Next chapter's up! Took around two and a half weeks to get this one up! Also, I wanted to get it out to you guys because I'm going to a con this weekend, so that means I'll be busy with that. I'm currently writing 25, so you all should expect that in a few weeks. For now, enjoy this chapter.
Chapter 24
"Thanks, Sarge," Pit from Kid Icarus said with gratitude as he stepped out of his glass prison, offering a hand shake to Calhoun, who took it.
"No problem, kid." The sergeant still couldn't get over how tall Pit had become since his upgrade in Kid Icarus in Outlet Central a month ago. She tried to take in his adolescent body. The last time she'd seen him, he'd been as short as the Toads, due to their insanely-late upgrade. Now he appeared around fourteen, with a pure white toga to fit his lean form, a mop of chestnut-colored hair, tall white sandalboots, and a bow that split into two daggers. There was also a hint of mischief about him, which probably explained why the angel had been kicked out of Tapper every time he tried to sneak in during the wrong hours.
Calhoun had been busy cutting open the tanks of the characters Red or even Mr. Candy had kidnapped. Some had been able to crawl out on their own, while others needed to be awakened. Everyone, for the most part, was grateful for her assistance.
"We seriously thought were gonna die in those things," Lucy, one of the half-demons from Celestial Wars, interjected. She was the youngest prisoner, programmed to be a ten-year-old, with short blonde hair and a pure white angel wing on one side of her hair and a spiky purple demon wing on the other. She was clad in a black and white frilly dress, with emerald eyes that seemed to stare straight into one's soul. Calhoun couldn't help but wonder if there was something dangerous hiding behind the little girl's innocent exterior. "That glass was just too thick for me to break through," Lucy continued, pointing at her shattered prison in the corner. "Even my magic couldn't do anything."
"That's because yours isn't strong enough yet, Lucy," Roy from Fire Emblem retorted, smirking and pulling the half-demon into a noogie, ruffling her hair in the process. Calhoun noticed that the redhead hadn't changed much from the last few times she'd seen him get booted out of Tapper. The young swordsman's red hair was still a mop, and his blue eyes screamed mischief just like his best friend Pit.
"Yeah, wait for about...say, five years, kid," Wizpig, the space swine from the unplugged Diddy Kong Racing demo game, jeered in his thick Southern accent. He was the largest prisoner, with a purple space suit and horns that resembled a demon's or an oni's. Calhoun had had the most trouble liberating the swine because of his size. "And by then, your game'll be fucked." He let out a loud, raucous laugh that could top even Bowser's or Ralph's.
"Shut up, both of you!" the tiny blonde snapped, pushing the flame swordsman away. Lucy hated being picked on because of her still-developing magic. It's not my fault I'm a late bloomer! I can't wait to show these clowns when my magic starts growing! They'll be even stronger than Jamie's!
"Alright, we need to hurry out before someone finds that we've escaped," Calhoun interrupted the "bonding time" between the characters. "And catch that Red bitch who put you ladies in here!"
"A lady?" Wizpig repeated, raising an arched, gray eyebrow at Tamora. "I ain't no lady, girlie. And who's this Red chick?"
"Red?" Roy repeated, confused. "Was she that blonde who threw us in here?"
"Blonde?" The sergeant raised an eyebrow at the flame swordsman. There was someone else other than Red?
"Yeah," Pit replied. "Was her name Red?"
"That's a strange name for a blondie," Lucy added. "That wasn't even a name my dad would even think of calling me."
"Of course it isn't some blonde's name, dumbasses," Falco Lombardi from Star Fox piped up in a cynical tone as he strolled up to the group from his broken prison. He hadn't said anything since Tamora had broken his tank, but upon hearing the conversation about Red and a blonde transpiring, the avian refused to miss it. He regarded Calhoun first. "Red Riding Hood was the one who put me in here, and I don't recall her having blonde hair."
"Oh, so you know who it is, Bird Brain?" Roy taunted. "'Cause we'd like to know."
"Hell, I don't know who your blonde is besides the demon child over there." Falco nodded to Lucy, who scowled at the insult. "But I'm sure this blonde you're talking about is the one who put your asses in the glass."
"Does anyone know her name?" Calhoun asked. "And we really need to get out of here while we're talking about this."
"You know, I was thinking the same thing," Pit agreed as he hurried out of the lab, followed by Lucy and Roy.
"Wait!" Calhoun ran after them. "You guys don't even know where you're going!" They don't even know their own way around this game let alone the tower. If any soldiers or guards find them, they're dead.
"If she's going, I'm going," Falco said as he followed the Hero's Duty lead out of the lab. The avian, especially, was itching for payback against his captor. That Red thinks she can lock me up like an animal, huh? Well, I'll have her know that I'm not afraid of kicking a brat's ass.
"Right behind ya, worm." Wizpig was the last to leave the lab. "I may not be a Game Central Station resident, but I never miss a shakedown." He chuckled. "Reminds me of how I used to chase those Kongs around. Wonder what worms I'll get to crush this time?"
"So who's this blonde?" Tamora inquired to Pit as she led the prisoners into the hall, looking in all directions to check for any corrupt minions. So far, the hallway held no minions who were daring to jump out at them. Calhoun nodded to the group every time she was certain an area was clear.
The group filed quickly down the hallway, remaining as alert as possible in case any soldiers were hiding around the corridors and waiting to greet them with gunfire.
"You'd think there are guards around," Lucy said as she stayed close to Falco, who was growing annoyed each time the half-demon clung to him.
"Will you let go?" The avian pushed the child away from him, having no patience for little kids. He never had patience for them, even if there was no danger afoot. "It ain't your fault you're scared."
"I'm not scared, Bird Brain!" the little girl countered. "I'm just...worried that some muscle heads will jump out and ambush us!" She put on a snobbish expression. "I'm quite prepared, you know?"
"If ya want, I'll protect you," Wizpig offered with another rough laugh, patting Lucy on the shoulder.
"No thanks," Lucy declined stiffly.
"Yeah, and I'm sure you'll change your mind pretty soon." Roy snickered, trying to face forward to hide it, but then he felt sizzling purple energy course through him, causing him to yelp. The redhead spun around to regard Lucy. "Hey, what was that for?"
"There's more where that came from, Carrot Top." The winged girl smirked.
