All That's Left [Alpha Draft] - Pt 26;

[keybearer]

Chapter 26: The Reluctant Bad Guy

They said it’d be easy. That all he had to do was slip in, bag some bugs, and mosey on out. It was just a game! No big deal. It wasn’t like the people there mattered. They were just bits and bytes that looked like living beings. How smart could they really be? If he kept quiet and stuck to his task, he’d probably slip under the radar. That’s what he expected, but, as it turned out, his black coat and spikes of red hair were real conversation pieces.

First, some skinny, red bird had poked her head out of a bear’s backpack and whispered to an egg-shaped guy with a mustache. When he tried to skirt by, he wound up stumbling into a brown gorilla and a crown-wearing crocodile, who shouted at him to watch his step. A buff guy in karate garb had grabbed his shoulder and asked if he’d just been plugged in. So, within a few minutes of arriving, one thing had become crystal clear: there was no way he’d skirt by in such a wide, packed, and open station. The only places to hide were behind trash bins and giant monitors spread across the floor. Balding blue men with glasses seemed to flicker in front of the tunnels at random, and since he was made outta flesh instead of data, he’d probably trigger a whole string of alarms.

As a precaution, he parked himself on random benches, watching and listening to the swarms of crazy characters. Over the next few hours, he got questioned by some elf-eared kid in green, a blue robot kid, and a little green dinosaur, who all asked if he was some kinda bad guy. Talk about ironic. But, after a while, he managed to squeeze back into the crowd with little more than a few cursory glances. Just to be safe, though, he snapped his fingers, and wisps of darkness wrapped around him, dragging them into their depths.

Soon he found himself trudging across a clinking metal landscape, fog riding the stagnant air. Clouds thick as split-pea soup shrouded the sky, leaving only flashes of red alarm lights and glimmers of neon blue to illuminate an otherwise blackened landscape. Ahead, the thunks and thuds of metallic footsteps drove Axel to a stop. He pressed his back against one of the walls, listening in as a rough, feminine voice barked orders. Something about a tower and a medal came up a few times, and those oh-so-terrifying bugs. Past the soldiers, a black tower pierced through the clouds, lit by specks of light blue and a thick blue stripe down its center.

No doubt that was his destination, so just like at the station, he plunged into a swirling black sphere and came face to face with a wide, greenish window. The ledge below him hung so high that a thin layer of clouds obscured the cityscape below. Holding his breath, Axel pressed his palms to the glass, watching as shadows stretched across the window’s surface. Within seconds, his arms began to sink, and he tumbled through the corridor onto a cold, tiled floor. Up ahead, large, metal panels whirled around a shimmering gold medal. A circle of steps lit with tiny blue lights led up to the platform, with the ever present smoke and fog wafting by the loop of wires dangling from the ceiling. Teal eggs the size of cantaloupes coated the tiled floor, with tiny gaps in between, barely wide enough to fit his boots.

Smirking, Axel pulled up his right sleeve, revealing a sleek metal band around his wrist, coated in small, square-shaped buttons and a tiny, clear light at the edge of the band. Far from a cage, it was more lightweight than carrying a clunky container around. And, seeing how time was most likely of the essence, he tiptoed toward the nearest egg, pointed his wrist down at the sucker, tapped a few buttons, and watched as a streak of blue light shot down. As it hit its target, the little egg broke into a cluster of blocks, which flew into the wristband with a string of beeps and clicks.

With that outta the way, he shimmied into the spot left by the vacant egg and nudged its neighbor with his boot. The once dark shell instantly lit with a webbing of neon green. The shell then melted into a puddle of ooze, revealing a small, round creature with spidery legs, beady round eyes, and a glowing green ball for a body.

And that creature instantly latched onto his face, screeching directly into his ear. His arms wobbled, but he glued his feet to the floor to avoid triggering any more of those pests. A few hasty button presses ripped the pest into a cloud of stray pixels which, like the egg, flew into his wristband and poofed out of sight.

He took a moment to rub at the wound, wincing at the sharp, stinging pain. But hey, that made one egg and one actual bug. What more did that bookworm really need? After tugging his sleeve back down and brushing his hands together, Axel cracked his knuckles, fully intent on ditching the nest. But then there was a loud CRASH from behind, making his back arch, his face whiten, and his eyes nearly pop from his skull.

But without a heart, the ‘shock’ faded fast, and he forced his lips into another smirk. He spun on a heel, ready to greet his visitor, and a bright red light hovered above his chest, shining from the tip of a big, black gun. The culprit? None other than that armored woman from before, snarling like a rabid bulldog. If that wasn’t enough, a girl dressed in black poked her hooded head out from behind her, clutching the hilt of a Keyblade.

And even with a gun aimed at his chest, he snorted out a laugh. This was just too rich! What were the chances that Roxas’ little pal would butt in on his mission?

Unfortunately, his laughter got cut short when the woman shouted, “Hands in the air!”

