Chapter 9

For the time being, however, Bowser was wrong. Ralph, Felix, Peach, and Luigi were sitting despairingly in Game Central Station, contemplating their next move.

"We can't take the train to Sugar Rush as long as it's out of order, but without it we can't get in the game," said Ralph. "What do we do?"

"We've-a gotta do something!" moaned Luigi. "My bro's in there, and I'm not-a going home without-a him!"

Peach sighed. "If only there was a way…"

Felix hadn't said anything, but had simply stared off lost in thought. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. A light bulb appeared over his head.

"Aha! I got it!" exclaimed Felix, even more jovially than usual. "It's so simple! Darned if I know why the idea didn't pop on into my brain until just now!"

There was a sudden whir of pink from behind Felix. Ralph wheeled around- and was perturbed by the sight of a panicking Taffyta Muttonfudge that stood before them.

"You guys?!" she shrieked. "You gotta help us! Some big freak showed up and-"

"…Took over Sugar Rush," finished Ralph nonchalantly. "We know, and we're waiting for them to fix the train so we can get in and let 'em have it."

"I just counted all the racers who made it out of the game before it crashed," Taffyta's fellow racer, Rancis Fluggerbutter, chimed in. "There's only thirteen of us! Someone's missing in there!"

"Vanellope!" Taffyta screeched crazily, clutching Rancis in a death grip.

"Yeah, we already know about her," added Jubileena Bing-Bing. "But there should be fifteen of us! There's someone else in there- it's not Crumbelina, is it? No, and it's not Citrusella either, it's… wait… oh no, it can't be! It's…"

The realization struck Taffyta in an instant. "Candlehead…" she gasped. "She has a crush on Mario! She must have stayed behind with him inside the game!"

Taffyta released Rancis and clutched Ralph's shins. "Please Ralph!" she sobbed. "You gotta find them! Find them and… and g-get the ga-hame b-back to no-horma-hal…"

Ralph ground his teeth in frustration, attempting to detach the wailing Taffyta from his legs. "I know, I know!" he yelled. "But we need a way in!"

"Oh there's a way in, all righty," announced Felix. "Ladies and germs, all we gotta do is find good ol' Tammy…"

…

"Whaddya mean, you cant-a help us?!" Luigi shrieked.

"Stuff it, Sunshine!" In a fit of anger, Sergeant Tamora Jean Calhoun slapped the plumber full in the face. He obviously hadn't made the mental transition that accompanied entrance to the bleak, hyper-realistic world of Hero's Duty.

Calming, she turned to her husband. "Felix, honey, tell me again what happened."

Felix repeated the whole story to her.

"So Vanellope's in trouble," said Calhoun. "When I find who's doing this, they're meeting me at the corner of Pay and Back. But first, we need a way into the game…"

"And what's keeping you from just using your shuttle?" Ralph asked.

"What, are you thick?" jeered Calhoun.

Ralph shrugged. "Just in my arms, Lady Trigger-fingers."

"Well, there's no way five of us can fit on that shuttle," she informed him. "We need another way…"

"Eeeek! What are those things?!" exclaimed the Mushroom Princess.

Calhoun looked up. Green clouds of robotic insects had filled the air. "Cy-bugs," she murmured, and then turned to the others. "Come on, guys. We've found our way in."

Felix gulped as he realized the plan. "Erm, Tammy? Are you sure about this?"

"No," snapped Calhoun. "Now, let's move!"

…

Bowser had nearly fallen asleep gazing out the window of his new abode. Only the arrival of his burly henchman, Boom Boom, succeeded in awakening him.

"King Bowser!" he exclaimed in a panic. "It's an emergency, Boss- er, sir!"

"Don't call me 'Boss'," Bowser scowled. "What're you wasting my time for?"

"Sir! Our sensors picked up an aircraft of some kind passing through the portal to this game! We don't know what it is, but it's probably reinforcements sent by friends of that little twerp," said Boom Boom, gesticulating towards the caged Vanellope.

Vanellope jumped at the sound. Ralph was coming to save her after all. And from the sound of things, he was about to step in a trap, just as she had done.

"The moment of truth comes out at last," murmured Bowser, before wheeling around to address his henchman. "Boom Boom! It's time to separate the minions from the scared little kids."

"Y-yes, King Bowser. I-" began Boom Boom, but Bowser interrupted him.

"Firstly, you should know how disappointed I was in your previous debacle," said Bowser, with an artificial dramatic sigh.

Boom Boom swallowed hard. "Y-yeah, look, I know my performance in Acorn Plains was less-than-stellar, sir…"

"Less-than-stellar indeed," Bowser sneered. "It took Mario all of five seconds to flatten you like a Goomba."

Boom Boom fell on his knees at the Koopa King's feet. "Oh please, sir, please! I know I can do better this time. Give me another chance!"

"I know you can. That's why I'm sending you out first, Boom Boom. Find Vanellope's little allies, and bring them before me. Don't disappoint me again."

Relieved at not being reprimanded, Boom Boom leapt up and saluted. "Aye-aye! You won't be disappointed, boss- uh, sir! Sir!"

Bowser took a deep breath, and exhaled a jet of fiery flame in his henchman's direction. "Eeeyah!" Boom Boom just barely made it out of the throne room door before it became engulfed in flames. The sight of it made Vanellope gasp in horror.

"AND STOP CALLING ME BOSS!" roared Bowser, but Boom Boom was already gone.

Bowser now turned to address his prisoner. "Well, it seems as though your little friends had the decency to try to save you after all, Princess. From up here, you'll get the best view of their demise!" He punctuated this threat with his usual villainous laughter.

Vanellope wasn't going to let him harm any of them- not Ralph, not Felix, not even Mario. In desperation, she turned to the window and screamed out into the darkness.

"RALPH!"