Chapter Six- Chocolate Chess
"That'll be….EIGHT gold coins!"
"There ya go." Said a bespectacled Nicelander, handing the cashier the coins. A bag was returned to the man and after a friendly wave, he was on his way.
It was now the weekend and the little man was ready to get to work. Not on pies of course, but on something else.
He had made certain that his pies were ready for the work week, other ideas and plans going through his mind on how to spend his precious day off.
"Should I finish that?" he said to himself "No, no. That can wait. I have that other project I want to finish before-!"
"Watch out!"
The Nicelander gave a shout as he crashed headlong into a troupe of mice.
"AH!"
*Clink, clink*
There went his glasses.
"Sorry, sorry! That was my fault!" the man said, scrambling for his glasses "I should have been paying-!"
"G-Get out of the way!"
The Nicelander looked up. His vision wasn't that bad without his spectacles but it was still inconvenient to have them gone nonetheless, the scampering characters looking a little blurry as they ran around him.
"Ah! AH, here he comes!"
"Whoa, WHOOOOA!" said the Nicelander, finally scooping up his glasses and putting a hand out to the smaller characters "What in the arcade is-!"
"Gotcha now, ya lil runts!"
The man gasped, looking up to find a rather LARGE character looking down at him.
Or maybe not?
From the way the mice were trembling, maybe HE wasn't the target.
"Tried ta be SLICK, eh?"
THEY were.
"Look, we didn't mean to get in your way!" said a pink mouse "W-We just-!"
"Didn't I tell ya guys NOT to cross tha line with us?!" growled the larger character. The Nicelander soon figured out what was going on. He scowled, stepping in front of the characters.
"Hey now, there is no need to get like that!" the man said, holding his head up "I'm sure whatever happened was just an acc-!"
"Was I TALKIN' ta ya, runt?" the creature growled, shoving the Nicelander.
"Oof!"
The Nicelander's bag tumbled from his hands, pencils and a few books spilling from it.
"Aw man, I just bought those!"
The man tried to reach out and collect his items but not a second later, the large foot of the offending character came down, breaking a few of the items under his weight.
"HEY!"
"What is it with you NPCs, gettin' all smart with us?" hissed the character, reaching down and pulling the Nicelander up by the back of his jacket. The tiny man gave a scream as his feet left the ground, the huddling mice petrified with fear.
"C'mon, this is going too far!" the Nicelander protested "Just put me down and we can all be on our merry way!"
A crowd was starting to gather around at the growing drama, people not wanting to miss a beat of what was going on.
"Too far?" chuckled the other character "Sounds like you're puttin' up a challenge, small fry! Ya want me ta throw ya or somethin'?"
Surprisingly, even in the hands of such a larger and stronger character, the Nicelander remained calm, looking right at the character.
"I can assure you that would be a waste of your time." The Nicelander said "Is it really worth getting into trouble over something so small?"
"Heh, gotta lotta spunk in ya, I'll give ya that…." Chuckled the character "But it looks like SOMEONE needs ta be reminded how things work 'round here!"
Not too far away, a familiar Wrecker and racer were making their rounds back to Niceland for another pie baking session.
"Hey, Ralph?"
"Yeah?"
"I've been thinkin'. With all this pie we've been makin', ya wonder if we can do anythin' MORE with that?"
Ralph looked down at Vanellope "What do ya mean?"
"Well, I've been thinkin…." The girl said, hands behind her back "Those guys make SO MANY pies day in an' day out. Have they ever, I don't know, STOPPED for a real break in all these years?"
Ralph scratched his chin "Ya know, that is somethin' I NEVER a-"
"Aw, drop it ya lil runt!"
The two stopped, the loud shout enough to make them jump a foot in the air.
"SATEN?!" asked Vanellope.
Ralph growled, his fist balling up as he looked over towards the gather crowd "No, WORSE."
The Wrecker charged through the crowd, his senses telling him a fight was on the way but as he broke through, his jaw dropped.
"Again?!"
He saw another Nicelander being held in a larger character's hands, a sight that Ralph had grown tired of seeing. He had already had to deal with an attack earlier on Meg but another one, with OTHER characters involved to boot?
"Okay, this is endin' NOW!"
"Look, this isn't worth it!" the Nicelander said, managing to slip his way from the characters hold "I mean, we were all just minding our own business here. What good will it do to mess with these guys?"
"Aren't you all hoity-toity!" the character laughed "Never thought I would see such brass from a Nicelander of all people!"
The Nicelander felt a twinge of nervousness come over him but he looked back, seeing the group of mice behind him. They still looked terrified at what was happening and even though HE knew better, there was someone around who needed much more help than him.
"I'm not going to say it again…." The small man stated, his voice clear "Just leave them alone."
The character took a step forward, sending everyone below him back "I see you're still tryin' ta tell ME what ta do. Maybe I SHOULD remind ya of your PLACE."
"An' WHAT place would THAT be?"
Such a deep, ANGRY voice.
The character looked over, Ralph standing behind him with stone-cold eyes but to the Wrecker's surprise, unlike the last bunch this character didn't back down. Not that he NEEDED to anyway; he was almost as big as Ralph and looked pump to go toe-to-toe with him at any time.
"Spare me the bleedin' heart, RALPH." The creature chuckled "Your looks nor your smell scare me."
"Oh, I'm certain of that." Ralph said with a smile, stepping closer to the creature "But I was thinkin'. All this stuff 'bout how people should stay in their place?"
Ralph moved closer, grabbing the creature by the collar of his shirt.
"If it's that important ta ya, maybe I should use ya as an example? I REALLY like puttin' BULLIES in their place!"
"Hey, HEY!"
The crowd looked over, a bright flash of light coming between the two.
Surge.
