Reviews :

MightyNinja2000 : Yeah, it definitely becomes a show of who REALLY has what it takes xD Or so they think.

Xaehttium : No worries, I appreciate your reviews nonetheless! Thank you :) And yes, that chapter will certainly be a good victory for everyone xD

Snake557 : You'd be surprised, Calhoun actually gets a kick out of it - likely because the boys that are vying for Tammy's attention aren't really typically 'bad' dudes and are sort of uneducated and dorky about it xD

Kaoru-Yuki : Thank you! Yeah, Emery was trapped in Sugar Rush with everyone just because she's not a threat. You'll find out more about what happened in the next handful of chapters.

Alanshee The Guardian : No worries haha - Thank you!

ArchitectDreams : I'm REALLY glad you feel that way actually, because this isn't going to be an easy fix, it's definitely not as simple as just finding the Sugar Rush crew. MANY a trip is taken into Sugar Rush to set things straight xD It becomes comical after awhile, every one takes turns going on the road trip. There's a LOT in store :)

Alisi Thorndyke : Haha yeah it definitely is a big scene of 'who is the coolest dude' - and Tammy is just so thrilled to have first pick, she doesn't really call any one out on it - but when PENNY comes into the picture. That's a different story xD Thank you!

Retrokill : Yeahhh he's not too happy about it lol

Nikki Firesong : Thank you so much! Yes, my spoilers on deviantART have seemingly spread about haha.

Awesome Stories May Occur : Hey! I can always count on you for epic, long reviews :) I added your sketch requests to my list, as well! OK to answer your questions and inquiries :

- After awhile, the SR crew sort of accepted Zed. They were extremely wary of him, at first, but finally just accepted that Tessa was an adult. They inquired about it, stating that they didn't want to say that Tessa couldn't hang out with 'Zane', and instead heavily warned her about who she is bringing in and out of SR. Told her to be careful with her code and to whom she gives it to. Zed eventually was around enough to where they were still inwardly wary, but, like any good family, you let your differences fall aside so not to alienate anyone.

- As for Tessa getting upset over the fact that Ace and Libby didn't swap, I didn't intend for that to come across as insensitive. How my mind works, in this aspect, is sex, in this story, is EXTREMELY more indepth than just regular sex like we know. For these gamers, you're downloading a whole other person's soul, you know nearly every aspect about them, and THEIR emotions, traits, flaws and etc., are transferred to you. If Libby were to swap with Ace, it'd actually help her grieving ten-fold, and she'd actually 'heal' a lot quicker, because she would have Ace's comforting coding, words, thoughts, and happy self 24/7. It would be like a constant security blanket - only thing now, is to convince her to open up (it is explained further in this chapter) - Again, not trying to be insensitive, and Tessa just loves the idea of the two being together, because Ace and Libby are besties. Tessa understands how comforting it is to have someone else's loving coding in her system, and that's what she wants for Libby - cause she knows Ace could wholly deliver, in the aspect of comfort and being there for Libby. No one wants to see her grieve. It was just her being playfully disappointed.

- Yes, Radex left Emery alone because she wasn't viewed as a threat, and isn't ever a threat. You'll understand why eventually.

- I apologize you keep falling in love with the pairs that aren't main focus. I'm very particular in who I 'grip' to, and sometimes I don't even really have a choice, it just happens. I had every intention to give Candlehead and Gloyd the same attention that I gave Taffyta and Rancis, but it fell to the wayside, and I didn't want to force anything. I don't force ANYTHING when it comes to my stories, otherwise it'll turn out complete shit - We've all gambled on a fart and lost ;P

The main couples I will be focusing on is clearly Tessa and Zed, Ace and Libby, Ralph and Vanellope, Penny and a certain brother I don't want to spoil here, and Tammy and another brother I won't spoil. Nox also gets tossed into the mix with ANOTHER certain gamer that hasn't been named, yet. I have a LOT of side couples, this time around, and I am semi-terrified over it, but they will likely be minor to the main 3 couples, which are Tessa, Zed, Ace, Libby, Ralph and Vanellope. It just what has to happen. Again, I don't force anything, and I don't want this story to become a chore. It hasn't been, thusfar, and that is because I've stuck to my guns ;) I appreciate all your input, it really means a lot to me!


