Chapter 5

Bizarre Bazaar Pt. 2

"So what was that?"

"Nothing."

"Didn't seem like nothing."

"Will you quit?"

"Not likely."

Sarah would not let the subject drop until they stopped at a crowded area where people were trying to pull a sword from a stone block. It was a unique weapon; red with blue outlines and a circular glass plate where the hilt met the blade.

"Oh my gawhd, is that the Monado!?" Ray shrieked.

"It's one of the most powerful weapons in having history! I loved playing that game too..."

"Well here, it's a legendary weapon. It's the only one of its kind. There are actually five legendary weapons, but this is the only one that's been documented." Sarah dictated to Ray, but he had walked off towards the sword.

"Try your luck! See if you can pull the Monado from the stone! If you can, it's all yours!" The man running the stand announced to the crowd.

Ray chuckled and stepped onto the rock.

"Everybody step back!" He gripped the handle, smirking, then froze.

He felt a surge go through his body. The noise around the room seemed to become mere whispers as he stared at the famous blade.

"The sword... it's literally calling out to me. I think... I think it wants me to free it. The code won't stop pulling at my wrist."

Ray yanked upwards and the sword cracked the stone in two by opening up, releasing its true form. The sky blue plasma blade extended from between its red and sapphire shell. Ray lifted it to the sky and converted it to a card. It's edges were golden and had his name next to the weapon name.

"I have accepted it..."

The crowd actually got quiet when the sword they had been gawking over had disappeared before their eyes into this upstart's card box.

Ray stepped away from the crowd and grinned at Sarah. "Ready to go? I still need a new ride."

Sarah had the most puzzled look on her face. "I don't know whether to warn you to run or ask how you did that..."

"Wait what?" Ray was answered by overlapping shouts of 'Get him!'

Sarah pulled him along and stashed him behind a big red wall.

When the crowd dispersed, the wall picked him up and dusted him off. Wait... walls don't do that.

"Ralph? How'd you get here?"

The wrecker blushed. He actually followed him to the area, but he wasn't going to tell him that. So he used his cover story.

"Oh, well Vanellope has a shop here where she sells the things she won in races. Most of the codemasters buy from her, though she never says how she got the characters to wager what she's selling."

"Cavity cuteness has a shop?"

"You're darn right I do!" The aforementioned girl called from her stand 3 feet away. "One of the best shops in the Bazaar. You'd be surprised what people are willing to wager when this adorable face challenges them to races."

"You're a lot cooler than I gave you credit for." Ray grinned. "Ms. President and Queen Pink Slip."

She sat on the counter of her stand, letting her feet dangle in front of the sign. "Browse my wares. I'll give you a discount because you saved my game and because Major Body Odor asked me to."

Ralph covered her face with his palm and gave the codemasters an awkward chuckle. "Kids... they say the darndest things."

Ray shook his head and browsed her card collection. It was actually pretty nice, but nothing that caught his eye. That is, until he reached what he assumed was the Sonic section. There were way too many Sonic cars for it not to be his own personal section.

"I see you noticed my crowning achievement. That speed demon doesn't know when to quit. I could start a museum with all the cards I won from him." She boasted happily.

"Why do characters throw their cards around like candy?" Ray scratched his neck nervously. He didn't like how nonchalant the tiny candy president was about the whole thing even though it seemed like no big deal.

"Well when the codemasters were formed, all game characters were given the power to turn their items and powers into cards so we could help them. Some characters do it inside their games so the item just respawns from the base code. Some can just afford to give their items out like it's nothing."

Ray looked back to the pile of Sonic cards. "Do you have the Blue Star II?"

Vanellope pulled the mentioned card out of her licorice hoodie. Her face held an indifferent expression.

"25,000 Trome. No budging. I only have one." Ray's gauntlet pinged and her offer popped up. He clicked ok without hesitation.

To say Vanellope was surprised was an understatement. She wouldn't look away from her phone as the money transferred to her account. She tossed Ray the card and kept staring at the screen of her phone.

"Ralph, if you hurt him, I'll run you over you in my cart again."

The wrecker was confused. "Isn't that what you should be telling him?" "The 0's beg to differ." She corrected him.

"I'll take that as it goes both ways." Ray grinned.

Sarah had Ralph accompany them as her and Ray walked to all the shops. She told him about how he could customize what he wore while he was in Arcadia. From his gauntlet's color to his armour, he could customize it all.

