Well hello you wonderful people! Thank you all so much for favouriting and reviewing and just all your wonderfulness. Really, you guys are amazing. :D You all deserve wonderful gifts... But all I have to give you is this next chapter.

Hopefully it will do! ^^

Oh, and if you hadn't already noticed... I refer to Felix Jr. more as Felix and I always refer to Felix Sr. as Felix Sr. Just in case it is confusing to anyone :)

30 Years of Game Over

The Tapper's Incident

Ralph went every day.

Felix couldn't help but notice Ralph leave, each and every time after the day was over. It was peculiar behavior, after all Ralph had never left like this before. What was he doing? Was there something wrong? Felix didn't really know, but he was worried. Did Ralph not like his own game? That left Felix with a sick lurch in the back of his throat.

"Well, if I was Ralph, I would not like this game either." His father says ambiguously once Felix questions him about his suspicions. Felix blinks at his father blankly for a few seconds.

"Pardon me?" Felix replies, incredulous, "Father... I don't..." Felix trails off, the words escaping him. He doesn't know what to say- he doesn't know how to put this feeling into words. What exactly did he not understand? What exactly did he want to know?

Felix Sr. gives a low, heavy sigh. He shuffles around in his chair, before his deep blue eyes turn and hold fast to his son's lighter ones, "I don't think you need to worry about Ralph not coming back to the game, son." He replies, his tone distant and evasive "I think I'm more worried about him coming back."

Felix does not understand what his father means. Worried about Ralph coming back? There was nothing to worry about if Ralph came back. They would all be safe.

The scary thing was to think if Ralph didn't come back. What would happen to them if Ralph didn't show up? Would they- would they be terminated? Would the game be unplugged? Felix didn't want to think about that. What would happen to them if that happened? Where would they go, what would they do? Unplugged was such a horrendous, unknown and scary mystery.

His father's soft smile greets him when he looks up, mouth opening to voice yet another suspicion. He shakes his head softly, bringing Felix's voice to a rest.

"Don't you trust Ralph, son?"

Felix gives his father a little smile, and nods, "I do. I do trust Ralph."

Felix Sr. gives his son a light pat on the shoulder, "Exactly." He replies. Covertly, he looks around the small apartment room that was his home. He leans in to whisper to his son. Carefully, he takes something dark, and square out of his back pocket.

"Do you want a piece of chocolate?"

~!~!~!~!

Marty was really beginning to lose his patience with Ralph. Ha! Beginning?! More like blow up any second.

Every. Single. Night. Ralph was here... waiting. Marty could feel it, the ever-darkening presence of Ralph. It settled into his bones, causing him to feel agitated for every second he wasn't laboring over his work bench, sketching and drawing.

The worst part was that Ralph was talking animatedly with Tapper, joking, laughing and smiling. What was this? While Marty sweated, fretted and ranted to himself as Ralph's presence hung over like a dark cloud forcing him to work harder, stop slacking off and do something useful- He was just- he was just enjoying his time out! What was this!? Some type of twisted torture?!

As Ralph downed another drink- his who-cares-and-I-don't-know (Thirteenth) this past week alone, Marty had enough. He couldn't handle it. That bumbling baboon was messing around with his mind, and Marty didn't care for it one bit. He would set him straight, even if that meant getting clobbered repeatedly by his meaty hands.

They were probably sweaty and disgusting. That thought gave him a brief, malicious respite, until he realized- that if Ralph hit him with those disgusting hands, he would be smearing it all over him.

Ew.

Ralph, on the other hand, wasn't doing any of the evil things that Marty thought he was. Nor was he trying to escape or leave his game, as Felix was fretting Ralph was contemplating.

Ralph was just trying to enjoy his time out.

Of course, the main part of it was to check up to see how Marty was doing. He knew that Marty had said that it took a while to get this picture done (especially if Ralph saw him down here all the time, drinking root beer and staring at the ceiling. Though Ralph wouldn't question an artists ways). Yet, that was only half of what was going on.

