Hey kids! Looking for the most exciting, amazing game ever to hit your local arcade? If so, try fix-it Felix! The game for kids of all ages! Using 8-bit technology, we're able to bring you the best quality gaming has ever seen! With incredible sound, it'll be like you're actually there! Hear windows smash, see bricks break! Can you fix it all before Niceland goes up in smoke? Fix-it Felix, play it at your local arcade today!
Crack! Pound! Shake! Young Ralph Wymore Wrek watched as his father, Randy Raymond Wrek, demolished the walls of the formerly peaceful Niceland. The building shook with each pound and the lights rattled in their sockets. But Ralph didn't mind. It looked fun to be able to destroy things for a living, which is exactly what he wanted to do when he grew up. Ralph tried to imagine himself all grown up, smashing and wrecking just as Randy did. Unfortunately, the best he could think of was his father with his own hazel eyes.
Wreck-It Randy was the villain of the ever-popular Fix-It Felix. He had scruffy brown hair and emerald eyes that seemed to be strangely out-of-place. He wore crimson overalls and a faded olive green shirt underneath. It was obvious what his part in the game was, as his name did in fact contain wreck-it, and he was very good at it. Using his for some reason gigantic hands, he tore at the red brick building, demolishing it and placing terror in the hearts of it's citizens. But despite his somewhat villainess job, Randy was very kind. He strived to help everybody, no matter their age, height, occupation, or even appearance. And that's what Ralph admired in him. Randy was strong, yet compassionate. Something few could boast. Ralph tried his hardest to be like his father. Everyday, practicing the many lessons he taught him. But for some odd reason, his attempts at being nice were never very fruitful. From feeding ducks to helping the un-plugged citizens of Game Central Station, he could never do anything right. The good thing was, Randy was always there to help him. To make it better.
Ralph blinked, snapping out of his thought educed trance. Turning his attention back to the action. Ralph couldn't help but giggle as a brick toppled off of a ledge and hit Felix Sr. over the head. Bloop, bloop, bloop, blooop! That infamous sound meant that the game was over. Felix Sr. had lost his last life, and Randy had won this battle. Ralph looked out beyond the realm of the screen. Mr. Litwak stood, holding open the door as a stream of children exited the building. He waited impatiently as he grabbed his own coat and hat, put them on, and left out the door himself. Mr. Litwak then proceeded to lock the door and leave. Ralph smiled, his grin exposing his gapped teeth, and bolted up the staircase leading to the top floor where Randy was. Randy laughed as Ralph scampered up his arm like a small creature and perched himself on top of his shoulders.
"That was great!"
Ralph whistled as he talked due to the gap in his teeth that never seemed to go away.
"Can I try?"
Randy looked down the building and searched for Felix Sr. "Felix? You okay?"
"Yeah!"
Randy set Ralph down and nodded approvingly. Ralph grinned, raising his fists in the air. Slamming them against the hard, beige concrete, his eyes widened with the realization of the pain that surged through his body. Clutching his hand, Ralph let out a howl. The building shook as Ralph sat down, whimpering in pain. Bloop! Randy looked down.
"Uh oh."
He immediately scooped up Ralph and dashed out the door.
That night seemed to be uncharacteristically cold. As the 8-bit moon shined down upon the dark and forbidding forest where the Wrek's log cabin sat, Ralph lay in his cot, pondering the strangest of matters. He often looked out to see the stars, which for some reason had made it clear they intended to shine on, day or night. Ralph couldn't help but feel a great sense on un-ease. It was as if something was going on that no one wanted to tell him. His father had been especially flustered, often talking to himself in mutters of nonsense. What could be the trouble? Ralph climbed out of bed and slowly crept towards the door. He was careful not to step on a creaking floor-board. He pressed the side of his head against the door in order to listen to what Randy was saying. Through the muffled droning, he could not pick out one paraphrase of clear dialect. He opened the door slightly in order to hear what he was saying.
Randy seemed worried. His voice quivered as he paced around, as if something terrible was going to happen. Ralph cocked his head curiously and listened.
"...It's spreading sooner that I thought."
Randy stopped and rubbed his eyes. His colors looked a bit faded and his eyes looked dreary. He looked around, half paranoid. Ralph saw him doing so, and in fear of being caught, tip-toed back into bed. Worry and concern plagued his mind as he tried to decipher what he hat said. What was spreading?
The next day was Sunday. The arcade was never open on a Sunday, meaning the two children could go about, without fear of being seen. Ralph and Felix were playing outside. As usual, Felix was wearing his sky-blue shirt with jeans. The two played in the dirt, making mud castles, in which Ralph would proceed to destroy. This of course, upset Felix, but if he felt any anger, he never showed it. After all, would you want to mess with a kid who was taller and stronger than you? As the two played in the dirt, Ralph was having a hard time deciding whether or not he should tell him about what he had seen that night. It seemed urgent, but he didn't want to scare him. Finnaly, he decided that he may as well ask about it. His father always did say that 'Questions that go un-asked often create dead-weight' whatever that meant. ]
"Hey Felix, have you noticed anything weird?"
