boxofmystery | Double Trouble

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Double Trouble

[Ralph's life had changed quite a bit ever since the events of last month had taken place. Things had been in a whirlwind and Ralph was still getting used to his new life.

The biggest deal was having friends now. While he was close to Felix, he was even closer to Vanellope, and they often had adventures all over the arcade.

She was still settling into things as well and learning the ropes of her new position. There were things that needed to be taken care of, so she always had to stay after closing and make sure things went smoothly.

Ralph didn't mind waiting for her, they often met up at Tapper, the old bar game that was the most popular spot to hang out in. He's spent a lot of time in this game, he knew it and most of the regulars well.

Tonight, he's sitting at one of the corner seats, they gave him the most space, and he's sipping a root beer. He's facing the doorway, keeping an eye out for his best friend heading on through the doors.]

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[Suddenly, the Twins go rigid in Ralph's fists, their expressions quickly turning into ones of pure shock before they quickly share a baffled glance.]

Did you s- ....say......Turbos?

[Tas grits his teeth and resumes his vain struggling, fighting to wrench his arms free from Ralph's fist even though he knows it's pointless.]

You must be a complete idiot, huh?! Turbo ain't 'round anymore, you of all people should know that! He's finished- history! An' we're NOT him!

[Playing dumb- or as dumb as one can in this situation- seems like the best road to take for now. Ralph may not yet realize who the two are, and Tas would prefer that he stay ignorant. The less that know he and Tic are alive, the better.]

[Ralph growls and squeezes the Twins a little tighter.]

Don't play dumb with me. I've seen Turbo come back to life twice, I'm willing to bet the sneak can do it again.

The question is, how'd he split himself into two this time? One was more than enough trouble as it was.

Wh-...WHAT!?

[Tas chokes out briefly before Ralph has the chance to squeeze them any tighter, Tic letting out a groan from his other hand. Ok, this has transcended baffling into the realm of complete and utter insanity.]

Did...did'ja hit yer head on those bricks ya squat in or somethin'!? What in the name of pong are ya TALKIN' about?! Turbo...c-comin' back t'life?-

-splittin' himself in two?!-

[At this point, if Ralph gets any angrier and squeezes the two any tighter, he won't have any Turbos to be interrogating. So with everything in him screaming to hold back, Tas finally blurts out.]

We ain't Turbo! We're his brothers! Th'other racers from Turbo Time!

[Before Ralph can respond to Tas' insults, he suddenly yells out that they're the Twins.

In his shock, he nearly drops the both of them, but catches himself in time. His grip has lessened considerably, they'd easily be able to get their arms out.

He brings them back up closer to his face. If it wasn't for the fact that his hands were full of them, he'd run a hand over his hair.]

What?! You guys survived too?!

Did somebody spike the root beer, or are you really those other two guys, the ones Turbo didn't treat too good?

[The Twins let out a breath in unison, and before either make an attempt to answer they pull their arms free from his fists.]

Yeah....yeah we survived. Such a shock, ain't it?

[Tas spits, glaring up at Ralph spitefully out of the corner of his eye.]

What are ya talkin' about, too? We made it out, but....

[The two exchange another glance, falling silent for a moment. Then Tas glares back up at Ralph again.]

Will ya just-.....just stop manhandlin' us now?

Edited 2013-05-16 03:14 (UTC)

[It seemed like they honestly didn't know what happened with Turbo, so Ralph had a lot of explaining to do.

But, when Tas asks him to put them down, he shakes his head slightly, sighing.

Ralph gives them both a stern look.]

How do I know you're not gonna run off before I'm done asking you questions?

[That wasn't exactly a no, but they'd have to come up with a compelling answer that gave Ralph confidence that they weren't going to up and bolt before he found out what was going on.]

[Tas shakes his head too and lets out a heavy sigh, running his fingers through his hair.]

Answer me this Wreck-It- ...where do ya think we can run off to?