Song Listened To : Finding Dory (main title) by Thomas Newman (sounds weird lol but the soundtrack for that movie is TO DIE FOR go listen to it! Dx )

*Chapter 52*

"Alright, go ahead and put this on," Tessa grunted, she yanked a thick, furry hoodie from the bag that was strapped to the back of Royal's saddle. She gently pushed it into Ace's arms and began to shiver, herself. She grappled for her own hoodie and quickly began to sink it over herself, "It's cold now, but it'll only get colder the higher in the air, we are."

"Definitely something I'm not used to," Ace grumbled with a sleepy smile as he fastened the hoodie over his body as well. He snuggled into it with a grateful smile and gave his mom and Royal an expectant look, "We ready?"

"Yep, let's get a move on," Tessa encouraged as she board Royal first, she figured if Ace were to want to nap, she would be the one flying Royal. She grunted and yanked Ace up aboard with him, though he pushed himself up and aided her in her venture. She heaved a hard sigh, dusted her hands off and grappled the reins of Royal's saddle, "Alright... So, for today, let's head North. We'll turn around once the game day is half way through."

"How can you tell when it's half way through?" Ace wondered as he situated himself behind his mother and lazily wrapped his arms around her center.

"The sun," Tessa called quietly as she pointed up, though the late morning sun wasn't wholly in the center of the sky, just yet, "Once it's on the other side of the sky, in it's same positioning, we'll know to turn back... Hopefully we'll just FIND them, though... And this will be quick."

"Do... You think they're okay?" Ace worried as Royal perked his stance and sprawled his wings a little, though Tessa huffed a soft sigh of concern.

"I can only assume... The game is still plugged in, right?" Tessa inquired nervously as she peered to Ace over her shoulder, though he shrugged and nodded a little.

Tessa softly peered out to her land and, with a deep inhale of the cold, crisp Sugar Rush air, she felt her heart begin to soar. She knew getting back into Sugar Rush's sky was something she had been dreaming of, and she knew she couldn't wait to take to the skies with Lickity, a wild ride of freedom she knew the two were itching for, but for now, she knew she needed to focus on the task at hand; finding her family.

"Alright, let's go," Tessa called to Royal quietly, he inhaled a deep breath and readied himself, "C'mon, bud, let's do this."

"Good thing I'm hungry," Royal urged with a happy laugh as he jolted forward, and with a hard few gallops down the slope of the pink frosted grass undertow, he leaped into the cold air, let his wings sprawl as wide as they could and caught with the delicious current.

Tessa inhaled a sharp gasp and, though she wasn't used to flying Royal, she still felt the rush of emotions course through her veins, an action in which confused her binary, as if her coding had simply forgotten it's origin. She long blinked a few times and was beyond thrilled to finally push into her game's sky, the sweet lick of the sugary air melted their souls into the game, as if any ounce of turmoil the game was in wasn't merely enough to drag the cheeriness out of it. Tessa inhaled a deep breath, let her eyes lull closed, and gave the game a silent promise of hope, a swear that she would forever take care of it, a pledge to the very game that gave her life. She shook her head and, as she could feel Ace's arms tighten around her, her heart leaped with the soft gasp that emit from his body, the raw beauty that held out before them was unlike anything Dead Zed could ever boast.

"How long does this snow go on for, mom?" Ace wondered with a nervous smile as she approached a massive puff of cotton candy cloud, they knew Royal had made a strict bee line to it.

"Who knows," Tessa hissed as she shook her head and grappled the reins, for she knew Royal was about to call the shots for the time being, "The snow biome, that was previously laid on the land, before this mess, wasn't nearly THIS large... And it included one of the tallest peaks in this game, Pepperfrost... But that peak is nowhere to be seen."

"Looks like this Radex character has rearranged everything," Ace mumbled as he slumped his chin to his mother's shoulder and shook his head.

"Yeah, we'll I'm going to rearrange his face when I see him next, so I guess it'll be a fair trade," Tessa spat in a sarcastically dull tone which had Ace's eyebrows raised in nervous surprise.

"Y'tell 'em, mom," Ace eased through a raspy chuckle as he lulled his eyes closed, though the two jolted as Royal let out a hard whoop of excitement, largely flapped his wings in growing fervor and dart into the deliciously, saturated hot pink cotton candy cloud.

Everyone laughed as Royal eagerly flapped about, though the second they came out the other side of the yummy cloud, Tessa shook her head and free her hair of leftover tendrils of cotton candy. Ace licked his fingers a little as Tessa bent over the top of Royal's saddle, she lovingly pat the top of his large head and gave him an eager smile.

