Wreck it Ralph: Gene's Drinking Problem.

"Hey Felix, TGIF!" exclaimed Gene as he stepped out of the Niceland Apartment Building.

"Tgwhatif?" Felix asked, confused over the term of words.

"Thank God it's Friday Felix. TGIF is the short form. So since the arcade is closed tomorrow…..what do you say to another penthouse party huh? I was just about ready to head over to Game Central Station and let everyone know about it. All I need is your permission to do so of course!"

"I don't know Gene…the last few parties we threw ended on a bad note and you're drinking….."
"Will be completely under control Felix. Don't worry about it. I promise I'll be on my best behaviour this time around."

Felix let out a sigh, completely unsure but then again what else was there to do on a Friday night anyway?

"Alright Gene, I guess we're having a party tonight….Nine o'clock sharp at my place!"

"Great…..be back soon. I won't be long!"

Felix waved Gene off before turning his back on the pintsized party planner and taking off his hat.

"Why can't we for once have a QUIET night for a change? That's all Gene wants to do every single weekend is party, party, party. The same can be said for the other tenants too. Just because it's 'Friday' doesn't give people the excuse to party. There's more to life than parties."

"You just said a mouthful Felix."

Felix turned around to see Wreck it Ralph approach from his brick pile.

"I'm sorry Ralph if I woke you from sleep. It's just that, I'm so sick and tired of having these 'parties' week after week."
"Well then Felix, why not tell them how you truly feel about the matter? You are the Superintendent after all around here."

"Yeah, but Gene's the Landlord and Mayor of Niceland. He plans everything Niceland does 24/7 and when he has a party in store….I'm usually the one to host it because my Penthouse has the capability to hold so many people. I can't say no every time Gene plans a party." Felix sighed as he sat down on the front steps, fiddling with his hat. "I have no problem with parties….I truly do enjoy them…don't get me wrong Ralph…it's just that…..Gene and his drinking becomes a problem. From the time the party starts to when it ends, Gene is found sitting by the bar knocking down glass after glass of martinis and cocktails…he drinks them down like water no stopping. You know how he gets…..look at how many times I had to stop Gene from doing something completely stupid with you….or how many times Gene's tongue gets a little TOO loose that he insults his fellow neighbours, including me!"

"Have you talked to Gene about your feelings towards his extensive drinking?"

"Numerous times, Ralph. He keeps telling me his drinking is under control and not to worry."

Now it was Ralph's turn to sigh as he carefully sat down in front of Felix, taking his hat fidgeting hands into his large ones.

"I don't like Gene's out of control drinking either Felix….but there's really nothing more we can do about it. What Gene does is nobody's business but his own."

"I know Ralph." Felix finished as an old painful memory flooded back into his mind.

**The memory was that of his 29th birthday as his tenants threw a very special surprise party in his honor.

Throughout the day, the Nicelanders snuck into Felix's penthouse and decorated the place with streamers, balloons and a big colorful banner that read 'Happy Birthday Felix JR' on it.

It was quite the nicest surprise his people ever pulled on him and the party went smoothly, that was until around three in the morning when it was officially time to call it a night.

Gene was way too intoxicated at that point which was why Felix wanted the party to end, not only that but the party was held during the middle of the week which was in Felix's case a very big no-no due to the fact he had work to do in the morning.

The reason he had let this party slip was because it was his birthday and that the Nicelanders couldn't wait til the weekend to celebrate.

"Alright guys…it's been fun and all…but it's time for all of us to call it a night." Felix addressed his fellow Tenants.

Among all the moaning, Gene choose to speak up upon the matter in his drunken stupor.

"Whdaya mean callin it a night? Tis party is jush getting started!"

"Gene….it's three in the morning….it's the middle of the week and I've got work to do tomorrow. Not to mention you're DRUNK out of your mind."

"I'm not drunk out of my mine Felix."

"Uh….I hate to tell you this Gene, but you are!" Felix stated the point carefully.

"Oh yeah Mr Fix-It Know it all with a golden hammer like he's all that and a bag of chips, you're nothing more than a goodie goodie gumdrop lemony sourpuss bend over backwards kissing everyone's ass and calling it chocolate like nobody's business. I'm the landlord of tis here building….I say when the party ends round here. Got that JUNIOR?"

That last word from Gene caused many Nicelanders to gasp in disbelief for nobody ever called Felix 'Junior' to his face like that.

"Now you listen here Gene….you may just be the landlord but I still call the shots for I repair things around here, plus collect the rent every end of the month as well. Don't you DARE tell me what I can and cannot do in my own penthouse. Now I say this party is over…I'm tired and it's time for you and everyone else to LEAVE. GET OUT OF HERE NOW GENE!"

Quickly the other tenants left the penthouse minus Gene, who still tried to stand his ground against Felix.

However, being drunk as he was….Felix easily took Gene by the back of his shirt and pants and threw him out the door, slamming it shut as soon as he was out.

"Some superintendent you turned out to be Felix. You're only a super because of your so called golden hammer. You're not a real handyman….you're a fake. You hear me….you're nothing more than a fake! I could probably do your job better than you. Hey, if I was the Super, I'd get rid of Wreck it Ralph for good that way we can finally live peaceful lives without having him tearing things up all the ga'damn time!" Gene continued his drunken rant as he stumbled towards the elevator. "Stupid, no good, goodie goodie two shoes fake ass Felix."**

"Are you ok Felix? You're tearing up." Ralph asked, pulling Felix back to reality again.

