Reviews :
Burgie : Thank you so much! I'm glad that's apparent :)
Snake557 : Oh seriously? That's really awesome! I wonder what the context was hahaha. Thanks friend :)
*Chapter 88*
In the black, Tessa's phone displayed a picture of her mother, alongside a cute and dainty little chime, prominently assuring Tessa that she was getting a phone call. Tessa sharply furrowed her eyebrows, cued her silver coding and silently instructed for their work den to release the dark tinting on the surrounding windows. Easing in a flood of lovely, midday, Sugar Rush sunlight, Tessa paused her code room work and gripped her phone. She furrowed her eyebrows in sneaky suspicion, looked about their airy, lower-level work area and bit her lip in a rush of process of elimination. She knew the game was currently enduring quarter alerts, she knew today was a free day from Academy, she knew Zed was upstairs making lunch; nervous, she answered the phone before it could roll to voicemail.
"Mom?" Tessa urged nervously as she tucked the phone to her ear, her heart raced in rising anxiety, anxiety that Vanellope knew would present itself with such an oddly timed phone call.
"I'm okay, we're in the gap between quarter alerts, I figured I'd just call you quick cause it's faster than texting it all out," Vanellope rushed sweetly, in hopes to immediately shut off warning bells going off in Tessa's head. Tessa sagged, clutched her chest and physically sighed into the phone, she could hear Sugar Rush's start line and racing arena in the feedback from her mother's phone.
"Okay, for User's sake, thank you," Tessa huffed with a nervous chuckle, she noticed Zed peak his head from up the few steps, into their airy front entry way corridor. He raised his blue eyebrows in a pique of nervous curiosity and hovered before Tessa bobbed a nod of reassurance and politely waved him off, to which he retreated in lazy relief. Tessa put her hand on her hip and looked down to the holographic displays before her, "'Sup, everything alright?"
"I'm good, I just wanted to let you know that your father and I had a good, long talk with Gideon last night," Vanellope mumbled, non-plussed, Tessa sagged her shoulders and tucked her hair behind her ears as her heart surged in nervousness.
"Don't get TOO excited about it," Tessa muttered in tender, wary sarcasm, to which Vanellope heaved an annoyed giggle and quietly began to bicker with Taffyta, for a moment, before returning to the conversation at hand.
"Tessa, tell me, how many bedrooms does Honeydew's cabin have?" Vanellope snipped in full defeat, said snippiness was not reserved for Tessa, though more for the situation at hand; the line fell dreadfully silent before Tessa hissed a loud scoff of full dismay towards herself.
"Four, nooo, god dammit!" Tessa sharply hissed as she shoved her palm into her forehead a few times. Vanellope quipped Tessa a repeated notion of the word 'four' and ushered a very nervous giggle into their conversation, though Tessa sharply grit her teeth, clenched her eyes shut, set her phone down and put the conversation on speaker phone as her fingers began to work faster than the speed of light, "Dammit, mom, DAMMIT! I KNEW I was missing a detail, I knew it!"
"Yeah, and Gideon was the one to point it out, too," Vanellope muttered dreadfully, to which Tessa urgently moaned a louder notion of noises promising whole dismay towards herself.
"I-I'll make another room for him ASAP, did you tell him that he'd get his own room?" Tessa rushed, Vanellope verbally groaned, in turn.
"Yes, your father and I were like deer in headlights... I didn't even THINK about it," Vanellope mumbled.
"He's so used to slipping through the cracks, mom, he probably was WAITING for something like this to happen to him, not AGAIN!" Tessa hissed in full dread, full berating anger towards herself, this was something Vanellope now fervently caught on to.
"Tess, don't beat yourself up about it, he definitely wasn't happy but we talked him down," Vanellope mused lazily, she heaved an exhausted sigh, "He agreed to go, I just wanted to let you know that we unfortunately dropped the ball... AGAIN."
