Sup! Happy holidays. Whatver you may or may not celebrate this time of year, consider this chapter a gift. I sorta put a halt on all my fics because the 35 page report I'd been working on since August VANISHED off my hard drive three weeks before it was due. So that lil crisis put the kibosh on really anything that was not related to that Business 116 report. Yeah...
Then of course something that happens with me constantly occurred: I fell in love with a not really new anime. One Piece. Specifically the character Trafalgar Law, the Surgeon of Death. Sadistic sonnuva bitch he is.
Here's the deal, if you've read my Megalomaniac fic, you know I regard DIC, FUNmation and 4Kids as the Axis of Evil in the anime world. One having redeemed it self by having the decency to go out of business (DIC) and another getting their heads outta their asses in the 2000's (FUNmation). However, I cannot watch a 4 Kids dub of ANY anime without wanting to kill myself. The dialog is cheesy, the editing is mind boggling at best (a lot of english episodes happened to be patchworked together from 2 or 3 originals because they cut out so much the run time was almost nothing...) and worst of all I really don't think they've seen more than half a season of any shows they've dubbed before beginning to hack it up for a younger audience than intended. Pokemon (and people) can totally die in battle or any other somewhat logical circumstance. The number of guns and really mature crap erased from Yugioh is absurd. And at some point someone figured out "Hey as goofy as this show about pirates and magic fruit is on the surface HOLY FUCK DOES SOME HEAVY SHIT HAPPEN IN IT! WHY DID WE DUB THIS FOR 8 YEAR OLDS!? Do we employ no one who speaks actual Japanese!? Or possesses basic cognitive reasoning!?"
Google those idiots. See how many anime they started. Then dropped around the time shit got real OR their weird changes no longer held any semblance of plot. Or sense.
Rant over.
Recap time! Scroll down to **Got it? Good.** to skip over.
There's something really wrong with Gloyd's powers that's made Vanellope seek the help of a character most of the arcade isn't too sweet on. Dorian Twillight is the good guy of Fallen Angel's Requiem but there are doubts that he's not secretly his game's villain. The fact that the RPG style game is massive, full of plot twists and no one seems to know how his game ends isn't helping that rumor. His in game girlfriend Heather Lightheart has a relationship with another character on off hours; the two are just friends. It's also full of other strangeness that creeps out the rest of the arcade mainly because it doesn't follow the general good vs evil motif (no one is too sure who's who). There's an entire level where everyone and everything is controlled by (and cultishly worships) one character, an odd child named Voland.
Other things are being hidden too: Both Gloyd and Applejack have a bizarre urge to drink blood and have another connection beyond the body they share. Apparently Rancis and Rocher are both psychic (despite Rocher's ability seemingly just terrain manipulation). And of course the ever changing game atmosphere is grating on some of their nerves.
Now Turbo's back and making trouble but this time he has his sights set on the whole arcade. Recalling his fatal encounter with Voland in FAR first inspired him to take over Sugar Rush. Now he's set his sights on the whole arcade.
Vanellope vonSchweetz- The Candy Kart
Power: Teleporting (glitching)- Vanellope needs to see her destination (by visualizing it or actually seeing it) or she could end up in a worse position; her power up is called SUGAR RUSH
Track: Sugar Rush Speedway
Alter: ?
Power: ?
Track: ?
Candlehead- The Ice Screamer
Power: Fire abilities- she becomes too hot for other racers to get near her; SWEET SEEKERS are the power up that contains her power as a weapon rather than defense
Track: Candlecane Lane
Alter: Cherriebomma- The Licorice Whip (a motorcycle)
Power: Creates explosions- they spring from kisses she blows; CHERRY BOMBS are her power up
Track: Twizzler Town Motor Speedway
Gloyd Orangeboar- The Kernel
Power: Chance (jinxes)- Gloyd's powers are very strange. The damage they cause is hard to fix; it may take several attempts to reset. He's terrified of his abilities but it's made worse by being activated by his emotions; JUST DESERTS is his power up
Track: ?
Alter: Applejack O'Lantern- Hershula
Power: Can swap places with anyone (or thing...)- Applejack can do this anywhere with in a game but it is limited to three racers behind or ahead of him while racing; TRICKY TREAT is his power up
Track: ?
Snowanna Rainbeau- FroCone
Power: Can phase through things; SUGAR SLIDE
Track: Rainbow Maze
Alter: Chailata Marmamocha
Power: Flight; LIGHTLY WHIPPED
Track:?
Swizzle Malarkey- The Tongue Twister
Power: Sonic Scream; LOLLI-BOOM is his power up
Track: ?
Alter: Astrotwinkle Starglazer- The Shooting Starburst
Power: Blinding flashes of light called Starbursters; He's the only one who's power up is the same as what he calls his power STARBURSTERS
Track: ?
Taffeyta Muttonfudge- Pink Lightening
Power: Elasticity: her power up is TAFFY PULL
Track: Shortcake Bluffs
Alter: Poproxie Cola- The Coke Bottlerocket
Power: Can alter the track to create liquid traps; her power up is SYRUP TRAP
Track: Old Fizziful
Crumbelina DiCaramello- The Tira Missle
Power: ?