"Raaaalph, we talked about this before." The protector said, tapping his fingers on his clipboard.
The wrecker groaned. What timing; where was Surge when you REALLY needed him?
"Yeah, sir. No rough-housing in the halls."
The man nodded, turning towards the other character.
"That goes DOUBLE for you, YOUNG MAN." Surge puffed "I've gotten some complaints about you and one more strike? In-game suspension, ya hear!"
"Who had the guts to rat on ME?" the creature mocked "Once I'm done with 'em, an in-game suspension will seem like a DREAM compared to MY actions!"
The mice huddled, the Nicelander looking down at them.
"You guys okay?"
The largest of the mice nodded her head but it was obvious that they were still nervous. The Nicelander smiled, offering a hand.
"Sorry 'bout all of that but you're safe now." He chuckled "I guess NPCs have to stick together, right?"
"I-I-I guess so…" Meeped the mousey leader, pushing her team away. She looked at the Nicelander than at Ralph.
"Th-thanks guys. Every bit of help counts…."
Both men smiled, relieved to find that the troupe was at least comfortable enough to back to their game on their own. Once they were gone, the Nicelander wiped his brow, collecting his broken pencils and books off the ground.
"Man, what a day!"
"Um, excuse me? Sir?"
The Nicelander looked up, noticing Ralph and Vanellope looking down at him.
"Ralph?" the man said, as if he were familiar with the Wrecker "Oh, thanks for that buddy!"
"Er, you're welcome I guess."
"I don't know WHAT I would have done if you didn't show up."
The Nicelander looked past Ralph, Vanellope standing next to the man. He placed a finger to his temple, his mind running to remember the racer's name.
"And you aaaare-?"
"Vanellope." The racer smiled "Vanellope Von Schweetz!"
"Ah, right! Sorry about that, sometimes names escape me!" the Nicelander smiled "Are you on your way to Niceland?"
"Yeah, we were!" Ralph smiled, trying to hide the fact that he had NO idea which Nicelander he was talking to. Most of them were easy to remember considering how much NOISE they made but with others?
With some they kept to themselves; they seemed to blend in with the crowd, only speaking when spoken to. As the group headed back to Niceland however, the Nicelander proved to be very friendly, wasting no time in talking with Vanellope about various things as if they were old friends.
"Yeah, I tried racing a few times too." Said the man.
"Really? Do ya like it?"
"Just to pass the time." He smiled "I just got to go to the games where the carts are small enough for me to drive. It's no fun trying to steer while you're in a booster seat!"
Vanellope laughed at the thought. At least some Nicelanders had enough humor to laugh at themselves.
"Ralph?"
"Yeah kid?"
"Um, aren't ya gonna introduce me to this guy?"
The Wrecker blushed deeply, caught in the act "W-well-! I do believe-!"
"Kal."
Ralph looked down, "Excuse me?"
A hand was raised towards Ralph, the Nicelander looking warmly towards him.
"My name is Nicelander Kal."
Their introductions made, the trio returned to the apartments, most of the Nicelanders gone or still inside getting ready for the weekend.
"I heard about what you and Ms. Schweetz have been doing." Kal said with a smile "Not too often we get some mains who WANT to bake with us."
"Not too many?" asked Ralph.
"Some of the Capcom folks have been through here, I'm grateful for that." Kal smiled "Sonic, Mario? Pac-Man sometimes when Gene doesn't kick him out for eating more than HE does. Other than that? Nope."
"I've been enjoyin' it!" grinned Vanellope "All these pies, SO MANY PIES! I've been on a pie kick since this all began! I just want ta make more!"
"Don't explode on us." Chuckled Ralph "Ya know ya won't come back since this isn't your game."
Getting to his apartment, Kal smiled "Well, in that case I hope you two enjoy your next session, whoever it might be with!"
Vanellope nodded "Yeah, we're gonna see if we can finally catch up with Ms. Deanna!"
"Wait, Dee-Dee?" Kal looked in surprise "You came here for DEE-DEE?"
"Um, yeah. Is that a problem?"
Kal gave both characters surprised looks, as if he knew something they did not.
"Knock on the door…" the man pointed "Betcha she's not there."
Ralph arched a brow as he moved over a yard or two towards the ruby-colored Nicelander's apartment.
*Knock*
No answer.
*Knock knock*
Again, nothing.
*Knock knock knock*
Three times the charm…..and SILENCE.
"Wow…." Vanellope blinked "Um, does Ms. Deanna really EXIST or did we dream her up?"
"She's just….well, she's Dee-Dee." Said Kal "She's nice and all but….yeah. I can't really explain any further than that."
What in the arcade was going on? This had been the second time Deanna had missed out on her pie session but it wasn't as if she had vanished. During the work hours, Ralph had SEEN the woman alongside the others but as soon as everything was tidied up after the all clear, POOF! She was gone.
Was she avoiding them?
Or was there something ELSE going on.
Ralph wanted to know what was really happening but how could he without any clues? Deanna was like a cat, slinking her way out of something without anyone knowing she was there.
"So, another dud?" sighed Vanellope "Man, I was hopin' it wouldn't-!"
"Well, if you guys want…."
The two looked over, Kal opening the door to his apartment.
"I can move my day up to now." The Nicelander said with a small smile "I mean, if you'd like to."
Ralph looked over at Vanellope. Why deny an invitation to make more pie?
"Hmmm, we MIGHT be able to squeeze ya in." the girl said with a smirk.
Not a moment later, Ralph and Vanellope found themselves in Kal's room and just like the other's it was a new chance to explore what really went on inside the Nicelander apartments. Kal's room was just as busy as his neighbors but the room was lit rather oddly, the mahogany walls giving off a warm feel, the two surrounded by books, paintings and figures and statues.