And here he’d hoped for an easy mission. Well, so much for that.

x.x.x

Was it his fault? Had he scared her away? Or maybe he’d pushed her too hard. Xion’s stress was impossible to ignore. The way she tugged her hood over her face, stiffened in their presence, and pushed them away with her words. Had she really suffered that much? Her crisis was so far beyond Riku’s comprehension that he couldn’t even imagine the pain. Just where did her original memories end and his begin? Was there blurring? Muddling? And what was hiding under that hood? If she just talked, they could at least try to help her.

Unfortunately, wriggling, white pests kept flying out of windows, diving down from roofs, and springing up at their feet to lash with their spiky arms. While the group sliced, scorched, bashed, and shredded their foes, the unwanted attacks held them back for several minutes. Just more proof that one of those Nobodies was around. Why else would they put up such a fight?

Their journey eventually led them through the doors of a building shaped like a flying saucer, past a claw machine filled with rubber green aliens, and to a doorway blocked by Max, a graying duck in a baggy lab coat, and a fat, pink… thing carrying a shivering black cat on its head. A shivering, whimpering black cat.

“H-hey, I’m innocent! Really! I’m just, uh… covering for the janitors! You know how busy they get. Can’t have kids muckin’ around when there’s a big ol’ spill on the floor!”

“A spill. Riiight.” Max gave him a painfully flat look, pointing his thumb past the shaggy, pink marshmallow. “Well, I don’t know about you, Professor, but I don’t see any janitors back there.”

“Absolutely not!” said the duck. He turned his beak up, adjusting his spectacles. “And let’s not forget that denial is just a fancy way of lying! The signs are all there. Shifty eyes, a shifty body, and oh, let’s not forget the excuses!”

The cat gulped, ducking behind the head of his mount. “C’mon, you know me better than that! I, uh… I’d never block the way without a reason! Nope.”

Blinking, Sora tugged on Riku’s pant leg and tapped Kairi’s knee, pointing at the small gathering. This in turn made Kairi and Riku lock eyes, and while Riku shrugged, Kairi crept next to the cat’s shaggy bodyguard.

“What’s going on?”

“Hey!” The cat poked his head back up, flashing a smile. “You’re that lass from the festival! Good to see ya ag—”

The professor cut him off. “Oh, and now you’re trying to distract us! Well, that might work if I was a dunce of a duck, but I’m no brainless turkey. I don’t even have the right tail feathers!” He stopped, shaking his head and raising an index finger. “But that’s not the point! What we have here is a case of severe guilt mixed with a side of crippling anxiety.”

“He’s hiding something,” said Max. “We’ve been trying to get him to talk, but you saw how well that’s worked out.”

“Aw, ya just gotta know the right trick!” said Goofy, and he marched up to the cat’s mount and cleared his throat. “Now listen here, pal! If ya don’t start talkin’, then we’re gonna have to get Queen Minnie.”

The cat squeaked, grabbing his ears and pulling them down. “No! You can’t do that!”

Donald’s eyes slid half shut, and his beak curved into a smirk. “I bet she’d bring the brooms.”

“Ack! No! Not those creepy things!” He nudged his mount’s shoulder, then reached behind his back to reveal a great big megaphone. “If you talk, then me ‘n Mog might have to get drastic!”

Riku snorted, hands tucked into his pockets, and strode right up to the shaggy thing. “You do realize you just outed yourself, right?”

“Gah!” His megaphone clattered to the floor, and he ducked back down. “S-so what? It’s just an arcade. Why do you even care what’s goin’ on here when there’s those, uh… freaky white things runnin’ around?”

Just as the cat finished speaking, Sora burst up from behind his mount, tapping its back and flashing all those pointed teeth in a grin. One look at him made the cat leap off the creature’s head and crash belly-down on the floor.

Once he landed, the professor set one webbed foot down on his cape, and Max sidestepped in front of him to block his path. With his notepad in hand, Sora squeezed in between them and held up a brand new message.

‘Hey, what’s with the giant door?’

“A door?” Kairi zipped past the giant Moogle, poking her head into the arcade. “Whoa! That wasn’t here during the festival…”

“What?!” The professor zipped away from the cat, cramming his way between Kairi and the Moogle. He took one look inside, then spun back around, bushy brows low and his beak locked in a frown. “Have you gone cuckoo? The arcade may be all fun and games from the outside, but if you leave that door open, then anybody could come strutting inside, and that would be very, very bad!”

A small gasp escaped Riku, and he bent forward, hands locking up tight. “Wait. When you say ‘inside,’ are you talking about inside the arcade, or… the games?” Was that even possible?

“The games, of course! Arcades… they’re harmless! Well, as long as you don’t pour water on the plugs, trip into one of the cabinets, or have other unlikely accidents! But the world of games… hoho, it’s not just pixels and blocks! Once you go inside, you could end up boiled in lava, crushed by falling bricks, or eaten by robotic bugs!” He wiggled his fingers and made big, sweeping gestures. “And that’s actual death of the permanent variety! No extra lives, no cheat codes, just poof, and you’re gone!”

