to speak again. "Wha-What are you d-doing?" he breathed, eyeing the code box clutched by its wires in Turbo's hand, trying to make out which box it was. A low laugh startled him and he looked up. Large eyes brimmed with loathing and gleeful malice stared back at him.

"Listen," Turbo growled, ignoring the King's question. "I need your code and you're going to help me, understand?" Turbo growled and leaned forward, squeezing the cluster of wires briefly.

The King finally seemed to find his voice, "Why would I ever help you?" His small white teeth clenched together as he set his mouth into a thin line and looked Turbo up and down. "I refuse," he said with finality. "Now get out of there this instant."

Turbo only smiled knowingly in return, looking down at the code box in his hand, the brim of his helmet covering his eyes. He held out the code box in front of him, letting the King see the writing on the side.

"Vanellope..." the King whispered in dismayed shock, reading the name printed on the purple box. His hand grasping the door frame loosened slightly.

"Yes," Turbo said, "I thought you'd refuse, so I thought I'd get some leverage to...convince you."

The King's eyes darted around, looking at the grinning face of the stranger he had let into his kingdom and then to the code box grasped in the maniac's hand. He swallowed then narrowed his eyes at the grey-faced scoundrel.

"Leave her alone. She doesn't need to be involved in this..." he growled lowly through his clenched teeth, eyeing the violet code box.

Turbo chuckled and grasped his stomach with his free hand. He then held up the code box by the wires that sprouted from the top. After giving it a contemplating look, he said, "Hmmm, I wonder what would happen if-" He rubbed his fingers over the base of some of the wires, twisting and pulling, until one of them ripped at the base, sparking and revealing the colourful insides.

The King's eyes widened and he felt himself lunge forward slightly, wanting to snatch the code box away from the grey faced demon. Unable to without falling into the darkness, he stood on the edge of the code room floor, his feet kneading the solid ground in helplessness.

"Stop it!" he cried out in desperation, his right hand clenching around the door frame so hard it started to ache. His eyes never left Vanellope's code box. "Okay...okay," he said, his voice wavering as he stretched out his free hand. "I'll..." he let out a heavy sigh, "I'll do as you say..."

Turbo let out a bark of laughter and kicked his legs in excitement. He had won.

"Good, I'm glad you could see things my way," he mocked. "Now go get that sour little servant of yours and another licorice line. I'll be right here." Turbo smiled, showing slightly crooked yellow teeth. "But you better hurry...I might get bored," he threatened, giving a meaningful glance at the code boxes around him. King Candy took one last look at the luminescent eyes staring back at him before he turned around and, with a heavy heart, trudged to Sour Bill's room.

King Candy knocked on the solid dark chocolate slab that was the door to his most loyal friend's quarters, then stood back, twisting the licorice rope in his hands. After a few anxious seconds that felt like hours to the King, the door cracked open and a little sour green ball stood in the door way, staring up at the crestfallen monarch.

"Sire...?" the little candy drawled in a monotone that had nothing to do with being woken up in the middle of the night.

"Ah...Sour Bill, I-I need you to come with me to the code room," the King said, his voice soft and dejected as he stared at his friend.

Sour Bill creased his brow slightly. He knew something was wrong as soon as he had opened the door. Something in his King's warm brown gaze was broken, and the way he held himself was off.

"Mmmkay," he droned, and stepped out into the hallway, closing the door behind him and following the King who had started walking towards the throne room before Bill had even shut the door. He was suspicious, but he was not programmed to question his King. He was programmed to serve and never question. But when his usually jolly, happy-go-lucky employer showed up at his door, disconsolate and depressed and holding a coiled licorice rope, many questions popped into his head.

Sour Bill knotted off the licorice rope around King Candy's waist and stepped back, holding the end. He watched as his King stepped off the edge and into the code room and swam his way over to a ghostly figure that was floating beside an open code box. His King's head was bowed as his out stretched hand was taken by the stranger and Sour Bill watched as sparks flew and a pink glow emanated from the ghostlike figure.

