Just as promised, Calhoun was ready and waiting for them all at Game Central Station. Blaster hooked over one shoulder, she almost looked happy to see their little group return from the depths of Pac-Man.
"You sure took your sweet time, rookie." She raised her eyebrows at him.
"S-sorry!" Sora flustered. "The train back was super slow, a-and-"
"-kidding, Sora. Geez," Calhoun buried her face in one hand. "Honestly, you got here pretty quick. Good work kid."
"...oh," Sora shuffled to a halt. He took a moment to look around the station. For the first time since his arrival, the place looked lively, with dozens of colourful characters going about their business. Ones from clearly different games were engaged in conversation around the many water coolers, and for once Sora was able to appreciate the community of Game Central Station rather than the hollow shell.
"...does that mean Coin Duty's over?" The lightbulb flickered.
"Yup," Calhoun said. "Means we've got a few hours before the next one, meaning I can take on a big job. And since you've actually proved yourself useful, you can lend a hand."
"Really...?" Sora lit up.
"Uh huh." Calhoun said. "You too if you want, Wreck-It. Gonna behave?"
"Oh! Erm, err, y-yes ma'am!" Ralph threw a giant hand to his head. "I'll do my best!"
"Glad to hear it." She nodded. "So listen up. It'll be just us goin' into this game, and there's a confirmed infestation of Cy-Bugs. Maybe even worse than Hero's Duty. Are you prepared? Cause this one's probably the worst of 'em all."
Sora shared a quick glance between Donald, Goofy and Ralph, before nodding back. "R-ready."
"Alrighty then." Calhoun said. A visible grimace marred her face even before she could turn to face the game in question. With an obvious sigh, she led her troops forward.
If Sora were completely honest, he was expecting some awful tragedy behind the gate. Like another one of those ones with all the guns and stuff, or maybe zombies. The look on Calhoun's face certainly suggested something awful. But it seemed as though this world was set out to surprise him and nothing else.
The moment their connecting train rattled out of the tunnel, Sora was practically blinded by just how bright it all was. Most of the last games he'd visited were surrounded by darkness and not much else. This one was anything but. It took his eyes a moment or two to focus, but once he realised...
"...candy?!" He gasped. An entire world made of candy! Candy cane trees! Marshmallow snowmen! Chocolate lakes! Gingerbread houses!
"Disgusting, isn't it?" Calhoun scowled. "All this sugar's probably what drew the damn Cy-Bugs here."
"I mean um, yeah, it's an awful place." Sora suddenly lowered his voice, prompting a snigger from Donald.
Calhoun made a one-hand volley out of the little train, sliding down the cotton candy hill with her blaster in hand. She glanced back up at the carriage, noticing all four of her 'companions' still sat in it.
"Well what're you waiting for, the Easter bunny?" She groaned.
"E-heh," Sora's chuckle betrayed him. He was nevertheless the first to make an attempt however, grabbing hold of the rim of the carriage with both hands and clumsily vaulting over. He managed to stick the landing, but was quickly joined by Goofy and Donald, both of whom sent the trio tumbling down, picking up cotton candy on their way and stopping at Calhoun's feet.
"You three can't do anything without makin' a mess, huh?" She sighed. "Where's Wreck-It? He's probably even w-"
"-I'm right here." Ralph grunted. Calhoun span around and noted the giant, just standing there with a forlorn look on his face.
"And you just waited for the train to come to a stop?" She deflated. "C'mon, where's your sense of urgency? At least these three tried."
"Well I gotta be careful!" Ralph protested. "Otherwise I end up breaking things!"
"...well I guess we shouldn't wreck the joint immediately. Good thinking." She nodded up at him. "C'mon you three," she kicked the giant snowball of cotton candy, "No time for a song."
"Song...?" Sora wrenched himself out of the cotton candy. "Why... would we be singing?"
He levered one foot against the boulder, and tugged Donald out of the sticky mess, followed by Goofy. Calhoun was nice enough to at least slow down, let them catch up. The hard chocolate sidewalks were proving much friendlier to Sora's feet than the sticky cotton candy at least, but he couldn't help notice... how silent it all was. They'd been walking for several minutes through this enormous food based world, yet not seen another character, or even any hint of an actual game. Or indeed Cy-Bugs.
"So uhh... what kinda game is this?" Sora felt the need to ask after a long period of walking and silence. "Cause all we've done so far is get stuck in candy."
Calhoun rolled her eyes. "...I guess you deserve that much. This game is Sugar Rush, and it's one of those Go Kart games where you race around a stupid little track, get power ups, yada yada. Like Mario did way back. This one's gimmick is, you guessed it, sugar. Everythin' in this damn game is edible."
"Everything?!" Donald shrieked.
"Uh huh," Calhoun rubbed at her forehead. "And I'm getting a migraine from just bein' in it, so I'd appreciate it if you kept the questions to a minimum."
Sora shrugged, and nodded. Seemed fair enough. Her game was pretty dark, as were most of the others, come to think of it, so it only made sense that one this bright and cheerful would give her a headache.