“But it’s a real world in there…?” Riku dug deeper into his pocket, and he pulled out a small photograph of himself, Kairi, Hayner, Pence, and Olette gathered outside Twilight Town’s station. Just one look at the picture, and a tight, twisting twinge seized his chest. Even so, he breathed a little laugh. “Pence would’ve gotten a kick outta that…”

Kairi’s shoulders sprung up for a moment, and she slowly swiveled around. Stepping around the professor, she moved next to Riku. “You’re right. And I bet Hayner’d try jumping into the craziest, most violent game in there…”

“Yeah. I could see it. And of course we’d have to bail him out…” Olette would probably give him a long scolding after the fact, and assuming none of them got hurt, they’d probably all laugh it off later. But it just couldn’t be. They were safer back at home, and with that realization, Riku tucked the picture away.

Donald raised a finger, then let his hand drop at his side. “Aw, Riku… I’m sure they’d be just as happy knowing that you got to go there!”

Goofy glanced at the professor, tapping his chin. “But shouldn’t we ask your uncle first?”

Sora bounced to his feet, wearing a small pout. ‘Aw, but he’s gotta let us in! It’s a world of video games. That sounds way too cool to pass up!’ And while Riku expected him to leave it at that, he jotted another note underneath. ‘And don’t you think it’s worth checking out? Xion could’ve run in there, and if she didn’t, one of those Nobodies could’ve.’

“Yeek!” The cat vaulted back onto his mount, which blinked a few times and gave a low grunt. “No way! There’s no Nobodies! Just little old me.”

“Oh, pipe down!” said Donald.

Kairi’s lips tugged into a half-smile. “Sorry, Cait Sith, but Quina already smelled them around here, and there’s way too many lesser Nobodies for it to be a coincidence.”

“Oh, it’s no coincidence,” said Max. “I’m pretty sure I saw one of them a few minutes ago. One second they’re bolting our way, and the next? Gone. Weird, right?”

The professor tapped his foot, grasped his hands behind his back for a moment, and then started rubbing his beak. “Absolutely! People—or, well, Nobodies don’t disappear outta the blue! Well, there’s those portals, but they don’t make a tick-tock sound or leave you with a funny, tingling feeling!”

“And I’m pretty sure she had a Keyblade,” Max added.

Riku leaned back, brows flying up. “Geez, she cast Stop on you guys?”

“I didn’t think she was that desperate.” Kairi winced, fidgeting with one of her gloves. “And if she is, then she might not be thinking straight. What if she gets herself hurt?”

With the potential risk of Nobody sabotage and a friend’s life on the line, how could they turn away? Though Cait Sith continued protesting, the group soon stormed into the arcade, passing the assorted cabinets in favor of a blocky door that glimmered and glowed with dull flickers of electricity. The sparks tickled Riku’s skin on the way in, while the arcade flickered to pitch blackness. With a buzz and a beep, the blackness flashed into a brightly colored station dotted with golden benches, scattered trashcans, tunnels hanging beneath over-sized plugs, and most striking of all, a crowd of all sorts of colorful creatures.

Most impressive of all, they moved fluidly. Organically. Strands of hair and fur, textures from fabric, the shine of their armor, the scales on their arms, faces, and tails, even the rise and fall of their chests replaced the pixels and polygons of the cabinet displays. If Riku hadn’t spent the past year in the simulation, his jaw would’ve crashed to the floor, but while he and Kairi simply soaked in the moving crowd, Donald brushed his foot against the smooth, polished floor, and Goofy patted one of the benches.

“Gawrsh, are ya sure this is a video game? I always figured they’d be all blocky and stuff, just like po—” He flipped away from the bench, slapping his hands over his mouth when two white rectangles passed by. “Pong! I can’t believe it!” He started waving and then called out, “Hiya, fellers!”

The paddles stopped only for a moment, responding with a low beep. Even so, Goofy’s eyes practically glittered, and his head followed the paddles’ movements until they vanished behind a stomping T-Rex. And, sure, he’d seen his share of monstrous foes, and dinosaurs were pretty tame compared to genies, dragons, and titans, but when that big, scaly beast reared its head back and roared, a sudden jolt raced down his spine, while warmth oozed throughout his entire body. Though he pressed his lips together to resist forming a giddy grin, his efforts ended in failure.

But where Riku wrestled for restraint, Sora bounced up and down, pointing to the dinosaur and waving his arms wildly. This is so cool! A real dinosaur! And look how huge it is, Ven! I knew they’d be big, but this is insane!

Opportunity reared its head. How could Riku pass this up? With a low chuckle, he crept in front of Sora, leaned over him, and held up his hands. “Better stay back, Sora, or it’ll gobble you up!”

“Riku!” Kairi lightly bopped his shoulder, all while covering her mouth and squeaking out a small giggle. “What if it’s a friendly dinosaur? You never know with video games.”

