Reviews :

Firesong-Writes : I'm honored, seriously, thank you SO much! I'm so glad you're back and along for the ride, once more. I love when WL+ reviewers make their presence known :) I'm thrilled you're enjoying Ralph and Vanellope's ups and downs so far. For Wrecking Limits, it was all new love and butterflies and all the fun things that comes with that. For this time around, I wanted to implement a well seasoned love. I took elements of mine and Cory's relationship and marriage. We've been together for almost 9 years total, which has certainly blessed us with ups and downs as well, I wanted Ralph's and Vanellope's marriage to really replicate that, that love isn't easy, but it is most certainly worth it as a team effort. I'm glad that shines through. And yes! The season where Gideon is a baby is surely fluffy and adorable, but you're definitely right. Once Gideon ventures further into adulthood, the story gets very dark. I'm extremely excited to expand on it, and I'm so grateful for such an awesome set of friends to come alongside me. Thank you!

Burgie : Yay babies! :D I know, poor Boss. He definitely gets his time to shine.

Snake557 : Oh thank you so much!


*Chapter 9*

With the scuff of her lazy, cute canvas shoes, Vanellope inhaled a deep breath of Turbotime's crisp, beautiful air and peered out to Vidrix City on the horizon. Glowing in its absolute pride, the skyline glinted against the nighttime sky in a swathe of incredible glory, an insanely gorgeous scene to behold. With traffic heading to and from Vidrix, via the busy highway that lead to and from, to more rural areas behind Turbotime's mountain entrance, Vanellope eagle-eyed the beacon of the Turbotime boy's home, on the tiny skyline in the distance. Comfortably housed in a nestled, miniature palace like abode attached to Thunderbird arena, Vanellope swallowed and felt a pang of nervousness hit her stomach. Having only been to their abode once, she was anticipating a homely crowd, like usual, and though she was excited to see the extensions of her family that included Theo, Berri and Mara, she bit her lip and now was worried her's and Ralph's dirty laundry was due to be aired. Knowing this fact, she rolled her eyes and had to firmly remind herself that she was in good company.

VerySchweet : Hey bud, I'm inside the entrance.

Vanellope swiftly sent her message to Turbo, sagged her phone into her pocket and stepped aside so to avoid standing blatantly in the foot traffic coming and going from Turbotime, though before she could even stop to admire the gorgeous skyline even further, she flinched in hot surprise as her purple pixels easily zapped away and recollected in tight cohesion. Her eyes popped open in a tightened draw of cute, prickled concern as she caught with now an incredibly different sight. Within seeing Lash's cute face first, her gaze quickly broadened to the scene about her, and much to her secretive dismay, it was nearly every person she had wished was maybe tucked away for the night, so to avoid said dirty laundry being properly aired. Vanellope beamed a cute smile, nonetheless, as Lash politely held a hand out to her.

"Y'made it," Lash chimed warmly as Vanellope sagged her hand into his, the gentlemanly act of helping Vanellope off of their modest, main hub of a teleport pad; although not nearly as large or robust as Sugar Rush's palace pad, it still was beautiful and solid in its own right.

"Thank you," Vanellope eased with a smile as she looked about the place.

Much like Sugar Rush's palace, Lash's abode, in Thunderbird Arena, acted like a miniature version of Tessa's handiwork. A single-leveled abode that sprawled over the span of about ten acres nestled into the backside of Thunderbird Arena, their resting spot was beautifully shaped like a lotus, a much tinier flower compared to Sugar Rush's palace design, and though Lash and his brothers called upon Tessa's and Zed's help, it still held a bit more of a futuristic charm due to Turbotime's massive upgrade. With the main teleport pad being close to the center of their abode in the middle of the main common room, said huge, beautiful round room evenly split off into six corridors, the petals off of the building's lotus-esque shape. Each corridor lead to each racer's private wing and abode, outfit with a much larger condo-like home inside. With one wing for Throttle and Wren, Turbo and Berri, Lash and Mara, Nox and Koko, the other two wings were left empty for the potential move-in for Theo and Tatum, as well as any other soul, inside this tight-knit family, that would enjoy moving in.

