Chapter 4- So, There's No Way Out...
Sometime Later...
Jeffrey slowly wakes up rubbing his eyes.
"Oh man, hey sis I had this weirdest dream' he looks up rubbing the back of his head, as he regains his vision slowly and looks around as it becomes clear then sees 4 angry characters looking down at him' that I'm still trapped inside DAMMIT!" Jeffrey says then lays his head down again with disbelief and sighs.
He finds himself laying on a bench and slowly turns sitting upright and sees Calhoun kneeling in front of him. He looks off behind her and sees Ralph, Vanellope and Felix there as well with their arms crossed it looked like they were going to drop a mix tape on jeffrey.
"Who are you! You crashed and flew when you were leaving my game" Calhoun says with anger
Jeffrey looks at her and he rubs the back of his head with a smug on his face. The four look at each other and back at him. Jeffrey throws his head back and looks side to side.
"Where am I?"
"Don't ignore me BOY! Where are you from!"
"You're in Game Central Station." Felix answers and walks besides Tamora placing his hand on her shoulder calming his wife down.
Jeffrey looks at Felix.
"This! This giant lobby of games, with everything and everyone! wow" Jeffrey says rubbing his eyes
"yea it's what connects all the games in the arcade together."
"Insane but trippy, dam! what now." Jeffrey says then sighs.
He looks around. Jeffrey looks at one tunnel and looks at it then squint his eyes.
"Wait a second…this seems like a 'his eyes become wide in realization' its a giant outlet', stands up, walks to it slowly then stops and thinks for a moment, 'Game Central Station?', looks at everyone, 'You mean the surge bar? I'm inside the surge bar!" Jeffrey says then a sharp pain goes through his head as he falls on one knee holding his head.
"Oh JESUS! man my head hurts, that was a tough landing" Jeffrey says rubbing his head and goes back to the bench and sits down.
"Who are you? I mean you're a game but what's your name?" Calhoun asks and sees him sigh.
"Jeffrey, Jeffrey Hunter and no i'm not from no game"
Calhoun gets serious.
"ok Jeffrey, if you didn't come from a game of your own how did you get here"
"I, look from the bottom of my heart i truly don't know 'looks side to side then back at her' and like I already told everyone I've met so far that i'm from no game, Listen I really don't know How? Why? I'm here but 'Rubs his eyes and brushes his hair back with a deep sigh' it's all blurry, I can't remember anything of how I even got here."
"You expect me to believe that?"
"BITCH! I don't expect you to believe anything, I can't even make myself believe that you're standing in front of me, THE FUCK! This is a Fucking nightmare a Fu- "Tamora punches him square in the jaw hard with a response.
"Stop cursing! We have a kid here! What's wrong with you! You're worst then Josh!" She says glaring at him with anger in her eyes as Jeffrey rubs the side of his jaw and looks at her.
"Sorry, even though you're made with a bunch of codes those punches feel really real, ahh jeez"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ralph asks walking up to him
"what does that mean? Bro you guys aren't supposed to be real! This isn't possible! you're made up of tons of codes. BUT YOU'RE BREATHING AND TALKING!"
"Well we feel pretty much alive just like you. When the arcade closes we leave our games and go to others." Ralph explains
Jeffrey just blinks with a shocked look on his face then shakes his head.
"I already heard that before, Look I don't care what you guys do! Seriously, how long has this been going on for?"
"Well, Felix and I have been doing the same jobs for the past 30 years."
Jeffrey rubs his face understanding all of this.
" Thir- 'Jeffrey almost chokes on his words' 30, 30 years, Jesus… Un-freaking-believable…I wonder what happens when I leave my Xbox on then 'looks around Game Central Station seeing all types of characters walking by' So what you're saying is, you can leave your games…and go to others? Walking, talking, and living on with your lives."
"It's really fun. It gets boring through the day when the gamers play us. At night we can pretty much do anything we want." Vanellope explains with a straight face.
Jeffrey looks at her and shakes his head then at everyone else who seemed to be angry at him still. He looks down with his hands placing them over his face and sighs deeply.
"so there's no way of me leaving this place, 'He says to himself in a low voice as they all look at him and lowers his hands looking up' funny though… this is actually a gamers dream to meet and play with iconic video game members but then again there's a saying…be careful what you wish for." Jeffrey says in a low voice to himself then looks back up at Vanellope.
Calhoun crosses her arms and looks at him suspiciously.
