Chapter 12: Being a Family
Specks flew off like a rocket. Tamora had to grab her hover board and she and Felix were riding on it. Vanellope had to glitch, Ralph had to run, and Nightmare flew. They followed Specks passed Sugar Rush farther down past the Fix-It Felix game. He led them to the deeper part of the arcade till finally he stopped at an entrance. "What game is this?" Vanellope asked. Looking in she saw utter darkness with wires hanging. Whatever game had been here was gone and forgotten.
"This place looks familiar but I can't put my claw on it," Nightmare said. Tamora and Felix jumped off the hover board and frowned at the game.
"Specks are you sure they are here?" Tamora asked doubting the bug. He looked down at her and hissed gently.
"I think that means he is sure," Felix said gently. Ralph being the tallest used his massive hand to wipe away the dust and cobwebs over the game's name. In bold white letters was the name Heroes World.
"Heroes World," Ralph said gently.
"Never heard of it," Vanellope said shrugging.
"Of course now I remember this was Crystal and her family's game," Nightmare said grinning.
"Of course they went back to the first place they were safe," Tamora said. Grabbing her flashlight she clicked it on. "Be on guard everyone just because Specks says they are here doesn't mean something dangerous isn't here," she said. Felix nodded and held his hammer as he followed his wife. Nightmare had his claws out and Vanellope glitched onto Ralph's shoulders. Specks led the way for he could see in the dark just fine. He knew Crystal was near he could smell her and feel her presence. The gang all walked into the darkened game looking for the kids.
Nothing seemed to be there but empty space. Vanellope shuddered a bit for her game was almost destroyed. The after effect of a game being unplugged scared her and she wondered how Crystal, Daniel, Morgan, and Rose felt. Tamora's flashlight barely penetrated the darkness but she was determined to find her babies. Felix looked around hoping to see one of them and would be glad when they all went home. Just then Specks led them to the far back and hissed louder.
They all stopped and relief washed over them. Rose was holding onto her Kitty tightly as Morgan held her. Daniel wrapped his arms around them and Crystal placed her arms around all three of them the best she could. All four of them were bunched up together for it was cold in the game. Tamora and Felix knelt down in front of their kids. Felix placed a hand on Crystal shoulder and gently whispered her name. "Crystal honey, wake up," he said. Her eyes shot up as she saw who called her name.
Crystal sat up and glared at Felix as the sudden movement woke the other kids up. "What is going on?" Daniel asked sleepily and then he too saw who was in the game with them. He glared and stood in front of Morgan and Rose. Morgan and Rose looked shocked but didn't know what to say.
"What are you doing here?" Crystal asked her voice cold as ice.
"Crystal listen we know what you thought you heard and saw but that wasn't us. Randy was angry he had to take orders from you and he heard the talk you had with Peters. He stole a device to that could make solid holograms of anyone you wanted and the device could make you sound like that person. Randy made you all believe we didn't love you but we do you four have to believe that," Tamora said.
Crystal and Daniel exchanged looks debating over what she told them. "It is true Crystal they do love you four why else would they be here looking for you guys if they didn't care," Nightmare said. Crystal saw him and knew that he wasn't lying for he had no reason to lie to her.
"It is true Crystal they do love us," Morgan said.
"I knew they did," Rose said folding her arms.
"See Crystal we were wrong they do love us," Daniel said. Crystal still wasn't convinced she couldn't allow her family to be hurt again. But Morgan even said the same thing as Nightmare did. But Mom and Dad did come to find them. Didn't that mean that they loved them? She saw Rose run up to Mom and saw Mom hugging Rose to death. Morgan ran into Dad and he hugged her tight. Daniel got a group hug but the smiles faded when they saw Crystal still staying put.
"How can I be sure this is real? We aren't your real kids you can say you love us but you can't ignore that fact. And when your kids get bigger they may resent us for we have powers and they don't. No matter what we will always have problems and I won't allow my siblings to be harmed," Crystal said.
"Crystal we know you are afraid. Okay yes, technically you may not be our biological children. But no one can tell me that you, Morgan, and Rose are not my daughters or that Daniel isn't my son. And you may be right about the baby not understanding why you all have special abilities and he or she doesn't. But we will work it out together as a family," Felix told her.
