Filling in the Empty Spots
-o-o-o-o-o-
Chapter 11: The Summer Solstice Ball
-o-o-o-o-o-
"Ralph! What ever are you wearing?! Jubileena gasped, coming down the stairs from the loft to find her husband dressed in a fur coat, gloves, and snowboots.
He grinned at her and continued packing his bag. "I'm going exploring." The clock chimed...two hours until the arcade opened.
"Well obviously," she said, watching him carefully storing his compass and notebooks into the pack. "Where did you get that coat? You look like a bear in need of a haircut."
"Borrowed it from Zangief. You don't think he runs around in his wrestling shorts all the time, do you? I'm going to do some exploring up in the far north, up past the Frozen Delights track," he explained. And then he got a wicked look in his eye and he raised his arms. "GRRR! I'm a big hungry bear and I'm looking for something sweet!" He took a few steps toward Jubileena, sniffing the air exaggeratedly. "And I found something! Grrr!" He reached for her playfully.
Figuring out his game immediately, she shrieked excitedly and ran away laughing. Growling and snarling, Ralph gave chase, and she led him all over the cabin. When he caught her in front of the fireplace she screamed and giggled, and he put her arm into his mouth and pretended to chew on it.
"Ewww! Ralph! That's disgusting! I can feel your tongue!" she cried.
He rubbed his tongue up and down her forearm making her giggle and complain all the more.
"But I'm a hungry furry bear. Grrr!" He then picked his little wife up and turned her upside down. To her horror he pulled off one of her boots and the sock underneath and started to lick her foot. "Ralph!" she squealed and squirmed. "That tickles! That's so icky! Bleah! Stop licking my foot!"
"But you taste yummy! Grrrr!" He pushed her whole foot into his mouth. "Mmmm...cherry!"
Jubileena squeaked and squealed and tried to worm away. "Ewww! I'm going to need a bath after this! My foot's all slobbery! Your tongue's touching me!"
Suddenly there was a "Helloooo!" at the open door of the cabin.
Ralph turned around, and at the door stood a candy man much like Jubileena's NPC fans but with a messenger's cap and a bag slung over his shoulder. In his hands was an envelope held out toward them. He made a little choking sound at seeing the racer hanging by her foot from the giant's mouth.
Realizing he was scaring the messenger, Ralph spit Jubileena's foot out of his mouth, turned her right side up, and set her down carefully. Jubileena limped over and took the proffered letter from the wide-eyed piece of sentient candy. "What is it?" she asked, noting the man's bag full of identical envelopes emblazoned with the royal crest.
"Princess Vanellope von Schweetz is hosting another party—the Summer Solstice Ball," he announced happily. "I'm delivering invitations."
Jubileena squeaked. "A ball!" She hurriedly tore open the envelope and read the announcement once to herself, and then read it out loud. And then she took it to Ralph and showed him. He had taken off the coat and gloves and was back at the table with his maps.
"I must be off...lots more to go," said the messenger as he turned for the door.
"Thank you!" Jubileena called after him as he departed
Jubileena placed the invitation to her and Ralph on the mantle of the fireplace, having just made him read it himself. "Ralph, I'm so excited! I wonder if I should get a new dress for it. Or maybe just some new shoes. Ooh, how about some bright red high heels? Would you like that." She spun around on her one remaining boot.
He ran his hand through his shaggy hair and smiled at her. "I like everything you wear."
"Awww...you say the sweetest things. Hey, what are you going to wear? Your tuxedo, or maybe get something different? You were so cute at the Christmas party, dressed up like a giant elf." She bounced over to where he was sitting at the table organizing his maps. A fur hat topped by a pair of goggles sat on the chair beside him.
"I dunno. I probably won't go. It's just a party, and I was thinking about heading up to the White Mocha Tundra about that time."
His wife's face fell. "It's not just a party. It's going to be the biggest party ever. And I thought you liked parties."
"It's a ball...formal dress required, printed right on the invitation. You know that's not me."
"I see..." she said sadly. "I'd just hoped that..." Jubileena stopped and walked away sadly. She hated to beg or cajole. "I have to get ready for the races. I placed second last night."
