Chapter Four – Turbo Tastic

"I still find it really odd what happened after that."

"What do ya mean, Ralph?"

"It was just what lead up ta us even goin' ta that stupid party. Felix made it out that he was only doin' it ta calm Gene down an' reassure him that things were gon' be fine but even ta this day, I feel like he was still keepin' something from Gene."

"Ya mean Felix FIBBED about somethin'?"

"Kinda…maybe just a bit. I know it seems IMPOSSIBLE for someone like Felix ta outright lie but before we left, tha details he gave ta Gene about tha party, he said it in a way as not ta make it seem like anyone who WASN'T a GOOD or BAD guy wasn't wanted….but now I know, that's EXACTLY what Turbo had intended from tha start."

"Oh, MAN!" Ralph coughed, fanning a hand in front of his nose "Yeah, complain about me all ya want but holy COW. EXHAUST is a smell that sends me back an' not in a warm, fuzzy way."

"Don't be rude, Ralph." Felix said, shoving his elbow in the larger man's side "This is a party. Have fun an' I'm sure tha smell won't be that bad as time goes on."

"Ha, YEAH. Because we'll be as high-ass a kite from bein' around it so much."

The two men entered the racing game, the cars still going but the place was PACKED with people and most importantly.

"Whoa, is that MARIO?"

Heroes and bad guys.

The party had started and things were buzzing. The music blasted on the stereos, lights of all colors were flashing about. To say the least, Turbo knew where to go to hook himself up with some decent party gear.

"Thank you, THANK YOU!"

And he did know how to make an entrance.

The grey racer pulled in from his latest victory, two other racers following from behind.

"Who are those two?" Ralph asked Felix, the Repairman rubbing his chin.

"Hmmm, I think….I think their names are Jet n Set. They're tha guys you're supposed ta beat…or race as? All this is still kinda new ta me."

The crowd went wild as the one called Turbo hopped out of his car, walking alongside his fans as he blew them kisses, gave them winks; he seemed so much like a people pleaser.

"Ah, love ya too baby! Keep that smile goin' for me!"

"WE LOVE YOU, TURBO!"

The two new-comers just looked on, a little taken back at just how much energy was flowing for ONE game. Ralph blinked but let out a snort.

"Told ya, all this exposure ta exhaust does this ta a person."

"RALPH."

Suddenly, the grey racer turned, looking dead on at the two.

"YOU."

Felix jumped right into Ralph's chest, not at all expecting for Turbo to act so abruptly against him.

"Y-Yes?!"

At first it appeared that Turbo was upset, that he was a little miffed to see the two in his game but the anger was washed away in a second, replaced by a HUGE grin.

"Fashionably late, aren't we?"

Sensing that things were not as bad as they seemed, Felix slowly climbed down from Ralph's perch, letting out a little embarrassed laugh.

"A-Ah! Y-Yeah, we were just doin' a lil clean up before we decided ta come over here!"

"So, this is tha INFAMOUS Fix-it-Felix, JUNIOR of course! An' YOU must be Ralph, Wreck-it?"

Turbo held out a hand towards the larger man but Ralph wasn't too quick to take it. In fact, he felt even more awkward with the way the racer was smiling at him, not certain what to do.

"Eeer…"

"C'mon man, my arm's gettin' tired here."

"Ah, sorry…" Ralph said, finally giving Turbo's boney hand a shake "Um, thanks for invintin' us."

"Hey, it was tha least I can do with all these new games comin' in." the racer chuckled to himself, putting an arm around Felix "Gotta get ta know tha new neighbors somehow an' what better way than a nice get-together, eh?"

Turbo was holding Felix MUCH too close for comfort, the Repairman getting a rather detailed view of Turbo's yellow teeth.

"Ew, so they were yellow even back then?"

"C'mon, as much as I DESPISE tha lil booger, that was a DESIGN detail. He didn't do THAT on his own…."

"Make yourselves comfortable gentlemen. Mi game es su game…"

"Er, I don't think that's tha way it goes…"Felix said, scratching his head but Turbo only laughed once more, shaking his head.

