A/N: Hey guys! I'm back! :D

When I first finished Unlocked, I always thought I'll be able to continue RJ's story through short stories of the little snippets or adventures of his new life, that these stories are enough for continuing his story. It wasn't until I watched the sequel, Ralph Breaks the Internet, in late December that it hit me, that I must somehow write a sequel story to Unlocked, to try and write another grand adventure about my characters.

It took a while, since this was never planned, but it was also the only thing that I could think about these few days.

With university starting soon, I might not be able to release my chapters so smoothly. But this time, I'll try my best to avoid my mistake I did last time: I didn't update my story at all from November to May, and didn't say anything about it. So yeah, I'll try not to do it this time.

Also, on another site of mine, I got some questions on how my story fits into the timeline of the WIR canon storyline, so for clarification I'll explain it here. So, after the events in the first movie, about one to two years pass before the events of Unlocked take place. After that, about 4 more years pass until the sequel Ralph Breaks the Internet takes place, and then this story, the very story you're about to read now, takes place.

Therefore, I'm gonna go ahead and warn you guys one more time, but THIS STORY CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS TO BOTH UNLOCKED AND RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET. In fact, right off the bat, I'll be talking certain events from the endings of both stories in the very first chapter, so if you haven't read my story or watched the movie yet, then I suggest you to go and familiarize yourself with the events in both of them first before reading this. I really don't wanna spoil anything for anyone, so I'm just gonna put this warning down one more time.

Okay, everyone good?

Good?

Let's start. :)

Chapter 1

RJ

I glance up at the calendar hanging on the kitchen wall to look at the date: the 5th of January, 2019.

I shake my head in disbelief, as if I've read the date wrong, but no, the date was indeed correct.

It had been almost four years after my second unlocking.

Four years after I've changed my name to Ralph Jerome.

Four years after I've decided to become a part of Ralph's game, being a semi-villain in gameplay, helping my brother tear and destroy the Nicelanders' building game after game.

Four years after I got a second chance and moved on to my new life, and never looked back…

As I slouch on the table, my body briefly flares up, sparkling a bright green before settling down again. I reach my hand up to my chest and adjusted the stabilizer attached to it, relieving the unstable, powerful Glitch that continuously churned in my code, frequently pulsing though me in the form of flickers.

After my second unlocking, I was completely changed, both on the inside and out. I was no longer Ralph Junior, the clone, but rather Ralph Jerome, a new character who claimed his title as the younger brother of Wreck-it Ralph. I also suffered from severe code damage, and that resulted in the physical alteration in many parts of my body, including the removal of my right leg. But there was one thing that didn't change throughout it all, and that was the fact I was still a Glitch, that I'll forever be a Glitch, and that the Glitch inside me would continue to grow stronger and more violent, to the point I was issued a stabilizer to keep my Glitch from going completely haywire.

As a very unstable Glitch, some characters are sure surprised when they find me wandering around Game Central Station or in other games, all while glitching and flickering like crazy. But then I remind them that although I am still a Glitch, I have also been 'fixed', and by that I'm able to leave my game. When they still don't believe me, I would then tell them that I'm not alone in the arcade with this condition, that a certain cheeky Vanellope von Schweetz from Sugar Rush was also a Glitch, yet was able to hang out with my brother for as long as she wants…

Vanellope…

About a month or two ago, when Ralph indirectly wrecked Vanellope's game by trying to build a new track for her, he felt incredibly guilty about it, and immediately decided to go onto the Internet with her to find a replacement steering wheel part. Of course, because Ralph's choice came too sudden, all the Nicelanders were freaking out, fearing that his absence in the game will cause their game to get unplugged for real. Luckily I was still present, and quickly rose up to my brother's Bad Guy role in gameplay. Sure, I wasn't perfect, I wasn't the best wrecker around, I don't have Ralph's huge fists to aid my destruction, but hey! At least we got through the whole day, and no one suspected a thing!

Surge Protector had been absolutely furious when he heard about Ralph's plan, fuming and planning to give both him and Vanellope a good, hard spanking when they returned. But when we all gathered at the gateway to the Wi-Fi portal a couple of hours later, we only saw Ralph's hulking figure lumbering through it into Game Central Station…alone. I quickly ran up to Ralph, his face blotchy with tears, his beloved medal broken in half, and I realized what had happened out there.

Of the two best friends that had gone on the adventure, one had chosen to stay in the world beyond while one decided to return, parting ways.