Track: ?
Alter: ?
Power?
Track: ?
Rancis Fluggerbutter- The Kit Kart
Power: Telekinesis
Track: ?
Alter: Rocher du Reese- The Rocky Roadster
Power: Can alter the track to create obstacles- COOKIE CLUSTER is his power up
Track: ?
Minty Zaki- Veloci-Wrapper
Power-?
Track: ?
Torvald Batterbutter- Marzipanzer (restored)
Power: Forcefield; CANDY SHELL
Track: Jawbreaker Canyon
Sticky Wipplesnit- Blue Sundae Special (restored)
Power: ?
Track: ?
Adorabeezle Winterpop- The Ice Rocket
Power: creates snow; ICE CREAM CANNON is her power up
Track: Iceerod Trail
Nougesta Brumblestain- Revberry Creamer (restored)
Power: Instant Ice; her power up is COOL WHIPPED
Track: ?
Jubileena Bing-Bing- The Cherriot
Power: ?
Track: ?
Citrusella Flugpucker- ?
Power: ?
Track: ?
Anyhoo, last chapter was not part of it is relevant and important. Meant to supplement this chapter and show how when someone is not given the chance to repent, they often fall further into damnation. Hate is a very ugly thing and rarely are monsters born. We learned that Turbo never thought things would go so far with Roadblasters and he actually felt bad for what he'd done...
**Got it? Good. Let's go.**
"You wanna run that by us again?" Calhoun frowned. "So gamers are aware of the crap we go through?"
"The average gamer, no. Programmers, yes." Dorian nodded. "The questions I asked you are proof of it. As games became more advanced, it was only logical that they would have more areas to explore. Character bios would get more complex. The two of you only have vague recollections of an existence before your opening screen. While the Sargent, Madame President and myself have defined memories of our childhoods. For instance I recall being in hiding with my mother most of my time as a young boy because she bore the son of a demon. Madam President got her first kart from her father, the real King Candy who died which logically made her ruler."
"It was really trippy remembering all the good times I had with my daddy as well as all the crud I went through cuz of a nutbar wearing his face. Mama died when I was born. But I have pictures of her in my room. And all the things daddy used to tell me about her in his journals." Vanellope looked down. The girl desperately trying not to cry.
"Memories aside, as much as at least 30% of each game in the arcade consists areas the players never see much less enter. Yet they exist and things do happen in them. My apartment building and these gardens are not part of the game play. Nor are many parts of Voland's city. The map players acquire clearly shows the layout of Blackmist Island on level 7 to be 2 maritime port cities separated by a large forest but creatures prevent you from entering said forest or the connecting road to pass into the other town. You either land on one side or the other." He brushed back a stray purple lock of hair. "Even yours as old as it is has off screen areas the game could not function without."
"Hey!"
Ralph...did not like Dorian. It was bad enough the guy was creepy but was apparently psychotic (talked about eating other characters like he was eating a sandwich; saw nothing wrong with a whole city being controlled by a demonic child) as well and talked in a snooty way that made the wrecker think the demon was looking down on them. Vanny spending so much time alone with this joker alarmed him more than he cared to admit. Now he had her believing some hooey about people outside the games knowing they were real. If that's true, then what kind of sadist would trap so many in roles they can't stand? Force them to live out the same terrible lives day in and day out with no hope of change? What kind of monster shoves people in a box for the amusement of others? What gives?!
Felix on the other hand was having an existential crisis and trying to cover it with his trademark nervous grin. As much as his hammer defined him, as much as he talked about getting it from his father, for the first time he realized he had no recollection of when that happened. Or barely any memories of his father period. His whole life had been Niceland and it's upkeep. But now, he questioned everything about that. You could say the incident with Ralph game jumping opened his eyes a bit. He'd been wondering just how much of their personas and such were programmed in and how much was the result of experiences. He knew his console wasn't the only Fix-It Felix Jr in the world. Somewhere in another arcade, is that Raph still miserable and alone? In yet another after quittin time, another Ralph and Felix could have been good friends from the moment they were plugged in. What if one version of him was a total jerk outside of game play and his co star a soft spoken teddy bear?
TJ didn't even try to hide how upset she was. How dare that bastard remind her of her dead father! Mama never was what one would call 'lady-like', 'delicate' or 'docile'. Her father used to tell her that was part of her charm; a woman who could handle herself as well as any other soldier has fallen for a geek like him. But watching the man she loved get blown to hell didn't exactly help her attitude. She raised her daughter to never depend on anyone; everyone's human so they have the ability to let you down. You can just as easily let them down. Major Sargent Jeanette Gloria Havok herself became known as the Iron Maiden of her Corp for her philosophy, a name she actually treasured. Because it's what her husband often called her. What Dorian was saying...that meant some assholes were sitting around thinking of the worst possible backstories to give real feeling beings for the sake of entertainment.
