Sorry for the wait!

Chapter 3

Sugar Rushed

Ray woke up on the pad wearing the clothes he wore to the arcade.

His head was pounding and aches and pains were scattered across his body.

"Ow... What a way to end your birthday." Ray groaned as he stood up, popped his back and walked out the door into the arcade.

"Morning, sleepyhead." Litwak walked up to Ray and handed him a cup of coffee.

"How long was I out?" Ray queried as he practically drained the hot beverage.

"All night. It's 7:30."

"In the morning!? I was only in there for an hour." Ray shouted a bit loud for an early morning.

"Yeah. I don't blame you, though. The first time's always rough." Litwak consoled gently.

"I can feel it." Ray popped even more bones into place.

"I'm closing Litwak's for today so the games can recover. Plus it gives me time to get you up to speed about Codemasters and the League of Codestruction. It's kind of a long story, so you should prepare for that." Litwak explained as Ray leaned against the door frame, waiting for the coffee to take effect.

"I don't have anywhere to be today, so let's hear it."

"To tell my story, I'll have to give you a brief history lesson on video games." Litwak cleared his throat before he began. "The struggle we face now goes as far back as the early 1940s, when college kids began designing simple games, simulations, and artificial intelligence programs as part of their computer science research. Soon after they realized these things were alive. They could think how we thought, they could feel what we felt, they could be created from simple layers of code... And controlled in the same manner."

Ray frowned as his boss kept telling his story. "Video gaming didn't reach mainstream popularity until the 1980s, when arcade video games, gaming consoles and home computer games were introduced to the general public. It's also around the time that the Code War took place."

"Code War? You mean Cold War." Ray corrected.

"Pfft! The Cold War was a bunch of men acting like high school girls. This was a full blown massacre, but that's a story for another time. After the war, that's when the group known as the League Of Codestruction or L.O.C. for short, was formed."

"The L.O.C.? Sounds like a night club." Ray joked.

"The L.O.C. is a group of video game villains and anti-heroes being led by an evil programmer from our world."

"Why do you think it's a human?"

"Because only a human could have as much influence in their world as he does. He twists the dark and bitter feelings certain characters have in their code to get them to do his bidding." He stopped for a second before he continued. "Only few villains actually serve him. Others believe they're in a partnership. That's why the Codemasters exist. To stop him and his dark ways from doing any real damage to the games and their citizens. Any questions?"

"Well... Not really. Sounds really straight forward." Ray stared at his gauntlet.

"Ok then. Now that you know the story, I want you to go to GCS and get used to your surroundings. You may know the arcade from this side, but you need to learn it from that side as well."

"Sounds like a plan." Ray replied as he pressed the teleport button and ran onto the pad.

"Ray, you know you can just user your gauntlet to..." Litwak trailed off as Ray hopped around on the pad.

"Virtualization!"

A bright light consumed Ray as he disappeared again. He reappeared in the Coderoom.

Just as he predicted, his clothes had changed back to their electric blue counterparts. He straightened out his pants and walked out the door into the busy hub of GCS.

Meanwhile in Sugar Rush...

Ralph decided to go visit his friend, Vanellope von Schweetz, in her game to get his mind off what happened the other day.

"What's up, stinkbrain? You look dumber than usual." Vanellope spoke to Ralph as they walked to Diet Cola Mountain.

Ever since the Turbo incident, they'd been like macaroni and cheese. Ralph always argued he was cheese, but his cavity companion always called him the macaroni.

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it." Ralph replied quickly with his hands behind his head. "How's your sweet tooth sanctum these days?"

"Hmm... distracted... dodging questions... you're in love aren't you?"

"What?! No! Of course not!" Ralph turned pure crimson red. Vanellope picked up on it immediately.

"Oh my gumdrops! That was a shot in the dark, but I was right! You are!" Vanellope shouted as she glitched all around him.

"Ok ok! Maybe I am! So?!"

Ralph was embarrassed. For a little girl, Vanellope was really smart.

"Is she pretty? Do I know her? Is she tall?" Vanellope squealed as she bombarded him with even more questions.