Felix looked up from his dirt hill with a puzzled look.
"Like what?"
"Like my dad. He looked less colorful and was up super late last night."
Felix paused for a moment to think.
"Maybe he's sick?"
"Nah, when was the last time you saw anyone get sick?"
Felix stopped. Ralph did have a point. No one ever got sick around here.
"What was he saying?"
"Something about spreading."
"Maybe he dropped something and bugs are eating it."
Felix stopped talking when he noticed Ralph had left and was now digging through a bush.
"Speaking of bugs, catch!"
Ralph flung something at Felix, who cringed.
"W-What was that!?"
Felix demanded.
"Just a worm."
"Aughh!"
Felix ran around in circles, clearly terrified of the pink bug clinging to his shoulder.
"Get it offa me!"
Felix shrieked. Ralph peeled off the worm and laughed.
"You're such a fraidy-cat!"
"Am not!"
"Okay, than I dare you to keep a worm on your nose for ten seconds."
Felix nodded his head and closed his eyes. Ralph placed something wet and cold on his nose and began to count.
"One...two...three..."
"Okay! Okay! I'm a fraidy-cat! Now get it off!"
Felix opened his eyes to see Ralph toss something down his throat. Felix gagged and felt himself turn green.
"What?"
"You just ate it!"
"It wasn't even a real worm! It was a gummy worm!"
"Oh. But why was it all...gross?"
"I dropped it on the ground."
As the days rolled by, Ralph grew even more concerned for his dad. Randy faded with each passing hour. Even so to the point where he almost looked grey. Every day, Ralph watched him from the window, praying nothing was wrong with him. His father was strong. Everything would be alright. But even the reddest of roses fade. Even the emerald green of his eyes turned to a mucky sort of beige. Randy tried to hide his pain, but it was obvious that something in him was hurting. And whatever it was, it hurt a lot. Ralph tried his hardest to help out. But each and every time, Randy refused his offers, claiming he was fine. This only made Ralph feel worse.
Meanwhile, outside of the game, Mr. Litwak was also noticing something strange about his newly acquired game. Players were constantly complaining about Wreck-it Randy's fading and predictable patterns. Being new at the business of arcade machines, he didn't know who to consult and how he was going to fix it. Feeling lazy, he simply decided to let it run until it broke, neglecting to think about the poor father and son who had to endure the pain and fear of potentially losing each other. Not that he knew. No one even knew that Randy had a life outside of what he did. And if they did, they would probably think it was simply him terrorizing the Nicelanders.
It was a rather grey day that next Friday. Friday was the busiest day of the week and Ralph hated how they would not let Randy rest at all. He dispiesed their cackles of victory as Randy went over the side of the building. They seemed over-joyed to defeat him, but what did they know about him? What did they do that was so majestic, to the point where they could judge him so freely? They never had to smash buildings with their bare hands. They never had had their home taken and replaced with some obscure building. Ralph wanted to just punch them all. But, he knew it was wrong. Setting the violent thought aside, Ralph turned to the opptomistic side of things. At least players were more interested in the new game next door, Turbo Time. It was un-settling to him that his dad's once vibrant red shirt was now a sad grey-ish color. Ralph sat in the corner of the room he usually watched from, knee-deep in worry. What if Randy just went out all together? Like a candle? Or even worse, in the middle of a game? There was no re-generating for bad guys at the time, because they didn't need it. So if Randy died once, there was no jumping back.
Ralph looked out the window in time to see the Nicelanders toss his already-sick dad off the roof, just like they usually did. He saw that they felt bad for doing so, but if they did otherwise, the game would be un-plugged. It was enough to make him mad. Why did the programmers think this was acceptable? It was the Nicelanders who bulldozed their home into the dump, bulldozed the forest into the dump, and when Randy stood up to avenge his home, they shot him down and threw him off a building!
Ralph sighed with relief as he saw the big clock outside the game turn to 6:55. Five minutes until the arcade closed. Ralph ran up to his dad, who was now incredibly weak.
"Dad!"
Ralph ran up and hugged his dad.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, just a little virus."
"you have to go home!"
"Not until the arcade closes."
"But you won't last-"
"I have to. For everyone, and most importantly, for you."
"You can't!"
Ralph looked out to see a player coming towards the machine.
"Go!"
Ralph began to push his dad towards the exit, but Randy stood his ground.
"I can't."
Ralph looked out to see the player reach into his pocket, hoping to find a quarter. "Please!" Randy pushed Ralph aside and got ready for what seemed to be his last game. At least everyone would have time to evacuate to Game Central Station.
Ralph felt his face turn red. His eyes burned and he felt ready to blow. Ralph clenched his hands and reached out. With a mighty shove, he pushed Randy off the building. Luckily, the player had dropped the quarter and was searching for it on the floor. Felix Sr. watched as Randy fell past him.
"Ralph!? What the land are you doing!?"
Ralph looked down and realized it was him who pushed Randy off the building this time.
