Ah well, for all of you that know me, we meet again, now don't we? Well well, I have yet some MOAR Ralph and Felix to entertain you all! Hopefully it will be deserved of your attention. After all, I think this one may be a bit longer than just a one shot.
If you can't guess, this is going to take place more as a "prequel" to the actually movie. Hopefully, for all you gamers, I do justice to trying to sort out all the games and sift through history to see what is what and which is which. I am not much a gamer myself, so please forgive me for any faults I make ^^; If I make any big mistakes, would it be alright to tell me? I hope so ^^ Though, I don't know how much OTHER games will be prominent in this story...
Now then, before we go on, I must mention that I have... in a sense... created a character- actually two. That character is Felix Sr. (and Marley) Like I said, I sort of created him (them). I mean, its not like he is entirely an OC character... But he was never shown... So... yeah :S Anyways! Hopefully you will enjoy!
30 Years Of Game Over
In 1982 the newest game to hit the block (a.k.a Mr. Litwack's Arcade) was Fix-It Felix Jr. It was good, as far as games went. Some violence, a good honest hero. It had its challenges, compared to those times, and all around, it was a relatively fun game to play.
It was fun to play once and a while, but that was about it. The game beside it, TurboTime, was a bit more entertaining and mind numbing. Everyone loved it.
Of course. Unbeknownst to all those people who played these games, no one could tell they were actually ALIVE. That the characters of the games really...
Lived.
Our First Days
"The Arcade is now closed"
To Ralph, it feels as if the whole Arcade breathes a deep sigh of relief. Anxious murmurs follow Mr. Litwack as he locks up shop, before slowly disappearing into the world of "the beyond". A quiet hush follows the clang of the door shutting; everyone tensing for Mr. Litwack to come back, unannounced. With this Arcade bustling with activity for being nearly the only arcade around (as far as the games could dis-concern from the gossip of the players) Mr. Litwack did tend to stay a few hours, muttering and murmuring to himself over numbers and figures. More often than not, he would bring a black case with him, papers having been shoved inside without mercy.
A few minutes pass. He isn't coming back echoes in every corner. The Arcade erupts into bustling activity, game characters calling out to each other, half-way across the arcade, if they want to meet up and go do something together. Faint moans of a tough day, a busy day, or a boring day hovering in the air. The chattering fades off, as all the characters rush into Central Station: the hub of the gaming arcade.
Very carefully, Ralph lifts himself out of the mud, the result of the last game played before the end of the day. He shakes vigorously, clearing the mud and grime off his large profile. As with the previous few days, today was yet another busy day; with their game just recently installed and everything. Up above, Ralph hears Felix talking with the Nicelanders; he can hear the faint words of congratulations, accomplishment and pride. He looks up, only to hear the slam of the metal door at the top of the apartment.
No one had even called down to him. Not like he is expecting them too.
Ralph knew that he was the bad guy. That's what his program was. He was the destructive, temperamental big-boned bad-guy that destroys the building. His programming served its purpose to create such a personality. Really, who wouldn't be mad if a person who had his only home (a stump of all things) removed while he was sleeping in it and placed in a unhygienic dump? Ralph can say it was understandable why he was mad at the Nicelanders. They didn't even ask him permission to build over-top his land. They just shoved him off like the plague, or something.
However, that was just the game. Ralph didn't take any of his programming seriously. At least, he didn't think he did.
Still, nobody really talked to him, which hurt a bit. Not even the characters outside his game! But ever the optimistic, Ralph hoped that later on, when they get used to the idea of him being around, somebody would talk to him. After all, Ralph was pretty new. He had to be excepted first, now didn't he? He wasn't truly a part of this Arcade yet.
That had to be it.
Felix, being a hero, didn't seem to have to contend with this sort of problem, Ralph was quick to notice. However, Ralph didn't feel any discontent towards Felix. After all, Felix was a really nice person. He had a calm, polite demeanor possibly derived from his father, Felix Sr. Ralph only met the man once, and as far as impressions went, Felix Jr. wasn't exactly like his elder counterpart. Felix Sr. was more outgoing than Ralph had ever seen Felix to be.
Ralph notices the Nicelanders, all huddling in the second floor, as he passes the building. Some glance his way. Others don't. Felix isn't to be seen.
