Chapter Four- SURPRISE!
A battle was happening upon the snow-covered lawns of Niceland.
Snow and ice were being thrown.
People were running about, ducking for cover and safety under the grey, chilled skies.
Vanellope and Ralph huddled against each other, regretting the thought that the others did have some advantages against them in the frosty melee. Vanellope might have had her glitch and Ralph his size, but the racers ha their own skills and advantages that proved rather deadly in the fight.
And then there was Felix.
"Can ya PLEASE remind me why we're doin' this again?!" Ralph growled, his arms protecting his face from the hailstorm of pixel snow.
"I dunno…." Vanellope said through gritted teeth, feeling the flaking snow sting her skin "I had somethin' ta do with….I don't know, shut up!"
"C'mon oooooout…." sang the maddened tones of Felix, the normally friendly repairman holding an armful of snowballs in his hand and looking about eagerly for his friends "I thought ya wanted ta have fun with this. Don't tell me you're hidin' awaaaaaay!"
Ralph sank even further towards the ground "Yeah, he's gone nuts…."
"Hide?!" Vanellope gasped, sounding offended "NEV'AAAAAAAAAAH! We shall-!"
"VANELLOPE! GET DOWN!" Ralph shouted as he pushed his friend down, only to get nailed three times in the face by slush, two piles of snow hitting him perfectly on the eyes while the other landed on his nose. Vanellope looked up, whistling.
"Hmmm, ya need a pipe an' a top hat for that? I think THAT would complete the look!"
Ralph growled in anger, the heat from him causing the snow to melt off.
Oh yeah, he was ready now.
"Vanellope, get back."
"Why?"
Ralph was already mounding up a huge wad of snow in his hands "Just….Look out."
"That was AWESOME!" cheered Gloyd "Can ya teach me how ta pitch that fast?"
Felix snickered haughtily "Well, it's all in tha wrist kid! Years of hammer twirlin's what did it for-!"
"EVERYONE! WATCH OUT!"
The other children ran as fast as they could from a great shadow that was sailing from the sky but Felix was a second too slow. He only had a second to look up as a MASSIVE snow ball fell atop him, burying him in an instant.
"HO HO HO!" Ralph laughed "MERRY CHRISTMAS, PUNK!"
"Wow, is he DEAD?" asked Sticky as she ran up to the pile, seeing nothing in response to the man inside.
"Aw, no fair! NO FAIR!" shouted Gloyd "Who's side are ya on?!"
"No one's!" shouted Vanellope "YOU'RE tha ones who attacked us first!"
"Well, who was tha one who were too slow ta move when the battle began, HUH?!" shouted Nougetsia, sticking out her tongue.
"Ralph, get ready to throw…."
"With pleasure…." Ralph cackled, cracking his knuckles.
"Someone, dig Mr. Felix out before he freezes to death!" said Swizz as he began reaching in and pulling out chunks of snow.
"If he hasn't responded now, then who-!"
The pile began to shake, the children backing off.
"W-what the-?!"
And with a rather showy explosion, Felix BURST through the snow, fist held high in the air and snow in the other.
"Think ya can get me THAT easily?!"
Ralph looked up, spellbound by the pose his friend was making in the air, so much so that he failed to notice the snow bombs coming down on him.
"I knew he wouldn't stay down for-!"
*BAP! BAP BAP BAP BAPBAPBAPBAP!*
"Ralph!"
Ralph lay on his back on the ground, an annoyed glint in his eyes and every inch of him covered in snow.
"I hate snow. I really, REALLY do."
"ON TO BATTLE!"
"That's five pies down!" Mary quipped "Only…only so many to go."
The woman sighed but a smile remained on her face. She was still a little miffed at Gene for what had happened earlier but she knew that it wasn't as bad as she was trying to convince herself it was. After all, she had the best help in the arcade.
"Darn it!"
"Dear, are you sure you don't need help with that?" Mary said, worry in her voice. Calhoun said nothing, holding out a hand.
"N-no, no. I got this. No need ta worry a fuss over me!"
"Sweetie, you've been on your feet for HOURS and aside from that, you're supposed to be taking a BREAK! I never wanted you to put in so much work, all because of some silly bet!"
"It's not just because of the BET, Mary!" Calhoun roared, losing her temper but after seeing the surprised look on Mary's face, the marine knew she had gone a wee bit too far.