Tapper was actually pretty nice to talk to. One of the only ones that didn't seem to have this frightful undertone hanging in the air. He stood there, all humble, wiping out his glasses with quick, clean strokes. Every so often, as often as people called him, he left to tend to the customers. He'd be back though, always back to talk to Ralph.

Unless someone else was talking to Tapper. Ralph felt lonely when that happened, yet it couldn't be helped. Tapper was a popular person, inside and outside the game.

Ralph thought that Tapper was much like Felix's father. They both had the same air around them, they gave Ralph the same pleasant feeling of being comforted and welcomed.

Ralph was rather surprised to find Marty, the artist, stalking his way towards him. A scowl was set on his face, and just as Ralph was turning to question Tapper about his game characters actions, Tapper was called off.

Tapper gave one look between Marty's angry face, and Ralph's confused one, before nodding stiffly and walking away. Ralph couldn't understand- what did that mean? It looked sort of like pity? Or perhaps, a good luck nod?!

"Ralph." Ralph winces at the hard tone. Ralph doesn't exactly know why he should be wincing at that- he didn't even know what Marty seems so angry at him for- yet, wince at it he did.

"Uhh... Yeah?" Ralph asks warily, turning to stare down at the angry cowboy.

Marty's eyes narrow, as his scowl deepens. He fumbles, without breaking his gaze, with his artist bag, and whips out two pieces of paper, "Your copy." He snaps out, the paper cracking in the air by the force Marty put behind it.

Ralph's eyes went wide, as a smile spread across his face. Instantly, he grabbed the two pictures, "Thanks a bunch, Marty!" Ralph exclaims, extremely pleased. It looked like an exact copy of the original, it was so good. Ralph can feel giddy happiness bubbling within him. Now, he would always be apart of the group, "Really, thanks a lot."

Marty huffs, crossing his arms and scowling more, "Well, you didn't help me any." He replies sourly, a pout coming onto his face.

Ralph blinks, "What?" He asks, not understanding and still obsessing with the picture in his head.

Marty looks up at him furgitively, before looking back at the wall to his right, "Well, you sitting here all the time... It's was horrible! Pressuring me and everything!" Marty's mouth tightens, "You were actively torturing me, weren't you?"

"I was what?" Ralph cannot believe his ears. What was Marty accusing him of... torture? Ralph didn't even touch Marty, let alone torture him! Where was this all coming from?

Marty pokes a finger at Ralph, his scowl deep set, "Constantly sitting here, like a hawk over a poor field mouse. I felt captured and unnerved. Why did you come everyday when I told you it would only be ready at the end of the week?!"

Ralph opens and closes his mouth, trying to process what Marty was accusing him of. Finally, Ralph's eyes narrow, "Are you saying I shouldn't have come to Tappers and hung out, like everyone else does in this whole arcade, this past week?"

"No, I was freaking telling you to get a hair cut- Yes I meant that!" Marty scowls. Ralph frowns.

"I really don't like your tone." Ralph says plainly. His fingers twitch. Ralph takes a slow breath.

Marty continues his indignant tirade, "I don't like your tone?! My tone!? There is nothing wrong about my tone! It's you who should watch what they are doing! Walking around, talking to people as if its natural. You're a villain, don't you know what that means?!"

Ralph pursed his lips, trying to suck in more air. His eyebrow rises, as he manages to huff out, "Aren't you a villain as well? You toss out Tapper if he doesn't give you Root Beer soon enough."

Marty's face works rapidly, as his face turns a deep red- with embarrassment or rage, Ralph really couldn't tell. He feels kind of smug at the comeback, which had literally popped into his brain at the last minute.

"I am not a villain! How dare you associate me with someone like you. You destroy things! You always lose and get thrown in the mud. You always are smelly. You are gross and no one will like you. You are a villain! A villain, I tell you!"

A very still hush settles over the bar, as the last ringing statement of Marty's anger induced words slice the air. Marty's eyes open wide, as he realizes the words spoken in a rush; in a gap of uncontrollable embarrassment and rage. However, he can't take them back, nor will he take them back. I am NOT a villain.