At the Eastside of said main, round room was an entrance to a secluded, private balcony that overlooked the massive, gorgeous Thunderbird racing Arena. With the whole of the building being entirely sound proof, due to the chaotic noise of game day, the glassy view of the stands and the massive amphitheater capable of holding a crowd of thousands was likely the best view in the entire game, their lotus home being the crown jewel of the arena itself. At the Westside of the main room was an exit onto a private, large, grassy area that overlooked the oceanside end of Vidrix City, equally paired with a sky-high view of the ocean. The whole place was as luxurious as one could ever dream, a hub of easy access to game day, all four boys were close to home whilst being right in the heart of their work, Vanellope always felt as if she had no clue where to look first. Sat at the heart of this massive, likely domed round room with gapes of incredible skylights was a round hub of an airy kitchen equipped with one singular, massive, rectangular island. Hugged about said kitchen area was a higher level of common room sitting areas, a nook with a fireplace, as well as the hub of a teleport pad. Even higher than that were the few little steps that lead to the gape of each racer's more private corridors, properly housed with equally as luxurious homes for each swapped pair.

"Hey, mom!" Berri chimed with a great dollop of sweetness; due to preparing for their first concert in a few weeks, the returned debut of Archived Chaos with Gunner now at the management helm, Berri felt it fit to return to the short hair cut she had accidentally gotten on her's, Lash's and Wren's trek to and from Tron. She looked adorable, everyone was dressed down for the night, though the way her beautiful, short, choppy blue hair kissed her shoulders gave her that extra dollop of youthful innocence she radiated so well. Lash sweetly escort Vanellope down a few steps and into the large, warmly lit kitchen area, in which Berri continued on with a loving smile, "Welcome to the alignment arena. You're not the only one, this week, to visit for such things."

Vanellope raised her eyebrows in now prickled dread and tossed her eyes about the group so to source Turbo; Berri was cutely sat at one end of the island with Mara, Tatum and Koko whilst Throttle, Theo, Turbo and Nox were sat at the other end. Upon gaining on Turbo's now muted, bashful eye contact, the group suddenly erupted into hard laughter as Turbo grappled his hair and dragged his molten, teasingly irritated eyes tight to his bride across the stretch.

"O-Oh, sorry, I-I... I just..." Berri sagged in a cute show of now embarrassed delight as Koko and Mara covered their mouths and peered to Vanellope in apologetic sweetness, "I-I didn't consider that this was touchy, I'm sorry, Ma..."

"I think Turbo wants an apology as well," Theo muttered in a sharp, sarcastic whisper across the gap, and as all eyes landed on Turbo, the group erupted in laughter, once more, as he playfully glowered in Berri's direction.

"So... MY mistake was to swap codes with you right after work," Turbo mumbled cutely, to which Berri grinned and shyly covered her face. Turbo finally heaved a grumbly sigh and got to his feet, he began to round the island so to approach Vanellope, "I'm sorry, Vanellope... I had been messaging you this morning, and then... Swapped with Berri after work and that information must've gotten to her in the swap, and..."

"I... Yeah..." Berri grit her teeth and blurt a shaky giggle as she continued to drown in embarrassment, though Koko shook her head and eyed her mother; although she knew of this information, as well, she still somehow felt the need to close the awkward gap.

"Were you wanting this to be a secret, mom?" Koko inquired gently, she shook her head and shrugged as her eyes cutely caught with Nox, "There's no shame in getting your core coding aligned."

"Hell, I bug Turbo and Lash about it all the time," Nox added cutely, he ruffled the bangs of his pin-straight, dark grey hair and tossed Vanellope a very sweet, humbled smile, "No shame. We all need it."

"It's not that I wanted it to be a secret, I guess, I just..." Vanellope shrugged and now shyly sent a small frown about the group; everyone fell silent as Turbo and Lash softly brushed by each other. Lash pressed to one of the bends of a round, bar-like counter in which housed a lower lying, wide, secretive fridge. Turbo gently approached Vanellope as she came up to the opposite side of the island, from the splay of gamers. All eyes honed to her as she shakily continued on, "I figured everyone would be here, and would be wondering what's going on, but... I guess I-I'm just... Embarrassed."

