Reviews :

Burgie : Turbo definitely has the key to fixing her problem, though they dance around it like it's a freaking pit of lava LOL!

chuckiboo : Hey, missed yah! Thank you so much, friend, it always means the world, coming from you. Hope you're well.

Nikki Firesong : Aww, thank you. Yeah Turbo has definitely come a VERY long way. He introduces Berri to snippets of his past, as the story goes on, and as they become closer. But I appreciate that! And yes, I got your email! Sorry I haven't replied, been busy working and doing some projects. I hope it all pans out for you! Sounds wonderful!

Snake557 : Yeah Berri can't stay mad at Libby. I don't think anyone can LOL. It's not her fault, y'know? Berri's frustrated but she knows better for sure.

Jay Sketchin : Balls LMAO! I'm so sorry xD Yeah it's a bit of a roller coaster of emotion. Berri boards the love-triangle train and doesn't really hop off of it until, well... You'll see. But I'll apologize in advance.


*Chapter 77*

As the lackadaisical group meandered in lovely, morning chitchat down Sugar Rush's wires, Berri felt as if her airways were tightening. The whole idea that the safety of Sugar Rush was now something she was slowly peeling out of had her feeling on the edge of mildly hyperventilating, and although she was firmly holding hands with Wren, and glued tightly with Penny, Oliver and Theo, she still felt incredibly vulnerable. The only thing she wanted to do, now, was to glitch hop across Game Central Station and sink into the safety of Academy, for the day. As she slowly began to sag out of Sugar Rush's glowing, golden outlet, everyone, in their small group, continued to casually chatter, though their longing glances of tenderness, in her direction, proved to her that they were far from distracted. Tessa lead everyone straight to Academy with purpose, with Zed tagging along tight at her right hand, Berri knew she was safe in a big crowd like this, and leaving Sugar Rush, late at night, was now something that was never going to be on the agenda.

Much to Berri's surprise, as they neared Academy's glorious stoop and front doors, Tessa and Zed were now busy trying to accommodate to a few news crews that hovered in the wings, desperate for an interview with Berri. Big cameras, hefty mics, even a few gamers with obnoxious paparazzi cameras that flashed in big streaks of lightning alcross the stoops of Academy's front doors, and although Berri was used to getting a small amount of attention inside Sugar Rush, due to her stature, she felt the blood in her veins begin to surge in a strange mixture of excitement and dread. Just what to expect if she were to be signing contracts with the one and only Gunner Ko. In a hurry, the group quickly escorted Berri inside as a crowd began to gather, and much to everyone's relief, news crews and cameramen, of any kind, weren't allowed within the safety fo Academy's walls. Something Berri audibly released a breath of relief about, as did nearly everyone else.

As the group began to move across Academy's glorious, high ceilinged front lobby and grand entrance area, so to find a safe place to loiter before the bell, Berri hung tight to Wren's side and began to hear loud whisperings and curious notions of the gamers and students she passed. On top of hearing her name fall from at last three dozen different people, she could also hear them whispering things both about how she signed on with Gunner, and the raw fact that she obliterated a killer virus singlehandedly. She tightened her grip on the nook of Wren's arm as he now seemingly escorted her to a safe spot, he cocked an eyebrow and lofted his loving gaze down to her in curious, baited wait, as if he was wondering just how she was handling all of this weird, sudden attention. To add to it, Gunner's swarm of security could be seen guarding a nearby shut door, just beyond the front desks and swooping service areas, something of which nearly every gamer cued to and, in true fashion, a few dozen fangirls loitered nearby in hair-twirling, giddy excitement, sheer hopes that they could snag Gunner whilst he was on the way out. Without too much trouble, half of Berri's group kindly broke off and began to mosey towards their respective wings, while Tessa, Zed, Berri, Wren and Theo came upon the guarded, shut door, knowing full well Gunner was behind it.

As the guards easily let all five Sugar Rush residents through, they entered into a quiet, secluded conservatory. A lovely greenhouse-like sprawl of an area, complete with a few different places to sit, a small, open-aired kitchenette with plenty of chairs and tables to lounge, a spot for administration to relax and unwind from teaching and working, as well as a safe place for Gunner and his crew, so to avoid being swamped by fans. Berri cocked an eyebrow and looked about the gorgeous area; clad with peachy, outdoor tiles, lovely, lush foliage everywhere, and a hub of glass that peered out to Academy's incredible sky, no matter how artificial it was. Although there were a few staff members across the way, idly chatting and laughing inside the sprawl of the open kitchenette, Berri's eyes trailed to where Gunner was stationed, near the stretch of a bay window that looked out onto the quad, one floor up. Berri gently began to rush over to him; the last time she saw him was literal minutes before she was attacked in Academy's train tunnels.