"Okay, cut it out!" Calhoun hissed, at the end of her rope with everyone's bickering and infighting. Part of her wished she had left them locked up. "You'd better be glad I don't have any weapons right now. Especially you, Two Tone." She glared pointedly at Lucy, who put on a cute face.
"She wouldn't shoot a child." Lucy threw the guys a glance, hoping they'd agree. However, they all gave her looks that guessed otherwise.
"But you're demon spawn, not exactly a child," Calhoun retorted.
"Half-demon!" The child corrected angrily.
The sergeant rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Now quit arguing and let's continue."
"Yes, ma'am." Pit saluted, at the same time keeping his distance from the sergeant. Remind me not to get on her bad side. I'd rather keep both of my wings.
"Anyway, who's the blonde you keep talking about?" Tamora asked again as they resumed their trek, turning a corner. "No question that she's the one who locked you up in there."
"Roy and I were trying to get into Tapper during happy hour on Friday night after all the drama broke out in the arcade," Pit started to explain.
"And got kicked out," Lucy interrupted.
"Yeah, we're getting to that," Roy said, shooting the child an annoyed look.
"Anyway, after Tapper gave us the boot as usual..." the angel continued, "we met this blonde chick with bat wings. Kinda looked like a witch...or some vampire."
"She was pretty, no doubt," the swordsman added, blushing at the memory of the woman they had met. "But looked way too old for us."
"Funny, I was captured by her, too," Wizpig chimed in. "I met her here in this game. Well, I actually ran into her, then she knocked me out. She must've done the same thing to you guys."
Lucy scoffed. "As big as you are, I'm wondering how she was able to reach high enough to pull it off. At least with me it was easy for her, not to mention you guys." She regarded Pit and Roy.
"Not exactly knocked us out," Pit corrected. "To be honest, we don't really know what happened after we met the woman, but I can tell you that we found ourselves locked up like a Magikarp once we woke up."
Falco whistled. "You guys must've had it rough, though I wish I'd seen the 'in-between' stage of you boys' adventure. I wonder what that blonde broad does? Surely it can't be as bad as what Red did to me. And that was just her knocking me out cold with some apple when I wandered in here."
"Bird Brain's probably right," Tamora agreed. "Maybe the blondie only knocked you two out like Two Tone here." She gestured to Lucy.
"Probably, but I didn't feel anything hit my skull," Roy said.
"Who knows? We might run into her here," Pit shrugged.
"All the more reason to stay alert," Tamora confirmed.
The group continued, eventually stopping at a flight of stairs. Everyone took a deep breath, readying themselves to face whatever soldiers were lurking up there. Calhoun knew there were quite a few guarding the cells to prevent escapees.
"I'm guessing this leads up to this Red chick's area?" Wizpig inquired.
Tamora shook her head. "The cell blocks are above the lab. After we get through here, we'll be where the bimbo is."
"Hey!"
"Aw, shit!" Falco cursed as everyone turned to see a trio of corrupt soldiers charging toward them, wielding rifles pointed at the group. "Where'd those guys come from? I seriously thought we were alone on this floor."
"Did you really think that, Bird Brain?" Calhoun moved through her group to face her men. "Red may be a ditz sometimes, but she's smart enough to place guards anywhere she can." The sergeant assumed a fighting position, proving that she could defend herself with or without a weapon.
"You're not kicking ass without me." Roy unsheathed his sword, which started to surround itself with lapping flames. He was ready to scorch some viruses, and the soldiers were no exception.
Pit, Falco, Lucy, and Wizpig took places behind the swordsman, ready to put their two cents in as they faced the three soldiers.
"How the hell did you get out?" one of the soldiers wondered.
"That's the least of your problems," Roy countered.
"Yeah, especially when there are only three of you," added Lucy, giggling. Her body was enveloped in white energy, coursing to her hands and forming a white orb, which she fired at the men. Tamora and the guys stared at her, with fear in the guys' expressions.
"What the...?" another soldier wondered, but didn't get to finish his question as he and the other two were slammed by the white orb full force, feeling electric energy surge through their bodies. The men screamed in agony.
"That's a little...overkill, Lucy," Pit said, lowering his bow. He noticed the half-demon conjuring a purple orb that was ready to meet the white one, which was when he was growing scared, as he understood exactly what she was trying to do. It was far from a good thing, for he knew that darkness and light should never mix. "Okay, that's enough!" The angel reached for her, trying to stop her assault.
"No, no, Pit, let her finish." Roy blocked him with his sword, more interested in Lucy's attack. He sheathed his sword to watch the men suffer. "We don't have to move a finger in this case. Besides, they'll regenerate."
"I'm with Angel Boy, lucky for them," Calhoun interjected as she turned her attention from the men and back to the stairs. As she took the lead again, she regarded Lucy. "Shut down your attack. We need to move on. Besides, it's not like Bergeron, Bryant, and Kowaltski's coming after us now."
"Yeah," Falco chuckled, jerking his thumb at the deadly-looking orb that was still doing its worst on the men. "And remind me not to get on that girl's bad side now." The avian, along with Pit, Roy, and Wizpig, folloed Calhoun up the stairs.
"I try." Lucy grinned, crushing the darkness orb. She clapped her hands in front of the light orb, causing it to disappear and reveal the now-sizzling soldiers, who were now an unconscious heap on the floor. The half-demon approached them. "You're lucky your sergeant's looking out for you." She giggled childishly, then turned around to catch up with the others.
"Cool, no one's around," Lucy said as the group reached the end of the relatively short flight of stairs, stopping at the doorway of one of the many cell blocks in Hero's Duty. However, the half-demon continued forward...only to be grabbed by her dress collar by Calhoun.
"Are you asking to die young?" Calhoun pulled her back as she and the others hid near the side of the doorway. Everyone tried their best to huddle on either side, then poked slightly in the door to get a view of the room. It appeared safe and empty with no guards around, but Tamora knew they had to stay on their guard. Besides, it seemed a little too quiet.
The group scanned the room briefly and thoroughly, making sure that there weren't any soldiers or corrupt characters like the Mario trio lurking around without warning. Calhoun did not want to get caught in their powered-up attacks again if she could avoid it.
"All right." Calhoun carefully entered the cell block, once she made sure it was clear. "Let's move, but quietly and slowly. I still refuse to believe that it's clear, but we have to take our chances."
The group followed her into the cell block, glancing at each cell to see that it was empty.