"How was that for yah, bud?" Tessa called as Royal's ears tilted to hear her better.

"I'm going to make myself sick, if I keep that up," Royal stated as if that simply wasn't even an inconvenience. He smacked his lips, let his large chameleon tongue run over his snout and finally peered up to Tessa in a rush of delightful enlightenment.

"You're not truly of Sugar Rush until you make yourself sick from the sweets, at least once," Tessa laughed, Ace and Royal joined.

After a handful of minutes of flying, and innocent questions about Sugar Rush volleyed to Tessa from both boys, Ace finally lulled his eyes closed and sunk into his mother's spine. Before his brain could allow him to relax fully, he jolted his eyes open and remembered the topic that they had left the house with; the dilemma about Libby. He inhaled a choke of a breath and diverted his gaze to his mother. She seemingly forgot about the topic they had hanging in the balance, her eyes eagerly scanned her home for any sign of civilization, though there simply were none for as far as the eye could see. He knew she would never give up, nonetheless.

"Uh, mom," Ace started quietly as Royal leveled out and continued to soar across the snowy game. Ace eyed the ground, far below, and began to feel his heart grow sore, "So uh... What were you going to exactly tell me about Libby?"

"Oh, uh..." Tessa stammered, though she finally inhaled a hard breath and slumped her shoulders. She gingerly glanced to Ace over her shoulder, "It's... It's heavy news, Ace. I just need you to understand that, before I tell you."

"How heavy could it be?" Ace grumbled, he furrowed his brow, "Does... This have to do with her future husband?"

"Yes, it does," Tessa finally stated in a quiet tone, after a moment or two. Ace sat up straighter and felt his heart pound a little.

"Okay... So, they got into a fight or something and she ran away?" Ace prod, "Maybe... They disagreed and she was banished because of it?"

"She wasn't banished," Tessa repeated from earlier in the morning. She grappled Royal's reigns and began to feel a little nervous that they were having this conversation over five hundred feet in the air, "She ran away from home... Something happened to where she... Needed to escape."

"Was she... Attacked?" Ace began to worry, though his eyes scanned Royal's gloriously speckled cream and golden skin. He shook his head and felt his heart begin to sorely throb in growing anxiousness, "... That does explain all the bruises she had on her arms."

"Ace, can I ask you a personal question?" Tessa inquired, and though Ace's face got red, he nodded calmly. Tessa slumped her shoulders and peered out to the frosty, white, pink and charcoal colored land below. She shook her head and gave Ace her side-eye contact again, "When... You were in the external swap with Libby last night, what was her thought stream telling you?"

"Well... It wasn't really telling me anything specific," Ace uttered quietly, he knew this was a touchy subject, the very idea of any form of swapping, though he was thrilled his mother's teasing and playful notions were largely kept at bay for the serious topic at hand, "U-Uh... Before my coding sort of... Well... Mixed with hers, her thoughts were just really negative and scared... As if she was trying to run away from me. From anyone."

"Sounds about right," Tessa sighed, though she glanced at Ace once more, "And... After your code meshed with hers?"

"Oh, it was just like we always are," Ace shrugged, "It... It was happy, warm. I-I... I could swear I could hear her laughter."

Tessa smiled and looked down to the top of Royal's head. She knew Royal was largely cued to the conversation as well, though he kept quiet. Tessa giggled and threw her gaze out to the horizon.

"You and Libby have something very special. Something no one will be able to have," Tessa smiled lovingly out to the distance, though her smile slowly dropped, "It... It's not something that will come very easy, though, Ace... She... She's been through something that could make your venture, to her heart, very difficult."

"I just wish you'd come out with it," Ace grumbled in growing impatience, though Tessa huffed a sigh.

"I-I... I really don't know how to tell you," Tessa urged quietly, though she could sense Ace was beginning to slide to the end of his rope, especially with the lack of sleep he was suffering with.

"Just... Like a band-aid, I can take it," Ace argued, "Did she get into a physical fight with someone? Her future husband? She spoke out of turn and feared for her life, or something stupid? Disobeyed one of their backwards, whacky rules?"

"It's... Not anything like that," Tessa mumbled, though she flinched once Ace's voice grew stern.