"Gunner," Berri eased in nervous, smiling relief; he whirled around in a gentle sting of surprise and honed his nervous, relieved gaze tight to Berri's.

"Berri," Gunner volleyed in return, and in a quick few strides to close the gap, they both rushed to seal in a hug of relief.

Like mental whiplash, Berri's arms came around Gunner's middle and quickly sagged in a weird, tightened fasten of difference. Where Berri had been latched about Turbo's middle for the past twenty four hours, she quickly remembered that Gunner was a lot more gangly, with a slender, athletic build. Berri furrowed her eyebrows in weird remembrance and held onto Gunner, she logged away the fact that Gunner likely wouldn't be the best cuddle buddy, and with that, she was frustrated here that Turbo had set a higher standard. She shoved any ounce of her weird Turbo to Gunner comparisons to the back of her brain and wondered just when she'd stop doing such things. She latched onto Gunner with a smile and relished in the feel of his longer arms that came about her, though as they gingerly unhanded each other, Berri felt a gentle swing of further dread coat her system the second a familiar pop of cerulean blue came tight to her peripheral.

"Zed, nice to meet you," Zed so curtly stabbed, the lace of gentle love in his voice had Berri knowing, full well, that this was sharp sarcasm. With skill that only a parent could possess, Zed gently eased his first three fingers into Gunner's chest, pushed him back a foot, or two, cocked an eyebrow and gently held his hand out for a handshake, "I'll bet it's safe to assume that you are the infamous Gunner Ko I've heard about."

"Y-Yes sir," Gunner staggered in a wash of now very visible terror, though he bashfully smiled on and gave Zed a confident, firm handshake; Berri huffed a breath of silent disbelief, shook her head and gazed up at the back of her father's head in whole entire irritation, though she froze and felt said wave of terror ease right on from Gunner and straight into her soul. Gunner straightened out his shirt and nervously dared to glance to Berri, though his eyes hung tight to Sugar Rush's King, a new wave of authority he wasn't used to, "Y-Your Majesty."

"I'm glad to see you have guards with you, at all times, like such, is this a regular occurrence?" Zed quickly questioned, and although his voice was sweet and curious, Berri was well aware he was now going full dad-mode, and the only thing she could do was stand and watch, lest she interject and immediately get shot down; although that notion quickly came to her mind, it rushed away from her quicker than it arrived, and with such, she allowed frustration to boil over and fuel her.

"Yes, sir, for protection," Gunner eased with a nod, his nervous hands sunk far into his front pockets to avoid horrific fidgeting, "I-I have about a dozen that stay on the grounds of my house, as well."

"Dad, the reason the guards weren't on the train with me, yesterday, was because I ordered them to stay behind, like an idiot," Berri finally felt purpose come back to her skin, for she knew exactly where this was going. Zed cocked an eyebrow and lofted a firm gaze in her direction, one of full authority, authority she now confidently challenged, "If they'd have come onto the train with me, they'd all be dead. So, although it was a stupid decision on my part, I guess my intuition saved the lives of Gunner's guards. Everyone got out of that mess alive and it won't happen again. Now can you just STOP shitting on me, and now Gunner? For User's SAKE."

Everyone, in their small group, fell silent in hot wait. Although Zed wasn't ever challenged often, everyone was well aware it took a lot of guts to even so much as attempt it, though as Tessa crossed her arms, raised her eyebrows and looked off in tender, humble pride, everyone in the group now knew that if there was anyone to go toe-to-toe with Zed, it was Berri, his own success and demise. Zed gently peered into her eyes and fell silent, a very blatant promise that he was thwarted, though before he could sag his tail and turn heel in defeat, he furrowed his brow in Gunner's direction and pointed a firm finger to the ground.

"The next time this incredible woman goes into EZ Living with you, she is to have the deletion protection we are working hard on producing. And outside of that notion, you are to treat this woman with respect behind closed doors," Zed quietly stabbed to Gunner, and though Berri was entirely done with her father's protectiveness, she sagged in his care and knew the words coming out of his mouth was definitely advice anyone needed to hear, anyways, "I've said this once before, and I'll say this again, now to you. If you're to pursue my daughter, you're to go through me. Kapeesh?"