"Man, I can already tell you're a picky one but hey! Its nice ta have someone onboard who has such great attention ta detail! We could use a person like that around."

Felix began to lighten up a bit, feeling that Turbo's jabs might have been HARSH but he certainly only had the best of intentions to show.

"Help yourselves ta some food, some fun! Just don't steal tha game from me!" Turbo winked as he went back into the crowd.

"He seems….NICE." Ralph said, helping himself to some cake "Nice an'….an' very CLOSE given tha way he likes ta pull people in."

Felix shivered slightly but told himself to do better than to think ill of the man who had invited the two into his game.

"We all have our ways of gettin' ta know each other. I'm sure he's really calm outta spotlight."

"Sounds just like 'im…actin' as if he's all nice an' stuff before he sinks his claws in ya!"

"What can I say? Tha man knows how ta play face towards people."

"So what happened after that?"

"Things…things got a lil fuzzy…."

The party went on much later than the two men had thought but they found that they were unable to pull themselves away from all the excitement, all the fun and pleasure. Before Ralph knew it, he found himself dancing to the beat of one of the latest songs, a few girls watching him with big flirty eyes.

"Mmmm, he's BIG AND he can dance…." Said a princess "Send him MY way! He can WRECK my castle any day of the week!"

The combination of so much 'punch' and cake had worked their way through Ralph by now; he was much too giddy to stop or to even think about leaving now. Felix on the other hand had remained the more level of the two, refraining from sampling another bit of punch upon finding its taste to be a little off when he had his first sample. Nonetheless he continued to play the part of a good neighbor, conversing with the others and enjoying himself, even if he had not gone as wild as Ralph.

"So, if I get tha pie…." Felix told Jet and Set "Then BAM! I turn SUPER!"

"Super?" said the first twin "How so?"

"I don't know!" the little repairman smiled "I-I mean, its not even covered in our backstory that well but when tha Nicelanders give me pie, well Ms. MARY anyway, I gain so much speed, so much STRENGTH! Why, I betcha I could lift TEN RALPHS from one bite!"

"Man, that sounds GOOD…." Said the second twin "The pie anyway. I mean, who could say no ta some good pie?"

"I know I can't…" mused Jet, his mouth watering at the thought of the tasty treat "Mmmm, got anyone who knows how ta back Egg Custard Pie? Been a while since I had some an-!"

"Well…."

The two looked over, noticing that Felix was starting to look a little LESS cheerful than before.

"Somethin' up?"

"Um….'bout those pies…." The Repairman began "Well, they LOOK good enough but their taste?"

"Their taste?" the twins said simultaneously, blinking at Felix.

"Its weird. I've tasted tha guys' pies BEFORE but it's NOTHIN' like what they're SUPPOSED ta put out durin' tha games. When tha bake OFF-HOURS, their pie is WONDERFUL but IN-GAME?"

Felix shook his head, blushing a bit.

"Eh, they're just doin' their jobs, handin' out those programmed pies! At least they work."

"Still man, it must be GREAT gettin' pie when ay win…." Said Jet.

"What do ya get when ya win?"

"BOOS." Said Set "Its never a good thing when WE win. Turbo is tha man star here so we kinda hafta watch ourselves."

"Watch yourselves?"

"Yup." Said Jet, sipping his punch "I mean, we can't just lose for tha sake of that kids out there, but it does feel a lil bad watchin' 'em get upset when they don't win."

"Even more-so when TURBO doesn't win…." Huffed Set "I mean…he's GOOD but boy, does he have a temper 'bout him."

Felix twiddled his fingers together the more he heard; he looked over at the twins and began to notice that while they were wearing smiles on their faces they did seem to carry the weight of something else on their shoulders, so much worry showing up on the creases on their faces.

"S-Say….if ya guys ever need a break or anythin', you're always welcomed ta m place."

The two looked up, mimicking their moves once more "Really?"