"Whooooooa…." the girl said as she glitched over to a shelf, looking at a sitting figure, posed in a graceful stance "How cool are these?"
"Careful now, kiddo. I'm still working on that one."
"Oh, of course!" Vanellope meeped, quickly moving the stature back onto the shelf. She stopped, her mind catching up with her "Wait, YOU made that?"
"Well, MOST of them." Kal said, looking through his kitchen for ingredients "Some of the others were already here but the ones that look half-finished?"
The man stood, laughing to himself.
"Yeah, those are my 'projects'. I've just been so busy, I haven't had time to do anything with them."
"There are so many of 'em here!" Vanellope said in awe, twirling on her feet "An' ya made 'em all?"
"MOST of them, remember?" smiled Kal "Some of them were 'bought' and 'given' to me by parents, if you call some people who only exist in photos 'PARENTS'."
The Nicelander walked next to Vanellope taking a photo off the shelf. There was a comfy feeling seeing the photo, even if it only was there to represent a written concept, not people who were actually in the game.
"That ya?" Vanellope smiled, looking at the young Nicelander standing with his parents.
"Yup." Nodded the man "Makes me wish they were here though. I mean, once you break everything down, the apartments are kind of empty, there are only so many of us here."
"It's kinda like our parents back in my own game…." Said Vanellope "There's evidence of 'em there, but-"
The girl stopped; she had never seen a picture of her own parents. She had never seen pictures of the OTHER racers' parents. As she had stated, there was evidence that they had existed but no one had seen their faces.
No one could remember their faces.
Was something still missing? Was the reset fully complete yet?
"Nelly?"
The girl looked back, Ralph giving her a worried glance.
"Ya didn't blank out on us there, did ya?"
The girl smiled, waving a hand "Eh, there's nothin' ta worry about with me, Stink Breath! Let's get our pie on!"
"Do you want to join us, Ralph?" asked Kal.
"What? Of course! Why would ya ask somethin' like that?"
"Eh, it didn't occur to me before it was too late…." Kal laughed nervously "My pie? Eeeeh, ya might not like it."
"How can ya say somethin' like that BEFORE we even start workin'?" Ralph smiled.
"It's chocolate."
CHOCOLATE.
Kal must have remembered. In fact, Ralph was SURPRISED that he had remembered.
That party, that terrible party.
Ralph had let the others know his dislike for the sweet but he never thought that any of the Nicelanders would remember it after that. Granted, he couldn't even remember KAL'S name but there was only so much people could remember at once!
"What's this about you an' chocolate?" asked Vanellope.
"Er, I MIGHT have had a slight…AVERSION for it a while back…."
Vanellope gasped, an offended look on her face.
"BLASPHEMY!"
Ralph threw back his head and laughed "Kid, give me a break!"
"CHOCOLATE….is LIFE." Vanellope began, her tone getting serious and her eyes dark "CHOCOLATE…is HEAVEN!"
"I said I liked it when we landed in it!" Ralph mewled.
Vanellope twirled around, hands clutching her aching heart. She then kneeled onto the floor, her tiny fingers digging into the carpet.
"You….HATED chocolate?" she wept fake tears "Ya might as well say ya hate my land, my friends, my family, MY LIFE!"
The wrecker scratched his ear, not at all moved "Blu-blu-blu-blu-HOO. Hokey tears."
"We come all this way, all this way ta bake an' I learn this HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE secrete about ya! WHO ARE YA?! I DON'T EVEN WHAT TA THINK OF YA ANYMORE, RALPH! IF THAT IS YOUR NAME!"
"Gah, VANELLOPE!" Ralph growled "I LIKE chocolate now! What, do ya want me to eat an entire CHOCOLATE HOUSE ta prove it?!"
"Could ya?" Vanellope beamed, all pain and sadness gone in an instant "That would be pretty cool after all!"
Kal laughed, finding it comforting that the two were enjoying themselves "So, does that mean I CAN make my pie?"
"Yes, please do!" beamed Vanellope, eyes twinkling "I absolutely LOVE chocolate so bring it my way! I'll eat it all!"
"Well, maybe one or TWO slices will do ya good…." Kal said, heading over to the kitchen "But we're talking CHOCOLATE CHESS here! It's Chocolate-Zilla. This stuff is SUPER rich and SUPER sweet, I doubt even YOU can take that much of it!"
"What? Is it like some magic pie or somethin' if it's THAT potent?" the girl smirked.
"Okay, I warned ya…." Kal smiled "But don't come cryin' ta me when ya come off your buzz an' hit tha arcade pavement harder than a two ton weight!"
The little racer rubbed her hands together; THIS was going to be good.
It didn't take long for Kal to gather up the ingredients for the pie, Vanellope looking more and more excited by the moment as everything was laid out before her.
"Okay, we have the sugar, we have that….can't forget THIS." Kal mumbled to himself.
"So, CHOCOLATE." Ralph butted in "Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate…."
"An' it's gonna be aaaall MINE since you're too rude ta enjoy it!" cackled Vanellope.
"I am NOT bein' rude!" scoffed Ralph "Fact of tha matter, I betcha I'll savor this MORE than ya! You'll have ta take down your own mantle of lovin' chocolate in this arcade! I'll be the KING of chocolate!"
"You're already king!" laughed the racer "King of the Flat Butts!"
"Oh, now ya talk about my butt?!"
"It's big enough! How can you not?"
"Don't make me bake YOU into a p-!"
"Uh, guys?"
The two turned, Kal giving them a worried smile.
"Um….ya sure ya need my help on this one? Ya seem ta have this in your own hands…."
"Sorry 'bout that Mr. Kal." said Vanellope, making way for the Nicelander to join them "Guess we got a lil carried away."
"It's fine." The man smiled, going right to work "When it comes to pie, we all tend to get a little carried away."