Gracious, it was CHRISTMAS EVE, not another Cybug rally! She was really letting this pie thing get to her.
"S-Sorry about that, ma'am. I-I know we're supposed ta be havin' fun here but…."
"Yes, dear?"
"How can I have fun with the fact I can't even make a simple PIE loomin' over me!"
"Sweetie, there IS more to life than just pie. I thought I already told you that."
"But Maaaaary!" Calhoun whined, sounding as if she were talking to Mary as if she were her mother "I just want to make Felix happy!"
"Happy?" the woman said in a surprised voice "HAPPY? Are you serious?"
"Yes I am…." Calhoun moaned, her head resting on the counter "When I see his eyes light up whenever he eats one of your pies, I don't-!"
Before the marine could finish, she felt the strong tug of something grabbing her by the collar. She turned, surprised to see Mary glaring at her angrily.
"Now you listen to ME, Sargent Tamora Jean Calhoun!"
Full name; Calhoun KNEW she was in trouble!
"I don't know WHERE you got it in your head that you have NEVER made Felix happy before but get rid of it! In the thirty years I have known that boy, I have never seen him shine so bright as I have when he's with you!"
Calhoun blushed a bit, but tried her best to look stoic in the face of the tiny woman "W-well, that's all fine an' good but-!"
"But what?" Mary said "What more could you possibly do?"
Calhoun was so embarrassed she just didn't know what to say.
But she had to. If not to her own husband, then to who?
How about someone she trusted? Someone she knew who would always listen to her.
Someone like Mary?
Calhoun stood up, picking Mary up and carrying her to the couch.
"OH!"
"O-Okay, look…." The taller woman said "I love Felix. I love him more than anything in the world but…but I still feel like I could always do MORE to show him that."
"Dear, the things you have done for that man…." Mary said, her voice sweet and her smile warm "How could you even THINK you're not doing enough?"
"I-It goes back to the pie!" Calhoun said "And…and YOU."
"Me?" Mary blinked, pointing to herself.
"Yes, yes you." The marine breathed out, the confession coming out this time "When…..when I see you and Gene together…..I….."
Now MARY was the one blushing.
"Y-Yes?"
"I never noticed it before until I started datin' Felix but when I saw how happy Gene got when ya gave him your pies….I realized that was somethin' I wanted from Felix."
Mary was stunned into silence, her chubby cheeks turning even brighter than before. She realized that she had been giving Gene more pies than before since they had started getting closer….
But she was unaware that Calhoun was watching her, watching and desiring the same thing.
"O-oh! Th-that's just nothing!" Mary stammered, trying to push away the embarrassment she felt "G-Gene is just greedy so I-!"
"Pft, maybe so…" Calhoun chuckled, rubbing her nose "But, no. NO. That's pure bliss I see on his face. An' tha way BOTH of ya just seem ta forget about all tha insanity that goes on around here with just a slice of pie? That's LOVE, ma'am. That is pure, tasty flaky crusted love!"
Calhoun sat back and crossed her legs together, her hands going behind her head "Ya know, I would have believed everyone's stories that Gene was just some short, sawed-off crust had I not seen how he really acts around ya."
"Calhoun, please…."
"But I guess the old sayin' goes with EVERYONE. Ya can't judge a book by its cover. Or should I say, ya can't trust a pie by its fillin'? Does that make better sense?"
Mary wrung her hands together but she could feel the coolness of the wedding ring in her palms. It was starting to become clear as to why Calhoun was so frantic to come to her to learn how to make a pie but with all the feelings flooding over, the tiny woman found herself unable to hide her shyness.
"Ah, why must you do this to me, young lady?" Mary laughed sheepishly "Here I am trying to play cool here but you're breaking me down every second you get."
Calhoun snickered playfully, poking Mary on her cheek "Oh hoooo, did I find Big Bad Mary's weakspot?"
The small woman pushed Calhoun's hands away from her, all a fluster to try to gather her composure "Calhoun!"
"Aw, don't feel embarrassed by it Mary!" Calhoun smiled "What can I say? We both love those doofy hubbies of ours."
"Hmmph, now that I can agree!"
"Still though, I just wish I could make a pie as good as yours. If anything to see Felix's light up the same way I see Gene's when you give him a slice."