"Of course!" Felix smiled "We're all neighbors here so what could be more neighborly than sharin' some pie. Tha DECENT kind of course, not tha ones from ON-HOURS."

Jet and Set looked at each other, their smiles growing.

"Sounds like a GREAT idea!" said Set.

"Sounds like an EXCELLENT idea!" said Jet.

"Great!" smiled Felix "Hope ta see ya two soon then!"

And while Felix was making his own set of friends.

"WHOOOOOA!"

*BOOM!*

Ralph was having his way with his own.

"Aw, MAAAAAN!" the man moaned, having fallen on the carpet of the party room "How much cake did I take in."

"Don' tell me that's all ya can handle!"

Ralph looked up, or he ATTEMPTED too. The sugar buzz that had filled him was starting to die down a bit and from his point of view he could make out THREE figures approaching him.

"HAHN."

"So this is tha great Wreck-it-Ralph?" chuckled the figure, his view becoming clear to reveal TURBO to the man's eyes "I was expectin' a bit more from someone like ya!"

"Mmm, like what?"

"I dunno…." Said the racer, sitting down beside the man "Someone who would show off their strength more, show this arcade how tough ya are!"

"N-Now hold on…" Ralph said, clumsily sitting up "Hoo! I do like ta wreck me some things but….mmh, but lemme have a break once in a while!"

"Ya mean like tha 'BREAK' ya took on tha dance floor?" smirked Turbo "I didn't think it was POSSIBLE for someone ta leave so many footprints behind like that. I'm surprised ya didn't just CRASH through tha game."

Ralph grimaced painfully "Yeah…sorry 'bout that."

"Lemme ask ya somethin' Ralphie-Boo."

"HE used ta call ya Ralphie-Boo?!"

"Yuuuuuup."

"URGH! That name has been RUINED!"

"How has your job been treatin' ya so far?"

Ralph thought back, still feeling a little dizzy from the refreshments and perhaps a BIT too dizzy.

"S'been pretty good. Why?"

"I just felt like askin'….." the racer said "Wanna make sure that no one is givin' ya guff."

"Does it LOOK like people would mess with me?" the Wrecker snickered tipsily "I c'n send someone inta space with just ONE PUNCH! Though I wud'n just do that ta someone all willy-nilly! Gotta have a good reason ta do so…."

"That's what I'm talkin' about though…." Said Turbo "I'm just a lil worried that someone will start messin' with ya. That someone will start treatin' ya wrong for bein' a BAD GUY."

Ralph sudden felt a bit clearer in his head the very moment Turbo mentioned BAD GUYS. He looked down, the racer now looking bit upset.

"What do ya mean."

"I know you're new here…but even big fellas like ya gotta watch out for people."

"H-huh?"

"Pardon me for brinnin' tha mood down for a bit but there is a REASON why I made this party so…EXCLUSIVE ta certain classes."

"C-classes?"

"Character classes, ya know." Said Turbo "Bad guys, good guys, damsels an' all that. I had ta do that ta make sure I could get a chance ta talk ta all'a ya, one on one…."

"Why? From tha way you're puttin' it…"

Turbo put his arm around Ralph, once more showing that he didn't seem to grasp the concept of personal space.

"I know this place hasn't been here for long but there are certain people, CERTAIN characters, that won't welcome ya as warmly as others."

Ralph seemed to take interest now "Really?"

"Sadly, yes." Continued the racer "I've seen a LOTTA games split up because of class issues in 'em an' it only comes out later on. It's ESPECIALLY bad for BAD GUYS."

Bad guys?

Bad guys like RALPH.

Ralph began to recall some of the incidents were people started to avoid him, to turn away whenever he came by but he never thought there were any DEEPER intentions towards it, that there were any other reasons for them to act in such a way other than that they were scared. Ralph knew he could be intimidating towards certain people and it was something he had accepted but once Turbo had said his piece a bad feeling began to form within him.

What if there were other reasons that people were scared and it wasn't because of something understandable? He could understand a little character being scared of him because he was so BIG but….