"So I've heard." Said Ralph "I just hafta say, I'm still so shocked that ya guys do all this extra work."
"What's a lil extra work when it makes someone happy?" smiled Kal "I remember….I mean, 'remember' is kind of a stretch when it comes to this. But I 'remember' what my parents used to tell me."
"Yeah?" asked Vanellope curiously "What?"
"Sometimes it's that little extra, even if it's a tiny amount, no matter how small you think it is, that can make a BIG difference." The Nicelander sighed "I know it takes a lot more time, since we have to make all of these pies in advance and all, but still. I'd rather give THESE out to Felix than some….STUFF."
"Makes me wonder just how bad the pies were…." Shuddered Vanellope.
"Ask Felix or Gene to get you one then."
"How?"
"Well, they know how to bring them out." Said Kal, thinking for a moment "I think…..yeah. Yeah! They both know how to do it, given their roles in the game and all!"
"Sorry, but we'll pass." Said Ralph "I think words alone have been enough to put a bad taste in my mouth about those things. THIS however? I can see why Felix is more excited over pies than medals!"
"Yes….." Kal said, his voice filled with guilt "Pies and medals…."
A bit of silence filled the air as the group continued to cook but Kal seemed to slow down. At Ralph's mention of medals, something seemed to strike a chord with the Nicelander and by his reaction, it was a very bad one.
Ralph and Vanellope KNEW that look by now.
"Er, sorry about what happened back in the station." Said Vanellope.
"Why would you be sorry about it?" asked Kal "YOU weren't the one who started the fight."
"I know, but it's still jerky what that guy did to ya an' those mice!" the girl scowled "It wouldn't have been a fair fight, no matter which way ya slice it!"
A look of confidence came upon the Nicelanders face as he continued cooking "I've handled guys like him before. Besides, there are always smaller guys in the arcade so I can't say that I have the worst luck here at all."
"That still doesn't mean ya hafta take that though!" said Vanellope "He was WRONG for pickin' on people, I just wish I-!"
"Kiddo, don't worry about me! I can take it!" Replied the Nicelander "I've gotten a few bumps and bruises over the years so what's a few more? Plus…"
"Plus?" Ralph asked.
"Plus, I just have to learn how to stand up better for myself I guess." The Nicelander said in a nervous voice "I mean….I mean most of the stuff that happened here wouldn't have even transpired had we all-"
Kal began breaking the baking chocolate into tiny pieces, putting it in the saucepan "I know I can't fight. I was never INTENDED to fight and I don't believe in those types of confrontations ANYWAY. That's not who I am. I just have to learn how to take care of myself and the others better so we don't HAVE to turn to Felix all the time."
Vanellope poured the cream into the pan "Ya could have fooled me! Ya seemed ta be holdin' well for those mice back there!"
"I couldn't just run away." Kal began "But what more could I have done? I already KNOW what it feels like to be underfoot to someone else and I know I can't do anything to fight someone who is nearly two stories taller than me."
"At least ya did somethin'." Said Ralph "That's better than just turning away."
The chocolate slowly melted in the pan, Kal watching on with guilt "You say that as if I haven't been doing that to you all these years, Ralph."
"W-well…." The big man stammered "I've just been thinkin'…"
"Wait, it's about to burn." Kal interrupted, lifting up the pot of bubbling chocolate and pouring the mix into Vanellope's mixing bowl.
"Okay, just put some vanilla in it."
"On it!"
"Look Kal, all this time talkin' ta ya guys…" Ralph began "It's just got me thinkin'. It got me thinkin' 'bout how much we had in common."
The smaller man was a little surprised to hear Ralph say such things "How so?"
"I just kinda thought that ya guys were always so happy an' content here. In tha arcade I mean."
"Yeees?"
"I never realized how things were once EVERYONE stepped OUTSIDE tha game." Ralph continued "I hated bein' alone out there in the brick pile…."
From the corner of his eye, Ralph could see the Nicelander glance off to the side, looking even more shameful than he had before.
"But if I had been in tha apartments back then, I guess it still wouldn't have been all tha pie an' sunshine perfection I thought it would be."
"It would have been better."
"If it really was 'better'…." Said Ralph, his brows furrowing as he thought "Then NONE of us would have so many problems just tryin' ta walk through from one game ta tha next, don't ya think?"
Kal stopped kneading the dough, Ralph's words hitting him. Vanellope paused as well, looking at both men. The Nicelander removed his glasses, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"I-I get what you're saying big fella. I guess." The man said "I'm just caught."
"Between a rock an' a hard place?" Vanellope smirked, trying to put a smile on the man's face.
"More like between a crushing wall and a spiked, snake pit. With electric walls."
"Ooooh, NASTY."
"I know that I went along with everyone all these years, and I want to change from that." Kal continued
"I just find it so frustrating to do so when the same people who more or less pushed us around for YEARS are still on our backs and acting as if they have even more right to push us around now. They know we can't fight back, so that's why they keep coming and it's not like we can IGNORE them. They more or less tower over us! It's all because-!"
"Because of what?" Vanellope asked in curiosity.
The Nicelander tapped his lip, his eyes lighting up.
"DUH!" he smiled "Why didn't I think of doing this before?"
"Eh, what?" asked Ralph.
Kal finished working on the pie crust, molding the sides into perfectly shaped shell-edges "Pour the filling in and I'll show you guys EXACTLY how things used to work here!"
"How?" Vanellope asked, carefully pouring the chocolaty goodness into the dough "Ya got some movies or somethin'?"
"Mmm, not exactly." Kal said as he took the pie and slid it into the oven "But hopefully, it's just as entertaining!"
Kal then walked into his living room, signaling the two to follow.
"C'mon, don't be shy!"