A little "Hey, good job." Or "Do you want a bath?" from them would be nice. Did he get any of it? No. But, hey, could he hold out hope for tomorrow? Ralph would like to think so.
Didn't new days bring about new things?
~!~!~!~!~!
The sky is always the same here... Ralph thinks to himself, staring up at the glowing picture of fluffy white clouds and a deep, black sky, flecks of multiple colours strewn within. He sighs to himself, picking at the mound of bricks he calls a home. Ralph eyes flicker down from the sky to the happy-chugging little yellow bulldozer only adding more dirt and bricks to his 'home'. Ralph sighs again. Home... Yeah, right. I may have just recently been plugged in, but I'm not stupid.
I know what a home is.
Crunch. Crunch. The sound brings Ralph out of his reverie. Standing before him, rather sheepishly, is Felix.
"Ah, hey, Ralph." Felix says polite, giving a small bow as a greeting. Ralph can feel his heart leap into his mouth. Hastily he picks himself up, staring at Felix in growing excitement.
"Hey, Felix!" Ralph exclaims, nearly tumbling over himself in his rush to stand up. Felix watches him, his eyes withholding and slightly troubled. His smile is thin, waned slightly. A brick tumbles to his right foot, and Felix looks down to stare at it.
"Well, Ralph, we were going to Game Central Station..." By this point, Felix was back up to stare Ralph in the face, "My father and I were curious to see if you wanted to come. If you did, it would be a great to also get our gaming picture done, too."
"Yeah, yeah, I'll go!" Ralph exclaims, trying to reign in his excitement. Ever since he had first been plugged in, Ralph hadn't exactly gone out. The first time had been the first day their game had been plugged in. After that, Ralph felt too tired to really do anything- even if the only something he did was laze about in a pile of bricks.
For a second or so, Felix looks delighted at the news, "Great! Let us go see Father and the Nicelanders!" Ralph didn't exactly notice, too caught up in his own excitement, the tainted shadow of doubt crossing over Felix's face the mention of Nicelanders. However, Felix shakes his head and continues to smile up at Ralph and his excitment.
For the both of them, this was going to be a fun time. Neither of them had exactly been out since the first day they had came here. Both too busy, or the simple fact they were a little tired (and not entirely used to everything yet). At least, Felix hoped this was going to be fun. With that in mind, both Felix Jr. and Ralph set off towards the trolley.
"Ahh, everyone, look Ralph and Felix have come!" The rustic, rather deep, grandfatherly voice booms out to the both of them. A pleasant air overcomes Felix, as each of them notice the elder Felix waving to the both of them. The Nicelanders look up, a mix of dawning horror, shock and despair rippling among them.
"Ralph...?" The Nicelanders mutter to themselves, shifting warily in their small circle. Felix comes up to them, assuring that it is alright.
"Ralph won't do anything, you have no need to fear." Felix Sr. speaks up calmly, smiling widely at the towering frame of the antagonist of the game. Ralph gives Felix Sr. a smile and a nod. Out of the corner of his eye, Ralph notices one of the Nicelanders- Gene - glare at him. Something shivers up and down his spine, yet Ralph ignores it. Now wasn't the time for suspicions, misplaced anger and indignity, anyway.
Now was the time to go out!
Felix Jr. claps his hands, "Well, we best get a move on, if we all want to get that picture done..." Ralph hangs back, watching as all the Nicelanders file into the first two carts. Felix Sr. hangs behind with him, standing patiently with Ralph. Felix Sr. watches with hooded eyes, as his son proceeds in organizing the gaggle of box-set characters to file into the trolley.
"I haven't seen you the past few days, Ralph." Felix Sr. announces suddenly, suspiciously, "For a while you would continuously hang outside my window. I was tempted to throw bread a few times." The soft smile on the elders face takes away the sting of the remark. Ralph laughs lightly, amused by Felix Sr.'s small joke.
"Why didn't you? Too afraid I'll wreck the building?"
"Nah, that you'd actually eat it. Knowing me, I'd probably throw moldy bread." For a moment, Ralph doesn't say anything. Suddenly, he bursts out laughing. Felix Sr. chuckles along with him, "Well, at least it wouldn't be cake, right?" He adds. Ralph slowly stops laughing, the both of them noticing that Felix Jr. was motioning for them to enter the trolley.