"All right, sweetheart. Good luck on the track today." Ralph blew her a kiss from atop ink-stained fingers.
-o-o-o-o-o-
When she returned from the races that evening Ralph wasn't there as she'd expected. His traveling pack and compass were gone again, along with the fur coat. But his tuxedo had been laid out on his bed. On the floor next to it sat a brand new pair of Ralph-sized shoes. Shoes! He hadn't even worn shoes to their wedding! And right next to the shoes stood a tiny pair of cherry-red high-heeled pumps. Pinned to his tux was a note that simply read: "Love ya."
Elated, Jubileena tugged off her boots and slipped the pretty little shoes on and waltzed around the loft. How had he managed to get them so quickly? "I love ya too, Ralph! Come home from exploring soon so I can tell you in person."
-o-o-o-o-o-
The announcement of the Summer Solstice Ball had everyone in Litwak's all talking and excited. Princess Vanellope, the new social queen of the arcade, was going to throw the biggest party that Litwak's had ever known and everyone was invited. Her birthday party had been spectacular. Her Christmas party had been voted the best in the arcade. And from the rumors going around, this would easily outdo that. So as soon as the thousands of invitations were delivered there was a mad panic of people looking for tuxedos and formal gowns and dates for the event.
And when the night of the Summer Solstice Ball came Grand Central Station was crowded and alive with activity as people were making their way out of their games and into Sugar Rush. Felix, Mary, Sgt. Calhoun, and her unit came out of the Hero's Duty portal all looking very sharp. Mary had put on a long gown and a tall frivolously feathered hat. The men were barely recognizable out of their battle armor, having exchanged the bulky black plates for their dark olive green dress uniforms. They seemed half their usual size.
"Mary! Felix!" called Norwood as he spotted them. He and some of the other Nicelanders came over. "You look great," he remarked to Mary.
"Thanks," she said with a little primping gesture to her hair.
And then he looked up at the tall contingent of soldiers, all looking handsome and polished. "So which one's your date?"
"Well, all of them," she giggled. "I had so many invitations that it wouldn't have been fair of me to choose."
Calhoun, unlike her men, had opted not to wear her dress uniform and chose a formal gown instead. She swaggered over to say hello to Felix and Mary's former gamemates, aquamarine taffeta rustling. She looked absolutely stunning in the color and cut of the dress. Felix could barely keep his attention elsewhere. The Nicelander men were having the same problem. The warhorse could clean up quite nicely when she wanted to.
"Hey!" came Gene's familiar voice. He walked over, dressed to the nines, escorted by two bright-eyed blond women—twin sisters. The pair were dressed in matching gowns, one wearing forest green and the other wearing plum. "It looks like a reunion here," said Gene smugly. "I hope life is treating you all well." The staring of the men at his dates did not go unnoticed by the former mayor.
"Gene, we don't see you that often. How've you been?" asked Felix.
"Great. Keeping busy at the bar. You should come by and see it sometime. I know it's a bit out of the way, but it's got a lot more class than Tapper's. Right girls?"
The two blondes with him smiled and nodded. "Please do come visit sometime," said one.
"Gene's a good bartender," said the other.
"Well girls, let's go see what this ball's like before we run out of time," he said to the twins. "I promised your boss I'd have you in bed by two." Sauntering off with his dates, Gene winked back at the others, grinning smugly over his double entendre.
"Oh wow..." said Norwood. Mary was looking a little disturbed. Calhoun was just shaking her head.
-o-o-o-o-o-
Shuttles ferried the attendees from the top of the rainbow bridge and up the long road to the castle. Ralph and Jubileena were waiting near the front doors and the four went inside together.
Despite having having heard of the decoration plans for the ball, they were astounded at the final product. The long hallway that formed the core of the castle, normally rather empty and spartan, had been filled with giant flower decorations and archways of balloons. An orchestra played at the center of the hall, the music filling the room all the way to the ends. Acrobats dressed as garden fairies hung from banners strung from the ceiling, striking poses and spinning from the cloth in their glittering costumes. Four more entertainers, dressed as the four seasons, danced atop a raised platform near the front entrance.
