Chapter 53
Two weeks had passed since Takeru was defeated and taken into custody by Surge. Nobody knew what had happened to her after that. Surge refused to give details on it and so did Takuya and Vanellope. Vanellope had been grilled with questions from her purified sisters, but the president didn't know what had happened beyond the hologram and Takuya carrying T.K. off; she'd been busy restoring everyone in the arcade, making sure to return the key when she was finished. Takuya and Surge, on the other hand, had refused to disclose any information on Takeru after the arrest, raising speculation in the arcade residents even more about what had become of the succubus.
Not that that was as important as the fact that Takeru was indeed taken care of and wouldn't hurt anyone again. After Surge and Takuya's announcement about Takeru's arrest, and the key was returned to its home in the main sanctum, the Game Central Station residents had spent the past two weeks cleaning up the arcade and restoring it to its full glory. Or at least as best as they could. The games that were blacked out by Takeru's virus, such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Mario Bros., and Skies of Arcadia, could not be restored, meaning characters like Mario, Sonic, and Vyse were permanently dead, for they had blacked out before the key was taken.
Surge arranged a funeral for all of the lives lost in Takeru's rampage, with engravements dotting the floor in the hub's center where Takeru's throne had been. The throne had been the first thing they trashed, thanks to Ralph. The crowd mostly consisted of Super Mario Bros., Skies of Arcadia, and Sonic the Hedgehog characters. Calhoun was among them for Felix, Takuya, Koji, Wendee, and Mignogna for Agnes, and Vanellope for Snow, Rancis, and the racers who had become Cy-Bugs. Jubileena, Crumbelina, and Swizzle had decided to burn away in the beacon in Hero's Duty out of fear that they would have been a potential threat. Vanellope had protested at first, but Jubileena, Swizz, and Crumbs had insisted that it was the best thing for Sugar Rush and the players. Besides, their feral selves would have taken over at some point. That had been a blow to Vanellope, who had just started gaining their respect back from them only to see them die. That left them down to eleven racers...or twelve if King Candy counted. She hadn't had time to get to the bottom of that situation, specifically the part about his being her father.
Calhoun was hit the most by the casualties, as Felix was among them. She'd even witnessed it just like the wedding day with Brad. Onely she hadn't been responsible for the Good Guy's death. The sergeant was the last person to leave the funeral, deciding to spend more time to talk to her departed husband and apologize for not being able to save him. She had to help the Nicelanders and Ralph evacuate once Litwak returned that night.
The Hero's Duty lead knelt by the Good Guy's engraving on the floor between Sonic's and Mario's, where she noticed Bowser, Luigi, and Peach didn't leave, either. The mushroom princess was sobbing, while Bowser unleashed every curse imaginable at the Nintendo Good Guy's grave. The Koopa King exhaled streams of fire and stomped angrily.
"You can't leave me!" he roared. "Who the fuck's going to destroy my castle? Or lose to me at drinking contests? Or save Peach for the one hundredth time? It can't be your brother!"
"Hey!" Luigi blurted out, offended.
"You win by doing nothing. How can you possibly take up what your brother left off?"
"It doesn't matter, anyway," Tamora cut in. "The game is called Super Mario Bros., not Super Luigi Bros. Besides, your game's gone just like Fix-It Felix, Jr. will be. And I have to get the Nicelanders and Wreck-It ready to evacuate before Litwak returns tonight."
"I wish you hadn't reminded us of that," Peach said. "Our game couldn't be restored just like the other games that blacked out before the key was taken. The key did nothing."
"Speaking of key, Takuya's still-a not-a talking about-a what's-a happened to-a Takeru?" Luigi asked.
Tamora sighed and shook her head. "Surge isn't saying anything, either. Whatever they did to her, they're keeping it quiet. Which is making me believe they did more than just 'arrest' her, as Ginger put it."
"But she won't hurt anyone again, right?" Peach chimed in.