"Lemme ask ya somethin'? Do your NPCs treat ya well?"

The way Turbo had said 'YOUR'; it was almost as if he implied that Ralph had OWNERSHIP over the Nicelanders.

"Um….th-they're okay, I guess?"

Turbo looked Ralph right in the eye "REALLY? They haven't been…runnin' from ya? Tryin' ta avoid ya?"

"W-well, there is one."

"ONE?"

MEG.

"B-But she's a shy lil thing. She seems ta be nervous around EVERYONE."

"You're certain that's it…an' not somethin' BIGGER?"

"W-What could possibly be bigger than-?"

"There are people around here who think that BAD GUYS are just BAD GUYS an' it always seems ta start from people who act like THAT."

"Act like WHAT?" asked Ralph, arching a brow.

"They play the SHY game 'round ya but before ya know it, EVERYONE starts goin' on that their bad guy is gonna do somethin' to 'em. I've seen it happen ta a lotta buddies of mine an' it's a cryin' shame. They're GOOD PEOPLE, I know it but does everyone ELSE know that?"

Turbo clicked his tongue, shaking his head.

"'Course not, but then again NPCs always are a bit…lackin' at times."

"Excuse me?"

"Its tha truth, as bad as it is to hear but there are some difference between classes. Good Guys, Bad Guys, mains like me? We're HIGHER UP which means that of course we have tha power, tha minds. We can think for ourselves but them poor widdle NPCs. They're so hard-wired ta their programmin', so of course it's harder for THEM ta understand anythin'…."

"Um, I don't think I'm followin' ya, Turbo."

"I just want ya ta watch yourself, Ralph. Watch yourself before someone says somethin' that can total ruin your fun here!"

Now things didn't seem as cheerful as they had before, Ralph feeling the goose-bumps rise on his skin as he thought and thought to every occurrence when someone had ran from him. And the little meeting he had with Meg.

But it couldn't have meant anything that bad! Meg WAS shy, she WAS timid so it only made sense that she would…

But what about the others?

The others?

They…they didn't seem to hold any ill-will towards Ralph as far as he could remember. They always went about doing their own little things after work and didn't seek him out but that didn't mean they thought he was BAD….

Did they?

And then there was the Mayor.

He was always going on and on about keeping everyone safe, giving so much praise and compliments towards Felix for his job but he never had the same energy to send the same good will towards Ralph. Granted, Gene always seemed so stuffy and haughty that it appeared to just be the way the man acted.

Or was it programming?

Or was it his personality.

Ralph was supposed to be a big, mean Wrecker but he was far from it outside of the game. The Nicelanders were always supposed to be scared, to be scared of him but with the exception of Meg they didn't seem to fear him that much, if at all.

Turbo was wrong.

The NPCs didn't attach themselves to their programming and neither did he but for some reason…

He just couldn't push it back.

"Ralph, I'm extendin' an offer…"

"For what?"

"I don't want my friends ta suffer under some stupid rumors that may happen so ya wanna know what I do when I'm not racin'?"

"What do a do?"

Turbo beamed with pride "I've made it my mission ta make sure that every BAD GUY, an' various others of course, are sure they can make Turbo Time their home away from home, a place they can go ta an' NOT feel like everyone is scared of 'em."

"Th-that's nice…" Ralph said "Wow, a lotta work for someone as busy as ya."

"I care for tha people, Ralph. It's a hard job but its tha RIGHT thing ta do."

"It's nice an' all…." Said Ralph "But I'm sure I can take care'a myself."

"I'm sure ya can." Turbo said, grinning "Big fella like you? Ya have tha strength I need BUT-!"

"But WHAT?"

"Ah, never mind. I think it would be too much ta ask of ya."

"No, no, no. I'm okay with it!" Ralph said, shaking his head "I mean, ya already went outta your way ta throw this party for us. I need ta return tha favor."

"Ya sure? I don't wanna impede."

"Turbo, I'm bein' honest!"

"Well…." The racer said "I could use a bit'a liftin' done. For tha sake of others, OF COURSE!"