After taking in the grand spectacle the Princess had prepared, Ralph was the first to speak. "Shall we dance?" he asked the others.
"Let's!" giggled Jubileena.
"I'm with them," said Calhoun nonchalantly.
They hurried past the arriving crowds toward the dance floor set up near the orchestra. Ralph picked up Jubileena and spun onto the dance floor, his tiny wife sitting on his left arm and her cheek pressed to his.
"Madam?" queried Felix, holding out his elbow to Calhoun.
"I'd love to, Mr. Sergeant," she said.
The four danced for several songs, Ralph teasing his wife about being so light on her feet. "It's almost as if you were floating." And then they traded partners, Ralph gently setting Jubileena down and taking Calhoun in his arms. The orchestra started up a tango, and so he gripped Calhoun tightly against his chest and struck a pose. "Behave yourself, Ralph. That's my wife," teased Felix. "If I see you getting fresh with her, I'll...well...I'll let her break your arm."
Jubileena didn't know how to tango, so she and Felix just watched Ralph and Calhoun on the dance floor. Their tango together was rather unromantic, but completely entertaining, the two fooling around and putting on a little show for their spouses. At one point Ralph ended up down on one knee with the sergeant bent backwards over the other. Seizing the opportunity, he pretended to kiss her, their faces hidden from Felix and Jubileena. Coming back up out of the moment, Ralph mimed gagging and stuck out his tongue and wiped it off frantically, sending the onlookers into fits of giggles. A waltz followed, and Felix pulled Jubileena onto the floor and the two danced until the very last note.
At midnight, Princess Vanellope appeared, dressed stunningly as the Spirit of Summer. Yards of pale green gossamer embroidered with delicate butterflies and summer flowers surrounded her tiny figure. Sour Bill floated morosely behind her, a wreath of sparkling sugar flowers forced upon his head. She addressed the crowd and thanked them all for coming to her party. And then she walked down the long hall, greeting her subjects and guests, delicately shaking hands with them and thanking each personally.
As she came to Jubileena and Ralph she smiled warmly and told them how happy she was for their marriage and how sweet it was to have them living in the kingdom together. "It's like you've always belonged here, Mr. Bing Bing," she said warmly.
His eyes followed her as she moved on, greeting Felix and Sgt. Calhoun.
"I know. You still miss her," whispered Jubileena in his ear once the princess was gone. "And I know you always will. It's okay with me." She hugged his hand tightly and kissed it, leaving a cherry-red lipstick print on the back of it. Ralph smiled at his little wife and stroked her hair affectionately.
-o-o-o-o-o-
As Felix swung Jubileena around the dance floor again they passed Taffyta, who was standing at the side of the dance floor with Rancis and Candlehead and some of the other Sugar Rush racers. "Hey Jubileena, that's not your husband. Where is he? Oh, that's right. One misstep and you'd be squashed like a bug on a windshield."
"Leave me alone, Taffyta," she said, the same thing she had told the girl more than once before.
As the turn in their waltz whirled Felix past Taffyta, he glared at her. "Don't spoil the party," he cautioned.
"I'm just saying," continued Taffyta. "Well I'm sure that you'll make a more careful choice next time you pick a husband."
Jubileena let go of Felix and marched up to Taffyta. "I said leave me alone."
"Fine. But at least I want to thank you."
"Thank me? For what?"
"For teaching me not to fall in love with whomever just happens to wander by."
Jubileena stamped her foot angrily. "He didn't 'just wander by,' Taffyta."
"That's not what I heard," she smirked.
Felix came to Jubileena's side and folded his arms over his chest. "Taffyta, why are you so mean? What has Jubileena done that's so wrong that you have to keep attacking her for it? I know this isn't the first time, or even the second. She's told us."
Felix's questions caught her off guard. She had expected Jubileena to fight back, but not the handyman. "Well, well she...you know..."
"So you don't have a real reason and you're just being mean?"
