Chapter 47
Takuya and Snow poked their heads out into the heavily-guarded Game Central Station, with Snow camouflaging them to hide from Marth and Lucina, who were still on watch over the happenings in the hub. The sherbet racer and siren moved to the other side of the tunnel entrance, both for a better view of the hub and to avoid bumping into the Fire Emblem characters. Some corrupt characters were asleep, while others were maintaining watchful gazes on their surroundings. The two women watched those guards carefully; Luigi, Peach, and Daisy were among them, and the flower princess seemed too alert and eager to pounce on any rebel.
"Look at that," Snow said.
Takuya drew her attention from the Mario trio to another trio entering a weak, pixelated wall. She realized the group consisted of Surge, T.K., and Ralph, with the Bad Guy carrying a crate of what looked like T.K.'s viruses. "We need to follow them," the siren decided.
"How are we going to stop T.K.?" Snow asked, keeping her voice low. "Are we going to surprise attack her?"
"We're going to be way off track with the plan, so I haven't thought that far ahead," replied Takuya. "We were supposed to turn some pod characters on Takeru, free Vanellope and the others, and kick Takeru's ass. But T.K. going down this damned hallway tanked that plan. I do know we can't attack her with Ralph and Surge with her. Besides, I'd like to know where that corridor leads to. And those things in Ralph's crate don't look like good news."
"We can safely assume it's somewhere important to the arcade," the sherbet racer said.
The two women continued to tail T.K., Surge, and Ralph through the wall until they arrived at two other corridors. Neither of them knew which led to where.
"Which way?" They heard the succubus ask Surge.
"Right." The arcade guardian started down the right hallway, T.K. and Ralph following.
Snow and Takuya continued to tail the group, the sherbet racer hanging tough with her ability.
"Whatever Surge is hiding here, it's under serious lock and key," Takuya pointed out as she and Snow followed T.K. and the two men through a Nintendo 64 controller-locked door. They had been led through doors locked by different controllers, an NES one and SNES one. Now they were facing a GameCube controller-locked door.
"The code room for the entire arcade is through this door," Surge said in a somber, almost monotone voice.
"The code room for the entire arcade?" Snow gasped, then glanced at the crate of red panels in Ralph's arms. She realized what they were for, and she didn't like it. She remembered what had happened to Sugar Rush when she saw the same virus. "I know what she's doing with those patches, and if she gets any farther, every game in the arcade is toast for good."
"Ready when you are, then?" Takuya asked.
"What are you waiting for? Punch in the code!" T.K. shoved the hologram toward the locked door.
Surge sighed, reluctantly putting the code into the GameCube controller-shaped padlock.
"Don't do it, Surge!" Snow urged, making herself and Takuya visible to T.K. and the two men.
"Ms. Rainbeau and Ms. Takuya," Surge realized. "I-I wasn't expecting..."
"Later, Surge. For now, you need to run!" Snow ordered.
"He's not going anywhere!" T.K. jumped between the arcade guardian and the two women. "He's going to finish punching in that code and install every last one of those viruses into every game's code, pulling everyone under my control." The succubus darted a glare at Surge. "Right?"
The hologram haplessly nodded, then finished his task. He pressed a few more buttons and the door slowly opened.
"No!" Takuya started forward, but Ralph blocked her way after leaving the crate with Surge, who subsequently carried it into the code room.
"So, some rebels we missed." T.K.'s lips curved into a wicked grin. "And I see my little Takuya is among them." Her green eyes fell on the redhead.
"I'm not your fucking punching bag anymore!" Takuya snapped.
"You haven't changed, either. In fact you've worsened." Takeru tsked, shaking her head. "How disappointing. No matter, I have the chance to get you back in line. Maybe you can keep my new throne clean." She then turned to Snow. "You, however, can die. I've got enough cavities littering my empire."
"Not if you die first, bitch!" Snow charged at T.K., who retaliated with her whip and grabbed the racer's neck. Snow kicked at her, but to no avail.
"Let her go!" Takuya started for her, but Ralph blocked her way, throwing a punch at the siren's face. She stumbled backward, falling on her butt.
"I told you there are too many cavities on my turf," Takeru repeated, squeezing Snow tightly in her spiked whip. "And this one will make a good example of what I'll do with the rest of them, namely that glitchy brat."
Snow flailed against the constricting whip, continuously kicking and pulling herself futilely out of its grip. But it was too strong, tightening by the second to the point where her air supply began to suffer. Snow attempted deep breaths, but her throat gradually constricted under the whip's strength.
"Snow!" Takuya recovered, but Ralph pinned her down, disabling further movement.
"Why don't you just watch, Takuya?" T.K. then turned back to Snow, tugging her whip harder around the sherbet racer's neck. She continued to pull until Snow's neck snapped and slumped slightly downward. The racer's eyes stared emptily at the floor.
Takuya's eyes widened in disbelief, tears beginning to form. The first friend she'd made in many years, dead, after making up only less than an hour ago. T.K. had done the same thing with Ralph, who was currently on top of her, threatening her and forbidding her to see or talk to him again, even abused for even breathing around him. Takuya realized that T.K. would do anything to get at her, to exploit her shy, self-conscious, and weak-willed true self. But she refused to allow Takeru to succeed; rage built in her chest and as she glared at Ralph, this time pouring a little bit of spirit into it.
The wrecker winced, unable to bear the pressure within his head. He grabbed his head to fight against the heavy amount of Takuya's power, which felt like several Thwomps crushing his brain. Takuya rose to her feet and slowly approached T.K.
"You've looked at me like that before," Takuya matched the siren with a numb expression. "And may I just say it's pissed me off then and it is now."
"Good," Takuya said.
"No telepathy this time, Takuya, dear?" The succubus' voice took on a false motherly tone.
"I don't need it to kick your ass nor were you ever a mother to me or my sisters." Takuya sent a mental burst of spirit into T.K.'s mind.
T.K. grabbed her head, feeling the intensity of Takuya's magic that sliced through her mind like a chainsaw through wood. She slumped to her knees, dropping her whip. The succubus glared up at Takuya, who smirked with satisfaction.
The siren held Takeru down with spirit, pressing the energy harder and harder until she had the succubus mentally pinned. Takuya's wicked smile deepened, knowing that she had the succubus where she wanted her. She was getting her revenge. Her long-awaited revenge after so much abuse from Takeru. And Takeru was feeling every last bit of it.
But Takuya's enjoyment was cut short when she felt two strong arms wrapping around her, immobilizing her. She turned to notice Ralph behind her as she futilely tried to fight against the wrecker's grip. The Bad Guy strengthened his hold on Takuya, making any chances of escape impossible.
It also shattered the siren's hold on Takeru, as the succubus recovered and regained her footing. She walked up to the restrained Takuya until only inches separated the women. She shot her chilling, emerald glare. The siren responded with one of her own. Takuya refused to allow T.K. to break her resolve. She looked over T.K.'s shoulder to make out a bare flicker of Surge planting the succubus' viruses. He was working fast, meaning it was only a matter of time before everyone in the would be infected. And Takuya had wanted to stop that before he had the chance to start.
"Thank you, Ralph." T.K.'s gaze shifted briefly to the Bad Guy before returning to Takuya. "And you. It seems you're going to be a problem just like you were years ago. You definitely haven't changed, but I'll fix that. Yes, I promise to make sure you're not a threat to me or defiant anymore."