"Feels like a ghost town in here," Wizpig pointed out. "Not like Haunted Woods in our demo game, but this comes damn close."
"How come we couldn't get these cells?" Roy complained mockingly. "Sure would've beaten the hell out of suffocating in those tanks."
Suddenly, a groan was heard a few cells down, causing everyone to jump.
"Wh-What was that?" Lucy clung to the hem of Pit's toga, startled.
"Your guess is as good as mine, Luce." The angel didn't have much of a guess to the strange groaning, either. "But now we know we aren't alone in here."
"At least she's attached to you this time," Falco said, folding his arms."Anyway, someone's definitely in here...unless it's a ghost."
"I wouldn't say a ghost," Tamora rebutted. "But I do know who's in here."
The sergeant and the others followed the groan, which led them to a cell whose back corner was shrouded in shadows.
"Sarge..." the groan was heard again, this time more audible.
"Definitely not a guard," Roy pointed out. "Or a ghost. Whoever's in there, he sounds like he's in bad shape."
Luckily, Tamora recognized the husky voice. "Kohut, is that you?"
A large, muscular and armored man crawled out of the shadows. His armor was dented and even destroyed in several places, and bruises and gashes decorated his bare skin, though those parts seemed to be in the process of mending themselves. He regarded his commanding officer with a weakened gaze, relieved to see her.
"Whoa," Pit's mouth dropped open at the sight of the battered man.
"What the hell happened to you?" Falco inquired, taking a double take at Kohut and glad he wasn't in that condition. "You look like shit. You should be lucky to be in your game."
"Luigi and those two princesses happened to me," Kohut replied hoarsely.
"Luigi?" Lucy repeated, then tried to suppress laughter when she knew who he was talking about. "I know you're not talking about Luigi Mario!"
"Him?" Falco actually burst into laughter, along with Roy and Pit. "Seriously, dude? Luigi Mario fucked you up? He's like the sweetest guy in Super Mario Bros., not to mention the clumsiest."
"And Princesses Peach and Daisy," added the second-in-command. "Also, it isn't a good idea to ridicule them. The characters Red corrupts are more powerful than their original selves. Seriously, what they did to me and what they can do to you are no laughing matter."
That explains how we were overwhelmed by Markowski and the others, Calhoun realized, remembering how Markowski and the other infected men had defeated the sergeant, the Mario crew, and Kohut when they had been in the code room None of them had stood a chance. That means Red's more powerful than I thought. Just who the hell is she? And that blonde these guys are talking about? She's surely bad news, too. Wonder what's her motive in all this?
"Luigi burned you up pretty badly," Roy guessed, examining Kohut's damaged and seemingly-burnt armor. "Damn, that's something I usually do. Not to armor, though."
"That's not all. I was Peach Bombed and even slapped around," Kohut continued.
"Why?" Calhoun asked. "Isn't your imprisonment bad enough?"
"Apparently not," replied the second-in-command, sighing. "They were asking about some sort of key to the arcade. Obviously, neither Mr. Candy nor Red knows about this key."
"Well, they're shit out of luck." Falco shrugged. "'Cause we don't know what 'key' they're talking about, let alone where the hell it is."
"Of course we don't, Falco," Pit retorted. "We're not from GCS, remember? We're Outlet Central residents who are supposed to be on vacation."
"Yeah, and so far we've seen the inside of this joint and have been used as fucking museum displays," Wizpig grunted.
"Look, Bird Brain and Bacon, you're not helping!" Tamora scolded the avian. I wish I had my weapons so I could shut them up!
"Yeah, check your attitude," Roy agreed. "We're all friends here." Then, returning to the business at hand, he continued. "Anyway, this key must have something to do with the heart of this arcade."
"Yeah," agreed Lucy. "And I think I know what Mr. Kohut's talking about."
"What? Have you been sneaking around in areas you're not supposed to, Two Tone?" asked Calhoun.
The two-toned winged girl's face turned an embarrassed pink. "Sort of, I mean, I've been hanging around with some sirens in an alley of GCS, and they've been saying that this heart is like the core of the arcade. That's all I know about a 'key,' to be honest. Must be pretty important."
"Since when has a kid like you been interested in things in the arcade?" Tamora raised an eyebrow at the half-demon.
"Hey, I'm in charge of the code room with a few others in Celestial Wars, so don't doubt me, okay?" Lucy snapped. "Unlike my less-nerdy big sis Jamie. She's too attached to that bunny of hers to even lift a finger. Anyway, we need to get the big guy outta here and keep moving."
"We need to hurry," Kohut urged as Tamora pulled out the emergency key she had used to free herself and the others in the lab. Inserting the key into the small hole, she gave it a twist. A click was heard afterward, and Tamora slowly opened the cell. The sergeant quickly entered the cell to help Kohut to his feet, draping one of his arms around her shoulder. She hurried him out of the cell, ready to keep moving.
"Hey, what's-a going on here?"
"Ah, hell," Falco groaned as everyone turned to see Luigi, Daisy, and Peach entering the cell block. They were none too pleased to see the liberated soldier.
"And how the hell did you free him?" Daisy demanded, red eyes falling on Calhoun and then on Kohut. "I thought we confiscated all of your weapons!"
"Apparently that didn't include spare keys," Peach interjected, noticing the emergency key in Tamora's right hand. "You didn't frisk her well enough, Luigi." The mushroom princess cast a dirty, displeased look at the player-two plumber.
"But that's moot now, huh?" The flower princess focused on the group. "Especially when she did more than just freed the big guy. She broke a whole family out. Now we have to kill 'em."
"We can't," Peach countered.
"Yeah." Luigi nodded in agreement. "Kohut-a still haven't-a told us about the key."
"Well, too bad, Green." Roy stepped forward, unsheathing his sword. "We don't know, either."
"But we kinda..." Lucy started to say, but was shushed angrily by Pit.
"Big mouth," Falco muttered as he joined the swordsman in the front, ready to take on the infected Mario characters. He knew the three before him weren't the real Luigi, Peach, and Daisy. Then he noticed that Mario wasn't among them. Huh. I wonder where Plumber Number One is?
"Can't let you have all the fun, can we?" Pit and Wizpig joined the two, the angel splitting his bow into two blades and the space swine's hooves crackling with lightning.