It took a while for us to deal with Vanellope's absence. I do realize that it is her choice to stay on the Internet, but that doesn't clear the fact that life will never be the same for Ralph, for me, or for any of us, even. I sure missed the lil' troublemaking Glitch that caused chaos with me after hours, her sassy jokes and nicknames she gave to every one of us—she called me 'StinkFace' for some reason, her laughter ringing out every time she won a race…

I don't think any of us could ever forget Vanellope.

"Hey, you okay, RJ?"

I glance up from the table, and see Ralph at the doorway, his Buzzzy device in his hand. It is clear that he'd just got off from a conversation with Vanellope.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I'm fine." I say, getting up "How's Vanny?"

"She's…alright." Ralph replies, leaning against the doorway, sighing "Said that Shank has just taught her how to maneuver backwards more easily, Pyro found some fireworks in an abandoned warehouse and they lit them over the city…Yeah, I know, I know. I kept thinking that she may be in trouble or get hurt, or maybe that she doesn't think I'm her best friend anymore. But…I'm overthinking again, am I, brother?"

"Come on, Ralph. Ya know yer her best friend! 'Tis the truth! She won't trade ya for anyone else! Just look at yer medal!" I walk towards Ralph and put a hand on his shoulder, my slight accent ringing out as I reassure him "I know, change can be hard to deal with, especially when yer forced to part ways with a close friend ya've been with for, like, six years. But she's okay, she's totally okay. I mean, I cannot guarantee it, but ya really need to stop worryin' 'bout her."

"I guess that you're right." Ralph says, sighing again "Maybe I was a bit overprotective of her, too concerned for her safety, too worried what would happen if I ever lost her…"

"Yeah, like how ya treated me, even when I wasn't in trouble." I snort, recalling the times Ralph trashed entire scenes and levels, just because he thought I might have gone a little too far with my pranks.

Ralph narrows his eyes at me, as if not believing what I just said. "Seriously, RJ? You think I'm really gonna believe that?! Since when you're not causing trouble?! Since when?! Remember the last time I wasn't around? You went over to Sugar Rush, and what did you do there? You made a freaking bomb. If that wasn't trouble enough, then I don't know what is."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" I say, holding my hands up in defense "First off, that thing wasn't a bomb. Technically, it was a device that I made out of the Diet Cola and Mentos in Diet Cola Mountain that just happened to be slightly explosive. Besides, it was never intended to hurt anyone, just to surprise them. 'Tis wasn't my fault that Rancid fella somehow thought it would be a good idea to kick the device and set it off. He just got showered in Diet Cola and Mentos shards, yet he acted like Sugar Rush was gettin' unplugged again!"

"RALPH JEROME!"

"WHAT?!" I yell back, backing away from Ralph, "What's the problem?"

Ralph raises his finger, and is about to argue back when he stops himself. He closes his eyes, muttering, then glances up at me again. "Look. Just…don't do it again, alright? I think you pretty much broke the record for pranking in every single game plugged in at least four times, and I don't think characters are gonna like it if you continue your streak. I've gotten a fair number of complaints about you and your pranks recently, and I really don't wanna be too overbearing about it…but yeah, you should really stop."

"Yeah, right. Though ya should know that mischievous spirit is in my system, and 'tis not leavin' anytime soon." I scoff, looking away. I can hear Ralph sighing in the background, so I quickly change the subject. "Shouldn't ya be up-n-goin' now? I thought ya have an activity tonight."

"Yup, Zangief's super-duper boring Book Club." Ralph says, tucking three books under his arm and pocketing his reading glasses. "At least he finally realized that not all of us like those crazy Russian War and Peace literature stuff, and now he's set up a new rule where each week someone brings a new book series into the club. It's my turn tonight."

"Sweet! What's on yer mind?"

Ralph slips one of the books out and shows the cover to me "Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games. A dystopian classic, heard they even made a movie out of it. Can't go wrong with that, right?"

"Pretty good choice to me, brother. Knock 'em dead at the Book Club tonight, but not literally." I laugh, passing the book back to Ralph.

My brother laughs, then turns to the door. "After the Club, I'll be having a big blowout party with my fellow Bad-anon members, so you'll probably won't see me until work tomorrow. So, take care of yourself, find something to do. Just don't get into trouble. Seriously. Okay?"

I give Ralph a thumbs up, "Trust me, I won't."

"Top shelf, I'll see you in the morning." Ralph turns and started leaving, but ducks his head back in at the last second. "Oh, and by the way, you haven't gone anywhere near that Wi-Fi portal, right?"