"Why were you rushing out of my game?" She says as he goes back to the bench to sit down as everyone follows
"oh I thought we were racing, 'Calhoun looks at him funny' I mean, look I swear I wasn't doing anything bad, just that...'points at the pieces of his flying board' the hover board was awesome, you don't see this every day. ' He notices the expression on her face who was angry at him and he becomes intimidated as she looks at him annoyed' what?"
"Then if you didn't belong from any game. Where did you come from?"
"I came from Sugar Rush, I woke up in there confused and lost and apparently crash also, I don't know how! 'Looks at Vanellope 'don't ask 'then looks back at the sergeant' then a friend was close, came and helped me... aaaand we might have also destroyed half a city" Jeffrey says looking down.
Vanellope looks at him aggravated.
"You know you nearly destroyed HALF MY GAME" She says and began to run at him then Felix grabbed her from the collar pulling her back.
"What do I supposed to do? get shot at or get taken to jail. I WAS RUNNING FOR MY LIFE! 'he replies to Vanellope' And were ever I go somebody calls me josh, like for real! I'm going to punch the next one who says that. Wait like he was here before me! how did he get out? IS there any way out of here?"
"Yes look 'Calhoun lowers her arms and points at contra' over there next to the new games. Contra has been disconnected for a long time but something went wrong and now it's being protected by the surge protector"
"what?!" He says then throws his hands up, he jumps off the bench and heads to the entrance of the contra game. He slowly walks in front of it and witnesses the huge opening protected by a electrical force field like wall. He slowly walks up to it but stops and looks back seeing the other catching up to him.
"So I can't leave or get out of here, what am I going to do? I'm stuck here!"
"That's not our problem." Calhoun says walking away as Jeffrey watches and becomes angry
"Hey! HEY!', Calhoun turns around, ' Listen here you little shit! I need to get out of here and go home, my friends and family will be looking for me! I don't want to get them worried."
Ralph, Felix and Vanellope look at each other. Calhoun crosses her arms and leans forward.
"Sooner or later, they'll find you, One way or another otherwise, we can't help you." She says taking a step back and walks away
"Why not!?"
"Because no one other than josh knows our true existence, except you. And at the moment, you're stuck here with our secret', Jeffrey shakes his head, 'Do me a favor, don't come back to my game, you'll only just die." Calhoun says as she walks away back to her game.
Jeffrey's hands become fists and he grinds his teeth getting angry at her.
"Screw you, blonde son of a bitch" Jeffrey says in his head and feels a presence next to him.
"It's said if any game character goes into another game which it isn't theirs. 'Jeffrey looks to his side and sees Felix next to him looking ahead.' They don't regenerate and die never to come back." Felix says seeing her wife walk away then turns to Jeffrey.
"But since you're not from any game here. So any game you go into, and die, you'll never come back." Felix states
Jeffrey scuffs loking down at his side and rubs his face he looks back at the force field.
"dam it!, I got no were else to go 'walks slowly back to the nearest bench and sits back down and sighs' stuck in a world, that I can't escape, eh I just like before."
Jeffrey has his hands over his face his fingers running through his hair feeling hopeless. Vanellope watches him and shakes her head in pity then walks back to her game. Felix and Ralph look at each other and back at Jeffrey. who was looking at the floor he sees a shadow going over him then looks up and sees a huge, bulky, character and beside him a small guy with a blue carpenter outfit.
"Felix and Ralph right?…what do you guys want?" He says with a low voice
"I wished we can help, but I'm sorry that we can't" said Felix
"That's nice of you to say... 'Felix nods' ok but it doesn't help my situation."
"For what it's worth, I'm sorry truly am." Felix says taking his hat off and looks down then then puts it back on and walks away
Ralph walks past Jeffrey and he finally stands up.
"Hey! 'Ralph turns around' you been here the longest you know anyone who can help me?"
Ralph shrugs then rubs the bottom off his chin thinking then looks back at him.
"Maybe Tapper might be able to help you"
"Tapper? OH RIGHT! That's where I needed to go. Where is it?"
Ralph points down the station at one of the tunnles and Jeffrey looks at that direction.
"He's over there past those two games, he's the oldest one here if he knows he just might get what you're looking for."
Jeffrey nods.
"Thanks a lot big guy"
"Ralph, Wreck it Ralph"
"Thanks Ralph!"