Lucy followed him, auras of light and darkness surrounding her and itching to sink their teeth into the virus-inflicted characters. Both she and Pit quickly glanced back at Calhoun and Kohut.
"Go get that Red worm!" Wizpig urged as Peach started for him and Pit with her parasol.
"Yeah, we'll hold them off," the half-demon added as Daisy started to zero in on her with a Bob-omb.
"Are you pussy-willows insane?" Tamora objected. "You'll die here...and stay dead!" The sergeant had just saved their lives not long ago, yet they were risking losing them again.
"Who cares if we die here?" Roy said as he started for Luigi. "Anything to protect this arcade so it can see another day. I'd much rather die than live miserably under some jerkass called Mr. Candy."
"Besides, you got a bitch or two to kill," Falco added, pulling out his Blaster and firing at Luigi, who retaliated with green fireballs. "Considering you appear to be the strongest here."
"Also, think of this as a thank-you for saving us," Pit finally put in as he was trying to block Peach's parasol. "Now go!"
Calhoun and Kohut watched the four fight the trio, knowing that the former may have saved their lives only to throw them away, but as she looked on the bright side, she realized they were getting her one step closer to saving Felix.
"We need to go, Kohut," the Hero's Duty lead ordered as she exited the cell block toward another hallway, with the second-in-command following with a "Yes, ma'am."
The key to the arcade? she wondered, remembering the new information she'd just received from Lucy. Even I don't know what that is or where it is. I wonder what this Mr. Candy joker wants with it?For now, I need to get to Red. Maybe I can wring the answers out of that hood of hers.
…
"Wh-Where...am I?" Gretel slowly opened her eyes to see electric bars surrounding her. The tween rose to her feet, glancing around to notice that she was still in the code room of Sugar Rush. Then she realized that she was surrounded by bars. "What the...? I've been caged." The tween moved up to touch the bars, but was knocked back by an electrical force coursing through them. She stumbled backward, hitting the bars behind her and suffering a shock that was more powerful than ten Pikachu put together. Gretel collapsed again, this time falling flat on her face and surrounded by crackling sparks.
"Now that's what I call a shock," Gretel realized as she rose to her feet, recovering from the electrifying discovery. "How did I get in here, anyway?" The last thing Gretel remembered was trying to flee from the bat woman who had been talking to a holographic King Candy in the ex-tyrant's panel. The part the tween had found most interesting was what King Candy had asked the woman. So King Candy's panel's been taken over by that...witch? Talk about...ew. Somehow I won't be able to get the image of a pretty lady acting like an old man out of my head, but I know I'm definitely not taking that offer, assuming that it was her in the Fungeon at the time. That witch probably screams bad news.
Gretel knew she had to warn Vanellope and the others, but there was still the matter of getting out of her cage, whose bars were supercharged. That made it nearly impossible for the tween to escape. She couldn't help but wonder where the woman had acquired tools like that.
"How the heck am I supposed to break outta this cage?" Gretel asked herself, staring at its bars.
You may not be able to. A lisping voice was heard.
"King Candy?" The young racer glanced around, then stopped her gaze at her left to notice the King Candy panel, which started to rapidly glow orange for a few seconds until it projected an image of the former tyrant. His panel's closed, so how's he able to communicate?
Yesth, that'sth me. The projection seemed to jump out at Gretel like a 3-D movie, causing the tween to nearly fall backward into the bars. However, she was able to land on the palms of her hands before any part of her body made contact.
"I'm glad Fairytale Speedway doesn't have one of those." Gretel recovered from the scare she received from the projection. "I'd freak out if we did."
I'm sthorry. Did I scare you? Then Candy studied her carefully and raised an eyebrow at how different she was from his former subjects and racers. How do you know my name? You're obviously not from Sugar Rush, I can tell.
"I heard it from Vanellope," replied Gretel. "Anyway, what do you mean I may not be able to get out of this cage? Aside from getting shocked. And who was that woman you were arguing with?"
Stho you staw usth, Candy realized. I knew that jumbotron panel wasn't supposed to move like it was a few hours ago. The ex-tyrant eyed Gretel's prison thoroughly, as if he knew something about it that she didn't. And asth for your pristhon, I believe you've figured that out already.
"Gee, thanks," Gretel muttered. "You should've told me that before I got shocked, Gramps. And from what you're telling me, I'm not getting outta here without getting shocked, am I?"
King Candy stared at her in response to her quip. Gretel didn't know what that look meant.
"I mean, there has to be some freakin' way out of this voltage trap," the tween complained, then hugged herself and knelt down in the middle of her prison. It's starting to get a little close in here, and these stupid bars aren't helping. I really need to get outta here before my claustrophobia sets in. I hate close spaces!
Good luck with that, then, Candy shrugged. That woman'sth hacking skillsth will be tough to beat, though. Tougher than Gobsthoppersth. She may be smarter than Turbo even.
"'Smarter than Turbo?'" Gretel noted his use of third person when he referred to that character. It was all too similar to how he, or rather the woman, had been talking to Vanellope and friends in the Fungeon.
I'm sthaying he might be, consthidering what she'sth done to me stho far.
"Like disguising yourself as you?" Gretel quipped. If that was true, then Vanellope and the others were indeed being tricked, but not by a guy named Turbo, whom Gretel had yet to meet and probably didn't want to. The tween then glanced at Candy's panel. "All of her junk in your code box sorta implies that, you know?"
King Candy only looked at her sternly without a word.
"Is that look a yes?" Gretel raised a semi-thick eyebrow at the tyrant's silence. When he didn't respond, she continued. "It'd be nice if I had at least a nod or a head shake from you so I'll know what to expect. You can answer me if you know what's going on. It can help Vanellope out." Again, Gretel only earned a mute stare. She was starting to become irritated, but swallowed it and pressed on. "Okay, let's try this question, then. Who is that witch? And what does she want with Sugar Rush? Or worse, the arcade?"
"I'm afraid I can't help you there," Candy replied, a regretful expression on his face.
"Why not? You must know something, judging from your being imprisoned here."
"I do know quite a bit about her," Candy countered, "and I'd have been happy to tell you, but...there'sth a complication in my code that preventsth me from telling you her name or anything elsthe that'sth sthensitive about her."
"You mean like a virus?" Gretel inquired.
"Yesth, closthe to that," confirmed the former king. "But I do know thisth, you need to assthume she'sth dangerousth, esthpecially when my vanilla bean'sth at risk out there."