"I doubt she will." The sergeant looked down at Felix's engraving. "But whatever they did isn't going to bring back Fix-It."
"Hey, I know," Bowser said, having calmed down. "It's not raising Mario from the dead, either." The Koopa King placed a hand on the sergeant's shoulder.
"Yeah," Luigi agreed. "And-a Fix-It was-a second-a brother to me."
"But we need to move on from it," said Peach. "That's what Fix-It and Mario would want."
"You don't understand." Tamora slammed her fist on the floor. "This is the second time! This is your first! Why? Why did it have to happen again?"
"Sarge..." Luigi began.
"Just go, please. If you're finished mourning over Plumber Number One, leave me alone." The sergeant was at the point of tears. "And do me a favor. Head to Fix-It Felix, Jr. and get Wreck-It to rally the dwarves and evacuate. I...need some time. One more day with Fix-It."
The Mario crew nodded, then left the sergeant alone to mourn.
"Calhoun..." Ralph leaned by the side of the Fix-It Felix, Jr. port, watching the Hero's Duty lead kneel over Felix's engraving. Vanellope was by his side. He shared the same loss, Felix having been his brother and was the guy who always fixed what the Bad Guy wrecked. Plus, Felix had been his drinking buddy and best friend after arcade hours. Felix always confided in Ralph. Now those days were over, and what's worse, the game itself would fall once Litwak returned in the evening. What was Litwak going to think when he came back to see most of his games out of order? A lump formed in the Bad Guy's throat at that. Would the arcade have to close for another few weeks until new games came in? Or could it make up for the significant loss? Either way, Ralph and Vanellope knew it was going to be interesting.
Butt that didn't matter right now, as the wrecker watched Tamora. Part of him wanted to join her in her mourning for Felix. The Good Guy, as well as the Nicelanders, were his family, which meant Calhoun was family. And family had to stay together.
Ralph and Vanellope began to go over to Calhoun, until they saw Bowser, Luigi, and Peach approach.
"I don't think Sergeant Stick-In-The-Mud wants anyone bothering her right now," Bowser said. "She's pissed. She's taking her husband's loss hard."
"But she did tell you to get everyone in your game ready to leave before Litwak pulls your plug," added Peach.
"I know we have to leave the game," Ralph said. "We'll just move to Sugar Rush." The wrecker regarded Vanellope. "If that's okay."
"It's fine, Ralph. What're you asking my permission for?" Vanellope asked.
"Well, you've got your father now, and..." During the funeral, Vanellope had whispered everything about Candy and his resurrection.
Vanellope scoffed. "If you're talking about King Candy, don't worry. He's not the ruler. I am. I call the shots, Stinkbrain, and I say you and the Nicelanders are welcome to stay." the princess regarded Bowser, Peach, and Luigi. "What about you three?"
"Gretel invited us to stay with her in Fairytale Speedway," said Peach.
"Ralph? Are you okay?" Vanellope asked.
"Why did I let that witch seduce me?" the Bad Guy growled. "I'm supposed to be stronger than that! How could I have been irresponsible?"
Vanellope had also filled him in on his time under Takeru's control. Ralph had nearly lashed out during the funeral, more at himself then anyone there. "I was so helpless! I almost killed Calhoun. I could've killed other people!" He proceeded to punch the floor again, but Vanellope stopped him.
"You couldn't help it, Ralph. Ralph, you were under her control."
"Still..." The Bad Guy sighed. "I can't help but feel responsible for some of this, either, even though I was under my ex-girlfriend's control! I'm sorry, Vanellope."
"You don't have anything to be sorry for," the princess said, "and the only way you can move on from it..." Vanellope looped her arm through his large one. "...is to make up for it. And you did a good job so far. Seriously, I've never seen you so angry when you busted up T.D.'s throne. You ripped that thing off the ground. That's progress."
"You really don't... think...anyone's mad at me for my unwanted part?" Ralph asked.
"I know they're not. Now let's get everyone out before Litwak comes."