"Gene's eyes light up with any prospect that I'm going to give him FOOD. It's been like that for YEARS." tittered Mary "Ah, but that's beyond the point. Dear, there's no reason for you to stress yourself over something as silly as making the so-called PERFECT pie. Yes. Yes, I do love to see Gene looking so happy when I give him a treat but I love to see him happy at any moment! Not just with pie!"
"Yeah, I get what you're sayin'….." Calhoun smirked "It's just the simple things though that hit me right in tha ticker. A simple thing such as a pie!"
"A kiss." Mary cooed.
"A hug!" Calhoun chuckled.
"A good-morning snuggled." Sighed the Nicelander.
"A wink!" the marine grinned.
"Being able to hold his squishy cheeks in your hands…." Mary grinned brightly, eight-bit hearts swirling over her head.
"That silly little squee he makes when something makes him happy…" Calhoun smiled, shaking her head as she thought about her husband.
It then hit the two. In that little moment they shared, both Nicelander and Marine realized that they had more in common than they would have every DREAMED of.
How things have turned.
Anyone who would have seen the two would have never guessed that they would become so close, that they would become friends but here they were, sharing with each other the very thing that made them so happy and that was the simple act of showing the person, the one person with whom they loved so much, how they really felt.
It was a silly little feeling at first but the two smiled.
"Wow." Calhoun said with another chuckle "Um. I-"
"You know something?" Mary said in a matter-of-fact tone, "Forget what the others told you."
"About what, ma'am?"
Mary got back up and took a hold of Calhoun's hand, leading her back to the kitchen "Whatever they said about you baking pies. Those silly children, they don't understand that a pie does not have to look perfect to show love."
"Oh?" Calhoun smiled, a brow arched.
"Nope!" Mary retorted, placing her apron back on as she got right back to work "Just create with your heart dear. Think about Felix. Think about how much you LOVE him and how much you CARE about him. That's all you should think about when baking for the person you hold so dear."
Calhoun began to mirror Mary's movements with the ingredients, though not as gracefully "That's all I should care about, eh? Should I also care about making sure the thing doesn't give him FOOD POISONING?"
"Well, that too but c'mon. I have more faith in you than THAT!"
"Thanks, ma'am…." Calhoun said "Thanks."
"So HOW much snow do you need to pack on?" asked Taffyta as she shoveled ANOTHER large pile of snow to the side of the roof, Nel doing the same next to her.
"Oh, just enough, just enough! Don't pack it too hard though! That will cause it to solidify and then we'll have ICE instead of soft snow on our hands!"
Taffyta never thought in a million years she would be participating in such an act with a NICELANDER and even though she continued to shovel snow atop the building, she dare not ask the reason why. Aside from that, Nel seemed to be enjoying in whatever she was doing, instructing the young racer on her 'plan' she had yet to fully disclose.
"Um, promise me again no one is going to DIE from this, please?"
"Don't worry, don't worry!" Nel laughed, waving a hand daintily before the racer "I can promise you this!"
"And what's that?"
"They'll think twice about throwing snowballs at you after this is done!"
How things had turned; Taffyta remembered she did want a little payback from the other racers when they dragged her into their impromptu fight but now she wasn't so certain of things.
But if Nel said things wouldn't be that bad….
"Ah well, at least it'll make GLOYD shut up…." The girl said, taking more snow.
The hour was almost up and Gene had yet to catch the culprit of the baked goods and to no one's surprise, the man was NOT in a good mood because of it.
"This is RIDICULOUS!" the mayor growled to himself as he stomped his way back to the apartment "How could someone make off with THAT much food without so much as a-?!"
*CREEEEEEEEAK!*
The man made a tiny little yelp but dove behind the corner, seeing a little figure creeping from his apartment into the penthouse. Gene's jaw dropped open, shocked that someone would be so brazen as to pull such a stunt in broad view of everyone.
"I knew it!"
The figure, covered by the shadows in the hall, looked back and forth but didn't seem to notice the tiny, chubby man glaring at them some distance away. The culprit had been caught and all Gene needed to do was finally corner them! But the man was alone; the others were up all and about doing whatever they were doing and if he were to leave his post, the thief would surly get away.
This was something he was going to have to take on his own.
"Not a problem…." Gene huffed, filled with too much anger to be scared of anything at this point "Besides, I'm sure they'll be surprised to see what a Nicelander can do when their wife's baked goods are SNATCHED!"
Gene tip-toed to the penthouse, sneaking and moving as gracefully as he could along the walls of the hall. The door to the penthouse was cracked open but he could hear the bandit inside, the tinkling of the cupboards clear in his ears.