But with so many games to hide in, where did they even begin? Well, Kairi soon pointed to a door labeled ‘Fix-it Felix Jr.,’ apparently one of the safer games in the arcade. After hopping a small blue train, they emerged in a grassy field lined with block-like trees and pulled beneath a starlit sky to a platform topped with a glowing clock face. The sound of crackles and booms echoed high above them, with colorful blocks of light scattering to form hearts, the smiling face of a man in a baseball cap, and the words, ‘We love you, Felix!’

Between the blasts of fireworks, a funky song blared through the windows of the brick apartment towering over the field. Colorful lights strobed and flashed, with shouts of “yahoo” accompanying the chorus. This came so far out of left field that Riku pulled himself out of the cart, traipsed to the edge of the platform, brought a hand to his ear, and squinted up at the windows. Some green text flickered by, but it hung so high over his head, it looked like squiggles at best.

Reaching for his forehead, he continued to watch the building. “Hey, Kairi. Is this some kind of party game?”

“No, not really.” She waltzed beside him, face scrunching up at the fireworks. “Usually there’s this big guy named Ralph who starts wrecking the building, and Felix—”

“Hey, I thought you said this game was safe!” said Donald.

“Well, at least there aren’t any monsters to worry about.” She moved closer to the building, rocking on her heels. “Besides, if there’s a party up there, then there’s probably a whole bunch of people.” Which meant at least one of them might’ve seen Xion or the mystery Nobody.

So Kairi did what any sensible person would do. She jogged over to the building, pulled the doors open and waved for the others to follow along. Inside, they passed cream-colored wallpaper, tables topped with polished vases, and mirrors with boxy frames. An elevator at the end of the hall flung them up to the very top floor and closer to their destination. There, the once thumping bass became ear-throbbing pounds. The “yahoos”, once whispers, became full-on shouts, and the sounds of guitar and electrical piano seeped into the hallway. But while the explosive beats made Riku cup a hand over his ear, he continued in spite of the noise until a gargantuan wall of muscle appeared halfway down the hall, clad in a tattered plaid top and brown overalls missing a strap. His gorilla-like arms nearly touched the floor as he stomped along, muttering about some “cherry-chasing dot muncher.”

Tapping Kairi’s shoulder, Goofy leaned toward her ear and said, “Say, ain’t that feller the bad guy?”

The man stopped mid-step. His shoulders jerked up, his big, monstrous hands balled up, and he spun around. “Well, maybe I’m tired of being the—” He stopped, slumping over, and tilted his head. “Hey. You’re not from around here, are you?”

A big, visible lump clogged Donald’s throat, and he wheezed an airy laugh. “Sure we are! We’re from, uh… Kingdom Hearts, and we just got—”

Ralph lifted one of his hands. “No, you look an awful lot like that crazy scientist… Ludwig von something? I dunno. It’s not like he’s ever talked to me or anything. It’s always Felix, because he’s the good guy.”

Riku stepped closer, wrapping one arm around his torso to prop up his elbow, while tucked his hand below his chin. “Is that why you’re out here?” It’d explain a few things, like his angry muttering and the fact that he was alone, while everyone else shouted, cheered, and grooved to the beat.

Ralph’s deflated with a loud sigh. “Yep. It’s our thirtieth anniversary, and I didn’t even get an invitation!” He threw up his hands, which bumped against the ceiling, leaving two fresh dents. “…Okay, so I might have a bit of a problem, but they invited Pac-Man! Sonic… I bet they’ve even got Mario in there, and none of them had anything to do with this game.”

Sora thumped his fists on the floor. ‘But that’s not fair! Every game’s gotta have some kinda bad guy, and you don’t even seem that bad!’

Ralph’s eyes slowly widened. “You really think so?”

Sora nodded and was quick to write, ‘’Course I do! I used to work with real villains, the kinds who’d kidnap princesses and spread darkness and even kill people if they had to!’

The note drew Ralph right in front of Sora, and he crouched low with his hands on his thighs. “Whoa, so does that make you a bad guy too?”

Sora wilted, ducking his head. ‘Sorta. I didn’t mean to, but I wound up causing all sorts of trouble, and I’ve been trying to make up for it ever since.’

“But people can change,” said Riku. “Plus, if you were really that bad, why not smash the place and leave it at that?”

“They probably think that’s what I’d do…”

Man, who ever thought a video game boss would show remorse? Granted, Riku’s experiences in the simulation proved that digital beings could think, feel, and change just like real people, but where DiZ created a replica of a real town, Ralph was part of an arcade game. You’d think he’d be coded to revel in his destructive habits, to smash and crush and gloat over the would-be hero, yet here he was, rubbing his shoulder and staring longingly at that door. If Kairi hadn’t mentioned his villainous tendencies, then Riku never would’ve guessed he was a villain in the first place.

He was about to speak up, but Kairi beat him to the punch by closing in on Ralph and placing a hand over his giant arm. “You know, Ralph, I never thought you were that bad. Isn’t the whole reason you wreck this place because they kicked you out of your home?”