[He lets that question hang in the air, not saying anything more. He and Tic didn't have anywhere to go, truly. They'd been homeless for so many years, and they hadn't dared to try to join another game like Turbo did, with catastrophic results. Even then, what game would want them? From the way Ralph's been acting, it sounds as if the entire arcade would rather have them exiled to an unplugged console for eternity than to give them a second chance.]

[Ralph frowns for a moment before answering.]

Well, you were somewhere before, right? You couldn't have just poofed outta nowhere and ended up here?

...Could you?

[He personally has nothing against the Twins, what Turbo did back then hurt them more than it hurt him, especially since he found a new game to claim as his own. So far, it seemed like they had caused far less trouble than their brother had.

Did Turbo know that the Twins were still alive? Or had he been as clueless as the rest of them?]

Well....where else do homeless characters go when their game's been unplugged, huh...?

[They either get taken in by another game, or they water Game Central Station, homeless. ..Alone.

But for the Twins, it wasn't as simple as that. They had to retreat into hiding because of what Turbo had done. The fear and panic he caused became so wide spread that if they so much as set one foot out into the open, there's no telling what would have happened. It had been that way for them both for years, so many long, hard years...

Now, they seem tired, physically and mentally. Back when Turbo Time was first unplugged, if Ralph had caught them like this he would have had a real fight on his hands. Now? ....they barely seem to have much of a will to keep going, beyond just sticking together as best they can.]

[Ralph gives them a concerned frown at this, shaking his head slightly.]

I've been in the Station plenty of times since...well, you know, but I've never seen you around. I think I would've spotted you at some point in all those years. I talk to the homeless characters sometimes, in the past, they were some of the only ones who never judged me. Q*bert and his crew are always pretty nice to me.

Ya didn't see us cause we didn't want ya ta' see us, got it? Were gonna keep it that way till we ran into you, ham hands.

[Tas pauses between sentences every now and then to struggle a bit more, never relenting in his attempts to free himself from Ralph's grasp. Tic, meanwhile, has given up even trying.]

We ain't exactly th'most popular characters in this arcade. So people think we're dead, an' we'd like it to STAY that way.

[Ralph shakes his head.]

If you want people to keep on thinking that you're dead, you've gotta be more careful, especially since everybody knows what happened with Turbo. Everybody's more worried about things lately.

[The Twins hadn't done anything wrong, so now that he knows they're not Turbo, he's a little more friendly. He knows all too well how it's like to have everybody hate you for something that isn't exactly your fault.]

[Again, the Twins look at each other briefly before turning back to Ralph. It's Tic who speaks up this time.]

Not...everyone.

Everyone might know 'bout what happened, but that was years ago. People in this arcade nowadays hear 'bout it through the grapevine. Only oldies like you were actually there when it happened. S'easier to make breaks for it in the open these days, since what happened is becomin' more of a memory an' a warnin' than anything else.

['Going Turbo' indeed. While valid a warning, every time the Twins heard it uttered in hushed tones, it made them sick. Every single day reminded of what happened..]

[Ralph closes his eyes and sighs, then gives the Twins a sad look. His tone is quieter now, for he's got some interesting news that isn't pleasant in any manner.]

...I'm not talking about Roadblasters, I'm talking about Sugar Rush.

Your brother took over another game for 15 years, attempting to delete a little girl in the process. Nobody knew anything about it until I had an uh...incident of my own and I showed up in Sugar Rush.

His plans got messed up because I helped the little girl get into the race, and during that, everybody who was still in the game found out that Turbo was alive.

Then he got eaten by a robot bug and turned into some king of giant bug monster. He tried to kill me and then wanted me to watch my only friend die.

...This all happened about a month ago.

[To say that the Twins are stunned into complete silence after hearing Ralph's unexpected tale is a gross understatement. For a long time they stay silent and just stare up at him, mentally trying to make sense of everything he's unloaded on them. It's really so much to take in at one time that they wonder if they've heard him right.

But of course, Ralph would be mistaken if he thought the two would accept his story on his word alone. It shouldn't come as a surprise to him when their expressions shift, and Tas growls in a nasty undertone.]

....You expect us t'believe that load'a bull? I think you HAVE lost it.