"And doesn't have a clue that woman's pretending to be you," added the young racer. She sighed, running a hand down her face in an overwhelmed manner. "Man, how many minions does Mr. Candy have?" The tween was starting to grow scared now, for the presence of another lackey and the use of King Candy's avatar and viruses could mean that the mysterious creature was probably starting to make his presence known. "And to top it all off, there's that." Gretel pointed carefully through the bars at the black panel hovering in the center of Sugar Rush's code room that was embroidered with the unfamiliar symbols. Unlike a few hours ago, when it had been processing the virus, the tween noticed that it had already completed its job, infecting every character and element in the dessert racing game. Every code box, other than King Candy's, was a muddy blue. "And I'm sure you can't tell me what that means for Vanellope and everyone, can you?" Gretel regarded Candy, hoping for the opposite.
However, to her dismay, Candy shook his head.
"Then we're sunk," Gretel sighed, staring at the bars. "If only I had some sort of power to bust outta here, but I don't." The tween sat down on the floor of the cage, being careful not to lean against any bars, and took a deep breath. This is just great. First, Red becomes my worst enemy, then this whole mess about a guy I barely know, and now a crazy witch is out there doing Grimm knows what to this game and maybe the arcade.
Gretel hugged her knees and buried her face between them. It sucks to be helpless.
Don't cry. King Candy tried to lift the tween's spirits up, despite his avatar being controlled by a gorgeous hacker, the ex-tyrant didn't like seeing anyone upset. I'm sthure Vanellope and everyone elsthe will be aware.
"I'm not crying!" Gretel quickly looked up, turned to the holographic character, and put on a optimistic smile. "I was just...thinking about how I can bust out or at least try to find a way to make some noise in here loud enough for someone outside can hear me." Good lie, Gretel, the tween thought sarcastically. You sure have him fooled. Not. To be honest, I have no idea, but you gotta admit the second option seems possible.
I guessth that might work. King Candy, to Gretel's surprise, believed her, nodding in slight agreement upon watching the 180-degree change in Gretel's attitude. 'For sthome reason, I'm not entirely convincthed. Oh well, we'll justh have to sthee. She'sth got promisthe like my vanilla bean, no doubt. There'sth sthill sthomething I musth know, though.' You.
"What? And my name's not 'you,' it's Gretel." The tween's tone toward the former king was a little sharp, but quickly softened.
Gretel. Definitely not from this game. Candy confirmed.
"Yeah, so what's up?"
Nothing. There'sth justh sthomething I've been dying to know.
"What?"
Who'sth Mr. Candy?
Gretel sighed, knowing that that question was going to come sooner or later. "It's going to be a looong story, uh...Your Sugaryness or whatever. But hey, we don't seem to be in a rush here, so I might be able to finish." Especially when it's gonna take me forever to find a safe way to try to contact someone outside. And we don't have forever.
...
"Thosthe should hold him for now." Turbo wrapped the last chain around Felix, who was still unconscious. The ex-racer was glad that he'd chosen Red for his disguise, for she had almost any knick-knack one could think of in her basket. Once the chain was completely secure around the Good Guy, Turbo fastened the lock with a click. The pale racer had been taking enormous measures ever since he and the handyman had returned from Sugar Rush, and that included making sure that Felix didn't get out of control a second time. Otherwise, Turbo would suffer a second game over, this time worse than the last one.
Thisth virusth will be the end of me if I don't keep Felix in check. Lasth I checked, he shouldn't be disthobeying me at all. I need to call Kenneth and ask him what thisth virusth isth. And he'd better not lie to me.
"Ma'am! There's an emergency that needs tending to!" A frantic knock was heard at the office door, causing Turbo to jump and hiss a curse. He then glanced down at himself to see that he was still in his original form. In a burst of pixels, he assumed his Red persona, then, shifting his voice to the teen's, shouted, "Come in! And make it quick!"
Erholtz burst into the office, a slightly panicked expression betraying his once-flamboyant, vain behavior.
"What emergency?" Turbo turned to regard Erholtz, annoyed but could tell by his subordinate's face that the emergency was a dire one.
"You may not like this, lovely Red," Erholtz said sheepishly, looking periodically down at the floor and not wanting to see the former racer's face. He feared his superior's rage, for it usually meant that it wasn't going to end well for him or his fellow minions.
"Just spit it out, Erholtz!" Turbo ordered, throwing his arms up. He had no patience for angels beating around the bush.
"Remember those prisoners Mr. Candy had in the lab?" The robed man attempted to remind Turbo.
"Yeah, I remembered locking up a nosy bird a few days ago," the ex-racer responded. "And the sergeant of this game." Though the bird wasth quite the sthailor. I sthill have a sthinged spot in my hair from him shooting me. And then there'sth that witch who had broken out once before. I'm a little glad that thosthe Mario idiots didn't roughen her up too much. I want her to sthee her husthband under my control and sthuffer at the handsth of him.
"Well, ma'am...they escaped," Erholtz finally responded.
"WHAT?" Turbo blurted out, not believing what the corrupt angel had just told him. "Tell me you're lying, Erholtz!"
"I truly wish I was, ma'am." The angel hung his head regretfully, then slowly moved back toward the door. I'd better make my dramatic exit before she gets hot under the collar, and nobody likes it when that happens.
"I'm assuming one of them was Sergeant Calhoun?" Turbo inquired. He was angry, just as Erholtz predicted. Apparently the glass tanks weren't strong enough to hold her. I wonder how she escaped when I've confiscated all of her weapons?
"It was, ma'am, and now she's leading the prisoners up here."
"Really?" Turbo was still trying to retain what little of his calm mood he had left. "And I'm still wondering what the hell you're still doing here and not helping the other foolsth!" A slight lisp was evident in the last word, but Erholtz didn't notice.
"Well...that's the problem, lovely Red." The angel was trembling under the ex-racer's fury. "Our men are getting picked off like you wouldn't believe it. I've just barely escaped to get up here to you. Weapons or no weapons, I sorely refuse to tangle with a bodacious yet dangerous lady such as the goddess of this very game."
Turbo was at the end of his rope, catlike eyes burning into the angel's; however, he kept it together to give Erholtz his new assignment.
"Okay, then. Here's your new job since you don't want to fight. It's so easy, a Goomba can do it."