"No problem. By the way', Jeffrey looks back, 'You got a pretty high score, but not like josh. Hope you find what you're looking for"
Jeffrey smiles as he sees him heading back to his game. Jeffrey looks up ahead at the name Tapper and sprints his way to the entrance.
Jeffrey heads his way to Tappers as he looks around him noticing all types of video game characters. He feels a bit happy and sad at the same time knowing that he's in an awesome universe with all new and familiar characters. But sad seeing he might be stuck here and never get out he's deep in his thoughts and wasn't paying attention then in front of him then bumps into someone. Jeffrey falls to the ground landing on his butt and shakes his head.
"I'm so sorry are you ok?"
Jeffrey hears a familiar voice and sees someone lending out a hand to him. He looks up and his eyes widen in excitement and becomes star struck he sees Kairi with a big smile bending over lending a hand out to him and besides her is Sora and Riku. Jeffrey grabs her hand as she helps him up.
"Hey you alright? You should pay attention where you're going next time." Riku says
"Yea, yea I am don't worry I'm fine" Jeffrey says dusting himself off.
"Glad you're ok" Sora says with his warm smile and his arms behind his head.
"Thanks again guys" Jeffrey says as they nod and walk away.
"Better enjoy this place at least, dam it's a dream come true gotta lighten up." Jeffrey says looking back and keeps walking ahead.
He gets near the game and stands in front of the tunnel. Then looks up seeing the banner with the title going by again and again saying 'tapper'. He sees this place is filled a lot with characters coming in and out like a mall was built inside and makes his way through the crowd and starts to head inside till 'BEEP BEEP' and alarm goes off startling him.
The Surge Protector appears out of thin air and stood beside Jeffrey who sees him looking down on his clipboard and sighs with his arms crossed.
"Step aside sir" Surge says looking down his clip board and Jeffrey does what he's told.
"You came here to kill me?" Jeffrey says and the surge look up from his clipboard and smiles
"Ah it's you gamer, 'he snaps his fingers and the clipboard disappears and he walks up to him' Look I came to apologies, I'm sorry I acted that way but it's that I can't let anyone or anything let our secret out, you haven't proved yourself like josh but I'm giving you my trust, again sorry for what happened last time."
"You think I'm gonna just accept your apology? You wanted to terminate me! I get it is under your job description but you scared me to death. Shit you better give me something good."
"I won't bother you ever again."
"DEAL! I'll accept your apology. 'he says with a smile and lends out his hand at him'
"Great! Jeffrey right? 'Jeffrey smiles and nods' I'll see you later gamer and try to not do anything crazy ok!" Surge says and disappears. Then Jeffrey heads into the game.
Inside Tapper...
He enters the tunnel and heads to the games train platform and it was an old steam strain waiting by the station. Jeffrey sees it's filled with lots of characters. He then hops on and sits by the edge and a moment goes by then a ding is heard and the train jerks and starts to moves slowly then gain speed and headed its way to the games. A blue light leaves the surge bar and follows the cord into tapper then they enter a small western town and in the center was the game Tapper then Jeffrey and other video game characters hopped off and made their way through the town into the game. As he goes through the saloon double doors and sees several characters from many other games just sitting at the long tables having conversation with each other, villains and heroes alike. Jeffrey remembers the game Tapper but he remembers it from in front of the screen, not behind it. Jeffrey cautiously walks up on ahead then looks up, he sees a giant window of the front screen of the game above them. He brushes his hair back amazed seeing this before his eyes.
"This is insane…" Jeffrey says and shudders then he squints his eyes and he can see other games through the screen as well from where he's standing.
Jeffrey looks down and looks for a lonely table to sit at then walks over and sits down all of a sudden the main character Tapper zips by in front of him cleaning a mug in one hand and a cloth on the other looking down.
"What can I get you buddy?" Tapper says.
"Whoa! ' he shrieks as he almost falls off but gains his balance and looks back' dam you scared the crap out of me"
The mustached character looks up at him.
"What can I get for you son?"
"Uhhh…I'm looking for…a Character named Tapper? I heard he can help me with a problem."
"You're looking at him."
"oh! wow, wait"
He then realizes it is the main video game character of Tapper is standing right before him.
"Wait, your Tapper?"
He sees the mustached character looking at him with a grin.
"Yes, yes I am kiddo, been in this arcade since the 80's." He says cleaning a mug.
"Dam! You look nothing like I see in front of the screen geez! 'Jeffrey says fully shocked' look I need your help in something" He says leaning over.