I shake my head, confused "Well, yeah. Haven't gone anywhere near it, but-"

"Good, and stay out of it. Don't go in there. At least, not now." Ralph interrupts, then he smiles at me "See ya later, RJ."

I wave back at him "See ya." And with that Ralph turns and leaves, closing the door behind him.

With the room plunged into silence once more, I can't help thinking about Ralph's final request to me.

"Don't go in there. At least, not now."

Why would he not want me heading up the Wi-Fi portal now, but thought it would be okay later?

What could it be that Ralph is hiding from me on the Internet, that he doesn't want me to know, to get involved right now?

Was there something Ralph wouldn't want me, his own brother by code, to know?

Instantly, I head over to the fridge, slapped together a few sandwiches and bagged them up. I then head to my room, pull out a drawer, and dig out my spare stabilizer and prosthetic, one of my spare jackets, and my Light Cycle Baton I got from Tron some time ago. I find a backpack and stash all my belongings into it.

I can already tell that it's going to be a long journey for me.

By now the Book Club has already started, and Ralph will not be on the lookout for me. I slip out of our home and quickly dart down to the little train station located in our game. Luckily, the train hasn't left, and I board it just as the train started leaving and heading towards the grand ol' Game Central Station.

I need to know what Ralph is not telling me.

The train jerks to a stop. I get out, and run down the stairs to the gateway to our game. Looking across the station, I quickly locate the Wi-Fi portal near the end of the power strip, its entrance still slightly barred with black-and-yellow warning tape. I glance up and down the station and find Surge Protector currently jotting down something on a game on the opposite side of the strip. Good, the coast is clear.

Quickly, I make a dash towards the portal, glitching to boost my speed if necessary. Every now and then, I will pause, look around, and then continue to run after I've confirmed that no one really was watching. When I neared the portal, I slow down, and walk causally around the entrances of the portal and the gateways of the two games located next to it. I whistle, trying not to catch anyone's attention. Then I glitch once more, and slip inside the Wi-Fi portal.

Once inside, I find myself looking down a dark tunnel, similar to the one I went through when I left my game. Only there is no train here, but a number of strange glowing, floating disks that moved smoothly into the tunnel and beyond. I run and leap onto one of the disks, spreading my arms apart to keep myself from falling as the disk continued its journey down the tunnel, its glow lighting up the dark walls of the power cord.

I continue to travel along the power cord when I see the disks in front start to move upwards, and soon it is my disk's turn. As I ascended, I cock my head, confused. Sure, a power cord with no built-in train is already unusual, but one which slopes upward? That's definitely a first for me: none of the games I've been to have power cords that behaved like this…

Where does this power cord lead to?

Soon, I see the power cord reach its end and get off my disk. When I glance up, I find myself looking in a dimly lit space not really that much brighter than the power cord. "It must be my eyes." I assume, and rub them to see better; only when I reopen them the space was still dimply lit: it wasn't because of my eyes, the space really was dark. I shake my head and walk away from the power cord.

"Hello?" I ask, looking around. The space around me is cavernous, but also very, very empty. The walls are completely dark, the only lighting being from the strange, unfamiliar logos that seemed to be marked upon them. "Hello?" I call again, my echo repeating my question over and over again.

In the center of it all, a platform is mounted, and I go over and stand on it. A green light, glowing ominously, is located just above it. I look around the space again, slowly walking backward towards one of the walls behind me.

If this is the Internet, then I don't really see a reason for Ralph to keep this from me: it's such a boring place! Why wouldn't Ralph want me to go here?

Just then, I feel a slight tingle under my feet, and I look down to see small bits of code, glowing green, rising from the platform I am on. As I watch, more and more bits of code appear and start to wrap around me. I feel an unnatural jerk as my body was forcefully turned so that I was facing the wall behind me, the rotation complete just as the bits of code connected to form a small capsule around me.

From somewhere up above, a voice rambles off something like an address and a string of numbers, and then the wall in front of me opens to reveal a dark tunnel, similar to the ones I traveled on a daily basis. Only this one also doesn't seem to have a built in train track, and its interior seems to be much smaller, tailored for this capsule I'm currently trapped in.

Oh, okay…

…wait.

Wait WHAT?!

I only have time to scream as I feel my capsule being pushed down the tunnel, sending it, and me, streaking towards the unknown darkness on breakneck speed.

Oh God, RJ. What have you gotten yourself into this time?!

A/N: I'll be adding a cover for this story soon, so till then, IceWrecker out!