Ralph Doesn't Like AU Ideas, but Maybe Going to Ink_City Isn't So Bad

[wreckofaguy]

Look, player, I've seen a lot of you gamers come and go over the years. This is the first time I've really talked to one before. It's against the rules, somebody could think the game is glitching and then we could get unplugged.

I'm making an exception because I don't like the path this new game is going down. As a gig, so far, this hasn't been a bad one. I mean, it's no Fix-It Felix Jr. and I haven't gotten to wreck anything, but over all, it's not the worst it could be.

I feel bad about putting that lady out of work, but, well, you chose me and it's nice to be appreciated.

I'm not feeling too appreciated lately, though. There's been a few fun things, and I did get some cake, but you seem to like directing me into some rather unpleasant situations.

If everything was cheery all the time, life'd be pretty boring, but one of the things you're considering is a permanent change and it's not one I'm liking the sound of. Sure it's awful to have stuff like that happen now and then, but at the end of the day, I get reset and everything's back to normal.

And I'm not talking about that City place, either. That doesn't sound too bad, at least I'd have Vanellope, Felix, and Calhoun to hang out with, it's been pretty lonely without them around.

I'm talking about that account idea, you know the one. Nothing good is going to come of it and if you go through with it, you might wake up one day and find that I've gone Turbo and found a new place to call home.

Is this what it's like for Felix all the time when the players control his movements? I can't say I'm envious of him.
 

Comments

[notaglitch]

[That voice. She knows that voice- how could she forget so quickly? She hasn't seen hide nor hair of him since her mun gave her a place in her headspace- and now she's so excited to see Ralph again she doesn't know what to do first really.

Sounds like he's pretty grumpy though- no surprise there. So doing her best to hold back her own excitement, she sneaks up behind him before stopping just a foot or two away, folding her hands behind her back. Then she rocks back a little on her heels and looks up- waaaay up- at the back of Ralph's head with a small smirk.]

Did I just hear someone say they're goin' Turbo? OH- oh nooo-

[She gasps with mock concern. She didn't hear most of that through the under-his-breath mumbling, but if anyone wouldn't even THINK about going Turbo, it would be Ralph.]

Say it ain't so! If that happens, why- ...I'm gonna hafta find some other stinkbrain t'be best friends with!- an' I don't think anyone is more deserving of that gem of a title than you big guy.

[By now her grin has stretched from ear to ear, and it's taking everything she has not to just jump onto his back and hug him until she can't anymore.]

Oh gosh too cute

[wreckofaguy]

[Ralph immediately cheers up when he hears a familiar voice lurking behind him and he quickly turns around to see his best friend there.]

Vanellope! Man, it's great to see you! You keeping everything under control back in Sugar Rush?

[He pauses for a moment, thinking.] Hey, if I did go Turbo, I could come and stay with you instead. That offer of my own section of the castle still up for grabs?

X3

[notaglitch]

A'course I am! Everybody's listenin' to everythin' I say for once! It's kinda weird... but I can't say that I'd get tired of it too quickly!

[She snickers before nodding quickly, waving her hand at him with a laugh.]

That offer'll still be standin' long after our cabinets have been 'round for a hundred years, are collectin' dust, an' have become homes for mice! At least if ya did go Turbo I'd have that t'look forward to, right?

<3

[wreckofaguy]

That's good, you need to keep all those hooligans in line! Any of them giving you a rough time?

[Ralph grins at this.] If I go Turbo, you'll be the first to know about it.

Heh, maybe now that my player knows I've got a pretty sweet place to live if I decide to split, she'll stop what she's been up to and I won't have to leave.

[notaglitch]

Aaahh not really- 'cept Gloyd maybe, but he's programmed t'be a trickster. Not like he can help it- ...but I can handle him, don't you worry!

An' good! Cause that's the last thing I'd wanna hafta' hear from somebody else!

[She smiles at that, folding her arms over her chest.]