"Hey Tapper! More root beers!" Ryu yells
"Coming!" Tapper reply
Jeffrey watches Tapper go to work, witnessing how he zips from the coolers pouring the drinks and sliding them down on the tables as the characters grabs them from the table and chug it down quenching their thirst then slamming the mug down and Tapper comes back.
"So, what can I do for you sonny?"
"uhhh 'Jeffrey shakes his head and looks at tapper' Ralph told me you might be able to help me."
"Help you with what?" He says still cleaning the mug
"Explain to me… how is all "this" 'referring at everything' all possible?"
"What is?"
"This', Jeffrey points at the other game characters interacting with each other, Tapper sees and looks back at him puzzled, 'I mean, explain this to me please and while you're at it slide me a drink"
Tapper zips pours a drink and slides it to Jeffrey and zips back Jeffrey sees the mug slide towards him and stops in front of him and he acts like a kid amazed by this and takes a sip.
"I still don't understand your question, what do you mean all this?" Tapper says looking at him confused
"Ok look 'Jeffrey finishes his drink and puts it down' I'm asking how is that this exits the fact that video game characters are at liberty to roam the place and are alive, if god made this or magic or something!"
"Ah! Ok well let me ask you this then are you a gamer?"
"Yes! Yes I am, I'm from no game and hoping you can help me get out of here!"
"One problem at a time ok kid, look I don't know anything about god or magic but do know that ever since we get plugged in we are alive but which also comes with a price."
"Yes I now if you die in another place that's not your game you die permanently"
"yup nice that you did your homework, and you said you also wanted to leave this place but sorry to be the bearer of bad news but, I don't remember 'Jeffrey eyes widen and becomes sad' But! all I do know is that the way Josh left was through a cable that was being blocked by the surge protector, but I don't know how it happened or how he went home but it's that, the severed cable that is being guarded by the surge protector. Tapper says and nods with what he gave and sees Jeffrey looking down trying to evaluate the information he got.
"So… I got now where to go, ok I guess I'll have to figure out something on my own…" Jeffrey says to himself then looks up at Tapper.
"Wait you said you were here since the 80's right? So you saw how everything changed in front of your eyes right?
"Yup true, those were some time back then, but I that's life but I got quite a few game characters coming to my tavern every now and then."
Jeffrey smiles while shaking his head.
"Some business you got yourself. You work during the day and working during the night. No stop"
"Well, some of us got to make a living."
"A living? You're a video game character, you got currency in this place too? You don't have kids to feed, do you? Pay rent? You guys are made up with a bunch of codes like you guys shouldn't get tired or breathing problems and stuff like that."
"A lot of the new game characters are made with a lot of code, but me on the other hand, old technology."
"Right yes, 8-bit definitely! Those good old days was a game changer for society, graphics back in the day too heh if they can see how games have changed so much!"
"Yup you said it buddy Pac-Man, Fix-It Felix, Jr., any 8-bit work off old codes."
"but you don't look 8-bit. You look like me! 3-D and you look new so?"
"That's because you're behind the screen, in front. You see the design of the game."
He looks at himself then back at Tapper and then up at the screen and becomes puzzled and looks at him again.
"So you're telling me right now, if someone saw me in front of the screen, I look 8-bit to them?"
"Exactly." Tapper says smiling as he places the mug he was cleaning under the table and gets another and begins to clean it.
Jeffrey looks up at the huge screen above them where he and Tapper are at. Jeffrey shakes his head and chuckles to himself and looks at tapper.
"That is amazing trippy but amazing, so this isn't a dream!"
"Nope it's not Jeffrey it's real, what else is on your mind?"
"Are all game characters like this this? Up 24/7?"
"Some sleep, others live out their daily lives. Have you ever been to Sugar Rush?" Tapper says and sees Jeffrey's reaction who rolled his eyes and sighs.
"Yeah, not exactly a wonderful experience. Let's just say I'm the 'most wanted criminal' over there but I got to fix it soon….I hope."
"ha-ha well those young kids race when the arcade closes."
"Yea I saw, well actually I was with one, running from our life's, but go on"
"They drive on their own, no program is controlling them but only when the gamers place the quarters in then they are under the control of the gamer but after that they are all free, same goes to all games by the way."
"Yes I know that, but what do they hope to accomplish?"
"To be chosen by gamers for the upcoming morning."
"Huh?"