The next day...
"One root beer, please, Tapper," Calhoun requested.
"Now this is your third one, Sarge," the bartender said. "I understand. I'd be drowning myself in root beers too if I had lost a loved one. I always liked Felix. He never had more than one root beer, though he knew they weren't alcoholic. And you two were one of the best couples, too." Tapper sighed. "I'm going to miss him."
"Me too." Tamora took a large swig of her root beer. "You just don't know how much. My second love, gone. I don't know if I'm ever capable of keeping it."
"Now you know you're capable of keeping it," said Tapper.
"But Fix-It and I fit. We worked." Calhoun slammed her drink on the counter. "Fix-It made me laugh, made me smile. And most of all, he was real. Brad wasn't! I was really in love! But now that Short Stack is gone...how can I move on from that? Why should I move on from that?"
"Because it's what Felix would want, child."
Tamora turned around to see Sora climb on the barstool. King Dedede was by her side, planting a quick kiss on the witch's cheek. Calhoun's eyes widened at the sight. She watched as the Dream Land King took a seat next to her.
"When have you been...?" Tamora began.
"For about a week while we were cleaning up T.K.'s mess," Sora responded. "Dedede's a tough talker, but when you get to know him, he's not so bad. He lost his nemesis just like the Koopa King, so I have to comfort him and help him move on. Speaking of moving on, you should do the same."
"But Short Stack..."
"Would want his wife to move on, too." The witch patted her shoulder. "If you keep dwelling on this, you're going to go insane. It's not healthy. And User knows Fix-It would not want you joining him."
"Yeah, take it from the old bat."
The two women and Dedede noticed Takuya entering, hand-in-hand with Lucina. The siren pulled the warrior from a doomed future into a kiss.
"I'm going to find a table," Lucina said.
"Sure, babe. I'll be behind you in a second." Takuya smirked, then noticed a trio of dropped jaws. "What?"
"I didn't know you played for that team," Dedede said.
"There's a shitload of things you asses don't know about me. I have been in hiding, after all." The siren turned to Calhoun. "But you. You're still holding on to Fix-It?"
"Look, I loved him, okay?" Calhoun jumped out of her chair.
"And I loved Snow," Takuya said, causing everyone's eyes to widen. "Yeah, I had a thing for the afro chick, though we spent most of our short time together arguing before that dumbass plan. I should've listened to Minnie, then Snow and I would have probably gotten a relationship going." The siren sighed, remembering the sherbet racer. "Now her life is over, and I can't help but feel responsible for that. But I'm not sitting around moping and snapping at people. Snow would've wanted me to move on, so I'm doing it, and Felix would want you to do the same! Felix is probably turning in his grave right now because you can't let him go."
"You guys just don't understand!" Tamora bolted out of her chair and out of Tapper.
"Now look what you did to her." Tapper shook his head. "You know Fix-It was her second love. It's hard for her."
"But it's going to keep her from moving on," Sora said.
"At the same time, we can't rush it." Dedede gripped Sora's hand, which felt nonexistent against his large one.
"Hi, guys!" Taffyta strolled toward the bar, a purified Gloyd by her side. Candlehead lagged behind.
"I see you guys are an item now," Takuya draped her arms around both of them.
"It's that obvious? Now let go." The strawberry racer pushed the siren away.
"Hey, Takuya!" Lucina called from a booth in the corner. "You said you'd join me in a second." Lucina sighed. "This was what Marth did before the Takeru mess started."
"Well, gotta go. My girl's waiting." Takuya went over to join Lucina, pecking her on the cheek and then on the lips.
"Okay, that is just disgusting." Taffyta shook her head.
"I think it's cute," Candlehead said.
"Get some glasses, Candlehead," the lollipop racer responded.
"Where's Wreck-It and his little gal?" Dedede looked over the three racers' shoulders for the Bad Guy and Vanellope.