His head bobbed in a slow nod. “Yep. That’s my backstory.” Hesitating, he added, “But you actually like me?”

“Sure! You seem like a really nice guy, and if they can’t see that, then maybe they’re the real bad guys.”

Ralph’s eyes popped wide open, and he started rubbing his neck. “Wow, that’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me…”

Goofy’s lips drooped, and he tapped his fingers together. “But don’t ya have any friends?”

“Well, the guys at Bad-Anon are all right, but they don’t understand me. They kept going on about how I should just accept things the way they are, how I gotta stick with the program…”

“Bah!” Donald scoffed, sweeping his staff toward the door. “Forget them. If you’re fed up with these jerks, then I think you should go in there right now and tell ‘em how you really feel!”

Scowling, Sora held up his fist before writing, ‘And if they don’t like it, we’ll back you up!’

“Heh. Well, we already planned to go in there,” said Riku. “But let’s not get too crazy. If Ralph’s got a beef with these guys, I think it’s important that he tells them, or they might never get a clue.”

Ralph smacked his fists together. “Then that’s just what I’m gonna do!” In fact, he stomped right up to the door in just a matter of seconds and gave it a good, hard knock.

A few seconds passed, and the door flew open and revealed a tiny, big-headed man dressed in a white dress suit. He had a big, round nose and a thick-mustache, and the second he looked up at Ralph, he yelped, slammed the door shut, and gave a muffled shout to the others. The music instantly stopped, replaced by gasps and muttering obscured by the walls. All this served to do was make Ralph stoop over, ball his hands up tight, and dig his fingers into his hair.

“Ugh! You see what I have to put up with?”

“Why don’t you just break in?” said Donald, but Kairi sent him a stiff glance.

“Do you really think that’s gonna help him? He’s trying to make a good impression, not scare them away!”

“But they’re the ones who’re—”

Surprisingly, the door cracked open again, but this time a slightly taller, skinnier man squeezed out into the hall. He had round, rosy cheeks, big, blue eyes, and dressed in a blue baseball cap with matching blue duds. He clasped his hands over his belly, wearing a stiff and lopsided smile, and while at first he tipped his head up to look at Ralph, his eyes darted to the side, and he leaned over, eyes widening and brows perking.

“Well, I’ll be, Ralph. You never told me you had friends!”

“Oh. They’re…” He looked over his shoulder. “Who are you again?”

Goofy took a broad step forward, motioning to himself and the other. “Why, I’m Goofy, and these here fellers are Sora, Riku, Kairi, and—”

Donald glowered, speaking in a low, flat tone. “Donald Duck.”

“You’re Donald?” Felix’s smile softened, and he blew a gentle chuckle. “Shucks, I heard all about ya from King Mickey! He always said you were a fiery one…”

“Well, I’m not!” Donald groaned, scrunching up his feathery face. “And how do you know the King?”

“Why, he was one of the first fellas who ever came to our world!” He stopped for a split-second, tapping a fist over his lips. “But if you’re the King’s pals, then what’re you folks doin’ in here? I always figured they’d keep us a secret.”

“Well, something’s come up,” said Kairi. “There’s a chance that somebody dangerous broke into one of the games, and even if he didn’t, one of our friends did.”

Felix hopped back, mouth agape. “Now, wait a minute! This shady fella wouldn’t happen to have a black coat, would he?”

Sora lurched forward, hastily scribbling a message. ‘You you actually saw him? But what’d he look like? And didja hear anything weird?’

“Sure! You’d be surprised how much you can pick up from behind the screen.” He peered at the door for a moment, then continued, “Anyhow, he was awfully skinny, with this crazy red hair… Couldn’t tell you what he was up to, but I did hear somethin’ about bugs.”

Kairi slapped her hand over her lips, stepping back. “Like Cy-Bugs?”

“Hmm.” Felix wrinkled his nose and pursed his lips, head cocked to the left. “Well, this is the first I’ve ever heard of these Cy-Bug critters.”

“I think that goes for the rest of us,” said Riku, and he turned to face her head-on. “So, care to explain?”

“Well, I don’t want to get ahead of myself. There’s other games with bugs out there, too, but…” She bit her bottom lip, sucking in a small breath. “Maybe we should check Hero’s Duty when we’re done here…”

Riku was about to ask for more details when Ralph lifted his hand and said, “Hey, did this black-coated guy bring backup? Maybe a younger sibling?”

Donald zoomed behind Ralph, hopping into the air. “That wasn’t his sibling; that was Xion!”

“Did you see where she was headed?” said Kairi.

“Uh… nope.” He laughed shakily, scratching his neck again. “Sorry. I wasn’t feeling so hot. You know how it is.”

“Oh.” Felix’s lips pulled into a stiff grin, and he twiddled his thumbs. “I’m… sorry to hear that, Ralph.”

He waved his hand. “It’s fine.” But while Ralph tried to blow off his woes, Donald coughed and started tapping his foot.

Sora followed this up by thumping his pen on a new note. ‘Tell him the truth!’