No kiddin'! But I mean- ...havin' you around in Ink City would be nice. My player says I've been... [She gives a pair of air quotes, her brows coming together in confusion.] 'Accepted' er' somethin', so as soon as I'm officially into th'city that's where I'm headed. Plus Felix and the others are gonna be there too!

..I mean.. [Shrugging a little, she scuffs the toe of her boot across the ground.] She keeps tellin' me I'm not gonna... know about you guys bein' there in advance- ...heck we're not gonna know anythin' about the city I don't think. But it's good to know you might be there- ...at least fer' now anyways.

[wreckofaguy]

If something comes up that you can't handle, let me know and I'll take care of it.

[Ralph grins.] Of course you were accepted, who wouldn't want a President in their game!

I don't know when, or if, I'll end up there, so watch out for yourself, okay? I'm gonna do my best to get to the City, but it's all up to my player as to what jobs I get.

It doesn't really matter if we know that we're going to be there beforehand, once we find each other again, we can hang out all the time. We won't be stuck to just closing hours, so that's something to look forward to.

[notaglitch]

Sure thing! An' yeah, I guess yer' right! Who wouldn't want a President in their game?

[She's just going to repeat exactly what he said- for emphasis, you know.]

I will. No matter who's there or what happens, I'll make sure t'keep an eye out for things.. cause I hear this place can get pretty nasty at times. But it's apparently been kinda quiet lately...

[For now.]

Hey yeah, you're right!! That'd be awesome, wouldn't it?

[wreckofaguy]

[Ralph grows concerned.] Huh? The City can get pretty nasty? I haven't heard anything about that... I shouldn't be surprised, though, given that Turbo's player is the one that wanted me to jump in in the first place.

[He shakes his head.] You need to watch out for him too, if he hurts you again... [Ralph clenches his fists, it's clear that if Turbo didn't behave, he was going to be sorry.

Ralph calms down a little and manages a small smile.] It can't all be bad, though, if we're stuck there, at least we'll be stuck together, right?

[notaglitch]

Yeah.... I dunno, apparently there's a lotta bad robot guys and ink monsters n' stuff? As far as I've been told anyways- plus there are some shifty people that are in the game too.

[She stiffens at the mention of Turbo though. Turbo like- the real Turbo? The BAD one...? Her player obviously neglected to tell her anything about that. Oops. Well- it's best she didn't know anyway. It's not like she'll remember when she gets there in the first place.]

I-...I will. [She swallows hard and nods a little, but she'd be lying if she said that new piece of information didn't make her just a little nervous.

Trying to ignore that for the moment though, she looks back up at him and grins.]

Yeah, of course! There's nobody I'd rather be stuck inna' place with than you boogerface.

[wreckofaguy]

[Ralph shakes his head at this.] I don't like the sound of that... Do you know if the Game Over rules are the same there? I'd feel a lot better going in if we can regenerate if something goes wrong.

[He grins and reaches a hand down to gently rumple her hair.] Back at you, President Greasy!

[theprodigalexplorer]

That, unfortunately, comes with the territory. When your Su--Mun pulls you out into a place like this, it's pretty much guaranteed that you're going to end up in a bad spot, sometimes with permanent changes, sometimes with permanent damages.

Well, as permanent as things get around here, that is.

As for players controlling movements, unless they make him run in circles constantly to dodge skill-shots or dive right into a tower that kills them in a very painful, energy-blast-death, I don't think he has it bad yet.

[wreckofaguy]

[Ralph snorts.] Is there any way to change how the game is played? My player's got too many ideas that end up bad for me.

Nah, Felix's got it easy. The only things the players can do is make him move around, jump, and fix things. His only problems are me dropping bricks on him and the ducks. Our game is simple, but the players still like it after all these years.

[theprodigalexplorer]

Well, it's not easy, but sometimes it is. What you're doing now is a good start -- talk with them, tell them how you feel about it, and try to convince them otherwise.

Here's the thing. Once you actually get in a game here, you forget this place and you forget about your Mun. The fourth wall and all. I've only seen one game that breaks it -- most Muns prefer that we don't actually know they're there. More fun for them, or something like that. Even people like me who are from games where we talk to the Player don't remember it, usually.