"I just added a fifth room and bathroom to the cabin, he can have a room in the center of it all so it doesn't feel like so much of an add-on, y'know?" Tessa staggered nervously as she dragged about the three-dimensional display of the gridded Honeydew cabin. A beautiful splay of blue prints, Tessa felt full dread coat her stomach as she quickly brought up Sugar Rush's palace plots, as well as each head they belonged to; Gideon's waypoints were nowhere to be found, inside of Sugar Rush, "Uhg, he's not even in the game... Mom, I feel awful, I feel like I can't win, with him."
"Look... We need to just go into this vacation with a blank slate, really reset our dynamic," Vanellope ushered sternly, "He was REALLY thorny to your father and I, last night. He's not gunna dive in to all of this with a full plate of trust handed our way. We have to earn it back."
"A huge task," Tessa mumbled, she tried her best to conceal impending tears "I mean, I'd go to war for the kid, but for User's sakes... I'm so scared to say one wrong thing and he'll go running. And, he's surely bringing Novus, so literally the two could just abandon ship at any moment."
"We'd have to just let him," Vanellope mumbled, "He's flighty, he's not happy with us. We just have to be a safe space for him. He demanded a place where he can do his art and be alone."
"Done," Tessa nervously stabbed, she urgently brought up Honeydew's blueprints, once more, and began to scour the huge grounds for a place she could designate just for Gideon and his musings, "He is FOR SURE coming?"
"Yes, he confirmed he's going, but man... That four-bedroom bullshit was ALMOST what tugged the lynchpin," Vanellope staggered a nervous giggle, to which Tessa rubbed her forehead in now full mental exhaustion and scoured Honeydew Ridge's gorgeous splay of blueprints for the hundredth time, her eyes dart about faster than lightning.
"It's settled... For User's sakes, I'm about to have a heart attack over this," Tessa rushed, "After meeting with Flint, yesterday, I just... My gut is telling me something isn't right."
"Well, your gut has never been wrong, my love," Vanellope darkly assured, "Don't shoo it away, but... Also, don't let it dictate how you feel towards your baby brother. Let's just go on vacation and we'll see how we all feel after. It'll be fine, I promise. Let's just take it easy. Gideon agreed to go, we ended the conversation cordially, all's well that end's well..."
"Seems to be the theme, for these stories, but I'm well aware plot twists come flying out of the blue, sometimes," Tessa sighed as she sagged into herself and now aimlessly stared through the holographic displays before her.
"Quarter alerts, babe... I love you," Vanellope assured in motherly warmth, "Don't fret, okay? I love you."
"I love you," Tessa returned, and as they ended the call, she put her hands on her hips and glowered down the mess of her work, with Honeydew Ridge's blueprints right at the forefront; knowing this place was full of lore, full of good and bad times, she bit her lip and was desperate that this upcoming trip would glean the cliffside with sunny goodness, as opposed to doom and gloom.
"Two, please," Kepa chirped cutely as her ears perked nearly atop her head.
Surrounded by fun and sun and only temporarily cast in the beam of red shade inside of a small vendor tent, of which sold bright blue cotton candy amongst a smorgasbord of other tasty foods, Kepa paid the merchant the cash that Gideon had given her, sagged back to the flat of her feet and patiently waited for said merchant to whip up two sticks of cotton candy. In the few moments of tender awareness she had with herself, she tossed her eyes over her shoulder and met with Gideon through the light travel path he stood in. People wormed around him lazily as he stood near a powered off light pole, he was cast in Turbotime's beam of happy sunshine, he texted on his phone; the task was him reaching out to Lash and Mara whilst Kepa went and bought the two cotton candy. She sagged in a dreamy little stare she was afford in this moment, though she sharply flinched as the merchant cleared her throat.
"Ma'am," She eased as she jostled the two sticks of cotton candy in Kepa's direction, to which Kepa stiffened and hurried to take the cotton candy.
