Glitch - Chapter 01

Everything started at the place where everything had ended. The air was sweet, the sky clear; candies and sweets as far as the eye can see. One of the mushiest designs ever, it could make anyone's teeth hurt just by looking at it. Yeah, this was the sugar sweet racing world, known in the arcade as Sugar Rush. The game was peaceful ever since the evil virus Turbo was gone, yet...

"May can I ask why we are here?" spoke Felix, following his beloved Calhoun through the candy field, approaching to the now extinct Diet Cola Mountain. The area around the mountain became bare and dark, without a single candy growing there.

"I have to make sure..." the woman suddenly stopped and turned around, glaring at Felix with a sour expression, "So, what are you doing here, Felix?" put her free arm onto her hip. The short man straightened as he answered.

"It's my duty to protect you, my lady." said with determination, holding up his small hammer. His demeanor was so heroic, yet comical at the same time.

"Yeah, of course. From what exactly are you protecting me from? Terrifying gummy bears?" Calhoun rolled her eyes with a tone of sarcasm in her voice. Felix puffed his cheeks, sulking. Seeing his reaction, the woman finally relented and ruffled his hat. "You don't have to worry. This is just a simple patrol."

"I still insist!" stated Felix, fixing his hat. "I don't want to leave my gal alone in a game like this." Calhoun shook her head, then leaned down and placed a hint of a kiss onto his nose.

"Fine fine... then let's get this over with quickly." said then walked ahead. For a long moment Felix was astonished, with a sweet expression appearing along with his red cheeks.

"Jiminy-Jaminy..." Felix muttered under his nose, slowly following the soldier to the mountain. When they were close to the bottom of the mountain both began to experience nervousness. On this dark place they saw nothing but a few, weird, dark chocolate colored bushes. The woman carefully looked around as she avoided the 'plants' at her feet.

"Stay close to me, Felix," Calhoun said to him, aiming her gun, "… and watch out for the thorns."

"What thorns...? Yeowch!" Felix let out a painful yelp and jumped, grabbing his shoulder. While he wasn't paying attention, one of the strange briars managed to bruise his left arm and tear the sleeve of his blue shirt.

"Geesh. I told you to be careful!" Calhoun rolled her eyes. The small man rubbed his sore arm, grimacing from the unexpected pain.

"It's alright. I can fix it." Felix said and touched his golden hammer to the bruise; it immediately healed along with the sleeve. He scratched the place a little, making sure it had completely vanished "See? I'm just fine. But why are these thorns here?"

"Who knows...? Better if we isolate the mountain from the game. Just to be sure nothing happened."

"I-Isolate? What do you mean?" Felix quirked a brow as Calhoun showed him her favorite gun. It was even bigger than him. "Oh..."

"Stay behind me!" Calhoun warned him and fired, blowing up each bush one by one. Felix watched her in awe; how amazing she was when she acted like a soldier. He couldn't help but let out a soft, enamored sigh. He still wasn't accustomed to her beauty and, and...

"Felix? Feeelix! Are you listening?" Calhoun's voice snapped him back to the reality. Felix blinked rapidly and shook his head.

"Did you say something?"

"I said, better if we go back and warn the others about what we found. Concentrate a little." The woman told him.

"Forgive me, my lady, I was just... lost in your beauty." Felix sighed and touched her hand. Calhoun's cheeks became red as she stared into those blue eyes. His words reached her usually cold and rock hard heart, melting her inside. This ridiculous feeling increased when the man jumped up and kissed her lips. Calhoun closed her eyes and kept Felix close, holding him by his arms until the kiss broke.

"You're so silly..." sighed the woman with a soft tone.

"I know, but this is what you like in me, no?" chuckled Felix, blushing hard. Calhoun gently put him down, avoiding the answer what was obvious. Holding each other's hand they slowly headed back to the racetrack to meet up with the others.