He decided to change the color of his muscle shirt from blue to red, he added a black ripped jean vest and had his pants and shoes changed to a more shadowy black.

"This works better than my default."

Hours passed and Ray and Sarah decided to leave. Ray confirmed the time for his and Ralph's date, then walked towards the exit.

Before they could reach it, a group of people stood in their way.

"I waunt the Monado." The boy in the middle stated. He wore a short sleeved green shirt and green jeans. His gauntlet was forest green as well.

"Go buy a knock-off then. The one true Monado belongs to Ray, you wannabe leprechaun."

"No choice. I call a Code Clash!" The bazaar got silent for the second time that day.

Sarah reached out to Ray, but the two codemasters were zapped to a battlefield at the back of the area before she could grab him. A referee stood at the center of the arena.

"What do you wager?" He asked the green clad warrior.

"I wagah all my Trome for the Monado."

"Wager accepted." The ref turned to Ray. "Your rank is too low to decline. Match Authorized!" The field was surrounded with a force field.

"The match between Ray and Xander is about to begin! First to Code Out loses! Armor up!"

"Fine then. Codemaster! Wreck the code!" Ray had upgraded his armor to a crimson red and black design with a more modern look than his old armor. His helmet was replaced with a scarf that covered his mouth.

"Codemaster! Going Green!" The guy's armor was just as green as his clothes, but looked similar to the armor worn by Master Chief.

"Match Begin!"

Ray pulled out his katana and pointed it towards his challenger.

"I don't need the Monado to beat you." Xander smirked and pulled out an axe.

"The Monado can't hurt humans anyways. It's still sealed."

"Funny you should say that." Ray dashed towards his opponent and clashed weapons with him. "I'll just have to unseal it."

Xander pushed him back and clashed with him once more. The clang of steel on steel rang through the field as neither side gave any sign of fatigue.

"Why do you want my weapon so badly? Is it a collector's goal or are you just that desperate?"

"You'd never understand." Xander gripped Ray's arm and chucked him into the force field. Ray bounced back and slashed through his opponent's armor.

"Xander, 40% left." His gauntlet pinged.

"I can't lose! Vine Grip!" Suddenly, dozens of branches held Ray in place. "Final Strike!"

Ray struggled in the bind, but he couldn't move. Luckily, his hand was right next to his codebox.

"Code Summon, M. Bison!"

The Soviet warrior disrupted Xander's attack and freed Ray from the vines. He dissipated soon after.

"My turn. Thunder Wave!" Ray stabbed his blade into the ground and trapped Xander in static electricity.

"No! Don't..."

"Too late!" Ray charged his blade up and ran at his opponent.

"Finishing Move! Thunder Max Cleaver!" He slid under him using the heel of his boot to stop his motion and slashed him up his back, disengaging his armor.

"Xander, 0%, Ray, 35%. Ray is victorious!" The referee called the match and the field dropped.

"My country is doomed..."

"Xander... why do you need the Monado?" Ray asked the downed codemaster.

"New Zealand is suffering rolling blackouts caused by a virus. The virus is actually a group of Mechon that escaped their game and is using the league to help them wreak havoc." Xander pounded the grounded. "Now we're done for."

Ray sighed and pulled out his Monado. He has felt this kind of hopelessness before and knew it sucked. He tossed the card in front of Xander.

"Next time I see you, mission complete or not, I want my Monado." Xander picked up the card and nodded.

"So you let him have it?"

"I lent it to him. It still has my name on it."

"Looked more like a pity give."

"I show no pity."

"Pity give~"

Sarah bugged him all the way to his front step.

"Good night, Sarah."

"But..."

Ray softly closed the door in her face.

"Good thing she's gone."

"Master Ray!" The man sitting on the couch called out. He wore a black t-shirt and blue jeans and his battle scars were faint on his caramel skin.

"Carlton? The fuck brings you here?" Ray plopped next to him. "I thought the meeting was next week."

"It is, but your dad has finally picked a day for your grandfather's burial."

Ray stiffened. "I'm glad you came to tell me that. When is it?"

"Black Friday."

"Ok. Thank you for the heads up."

"Are you going?" Carlton inquired.

"I can't ditch. My dad will send the elites to find me."

"If you want to, I could always..."

"No. I'm coming. I'll see you then, unless you want to crash here for the night."

"I probably should."

"See you in the morning then. Don't leave early like last time." Ray pat his old friend on the back and headed for his room.