Hiya!

Here's a request from Cute Girl from my other story "Reflections."

I want to thank LexisTexas2000, SuperSonicFan64, cute girl, keishacurry00, neeny16, and Geekygreakfreak for reviewing to "Reflection."

cute girl:great story, i love it. could you please do one request I think
Ralph should adopt Vanellope because Ralph act as if he is her dad you don't
have to do it, but I think Ralph should.

To Cute Girl: I don't know if you're still interested in this and I know it's been a long time since you've left that review. Sorry for waiting so long. This story is dedicated to you. There's some stuff in you request that I didn't add because I didn't know how to incorporate it into the story. Sorry about that too...

To those who wanted me to continue or elaborate on "Reflections." : I do NOT plan on continueing it. I apologize for leaving you at a "cliffie" but I never planned on continueing it from the start. Sorry. It was just something that went through my mind at the time. It was also just an attempt at something sad. You guys are welcomed to continue it if you want. Just PM me if you want to.

This story came out pretty choppy and I am NOT proud of how it turned out. I'll probably go back to edit it later.

...

This takes place a year after the movie.

Ralph walked towards the Sugar Rush entrance outlet. It was a tiring day at work, now that his game had become more popular. In his hand was a banana from Pack-Man he had planned to give to Vanellope as a gift. It was tough to get considering the securities had gotten even more serious about what you can bring out of games. He had asked Felix to help him wrap it up in a pink lollipop wrapping paper and place a blue bow on top of it.

Before taking a step into Sugar Rush, he quickly hid the present behind his back before he was tackled into a hug by a small girl.

"Hey, BurgerBrain! I told you I'd wait for you!" She screamed with happiness.

He ruffled her hair. His giant hand almost squished her flat. "Nice to see ya too, kido."

Her eyes sparkled up at him before landing to the arm behind his back. "Whatcha got behind your back?"

He chuckled and handed the giant, wrapped crescent to her.

"Ooooh, what's this?" her eyes grew bigger than the present itself. "Is this for me?"

Ralph rolled his eyes. "Duh. Looks like I'm not the only BurgerBrain around here."

Vanellope didn't listen as she shredded the wrapping paper into small pieces. Bits of paper hung in the air before floating down and sprinkling her hair. "It's... "

If it was possible, her eyes would've grew bigger.

She repeated, "it's..."

She raised it to eye level. "it's... what is it?"

"What?" Out of all the list of reactions Ralph thought would occur, this one was not even on the list. "You don't know what that is?"

"Uh... Well, I don't think it's candy. If it is, I haven't seen it in Sugar Rush before."

"No, it's not candy. It's a fruit. You know, a banana."

She inspected it carefully, like a detective at a crime scene. "Oh, it's one of those things my people have been talking about. A banananananana."

"Uh, I think you have put too many 'na' at the end of it. It's banana."

"No, I'm pretty sure it's a banananananana."

"No, it's banana."

"Banananananana."

"Bana- oh for crying out loud, why don't we just ask some one for the correct word?"

Her eyes lit up. "Ok. check out this cool trick I can do."

She blinked once and the two suddenly appeared in Sugar Rush City.

Ralph took a step back. "What the-"

"I've been practicing. I've just glitched both of us from Game Central to the city!"

Ralph looked at her proudly and ruffled her hair. "I'm proud of you, kid."

Something warm blossomed in her chest. Was it the look Ralph was giving her? She had never -

"Hey, look guys. It's President Sugar Butt." Two boys walked past, snickering.

Vanellope's happy attitude faltered.

Ralph looked at her and then at them. "What did you say?" he growled to the boys. Ralph stood to his full height, taking a step towards them.

The boys didn't look a bit intimidated. They just snickered more before walking away, muttering, "Hey, look at that. Out most powerful President of Sugar Rush can't even fight her own fights. How on earth does she plan on governing us?"

Ralph started to open his mouth to yell at them but Vanellope stopped him by putting a small hand on his leg. "It's okay, Ralph." Though she barely whispered, her voice seemed loud in Ralph's ears.

"What do you mean 'it's ok?' That's not okay at all. What on earth is their problem-"

"Ralph, it's okay."

"No it's not-"

"This happens all the time."

Ralph stopped talking for a second, puzzled.

She sighed. "Some people don't think I'm fit to be the ruler of this land." She continued before he could interrupt. "I've been an outcast for so long that some people think I'm too 'lowly' to lead the people even though they've already got their memories back from the Turbo fiasco. To them, I'm still a just a glitch."

