A Familiar Stranger- Chapter One
This is my first fanfiction! My friend took me to see Wreck-it Ralph a few weeks ago, and I loved it! I can't wait for it to come out on DVD here, I might just import it when I have the money. I love Heroes Cuties and I had this idea for a story. So here it goes I guess.
Ethernet ports, most of the newer arcade games had them. They provided updates, usually small patches to fix glitches in the game. But sometimes a large update would arrive, with new levels, weapons, enemies, and friends. Characters usually enjoyed these big updates, they made their games more exciting, and brought in more players! But no one travelled from their game down the Ethernet cable. No one knew what lay in wait for them, and the few characters who had been curious enough to venture down them at first never returned. For the most part, Ethernet ports were ignored, no one noticed them unless an update was due.
The alarm clock rang, an hour before the arcade would open. Fix-it Felix Jr. rolled over and hit it, silencing the ring. His eyes fluttered open, and he turned back over to where his wife lay at his side.
She was sleeping soundly, and he took a moment just to watch her. After many months of sleepless nights and bad dreams, she seemed to have finally settled, and the nightmares had passed. Felix sighed with a smile. She was perfect to him.
He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. 'Good morning.' he murmured.
Tamora Calhoun groaned. She wasn't a morning person.
'Five more minutes..' she muttered. Felix smiled and cuddled into her.
'Sure thing ma'am.' Felix obliged.
Calhoun opened her eyes slightly to look at her husband. His hair, ruffled from turning in his sleep made him look even cuter than normal, she thought. She could resist running her hand through it, making him blush slightly. She kissed his forehead, and he lit up bright red with honeyglows.
They lay there together in each others arms, wishing they could just take a day off and stay there. But there was work to be done. Calhoun eventually broke the hug and made her way to the bathroom to get lay alone in bed for a few minutes longer, staring up at the ceiling and smiling away to himself. She sure was one dynamite gal, and he was the luckiest man in the whole arcade.
Felix walked his wife back across Game Central Station to her own game, Heroes Duty. Calhoun rarely let him go into her game, it was much too dangerous. If he died there, he couldn't regenerate, and she wouldn't let that happen. He left her at the train with a kiss on the cheek.
'Have a nice day ma'am!' he waved her off cheerfully.
She smiled, 'You too, Fix-it.' she called back just loud enough for him to hear.
It was a school holiday, so the arcade was even busier than usual. Neither Felix nor Calhoun had much of a break all day, and both were relieved when the all clear was sounded.
After a final perimeter check, Calhoun made her way to the train, when she was stopped by a blue wall. She almost panicked, but one of her soldiers called out,
'It's an update! And not just a patch, looks like a big one!'
Calhoun sighed, the game would be blocked off until the update was finished to try and protect it from possible glitching. She joined the others around the Ethernet cable port. They cleared the way so she could get a better view. What she saw next shocked her.
Where was she... This was taking longer than a usual perimeter check. Felix stood at the entrance to Heroes Duty, waiting on his wife. He looked down the power cable, but there was no sign of her.
Taking a deep breath, he hopped onto a train. It's the end of the day, all the cybugs will have been destroyed by the beacon, how bad could it be?
'Brad...'
Calhoun stood in shock. Brad, the man from her nightmares, the man from her programmed past, the man that she killed. He was real, he was alive and he was right in front of her.
'Tammy!' he wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace, but her arms wouldn't move to return the gesture.
Felix arrived in the small station and made his way to the entrance of the game, only to be stopped in his tracks. Who was this man hugging his wife?
'Tammy..?'
Doctor Brad Scott turned to look, his fiancé didn't usually let anyone use her first name, let alone her nickname. He looked puzzled at the little man standing behind him. What was a civilian doing in a game like heroes duty? And how did he know his Tammy?
'Felix.' Calhoun shook herself out of her trance. Felix approached her slowly, hesitant.
'Who is this?'
'Who am I?! I'm Brad Scot, Tamora's fiancé. Who are you?' he spat.
Shocked, Felix's mouth hung open, Brad? But he's dead isn't he?
'I'm her husband..'
It was Brad's turn to look shocked.
'Tammy... What is he talking about?'
Calhoun hesitated. Brad looked so hurt and confused. Her Brad, the man who she had loved, the man who had never existed.
'Is this true?' he pushed her for an answer.
'Yes.' she whispered.
'But how? I was supposed to be the only one for you!'
'You died. You were just a memory. Felix... I...' she didn't know what to say to this familiar stranger. She couldn't meet his eyes - just looking at him was bringing back so many painful memories and feelings.
Brad looked away, hiding the hurt he felt. Anger rose up from his stomach, and growling, he stormed out of the game.
Calhoun stood with Felix by her side. Her soldiers mumbled something about going after Brad to try and calm him down, leaving her alone with Felix.
As soon as they were alone, she knelt down to hold onto him. Felix thought he could feel her shaking gently, almost like she was sobbing. He could only wrap his arms tight around her. His wife was the toughest character in the arcade, and rarely cried. He didn't know what to say or do to fix it this time.
Silent, they held onto each other, neither of them knowing what to tell the other, they could only let their minds race and attempt to comprehend what had happened. And predict what would happen next.
Again, Calhoun was first to break the embrace. She held Felix's hands, her bright blue eyes, irritated from tears, staring back into Felix's own watering eyes.
'I'll miss you.' Felix spoke first.
'What? I'm not going anywhere!'
'Brad was your first, true love. You're supposed to be with him...' Felix murmured.
'No...'
Fresh tears streamed from her eyes.
'He was just a memory Felix, my feelings for him were only programmed. My feelings for you are real.' she stroked his cheek.
'I just don't know how to make him understand without hurting him too much...' she hesitated to tell Felix. Normally she wouldn't seem to think so much about others emotions, but she and Brad had been through so much in her memories. She knew he shared these memories, their relationship would seem so real to him. This was going to hurt him no matter how she approached it, and that made her feel sick. But Felix was her true love, she couldn't leave him for a memory.
'I'll talk with him after the arcade closes tomorrow, I'm exhausted tonight.' Calhoun sighed.
Felix smiled weakly up at his wife, holding out his hand.
'I can fix that.'
He led her across Game Central Station and into Fix-It Felix Jr, not saying anything until they finally reached their home in East Niceland Felix had built for them. Calhoun was a bit too big to fit in the penthouse, and shortly before they married Felix decided he couldn't leave her uncomfortable living with him, and built a larger house to accommodate her.
He led her to their bedroom and they changed into their bedclothes. Tucked, under the covers and cuddling close to each other for reassurance, Tamora kissed him on the forehead before they both fell into a deep sleep. Everything would be alright.
Maybe I rushed the end a little there? What did you think? I don't know how often I'll be updating but I'll try to make sure it does get updated at some point!