The two friends looked at each other, wondering just what in the arcade Kal had planned for them. They followed, the Nicelander taking a seat at a large drawing table. Vanellope looked around, so many sketches and pictures surrounding her.
"I think I can see where this is goin'…."
Kal sharpened a pencil, a slight grin on his face "Sometimes, PICTURES speak louder than WORDS."
The man leaned forward on his table, starting the sketch. First a circle, then some lines. Vanellope and Ralph watched, the simple shapes transforming before their eyes, what was once just lines and circles suddenly turning into….
"Felix?"
Yes, it was Felix that Kal had drawn on the paper, the repairman looking just as bright and cheerful as he always had. Kal finished the outside lines, making the man more clear.
"Yup." Said the Nicelander, drawing another circle next to the repairman but as the two behind him looked closer, this figure was a lot smaller.
A LOT smaller.
Rounder, chubbier.
A Nicelander?
Seeing it for themselves on paper made the two realize just how much smaller they were to the repairman.
"It started out nice enough…." Kal began, illustrating his words "We were all plugged in and life seemed fun enough. No one bothered us those first few days…."
Kal drew another figure of Felix onto the paper, some more Nicelanders aside them but this time, a LARGER figure was drawn beside them.
Ralph took notice of the large chest, the square build.
Kal….was drawing HIM.
And to Ralph's surprise, the Nicelander's rendition of the wrecker was NOT in malcontent. Ralph did not look mean, he did not look angry, he did not look monstrous. In fact, he looked just as cartoony and silly as everyone else in the picture.
Ralph looked like HIMSELF.
Vanellope looked closer, finding herself pulled in the more al drew. The closer she looked, the more the drawings felt as if they were coming alive, as if they were actually moving before her.
"Coool!"
"This was our 'family'." Said Kal "This was the way we THOUGHT things were going to be. We thought that all we had to worry about was making sure we did our job right and the occasional brick nailing us in the face from time to time."
"Did I ever get ya?" asked Ralph sheepishly.
Kal the drew a picture of himself getting hit in the face with a brick but even so, he laughed at himself.
"One or two times, maybe. Where do you think I learned to dodge?"
The page was then turned, fingers and pencil speeding away on another drawing.
"It was only after we started getting out did we get a taste of what some people thought about NPCs…."
A large, unknown creature was then constructed on the paper but unlike Ralph, THIS figure did not seem so friendly. Kal drew Felix and a few Nicelanders below the figure, their tiny size very apparent next to him.
"People knew how to play face when Felix was around." Kal narrated "Felix was a GOOD GUY and you ALWAYS have to behave in front of a good guy, RIGHT?"
Vanellope knew EXACTLY what this was leading to "But as soon as he was gone?"
The Nicelander then drew the creature tossing a few Nicelanders around, several of them running away.
"And hence came forth the term 'Walking Footballs'." Huffed Kal "Well, among 'Walking Thumbs', 'Walking Eggs', 'Lil Baby People', whatever floated their boats."
More characters were drawn, some that looked very familiar to Ralph.
"Hey, aren't those Pookas?"
"YUUUP."said Kal "I told you WE weren't the only ones who were messed with. Back then, it was a free-for all if you're three feet tall or less."
Vanellope glitched in fear "Th-three feet all or LESS? Ah-ahah. I guess I'M part of that club too…."
"They would have gone easy on YOU." Kal said, drawing Vanellope in her princess dress "After all, you have THREE things going for you."
"I DO?" the girl said in surprise.
"One, you're a MAIN character. Two, you're a PRINCESS. And THREE? DON'T. MESS. WITH. KIDS."
"Well, at least there is some decency here." Ralph said, looking none-to-pleased "Still doesn't make anythin' they did RIGHT though! Why would people do this ta ya?"
"Because they COULD…." Kal continued "Because they could and they didn't care. Besides, it's not like it was just Bad Guys who did this. It was Good Guys as well."
"Good Guys like FELIX?!" Vanellope said, stunned.
"NO, because Felix actually cared for people."
"I know what you're talkin' about…." Ralph said "Ya mean those Good Guys who think they're top notch but don't lift a finger unless some quarters are chucked into tha machine."
"Bingo." Kal said, pointing over to Ralph "You can guess they didn't treat their own NPCs much better."
As Ralph looked down at the paper, it was becoming even clearer as to why the Nicelanders and various other characters were scared of Bad Guys. If people were abusing their power like THIS….
The man clenched his fist, a bit of anger rising up.
"Why? Why would they do this?" the man growled "All they did was spread around that Bad Guys ARE bad!"
"And we all fell for it…." Kal sighed "We all did."
Kal began drawing the Nicelanders again, this time the group where standing much closer to each other, looking worried and scared. A few bad guys were drawn next to them.
"Since SOME bad guys kept messing with us, we started to think that ALL bad guys were like that…."
Kal flipped the page over, quickly sketching out some drawings of Felix doing various things.
"But Felix? Felix was our HERO." Kal continued "He fixed our things when they broke, he patched us up when we were HURT but most importantly? He did this even AFTER the games were over. Once the ids left, he didn't just push us aside or go off. He saw us as FAMILY, he saw us as PEOPLE. That's all we ever wanted was to be seen as PEOPLE and not background props."
Ralph gulped "An'….an' that's why ya looked up to him."
"After so many people?" Kal said "It was wonderful to come home to a person who called us by our NAMES, who recognized that we could do other things than bake pies. Someone who wanted to be with us, someone who didn't see less of us because of our own roles."
Felix was drawn again but this time around, the little repairman looked LESS than pleased. Two figures were drawn behind him, Ralph quickly recognizing the pill-shape hat and the inscribed cardigan.
Gene and Mary?