"I know it sounds bad but it's really not. The them knowing about us part." Vanelope spoke up, pulling the 3 from their thoughts. "See, they figured out we pretty much die without a game right? Level 18 of FAR is the largest one. It takes up the most memory cuz it's always expanding. It was designed as a new home for gameless characters."
"Yeah, I'm not sure I'd like to live in a place ruled by that weird purple kid even if Hero's Duty got the heave-ho." TJ snorted. "Looks like everyone there had some kind of lobotomy."
"The people we met did seem...um...a scooch too docile to really have free will." Felix agreed.
"Well, consider this. Do you think a character used to ruling over minions would take being knocked down to everyone else's level very well? Voland's thrall insures they won't go Turbo as it's called and hijack the game. Gives everyone a chance to live in peace. It's actually why the subway takes first time visitors straight to him. Codes it doesn't recognize it assumes are orphans in need of 'The Word'. No one is forced to remain of course. Madame President was allowed to leave the Sanctum, as were you. But obvious threats, unstable entities that will cause trouble if left unchecked are deleted if they refuse to yield. This is what happened to Turbo."
"Well Voland obviously messed up cuz that lil guttersnipe didn't bite the dust until ol' Ham Hands here nuked him." TJ laughed.
"Actually, a previously unknown quirk of our game allowed him to escape his fate. When Voland ordered his deletion, it was carried out. But not before Turbo stumbled on to a God Tear. A gem that grants extra life. Until him, we did no know it's power was active outside gameplay. Much less able to preserve those not yet part of our game. And that is where the second part of our theory come into play."
*GITC*
With his strength returning, Turbo decided to test his boundaries for the sake of progress. Things just weren't moving as fast as he would like. The malevolent program was now hiding in several characters from Street Fighter, Grand Theft and Mortal Kombat. That bookish twit seemed the perfect one to spread his virus. All he had to do was let her walk through him to contaminate her! By opening time, he expected to see at least two or three games crippled and one unsalvageable. Yet here it was a quarter to 3 and not so much as an error screen. Some of the games were vaccinating it before it could take root in their code cores. Or were just plain immune. He must be getting rusty with his hacking skills;the strain didn't seem as virulent as he hoped.
Hmph. Well, just a matter of going back to the drawing board then.
Still invisible but hoping to cross into the game still anchoring him, he went further than the outlet entrance of Sugar Rush for the first time in weeks. He needed to be at full strength to carry out his plan and recharging here would certainly boost his recovery. Of course it would be easy to slip in again. The game should still recognize him as apart of it. What with all the measures he left in plac-
His thoughts were cut off by rainbow bridge breaking up under his feet. Chunks of the sparkly multicolored Airhead path falling away into the ether below. Backpedaling, he scrambled to the exit to avoid falling into the unknown void. Once back in the tram area, he watched in irritation as it reformed.
"Those gamer damned sentinels are active again!" he snarled. He made sure to neutralize them as King Kandy! Everything was going wrong, wrong, WRONG! Those codes shouldn't have come undone just because of the reset.
Unless that little glitch happened to be smarter than she looked. Or she had help...
*GITC*
Still hidden in a hollow tree in the Taffy Swamp, Gloyd looked to his left, not really sure why. Something...weird was happening in that direction. Far away but in that directions. Even though he couldn't actually see it, something made him turn in that way. A reflex? A familiar reflex...
"What the-"
/You sense it too? Good. Something just tried to enter the game./ Applejack's voice entered his thoughts again.
"I've never felt that before. People come and go all the time."
/Yeah well this time something bad tried to get in. But it's gone now. I think Ro stopped it./
"Wha? He's asleep."
In his lap, Rocher stirred for the first time in a while. Repositioning himself to give the other boy a clear view of his peaceful face.
And his ruby eyes glowing when they opened. He looked up at his pillow with a dazed expression. Like he was in a trance. After a few seconds, they returned to normal and the albino blinked in confusion.
"Um, did you feel anything just now?" The pumpkin boy asked, feeling kind of stupid for even acknowledging the voice in his head. For all he knew, the weirdness of the last few days was finally getting to him and he'd cracked.
To his suprise, after a very cute yawn (where did that come from?!) Rocher nodded. The two kind of just stared at each other for a while after that, not really sure what to do next. Orangeboar's thoughts wandered to how soft and pale the other boy's skin was. He'd noticed it when laying him down after...um...that thing. Now he was thinking about how that was the most delicious thing he'd ever drunk. The fact that it had been his friend's blood no longer bothering him. For some reason, his cheeks and ears felt really hot all of a sudden.
{Your face is red. Are you okay?}
About then the heat in his cheeks and ears magnified ten fold.
And now, he reeaally wanted to pass out from embarrassment.
*GITC*
Aw...poor pumpkinhead.
And Turbutt's plans aren't playing out like he wants either. But don't feel sorry for that dick.
The next part of the theory is coming soon.
Reviews are like hugs! Sirensoundwave out!