"I understand," Throttle's deep, wise disposition glossed the group with due respect he had earned, as the eldest; everyone honed their gaze to him, "I struggled with it, too. It's coded therapy. No one likes admitting they need help, I mean, right? It's not in our nature. We're here to pick ourselves back up and move on. It's hard, especially for me, to lean on my younger brothers for a core coding detox. I'm the professor, here. You can imagine my previous struggle."

"It was pulling teeth getting Throttle into a code room," Turbo grumbled in smiling annoyance as him and Throttle caught eyes in a sagging glower of loving, playful irritation, "Yet, still, you left singing my praises."

"Yeah, yeah," Throttle rolled his eyes, smiled and looked off; he glossed his white, glowing gaze in the direction of the three ladies sat nearest him, "Glad Wren isn't here, I'd be left out to dry, with this conversation."

"Yeah, no stone left unturned," Berri muttered through her teeth with a sharp giggle.

"I think it's because..." Vanellope's gentle voice coat the group, and as everyone halted their gentle laughter and murmuring conversation, Vanellope inhaled a trembling breath and was surprised at how easily she could continue to command the attention of a room, even long after she was Queen. Her eyes glossed all the individuals in this group, all adorable, friendly, non-judgemental souls that had a very well-deserved new abode and a fresh start, each soul looked eager to help, and though she had promised herself she would keep all of her worried notions to herself, the second her eyes glossed to Koko's, she sagged and felt tears threaten to present themselves. She continued on in composed clarity, though she worried that said facade wouldn't last, "I mean, think about it... If it weren't for Ralph and I, none of you guys would even be sitting here right now. None of you."

Turbo raised his eyebrows in prickled surprise and lofted his eyes about the group. It was here did Lash stand from his reach inside the fridge, with a fresh, icy can of soda. Everyone froze what they were doing and got a good look around. With Koko as Vanellope's third child, Berri as Vanellope's grandchild, Tatum only here due to Theo's presence, which was Vanellope's other grand child. All four Turbotime men softly tossed each other looks of washed humility in their realization, Vanellope's fragile words reverberated off of their brand new abode, inside a gorgeously upgraded game that wouldn't be here if it weren't for Berri, for Lash, for Ace, for Tessa, for Vanellope. Vanellope looked down to her hands, on the island and furrowed her eyebrows, the still very present threat of tears egged her on.

"We're at the very heart of this operation," Vanellope mumbled sadly, though she immediately felt doomed the second her lip quivered, her voice shakily continued on, and though she so desperately did what she could to keep her composure, her eyes welled with tears as her crackly, crumpling little voice pressed on in forced confidence, "I-I'd just hate for that all to... Fall apart."

"Aw, mom," Theo's tender, deep voice cooed in a downswing of sorrow as he looked down to the island in an aimless gloss of near-smiling disbelief, though Koko and Berri were quick to bring themselves to firm stands and round the island with whole purpose.

"Mom, you and dad aren't going to fall apart," Koko sweetly cooed, she was the first to ravel Vanellope into a tight hug. Vanellope grimaced a small noise and shoved her face into the cute bend of Koko's neck and shoulder, and as both girls held on to each other, Berri firmly stood close and rubbed up and down Vanellope's back whilst she sorrowfully caught eyes with Turbo. He bobbed her a soft little nod of assurance, heaved a raspy sigh and reached his strong, loving hand out so to warmly rub up and down Vanellope's arm, in which both were fastened tight about Koko's back. Koko cutely carried on and squeezed her mother into a tighter hug, "You guys are the heart of this whole debacle, you said it yourself... It doesn't mean you're the glue to it."

"If anything... The product of your guys love is the glue," Nox cutely piped with a nod, to which Throttle huffed a warm chuckle and lovingly nudged Nox's shoulder in a brotherly fashion.