"That is right I am your mother Crystal and I am also Morgan, Rose, and Daniel's mother. And no one is telling me different. Yes, you are right we will have more problems but what family doesn't? We will work it out and you don't have to worry about your brother or sisters getting hurt. Your dad, Uncle Ralph and I will protect you all like you all protected us," Tamora told her.
"Yeah and I have your guys back too cuz," Vanellope said smiling.
"And I will help you all too," Nightmare said. Specks nodded his head at her smiling.
"Come on Crystal, let's go home," Daniel said holding his hand out to her.
She had tears flowing from her face and she knew this was real. "Okay," she said. Crystal took Daniel's hand and was wrapped in a massive bear hug by her family and they all went on home.
The next day Crystal returned to Heroes Duty the soldiers flocked to her happy to see that she was okay. They all asked about her siblings and she assured them that they were safe too. Randy saw her and walked away and she followed him. "Randy we need to talk," Crystal said firmly.
"If you are looking for an apology, you ain't getting one from me," he snapped.
"Oh believe me I wasn't expecting one. I just wanted to know why did you pull that trick. What is it about me that you hate so much?" she asked.
"You are a freak moving things with your mind, reading minds, and whatever else you and your siblings can do. I have worked hard since the game was plugged in. And I am still a private but you oh Sarge adopts you and you find those dang Pla-Ce bugs, have those powers and you are made the new Sarge. It is not fair!" Randy snapped.
"Fair? Huh that is a funny word fair. Well since you think it is so fair for me allow me to tell you what isn't fair. It isn't fair having your entire world destroyed and everyone you knew friends family, are gone. And you couldn't do a damn thing to save them. Having three kids looking up to you and depending on you to take care of them and you are just a kid yourself. Finding out your game was destroyed for a thief in the real world stole forty bucks and pushed your game over to get away. It isn't fair making a friend and he offers you a home only to have his crazy dad want you in his game for your powers. And when you refuse he locks your family up in cages just so you will agree to join his game. Then escaping and you thinking you lost your only friend and being chased by other crazy people with special abilities. It isn't fair jumping from one game to the next avoiding zombies and Cy-Bugs living in caves or alleyways. Hungry and starving scared out of your mind but you have to be the brave one. It isn't fair finally having a safe place and learning your friend is alive but now you will lose it all. Or learning that for two years of hell was all a test your friend's dad did to test his son to see if he was ready to take over their game. Or having two years of living in paradise but still scared of everything and everyone being taken from you and learning how to survive again. So, tell me Private Randy what seems more unfair?" she asked.
His face was chalk white and his eyes were wide with surprise for he never knew the true story of Crystal and her siblings. "Look I am not here to play the pity me game but I do want you to know something about me," she said. Randy looked at her wondering what else she was going to tell him. "I protect my family, my parents, my Uncle Ralph, my siblings, my cousin Vanellope, my friend Nightmare, my Sugar Rush friends, and people in Niceland, my Pla-Ce bugs, with Specks. But I also see these soldiers; yes even you Randy as my family. So, I want to ask you a question," she told him.
"What is that?" Randy asked.
"Do you want to be part of my family?" she asked holding out her hand. She looked so sincere that she reminded him of his kid sister.
"You know I did have a family too, my parents died when I was 18. I joined the Space Marines so I could take care of my sister Ashley. She was so sweet maybe a year older than um Morgan I think," Randy said his eyes revealing an old painful memory he buried long ago. "But a year later I was gone training and I found out she died of a disease. That day I never cared about anyone but myself. So, Crystal you are right life isn't fair even for you a person who had powers. In some ways you remind me of her," Randy said. "If you are willingly to forgive me for my foolish pride then I will try and be a member of your family and I am sorry for what I did to you and your siblings. The way I acted was beneath a soldier," he said frowning.
"Well I am glad to hear you say that. And if I made you think differently I apologize too I wasn't trying to be the new Sarge, I was just helping my mom. In all honesty I would rather train my Pla-Ce bugs then be in the game. You guys make it look so easy and I respected you all for it. Now come on we have some Cy-Bugs to kill, coming bro?" she asked smiling.
"Sure sis, sure and I do respect you Crystal you are one tough cookie. Let's go teach those ugly Cy-Bugs a lesson," he said smiling and followed her to the battle field.
Author's Note: Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and please review.