"Then WHAT, mom, just say it," Ace urged as he began to scan the horizon in growing anger, a rare emotion Ace ever let surface. Tessa bit her lip and began to feel nervous.

"Sh-She was... Taken advantage of," Tessa stammered, though she flinched as Ace huffed a hard sigh.

"We need to land," Ace growled, though Tessa furrowed her brow and peered at him over her shoulder.

"Land?" Tessa urged in growing confusion, though she flinched as Ace suddenly pat Royal's side and called to him in stern anger.

"Take us down, Royal," Ace overrode Tessa's flight pattern. Tessa looked forward and nearly gawked, though Royal nervously looked over his shoulder and peered to Tessa; he knew she was in charge of the flight path, and she ultimately was the one he was answering to. Ace huffed a hard, sharp sigh of a growl and grappled Royal's reign, "Now, Royal, just LAND!"

"O-Okay," Royal uttered nervously, he slowly began to bank towards the ground and figured everyone would be safer to battle this out on the ground.

After a few moments of descent, Royal largely flapped his wings, caught the ground in a gentle gallop and came to a slow stop, though before he could fully stop, Ace tore himself from Royal's back and jumped to the ground in growing, heated rage. Tessa nervously peered after him as he began to firmly step away, though she knew he wouldn't go far. She heaved a nervous breath and slid off of Royal's back. Royal hung close to her and gave his scared, golden eye contact to Ace's disheveled, angry positioning across the field of gorgeous, glass-like rock candy trees they had found themselves in. Each rock candy tree towered a good twenty feet over head, their glistening greys, browns and greens were flawlessly speckled with the faint kiss of snowfall likely from earlier in the morning. Tessa crossed her arms and knew this was likely the breaking point, the final button pushed to throw Ace over the edge. They knew Ace had a long fuse, and was very hard to anger, though Tessa also knew he was extremely protective of the ones he loved, and said fuse was largely shortened if his loved ones well being was ever in danger.

"Ace," Tessa called from the small gap of two dozen feet Ace had been stewing in. He largely shook his head, clenched his fists and gave his mom a pleading look.

"Mom, I don't... I don't understand why this has to be so difficult, why does life have to suddenly just... Throw so much at me?" Ace pleaded, "First, Libby disappears... THEN she reappears, but at what cost? I find out I'm practically a god to the whole entire Arcade... I'm the grandson of my childhood hero, my own mother's lineage is haphazardly spewed across this snowy creation and... The girl I... The girl I love...!"

Tessa raised her eyebrows in hard surprise and assessed Ace as a whole in this raw moment. He was extraordinarily handsome, a big heap of bumbling love her heart grew absolutely sore for, his tender-hearted demeanor and terrifying eke of strength was just the sweetest kiss of irony she had ever laid eyes on, though in this bold moment, she could see a man coming into his own. His broad, powerful chest heaved softly with the realization that was pouring over him, the slow reveal of his gentle secret, his feelings for Libby, he knew he felt safe with his mother, though his eyes stabbed into hers with a good dose of innocent confusion. He shook his head and grit his teeth, though before he could spout more negativity, Tessa added fuel to the fire of love he unknowingly dipped into.

"You love her?" Tessa inquired kindly, though Ace grimaced.

"I-I... Mom, isn't it obvious?" Ace croaked as his eyes turned glassy, "O-Of course I love her... She's my best friend! But, with... With THIS now hung over her... I-I... I don't stand a single chance!"

"Ace, of course you do, no one said it was impossible," Tessa argued, though Ace squinted his eyes and shook his head firmly.

"What happened to her," Ace barked, as if he knew the answer, though he needed the raw truth in order to even begin to think about finding healing through it.

"Ace," Tessa stated, as if merely saying the proper word, for what Libby went through, was too much for her mind to even handle.

"Mother," Ace barked, his booming voice easily showed Zed in his actions. Tessa raised her eyebrows and felt her skin prickle with the new sight of her dominantly angered son.

"What will it help?" Tessa loudly argued, though Ace tightly clenched his fists and grimaced with a hard yell.

"Just SAY IT!" Ace hollered, the glass reverberated in pangs of wobbling, fragile nervousness.

"Sh-She was raped," Tessa nervously spat, her tone easily matched his, though before she could press on and desperately attempt to quell his broken heart, Ace grimaced a nervous cry and, with all the wrecking force Tessa and Ralph had generously blessed him with, he swung his arm out and clipped the bottom of a rock candy tree.

