Unplugged

Chapter Seventeen

When I posted this story, a few chapters have disappeared from time to time...Just so ya know.

"She missed ya so much, brother," Felix says. He and Ralph have been talking for a while now.

"Daw, really?" Ralph playfully rolls his eyes.

"Really. Oh, my land- Vanellope was in tears!"

"And so were you, right?" Ralph teases.

"Actually, yes. I have no shame."

"What did she do?"

"She... left Tamora and me, and I didn't see her again until this morning."Felix hears a humming engine from afar and he turns on his heels to see what's causing the sound. He grins, "And look who decided to stop by."

Ralph looks over to where Felix is pointing and Ralph's eyes widen. In the distance, Vanellope is driving into the game with Tamora seated in the back.

"Hey, kid!" Ralph calls. "Missed me much?"

"RALPH!" Vanellope practically screams. She slams her foot on the gas pedal and the kart speeds up in an instant. Tamora has to clutch onto the sides of the kart to keep steady. The two draw nearer to Ralph and Felix, and when Felix notices the blood smeared on his wife's face, he starts freaking out which makes Vanellope giggle.

"What in the arcade happened to ya?!" Felix exclaims while running his gloved fingers through his hair, causing his hat to slide farther back on his head. "Your face!! It's super messed up! Like, what?!"

Vanellope can't help it and she bursts out laughing. She parks her kart a few feet away from Ralph and Felix and she slaps her steering wheel while she laughs. Felix is still freaking out.

"Relax, Felix. You can fix it," Tamora reminds him. Felix blinks and runs a hand over the magic hammer strapped to his side.

"I know," Felix says and he clears his throat. "But still, I hate to see you like that." He pulls the hammer out of the loop of his tool belt and he taps Tamora's face with it, healing her bleeding nose. While she explains to Felix what happened to her leg, Vanellope climbs out of her kart and runs up to Ralph. She glitches once, causing her body to turn to code, but in a split second, she appears again clutching to Ralph's shirt as she hugs him.

"I'm so glad you're okay," Vanellope says. Ralph hugs her back. "You scared me big time. I thought you were dead!"

"But I'm not," Ralph smiles. "Cause I'm right here, doi."

"What was it like?"

"Boring. Very, very boring."

Vanellope snickers, and Ralph continues," Well, I haven't eaten or drank anything in like two days. Wanna get a drink at Tapper's with me?"

"Absolutely!" Vanellope answers immediately. She jumps off of Ralph's chest and she bolts to her kart. Ralph takes a seat on the back of the kart, which makes the kart creek a bit, and Vanellope sits in the gob seat. She pushes a button and the kart's engine hums.

"Hey, you two wanna tag along?" Ralph asks Tamora and Felix, who are standing off to the side. Felix had just fixed up Tamora a moment ago, so her leg is fine.

"No, thanks. We gotta take care of a few things," Felix replies. He looks up at Tamora and she nods.

"Okay, see you around," Ralph waves. Vanellope presses the gas pedal with her foot and the kart thrusts forward. The two speed down the game's cord. Tamora and Felix wave goodbye until they can no longer see the kart in the dark tunnel.

"So, why did you want me to say no?" Felix asks Tamora. The couple begin walking to East Niceland where their house is.

"I wanted to use this alone time to talk to you about last night," Tamora answers.

"Oh..." Felix frowns. He's debating on whether he should stick around or bolt to Tapper's. Before he can decide, Tamora speaks again.

"I owe you an apology," she says. "It was wrong for me to flip out on you and slam you up against a wall."

"Eh, don't worry about it," Felix waves it off. "I shouldn't of brought up your--" he stops himself.

"Memories?" Tamora smirks. Felix nods and she adds, "I have to get over the memories. They're not real, Brad's not real, and I'm married to you. So, I shouldn't be so caught up over a wedding catastrophe that never even happened, right?"

"I suppose," Felix shrugs. He and Tamora get to the door to their house.

"Now that that's settled, lets talk about tomorrow," Tamora declares as she opens the door and steps into the cozy home. Felix follows her in and he shuts the door behind him.

"What about tomorrow?" he asks.

"Tomorrow your game's getting unplugged for real this time. Remember?" Tamora makes her way to the steps. She walks up the staircase with Felix still following her.

"Actually, I think Fix-It Felix Jr might not go after all," Felix smiles. He opens the bedroom door and the couple walk in. "Ralph and I counted about forty-five coins today--"

"Forty-five coins??" Tamora says in disbelief.

"Yes. Forty-five. I can't believe it either, but I think that's just enough money to change Mr. Litwak's mind. Eh? Eh?" Felix stressed the word 'change'. He forms the cheesiest grin and he awkwardly shrugs. Tamora just stands there staring blankly at her husband. Felix repeats, "Enough money to CHANGE his mind."

"Whaa...?"

"Change- as in spare change, or money. It's enough money to CHANGE his mind--"

"Felix, that is the dumbest joke in the universe."

"Just thought it was a knee-slapper..." Felix slaps his knee with not one bit of enthusiasm.

"Anyway," Tamora clears her throat and opens up the closet. "You should pack up what you need anyway just in case Litwak sticks with his decision. I'm sure the Nicelanders are doing the same thing right now. Better safe than sorry."

"You're right," Felix sighs. He reluctantly kneels down by the closet and begins pulling out items to get to a travel bag in the back to store his belongings. "Forty quarters isn't a whole lot."