Ralph didn't know whether or not to tell her, but she was his best friend. If he couldn't talk to her, then who could he talk to?

"Who said it was a she?" Ralph stated as he plopped onto the chocolatey ground.

"It's not? Hmm. Never pictured you as a man's man, but okay! Why don't you ask him out?"

"Are you kidding?! He's a Codemaster!"

"You like our new protector? Oh my glob! No wonder you were blushing super hard when he fell into your hand."

"Who told you that?!" Ralph barked, embarrassed as he was.

"Taffyta, but nevermind that. You need to ask him out pronto!"

"What if he's a homophobe? What if he hates my guts? What if the arcade explodes?!"

"OK OK! Let's make a deal! If I win my next roster race, you ask him out."

"OK... But you can't use any weapons. And yes, glitching qualifies as a weapon!"

"Deal!" Vanellope shook Ralph's hand. Ralph had one thought strike him at that moment. 'What'd I just get myself into?'

Back in GCS...

As Ray strolled through the station some characters waved at him and some smaller characters even hugged his leg. Yet others glared, as if they were waiting for him to turn into a zombie.

"Why are they so angry?" Ray thought as he walked through the station.

"Hey you!" A familiar voice called out. It was M. Bison and he was walking up to Ray with a stern look aimed right at Ray.

"Aww shit." Ray swore and walked a bit faster. Too bad the Street Fighter slipped right in front of him.

"Look, it's only my second day and I'm really not trying to get into any unnecessary scraps." Ray froze when he was hugged by the red clad warrior.

"Uhh..." Ray was genuinely confused.

"Thank you... I didn't mean to cause any harm. But the league promised me that they'd give me what I've always wanted: The thing I crave the most."

"Which is?" Ray was slightly uncomfortable, but only due to shock.

Bison let go and replied, "The power to break the evil villain stereotype. Everyone hated me before just because I'm programmed to be a villain. I thought I could use their power to change that, but I was wrong. They all probably hate me more now and I can barely remember anything that I did."

Ray chuckled. "I don't hate you. Actually, I think you're pretty cool."

"You do? But I knocked you around the entire station. I kicked you into a wall. How could you not hate me after that?"

"It's kind of like fighting with a friend. You give it your all while you fight, but once the fight is over, it's all good again."

"You think of us as... Friends?" He choked out.

Ray thought for a second. He actually would consider every game character in the arcade a friend. He'd been hanging out with them for years now without knowing it. "Of course I do."

"Wow... You really are a great Codemaster. Here. Use this if you ever get into a jam." M. Bison handed him a card with his picture on it.

"A Code Card?"

"It's actually a Code Summon. You can only get one of these from us characters. Swipe that during battle and I'll lend you my power. It's the least I can do for my new friend." He grinned and walked off towards his game.

"Look out!" a voice shouted from behind Ray.

The person ran over him and he tumbled towards the door to Sugar Rush.

"What was that? A bulldozer or a small jeep?" Ray thought as he picked himself up.

"Sorry. Are you okay?" A voice called to him as he opened his eyes.

He saw a girl no taller than 5'11 with a black pixy cut decorated with red streaks, bright blue eyes, really pale skin and thin with curves dressed in a denim blue jacket, daisy dukes and boots holding out her hand to help him up.

"I was in a rush to get to Sugar Rush. I'm Sarah. What's your name?"

"Ray." He replied as she pulled him up.

"What's going on in Sugar Rush?"

"Today they just added new DLC characters and I want to see them race."

"They race even when they're off the clock?" Ray asked her.

"They have roster races everyday to pick the avatars."

"I always thought that was random. Mind if I tag along? I've actually never been inside a game before."

"Sure. Let's go!"

Sarah ran towards the monorail with Ray on her heels.

As they ran past a gap in the wall, a shadowy figure was watching them from the shadows.

"Ugh... They're headed for that cavity-inducing game, Sugar Rush." A bulky cloaked figure spat.

"You know the mission. Test Codemaster Ray and see if he's an immediate threat to the League." The slimmer cloaked figure instructed him.