[...Hang on, back up there.]

Ducks?

[wreckofaguy]

It's a good thing I'm just about as stubborn as she is, I'm not gonna give up that easily.

Hang on, you're saying that I won't know about my player if I go to the city? I'm used to seeing gamers all the time, although, this is the first time I've actually been controlled by one. That fourth wall is a big part of my game, if it wasn't there, then the players couldn't play!

Yeah, ducks. Not sure why they got their feathers ruffled, but they fly at Felix and try to knock him off the building. Makes my job a little easier.

[theprodigalexplorer]

You're going to need to be.

Yeah, you won't know about her. It's not the same as having a player controlling you -- whatever the story is, you aren't going to be in your game anymore. There aren't going to be any players. It's a thing they do and even I can't figure them out.

Oh! They knock him off. Makes sense. Sort of.

[wreckofaguy]

I had a feeling that was gonna be the case.

[He shakes his head.] Not sure if I like the sound of that. I've been seeing players nearly every day for 30 years, it'll be strange that they won't be anywhere around.

All Felix does is jump around and fix things, he wouldn't even hurt a flea. Our game's pretty non-violent, especially compared to some of the others. [He shudders slightly, thinking about Hero's Duty.]

[theprodigalexplorer]

If you think that's weird, try coming from mine. Working with over a hundred different people in groups of either five or three, calling for backup or backing them up when needed, then suddenly you're on your own.

I'm used to digging through ruins by myself. Actually fighting in groups? Not that much.

[Hah.]

Mine is pretty violent, but no one dies even in the game's universe. It'd take a while to explain it, though.

[wreckofaguy]

[Ralph grimaces.] Tough luck, there, buddy. Any of these other games around got something similar?

No deaths, huh? Kinda odd to think about, I mean, Felix dies if he loses, but he regenerates right afterwards, so it's no big deal.

[theprodigalexplorer]

Some of them. Ask about people from roleplaying games especially -- they usually come from a consistent group that never really split apart.

Well, sort of. The story is that the magic where we fight keeps us from dying for long. If we are killed, we're just out of the fight for about a minute then regenerate at full everything back at the base.

[skullcrushingthighs]

...Ah, hello, Ralph. Players... seem to have gotten stranger here. Zangief is in same position, but with a slightly different issue. Player insists Zangief is, well, not bad guy. Crazy, yes? But he insists Zangief is only bad guy in adaptations of game. Not in game itself. Is beginning to make me think either they're crazy, or someone in Street Fighter II didn't belong, the way King Candy didn't belong.

[wreckofaguy]

Hey, Zangief!

Huh, I don't know anything about that, sounds kinda like a mess to me. You think somebody snuck into Street Fighter II like Turbo did?

You know, Turbo reprogrammed Sugar Rush, he could have done the same thing to your game before leaving it.

[skullcrushingthighs]

Is only slightly less scary than the idea my player is insane.
[He shrugs.]
Thing is, we did not have real glitches, not on the level Rush did. Closest is that Dhalsim will go invisible now and then in gameplay... and that throw glitch that the players love to use so much, but I believe those were built in oversights by the Makers. No unused assets or anything like that...

[wreckofaguy]

My player's got her own share of crazy, so I think it's just a gamer thing.

I'm glad that Turbo didn't get ahold of it, but it still doesn't solve the mystery of what your player's talking about.

[skullcrushingthighs]

Yes, it's perplexing. He said I was only portrayed as villains in the movies, and the cartoons... Never in the game series itself. And Spider-Man, from Marvel Vs. Capcom agrees, that Zangief- at least in that game- is not bad guy. Does not have bad guy backstory. Something is afoot here, and Zangief does not like smell of it.

[wreckofaguy]

Hey, like you said, you can be a Bad Guy without being a bad guy, you know.

And as long as you think you're a Bad Guy, well then, you're a Bad Guy to me. It doesn't matter what your player thinks, it's what you think that counts.