Their little group crested over a hill where, after pushing some gummy bear bushes out of the way, Sora could finally see civilisation. As expected of a racing game, a dark ribbon of dark chocolate asphalt stretched out in front of them, with graham cracker barriers, liquorice signs, and even surprisingly inedible looking stands for the supporters. They looked more like the boxes the candy came in rather than the candy itself, Sora reasoned.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" A chipper sounding voice hollered into the loudspeaker, "Thank you for joining us today! Now that Coin Duty is finally over, we can enjoy a race or two. Assuming there are no distractions, maybe even three!"
"Ooh, there's a race starting!" Sora couldn't hide his excitement. "A-are we gonna watch it?"
"What part of Cy-Bug infestation didn't you get, Sora?" Calhoun grimaced. "We can't just sit back and watch a bunch of candy-coated nutjobs drive around a track! We're here on business, remember?"
"Well... you can track 'em, right? And they're drawn to me, so they'd turn up wherever I-"
"Negative, soldier." Calhoun shut that down instantly. "You wanna go endangering civilians so you can watch a race? Not on my watch."
Sora's shoulders sunk. "...fair enough I guess."
"Anyone else wanna go watch the pretty cars go drive in circles?" Calhoun's cheek dimpled. Immediately she was met with a lot of frenzied flailing from the other three.
"...good!" She smirked. "Alright troops. We will be heading towards the starting line, but it is out of a strict professional interest, you hear me Sora? I don't want anyone yahooin' on the sidelines."
"I hear ya..." Sora grumbled, kicking a macaron pebble along the ground.
"What was that?"
"Y-yes ma'am!" Sora took his voice up a notch. The last thing he needed was to get her angry at him. She was scary enough when she was happy.
"Better!" Calhoun glanced over her shoulder at him. "Now, let's stay outta sight as much as possible, got it? Wreck-It... try your best."
"Gotcha..." Ralph grumbled, and crouched down between two of the spectator stands. The rest of them simply lined up alongside the barriers. Meanwhile, the same jovial voice was still blaring over the loudspeaker;
"Y-yes, it isn't long now until the beginning of our first race, folks!" He lisped. "Here come our drivers!"
Out onto the track walked maybe ten other people. Much like the rest of the game, even they seemed based off food of some sort, be it cookies, fruit, or even cupcakes, complete with a candle on top. And then one little hooded figure snuck in the back, seeming to want as little attention as possible. But they were on the lookout for Cy-Bugs, so the inter-social politics of a candy go kart game were going to have to wait.
"Now remember everyone!" The cheerful guy on the loudspeaker continued. "Your finishing positions will determine the starting roster for Coin Duty! So the better your position, the better chance you have of being picked! Now, if all participants could hold up one of their gold coins from previous winnings, the race can officially... start!"
All of the dozen or so drivers held up one arm, and what must've been a coin sparkled in the sunlight, sending a stream of light up to the skies above.
"Who was... who was that one in last place there, Sour Bill?" The guy on loudspeaker muttered, and the hooded figure in last place flinched upon being addressed. Their hood fell back, and an almighty gasp rippled through the crowds.
"...the glitch?!" The loudspeaker cawed. "Guards, security! Get that glitch! She cannot be allowed to race!"
The hooded person yelped in fright and took off, jumping clean over a doughnut cop. Sora had to chuckle for a second at that, but concern quickly took hold as more cops appeared in an attempt to corner the poor kid.
"Should we... do something?" He asked Calhoun.
"Negative, Sora," Calhoun shook her head. "We don't wanna interfere. This is a Sugar Rush problem, and we're on the lookout for Cy-Bugs only. Got that?"
"...got it," Sora sighed. First he couldn't watch the race, and now he couldn't help a kid who was clearly in trouble?
That just didn't sit right. Weren't Calhoun and her men supposed to help those who needed it?
The kid had like eight cops chasing after her now. If anyone needed a hand, it was her.
But life threw yet another curveball when this kid began to glow green. She pushed one of the doughnut cops into another, which merged together for some reason, and then teleported past the lot of them.
"Urgh...! Just get her!" The loudspeaker screeched. "That glitch is to come nowhere near this racetrack. You hear me?!"
Sora raised a hand in the direction of the kid, who had just shot away over the horizon like a bolt of lightning. "Now can we go help her?!
"She don't need it, Sora!" Calhoun commanded, as there was the ground suddenly began shaking. Citizens and authority figures alike started running about in a panic as the sky itself darkened from the sheer onslaught of incoming Cy-Bugs.
"Take your positions, soldiers!" Calhoun grabbed her blaster. "Cy-Bugs at twelve o'clock!"
Author's Note:
Hey there everyone. Onto the main body of the plot now, with the Sugar Rush and the fighting. Those who have seen Wreck-it Ralph can probably guess what's gonna happen over the next few chapters, but I won't spoil it in here.
As always, thanks for reading. If you've got feedback of any sort, feel free to share it. Over and out :)