"Oh! Sorry, thank you!" Kepa's adorable voice ushered, though before she could offer a kind smile and return to Gideon's presence, across the huge gap of boardwalk, the merchant lazily leaned her arm on the high counter, cocked an eyebrow and lofted her gaze in Gideon's direction, as well.
"You and your boyfriend hear about the contest happening?" She mused, the veil of customer service lifted in a melt of more personal matters, though Kepa furrowed her eyebrows and peered to said young merchant; she had several face piercings, she looked nonplussed to be present, it was clear her parents were deeper in their little vending area doing heftier cooking for their booth.
"Boyfriend?" Kepa staggered, to which the merchant lazily jostled a point straight in Gideon's direction.
"Black shirt, perfect hair," She choked a small little laugh and eyed Kepa as if to wonder if maybe Gideon was a simple hallucination, though Kepa scoffed an outward chuckle and now felt entirely bashful as her tail cutely curled about her ankles and lower legs.
"Ohh, oh... He's not my boyfriend," Kepa dismissed as her hazy, enchanted eyes drew to Gideon, once more. She sagged her shoulders and heaved a long, silent, drawn out, dreamy little sigh as she could feel her pupils dilate into pure desire. Gideon stood in a single ray of sunlight as if the universe was assuring her that he was the chosen, singular one for her, a dusty, dreamy spotlight honed tight to his square on the grid, she felt her heart flutter as he shifted in his confident stance. His longer, lean legs jostled lazily as he shifted his weight from one leg to the other, he inhaled a deep breath which ultimately caused the tension of his pecks to wrinkle his tighter, black, short sleeved shirt. The innocent, dewy little look of boyish concentration held to his face as he cutely mumbled words to himself amidst texting Lash, Kepa beamed a wider, dreamier little smile and allowed her feelings to come about to this perfect stranger, knowing full well it'd be safe, "But, boy, do I wish he was my boyfriend..."
"What's the contest?" Novus wondered with an extra umph of cheery knowing, ultimately startling the absolute snot out of Kepa, due to the way she jumped, stiffened and tucked her tail between her lower legs in a show of submissive terror.
"There's this kissing contest, I don't know the exact details, cause I can't leave my booth, but I've heard so many people talk about it and how outrageous it is," The merchant mumbled in smiling defeat, "I thought I'd ask, I've been trying to get information about it all day. I've only heard that the prizes are insane."
"No, we unfortunately know nothing," Novus mumbled cutely with a shrug as he stood a bit taller and glanced to Kepa in side-eyeing suspicion.
"Thank you!" Kepa chirped shakily to the merchant as her and Novus caught eyes in a whirl of hot, dreaded understanding, though this only made Novus chase after her with a knowing, brotherly grin of full, impending tease.
"Alright, lover-girl," Novus snipped as he cutely trot after her in the press of fresh sunshine they finally stepped out into, though her fervent bee-line for Gideon was quick. In order to get Kepa's attention before being in Gideon's earshot, Novus bravely flattened his ears, tucked his wings tight to his body and nipped at Kepa's tail. She gasped, swat her tail in a firm swing away from Novus's face, halted on her two paws and whirled around, which ultimately caused Novus to skid to a stop. He grinned into Kepa's terrified, embarrassed eyes and knew this was an opportunity to soften, though he kept up the teasing, brotherly facade, "Why don't you tell me how you really feel?"
"There's nothing to tell," Kepa huffed shyly as she gestured her two hands out, though she did so carefully due to holding her's and Gideon's cotton candy. She grew flustered, looked off and shook her head, "I-I didn't know you had joined me, I didn't... Know you were standing right there."
"You wish Gideon was your boyfriend?" Novus wondered in the very slow sag into tender-hearted question, though Kepa flattened her ears in a pin to her skull, shook her head and shut her eyes tight; her adorable, high ponytail flickered with the kiss of sunlight that crowned her glossy pale hair with licks of gold and silver.