"Especially chocolate. If you threw chocolate cake at me, you'd better watch out." Ralph says half-seriously, stepping aside to indicate Felix Sr. to enter the trolley first. Felix Sr. gives Ralph a suspicious and doubtful look, passing him to make his way onto the last remaining cart.
"Oh, really? And why is that? Afraid of chocolate, are we?"
"Nah, that stuff is just really horrible."
"And, how, exactly, did you figure this out?"
"Don't you remember? The first time we met, you had a piece of chocolate you snuck out of Mary's kitchen. You gave a piece to me, saying that chocolate 'cures all ills'. It doesn't, it only gives me a nasty feeling in the pit of my stomach."
"Ah, yes. Forgive me, Ralph. An old man such as myself is bound to forget even their own name once and a while, let alone something that happened many days ago."
Ralph raises an eyebrow, before huffing, "Yeah, sure old man." He replies, his tone dripping with sarcasm. Felix Sr. gives him an affronted look, before lightly whacking him on the arm. Ripples of worry overcome the Nicelanders, noticing the strange interaction between their hero's father and the enemy.
The Trolley gives a high-pitched whine, before lurching into action. From there, it slowly winds its way into the large electric tunnel, leading directly to Game Central Station.
Felix sits among the Nicelanders, as they all lapse into listless chatter. Their body and general airs shivering with unease and restlessness. Some give Felix unsteady looks, questions dawning in their eyes. Why is he here? It hangs between him and the Nicelanders, a question Felix doesn't feel like answering.
Felix looks back to see his father and Ralph having an easy air about them. They both seem to be chatting pleasantly, despite the fact of having only official met a week or so ago, and not seen each other since.
Felix wishes that he was sitting there with them, instead of sitting here with the Nicelanders.
~!~!~!~!~!
The Game Central Station, when he first saw it, astounded Ralph. It was a magnificent sight, truly. The enormity of it was astounding in and of itself. Ralph would get a crick in his neck trying to bend to look up at the ceiling above him. The plug-in archways had their own type of powerful significance within the Station, the flashing lights of their respective game names distracting the eye. The floor was a gleaming mahogany, with intricate green soft-ware designs on the floor. Chairs and benches lined the hallway, with all sorts of game characters sitting or standing or walking around. At the farthest end, Ralph could determine, was a stage-like area.
"Takes your breath away, no matter how much you look..." Felix Sr. says softly, as they all walk out the large gate that lead to their game. Ralph stares up, lagging slightly behind. He brushes off his wonderment, noticing them all going ahead without him.
"Ack~!" Ralph exclaims to himself, as he tries to hurry through the gate to catch up with his game members.
A large buzz sounds around him. Ralph stops in alarm, looking around frantically. What? What? He thinks to himself. Suddenly, a hazy blue figure appears before him. The hazy solidifies into a diminutive roundish man. Sparks fly overtop his balding head, as he pushes his glasses up his blue nose. The outfit the man wears, resembles that of a security guard. A clipboard is held in one hand, with a pen waving in the other.
"Step aside sir. Random security check." Ralph stares at the figure, it looking familiar to him. Suddenly, it clicks.
"Oh, yeah! You're that surge-guy I talked to the first day we got plugged in!" Ralph exclaims triumphantly, remembering.
"Surge Protector." The Surge Protector announces grouchily, tapping on his clipboard heatedly, "Now, sir. Can I have your name?" He poses ready with his pen hovering above his clipboard.
"Wreck-It Ralph." The pen scratches across the clipboard.
"Where are you coming from?"
"Fix-it Felix Jr." The pen flickers over again.
"Where are you heading?"
"I'm not really sure, but all of us-"
The Surge Protector pauses, looking up at Ralph, "All of you?"
"All of the Fix-it Felix Jr.'s members are going to get our game picture done, or something."
"Okay then..." The Surge Protector hurriedly scribbles down on his clipboard again, "Anything to declare?"
"Uh... No?"
"Alright. Proceed." With a flash of blue, the Surge Protector disappears. Ralph stares at the spot he had been, before remembering he had been trying to catch up to his game members. He hurriedly looks around, and finds the lot of them standing before... Tapper's.
He rushes over, ignoring the grumbles and mumbles of the Nicelanders.