"He's right," Berri affirmed with a nod, "We're here to help... I know you and papa aren't doomed. I know that for a fact."

"If I heard correctly... Ralph joined Ace and Zed on their morning workout, this morning," Turbo mumbled in humbled surprise, to which Throttle, Nox, Theo and Lash all bugged their eyes in hot surprise.

"I-I'm sorry, Ralph worked out with who and WHO?" Lash barked with a cute, sarcastic chuckle that had the group swelling with surprised laughter.

"He did," Vanellope whimpered with a giggle as Koko unravelled her arms from her mother, she held Vanellope's shoulders and lovingly peered hard into her eyes, "H-He didn't even tell me, he just DID it. W-We also just met Callum, and..."

"Callum!" Berri erupted sweetly with bright eyes, Vanellope giggled as Berri's gaze honed tight to Vanellope for more information.

"He's the cutest, most handsome little baby, I can't wait for you guys to see him," Vanellope started cutely, she heaved a nasally sigh and held tight to Koko's gravity, "Rancis handed Callum to Ralph first, and..."

"Oh, no," Lash muttered quietly to himself as he rubbed his temple, him and Mara tightly caught eyes in a rise of knowing dread as everyone finally dragged their eyes to Koko in understanding; Vanellope whimpered a noise and carried on through the resistance to continue crying.

"W-We had a beautiful moment together, but, he looked... So..." Vanellope huffed shakily, Koko cutely wiped the tears that escaped Vanellope's face, "I-I know having a fourth child isn't going to make anything better, but... I could just tell he saw Koko in his arms, how badly he's still hurting."

"I can go sit in dad's arms all day long, if that's what he needs," Koko blurt a cute laugh, which caused the group to brighten with soft laughter at her joke, though she narrowed her gaze and grinned, "Methinks... You should let Turbo take care of you, and once you're feeling in a better place, I think it's time to have that tough convo with dad..."

"Sounds like he's about ready," Theo mumbled warmly; Mara stood and crossed the gap, she stood tight to Lash's side and snuggled into the toss of his strong arm about her dainty shoulders.

"Take it from the lot of us that were conceived as surprises, mom, it's a good thing that a potential fourth child will be eventually planned for," Mara stated with a wide, cute smile, she gestured to herself and shook her head, "I think the only self-programmed gamer, in this room, that was even REMOTELY planned for, was Berri."

"... And even then, wasn't I like... A last minute plan to defeat THAT freak?" Berri barked as she firmly pointed to Lash, across the gap.

"...HEY!" Lash whined as he gestured his arms out, the group erupted into hard laughter as Mara grinned and covered her face, "I saved the Arcade, okay? That's KING Freak, to you, yeah?"

"She DID defeat you first, though," Mara muttered playfully.

"As a loading bar," Turbo quickly reminded, Lash largely rolled his eyes and lulled his head back in sarcastic defeat.

"Mom, you and dad are going to be JUST fine," Koko stated through a cute giggle, a certain shake of her head, she smiled into her mother's eyes and felt glee hit her skin, "Get aligned, talk to dad... Who knows! If you give us another sibling, I know neither me, Tessa or Oliver would complain."

"NO one would complain," Theo cutely added with a nod, "How cool would that be?"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Turbo sweetly mumbled, he and Vanellope caught eyes with gentle certainty, "I'm ready when you are. Would you be alright if Lash came with? He's currently in training."

"User-alignments, coming soon," Berri hissed dramatically, the group loudly chuckled and jeered sweet compliments in Lash's direction.

"Yeah, he can come with," Vanellope eased with a nod, she lulled her eyes closed and knew she had to adamantly prepare her coding for a throw around, something she wondered if she was properly braced for, and as her, Turbo and Lash began to peel away from the rest of the group, they pressed closer to the teleportation hub, an ease of footsteps that had a lump quickly gathering in Vanellope's throat; uncertain of what was to fully come, she bravely stepped onto the pad with two Arcade legends, ones of which she wouldn't have thought, in a million lifetimes, would be here helping her with this specific of a coded issue.