[Tic shakes his head in defiance, his hands tightening into fists atop Ralph's hand that's still holding him fast.]

We...we might be desperate, but we're not that stupid. W-we....we saw Turbo crash RoadBlasters! We were right there, we WATCHED him die!

[Tic shudders a bit but fights to keep his voice level, surprising even Tas by the anger in his voice.]

W-with crashin' the whole game like he did, there's no way he could'a escaped! We barely made it out ourselves!!!

[Ralph should have expected a reaction like that. He snorts slightly.]

Okay, look, even if you don't believe me, you can ask nearly anybody, and they'd back me up. Vanellope in Sugar Rush saw him first-hand, Me and Felix from Fix-It Felix Jr. saw him on a video screen, Felix's lady, uh...what's her name...Calhoun? Yeah, Calhoun from Hero's Duty might have seen him on the video as well. And, there might have been a few stragglers from Sugar Rush who stuck around that got an eyeful of him.

I know me and Felix told some people, Calhoun told all of her soldiers, and me and Vanellope explained everything to the Sugar Rush kids. They might even still have video of Turbo!

I'm not crazy, and if you knew what was good for you, you'd listen to what I'm saying.

[Again, they fall silent. Of course they wouldn't be going and asking anyone else about any of this. They'd stayed hidden this far. Ralph had been the only true slip up, with just a few close calls scattered throughout the years. Nevertheless, his accusations were pretty heavy. The idea that Turbo somehow made it out of RoadBlasters and into another game was almost too hard to believe.

They watched him die, right before their eyes. ...Right?]

...Look, I ain't believin' this. Not fer a second. Not unless ya got some proof on ya that'll make me believe what you say. Why would you care 'bout what's good fer us anyway?

[Tic has fallen totally silent, too upset to say anything else.]

[Ralph shakes his head.]

Why would I carry proof of what Turbo did with me? What, I'm gonna carry around a photo of him like some kind of fangirl? Look, even if I did have something to prove it, I wouldn't haul it around with me, I'm trying to forget that it even happened.

[Regardless of whether or not the Twins actually believed a word Ralph was saying, he did sound sincere. The anger in his own voice was proof enough that whatever he saw, he believed it happened. So, for now, Tas doesn't say anything else, just glaring at Ralph again.

This time the pause stretches on long enough that Ralph might begin to think that the twins just aren't going to say anything else. It still was a lot to be expected to believe. Turbo getting RoadBlasters and Turbo Time unplugged all in one go was bad enough to begin with. But to be told that he not only survived, but somehow managed to infiltrate another game and...take it over? Nearly killing more people in the process?

Tas slowly looks over in Tic's direction without moving his head, in time to see his brother shudder and bury his face into his hands. Tas's expression falls noticeably at that, and quickly he looks back up at Ralph without a hint of anger for a brief moment before it all comes rushing back again.]

Put us down.

[His tone is still obviously angry, but it sounds more defeated than it does demanding.]

[This time, Turbo's actions were witnessed by several people spanning different games, so even if they don't believe Ralph now, there's enough people out there that knew what happened, and they'd only back up what he had told them, and maybe even give more details about the situation.

Even though the Twins have clammed up, Ralph continues to wait for them to speak. The silence is awkward, but he's waiting for their response.

When Tic puts his face in his hands, Ralph feels a twinge of guilt, in some way, he was sort of bullying these two, even though that hadn't exactly been his intention, once he found out who they really were.

However, he's still got a hair-trigger temper, so when Tas demands for him to set them down, he briefly glares at them, about to snap and say something nasty.

But, Tic's look of despair sticks with him and he almost immediately softens up.

He figures that they're going to dart off as soon as they touch ground, so Ralph says a couple of things before letting them good.]

Fine. Just...just be careful, okay? Everybody knows what happened this time, so you're not gonna have many friends.

[With that, he gently places them down, then opens his hands, setting them free. Ralph lifts his arms back up and even takes a step or two backwards and away from them, showing that they can do whatever they want, he's not going to stop them.]