"No, I was just... Making conversation," Kepa rushed quietly, and although they were about fifty feet from Gideon and well out of his earshot, due to the light crowd that walked about the boardwalk they were on, she grit her fangs and tried to keep this conversation as quiet as she possibly could, "Can we please drop this? I don't want Gideon hearing that..."
"... That you have a crush on him?" Novus mused cutely as he tilted his head, his huge, floppy ears bobbed a bit as he sat on his rear and seemingly got comfortable. This strangely had Kepa feeling disarmed as she, too, softened and was somehow thrilled Novus was prepared to finish their conversation before approaching Gideon, "You think I'm an idiot? You and I both know that smelling pheromones is our specialty. And Gideon reeks, too, so... Literally, you're fooling no one."
"No one but Gideon," Kepa retort with a full, embarrassed, cheeky grin, to which Novus rolled his eyes.
"Human-gamers," Novus muttered, Kepa choked a small giggle though still stood stiff in mild defense, "I think it's sweet... I'm just pulling your leg. You know, even though you and Gideon are fast friends, it doesn't mean I'm exempt from it. Even though I treat Gideon like a brother, you know that your secrets are safe with me. I'm actually glad you feel that way about him... User knows he needs more people to surround him with love."
"Love, whoa," Kepa huffed shakily, she shook her head and bashfully looked off, "S-So I have a little crush. Really, can you blame me?"
"Not one bit, from your stand point, it's like User plopped him on the grid, right in front of you, and said LOOK! Have this insanely tall, handsome man that can materialize ANYTHING with nothing but the coding inside his body. Also, guess what? He has abandonment trauma! You subconsciously uploaded yourself onto a higher plane and User was like welp, have this perfectly tragic dude. Perfect match."
"I think it's one sided, Novus," Kepa mumbled in a smiling downswing of riding this high all the way to the bitter end, though Novus wildly furrowed his brow and shook his head.
"Oh, I entirely beg to differ, I JUST said the kid reeks of pheromones, as well," Novus tightly rattled, "You don't smell it?"
"I guess maybe I'm just not used to human-gamers," Kepa mumbled in shy conclusion, "I've only ever been around cats. Our dating and mating rituals are FAR different than that of greater-Arcade lifestyle."
"Really?" Novus pressed, Kepa rolled her eyes and heaved a shaky sigh as she shyly looked off.
"Yeah, I wonder if I'm being too forward, I've NEVER done anything like this," Kepa rushed nervously, "I've never had a friend like Gideon... Hell, I've... Never really had friends outside of the other cats at the castle, let alone a human. We weren't allowed to associate with humans..."
"Well, no matter what, I think it's great," Novus huffed warmly, he was glad to catch eyes with Kepa in a swing of hesitant warmth, the urge to want to trust though feeling wary to it, "Your secret is safe with me. I know that may be hard to believe, because of how close Gideon and I are, but... Truly. You can trust me."
With her ears sagged by her head in nervousness, her tail flicked a bit as life returned to her soul, and though she was wary to give away any of her secrets, to anyone in Gideon's circle, Novus's big, glorious blue eyes held to hers in a cute show of animalistic camaraderie. Out of the small gang she had now gotten familiar with, she was glad she had another animal-like gamer to coexist with, to relate with, and no better than Gideon's right hand guy. She smiled a little, bobbed a shy nod and looked to the dewy, gorgeous spool of cotton candy she harbored in both hands.
"Thanks, Novus," Kepa soothed, she softened for good and shrugged, "It's just a crush. Would be cool if it went somewhere, but... I have no control over that."
"Oh, surrre," Novus cheese as Kepa rolled her eyes and began to saunter over to Gideon's point on the boardwalk, once more; this time, his hands were in his pockets, his vivid, golden eyes held tight to Kepa and Novus in a show of rising curiosity and concern, "Y'gunna cast some sort of magical spell on him, or something?"