“Ya won’t get a better chance than this!” said Goofy.

Sure, they weren’t exactly being subtle, but with Felix right there, why beat around the bush? Since the others had already voiced their support, Riku opted for silence again, watching the two exchange a prolonged stare until Ralph finally opened his trap.

“Look, Felix. I don’t know how to feel about this party.” He pressed his palm over his chest. “Here you guys are, having a great time, and you didn’t even invite me!”

Gulping, Felix inched back until he bumped into the door. “Well… The party’s not over yet.” He reached for the handle, looking to the others. “Would you like to come inside?”

Ralph answered for them without even a hint of subtlety. Once Felix opened the door, he threw himself inside, rattling the floor in the process. “Heyooo, everybody!”

As he rose to his full height, his head thunked into the ceiling . The impact sent cracks scattering across its surface, and a large chunk slammed into Felix, making him collapse on his back with a white flower in his hand, while a short, melancholy tune played, causing the crowd of big-headed midgets to scream at the display. But just as quick as he’d fallen, Felix flipped back onto his feet, holding up his hands and glancing over the crowd.

“I’m okay! I’m okay. Fit as a fiddle!”

The crowd froze, then slumped, heaving a collective sigh. With the storm seemingly quelled, Riku sauntered into the room, and when the others flowed in, the people began whispering amongst themselves. Several even shrieked and pointed at Sora, prompting Ralph to rear up and set his hulking hands on his hips.

“Hey, relax! He’s just a kid.” When Sora sent him a smile, Ralph lightly tussled his hair, and Sora batted at his huge fingers, a sight that made Riku press his lips tightly together in an attempt to keep a straight face.

But where Riku nearly broke out laughing, the mustached runt from before stomped out to the bottom of the steps, eyes narrowed, arms crossed, and that bulbous nose turned up.

“Felix, I thought we told you to get rid of him!” He pointed at the others. “And who are they?”

“What, you haven’t heard?” Ralph leaned over the man, chuckling. “These guys are players! And they’re with me.”

“That’s right!” said Donald, brandishing his staff. “So you better wise up and stop being such annoying jerks!”

The man’s face began to burn red. “But he’s the bad guy! He doesn’t belong here.”

“And he does?” Riku jabbed his thumb at a giant yellow ball who’d just snapped his mouth over a shrimp cocktail. “I think you’re taking this whole ‘bad guy’ thing way too seriously.”

“Of course we take it seriously!” said one of the men in the crowd. “If Ralph stays here, he’ll wreck the party!”

“Hey, you don’t know that!” said Ralph, but when he stepped forward, the steps beneath him shattered. “Have you ever thought that maybe I just want a little more appreciation? These guys get it, so why can’t you?”

The mustached man straightened his collar, face twisting into something between a grimace and a stiffened smile. “B-but you’re players. Surely you know that Felix is the good guy, so why on earth would you want to befriend someone so…”

“Scary!” said one of the men in the crowd.

“Don’t forget violent!” a woman added.

“And that smell…”

“Hey! I don’t smell that bad.” Ralph lifted an arm and sniffed, only to start wheezing. “Well, okay, maybe I’ve got a bit of a musk on me, but that’s what happens when you live in a dump.”

“Ya really live in a dump?” said Goofy. “But that’s awful!”

“It’s part of the game,” said the mustached man. “Haven’t you been paying attention?”

The others in the crowd bobbed their heads in agreement, while shouting “Yeah!” and “You tell ‘em, Gene!”

Green sparks flickered around Sora’s finger tips, but he shut his eyes, took a deep, deep breath, and crawled down from the steps. The crowd backed away as he moved, but he kept pressing on until he’d made it next to Ralph. He glared straight into Gene’s eyes and lifted his pen, but just when he was about to right, Felix wedged his way between the two.

“Hey! Who wants cake?”

He must’ve said the magic word, because Ralph’s face instantly lit up, and he followed Felix all the way across the room until they reached a cake fashioned after the apartment itself, topped with candles shaped like sparkling gold stars and a big, red number thirty. Little figures of Felix and the tiny people spread across the roof. But below the apartment, on a block of brown frosting, stood a figure of Ralph, teeth bared and tongue hanging out. It stood in stark contrast to the real Ralph, whose rosy cheeks and toothy smile screamed gentle giant over mindless brute.

A woman dressed in a purple skirt, jacket, and matching hat stood beside the cake with a proud smile, and Felix waltzed up to her, giving a nod of approval.

“You’ve really outdone yourself, Mary!”

She fidgeted with her hands, laughing sheepishly and bowing her head. The others stayed dead silent, their eyes following the motions of Riku and the others. Once they reached the cake, both Kairi and Sora knelt beside Ralph’s figure, and Kairi prodded its shoulder.

“Hey, isn’t this is a little harsh?”

Mary winced, tugging the hem of one of her gloves. “Oh. Well… I was trying to keep to the spirit of the game, dear.”