"Vanellope's 'catching up' on things with King Candy," said Gloyd. "I still don't trust him, though. Or believe that he was ever a real racer."
"Well, he's back, so I guess we'll have to suck it up." Taffyta sighed. "I mean, it's proven that he's not Turbo, according to Sarge, who watched Turbo die by a pod Wreck-It's hands."
"But we will watch him," Candlehead promised.
"That aside, we've heard some useful news on the way here," said Taffyta.
"What?" Sora asked. "Another upgrade for your game?"
Taffyta scoffed. "Please, that's over and done with. We're not even looking for another one anytime soon. We're just getting used to the ones we already have. Anyway, we overheard the three princesses talking in Game Central Station. We didn't hear all of the details, but from what we did get, the Mushroom Ball is still on."
"Really?" Dedede nearly fell off of his stool.
"Yeah," Candlehead confirmed. "We were surprised ourselves."
"But how are they going to put together the ball now?" the Dream Land King asked.
"They're going to have it in Game Central Station," Gloyd said. "And they need some volunteers to help spend the next week putting it together. I hope everyone still has their dresses and tuxedos."
"Damn," Taffyta swore. "I gotta check. How about you, Candlehead?"
"I didn't think to look, either."
"Same here," Gloyd agreed.
"I know mine got swallowed by that witch's virus," King Dedede said.
"And this is the first time I've heard about this ball," added Sora.
"I guess we all have work to do." Taffyta decided. "Assuming our gowns are gone. But hey, if all else fails, Candlehead, we always have our most reliable source." The lollipop racer winked, and the birthday racer smiled.
...
"I still don't believe you," Vanellope said, folding her arms and turning her back on King Candy. They were in the now-clean throne room, with the president near her chocolate kart. The inhabitants had spent the last two weeks cleaning T.K.'s mess, keeping King Candy in the Fungeon in case he tried anything. He'd just been released the previous day and had wanted to talk to Vanellope.
King Candy had repeatedly discussed his situation with Turbo as well as his background from the part where he was a legitimate character in Sugar Rush and Vanellope's father to how Turbo had taken over his avatar and killed him. They had no time to talk about it in detail before T.K. had interrupted, so he hoped it would be clearer to the president.
But Vanellope's action said otherwise, as she kept her back turned.
"It'sth the truth, vanilla bean," Candy pleaded.
"Yeah, right."
"Vanellope, pleasthe." Candy made another attempt. "There hasth to sthome part of you that remembersth me. Sthora sthaid that the upgrade should help resthore my information."
"Maybe there was never any info of you," the princess guessed , turning back on him with a glare.
"There wasth before Turbo'sth takeover, but I guessth it'sth gone now." Suddenly, Candy thought of something. "Or maybe it hasth come back...or stharted to come back." The former king then noticed the throne room walls, which were now salmon. He surveyed the entire place. Every wall was salmon again. "It is. Vanellope, look."
"Now what?"
"The wallsth! They're no purple! They're sthalmon!"
Vanellope followed Candy's lead, glancing at the throne room walls, which were indeed back to their salmon color. "They were purple yesterday. I hadn't paid too much attention today. Okay, they're salmon again. So what?"
"This can mean sthomething. It can mean that..." King Candy started.
"Mean what?"
"Isth my room here?" Candy asked.
"Yeah, why..."
"Then I need to show you sthomething, Vanellope."
"Show me what?" Vanellope inquired. "Look, King Butthole, I'm not interested. How do I know you're not leading me into a trap you probably set in your room."
"Becausthe I've been in the Fungeon for two weeksth," responded Candy. "Now, can you trusth me justh thisth oncthe? If my room isth there, that meansth sthome thingsth of mine are either sthill there before Turbo messthed with thingsth or hasth come back."
"I'm still not interested or convinced."
Candy sighed. "Pleasthe, Vanellope. Justh give a chancthe to prove it. If my possthessionsth are in my room, I can show them to you. If they aren't there. I'll live in the Fungeon and leave you alone. I promisthe."