Ralph, on the other hand, was starting to visibly shake. Red pooled in his eyes, as each remark hit home. Marty's thoughtless comments struck deep and dark within Ralph's own personal being. All Ralph could think about was revenge, hurt, pain and anger. A hiss escapes his lips, as his shaking increases and his face goes pale and his eyes narrow.

Without any warning, Ralph suddenly springs forward, a deep cry rumbling through his throat. Marty screams, many people in Tapper's gasp with shock, and freeze as they see Ralph raging. However, Ralph springs towards the wall of Tapper's bar, his hand already thrown back.

"No, Ralph, don't!" Is the only cry, from Tapper himself, that Ralph can hear. It doesn't register in his brain until it is too late.

With a force that causes the air around Ralph's hand to sizzle as he thrusts it forward, Ralph's fist slams into the wall of Tapper's. Ralph gives out a rough yelp, and the wall of the game lets out a large moan, before cracking sounds vibrate in the room. A large gash in the side of the wall appears. A jumble of numbers can be seen in the crack, and Ralph leans in, almost mesmerized by the pattern the numbers wrote out.

Suddenly, hands pull him away from the crack on the wall. A very stern, angry Tapper faces him, "Don't stare at the code of the game!" Tapper admonishes, as he crosses his arms and glares at Ralph, "Fix it." He says plainly, his head tipping towards the crack Ralph had created, "And do it quickly, before it all leaks out."

Ralph blinks, "B-But I can't fix things-"

"Why in the world did you break it in the first place then!" Tapper cries out angrily, "Don't just go around breaking people's property!"

"B-But Marty-"

"I don't care what Marty did, you broke my wall! Get it fixed! It needs to be fixed before the arcade opens!" Tapper turns around quickly, "Someone, grab something to plug the hole up with!" Tapper turns back around to Ralph, ready and waiting.

"I... can't fix things..." Ralph mumbles, hanging his head.

"Well get someone who can." Tapper admonishes, his tone softer.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!

Ralph was rubbing his face tiredly the whole ride back to his game. First of all, having to deal with the Surge Protector that showed up when he left Tapper's, wondering over the shift in electrical signals the game was giving off. Ralph had managed to squeeze by him, claiming ignorance and just pass him again when he tried to catch him at his own game. Ralph didn't really know how he did it, but somehow he did.

Now, he was going to face the worst part of this whole scenario.

Asking Felix to fix the crack he made.

It wasn't really asking Felix that was the problem. Ralph would go to Felix in a heartbeat to fix something- Felix was good at it, and he did it all the time, even if it was just a game. However, Ralph knew who would be there with Felix, and that made this whole mess even worse.

Ralph cannot begin to imagine how the Nicelanders will react to him breaking Tapper's wall. They harp on him enough about breaking their own apartment building, he couldn't imagine when it comes to him breaking something else. Ralph gets all pale and sweaty just thinking about it.

However, this had to be done, and get it done Ralph will do.

Standing in front of the large glass doors leading to the inside of the hotel- and opening them- was another thing than just saying to himself he could do it.

The doors open, and Ralph finds Felix Sr.'s eyes staring at him, "Well, Ralph, you've been standing there a good few minutes now. Are you coming in, or watching the already dry paint dry some more?"

Ralph looks at the calm face of Felix's father. He takes a deep breath, feeling a lot better than how he had been earlier. I can do this.

"I'm coming in. Is Felix close by? I need to talk to him. Quickly." Ralph rushes into the door, held open for him by Felix Sr. He turns to the elderly man, who gives him a nod.

"Ah yes, Felix is up in his room. Sixth floor, second room."

"Thank you!" Ralph says, giving him a wave- nearly knocking the fancy chandelier as he did so.

Felix Sr. chuckles, watching as Ralph fumbles with the elevator. He waves once again, as he squishes into the door, and manages to turn himself around. Suddenly, Felix Sr. frowns, "I forgot to ask him if he wanted some choco- Oh, yes, that's right. He doesn't like the stuff," He shakes his head sadly, shuffling on towards his own little room, "Poor soul, his life will be full of suffering without the benefits and mind-numbing pleasure of chocolate."