Something had happened. Something that no one had yet to tell him about but whatever had taken place, it had caused Felix to break out of his usual happy-go-lucky mood. Even when Felix was captured by King Candy, Ralph had never seen him in such a state of anger.
Whatever had happened, it must have been big.
"I don't know the entire story, I wasn't there…." Kal said "But it sort of sealed the minds of a lot of us."
"What could someone have POSSIBLY said ta make Felix THIS upset?" Vanellope asked in worry.
"As I said kid, I wasn't there….." Kal said, fingers nervously drumming on the table "I just know, after that. A lot of things changed."
Ralph stopped again, his heart skipping a beat. Felix's anger? Gene and Mary looking so upset? A terrible incident?
It couldn't have been. It couldn't have been THAT night.
Ralph's hands shook as he looked down at the picture, the memories of many years flooding back to him. He then began to realize WHY the Nicelanders had kept so hush towards him and Vanellope over certain things and it was because it was that night.
The night that EVERYONE in Fix-it-Felix Jr. was BROKEN.
"I-I just don't understand…." Vanellope said "Who could have made Felix so angry?"
Kal said nothing, going back to his drawing.
Lines, circles, shading. A figure began to appear.
A familiar jumpsuit, a familiar helmet. Vanellope's eyes widened as the face became more and more clear.
That glint, that sneer, those teeth.
"T-Turbo?!"
Turbo, indeed.
Kal finished the sketch, looking down at the figure in ire.
"Turbo…." The man said, his voice low "The one and only."
By now, both Wrecker and racer were familiar with the tales the other Nicelanders had told him about their encounters with Turbo. All this time, Ralph had thought that the Nicelanders looked towards Turbo as being one of the 'Good Guys', someone they would always speak of favorably but as his memories came back to him he realized something.
The Nicelanders had NEVER spoken of Turbo in a manner of praise.
Considering all the encounters the group had had with him, it was beginning to make sense WHY such words of heroics about the racers never came. He had always gone after them as well. What in the arcade could have POSSIBLY made him believe that they would want to be around someone who saw them as laughing-stocks?
"I can't believe he was still here the entire time….." Kal murmured, concentrating on his drawing "We thought he bit the dust during the whole Road Blasters things but to find out he was still here all this time? That he had jacked ANOTHER game? It makes so much sense that Mary was weary of that phony."
"Wait, Mary KNEW?!" Ralph said in surprise "She knew that King Cany was-?!"
"She didn't KNOW, but she had a FEELING, a feeling that something was WRONG." Kal said "As sweet as she is, even Mary was pushed to her limit with Turbo and when she saw King Candy for the first time, she told us to-"
Kal shook his head, moaning.
"Ungh, I feeling even DUMBER for not seeing it the first time!"
"Don't feel like that." Said Ralph "Even I didn't know. NO ONE knew."
"Heck! Even I wouldn't have been able to figure it out!" Vanellope said "He had ALL of our minds warped after all!"
"Kal, tell me the truth." Ralph said "What did Turbo do to you guys? What did Turbo do to ALL NPCs?"
"Does it really matter now, Ralph? He's gone so-!"
"YES, it does matter!" Ralph bellowed, nearly causing Kal to fall out of his seat "We've been here for THIRTY YEARS, Kal! Tha same guy who took over Vanellope's game treated YOU guys like GARBAGE an' ya think it doesn't MATTER?! WHY!?"
"Because we're NPCs, Ralph!" Kal shouted, much to his own surprise "Did you REALLY think for a second that ANYONE would care about the woes some Nicelanders go through? No one did in the PAST and they won't now, ESPECIALLY after what we-!"
"Kal, I've talked with so many of ya…." Ralph cut in, kneeling down "I just want ta know what REALLY happened. I WANT ta listen ta what ya say, I WANT ta hear YOUR side. In YOUR words, not someone else's. "
Kal tapped the table again, an obvious sign that he was simply astonished to what Ralph had said to him. He could not deny it himself that he was TERRIFIED of Ralph years ago, scared with the others into thinking that as a BAD GUY Ralph would treat them just as badly as so many others had.
But Ralph had proven him wrong.
A bad guy doesn't make one BAD.
Ralph was willing to listen, he WANTED to listen.
Or better yet, he wanted to LOOK.
Kal sighed, returning to his work "Fine. I'll tell you what I CAN, but nothing more than THAT."
The Nicelander began drawing again, his figure showing up on the paper along with Ralph, Felix, Turbo and a few others.
"Turbo arrived a while before us so he had PLENTY of time to stake his claim when it came to being Mr. Top-Shelf here." Kal said "He had the ears of so many people, good guys and bad guys. Those who wanted to be in with the 'IT' scene, you went to Turbo. The most POPULAR game in the arcade."
Another sketch was drawn, this time of Turbo trying to shake hands with Felix.
"Being new here, Turbo figured he'd be able to sweep Felix into his fold EASILY. You know how Felix wants EVERYONE to be happy. I guess that Turbo figured that if Felix were that trusting, were that naïve, then he could get him to follow him ANYWHERE."
"But I can guess…" Vanellope said "That Felix said no?"
"He didn't buy it." Kal nodded "I don't know what happened on FELIX'S side of things but what I do know is that after a while, Felix started SCOLDING Turbo over his behavior."
"Felix stood up against Turbo?" Ralph blinked.
"Many times. Felix didn't like the way he was treating others and he ESPECIALLY didn't care for the way some good and bad guys were mirroring his behavior. The guy had a formidable posse on his hands and they would knock ANYONE around how they felt got in their way."
"Y-You guys too?"
"I don't know why people went after US so much back then…." Kal said in a huff "I don't know, maybe because we DO look like walking eggs or something?"
"Funny lookin' or not, what right did Turbo have treatin' ANYONE like that?!" Vanellope growled.