"Promise you won't bother us again?"
"I promisthe, my vanilla bean."
"Then I'll follow you to your room."
King Candy and Vanellope went upstairs to the former king's room, its walls and furniture also back to its salmon color. This was the first detail Vanellope noticed upon entering.
"Everything in here was purple yesterday," said Vanellope, glancing around the room. "How did everything turn..."
"Becausthe it'sth probably what Sthora sthaid about me and the upgrade," Candy responded. "Which meansth my sthuff could either still be here or coming back. Hopefully it'sth here." The former king approached the bedside table and opened the drawer. He noticed a thick, rose-colored book. "It'sth here. In the sthame placthe."
"What's here?" Vanellope joined King Candy. "What's that? A favorite storybook of yours? Let me guess: you read me a bedtime story."
"No. Besthidesth, you were a bit of a tomboy and could go to sthleep on your own. Thisth isth our photo album." Candy held up the book. "All of our memoriesth are in here."
"Our memories?" Vanellope repeated.
"Here, take a look. You never know, sthomething might ring a bell." King Candy handed the president the book.
Vanellope sat down on the king's bed and opened the album, where she saw photos of King Candy and herself as a child. There were photos of Vanellope celebrating her first birthday with King Candy, her learning how to drive the former monarch's kart, and Vanellope participating and winning her first race before the first Turbo incident, among other photos the princess perceived in the album. Vanellope studied each one carefully and thoroughly.
"This is pretty hard to believe," said the president. "I celebrated a birthday with you, and you danced with me in my first ball? You made these pictures yourself, didn't you? While you were in the Fungeon? Then you snuck it in here when you were alone."
"No, they're all real." Candy continued to push. "Thisth really happened. You just don't remember. It will come back to you, my vanilla bean. The upgrade isth justh taking a long time to upload all of my data."
"Nice try, King Pain in the Butt." The princess handed the album back to Candy.
"But, Vanellope..."
"I don't want to hear it," the president cut the former king off. "Just go back to the Fungeon and leave me alone."
A knock cut off their potential argument. Both characters turned to see Sour Bill in the threshold.
"Sthour Bill," said Candy.
"What's up?" Vanellope asked.
"Wreck-It Ralph is here," the sour adviser responded.
"Ralph?" the princess repeated.
"Wreck-It Ralph," King Candy followed. "What doesth he want?"
Vanellope and King Candy followed Sour Bill downstairs to the castle's foyer to find Ralph standing behind a group of the newly-purified Oreo guards. The guards bowed in respect to their president before parting to allow the wrecker through.
"Hey, kid." Ralph scowled when his gaze moved to King Candy. "What's he doing still alive?" He started toward the former king, who quickly backed away. "I should beat the filling out of you after..."
"Ralph, relax! It's not Turbo or T.J.!" Vanellope jumped between the two men, for a second not believing she was actually defending Candy. "Unfortunately. He's not hurting anyone. Are you?" She looked back at the monarch.
King Candy shook his head haplessly under Ralph's piercing glare.
"Want us to watch him, Your Presidency?" one of the Oreo guards offered.
"I can handle him, guys. Thanks," Vanellope said.
When the Oreo guards retired to their posts, Candy released a sigh of relief, but stayed by Vanellope's side in case Ralph was tempted to pound him.
"Seriously, Ralph. He's harmless," Vanellope repeated. "Anyway, what brings you here?"
"Well..." the Bad Guy trailed off, looking down at his feet. "It's a bit complicated..."
The president scoffed. "Oh, come on, Major Bodyodor. What can be complicated with us?"
"You don't understand. I'm saying complicated as in difficult to put in words," Ralph clarified.
Vanellope raised an eyebrow.
The Bad Guy's face burned red. "Let's just say I've been thinking about it ever since you did it during all of that mess with T.K."
"Okay, now I'm lost." Vanellope sighed.