"You know, SC. That is a really stupid plan. Can't I just slice and dice him? That'd be great." The big League member grinned as a few spines poked through his cloak.

"Don't question my methods, you Gameboy Advance flunky. I'm above the Big 4 in the chain of command and you will show me the respect I deserve..." He revealed his gauntlet and teleported away into darkness.

"Heheh... Hack and Slash."

The monorail took off as they made it to the terminal. "We missed the train. Crap!" Ray shouted as he kicked air.

"No biggie. Don't you have a codeboard?" Sarah inquired.

"Codeboard?"

"Yeah. It's the Codemaster's hoverboard. You are a Codemaster right?" Sarah inquired as she held up a bright red gauntlet.

"You too?"

"Yeah." She pulled out a code card and threw it on the ground. All of a sudden, a bright red hoverboard with her name on it appeared from the card.

"You didn't swipe it?" Ray inquired.

"You don't swipe Code Vehicles. You're new at this aren't you?"

"It's actually my second day."

"Everyone was new at some point. Now check your box."

Ray opened his box and saw a third card. It was the codeboard. He dropped it and a silver board similar to Sarah's appeared with his name on it.

"Let's ride!" Ray took off down the tunnel with Sarah close behind.

When they reached the entrance to Sugar Rush, Ray's mind was elsewhere.

He didn't know why, but he couldn't stop thinking about what happened before he passed out yesterday.

How he fell into Ralph's hand and called him cute. Had to be the fatigue. He'd never have said that if he was at 100% brain power. Even if he did meant it.

"Ok... Who is she?" Sarah asked as she broke Ray of his trance.

"She?"

"The girl you like! Geez! You look like a lovesick puppy!"

"I have no clue what you're talking about." Ray blushed.

"Don't lie to me. I know that face."

"Ok," Ray conceded, "I do like someone but he'd never go for me."

"He?" Sarah raised an eyebrow to the slip-up.

"Oops!" Ray squealed as he put his hands over his mouth.

Sarah's fangirl switch turned on. "Oh mah gawhd, that's so cute! Who is he? Do I know him?"

"It's Wreck-it Ralph."

"I can totes see that! You should ask him out!"

"Is it that easy?"

"Yeah. The worst thing he can say is no." Sarah replied as she took off towards the track.

"That's what she thinks..."

The dark codemaster stood under one of the bleachers in Sugar Rush. It was time to enact his own plan.

"Is the general in position?" A deep voice echoed from his gauntlet.

"Of course. I'm always one step ahead... Relax." The cloaked man known only as SC chuckled as he looked out from his hiding place. "This idiot is gonna lose and I'll be one step closer to my goal."

Ray and Sarah reached the track just as the race was about to start. The stands, as per usual, were filled with assorted candy items and citizens. The racers who were participating in the race had their game faces on and nothing could break them from their trance.

"I'm gonna win!" A red-haired girl named Fey Licorice screamed as she revved her engine.

"Not if I can help it..." Vanellope mumbled as her eyes darted over to Ralph.

"As soon as I fill my part of the bargain, you fill yours."

"Do I have to?" Ralph pouted.

"Hitting you with my cart until you're begging him to go out with you is always an option."

"But how would I find him?" Ralph shot back. He was grasping for straws at this point.

His answer came in the form of a scream that rang out from the other side of the track.

"The league is here!" A random gumdrop exclaimed.

An orange robot with huge claws and a porcupine hairdo slashed one of the rafters in half. The racers abandoned their carts as the menace stomped onto the track.

"I am Beastman! Top general of Dr. Wily and the last thing you'll see before death. I claim Sugar Rush in the name of Codestruction!"

Ray's gauntlet uploaded the enemy's stats.

"Ok. So he was in one of my favorite Megaman games ever for the Gameboy Advance. I remember he always gave me trouble. It took me months to beat him and he's only the second boss. Keep your guard up, Sarah."

"We've gotta stop him!" She barked as they ran over to the monster.

"HALT!" Ray barked as they stood in front of the behemoth.