"Ah, they're by the bar…." The man whispered to himself "If I move in just right….!"
Gene ducked, moving nearly on his hands and knees towards the door. He peered in, seeing the figure taking other goodies with them and opened the door ever so gentle.
Not a noise was to be heard.
The mayor crawled in, surprisingly light for a person of his 'unique' shape, but he was on a mission and nothing was going to stop him. He rolled behind the couch and looked over, the oblivious figure putting a few cakes and pies into what seemed to be a large sack.
The same cakes and pies he and Mary had loving made together.
No one was going to steal his wife's creations and get away with it!
"Those lessons at Punch-Out are going to be worth it now!" the man said to himself, breathing in deep as he readied himself for the pounce "NOW I HAVE Y-!"
A terrified scream filled the room as Gene leapt up and rushed the figure but they proved to be too fast for him, diving out of the way just as Gene landed right on his face on the floor. His nose hurt a great deal but he recovered surprisingly quickly, glaring at the figure as it ran towards the door.
"Oh no, you DON'T!"
Gene looked over and grabbed his right shoe, taking it off and CHUCKING IT towards a potted plant. As soon as the thing was struck, a chain reaction had begun.
The pot fell over and rolled over to one of the small coffee tables, which was knocked to its side which hit a chair, which fell over onto a small book shelf which toppled over and spilled its contents onto the floor. The escaping thief ran right into the path of the books, its feet getting tangled in the mess as they fell over!
"OOF!"
And a small spark of light came through only to dim out once again.
And if that were not bad enough, the thief had fallen just shy of the door, its fingers reaching out with just enough length that instead of making it OUT the door, they touched it and CLOSED IT.
"Now…." Gene said in a gruff tone, not at all pleased at the sight "I think it's time for us to have a TALK."
The penthouse was still dark and Gene could not make out the face of the intruder but the eyes of the person showed as clear as they.
They looked…
Sad?
"N-No, don't!"
"I don't have time for this!" Gene growled, reaching down and snatching the culprit roughly around the wrist "Do you KNOW what kind of chaos you have brought here?! What makes you think you can-!"
"I'M SORRY MR. MAYOR NICELANDER GENE!" cried the voice "I-I JUST WANTED TO-!"
Mr. Mayor Nicelander Gene?
There was only ONE person in the arcade, ONE character who Gene even ALLOWED to call him in such a manner.
His eyes widened as he looked forward, his free hand going out and flipping on the lights.
"W-WHAT?!"
"Ya kids could watch these two play all day, couldn't ya?" Chuckled Norwood as he watched Snowanna and Adorabeezle sit in utter bliss as Crumbellina and Don continued to play their violins.
"I could…." Sighed the small popsicle racer "It's just so beautiful. So sweet, so peacef-!"
"NICELANDER DONALD, WHERE ARE YOU?!"
Everyone in the apartment near fell over, Crumbellina hitting a note that could bust any eardrum.
"Gah, Lucy!" Norwood said in shock as he turned to see the young woman standing, rather angrily, at the door "Cripes, girly! What's gotten into y-?!"
Lucy ignored Norwood's question and marched right up to Don, standing on her tip-toes to face him.
"DONALD."
The sailor was a little confused at the confrontation; just what did Lucy want with him?
"Ah?"
Crumbellina ducked out of the way "What's going on?"
"Don't know…." Norwood said "But ya kids want some popcorn? This is gonna get GOOD!"
"Don, what day is it?" Lucy said, hands on her hips, eyes cutting into the man "Tell me."
"Christmas Eve?" the man replied, rightfully confused.
"Ah-huh? An' what else?"
"Uh…."
Don looked around, his mind coming to him as he glared down at the smaller Nicelander.
"Wait a second, care to explain to me WHY you so graciously decided to come into my apartment in such a mood?"
"I'll tell ya why!" Lucy blurted "There is someone in' Dee-Dee's room cryin' her eyes out over ya!"
"Who?!" Don blurted, losing his battle to keep his temper down.
"Oooh, so THAT explains that horribly sound from upstairs!" Snowanna said "I thought someone was DYIN'!"
"Ya can NOT tell me you're that dense!" Lucy said, putting her face in her hands.
"You know, I would like to know what in the ARCADE is going on! I mean, if I'm at fault for something here, it would be NICE to know what it is!"