Erholtz perked up at the sound of that, hoping that it wasn't anything that would be worth dying for. Anything's easier than fighting against powerful escapees just to die.
"Get Kenneth for me. I need to ask him something."
"Kenneth?" Erholtz repeated, confused by the order.
"I didn't stutter, you winged freak. I said get Ken's ass over here right now!" Turbo demanded with an angrier tone. "Surely he isn't far, so it should be something even you can handle, Erholtz. " With a smirk, the ex-racer added, "Unless you prefer tending to the Cy-Bugs in the basement."
"I'll get Ken up here for you, my lady." Erholtz quickly complied, bowing haplessly to his superior. I am not going to risk my life a second time in two days down there. Last night in that pit was bad enough where I thought my beautiful hair was going to become lunch. Red knows I have a reputation to uphold, and beauty is first and foremost.
"And quit doing that," continued Turbo. "I'm far from being a 'lady.'" The ex-racer made air quotes. "Though you can keep bowing to me. It reminds you of the person in charge here."
"But I thought Mr. Candy was..."
"Just shut up and do your job!"
With one last fear-ridden bow, Erholtz hurried out of the door. Once the angel was gone, Turbo reverted back to his true form and turned his attention back to the chained, unconscious Felix.
"Thisth fool'sth wife isth on her way up here," he murmured, "which meansth I'm going to have to think of sthomething to get Felix to listhen to me. Hopefully that winged pretty boy won't take too long bringing Ken back here, and I hope Ken isn't fooling around." Turbo stared at the Good Guy, knowing that either way he looked at it, keeping Felix in control wasn't going to be a cakewalk. "For now, it'sth going to be a matter of keeping Felix on a leash the besth I can, or die trying."
…
"Ugh, my head..." Crumbs groaned, slowly opening her eyes to scan her surroundings. She found that she was still in the Fungeon with Sour Bill and the two pastry officers. The last thing she remembered was having been thrown in the Fungeon by an unknown creature. The posh racer wondered who the person was. She knew it couldn't have been King Candy, for the voice of her jailer had been...female, not to mention sounded a little seductive. Who threw me in here? Was she working for Mr. Candy? More importantly, what was that sensation not long ago?
She had felt a ripple through the entire prison shortly after, having experienced several bouts of glitches running through her code. It had weakened her, even to the point of unconsciousness. Was that some sort of virus? Crumbelina wondered, then gasped. What if that person was King Candy sounding like a woman? I wouldn't put it past Turbo-drastic to pull that one off. The petite racer glanced at Sour Bill, Wynnchel, and Duncan, who were still unconscious and weak from the sudden ripple. Not only that, they looked like they were infected, with Sour Bill's usual lime green color appearing a little...faded, almost pale.
Wynnchel and Duncan were no better, the former's chocolate icing appearing darker as if it had expired. His vertical, pastry body looked like it was soggy and nearly soft. His sunglasses sagged against his eyes as he was lying motionlessly on his side.
Duncan was showing similar signs, his vanilla frosting almost a faint yellow rather than pure white. Like Wynnchel, his body seemed to have grown softer and flimsier as he slumped against the Fungeon wall.
Crumbelina was weak herself, a searing headache shooting through her like a freight train upon trying to rise to her feet. She took her time, staggering in the process and using one of the biscotti bars for support. The posh racer caught sight of her reflection in a nearby mirror in the corner of their cell. Crumbs looked like hell, with her usually-tanned skin a sickly white, her racing outfit faded and loose on her frame, and her hair disheveled and losing its position in its pigtails.
"I look a mess, don't I?" She laughed dryly, almost cynically, at herself. However, she quickly remembered that their current condition was a serious matter. "What happened to us? I hope to User that a virus isn't behind this, but one thing's certain: Mr. Candy's definitely involved, and apparently King Candy, or rather, Turbo is helping him, considering that he broke out. Could Mr. and King Candy be the same person?" Countless possibilities swam through Crumbs' mind as she sat down against the wall not far from the bars.
"I'm feeling a little...soft right now," a familiar, though groaning, voice was heard.
"Wynnchel?" Crumbelina turned to her left to see that the two pastry officers and Sour Bill were coming to, slowly trying to pick themselves up at least enough to sit. Duncan had the most trouble, for his round body threatened to pull him down every few seconds.
"Hey, Crumbelina," the doughnut greeted weakly, rubbing his forehead as he finally pulled himself to a sitting position after several tries of getting his heavy body to listen to him.
"Forget greetings, Duncan." Wynnchel surveyed their weakened, infected forms, then Duncan's and Bill's before asking, "What happened to us?"
"You tell me," the posh racer said, leaning against the hard wall and sighing. "I don't know what's going on, either. Aside from King Candy breaking free and causing God-only-knows-what to our game. Apparently this is what we got from him."
"A virus?" Sour Bill guessed, his usual monotone voice even more lethargic than before as he slowly skittered up to the posh racer for confirmation.
"Possibly." Crumbelina shrugged. "It happened after we were thrown in here, so I wouldn't rule Candy out. He knows how to get into our code room, after all." She then added, "And then there's that woman who knocked us out. For all I know, she could be him in disguise."
"We can't be certain, though," said Bill.
"Especially when we're locked up," added Wynnchel. "I say, police officers being locked up is a new one."
"Yet we're supposed to be the ones doing imprisoning," Duncan put in, folding his arms in a pout. "Can't believe we let that creep trick us like that, especially when he was acting like he was trying to seduce us. If that's not womanly behavior, then I don't know what is."
"Ew." Crumbs made a disgusted face at what Duncan just explained. "That sounds...disturbing. Couldn't Turbo be any more disgusting?"
"You're asking me," retorted Wynnchel. "I'll do anything to lock him up again for something so sick!"
"Well, there's nothing we can do about that now." Crumbs cupped her head in her hands as she eyed the strong bars. She hated being helpless. "We're locked up like animals and weakened by King Candy's or Turbo's virus or whoever's 'epidemic,' which is going to affect how we're going to get out of this one."
"If we can," Wynnchel added pessimistically.
"Come on, let's think positive here, you two." Duncan tried to raise everyone's spirits, knowing there had to be a way out of the Fungeon. Afterward, they would head straight to the code room to find out the truth behind their predicament.
"Nope, they're right to think the way they're thinking," a lisping voice everyone knew all too well was heard.