"Huh…..yeah….I'm just fine." Felix answered back, quickly wiping away any tears that formed on his face. "I was just remembering an old memory a while back….a very sad memory."

"It wouldn't be the one when Gene insulted you is it, on your 29th birthday?"

"I really don't want to talk about it Ralph."

"Are you sure?"

"YES RALPH I'M SURE. NOW JUST DROP IT PLEASE!"

Ralph was taken aback by Felix sudden outburst, which was rarely seen in him for he never snapped at anyone…or so he thought.

If anything, Felix was the coolest person Ralph has ever known…even in the most stressed out of times.

Felix saw the shock and hurt in his friend's eyes and immediately apologized.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you like that Ralph….. I didn't mean to."

With that said Felix turned his back to Ralph and quickly headed into the apartment building, closing the door behind him without even glancing to see if the 9 foot one man wrecking crew was ok.

At that moment, Felix needed to be alone as he rushed towards the elevator.

Back in his apartment, Felix ran over to his couch and flopped down upon it…..fighting his emotions as they threatened to take over.

The memories of that night as well as his adversary Ralph catching him cry was all too much for the little builder to handle.

Burying his head into the cushion, Felix finally began to cry.

Later on that day, business went on as usual in Niceland as Ralph wrecked the building while Felix fixed.

However, there was something off about Ralph's wrecking techniques as Felix only found himself fixing the windows that Ralph wrecked climbing the place.

Throughout most of the game, Ralph just waltzed back and forth…giving the player playing an easy upper hand through most of the levels.

"Come on, Ralph. What's with you? The DUCKS are more challenging than you are right now!" replied Felix, in hopes of encouraging Ralph to wreck a few more windows.

Ralph let out a sigh and began pounding his fists into the building, sending a shower of bricks down towards the little fixer.

Felix dodged the bricks as well as the now in-sync able ducks as they flew back and forth through the three rows of floors.

"That's more like it! Keep it up Ralphie!"

However the rage was short-lived which concerned Felix.

Purposely, he ran into a duck instantly putting an end to the game and returning it back to the title screen.

"Felix, why did you do that? You were doing so well!" Ralph asked as he picked the 'deceased' builder up and held him in his arms.

"Cause, we need to talk Ralph! Climb up to my place." Felix demanded. "The porch door is open."

Ralph did as he was told, climbing up towards Felix's penthouse.

As soon as they were inside, Felix jumped out of Ralph's arms and turned to him looking quite cross.

"Okay Ralph. Spill it….what is with you right now? You're reluctant to do anything and quite frankly this game for that player was just a LITTLE too easy even for my liking. That teenage boy made it all the way to level 30 before I deliberately ran into a duck to end the game. Level 30!"

Ralph sighed knowing there was no way out of this….the truth had to be known.

"I'm sorry Felix….it has to do with what happened earlier this morning…when you snapped at me."

"Ralph…I said I was sorry. What happened this morning should have NO affect once so ever on this or any other game."

"I….I know Felix and I shouldn't let it get to me, but you never snap at people."

"That's where you're wrong Ralph. I do snap at people. I snap at Gene all the time. You just never see that side of me but it is there." Felix let out a sigh as he sat down on the couch and took off his hat, placing it down on the coffee table before him. "Everyone sees me as this perfect super guy who never loses his cool, never gets mad, always has a smile on his face but behind that smile I'm screaming on the inside. Some nights I just want to run outside and scream my head off in frustration but I can't."

"Why can't you?"

"Because Ralph. What would the Nicelanders think if they saw me outside screaming my head off?"

"Who gives a rat's butt what the Nicelanders think?! Everyone needs to release a bit of steam every now and again. Even I do….although I usually go off to Tappers to do that."

'Quarter alert….quarter alert.'

"Game on Felix…..this time I'll do my job and not make it easy on you."

"Alright…..thankfully this is the last game of the day. Thanks for being here for me Ralph!"

"Anytime brother!"

"Quitting time!" Felix announced, holding the pie in one hand and the rooftop door with the other as Gene, Mary, Norwood, Lucy and Roy all headed towards ground level.

"Good job Felix as always! This calls for a celebration!" Gene said, patting Felix on the back as he passed through the door and headed towards the elevator, holding a martini in his hand.

"Yes, good job Felix! Oh…you're going to love my pie! It's a new recipe I got today from Lucy. Chocolate mint chip pie." Mary added.

"Ooooohh sounds good." Felix smiled even though he was starting to get a sick feeling to his stomach upon seeing the Martini glass in Gene's hand.

The party was now only two hours away and already Gene had a few drinks by the looks of things.

"Are you coming Felix?" Roy called out from the elevator.

"Oh. I'm sorry about that everyone. I didn't mean to keep you all waiting."

Quickly Felix headed towards the elevator and away they all went to ground floor.

"Clean up time….boy Ralph can sure be messy at times. I'm amazed the building is even STILL standing." Said Gene as he took another sip from his martini glass.

"Uh….on second thought Mary….I'll hold on to this pie for later. I'm not exactly feeling well at this moment." Felix said as he stopped the Elevator on his floor and quickly got off.

Before Mary or any of the other Nicelanders could speak, the door closed and continued heading towards ground level.

Felix let out a sigh as he stepped into his penthouse, placed the pie in the fridge and then sat on the couch holding his stomach.

He knew that sick feeling for he always got it before a party in which Gene was already getting drunk.

Tonight's festivities were NOT going to be a pretty.