Ralph was actually inside the penthouse. He hadn't been inside it before. This is actually quite exciting... He thinks happily to himself, Besides how cramped this elevator is... He sighs. But I guess he should expect that. After all, this penthouse was tailored for the Nicelanders and they were... well, really short.

Ding!

The door opens on Ralph's relieved sigh, as he scrambles out of the elevator. Level Six.

"Second room... Second room..." Ralph pokes his head in the tiny door, and sees Felix- thankfully all by himself. At that moment, Felix looks up and nearly shrieks.

"Oh! Ralph, I'm sorry, you almost startled me." Felix replies, recovering quickly. He hops out of his chair, looking up at him, "What can I help you with?"

"Ahh, umm... Well... I have a favour to ask..."

"Sure thing! What do you need?"

"Well... I need you to fix something..."

Felix nods, "I thought so. So, what is it?"

Ralph looks suspiciously at Felix, "You seem pretty antsy. Bored?"

Felix frowns, "Ralph, this isn't the time for that. I need to fix whatever you broke."

Ralph frowns, "Hey! What if it wasn't me?"

Felix eyebrow rises, "So it wasn'tyou that broke whatever is broken?"

"No... It was me." Felix rolls his eyes.

"Okay, okay- come on, let's get this over with. What needs to be fixed?" Felix asks once again, as he squeezes past Ralph and moves towards the elevator, "Your stump? Part of the penthouse? The rail?"

"Uh... well... don't get mad... But I broke Tapper's wall..." The elevator dings again, as the doors open.

"You WHAT?!" Both Felix and Ralph turn to see Big Gene standing in the elevator, gawking at Ralph as if he grew ten heads, "Say that again- what did you break?!"

"Tapper's wall..." Ralph mumbles, not looking at either Felix or Gene.

"Well Gene, if you would excuse us we need to-" Felix starts, yet Gene interrupts.

"How could you possibly break someone else's wall!?" Gene fumes, "It's bad enough that you wreck our building everyday-"

"That's part of the game Gene." Ralph interjects. Gene glares at him, continuing as if Ralph hadn't spoken.

"But someone else's property! That is just low Raph. How much of a villain do you want to be? Are you stating it to everyone that you are someone who wrecks things, not only in your own game?! You are a monster! A wrecking, disastrous monster!"

"Okay!" Felix nearly shouts, gently pushing Gene out of the elevator, "Now please excuse us. For I have to fix a small mistake that Ralph has made. I'm certain there is a good reason behind whatever Ralph happened to do."

"No, no- wait a minute-" Ralph says, glaring daggers at Gene. Felix grabs his arm, pulling him inside.

"Ralph, there is no wait a minute. I have to fix whatever it is you have wrecked and we must do it soon before the arcade opens!"

Ralph grudgingly compiles, "Don't think this conversation is over with Gene!" Ralph exclaims, "I'm not a wrecking monster!" The door closes with another bing and the two descend- in a most uncomfortable, squished position. Ralph fumes all the way down, leading to no questions or conversation Felix could carry. How dare Gene! Ralph thinks to himself, How dare he! I am NOT a wrecking monster! I only dented Tapper's, that's all! Besides, he doesn't know that- that Marty guy just pushed my buttons! He was horrible, accusing me of torture! Of not being aloud to hang out at Tappers, just because I am a villain! How dare he! How DARE HE!

"Come on, Ralph, I need to know what happened!" Felix nearly begs, as the two of them, a few minutes later, manage to make their way towards the game hub terminal. Suddenly, the archway beeps, and pulsates red. The Surge Protector glares at Ralph.

"I also want to know what has happened over at Tapper's." He says, his tone intimidating.

"Look, this one dude was giving me a bad time, and I just... I just got mad."

"Mad enough to crack Tapper's wall, Ralph!?" Felix exclaims, as he begins his trek towards the glowing sign of Tapper's, "Come on, Ralph, you can't hit things just because you get a little mad."