After the glow died down, Sour Bill's eyes widened in shock at what he saw. Blinking a few times, his nonexistent eyebrows rose. Two King Candys now floated in the blackness of the code room. Realizing his mouth was hanging slightly open, Sour Bill snapped his jaw shut as he watched a silent scene play out before him. One of the Kings seemed to be pleading to the other, his palms pressed together for a moment before gesturing in a random direction. The first King then held out both his hands in a pleading gesture. The second King shook with laughter, kicking his feet in delighted mirth before flourishing his hand in a dismissive gesture at the first King.

Sour Bill felt a tug on the licorice in his jelly bean hands and he snapped out of his daze long enough to pull in his King.

"Sour Bill, stay here..." was all his King said before leaving through the curtain, Bill staring after him.

Again, questions ran through Sour Bill's head, a desperate want to say, why, what's going on? Who is this other King? But the part of him that didn't want to question it allowed for his programming to take hold and he kept silent and obeyed the King.

King Candy numbly trudged through the wide, empty hallways, making his way to one room in particular. He stopped at a large elegantly molded white chocolate door before turning the handle and entering the room. It was dark and still. The room was a minty blue green, muted due to the lack of light. A large circular moon pie canopy bed stood in the center of the room, a small form was curled up at the head of the ridiculously large bed, fluffy marshmallow pillows surrounding her head.

The King made his way to one side of the bed, the gumdrops on his shoes letting out small jingles as he walked. As he came around the side, he kneeled and took one of the small girl's hands in his own. He brought the back of her hand to his lips and softly kissed it before laying his cheek onto it. He stared into the semi darkness of the room through half lidded eyes, feeling the warmth of his daughter's hand on his cheek alongside the coldness of the bed covers. He sniffed and felt fat hot tears push their way out of his eyes and down his cheeks and nose. His throat constricted in a stifled sob and he sniffed again.

He lifted his head and again kissed the girl's hand. He then leaned forward and brushed some of the girl's ebony, candy coated hair away from her face. He stretched forward and kissed her forehead before leaning back and staring at her pale, sleeping face. Vanellope shifted in her sleep before stilling once more. She looked content with the world, peaceful and blissfully unaware of what was going to happen to the kingdom. Swallowing a small sob, the King let out a shaky sigh.

"Please, forgive me my little Vanilla Bean," he whispered, blinking away tears that clung to his eyelashes. "I had to do this. But I know...that one day you will reclaim this kingdom. You're a little fighter. You were always braver than I ever could be. I know you'll free us, Vanellope...I believe in you..." he finished and nodded to himself reassuringly.

He slid beside his little girl and curled up alongside her. He would lay here just for a moment before returning as he had promised. He cringed at the thought of being in the Fungeon, but he reassured himself that his Vanellope would rescue him. He closed his eyes and for a moment he could imagine all this was just a bad dream.

"Daddy...?" a sleepy voice broke through his thoughts and his eyes opened to see two large hazel orbs staring at him. "What are you doing here?" After a beat, she added, in a more concerned tone, "Why are you crying?"

The King gave a halfhearted laugh and, wiping away the tears on his cheeks, said, "Oh, Daddy...had a bad dream, Nilly..." He smiled and nodded.

Vanellope leaned forward and hugged her father around his neck. "It's okay...I'll protect you," she said, leaning back and looking at the King's face.

"I'm sure of it," he said, holding her shoulders and smiling fondly at her. He then brought her to his chest and hugged her for what he guessed would be the last time for a while. "I love you, Vanellope..."

"I love you too," she said, already leaning back on her pillows, going back to sleep.

The King slid off the bed and made his way to the white chocolate door. He looked back at the now sleeping figure and whispered, "Goodbye, Vanellope...for now..." The door slid shut with a click as he trudged to his fate.