"Now what?" Crumbelina groaned as King Candy approached their cell and stopped in front of it. He sneered at the prisoners, clearly enjoying every minute of their suffering.
"You creep!" Wynnchel tried to bolt over to confront him, but was too weak to even stand. Slumping back, he demanded, "You'd better let us out of here right now!"
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Wynnchel," said the former tyrant in a bored manner. "But I'm sthorry you're not comfortable where you're stthaying right now." His mock boredom then twisted into a sneer. "Maybe a few gueststh will do you good, hoo hoo hoo."
Candy snapped his fingers, and a group of Oreo guards marched downstairs to join the ex-tyrant, carrying Gloyd, Jubileena, Citrusella, and Adorabeezle. Like Crumbelina, they were infected shells of their former selves. The Oreo guards were also shadows of their former selves, their filling a sallow color and their chocolate cookie bodies appearing fragile and crumbling.
Gloyd was looking paler than he usually was, and his pumpkin-based clothing lost its deep orange hue, becoming almost yellow. His dark hair was in disarray as if he'd just ended up in a fight with Ken, Ryu, or other fighters from Street Fighter II.
Jubileena's pigtails were already undone, her deep red hair cascading messily to her shoulders, and several blotches of white dotting her cherry-based clothing, which was in tatters. The cherry racer's cheerful personality and appearance was completely shattered by the possible virus.
If one thought Citrusella looked like a vampire before, the recolor definitely showed it before Crumbs. The blueberry racer's complexion was completely white, no sign of color evident throughout. Her racing attire was also in ruins just like the others, holes and gashes everywhere. Unlike her sister's, Citrusella's hat seemed to have been flattened, as if the blueberry it had been carved from was spoiled.
Out of the four hostages, Adorabeezle was the worst. The popsicle racer's entire body was covered in splotches of green, her clothes were rumpled and almost completely torn. Her hair was unruly and sticking out in all directions, just like that of a mad scientists. Hat flimsy and nearly slumping off of her head, Adorabeezle appeared as if she'd been in the heat too long.
"You sick bastard," Crumbs muttered under her breath as she directed her heated glare at the sadistic, diminutive man before them. The posh racer could hardly believe how angry she was at him, for it nearly matched Taffyta's anger, which usually consisted of snarky, catty remarks and on occasions the dreaded F-word that Crumbs despised with a passion. "I so can't wait until Vanellope comes back." She raised her voice. "You'll be data for good when she's through with you."
"Hardly, my little tiramisthu," Candy countered, staring down the angry racer with an amused smile. "I doubt Vanellope would even make it pasth the entrance before collapsthing, hoo hoo hoo. And you've already gotten a tasthe of my 'gift' at work."
"Yeah, we can feel it," Wynnchel hissed through his teeth.
"Why are you doing this?" Duncan demanded. "Wasn't last time with you torture enough?"
"Lasth time?" King Candy repeated, gray eyebrow raised at the doughnut as if the latter had said something foreign. After a few seconds, he remembered. "Ah yesth. I can feel it now, actually. That Diet Cola burning every bit of code in my body! That Wreck-It Ralph! But don't worry, I haven't forgotten about him, trusth me. Or that glitch!"
"You know you're not getting away with this, Turbo!" Crumbs said.
"It stheemsth I already have, little cavity. That being said..." Regarding the Oreo guards still holding Gloyd, Adorabeezle, Jubileena, and Citrusella, the ex-tyrant ordered, "Throw thosthe four insthide until I'm ready for them, which will be sthoon, hoo hoo hoo. Real sthoon."
Opening the cell, the minions hauled the four unconscious racers inside. Still, none of them stirred, as Crumbs and the others faced Candy again.
"What do you mean 'ready for us?'" Sour Bill asked, his deep, monotone voice louder as he faced his former master.
"You'll sthee, my sthweet subjectsth. You will all sthee, hoo hoo hoo."
Candy's light laughter matured into cackling that echoed in the Fungeon as he, the Oreo guards, and the rotten candy subjects left the prisoners alone.
"Well, that secures any assumptions on King Candy being Turbo come back to life," Crumbelina sighed, trying to decompress after her stare down with racer Sugar Rush hated the most. "But how did he come back? Didn't Wreck-It burn him to death?"
"That's exactly what I thought," Wynnchel agreed. "Unless there's something we're missing."
"No, there's no mistake." The posh racer shook her head at the eclair's last guess. "Turbo's back, and he's done it again. Even the King Candy panel he created is proof of that, not to mention that lisp. And I'm pretty sure Vanellope, Taffyta, and Candlehead also found that out and are getting help."
"From Sarge, no doubt," guessed Duncan, smiling weakly.
"Until then, we have to sit back in here and wait, apparently," Wynnchel grumbled, a bored note to his voice. "Though I'm dying to know what 'ready for us' means."
"Nothing good, I'll bet," answered Crumbs. And I'm pretty sure it means a lot more than just bowing down before his royal Turbo-tastic-ness. But why am I getting the feeling that that doesn't sound like King Candy or Turbo? Especially when it felt like it took him a few seconds to remember what he did to us?
...
"Make yourself comfortable, if you want," Sora offered as the girls took seats in a small, cramped room not far from Tapper's office. The room was empty, reminding one of an interrogation room in a police station, with only a long, wooden table and four uncomfortable-looking plastic chairs.
"Kinda dead in here, don't you think?" Taffyta glanced around the desolate room as she, Vanellope, and Candlehead sat down opposite Sora, who took her place on the other side and started to set up what appeared to be a simple black briefcase.
"You say that now, Taffyta..." said Vanellope, "but I know it's gonna get interesting pretty soon in here." The princess and her sisters watched as Sora opened her case, which was when they knew that the "briefcase" was actually some sort of mobile lab. The racers' faces grew into those of amazement as the case expanded into racks of potions, mini spell books, and panels that displayed symbols that were unreadable to the girls. A holographic screen floated in the center of the case's spawn, showing what appeared to be more symbols, which the girls guessed were the witch's name. Vanellope and the others were impressed so far, finding it hard to believe that a seemingly-vain woman would have an entrepreneurial and professional side.
"I see you're surprised." Sora flashed them a wicked smile upon noticing the looks she'd earned. "Don't worry, little girls, I've only just begun." The witch began to tap her long fingernails against the holographic keys in front of the screen.