"When you have a lot of power, or THINK you do, you get a sense you can do ANYTHING. ESPECIALLY towards those you know cannot fight back." The Nicelander said "Do you think Turbo would have said ANYTHING to us had we been Felix's size? Had we actually been higher up the gaming ladder? He was well aware how easy it was to mess with us, to scare us, to sway us into thinking things based on HIS views. That's what you can do when the power is in YOUR hands."
And it was at that moment Vanellope felt as if the floor beneath her had fallen through.
POWER.
Turbo wanted power from the very start and he would do anything to ANYONE to ensure he got it.
The way he treated Nicelanders and other NPCs. The way he had gone after Road Blasters when they arrived at the arcade. Sugar Rush's take over, her near deletion.
Turbo had done so much, so much to so many people yet even in his demise, the toxicity of his influence was still around.
And not too long ago, she was slowly going down that path.
She had slipped when she let the rumor take over her thoughts, she had slipped when she was sure that taking revenge was the best way to go about.
She was just becoming a cog of a thought that Turbo had put inside many so long ago.
Another thought hit her, this one feeling even worse.
What if Turbo had missed Sugar Rush? What if someone else had gotten picked instead?
Vanellope would have lay witness to it from the outside and she wouldn't have had a single clue as to what was going on. She would have thought everything was in line with the King, that he was only doing his job.
It was terrifying to think. It was terrifying to know that whatever side she would have been on, Turbo would have played her and everyone else like a harp and even worse?
What if he had tried to rope her along WITH his ideals?
She was a main character after all, the ruler of the game, someone the others were supposed to look up to. Would she have been able to say no to him or would she have been like so many others who had been enticed by his sweet words, his slick grin?
He could have molded her, told her that as Princes she was better than everyone, better than her own NPCs, better than the other racers, better than so many.
That could have happened. He could have gotten her into his little gang, going about treating so many people…
The way she had been treated when she was a GLITCH.
Vanellope had fallen hard for a rumor started at Tapper's, a rumor to do such rotten things, so it was very much possible. With the right words, the right tone, Turbo would have gotten her to.
And WITHOUT memory interference to boot.
"I can speak from experience…." Ralph said "My times with Turbo weren't any better."
"Was ANY time with Turbo good?" the Nicelander said.
"He knew where ta get me." Said the wrecker, his nose wrinkling "I guess I was just that easy to read. He KNEW I hated bein' a bad guy so he played that ta his advantage. Tryin' ta get me ta-!"
Ralph stopped, holding his tongue. Vanellope and Kal looked on, confused by the man's sudden actions.
"Ralph?"
EVERYTHING was starting to come back together, so much so that Ralph just couldn't confess it, not at that moment anyway. He felt guilty trying to pry so much information from Kal knowing full well he just couldn't expose his own.
But it was right there in front of him, the reason for so much anger and loneliness over so long looking him right in the face. All this time, Ralph and the Nicelanders had a common catalyst for what caused them to turn, for what shaped them into the people they eventually turned out to be.
The wrecker was starting to understand just how important these talks were and why he SHOULD have joined Vanellope from the very start. It was more than just getting to know the Nicelanders, it was about looking back to his own past and seeing just what had been happening, just what had gone on in their home and the people who had influenced them.
"Even with all that he did. Even with everything he had said to us, I still felt horrible when Turbo Time got unplugged."
"Really?" asked Vanellope "Why?"
"Because….because I didn't think that was right. Even with the things that Turbo had done, the game getting unplugged effected EVERYONE, everyone in that game who hadn't done anything to bother us, people in the game who just wanted to do what they loved to do. And because of ONE person? ONE person caused so much pain for so many and he took them down with him. How fair is that?"
Kal felt as if he were getting TOO upset, that he was letting the two know a little too much about how he felt.
"Ralph?"
"Yeah?"
"No matter how many times I kept telling myself NOT to think those things, NOT to believe what Turbo said, not to believe what GENE said….I could not stop myself from thinking that Bad guys were BAD. I couldn't."
Ralph let out a heavy breath "R-right now, I'm seein' WHY ya guys thought so."
"Please understand THIS. I know there are some things you want to know and I can tell you SOME of it….but…"
Kal bit his lip, fingers drumming on the table, eyes darting about.
"Some things….some things, I have no RIGHT to explain to you. I would go against everything I stand for and….and, I just don't want to make any else upset by exposing THEIR troubles."
THEIR?
Who else was Kal talking about? Another Nicelander? Felix? Someone else in the arcade?
"I made one promise in my life and out of everything that I have messed up, THAT is something I want to keep. I don't want to mess anything else up! I don't want to make anyone else miserable!"
Kal looked towards the ground, wringing his hands.
"L-Like I made YOU, big guy."
There was so much regret for what Kal and the other Nicelanders had done to the Wrecker over the years; the regret of pushing him out, of blaming him, and over believing others but the more Ralph listened, the more he began to understand.
He wanted them to see him for who he really was but he NEVER wanted them to SUFFER for it, he never wanted them to keep feeling scared or that he would hurt them but there were still so many in the arcade who were more than happy to press the Nicelanders, to 'put them in their place' as they had been for years.
That wasn't what Ralph wanted, even if it was what others tried to TELL him he wanted.
Ralph went back to what Gene had told him that night, that before there were no groups for NPCs to talk to. There were no NPC meetings to reassure them that they mattered, that they were more than just backgrounds characters.
There was no one there…..but themselves and their heroes.
Heroes like Felix.
Ralph wished that Felix would have stood up for him the same way he had done the Nicelanders but if anything, it was starting to make it so clear as to WHY the group loved Felix was much as they did.
It wasn't about Felix's 'role'. Felix could have just ridden on being a hero. He could have just taken the glory, the fame, the medals.
But Felix had actually taken ACTION.
