*Chapter 6*
The next day came quickly, the whole arcade was busy and bustling with children and gamers. Ralph felt better than ever. His gameplay was fantastic and he felt back to his normal self. He finally could rest easy, knowing that the whole issue was finally put to rest. He did, however, have a few lingering questions. He figured they'd be answered sooner or later.
After a night of a restful reset, Ralph made his way over to the
Niceland building, wondering when Vanellope would arrive. He didn't have a doubt in his mind about her not showing up. He knew she'd keep to her word, though he hoped she wasn't like him when it came to sleeping; or oversleeping. Ralph slowly moseyed up to the penthouse, knowing his game mates, and surely Calhoun, would be for their usual morning hang out. Ralph was eager to be with them. He knew he had been selfish for the past year. He was certain his friends were hurt by his cold front. He stepped up to the penthouse door and inhaled a breath. He slowly stepped in with a calm smile, hoping to wipe the slate clean.
"Ralph!" Felix chimed happily. Everyone looked over to him with genuinely happy faces.
"Good morning, everyone," Ralph smiled as he examined who was all here. He made eye contact with Felix and Gene, who were sitting at the bar.
"Ralph, come sit! We're making up tasty concoctions!" Vanellope suddenly said from behind the bar. Ralph froze and gazed at her long and hard. She was standing behind the bar with Calhoun and Taffyta, shaking up drinks for Gene and Felix. Ralph let out a surprised breath and beamed wider than he had in a long time. Vanellope was wearing her normal clothes, her hair done up in the usual ponytail, speckled with candy.
"The ladies are making us try their creations," Gene stated nervously.
"Isn't it a bit early for drinks?" Ralph laughed as he took a seat next to Felix. Felix pat his arm and leaned over to him.
"We don't really have to drink them," Felix worried, "I don't think I would anyways, morning or not."
"That is rude," Calhoun snapped as she quickly shook a drink shaker. Vanellope laughed before accidentally spilling her shaker.
"Oops!" Vanellope said as she bent down to clean it. Everyone laughed.
"Vanellope, you got it on my shoes!" Taffyta exclaimed in annoyance with a small laugh as she threw her arms up.
Ralph beamed and chuckled at the sight of the three girls helplessly attempting to make drinks behind the counter. Ralph pounded his hands on the bar gently.
"Where's my drink, I've been waiting for over an hour!" Ralph playfully complained.
Calhoun replied by dumping her shaker full of liquid atop Ralph's head. Everyone gasped and fell over laughing. Ralph sat and nodded a few times before standing up slowly and entering the back of the bar. Calhoun immediately booked it over the counter, everyone in hysterics. Taffyta slipped and fell to the ground trying to get away. Eventually she too climbed over the counter, away from Ralph. Vanellope looked up at Ralph from on the ground, her face red with laughter. Ralph quickly grabbed a bottle of soda from inside the fridge and shook it really hard.
"I can make my own concoctions too!" Ralph laughed. Felix, Gene, Taffyta and Calhoun all put their hands over their faces and ducked away as Ralph opened the soda bottle, it rocketing brown liquid all over. He soaked everyone, including Vanellope. He chucked the bottle to the ground once it was finished. He chuckled and beamed down at helpless Vanellope, who was trying hard to catch her breath.
"Ralph!" Vanellope exclaimed, trying to control her laughter. She was soaked with soda, her hoodie now a dark green. Ralph laughed with a gapped tooth smile, his hair deflated a little.
"I-I can fix it," Felix stated as he peered over the counter with his hammer, his hat dripping with soda.
"Yes, please, hurry. We all know what soda does when it dries," Gene stated with an annoyed smile on his face as he tried to flick soda from his hands and arms. Felix smiled at Ralph and Vanellope.
"Jerk," Vanellope chuffed with a smile as she swat Ralph's large arm. Ralph shrugged and beamed.
"My hair is all sticky!" Taffyta exclaimed as she tried to run her fingers through her soaked hair.
"Sorry, I couldn't resist," Ralph said as he shrugged. He gently looked down at Vanellope. Felix quickly tidied everyone back to normal with his hammer. Ralph sat back down at the bar as Calhoun, Taffyta and Vanellope repositioned themselves at the bar.
"The only reason I did that was because I knew Felix could fix it," Ralph laughed.
"Yeah but you wasted a thing of soda!" Gene exclaimed, wanting his penthouse to be rightfully in order. Ralph grumbled and waved him off.
"Vanellope and Taffyta got here about two hours ago," Felix stated kindly as Ralph gently left the bar and sat down in the sitting area next to one of the couches; they were too small for him.
"No one cared to wake me up?" Ralph stated playfully as he got comfortable on the ground. Everyone slowly began to follow Ralph's idea and made their way into the sitting area by the bar.