Ralph kneeled down, yet he still couldn't get low enough to reach her height. "Why didn't you tell me before? I could've helped you? I could've beat them to a pulp for you." He said the last sentence sarcastically to make her laugh a bit.

She didn't.

"That's the thing, Ralph. I don't want to rule by fear or pain. I want my people to be happy and have fun racing to their hearts' content.

"But for most people, I'm still just a glitch no matter what I do. I could save the whole universe and they would still think I'm a glitch. I've got a quarter of the city thinking I'm too lowly, another quarter jealous of what I can do, another quarter hating me even before Turbo came, another quarter - hmph," she raked a hand through her sprinkled hair.

She continued, "Not only that, but I've got a group on my doorstep 24/7 calling themselves the "Rebellion" trying to dethrone me. There are posters all around the city saying all these bad lies about me. Every time I go outside, people snicker at me.

"The worst thing is that I don't even know what I did wrong. One day I'm in the office paying the bills and filling out the usual forms then the next day I have people throwing candy at me. The only thing I've done was pass a Sugar Equality Law so that everybody is treated equally. I did this so nobody is kicked out or discriminated against because of what or who they are. I know what it feels like to be an outcast and I don't want anyone to feel that way.

"I still have nightmares from when I was still considered a dangerous glitch."

The little girl shuddered as a wave of memories enveloped her.

People ignoring her, shunning her, disregarding her...

People hitting her... Throwing her into the mud...

People chasing her...

People throwing gumballs and other candies at her...

The loneliness...

The silence...

The pain...

The times when she wanted to curl up in a ball and just... die...

"I've spent most of my life alone just because I didn't fit in with the rest of society... It was torture for me," she sighed. "And yet, here I am trying to help the people of this land. I'm trying to help the people who bullied me, the people who treated me like empty, crumpled-up candy wrappers." Tears started to fall from her cheeks. She wiped them away but they kept flowing. Why was she so weak. She's the president. She was suppose to be strong for her people.

"Sometimes I wish I was still an outcast..."

Ralph lifted her chin and spoke for the first time since she really started her little speech. "Don't let them get to you, Vanellope."

Her eyes widened. He actually called her by her name. He hadn't called her a "kid."

He continued, "I've watched you for months develop into the young lady you are now. I know you are better than this. I've seen you in action during the Turbo fiasco a year ago and I know you'd do anything for the people you care about.

"Don't let those haters get you down. They're not as strong as you. They haven't had to live through years of being an outcast.

"I know how you feel. I've been through the same thing as you've been through. I've had to endure all the hardships you had been through for over thirty years and yet neither of us had given up. All those years had given me time to think. Those boys that just went past couldn't even dream of the things we went through. When hardships rise up, people like them back down. But not us. We rise up till we can reach the sky.

"You are special. I saw great potential in you. Deep inside, you have every right to be mad and sad but you still do what's right. You're not selfish or power hungry. You're responsible and intelligent. Out of all the people I've met over the years, you were the one that stood out the strongest.

"I promise you, I will never let you feel alone for as long as I live."

"No one keeps there promises." Vanellope looked down only to have her head pulled back up.

"Then this isn't a promise. This is just me being your friend, you family. You're like a daughter to me, Vanellope. I'd do anything for you."

"But everyone-"

"Everyone can go suck a lollipop for all I care. It's you I care about. You can make your people change for the better. Look at me," He gestured to himself. "You made me change from Mister Grumpy to-"

"What if I can't? What if they-"

"They can't do squat. Just listen to yourself Vanellope!" She flinched as he raised his voice. "Do you hear what you're saying? You're better than this. You're better than all of us. What happened to the strong care-free girl I first met a during the Turbo incident?"

She didn't reply.

He softened his voice, "Here's the a piece of advice: the people who know the least think they know everything. But the people who know the most know that there's so much more to learn."

"The haters in your city think they know what's best. They're all talk but no bite. They think they know everything just because they're cocky. But they don't know the responsibilities you have to take on as the president."

He wiped her tear-stained cheeks.

She looked him in the eye. Her eyes watered up and she jumped up and hugged him around the neck.

He patted her on the back.

She muttered under breathe, "Thanks, Dad."

This sorta ties in with my story "Reflection." It's sorta like a prologue... ish...

Anyways, requests are always welcome. Just don't expect me to write them right away. I've got a life too...

Review!

~PBR