"I'll just go on ahead and ask. Remember that time you saved me from T.K.'s control and kissed me on the cheek?" The wrecker's words came out so quickly they almost sounded like one word.
Vanellope lit up. "I remember that time." The princess's face turned crimson. "Yeah, I was just...um...I got carried away there. Why?"
"I've been thinking a lot about that for the past few weeks and..." Ralph trailed off. "I kind of believed that that was some sort of sign or something. I mean..." The Bad Guy groaned. "I don't know. Felix told me a lot about love and romance while he was still alive, and I still don't understand everything. But I know a kiss is part of it."
"What the heck are you getting at, Wreck-It Ralph?" Vanellope asked. "You're acting a bit...dodgy for me right now."
"Do you...um, like me?" the wrecker finally inquired.
"Of course I like you, Stinkbrain. We're friends," the president responded. "What kind of dumb butt question is that?"
"No, I mean, do you like me?" The "villain" emphasized the word "like."
It took Vanellope a few moments to think about it before she started to understand what Ralph meant. "You don't mean..."
"I do."
"As in...like Hammer Time and Sergeant Smiles?"
Ralph nodded. "But not the marriage part. To be honest, I've had these feelings since we were in Sugar Rush after your upgrade. I wasn't sure about it at first and have been giving them a lot of thought for the past weeks. And let's just say that kiss kind of did it for me. I felt...like I wanted to..." The wrecker trailed off, running out of ways to explain.
But Vanellope understood it clearly. "No need to explain it further. I know what you're trying to tell me, and I can say that I've been thinking about it lot, too. I've been having those same feelings and didn't know what the heck to make of them. I didn't want to make any hasty decisions until I was one hundred percent sure, and the T.F. mess didn't help matters. But I have been thinking about you and these feelings during my time in her cage. And yeah, I kissed you, but I was lying when I said I got carried away. I didn't think I would come out of that fight alive, so I wanted you to know how I felt before I went off to kick Takeru's butt."
"But now that you've survived..." Ralph began, taking Vanellope's small hands in his large ones. He looked away.
"Makes it a lot more difficult," added the president. "But I'm pretty sure what I've just said sums up how I feel about you."
"It does, believe it or not."
"It does?"
"Absolutely." Ralph nodded. "And I feel the same way about you."
"Really?"
Ralph nodded, still looking away. "And I do want to make this work, but..."
Vanellope turned his head so they made eye contact. "No buts. You said you want to make this work, and we can. Those buts always have a chance of foreshadowing disaster. I want you to be confident and tell me that you want to make this work. That we can make this work." The princess held the Bad Guy's gaze. "Go on, say it!"
"We can make this work." Ralph said flatly.
"A little more oomph into it."
"We can make this work. I know we can make this work." More confidence and energy was evident in the wrecker's tone.
"That's better." Vanellope nodded in satisfaction, then pulled Ralph into a kiss, but King Candy, moving from the safety behind Vanellope, jumped between them.
"No sthench-ridden primate'sth going to date my vanilla bean!" The former monarch made a futile attempt to separate them.
Vanellope rolled her eyes. "You are not my dad, even though you claim otherwise. Oreo guards, get him out of here and to the Fungeon."
Two guards left their nearby posts to apprehend Candy.
"But..." the former king began to plead as the cookie guards dragged him away.
"Let's try that again, Major Bodyodor."
"Wait a minute, kid. Felix told me it was the guy who..." Ralph was cut off when Vanellope pulled him down and pressed her lips against his. Vanellope tasted the horrible breath he always had but didn't care. She loved him, and the president refused to let him go.
The wrecker's arms around Vanellope's waist strengthened her declaration, as he pulled her to him, deepening the kiss. They had helped each other in the past, and would continue to do so. Ralph would never let her go, having almost lost her a bunch of times. The wrecker would not lose her this time; he'd make sure of it. And he knew Vanellope would do the same. She almost lost him the past few weeks, and she wasn't going to lose him again.