Tessa flinched, covered her head and shut her eyes tight as the rock candy loudly shattered and splayed in all sorts of directions. Tessa inhaled a scared, nervous breath and stepped closer to Royal, who eagerly shielded her, with his massive wing, from the shards of glass that came rocketing her way. She peered to Ace in growing horror as he loudly grunted and continued to swing away, his powerful wrecking force was unlike anything Tessa had seen, and in nearly a minute flat, he had very easily demolished over two dozen candy trees to bare stumps of jagged, dangerous glass. Tessa winced and noticed Ace's hands had begun to bleed because of the shards of rock candy. Tessa largely began to brave him, and once she came within a few feet of him, she glitch-hopped a few times, caught him by surprise and slapped her live-wired, silver circuited palms to his upper arms.

He uttered a hard cry and, before he could wreck his mother into oblivion, the silver coding largely swarmed his body; she comforted him through the very exterior swap trick he had used on Libby the night prior. All at once, Ace's adrenaline rush slipped from him, and as he slumped his arms and shoulders, Tessa shoved her forehead up to his and largely uttered a few lulling notions to him, to ease his mind, as if to worry if their external swap wasn't going to be enough. Ace grit his teeth, and through the small cuts that bled on his cheeks and nose, tears streamed his face in dire sorrow. He choked a small cry and shut his eyes tight, though before he could crumple to the ground in pure anguish, Tessa largely slapped her arms around his neck and welcomed him into her chest. He easily soaked into her body, he shoved his head and face into the softness of her upper chest and the nook of her neck. He quietly cried, out of rage, out of pure hate for the very thing that happened to his precious Libby. He shook his head and let his bloody, wrecking fists go limp. He inhaled a nasally gasp and continued to quietly cry into his mother's neck.

"How could this happen?" Ace hissed through his tears, he shut his eyes tight and let his body and heart feel the whole cloak of pain he was drowning in, "How could this happen..."

"There are sick people, out there," Tessa urged as she tucked her chin to the top of Ace's head, and as tears rolled down her cheeks as well, she glared across the demolished bit of forest they sat in, "Sick people that... That have no respect. No heart."

"H-How do I even... When can I... I-I can't even tell her...?" Ace stammered his shivering inquiries, as if he had no idea where to even begin. Tessa shook her head and pulled Ace away from her chest, though she grappled the tops of his shoulders and made him keep eye contact.

"You have not lost her, Ace," Tessa demanded quietly, "... If you love her, Ace... You have to respect this part of her life. She is forever left with this. It doesn't mean she can't overcome it, and welcome you into her heart one day, but you have to understand how painful it is to have that on your life. She won't be very trusting of anyone, including any men that become remotely interested in her."

"But... It's just me," Ace whimpered, he desperately peered to his mother, "I-I... I would never dream of hurting her!"

"Then prove it," Tessa hissed, she let a small smile curl her lips, "Prove it to her... No matter how long that takes you, Ace... You're her best friend for a reason. All those fire flowers was just the beginning of your journey... You PROMISED you'd wait for her. You made that vow, all that time ago."

"I-I'd wait for forever," Ace whimpered as he shook his head and long blinked more tears down his cheeks. He finally shut his eyes tight and felt relieved he was finally getting his buried secret out to someone he knew he could wholly trust it with. He slumped and felt the weight of the lack of adrenaline hit his knees, "Mom, I'd wait for forever, for her..."

"That's what makes you so great," Tessa smiled as she lightly squeezed his shoulders, "It will take some time... But I know she will come around, to you. You have to be patient, and you have to understand that she doesn't WANT to trust anyone, right now. She won't want to, for awhile. You just have to give her all of your patience."

"I-I will," Ace nodded sorrowfully, though he finally grit his teeth and gave his mother a hard glare, "Mom, if that guy ever shows his face... I don't care what dad said about not picking fights... I will rip his head from his shoulders."

"Everyone at the Kalivar castle gives you full permission... Especially your father," Tessa giggled quietly, though she shook her head and gave Ace a knowing look, "All of us would be lining up."

"Me first," Ace growled.


A/N: Last call for drawing requests! Review your request for this chapter and let me know what scene you'd like drawn :D

Also, I'm starting a big list of character sheets, for each of my characters - so far I have Tessa and Zed's character sheet drawn and on my deviantART. Go check it out! Username Vyntresser