"So you're the new Codemaster... Ray was it?"

"You're damn right I am! Now get set to get wrecked! Codemaster! Wreck the code!"

"Codemaster, Kick it up!" Sarah shouted as the rings appeared and created ruby red armor around her.

"Kick it up?" Ray queried as his armor shifted into place.

"Everyone's code words are different. Duh."

"Whatever. Code Card, Lightning Katana! Realize!"

"Code Card, Flame Daggers! Realize!" Both weapons materialized in their hands as they charged Beastman.

Ray slashed up, but Beastman dodged left and shot spines at him that he deflected. Sarah jumped off the bleachers and tried to burn him, but Beastman grabbed her and threw her into the stationary karts. Ray took the opening and slashed through his arm.

"Thunder Fang!" Ray shouted as he thrust his katana into Beastman. Sadly, the insulated circuits inside him prevented any real damage from being done and the lightning only sped up his processor. He knocked Ray into the stands as Sarah got back up.

"Blazing Strike!" Sarah charged him from behind, but he deflected her blows easily with his claws. He smashed the weapons out of her hands and across the ground.

"He's tough..." Sarah stated as her daggers turned back into a card and flew back to her.

"We can still take him." Ray informed her as his sword turned into a card as well. "Well damn..."

"We can't summon our code weapons again for a while. By then this place will be sushi."

"I'm not waiting." Ray growled as he pulled out the only other card in his box. Codes streamed around his visor and guided his next move.

"Code Summon! M. Bison!" Ray swiped the card and threw it to the sky. Suddenly, the red clad warrior dropped down next to Ray and crossed his muscular arms.

"Need some help?"

"Yeah. I need you to hold that rabid machine so I can shut him down."

"Can do!" M. Bison grinned and jumped behind Beastman, driving his claws into the dirt. "You're clear!"

"I hope this works..." Ray whispered as he moved his hands in an awkward fashion.

"Umm... Ray? The hell are you doing?" Sarah asked the codemaster next to her as codes curved into his hands. The code converted to pure electricity.

"Using my knowledge of video games to my advantage. Twin Lightning Shiver!" Ray smashed his palms into the ground and dashed towards the trapped bad guy, hands oozing electricity and uprooting the ground. His fists crashed into the robot's chest shooting a concentrated beam of electric energy into Beastman which overloaded his processor and powered him down.

"Not exactly how Kakashi would do it, but it suits me."

M. Bison gave the pair a thumbs up then disappeared into a shroud of code.

"Good work Ray! You looked professional out there!" Sarah patted him on the back as their armor disappeared.

"It was nothing." Ray blushed. "But if it wasn't for M. Bison, I'd have never gotten that shot in."

"That's true. But you were the one that called him. I'll fix the game." Sarah pressed a button and restored the rafters and track to their earlier condition.

"You've gotta teach me that." Ray grinned.

"It's the first button on the left side."

The same card that came out of M. Bison appeared on Beastman. Ray snatched it up and threw it into his cardbox.

"I need to get this analyzed. Litwak should know someone."

"I know a guy that could tell us what it is." Sarah suggested.

"Hey Ray!" a voice shouted from behind him.

"Ralph! Sup, buddy?" Ray had no idea what the wrecker could have wanted from him as he walked into his personal space.

"Hey... I want to ask you something." Ralph sputtered as he stood with both hands behind his back, rocking back and forth on his heels.

"What?" Blood rushed through the CM's cheeks.

"Do you want to hang out sometime?"

"Hang out?"

"Yeah. Just you and me."

"So you want to go out with me?" Ray smirked, somehow picking up on the hint.

"Well... Yeah. I assume there isn't a problem with that." Ralph replied as he mirrored Ray.

"Not at all. Let's say Thursday?"

"Okay!" Ralph hugged Ray tight.

Ray reciprocated almost immediately. Vanellope gave Sarah a thumbs up and the female guardian did the same.

Both Ralph and Ray were so caught up in each other, they didn't notice the angry howl of the dark codemaster as he disappeared from under the bleachers.