"Tapper was right about her," Candlehead whispered to her sisters. "She is definitely a witch. I mean, check out those bottles." The birthday racer pointed to the many racks of potions. The birthday racer's eyes were specifically on a bottle containing the tail of a lizard or a gecko, where she barely resisted the urge to jump back when she saw it move. Okay, gross.
"And how fast she's working whatever magic she's doing now," Vanellope added, noting Sora's holographic screen and keyboard, how the witch was typing at the speed of their go-karts powered with a Mushroom from Super Mario Bros., and the scenes on the screen changing rapidly with each movement. The racers still couldn't discern what Sora was looking up, or how close to Kenneth's profile she was."That is not an ordinary laptop. It'd be cool if I had one of..." Suddenly, Vanellope felt a piercing headache overtake her, blurring her vision.
"Vanellope! What's wrong?" Taffyta asked, arms around her sister as Vanellope leaned back into the pink-clad racer's arms.
"The same thing that's happening to me, apparently." Candlehead was feeling a sharp pain shoot through her head herself, vision also starting to dim as she tried to keep herself upright in the chair, using the wooden desk for support.
"Taffyta..." Vanellope struggled to keep her eyes open, but found herself unable to as she completely lost consciousness and became dead weight in the strawberry racer's arms.
"What's going on?" Sora noticed the commotion in front of her through her screen. She paused her browsing session to see Vanellope motionless in Taffyta's arms, with the latter trying to hold the president upright in her chair, and Candlehead losing her grip on the table and collapsing out of the chair with a thud. The horror show continued when Taffyta was now beginning to lose her grip on Vanellope as the pink-clad racer herself was feeling lightheaded.
"Ah, shit." Taffyta lost her grip on Vanellope, who subsequently collapsed to the floor. The strawberry racer then fell out of her own chair and to her knees. Her vision was starting to fail as she was trying her best to stay conscious. However, her strength was being sapped as if she'd been sucked dry by a Fuzzy in Super Mario Bros. as her face met the hardness of the floor. She raised her head slightly in a final attempt to regain her consciousness, the empty room unrecognizable in the pink-clad racer's vision. Taffyta was trying to find Sora in her blurred vision, hoping there was some sort of spell she could cast to help them.
"Looks like you guys definitely weren't full of shit," Sora realized as she knelt down to turn Taffyta's head so they were facing each other.
"You...think...?" The blonde retorted weakly, then she head drooped into unconsciousness.
"Everything okay in here, Sora?" Tapper's voice was heard. "I heard a thud in here, and I was thinking it was you casting spells."
Sora turned to see that the bartender had just stepped in to check on her, but his slight smile became a frown when he noticed the Sugar Rush racers motionless on the floor.
He then regarded the witch, face filled with fear at the first possibility that came to his mind. "So you were casting spells in here! I thought you were looking up Kenneth for the girls, not practicing sleeping spells."
"Now why would I cast a spell without a damned good reason?" the white-haired woman retorted, offended by the accusation. "These three collapsed without warning. Do not ask me how, for I've no idea...yet. But I will find out for these little girls. Now go and give them a place to rest somewhere. If this thing's contagious, I'd rather not catch it."
"So you're saying it could be a virus, then?" Tapper inquired.
"It's a strong possibility, yes," Sora replied, then walked over to pick up Vanellope. "And it seems that it made its way into that cavity-ridden game Sugar Rush judging from what happened in here."
"What kind of virus is it?"
"Do you think I know the answer to that? I was going to look into it before they passed out on me." The witch's tone softened a little as she sighed. "Of course, I'll find the answer a lot quicker if you get out of here and take these girls with you." Sora went over to Tapper and shoved the unconscious Vanellope into his arms.
Tapper's arms nearly fell upon contact, silently cursing how heavy the upgrade made Vanellope and friends.
"What if you can't find anything?" he asked pessimistically as Sora walked somewhat sensually back to her mobile lab. "What if Mr. Candy found a way to block off any access?" Then he regretted those negative questions when he found himself face-to-face with a pair of angry crimson eyes that seemed to burn into his very code.
"How dare you doubt me!" The witch growled, anger distorting her beautiful features as she glared at Tapper. "Maybe I should take back what I said about offering you extra Silver Coins! Some mystery bastard has no such ability! I should torch your entire bar for those comments!"
"Okay, okay! Calm down!" Tapper blurted out, cowering under the broker's rage. He forgot how enraged Sora could get whenever someone doubted or wronged her, which only added more to her vanity. "I'll go carry Vanellope and her friends somewhere so they can rest."
"Good thing we're both in agreement." The witch smiled again, her beauty returning as she took a seat at her lab once again to continue her browsing session.
Tapper only stood for a few more seconds, watching as Sora was starting to type away again. I keep reminding myself not to get on her bad side. At least none of the other brokers aren't like her, but I prefer Sora. She never goofs off when it comes to leaving payment. If only Agnes or that Lemmy Koopa were diligent like her. Tapper snapped out of his thoughts, however, as he noticed a scowl appearing on Sora's face when she looked up to notice the bartender still standing at the door with an unconscious Vanellope.
"Move it!" Sora barked. "Take the little brats and get out! I need to look into one of my customers' profiles!" She put a hand to her temples, feeling the beginning of a headache generating after her outbursts. "And make me a drink once you do that, if you don't mind, but not root beer; I need something stronger to focus."
Nodding with a startled look on his face from the commands, Tapper quickly approached the other two Sugar Rush racers, trying his best to shift Vanellope to his left shoulder so that he could pick up the other two. It took a few moments to hoist Taffyta on his other shoulder, and even longer to scoop Candlehead up in his arms while supporting the other two.
"That upgrade sure puts weight on you guys," Tapper groaned as he slowly and carefully hauled over to the door, squirming every few seconds to make sure none of the racers fell off. He hoped he could make to his room before he lost his grip entirely on one of them. The bartender took one last glance at the busy Sora as he exited the small room, certain that she could help Vanellope and the others.
Once Tapper was gone, Sora continued her browsing session, knowing that Kenneth's customer profile was still on record. Apparently this "upgrade" I've sold Ken is doing more than just corrupting Fix-It, and from how those girls dropped, there are more of them. I never mean to sell things to hurt people, screw the fact that this work is illegal. Whatever that "upgrade" really is, someone must have slipped it across my desk about a few days ago.