Author's Note: This story has finally been rewritten in a new style! In case you're in the middle of the story when you catch eyes with this note, I've done the same for all of the previous chapters as well. I apologize if it's a bit sudden, haha.
The next day came in a flash.
The arcade was closed that day. It was a Monday. Litwak dedicated this one day out of every week to playing his arcade games a bit and getting much needed rest. It need not be said that today was special, however. And since the arcade was closed, he had plenty of time to have everything set up for Sugar Rush 2's big day.
By this time, Litwak was outside signing for his new baby. His signature was a bit off, as his hand was shaking with excitement to the extent that his name was no longer legible. Really? Come on, hands. He chuckled to himself in embarrassment.
The delivery guy paid no mind to it, however. As long as it's signed for.
Most of the game characters had their belongings and were already in the games they chose to stay in throughout what they all hoped would only amount to a few minutes.
The exceptions were Felix, and Ralph who came to grab him because he was taking too long. Felix was still packing up his treasured medals. Thirty years worth is no small pile, even if they were only the ones with 50,000 points or more on them.
Hearing Litwak ushering in the delivery guy made Felix panic, dropping several onto the floor. Jiminy jaminy.. What am I even doing?!
Other characters could faintly be heard making various title screen sounds to feign still being in their games.
Litwak noticed the differences as he always did, but he was used to his ears seemingly playing tricks on him. Ignore it, Stanley. If I turn around and check, not only will I see that everything is normal, but I'll look cuckoo. Like my nana..
"C'mon Felix, we're getting unplugged any minute now!" Ralph urged, before yelling, "I'M GONNA WRECK IT!" to keep up appearances. Why do you need to keep every single one?! why?!
"Jiminy jaminy, I know Ralph! But I just can't find it!" Felix said in a panicked voice, "I want to at least bring the one with a highscore of 120,501 on the back of it, I've got the other top scores already in Sugar Rush but I just can't go without that one." Forget the other medals.. I'm such an idiot..
"Look I understand how you feel," Ralph said with a disappointed sigh, "That was an amazing day for all of us, but it's too late, there will be other medals to.. hang on, is that it around your neck?" Ralph narrowed his eyes and pointed at the bump under Felix's shirt. I can't even believe you..
"Now I've been higgledy piggledy trying to find this thing, and it was here the whole time," Felix mused. He had put it there much earlier so he would always have it with him, but simply forgot. He was smiling, but it was a mix of apprehension and regret. How did I forget?! We have to go. Now!
Before anything else could stop them, Ralph and Felix made their way out of the apartment building, leaving other medals behind in boxes. It's not like they would all show on the highscores anyway.
They were nearly to the railway when everything went dark, just a dim light coming through the screen.
They realized then, it really was too late. Litwak had already unplugged the surge protector, and began unplugging each game one after another from the old surge protector after that.
They sat there in the railway carts for what seemed an eternity, though in reality this moment lasted no longer than 13 seconds as the game began to fully power down. First the outermost edges of the forest faded into nothing, as if sucked into a vortex of darkness.
Felix clutched at the medal around his neck. I wish I knew it was here sooner. Maybe then we could have gotten out in time.. I'm so sorry, Tammy..
Ralph closed his eyes as he began to grieve. Felix, I know how you must be feeling.. I'm so sorry, Vanellope..
There was nothing else they could do but wait as their final bits of consciousness faded away.
Their game did indeed have a backup battery installed, but that quietly failed 3 years earlier, unknown to Litwak. It was through sheer miracle alone that their game had not once lost power for longer than a split second in those 3 years since.
"Aww.. Well, that's one highscore table ruined," Litwak said somberly after realizing that the game was no longer running, instead of staying powered a few minutes like he expected, "The battery must've gone kaput.. I'll have to have that replaced later." Sorry guys. Litwak longingly ran his hand over the top of the cabinet. I'll get you some new highscores someday..
Little did Ralph and Felix know, there was another in Fix-It Felix Jr. at the time it was unplugged.