==Ralph's POV==
It's been a day since you last heard from me. Nothing much happened when I went to Tapper. The only unusual thing was that hardly anyone was there.
As for today, pretty routine. At first anyway. Let's not get into the big stuff just yet. What I really want to talk about is just the damnedest thing lf I ever said so. It started out an ordinary day. We were doing fairly well with quarters, in my opinion. I was wrecking that Penthouse like a champion.
Felix tried to stop me, but I got the best of him. And then lt was back to the o'l Dump, awaiting Felix's arrival with my food.
[Boing]
Well gee, I wonder who THAT could be. I see the figure of Gene coming up.
Imagine. No, lt was good old Felix.
"Good afternoon, Ralph.", he greets with a smile.
No matter what predicament he's in, you could gamble that he'll be smiling.
I'm serious. When he's nervous, he smiles. When he's sad, he smiles, pretending to be happy. He smiles when he's scared. And when he's angry. And lt goes without saying that he smiles when he's happy. So lt comes as no surprise that he'd be smiling now, torn between me & the Nicelanders (why there's even a debate, I don't know.). It's not out of happiness or nervousness though. It's out of sheer awkwardness. I can tell because hey, same here.
"Afternoon, Felix.".
I get straight down to buisness.
"What do you got for me? Did you get the cake I asked for?".
"Well, there's a story.", he said.
That's when I know he failed me. I put a hand on my face, but I decide to listen to this story of his.
"Not really a long story. I just put a little extra cake in my pocket & lt, uh, kinda melted before I could even leave. I'll have to wait until I respawn to get that out. But you can't say I didn't try.".
"But you did get me something, right?", I ask.
"Yes, I did.".
He gives me something tolerable & I don't need to think twice before eating up.
"So Ralph, what do you say we both go to Tapper today?".
I stop eating & analyze him closely.
"What are you all about?", I ask in suspicion.
"I'm about friendship.", he responds casually.
"You never hung out with me. You were never seen in public with me. And you never drink. Something's up.".
"Nope, well there is one thing, but lt doesn't matter. Let's just do something together.".
I seem to have forgotten he said that. Otherwise I'd surely ask.
"And what lf Gene finds out?".
"I'm Fix-It Felix. Noone's going to rat ME out.", he says confidently.
"It would be nice to not drink alone. Well, let's not waste any time.".
We board the Nice Rail.
"Why aren't you with your girlfriend?".
"Oh, she gives me the honeyglow in my cheeks, but we can do stuff anyday. Today is reserved for just us friends.".
"I'm still trying to accept the fact that you're actually coming with me. I haven't been this surprised since we were plugged in.", I say.
"What was so surprising about that day?", he wonders.
"All of the Nicelanders hated me, but the only person I received sympathy from, ironic as lt is, was you. Why is that?".
"Because I'm a hero. I can't call myself a good guy lf I ignore someone in need. I feel really sorry that you have to live this way.".
That was pretty moving. We get to Tapper & start the first round. I guess Felix really did come to hang out, because he's drinking, albeit a woman's drink. I should have chosen for him. Not wanting him to get insulted, I take that from him & get him a Johnny Walker. We drink up & boy, does that little guy get drunk fast. One shot. He really has NEVER drank before. Like I said earlier, the damnedest thing.
"Raalph, have you SEEN Don's shipp collectioon?", he starts stammerring & wobbling.
Um, no, I haven't. Don doesn't like me. I take the shot glass away.
"That's enough for you.".
"Norwood n' Nel. Nel n' Norwood.".
What in Tillman's Arcade is he going on about now?
"Huh?", I ask.
"Hey look, there'ss Gene.".
He points.
"Gene is not here.", I assure him.
"Felix", Gene says.
I turn around. Oh my Stan, lt really is him. [Gulp].
"What happened to you?", Gene asks. "You have to get out of here.".
He puts Felix around his shoulder & leads him out.
"Bye bye, Ralph.", Felix smiles & waves.
I'm hopeless to do anything but finish my round as Gene takes him back home.
I hear Gene say something on the way out. I think about lt for awhile & I think he said: 'You stay away from that villain.'. There goes my friendship. I drink some more. He's been caught. I told him he would be. No more free food. I can always live off of Pacman cherries. Some unusually nervous chatter breaks me out of my thoughts. Then, the room gets dark. Red sirens start spinning & a loud sound wails.
"Storm alert! Everybody please, calmly, return to your game.".
The same message keeps repeating & I know I have to leave. I don't know what the big deal is. So there's a storm. Why can't I just stay at the bar & finish my round? But I follow the patrons out orderly to the train. Once we get to Game Central Station, Surge seems to be in a panic. I wonder what that's all about. This is actually the first time I've been outside during a storm alert.
"Games, people. Orderly fashion. No running. If you do not have a game, step into my office.", Surge says.
He looks afraid. And for once, he's not stopping people at the gates. I never thought I'd see that happen.
"Surge, what's the buzz? You look scared.".
"I am scared.", he admits. "I don't have a game.".
"It's just a storm. What's the worst that could happen?".
There's a phrase that should be banned.
"The worst that could happen is a power outage. Anyone outside of their game during one of those, dies for good.".
"Oh. I see.", I say awkwardly.
"Hey, don't worry about me. I know what I signed up for. Just get to your game. Protect yourself.".
"Will do. I wish you luck, Surge.".
I return to my game & take a nap in my Dump. Don't you even say anything. I capitalized lt, okay? I have to feel bad for Surge. Never before have I seen him be afraid. GCS must be all empty now. I can't imagine what that would be like. Felix, I hope you didn't get into too' much trouble because of me. I should be sad that I lost my only friend, but really, I'm just pumped up to go to work in the morning. For once, I can say I'm excited to do some wrecking.