Without saying so much as a word, Lucy reached up and grabbed Don by his fat cheeks.
"BLURGHT!"
"Donald, Donald? Look at me…" the woman said, pointing to her eyes "My eyes. Look into 'em."
Don tried to fidget away but Lucy had him in her hold TIGHT "Mmgh! LUCILE!"
"DON."
"WHAT?!"
"Megan?"
"YEETH?!"
"She-."
"Lu-THEE, lethhh go!"
"Is-!"
"LUCY!"
"In LOVE."
The final words were about to come, Lucy pulling Don close.
"WITH YOU!"
"Aaaw, how sweet!" Adorabeezle said, looking all aglow at the news "The tea-lady likes Captain Don!"
Norwood said nothing, complete horror on his face as he took the children into his hold and quietly snuck out of the room.
He knew what was coming next and he didn't want to see ANY casualties from it.
And Don?
Lucy still had him in his grasp but for the moment, it seemed that the man was more CONFUSED than anything else. He stood up, Lucy's hands letting go of his, sore, face.
"Ow…w-want to run that by me again, private?"
By now, a few other of the Nicelanders had gathered around the door way, getting as good a view they could.
"I'm gonna say this just one more time, big guy." Lucy said "Meg is CRYIN' in Dee-Dee's room right now. An' tha reason for it?"
"Yeeeees?"
"Don, she's too scared ta talk to ya. All because she LOVES you!"
Don blinked.
Don stared.
Inside, the inner working of the sailor's mind began to work. The word 'LOVE' echoed throughout every curve and corner of his brain. The words multiplied, the words spun around, they burrowed into his brain, spinning around like gears in a clock and finally-!
And finally!
*PEEP!*
And what happened next would live on in infamy in the halls of Niceland.
Tony looked over at Nolan "Do you think he-?"
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURGH!"
It was a scream that EVERYONE in Litwak's could hear.
"Donald?!"
"OJ OJ OJ!"
"Yeah, he's freaked." Said Norwood.
Noting could reach the sailor by this time, the man still screaming in abject HORROR at what he had been told.
Apparently, this was news the man could NOT handle.
"Don, snap outta it!" shouted Lucy as she grabbed Don by the collar of his shit and SLAPPED him "We don't need any more noise!"
"OH! OH!" Don gasped, looking about "You mean-?! ALL THIS TIME-!? WHY DIDN'T SHE-?!"
"An' ya thought tellin' him a was a GOOD idea?" grumbled Nolan "Wow, great work here Lucy! GREAT WORK!"
"Don, seriously. You're takin' things too far." Lucy huffed "If ya don't like tha prospects of Meg likin' ya then-!"
"THAT'S NOT IT!" Don said, grabbing Lucy by her arms "WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL ME?! WHY DIDN'T I SEE THIS?!"
"DON?!"
Still panicking at what was happening, Don hurled Lucy to the ground like a rock "I-! SHE-! It's Christmas Eve!"
"Yeah, no duh…." Moaned Lucy, her side sore.
By now Don was pacing around the room like a maddened fool, "My gift! Her-!"
"Yeah, what about your gift?"
"IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH!" the man bawled loudly "I got her stupid owl figures! How DA HELL is DAT supposed ta measure up ta how she feels?!"
"Oh yeah, he's REALLY upset now!" Norwood smiled, the entire scene getting better and better for him.
"Don, please. There are children around."
Any advice that was given to the sailor was too late. Grabbing his coat and gloves, Don BOLTED from the apartment at speeds no one had ever seen a Nicelander run. He didn't even waste time for the elevator and instead almost THREW himself down the stairs and out the atrium doors.
Right out into the ongoing snowball battle outside.
"You'll never take us ALIVE!" shouted Vanellope, tossing snowball after snowball at her adversaries "Only one shall rise from the ices! Only ONE shall reign over all! ONLY ONE SHALL-!"
"MOVEMOVEMOVEMOVEMOVEMOVE!"
Everyone stopped in their place as a whirlwind rushed by them, the only thing visible to them being that of a small figure dressed in navy blue running as fast as they could towards the trolley.
"What in the-?!"
No questions were answered as the trolley took off, disappearing into the darkness of the cords. Everyone looked in shock at the sight but Felix noticed something laying on the path in the snow.
A familiar navy cap, a few patches of snow on it. Felix picked up the cap and dusted it off before returning his gaze towards the tunnels.
"Don?"