"You underestimate feminine, feline charm," Kepa mused smoothly as her lovely tail flicked up with a hint of further flirtatious banter, she tossed her alluring eyes down to Novus over the velvety fluff on her bare shoulder, "No magical spells needed here, babe."
"The kid doesn't open up so easily," Novus retort with a sly little smile, he waggled his eyebrows and donned a dorkier smile as Kepa swat at his bat nose, upon him getting closer for a conclusory whisper, "Y'sure you know what you're getting yourself into? No tools? No enchantments?"
"I don't need magic, I AM the magic, in question. He's happily willing to fix the lighthouse's lamp knowing fully that I was the one to put that request into outer space," Kepa volleyed smoothly, "Safe to say I'm already dug in."
"Are you guys fighting?" Gideon wondered from the now ten foot gap Kepa was closing in on, though Novus grumbled a guttural, trill of a growl, trot on his big and bumbly paws and caused for his hefty tail to flop about.
"No, well... I mean almost, he nipped at my tail and I nearly handed him his ass," Kepa stabbed smartly as she stood poised, handed Gideon his cotton candy and gave him a cute, dainty little smirk. She pinned her ears back and set a vicious, downward side-eye in Novus's direction, "No one is allowed to touch my tail."
"No fair, you can touch mine all day long," Novus grumbled, he glanced down to Kepa's lovely, long, soft looking tail and did whatever he could to truly make Gideon believe that this was what they were previously bickering about, though Novus was annoyed to find this all backfire the second Gideon tenderly took the cotton candy from Kepa and give Novus a look of manly challenge.
"That's not cool, dude, seriously, don't touch her tail," Gideon defended, "Just because you don't mind yours gets nipped at doesn't mean she wouldn't."
"I don't want mine nipped at, I never said THAT," Novus garbled, though it was here did Kepa now feel bad for Novus, knowing he only gave her said warning nip to get her attention, and not due to overstepping boundaries; Kepa sweetly rested her hand to the center of Gideon's chest and was glad to garner his now softened, concerned attention.
"Gid, it's okay, really," Kepa sweetly assured, she jostled her cotton candy and blurt a giggle as Gideon seemingly sagged and finally looked down to the cotton candy in his hand, "Were you a guard dog, in a past life, or something?"
"Definitely wears it nicely," Novus muttered playfully up to Gideon's stance; Gideon sagged a bit more and heaved a shaky chuckle as he smiled into Kepa's lovely eyes.
"...I'm protective," Gideon mumbled, as if it were information he didn't want to further indulge on, though Novus long-blinked in dull annoyance.
"Of everyone BUT me?" Novus grunted loudly, to which Kepa erupted in laughter and gingerly rested her hand to Novus's snout.
"Boys, it's fine, knock it off," Kepa urged, she smiled into Gideon's eyes and shrugged, "Did Lash or Mara reply to you?"
"Yeah, they said they'll meet us here in an hour," Gideon caught eyes with Novus in soft curiosity, he could somehow sense that something was off, though he felt his brain task the conversation at hand a bit more important due to the impending worry he had adopted, "Would um... You be okay if Lash and Mara came back to the lighthouse with us later?"
"Oh yeah! Totally!" Kepa so happily encouraged, "That'd be great, we can show them your handiwork!"
"I told them about it," Gideon sighed, he donned a cute, nervous smile and rubbed the back of his head as he looked off, "I was doing my best to keep it a secret..."
"Kind of hard to keep good things a secret for too long, dude," Kepa mumbled as she began to cutely pick at her cotton candy, though she could practically see Novus shoot her a knowing look down in her peripheral.
"What's life without a little mystery?" Novus wondered with an airy tone, though Kepa fervently avoided looking at him due to the hot irony billowing from the top of her head.
"Open books, I guess," Kepa sighed in conclusion; she could practically feel her's and Gideon's stories begin to mesh together in a now messy, haphazard goo of quicksand, a pit of which she knew only was due to gifting them limited time to get everything out of their bodies before it was too late.