"Ah, Ralph," Felix Sr. says, "We were all wondering where you had got to. What happened?"
"A Surge Protector stopped me."
"What?" Felix Sr. asks, his eyebrows crinkling in a puzzled expression.
"It was a random security check or something. Probably a run-of-the-mill sorta thing they do randomly." Ralph waves a hand absently.
Felix Sr. looks up at Ralph, his eyes lidded, "Really? I wouldn't have guessed from the name Random Security Check. Thank you for clarifying Ralph."
Ralph gives Felix Sr. an exasperated look. Felix Sr. grins cheekily at him.
Felix Jr. looks between his father and Ralph, before clapping his hands loudly- repeatedly, "Well, the person who is going to get our picture done is in Tapper's. One of us will have to hop on in there and go get him." Felix smiles at the group, looking expectant. A tense kind of silence settles over the group as they stare at each other. The Nicelanders glance at each other.
Gene is the first to speak up, "Ralph should go get him." His stare is intense, eyes never blinking as he looks at Ralph. Ralph stares back, before his eyes water and he blinks.
"Yes, yes!" Mary pips up, as the other Nicelanders croon and agree, "Wreck-it Ralph should do it!"
Ralph freezes, aghast, "But, I don't even- Felix knows who- I-" Ralph can see the competition he was up against. He sighs, his large shoulders sagging dramatically, "Yeah... I'll go."
"Great!"
"Wonderful!"
"Get going." Gene points towards the entrance with his thumb, his arms still crossed and a small scowl forming on his face. Felix smiles at them, looking worriedly between the two. Felix Sr. sighs, shakes his head, and taps his feet on the floor.
"Well, would whoever is going to get him, hurry up? My legs are falling asleep on me." He says gruffly, crossing his arms, before uncrossing them and waving them about. He huffs, and watches with expressionless eyes as Ralph nods and hurries into the Tapper's game. Felix Sr.'s eyes glance at all the others, standing about aimlessly. The Nicelanders have a mix of relief and resentment. Felix has his troubled smile on, the one that Felix Sr. has been seeing lately on his son. It's the smile where Felix is trying desperately to grab hold of the situation, but it only continues to spiral out of control.
Felix Sr. can see his son fiddling with his golden hammer- the one, Felix Sr., himself, had given him- like one would do with their lower lip, when vexed or worried. Felix had always been troubled with things, wanting to help everyone, wanting to fix the world. This troubled smile was not the first Felix Sr. can remember seeing on his son's face. Nor, he knew, would it be the last. But when Felix Sr. had given his son that magical golden hammer, he had hoped it would have lessened his troubled smiles. Felix was a kindhearted, good child; with a magical hammer that fixed all wrongs, it would bring righteousness to his easily troubled son. Felix Sr. didn't like to see the frowns on his face.
Somehow, Felix Sr. can tell that his plea was not going to be answered.
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!
Ralph was rather nervous. He'd never ever tell the Nicelanders, or 'the Felix's' this- but he was nervous.
He didn't know what to do.
After all, Ralph had hardly went out since he was first installed. Hardly any of them had, too busy cleaning from a rather busy day, too tired to really want to move, or just generally not used to everything yet to want to go out and socialize. Besides, all the Nicelanders hung out in their little apartment building. Ralph would have felt better going out to socialize with someone, but he had no someone to go with. It was intimidating, going out by yourself.
So, in simpler terms, Ralph was walking into uncharted territory and it was rather petrifying. Not to mention he still had to locate this "drawing" guy and get him to come out. How was he supposed to find this guy? He didn't haven any idea what he even looked like. Ralph gulps, before taking the first step inside the establishment, or, err, game.
A spattering of game characters are milling about the bars. Ralph stares, trying to comprehend if one of them looks rather drawing-ish, but he can't tell. Heck, most of them look like cowboys or completely strangers to him. Ralph sighs, looking around as if someone was just going to pop beside him and say-
"Are you looking for someone?" Ralph looks down, surprised. Standing before him is a man, perhaps taller than Felix, yet not by much, looking at him peculiarly. He wipes out a root beer glass absently, staring up at him with his blue eyes. His nose is bulbous, adorned with a fringe-edged mustache. A large bow covers his neck, and he wears a blue vest with a white shirt underneath. His shoes and pants are brown. His hair is black and slicked back behind his ears.