“But the real Ralph ain’t a big, scary bully!” Goofy swept his arms up towards him. “He ain’t snarlin’ or growlin’ or doin’ anything bad!”

“Yup. I’m just here to party like the rest of you.” He circled around the cake, kneeling next to the little figure. “So, what flavor’s this mud, anyway?”

“Um… Chocolate,” said Mary, and Ralph chuckled.

“Never been too fond of chocolate.”

“And you would’ve known that if you asked,” said Donald.

“Now, simmer down,” said Felix. “Remember, this is a party! We’re supposed to have fun…”

Sora hunched over, giving a small huff. ‘But how’s Ralph gonna have fun when everyone’s giving him a hard time? You guys didn’t even welcome him, and that’s just rude!’

“I mean, I wouldn’t mind a couple, ‘happy anniversaries,’ but hey. Cake! I can’t complain too much.” But despite his words, he plucked up the little Ralph figure. “But I think this little guy’d be a lot happier if he was up here with the rest of you.” He set the figure down, cramming him in with the others, and then pulled its lips into a smile. “See? Look at that smile!”

Grumbling, Gene hopped onto the platform next to the cake, swept up the Ralph figure, and tossed it back into the mud. “But there’s no room.”

“Then you should make room!” Donald snatched up the figure and slammed it back down.

“Yeah, we can take turns!” Ralph grabbed the little Felix and dropped it in the mud, prompting the crowd into another gasping frenzy and turning Gene’s face from slightly pink to blood red.

“No, no, no. Felix needs to be on the roof so he can get his medal!” He swatted the Ralph figure back down, and all the color in the room drained as Ralph grabbed his figure one more time and slapped the medal on its chest.

“Oh yeah? Well, why don’t we take that medal and give it to Ralph for –”

“Stop!” Riku’s voice sounded off like an explosion, silencing Gene and Ralph instantaneously. With the squabble temporarily on hold, he dragged his fingers across his scalp and spoke with a flat tone. “Look, you guys are both acting like little kids, and that’s not going to solve anything. In fact, if you ask me, I think you should both take a few minutes to cool off.”

“Cool off? Cool off?” Ralph squeezed the little figure, fire practically crawling up from his feet to the top of his head. “Since when are you on his side?”

“I’m not! Trust me, Ralph, I’m still with you on this, but you won’t win their respect this way.”

Sora pulled his hands together, head hanging. Riku—

“And it’s not your fault either. Or Donald’s, but we have bigger problems than cake.” He turned to the crowd. “You guys might not realize this, but there’s a threat from the outside world somewhere in this arcade. And I’m not talking some clueless kid—I mean a real threat, the kind who’d have no problem wiping out your games and plunging all of you into the darkness…”

Kairi slowly stood up, closed her eyes, and clasped her hands tight. “It’s true. So, if any of you’ve seen a man in a black coat, we need to know right away. That way we can help you!”

The townspeople looked to one another, shivering and shifting and whispering in each others’ ears. While they mumbled and murmured, a spiky, blue creature raised his hand.

“Hey, did this ‘threat’ have a tacky black coat, crazy red hair, and weird eyeliner?’ Cause I’m pretty sure I saw him by Hero’s Duty.”

“Well, I’ll be!” said Goofy. “Looks like you were onto somethin’, Kairi!”

She wrapped her arms around herself, moaning. “I wish I wasn’t…”

“I guess that’s our cue,” said Riku. “You guys hang tight, okay? We’ll take care of...”

‘Axel.’ And for some reason, Sora started smiling again. ‘And if he’s here, then maybe this won’t be so bad!’

“Well, he did help us back in Twilight Town,” said Kairi. “But I don’t think we can take any chances.” Which was probably why she started moving toward the door, stopping only when Ralph grabbed her shoulder.

“Wait! You can’t leave me here.”

Kairi froze, gently nudging his hand away. “It’s not that we want to, but this is our job.”

“Then let me help!” He brought a hand to his chest. “If I do something good for once, then that’ll prove I’m not just a bad guy!”

“Uh, bad idea,” said the blue creature. “Haven’t you seen my PSAs?”

“And you can’t go Turbo!” said Felix.

“Hey, hey. I’m not going Turbo! And I’ve got all these guys to back me up. It’ll be fine!” He snorted, gazing down at Gene. “And who knows? Maybe if I’m good enough, I’ll be the one winning a medal for once.”

Gene sneered. “Don’t be ridiculous! Bad guys don’t win medals.”

“Oh yeah? Well, what if I did? Would you let me be on the cake with you guys?”

“If you won a medal, we’d let you live up here in the penthouse, but it will never happen—”

“You don’t know that,” Kairi snapped, but her short-lived glare receded into a softer, glittering grin. “But you’re right, Ralph. This is the perfect chance to show your true colors, so maybe you should come with us.” Talk about a sudden change of heart. There must’ve been some reason behind it, so Riku closed in from the side, whispering over her shoulder.

“You sure this is a good idea?”