"Well look at him. He's like what...like ten feet tall, built like an ape, and worst of all he's a bad guy." The venom absolutely dripped from the last two words.
"That was just his job. We all know Ralph's everyone's friend here."
By now people were staring at the confrontation, and in the area all the dancing had stopped. The raised voices had halted all nearby conversations.
"There's nothing wrong with being the bad guy, in any game," pronounced Felix.
"Have you both forgotten that Ralph went Turbo and nearly destroyed Sugar Rush?"
"A Cy-Bug nearly destroyed Sugar Rush...thousands of Cy-Bugs. We were all there."
"A Cy-Bug that he brought here, from Hero's Duty. I know the whole story. What was he doing in Hero's Duty? I thought he belonged to your game, Felix." Taffyta folded her arms over her chest. "Face it, Jubileena. Ralph is a bad guy."
"He is not! Ralph ended up saving Sugar Rush and getting rid of Turbo and the Cy-Bugs, and he was about to sacrifice himself to do so. He would have died if Vanellope hadn't rescued him."
"And if he'd failed? Two games shut down because of him." Taffyta struck a pose and flipped her hand dismissively. "Bad. Guy."
"He is not! Look, you never said anything when Ralph was dating Vanellope. I mean he practically lived here in the castle with her then. Why are you saving all this hostility for me?" Jubileena demanded.
"What's this about Cy-Bugs and me dating Mr. Bing Bing?" asked Princess Vanellope, stepping out through a cluster of guests.
Felix and the other racers all blanched. Jubileena slapped her hands over her mouth.
"I don't seem to recall there being any Cy-Bugs in Sugar Rush and I certainly never dated Mr. Bing Bing."
"Your highness, perhaps you misheard. It is quite noisy in here," said Sour Bill.
"No. I distinctly heard some rather strange things. Would you three mind explaining? Miss Muttonfudge? Mrs. Bing Bing? Mr. Fix-It?"
Felix looked to the others who were all standing around with fearful expressions on their faces. The biggest secret in the arcade was about to come crashing down on the darling princess. And then he looked at the princess, who stood there blinking back at him expectant of an answer. His throat tightened, and he looked to the racers again. "I'm going to tell her. I always thought she should know."
"No, you can't!" choked Rancis, rushing up to Felix and grabbing him by the shoulders.
"Tell me what? What's going on?" Vanellope asked, growing all the more concerned.
"Something your kingdom has been hiding from you, your Highness." He pushed Rancis away and smoothed his tuxedo jacket.
"We all decided not to tell her. That was the will of the people!" blurted Adorabeezle. She ran up to Vanellope. "Please, Princess. Just make him stop now and don't listen to him."
"Yes, he's a foreigner," chimed in Taffyta.
Princess Vanellope looked at Felix again. "Well, they are my subjects, and yes, you are a foreigner..." she said slowly, rather worried about what might be unfolding here.
"I am from another game, true." And then he opened the left side of his tuxedo jacket. There, pinned to the lining was a large badge, and not just any badge. It was the royal crest of Sugar Rush held in the paws of a rampant lion. "I also hold the rank of knight in your kingdom."
Taffyta grimaced. He would have had to play that card.
The princess' eyes opened wide, but then narrowed questioningly. "I never knighted you. I hardly know more than your name." She looked quickly to Sour Bill.
The green candy ball nodded. "He is a knight."
Felix turned to Jubileena, who was clutching his arm. "Go find Ralph and Tammy. We'll be in the president's office."
"The president's office?" she asked, surprised as it hadn't been called that since the loss of President Vanellope. These days it was known as the Royal Salon.
Felix nodded.
-o-o-o-o-o-
Filling in the Empty Spots continues in:
Chapter 12: The President's Legacy
Chapter 13: A Heavy Crown
Chapter 14: The Final Secret
Chapter 15: Filling in the Empty Spots Commentary
-o-o-o-o-o-o
Wreck-It Ralph and all related concepts, characters, worlds, and events are property of Walt Disney Pictures. Original characters and story elements are property of E. Potter, writing under the pen name of Miratete.