"We didn't want to bother you!" Vanellope replied cheerfully as she quickly sat down on the couch closest to Ralph.
"Bahh I don't need sleep!" Ralph grumbled before shooting a smile to Vanellope.
"That's not what you thought on that fateful day you overslept," Taffyta snapped with a twinge of playfulness, though her voice was harsh. Ralph flinched and gave her a sad look.
"Oh anyhow," Vanellope said nervously, hoping to move on. Felix caught the hint.
"We were saying how Sugar Rush's upgrade looks good!" Felix chimed happily, "I wish our game got an upgrade. Maybe then I'd be taller."
"I like that you're short," Calhoun said in an even tone.
"Yeah but WE don't like that we're short. Ralph is the only one in this game who has enough height to go around," Gene laughed. Everyone chuckled.
"9 feet of it! And I'm not sharing," Ralph laughed. Vanellope nudged him.
"Before our upgrade, 9 feet looked like 90 feet to us," Vanellope beamed, "I'm catching up!"
"Not so fast," Ralph chuckled as he nudged Vanellope's arm back.
"I can see your cut is doing better," Vanellope stated as she leaned closer to Ralph to get a good look. Ralph suddenly became nervous.
"You're hurt?" Felix asked in a genuinely concerned voice. Ralph waved him off.
"Bahh it was nothing," Ralph fibbed. He noticed Taffyta shoot him a funny look.
"If you call being back handed by one of the sharpest swords in Sugar Rush 'nothing' then I certainly don't want to know what SOMETHING looks like," Taffyta barked with a small laugh as she crossed her arms.
"You WHAT?" Felix exclaimed.
"Awesome," Calhoun stated happily
.
"Golly, Ralph," Felix said nervously as he leaned over to look at Ralph's wound. He gently 'fixed' it with his hammer. "How did you manage to get swiped by someone with a sword?"
"Ah, that little Rancid brat," Ralph stated blankly.
"RanCIS," Vanellope corrected.
"Rancis, yeah, right," Ralph chuffed, "I understand him being upset over the whole misunderstanding, but actually swiping me like that? I nearly pounded him into oblivion."
"It was mostly the way he walked in on you and Vanellope," Taffyta explained. Suddenly everyone stared at Ralph. His face immediately got hot.
"What do you mean by that?" Ralph barked, feeling defensive, "We were just talking!"
"Within close parameters," Taffyta chuffed with a playful smirk, "The main reason why he hates you so much is because he has a thing for Vanellope."
"Well THAT much is obvious," Ralph rolled his eyes.
"Aw, do you like this fellow in return, Vanellope?" Felix innocently asked. Vanellope frowned and looked opposite Ralph's direction.
"I used to," Vanellope admitted, "The only reason I did back then was because he made me feel special after mine and Ralph's big gap of not seeing each other. I soon realized the only reason he fancied me was because he wanted to be King of Sugar Rush."
"Now that Vanellope can see through him, he'll do anything and everything to try and win her over. I think he viewed Ralph as a threat, and that's why he tried to kill him yesterday," Taffyta stated softly.
"He tried to kill you?" Gene exclaimed as he put his hands on the side of his head.
"If you die outside your game, you don't regenerate," Calhoun stated. Everyone slowly peered at Ralph.
"Welp. It's in the past," Ralph exhaled long and hard and glanced at
Vanellope.
"The arcade will open in one hour." The game system called, automated and monotone. Ralph frowned as both Vanellope and Taffyta stood on cue. Vanellope gazed down at Ralph with a smile.
"I'll see you tomorrow, ok?" Vanellope said sweetly.
"Of course," Ralph said gently.
Everyone said their goodbyes to Ralph and Taffyta as they left the Niceland building. Ralph remained seated, suddenly feeling weird.
"Well, that was truly something," Felix smiled.
"What was?" Ralph questioned as everyone got comfortable again.
"Seeing Vanellope! We haven't seen her for as long as you have Ralph, we all missed her dearly. She's gotten so tall," Felix smiled and gave Ralph a knowing look, "Her upgrade is very becoming, eh Ralph? Don't you think?"
"She's beautiful," Ralph stated softly, in a daze, before quickly shooting his eyes to Felix, Gene and then Calhoun.
"Aww," Felix cooed. Ralph quickly stood, his face hot red.
"I'll talk to you guys later," Ralph said in a disgruntled voice and clumsily left the penthouse. The three playfully chuckled to each other as he left. Ralph rolled his eyes and continued onward.
"What do you think Taffyta meant by 'close parameters?'" Calhoun asked quietly as Ralph quickly left. Everyone fell silent and gazed at the door Ralph had just walked out of.
"Huh," Felix shrugged, a small smile making its way across his face, "Guess we'll never know."