"You've played the game, right Jeffrey?"
"Yeah, a lot actually."
"You've chosen different racers as the game started, yes?"
"Yeah, it says on the front different avatars are chosen every day. 9 to be exact-ish. It's nine right?"
"Yes!" tapper continues on "They race against each other when the arcade closes so they can be picked to race the next day by gamers. First nine to cross the finish line are chosen."
"So…they race so they can get picked by gamers? Why can't they just be chosen?"
"Because it's not written in their protocol."
"Oh ok now that's…. Well wait is it in a way like the designers or game programmers knew there alive and gave them stuff to do"
"Their game is designed as racers. The main objective is to cross the finish line. That's all." Tapper says making it clear for him.
"Huh...well I didn't see anyone racing but one of those racers did save me aaanndd may be destroyed half a city BUT! that's another story." Jeffrey says and tapper looks at him disappointed and shakes his head.
"you just got here and already set on to destroy everything, 'sets the mug down' I'm going to warn you, to be careful here at GCS a horrible event has happened but this made us all stronger so if you threaten anything precious to them well …better start digging you own grave kid. 'Jeffrey gulps at that response and looks down' ah! Well then so, you know a lot happens when the gamers aren't playing the games. They can also cause trouble in their own game too. There are always bad apples in the bunch."
"You're right, but still I can't wrap my head around the thought that you're alive I mean just like people but…your game characters, no cosplay but the real dam thing! That's just…amazing. 'Jeffrey take a sip from his drink and sets it down' I really wonder how josh's experience was when he was here" Jeffrey says but sees Tapper sighs and looks down and look sad.
"He was a good kid, heart of gold and a hero, He didn't come back for a while and some of the characters are really missing him, especially Vanellope" Tapper says and Jeffrey looks down and feels awful for his action and regrets what he's done.
"Well sorry to hear that, well I see he has the top scores in all the games I mean I'm a gamer also and I love a challenge. Trying to become the very best and never backing down but, That's when I got here and found out about this arcade so I played everything and tried to beat his score, But 'sighs' bro THIS kid must be amazing I just always have the second top scores in all the games"
"Don't be hard on yourself Jeffrey, Never give up! But that is IF! The game stays."
"What do you mean?"
Then tapper looks at Jeffrey and sets the mug down under the table and then starts to clean the table.
"Everything in a game, is like a big universe but when Mr. Litwak unplugs the game and the game characters world is lost forever."
Jeffrey narrows his eyes.
"What?"
Tapper stops cleaning the table then looks straight at him.
"Right, of course, you don't know."
"Know what?"
Tapper chuckles and sighs as he cleans the table in a circular motion.
"I'm lucky you know. Especially the rest of all the old games in this arcade. But I don't even know when my own game will get unplugged."
"I don't know what? What's wrong on being unplugged? You can plug it right back in."
"Yes you can but the memories are all wiped out. That's worse than dying like the person you know the most has forgotten you completely"
"I don't know the feeling but must be nerve wrecking, has it happened before?" Jeffrey asks crossing his arms and sees him sigh.
"Actually no never, but it's worse if they replugged an old game in like wreck it ralph or me then…wow imagine that"
"yea that's…actually depressing so wait when Mr. Litwak pulls the plug on a game, the world inside the game disappears. Forever', Jeffrey just looks down feeling a bit sad, 'Everything inside disappears."
"What about the characters?" Jeffrey says worried
Tapper shrugs.
"They evacuate. They leave so they don't get erased as well. And they live out in Game Central Station, doing nothing. Bored out of their mind, and sadly we have some unplugged characters roaming the station."
"They become homeless? That's what you mean,"
"That would be one word to phrase it."
"But, the game will get plugged in again, somewhere else. Then what?"
"You don't get it. If you're inside the game when it gets unplugged, you get erased. And never return back to the way you were. Look. I don't know the details but it's like losing your memory it changes what makes 'you' that's what you need to understand"
Jeffrey thinks then just gulps.
"I don't want to lose my memories, then all those games Mr. Litwak pulled…"
"Mm-hmm…" Tapper says cleaning a glass
Jeffrey looks at his glass and takes a sip of it. Tapper just watches as he sets the glass back down and looks at tapper.
"I guess…being a video game character…isn't all that great."
Jeffrey sees tapper shrug and he shakes his head disappointed.
"But I'm not a video game character, I'm a gamer. I'm a person, who somehow got thrown into all this crap!"