"Oh ho," Ralph scoffs, "I was not a little mad." He emphasis, "That Marty guy was just pushing all the wrong buttons- if it's anyone's fault, it was his fault for making me that mad."

"But Ralph, you didn't have to hit the wall of Tapper's."

"So what, I was supposed to hit Marty instead?"

"NO! You are supposed to count to ten and calm down! You aren't supposed to hit anything!"

"Counting to ten is for children."

This time, the Surge Protector gliding behind them scoffs, "With the way you're acting, you're pretty much no better than a whiny, bratty, temperamental little kid."

Ralph gashes his teeth, yet doesn't do anything. Felix sighs, before rushing into Tapper's. Ralph goes to follow him, yet the Surge Protector stops him.

"Oh no, you don't. You aren't allowed in there until I have confirmation from Tapper himself that he forgives you."

"Forgives me?! Forgives me for what! It's not my fault! Marty's the one that made me break the wall!"

The Surge Protector levels him a stern look, "No one made you break the wall. Now sit quietly until your friend and Tapper come back out."

"But the arcade is going to open soon!"

"You'll have enough time for a quick chat before you need to go." The Surge Protector replies calmly. Ralph pouts, crossing his arms over his chest. This is horrible... Ralph thinks to himself, staring blankly out into space.

A few minutes, both Felix and Tapper come out from the archway. Felix looks at Ralph, before shaking his head sadly.

"My my my, Ralph. You really did break Tapper's wall at lot more seriously than I thought."

Ralph jumps a little, "But you could fix it, right?"

Felix nods, bringing his hammer out and twirling it, "Of course. There's nothing I can't fix!" He confidently puts his hammer back in his belt, "However, isn't there something you have to say to Tapper here?"

Ralph blinks at Tapper, before looking down at the ground. His shoe scuffs the floor, "I'm really sorry I broke your wall, Tapper." A few beats of silence pass, and Ralph looks up at Tapper worriedly, "Tapper?"

Tapper waves a hand, "It's okay Ralph. You got it all fixed, and that's really all I care about. In fact, the wall looks better than before!" He gives a small smile, "Just, see to it you never break it again, okay? I'll be sure to have a talk with Marty as well. What he said weren't the kindest words, and I don't take that lightly at my game."

"So... I can come back tomorrow?"

Tapper tips his head left to right, mulling it over, "Well, maybe not tomorrow. A little discipline and space for the both of you. But certainly, Ralph, you are welcome to come back. I'm not going to ban anyone who wants a nice cold drink."

Ralph smiles, "Thanks Tapper. This is really nice of you."

"Yeah, I know it is." He waves to the three of them, "Have a good day, fellas! See you the day after next Ralph."

The Surge Protector sighs, "Well, I guess that clears up this little mess. Tapper seems fine, and you fixed it. See you gentlemen. However, watch yourself Ralph." With that, the Surge Protector leaves. The two main characters look at each other.

"That was really nice of Tapper, to let you continue coming to his game." Felix says, as the two of them walk back to their own game.

Arcade Opening in Five Minutes.

"Yeah. He's a really nice guy. He reminds me a lot of your father actually, Felix."

Felix purses his lips, "Hmm. Yeah. I see what you mean."

Annnnnd! The end of chapter... 2 I believe? Yes. Chapter two!

How wonderful! Yah! Yeah! I actually finished this! You do not know how long it has been sitting... actually, maybe you already have some clue as to how long it took. I mean, you all have been waiting... so yes... Sorry. I'm sorrry. My updating needs some work, as you can see. I don't update frequently, and rather at- odd times. :S

But, please tell me how you feel about this chapter! I hope it is good enough :S I'm still not entirely sure exactly where this story is going, but I at least know what the next few chapters are going to deal with. Hopefully. Oh well. I have an idea, and that's good enough, right?

But thank you to all of you who were waiting patiently for this to update! Really, you deserve a prize :D If only I knew how to give you one...

Please Review! It means the world to me!

~ Calm-Waters