"He can't take anymore!"
Felix Sr. leapt up the windows until he got to the hole where Randy usually stood. "I know he's your dad, but-"
"But nothing! Felix would do the same for you!"
Felix Sr. opened his mouth to argue back, but couldn't find anything to argue about. Ralph was right. Felix would push him off a hundred cliffs if it meant saving his life. He couldn't scold Ralph for caring about someone.
"But what do you suppose we do?"
"I'll take his place."
"What?!"
"I'm going to take my dad's place."
"How are you going to do that?"
"I don't know, but if I don't take a chance, we all go down."
Ralph had always been a subtle kid. That's why Felix Sr. was surprised when he heard Ralph talking so seriously.
"Fine."
Felix Sr. pulled on his gloves nervously and headed back down towards the starting point. Ralph slid down a pipe and made his way towards his dad. Randy was propped against a tree. Felix (Jr) was sitting next to him, trying to be useful.
"I'm sorry." Ralph said, tearing up.
"I just couldn't watch you hurt so much."
Randy smiled weakly.
"Thanks, but it's my job to take care of you."
Ralph tensed up, expecting his dad to try and stop him. "I guess you really are growing up."
Ralph stood, now ready to take over the pretentious job of wrecking. Ralph felt confident, that is he noticed something that made his un-easy. He was not even half Randy's size and his small hands could not possibly break glass, let alone bricks. Suddenly, Ralph began to feel strange. He watched as his small hands grew enormous and square. His ripped pants became large overalls and he grew over three times as tall as he was just seconds ago.
"Upgrade!"
rang through the air. Ralph smiled as the quarter entered the slot and the game began.
"I'm gonna wreck it!"
Outside, players began to crowd the machine as they saw the mysterious new villan. Randy froze, realizing that he had never told Ralph what to say. Hopefully, no one would notice. The kids, however, did notice not only that, but also that the character design was different. But the player went along with it and readied himself as Ralph scaled the massive building.
"Fix it, Felix!" The terrified Nicelander's screamed. Ralph pounded the ground as hard as he could. Using the rage and fear concealed within him, he dealt heavy blows to the hard ground.
Felix was having a hard time dodging the bricks that fell from the sky. He hardly had enough time to fix a window before a brick flew towards him. Five lives, four lives, three lives, two lives, one life, dead. The game was over. came out and ushered the group of kids out the door and locked the doors. "Game over" flashed across the screen. Ralph smiled as he marveled his victory. Suddenly, he felt himself shrink. Ralph, now his original size, dashed down the stairs, remembering his dying father.
Ralph bolted out the front door, almost ripping them off the hinges. He ran to the tree, hoping Randy would be okay. But the reality shattered his heart in two. Randy was even worse than before. Dead pixel littered his face and arms.
"D-Dad!"
Ralph sank down on his knees.
"What happened?!"
Felix Sr. joined the three, seconds later. It was too late. Nothing could help him.
"I-I've been meaning to tell you for a while...I guess I'd better tell you now."
Randy coughed and looked around before returning his gaze to Ralph, who was now crying.
"I've been sick. For a long time. I never told you because I didn't want you to worry about me. This is a sickness that...that won't go away. Eventually, I'll-"
Randy stopped and tried to think of a word that wouldn't make Ralph cry.
"-I'll disappear."
Ralph felt his heart burst.
"You can't disappear! What about the game?"
"Tomorrow, we'll be wheeled out."
Ralph turned pale.
"I want you two to go to Game Central Station."
Randy said, looking at the two boys. Felix was tearing up too. He glanced at his dad, as if begging him to come, but Felix Sr. shook his head.
"This is our game. Our ship. We're the captains, and we go down with the ship."
Ralph wiped his eyes and looked at Felix, who was trying very hard not to cry. Randy smiled and ruffled his hair.
"you two'll be great. And Ralph..."
Randy pulled Ralph aside.
"Just because you're a bad-guy, it doesn't mean that you're a bad guy. No matter what, hold in. Never give up no matter what others say."
"You mean-"
Randy nodded. Felix Sr. nudged the two boys towards the train. Felix and Ralph climbed in, both reluctant to leave. Randy and Felix Sr. waved.
"We'll be with you soon!"
Felix Sr. called. Ralph looked at his dad, seeing the first tear he had ever seen him shed.
"Dad!"
Ralph stood up to run to him, but the train was already on it's way towards the station.
The next day, two men came to take the machine away. One had blonde hair and silver eyes, and the other had brown hair and green eyes.
"Hey, did you figure out why these keep breaking?"
"No, but you brought the new one, right?"
"Yeah."
The two unplugged the machine and began to pry open a crate marked FIFJR. They slid the machine in and plugged it in. The brown hair one lingered by the machine, marveling the details of it.
"Hey, Randy! You coming?"
The man nodded and looked back.
"Just gonna try it out."
"Okay, but hurry up!"
The man slid a quarter into the slot. A tall, red man appeared on screen.
"I'm gonna wreck it!"
The man smiled .
"You go, kid."
The end.