***

"Come on, come on, just a bit more." muttered Ralph, watching the giant screen that showed the current state of the actual racing contest. All the racers did their best to get a place in the best nine and become optional members of the game next day. The crowd cheered for their favorite candy pilot as they rode their karts on the serpentine road.

They were close to the end. This level was full with tricky traps and only a few of the racers were able to avoid them. But, right before the finish line, there was a huge loop; the last test. On the night before Ralph and Vanellope had trained on this part, trying to find a tactic that would get her through the difficult obstacle.

Oh, and her come the racers! Vanellope dashed to first place, passing by all her opponents in a blur. She increased her speed. The loop towered above the racers. The small girl licked her candy lips and clenched her fists on the wheel.

"Okay, let's do it!" Vanellope said as she forced herself to go even faster; under her car the road began to sheer dangerously. The engines roared and wheels screeched as they tried to stay on the line. Vanellope felt in her stomach as she slowly turned upside-down, so she gave another boost to the vehicle. The cart let out another roar and the momentum made it jump, avoiding the most dangerous top. The wheels hit the loop's wall on the other side, giving the rest speed for the gravitation. The girl just needed to keep her car on the road, by-passing some unfortunate racer and their broken kart as she dashed through the finish line.

"Aaand the winner is... Vanellope von Schweetz!" Shouted the commentator into the loud speaker.

"Yahoooo, she did it!" Ralph jumped up with joy. Vanellope slid a stop next to him and bounced out the car.

"Did you see it? Did you see it? I was so cool, wasn't I?" chirped the girl in ecstasy.

"Of course I saw it. You were amazing, kid. Give me a five!" Ralph praised her and Vanellope jumped up to knock fists.

"We're unstoppable!" She smirked victoriously.

"You bet we are."

"It seems you two had a successful day." They heard a serious voice and saw Felix and Calhoun approaching. Ralph and Vanellope changed a mischievous glance and elbowed the car in exactly the same position.

"Hey guys, welcome back." Smirked the girl.

"Hello. Another winning race?" Felix asked as he stopped by them.

"Yup. It was a piece of cake. Aaaand how was the patrol? Did you two have some fun?"

"F-fun?" Fix-it's face became red in surprise, "What you talking about?"

"Oh we aren't sure..." Ralph spoke on in the same sarcastic tone as Vanellope had, "Maybe you two played some Heroes Nudie?" Vanellope burst out in laughter next to him.

"Now that was nice!" the two snickered and knocked knuckles again. It worth joking about, but poor Felix could only quack; his whole head was red like a lobster.

"S-stop it! You are so childish." He stammered weakly.

"Then why are you blushing? You're redder than a candy." Snickered Vanellope as Felix pulled his hat lower, fidgeting. Their laughter was suddenly muffled when their ears were grabbed from behind and pulled roughly.

"Will you just shut up and listen to us?" Shouted Calhoun close to their ears.

"Y-yes, Sir- I mean Ma'am, just please release us? Yeowwch!" Grimaced Ralph painfully.

"We will behave, we swear!" Whimpered Vanellope, holding on the soldier's arm. Calhoun waited a bit more, enjoying the two's suffering, then dropped them.

"Very well. Now, if you paid some attention and stopped acting like idiots, then I would have told you about what me and Felix found." Calhoun stated as she continued on with her story about the patrol to Diet Cole Mountain. Ralph and Vanellope listened to her carefully, rubbing their sore ears. The discovery startled them too.

"I don't remember if there was any briar around the Mountain." Vanellope hummed quietly, rubbing her chin in thought.

"I found them suspicious too, so I eliminated them. But, better if all of us keep distant from that place until it's necessary." Said Calhoun. Everyone agreed with the idea. "Now if we've discussed everything, let's get back into our own game." The woman turned around to leave.

"Ah, wait for us, my lady." Felix called out to her and quickly followed his dynamite gal. Behind them, Ralph and Vanellope exchanged a look once again and snickered at the odd pair a bit more.

End of Chapter 01.