Ralph stares at the strange man, wondering who he was, and why he was talking to him. The man sighs, before resting against the bar, staring at Ralph with a raised-eyebrow look.
"New, are we?" He says calmly, looking down at his hands as he continues to wipe the glass clean.
Ralph opens his mouth, "How-?"
"I can tell." The man replies, setting the glass on the bar behind him. He straightens, holding out his left hand, "Tapper." Ralph takes it, the name niggling in the back of his mind, "I'm rather surprised that the Surge Protector hasn't given you details yet. Like who we all are."
"That's it!" Ralph exclaims suddenly, lighting up. Tapper looks up at him, confused. He releases Ralph's hand.
"What?"
"The Surge Protector! He told me all about the other games. Tapper- yeah, the one by the Centipede game!" Ralph felt proud that he remembered. After all, the Surge Protector had told this to him a week ago- and Ralph had to admit that he hadn't really been thinking about the other games for a while.
Tapper gives him a small smile, "Well that's great. So, who're you looking for-"
"Hey, Tapper! Need a root beer!"
"-Gotta go." Ralph watches as Tapper walks off, scrambling around as he fills all the customers mugs. He comes back a few minutes later to Ralph's side.
"So, as you were saying...?" Tapper hedges.
"Well, actually, what I came here for was that we were supposed to meet some person who will draw our gaming picture...?"
Tapper looks at him for a few seconds, before he understands, "Ah! Yeah." Tapper turns around, cupping his face, "Hey Marley! They're here!" Ralph watches as one of the various, rather identical, cowboy men stands up. He brushes himself off, fixes his hat, before walking over to the both of them. He looks up at Ralph and whistles.
"Good thing I brought me big paper." He says gruffly, hefting a bag higher up on his shoulder, which Ralph hadn't noticed until now. Tapper pats 'Marley' on the back.
"Good luck drawing, my friend." He says, before moving off to go help another customer. Marly gives Tapper a toothy smile, before he looks back up at Ralph. Ralph stares down at him, blinking.
"Well, now, big fella, shall we go out?" Marley says, as he already starts walking towards the Tapper's exit. Ralph follows behind him.
~!~!~!~!
Marley surveys the large group before him. He chews his lip a bit, trying to determine if he could draw them all, in a relative amount of time. He didn't want to take all night- He had other things he wanted to do. But, being one of the only ones who had willingly signed up for doing this ridiculous sport of sentimentality, he couldn't rightly complain, now could he?
Besides, if he let the Surge Protector do it (since it was, kind of, their job) it would just turn out to be a horrible mangle of scribbles, and Marley would not be able to stand that. It gave him the shivers, thinking back to those few drawings the Surge Protector had dared to draw. So, setting up the easel (which he made from various pieces of wood), and placing his drawing tools to the side and his drawing paper on the easel, Marley was quite content. Even if he did complain about it, he really did like drawing all of their pictures, giving them something nice to look back on, instead of a horrible mangle of indistinguishable scribbles. With that thought in mind, Marley begins to lightly rough a sketch.
A few minutes, maybe hours, a Surge Protector suddenly pops up beside him. He looks between Marley and the shuffling members of Fix-It Felix Jr.
"Well, I see this is coming along." He says to Marley. Marley merely shrugs, not pausing in his drawing. He can feel the Surge Protector watching him as he glides his pencil over the paper. It gives Marley an irritated, unnerved feeling; being watched like this. It was like being watched while he was in the shower, or something.
It wasn't nice.
"Can you stop watching me?" Marley huffs out, his pencil hovering over the page.
"Oh, uh, sorry." The Surge Protector's eyes disappear from hovering over his shoulder. Marley relaxes, soon becoming absorbed in his work.
~!~!~!
Marley didn't really know exactly how long it took him to complete the entire picture. He was not entirely satisfied with the final product, as he always was, but he couldn't help it. What was done was done, and Marley (as much as he regretted it) kept it like that. All he needed to do now was to "bang out" the rough patches, erase the faint sketching lines, and do the shading. However, he had enough notes written down for reference, that Marley could do that without the entire gang standing in front of him. He also had an incredible memory, so really- they'd have it by tomorrow, tops.
Maybe he'd even get to frame it- that is, if they wanted that.