"Well, how did you get here?" Tapper says narrowing his eyes at him.
Jeffrey shakes his head
"I really don't know, I woke up in sugar rush and there was this outlet, it was ripped by the movers I guess and then ...I fell? And bumped my head on the surge bar. Then I was actually kicked or punched by a kid? I think I don't know... the cord struck to me and...After that, it's all sooo blurry"
"Wow Are you the same?"
Jeffrey narrow his eyes on him.
"What? What does that supposed to mean?"
"Are you all here, is everything you have still with you?"
He looks down at himself. He sees he's still wearing the same clothes as gray jacket, white t-shirt and the converse, then his eyes widen and goes to check his pockets and finds his phone and MP3 player and holds them onto his left hand.
"Everything seems to be here…" Jeffrey says with a smile then suddenly a sharp pain hits his left arm, Jeffrey groans in pain and places his right arm on it then begins to glitch. His body fell off the stool and glitches violently and Tapper sees.
"Oh my! Jeffrey are you ok?" Tapper says witnessing the bright sparking blue gamer on the floor moving side to side.
Jeffrey groans hard then slams his phone on the table quickly and the glitching ceased and Jeffrey looks at himself and sees he's fine and pulls himself up and sits down on the stool and tries to catch his breath and looks at Tapper who sees this and quickly serves him a drink.
"WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED"
"It seems like your glitching. Are you ok?"
"Glitching? Glitching?! WHY THE HELL IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME!"
"JUST CALM DOWN! It can be a number of things, but like you said, you're not a video game character."
Jeffrey doesn't glitch anymore and sighs through his nose as Tapper looks at him and continues to clean a mug.
"This happened to me when I woke up but stopped until now again. The hell man I don't know what to do!" Jeffrey says with his hands over his face. Tapper sees the gadget that Jeffrey has placed on the table that he hasn't seen before.
"What is that?"
"oh this! 'Points at his phone' uh a portable machine to make calls….this didn't exist in your era but they did have something similar though it was very fat, the brick phone hehe though I have music in here, 'looks at his phone and sees no signal' can't make a call but looks like my luck isn't all that bad"
"What music do you play?"
"A lot actually rock, uh Metal, Punk, dubstep, and really anything even country."
"Ah I see, nice gizmo though" Tapper says But sees he hasn't glitches again he narrows his eyes at him as he was thinking of something.
"Jeffrey...hold on to your phone, I want to see something"
He looks at Tapper oddly then shrugs and does what he's told.
"Um ok... ' He picks up the phone then he glitched hard which made him hit the ground then he lets go of it' HOLY CRAP"
"Ha! It's your phone, Josh had his watch attached to him, giving him to get used to being a glitch but you' Tapper walks around the table and lends out a hand at Jeffrey' you got your phone so you maybe could control this power too but 'helps up Jeffrey' you need to get used to it"
"That's some polite way of saying you're screwed" Jeffrey says then pokes the phone and nothing happened then he grabs it puts away in his pocket.
"Well sorry kid, I don't know what to say" Tapper replies with a shrug and goes back behind the counter.
"Yeah, thanks 'Jeffrey dusts himself off and sits back down' hey can you tell me anything about josh when he was in game central station here before me, what did he do?"
"OH ho ho josh, Well josh he saved the arcade, saved even everyone, and..."
Tapper goes into detail of the adventures of josh. When the hero's duty glitching Cybug and the tower collapsed, having this big party in tappers, and cheering up everyone. All his wacky and epic adventures.
Other Side of Tappers...
At the far end of the tavern in the last table there were two main characters from Contra. They see Jeffrey talking to Tapper with a smile on his face paying attention to Josh's story. The two look at him with disgust and anger, Bill one of the characters looks at his partner Lance.
"That's the one…He fits the description"
"Yea he does, 'Lance takes a gulp of his drink' but we can't get him yet, there's other guys who want to take a crack at him also."
"Yea the rumor is starting to spread quick of this 'new' gamer, remember when he beat up those guys from street fighter, and King of fighters." Bill says glaring at Jeffrey
"Yea, I see what you're going at, it's great plan let's round them up and get our revenge" Lance chuckles with an evil expression and cracks his knuckles.
Back With Jeffrey...
He heard all of the mischief and heroic stuff josh did. From beginning to end, Jeffrey thinks of him like a rival and an idol at the same time.