[Both Tas and Tic sway a little when Ralph finally puts them down before righting themselves. Before Tas can do anything, Tic immediately darts to his side, staring at him with a brief look of despair before grabbing onto the edge of his jumpsuit's sleeve. He keeps his head angled toward the ground after that, trembling slightly.

Tas opens his mouth to say something, but finds the words die on his tongue, forcing his mouth shut again. What really can he say? ..He's still not sure if he should believe a word Ralph is saying- he figured maybe he'd just make this up to spite the two for what Turbo did in the past- but.....still, it's hard not to believe him. Out of anybody in the entire arcade, he and Tic knew Turbo the best. They knew just how egotistical and self-centered he could be, to the point where he abandoned his own game for the sake of being in the spotlight again.

Abandoned not only his game, but his own brothers as well.

It's a hard reality to accept. Sure, over the years they had come to terms with the fact that, yes, their brother was dead. He wasn't coming back. Neither was Turbo Time. They would be homeless for the rest of their lives, until they met their own final game overs.
To be honest, they really only could go off of Ralph's word. Tas wasn't about to let himself or Tic be seen by anyone else, especially not now. They'd seen Sugar Rush and Hero's Duty from afar, passed their entrances in fact, but going to either game to get another person's word wasn't possible.

The fact that Ralph told them all of this is surprising too, given that it really is the truth. Wouldn't anyone else simply not care? ...perhaps this horrific truth was a punishment enough.

Finally, Tas looks away from Tic and back to Ralph, swallowing hard before speaking again.]

..Turbo. ...S'he.......

.....gone?

[Ralph knows a fraction of what the Twins have been going through, are going through. He knows all too well what it's like to be hated for something you have no control over. He also knows how hard Q*bert and his friends have it, they're so unusual, there's no games they can really blend in with to get a job. Ralph wished he could do something for them, but what? Maybe Felix would have an idea.

At the question, Ralph kneels down. Instead of bringing them up to eye level like he had done only a little while ago, he goes down to theirs. He gives them a slow nod, and a sigh.]

As far as I know, yes. But, he survived dying once before, uh, twice before, so I don't really wanna say for certain that he's gone for good.

But, it's a pretty decent bet that he's run out of lives and it's Game Over for him.

[Tas grits his teeth, finally reaching down to take hold of Tic's arm when he starts shaking a bit more at Ralph's words. What he says next though is something completely different, and probably unexpected.]

....he wasn't always bad, yaknow.

[Tas glances away with a hard frown, rubbing the side of his face with a free hand.]

I mean Turbo wasn't a good guy by any means. He was downright nasty half the time, and didn't care 'bout nobody but me, myself, an' I. Winnin' was his life. Bein' the center of attention was his life. 'Course he'd be willin' to die for that.

[The racer shrugs weakly, letting out a heavy sigh.]

...but he was still our brother, yaknow? ...back then he wouldn't'a killed anyone. He prolly didn't even mean t'get RoadBlasters unplugged, but I dunno. ..maybe he did.

[The incident could have been what caused him to snap. Tas really can't say for sure. Heck, he and Tic knew nothing about all of this, so they obviously have done a better job at keeping themselves hidden than they previously thought.]

[Ralph's only a little surprised at what Tas is saying, after all, even he felt some loyalty to all of the Nicelanders, even though they had treated him terribly for all those years. Except in this case, Turbo was their brother, so they had even more of a connection than just being in the same game.

He nods, sighing once more. He didn't like Turbo, especially after everything was said and done, but, he had a soft spot for the Twins. Ralph's not sure what to say, so he just comes up with the most positive thing he can say. Which, it isn't much, and he knows it.]

If it's any consolation, it looked like that for a long time, nearly everybody in Sugar Rush liked him.

[Tas suddenly lets out a sharp, sarcastic bark of a laugh. It's not at all humorous.]

Pssht. Course. ....Least he still got what he wanted, even then.

[Tas can't help but wonder if Turbo ever thought about his brothers all that time he was still alive. Did he ever wonder if the Twins survived? ....Did he ever care?]

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