"Ya'll can stretch now. I'm pretty much all done. I'll just have to take 'er back and hammer out a few things." Marley slowly packs up his utensils and drawing supplies, his easel and other various tools. He looks up, squinting as a large shadow looms over him.
It's the big fella.
Marley cannot suppress the revolting feeling creeping up the back of his throat. That feeling had been plaguing him, ever since Felix Jr. informed of their gaming status. This big fella, who had seemed harmless when first walking into Tapper's- was the villain. A shiver creeps over his skin as he just stands there, staring down with a goofy expression on his face. Ralph. What kind of name was that? He even smelled faintly horrible- like garbage.
Did he not wash himself?
"What do you want?" Marley nearly snaps at him. With those cynical thoughts spiraling through his head, Marley felt oddly guilty looking up at the big fella's childish, innocent smile. What does he want? To destroy the picture I drew for them all? Marley could feel his body growing defensive, tense.
Ralph looks down at the ground, the air around him oddly embarrassed. His big hand rubs the back of his neck awkwardly, "Well.. I... uh..." He stammers, shuffling his feet. Marley finishes packing all of his gear, and turns to the villain with his arms crossed. An eyebrow raises questioningly.
"Yes?"
"Well... I was just wondering... Were you only going to make that one picture?"
"Yes..." Marley was wary now. What did this big lug want?
"Well... I was wondering... Would it be possible if you could copy it, and give me one...?"
"Pardon?"
"I just... want... a picture..." Ralph mumbles, looking really embarrassed now.
Marley blinks for a few minutes. He's not really sure on the situation, but he can see the genuine desire hugging Ralph. He wants a picture.
"Yeah, I can get one done for you by the end of the week. I'll have to have this one to copy off of though." Marley replies, looking at Ralph, but trying to not look at him. He wants a picture...?
"Really?! Great! Thank you!" Ralph exclaims. Marley looks up at him, his excitable face, and nods, forcing a smile. The slithering disgust of being near an actual villain spikes through him again. He watches expressionlessly as Ralph walks towards his gaming members. He can hear the words informing them that Marley may need the picture for a bit longer. He continues to watch as they all wave goodbye; Felix Jr. bows to him, Felix Sr. nods at him, and Ralph smiles at him. The Nicelanders don't look back, merely try to sprint their way back to their game. Probably trying to sprint as far and as fast as they can away from Ralph.
Marley stares down at the picture he had drawn. He cringes, hearing Ralph's voice echoing in his mind.
It doesn't really seem to favor Ralph at all. His massive bulk is at the side, a small smile gracing his lips. Felix Sr. stands below him, smiling brightly. In the middle, the eye-catcher of the drawing, is Felix Jr., surrounding by the fawning and smiling Nicelanders. In fact, besides Felix Sr., no one is standing near Ralph at all.
It's almost like they are trying to cut him out of the picture.
Or out of their lives?
Gosh... What did I just write?
Some crap, obviously. -.- Gosh. I'm really sorry. I mean like, I don't even know what I was doing here.
But yes, I know, quite a few bendings in the game-universe-type-thing, but eh, right? It's a fanfic, so if you don't like, you don't like. Haters will hate, and potatoes will potate! Sorry again.
I'm really trying to write down all of their relationships- not, like, lovey-dovey ones, but you know. It's really rather hard to describe it in words. :/ I hope I got the characters done right... I mean, Ralph doesn't really seem exactly like himself... But then again, who knows? This was 30 years before he really turned kind of cynical-y from all that hatred directed towards him.
He even feels it, only a few weeks after being plugged in! What nasty people those Nicelanders are.
Oh, yes, I have to say, that little flashback into Felix's childhood- I'm not really sure. I mean, that probably wouldn't have been created, since it was a 80's game... But yeah... I don't know.
And, the whole thing with this "Marley" character. Another made up character. Though, not really. He's a cowboy from Tapper's given a name and an attitude. What more do you want?
Though does the game characters getting a "gaming picture" sound weird? I mean, I just thought that all games would get a picture (drawn, of course) of all their members. Does that really sound stupid? I hope not :S
Anyway! Tell me if you guys like it (and actually think it would be worth it to continue), so please...
Review?
P.S. I have no idea how the title links with the story. So bear with it ^^ It may possibly be changed, but I like it... So yeah.