“I hope so.” She smiled sheepishly, continuing toward the door. “C’mon, I’ll tell you more on the way!”

x.x.x

As Xion gazed down at Axel, her Keyblade trembled in her grasp. She spread her feet apart, and her lips pulled into a small but tight frown. This was it. No turning back. If Axel came for the Cy-Bugs, she had no choice to intervene. To stop him before he threw the game out of balance and ravaged the outside world. Her instructions were vague: find and observe Axel, unravel his motives and eliminate him if necessary, but elimination meant death, and even if his mission risked putting her friends’ lives at stake, what if he was just like her? What if he had no choice?

Her Keyblade dropped to her side, and her free hand curled over her chest. While Calhoun kept her weapon poised on Axel, Xion shifted sideways and stared at the eggs down below.

Descending from the board, Calhoun took slow, cautious steps between the gaps. “I said to put your hands up!”

“Yeah, yeah, I gotcha.” Axel flipped up his palms. “Look, I don’t mean any trouble. You just let me through, and I’ll be outta your hair.”

“A likely story!” She growled out her words. “This kid said you came to nab some Cy-Bugs.”

Axel leaned back, though with the dim lighting and his hood up, his face remained masked in shadow. “You don’t say…” He looked toward the spinning panels, then peeked up at Xion. “And who’d tell you something as crazy as that?”

“I can’t tell you.” It was tough keeping the truth from her friends, but Axel was with the Organization. At least he was technically an enemy.

“Great.” He rubbed the back of his neck, sighing loudly. “Look, kid, you really shouldn’t be messing around here. If you die in these games, you’ll be dead for real. Talk about a crummy way to go…”

“Then it’s just like any other world!” Her hand started trembling again, and she slid down from the board. She even began to step forward before Calhoun spread her arm out and sent a stern look over her shoulder.

“Watch it, rookie. You touch these eggs, and we’ll be swimming in Cy-Bugs.”

“You should listen to her!” Axel pointed at his nose. “Those things might be scrawny, but boy do they pack a punch.”

“No one asked you!” Calhoun snapped. “Now, tell my why you’re here, and just who lobotomized you into thinking you could make off with those bugs.”

“And what’re you gonna do if I say no?” He took a broad step between the gaps of the eggs, sidling onto the first step beneath those spinning panels. “You wouldn’t kill a player, right?”

Her lips peeled back, and she bared her teeth. “Don’t press your luck.”

Xion bit her lip, tiptoeing between the eggs until she made it to Calhoun’s side. Once there, she gave her Keyblade another squeeze, lifting her chin until her eyes were level with his. “Axel, why are you doing this? You have to know how dangerous they are!”

“Well, yeah. I’d have to be nuts to come in here blind.” He reached for his hip, flapping his other hand. “But orders are orders. I’m sure you’d know all about that…” He slowly pulled his focus back to Calhoun, spreading his arms out in an open gesture.

Calhoun bristled, and her trigger finger twitched. Surprisingly, she turned her head from Axel to the floor and to a wide gap in the egg, about three feet long. Looking it over, Xion squinted.

“Hey, is there supposed to be a hole there?”

“No.” Calhoun grimaced. “And if they’d hatched, we’d know.” She took a broad step into the hole, keeping her gun level with Axel’s chest the whole time. “So explain to me how two Cy-Bug eggs could disappear without hatching or respawning.”

Axel flinched, sucking in a mouthful of air. Then, chuckling, he reached behind his back. “I’d love to, really, but your guess is as good as mine.” He removed his hand, wrapping his fingers around one of his chakrams, and sent it swirling toward Calhoun’s gun. Ducking, she passed under the spiky weapon and fired a bright red shot at the bottom step.

“This is your last warning. Whatever you did with those Cy-Bugs, you had better put them back where you got them, or so help me…”

Xion’s knees bent, and she lifted her Keyblade, extending her other arm with her palm facing up. “Please listen to her! If not for us, then at least do it for Roxas. Otherwise, I’ll have to…”

He spun around, back facing the others, though he gave Xion a quick peek over the shoulder. “You say that like I’ve got a choice.”

His head sank, and black slivers of smoke began coiling around his feet. A shadow erupted from the top stair, stretching into a whirling, elliptical shape. Gritting her teeth, Calhoun lurched forward, but Axel threw himself into the corridor just as the tip of her gun shone bright red and retaliated by sweeping flaming pillars over the surfaces of the nearby eggs. As the lasers and flames flew, Xion barreled past Calhoun and lunged through the portal.

Uncaring of who saw her, she wove through the crowd, passing that spiky turtle monster from before and a pudgy chef carrying a giant cheeseburger. With so many people and creatures crammed close together, she had to push and lean and lunge in order to keep track of the rapidly shrinking red tufts. Was he trying to lose her? Wait, that was a dumb question. He must have known at least one of them would follow. Why else would he stay here instead of passing through another corridor?

By the time she reached the edge of the crowd, she caught the tail of his coat vanishing through the tunnel labeled ‘Sugar Rush.’

TO BE CONTINUED