Felix actually helped other people, he pushed back the groups when they got rowdy. He was there for the smaller characters when no one else would even blink an eye. He was ALWAYS there to help, he would never turn a person away when they asked.
"I'm glad you came here." Said Kal.
Ralph looked down "Excuse me?"
"I said, I'm glad you deiced to come and bake with me."
"It's not a problem!" smiled Vanellope "I'm starting to like hanging out with ya guys! Though some of the places here could use a touch'a color, no offense!"
"Not at all taken." Smiled Kal "I'm just glad you're not mad at us. We do have SOME people here that enjoy our company but it's just so refreshing to know there is someone here that doesn't want to use us as dodge balls."
"HATING people takes too much energy an' I don't have time for that, Mr. Kal!" the girl smiled "'Sides, if HALF tha people who messed with ya stopped for a second, they wouldn't miss tha GOOD that comes outta ya!"
"You're gonna say PIE, aren't ya?"
"An' why not?" the girl chortled "Ya should be PROUD of this pie! It's some of tha yummiest on this side of tha arcade!"
"You're bein' too nice, now."
"No, I'm bein' SERIOUS!" the girl smiled "Plus, ya made all of this? How do ya find tha time ta bake all these pies an' draw?!"
"I really don't." said Kal, walking over to the stove as the timer went off "See, I guess if we let the game 'make' the pies the way we're supposed to, I WOULD have more time to draw and make what I want all the time but baking so many pies a day can take off so much time. I mean, I DID agree to bake after all."
"Ya mean ya went along with tha plan? Even if it meant losin' time ta do what ya wanted?" asked Vanellope.
Kal put on his oven mitts "Yes, yes I did. I thought Felix deserved better after all he had done for us, what he had done for Ma-"
The man shut himself up, nearly letting fly something he had promised not to say.
"What he done for ME. I meant ME." He corrected himself "And anyway…..I thought I was done drawing by then. Turbo and the lot of guys had just taken away my spark by that time. I figured I would have PLENTY of time to bake since drawing didn't mean anything to me anymore."
"But you still draw." Said Vanellope "What made you get back to it?"
"I can't deny what I love, can I?" the man smiled, checking the pie "That and Felix told me…."
Felix. He always had something nice, something wonderful to say to so many people.
"Felix just reminded me that I shouldn't give up what I love doing because of a few people. That even if I was an NPC, I had more to me than just handing out pies and being saved from Ralph."
Kal took the pie out of the oven, the entire apartment filled with a delectable, chocolaty sent. Everything was baked PERFECTLY, the golden crust even, the center filling glistening.
"O-Oh my gobs."
"Don't dig into it just yet, it has to set for a moment or two or it'll just run everywhere."
"Sir, I will DRINK THAT WITH A STRAW if I have to!" declared the girl "I want me some CHOCOLATE!"
"Don't take it all!" quipped Ralph.
"Oh, this comin' from the guy who HATES chocolate remember?"
"I told ya before, I LIKE chocolate now! I really do!"
"I still call dibs on it so, NYEH!"
"Heh, if I knew there was going to be a fight over this pie, maybe I should have made more." Kal said calmly, setting the pie on the table "But you two are free to come by and ask for more if you want."
"REALLY?!" Vanellope said in shock.
"Sure, why not? We always try to share pie with those who like it and if you enjoy it that much, I would be happy to make you more!"
"Sir, that is AWESOME!" said Vanellope but Ralph pulled the girl off the ground, setting her in a chair.
"Now c'mon, an' give tha guy a break, Nelly! He already has enough work ta do as it is! He doesn't need anyone else beggin' him for more pie! Need I remind ya, YOU LIVE IN A WORLD MADE OF SWEETS."
Vanellope gave Ralph a faux frown, her tiny hands clenched "B-b-but, I LIKE Nicelander pie now! We don't have it in Sugar Rush!"
"Really Ralph, it's no problem." Smiled the man "If you two want some more…."
"But there's gotta be somethin' we can offer in return." Said Ralph rubbing his chin.
"In return?" the Nicelander asked, looking a tad confused.
"Yeah, I mean ya bake day in an' day out! There's gotta be somethin' ya can do for a break or-!"
A spark went off in Ralph's mind.
The drawings, the paintings. SO many unfinished projects scattered around the apartment.
Kal did need a break.
He needed to go somewhere….somewhere exciting.
Somewhere COLORFUL.
Somewhere like…..
"So who's the new guys?" asked Taffyta, thumbing over to Kal.
"Just another guest here in Sugar Rush!" grinned Vanellope. Taffyta looked over, the small Nicelander busily engrossing himself with a large pad of paper and what seemed to be paints.
"He's been there for HOURS, Vanellope and he hasn't said a thing!"
"In his case, that's a good thing."
"How so?"
Vanellope looked over, Kal far too into his work to even notice the two girls looking at him. He looked in the turquoise sky, the cotton candy clouds floating overhead.
"Yes, yes! I need more pink!"
"Vanellope, what have you being doing all this time?" Taffyta asked, pulling the girl aside "First you run out after any day you DO have a race and on those you don't? You disappear all day!"
"Ya shouldn't be so worried!" assured Vanellope "I've been goin' about on business."
"What KIND of business, if ya don't mind me asking?" the strawberry racer said, a hand on her hips.
Vanellope made a little glance back over at Kal. The entire page had been drawn over with a beautiful rendition of the Sugar Rush landscape, each and every color captured perfectly in soft watercolors, almost so sweet that Vanellope was certain she'd be able to smell the candy if it were at all possible.
This was what Kal need. A place to really enjoy himself, a place where he could just be himself in peace.
The vanilla racer smiled, looking back towards the confused Taffyta.
"Just….just makin' some pies, Taffyta. Just makin' some pies."