"Wow he did all that, a gamer with heart of gold, that's something off a movie but hey! 'He shrugs and nods at Tapper lending out a hand to him' thanks for all the help tapper, but I still haven't found a way to go home." Jeffrey says as tapper gives him a handshake.
"Ok but try and at least enjoy it here, I mean it's really rare to see you gamers here we just got you and josh and please keep our lives a secret. Have fun that's all I'm saying!" he says cleaning a mug as someone calls him and he goes back to work.
Jeffrey nods at his advice but feels hopeless then looks to the side and notices an unseen hallway on the side of Tapper. He hops off the stool and starts to head his way there, He walks past the saloon double doors and notices a small hallway with various old pictures of characters from left to right of all different games. He notices famous ones and others that's he hasn't seen before. Jeffrey spots some of his favorite characters and chuckles.
"Found Sonic, Mario, and Pac-Man" He nods and smile the starts to head his way to the exit.
He walks out the hallway and heads to the other side of the game to the exit and goes down the hallway to the train's platform. Then suddenly without noticing a Video Game Villain coming out of the men's restroom and bumps onto him hard Jeffrey falls down on his butt rubbing his head.
"Ow! Man felt like I hit a brick wall" Jeffrey says then looks up and sees Kyo From king of fighters.
Kyo looks down at him hard then turns around and walks away. Jeffrey looks at him with a smug and helps himself up and dusts himself and heads to the exit.
"No sorry or a pardon…prick" He says to himself and walks out the tavern
Outside Tappers Tavern...
Jeffrey walks out the small tavern and heads down the small western town to the game's steam train. He hops in the carriage sitting on the edge as the train steadily starts to make its way to Game Central Station. The train goes through the cord and Jeffrey sits silently and looks down.
"What to do now...'he lifts his head up and looks around noticing he's the only one on the train then comes up with an idea' let's go check up on big guy…ralph! Geez hehe, seems like a good guy to hang out with" He says then the train slows down nearing the platform to a complete stop and the announcer comes on welcoming him back.
Game Central Station...
Jeffrey walks out of the tunnel and notices the alarm didn't go off. He looks around and spots the game 'Fix It Felix Jr.' across from him and starts to head his way there. He felt like he was being watched and looked around and sees wide eyes in every character looking at him. A cold shudder crawls down his spine seeing characters are eyeing on him like if he was heading to death row.
"Crap I'm like the center of attention here, it's getting annoying." He says and puts on his hoodie over his head and sticks in his hand in his pockets.
Jeffrey keeps walking ahead and notices Vanellope beside the games entrance talking to The Surge protector. He gets closer hearing them talking to each other.
"...still I don't trust even if looks like him" Vanellope says crossing her arms looking at the Surge Protector.
"I agree but still, he may seem like a good guy but can't be too careful." Surge says and notices Jeffrey coming by.
"Thanks for sticking out for me surge! What's up Vanellope" Jeffrey says waving at them and stands beside them.
"Hello Jeffrey need anything? What's with the hoodie?" Surge replies but Vanellope turns away.
"Look behind me, 'Surge does and sees characters walking by looking at Jeffrey with fear' it's really pulling me down, it sucks any way I just came by cause I just wanted to know a bit more about some characters, maybe have a friend or two"
"Oh well good luck on that "Surge says referring to what's going on behind him
"What are you doing here?" Vanellope says looking at Jeffrey.
"I was going to visit Ralph, He seems like a great guy, and you?"
"Same, I wanted him to help me with something, and one more thing just don't get in my way" Vanellope says as she heads down the tunnel into the game.
Jeffrey looks at her lost and back at the surge.
"What's up with her?"
"She's just a bit upset"
"Why?"
"Because of you! You look like josh, those two have history actually everyone here has history with Josh."
"I see, so it's gonna be tough for me cause I'm a doppelganger of Josh, isn't that shit nice…then I'm going to get a haircut, screw it!" Jeffrey says being sarcastic with a shrug
"Well kid, got to go" Surge says as he disappears Jeffrey looks down the tunnel and sighs then heads inside.
End of Chapter 4...
(Well Jeffrey sees he's in an awkward position of being a doppelganger of Josh, and a group of angry fighting combat characters are coming together to take their revenge on Jeffrey. He gets to know a bit more of Ralph, Vanellope, and Felix and becomes friends with them... which he needs for what is coming for him.)
(Theophany- Woods of Mystery (Lost Woods) go to YouTube hear it.)