"Yes, sir," Gunner staggered in nervousness, though he cocked an eyebrow and volleyed Berri a curious look, as if to wonder just what Zed meant by the fact that he's now said that statement twice. Berri furrowed her eyebrows in an equal stab of confusion, at said notion, but before Berri could urgently question Zed, he gently turned heel and began to head towards the exit of the conservatory.

"Sugar Rush is the second outlet on the right, from the train station," Zed called, as if to insinuate that he'd be expecting Gunner to come chat with him, eventually, "Y'can't miss it."

"Tessa, nice to meet you," Tessa eased quietly to Gunner with a whole swathe of warmth that Zed was lacking, and although she gave Gunner an equal look of authority, she remained soft and shook her head up at Gunner, "Don't fret about Zed, he's just grouchy... We've had a lot of cleaning up to do, after this fiasco."

"Which I could not be more sorry about," Gunner pleaded tenderly as him and Tessa warmly shook hands, Tessa bobbed a nod and lulled her eyes closed.

"Everyone's alive... That's all that matters," Tessa assured as she unhanded Gunner and gently began to follow her husband to the conservatory's exit, "Let's just lay low, for now. We'll bounce back, somehow."

"Yes, ma'am," Gunner eased in conclusion, and once Tessa and Zed were finally gone, Berri cocked an eyebrow and gave Gunner a sheepish look of regret.

"...I'm sorry, I didn't realize my parents followed us inside," Berri stated through the grit of her teeth as a further sheepish smile sprawled her face.

"It's no issue," Gunner blurt a small chuckle and bashfully rubbed the back of his head, "N-Not the... Uh... First interaction I wanted to have with your dad, of all people."

"Yeah, he's... Dealing with a lot, right now," Berri tenderly defended, and although she was frustrated that Zed swooped in and commandeered the situation, she knew she had no other stance to take but the stance of defending her own father, "He'll warm up, I... I just have sort of put everyone through hell, with that stunt I pulled."

"Hey, at least you got it out of your system," Theo stated lazily with a shrug, he sleepily rubbed his eye and was having the hardest time waking up, this morning.

"Yeah, no more of... THAT," Wren eagerly agreed, and although everyone wanted to remain somber and upset, the feeling quickly passed as Berri quickly remembered just what escapade into EZ Living consisted of. He cocked an eyebrow, crossed one arm over his chest, lazily waggled his free hand and shot Gunner a cute look of innocent coy, as if to potentially want to beat around a bush, though he figured he'd just come out with it, "So, uh... DUE to this crazy sneaking out bullshit, a little bluebird told me that a Mr. Gunner Ko signed her onto his label."

"That I did," Gunner huffed with a small chuckle, he shook his head and bulged his eyes, "Man... That was just a little over twenty four hours ago, but it feels like an eternity."

"You're telling me," Berri mumbled as she looked off, and although she was trying to climb to excitement, past the fog of misery and trauma, Wren and Theo eagerly beat her there.

"Well, I'll have you know... I can play the keys with my eyes closed. In my SLEEP, rather," Wren boasted, though Gunner breathed a small, cute chuckle, crossed his arms and gave Wren a flat smile, as if to cheekily tell him to knock it off, but also in allowing him to press on, if he must, "Theo is the grandson of Wreck-It Ralph himself, I mean... Have you SEEN the kid play drums? I also know my way around a mixboard like I was a category five hurricane just RAVAGING-"

"I'll have Bedgy bring the papers tomorrow," Gunner mumbled with a sweet smile, and it was here did Wren and Theo perk up in whole excitement, quietly blurt out in boyish notions, high-fives and squee about the fact that they were now the reformed entirety of Archived Chaos.

"I'm almost glad I had what happened to me, happen," Berri mumbled with a weak smile as she gently glossed her eyes up to Gunner's, Wren and Theo now quietly began to chatter about their new and improved band set up. Gunner's sweet gaze came down to hers with an innocent smile, though it began to droop as he finally noticed the very faint stress lines on her temples; she nonchalantly carried on, "I'm excited about being in a band with all of you, but... I was SO incredibly nervous."

"What happened to you made you stronger," Gunner assured with great warmth and a small nod, he furrowed his brow and tenderly reached to Berri's temples in nervousness, "Berri, you... You have these faint circuit lines on your face, right here, is everything okay?"

"O-Oh, everything is fine, it's... Just stress," Berri staggered nervously, and although it had only been a day since the incident, she frowned and now wondered just when said lines would disappear. Upon further thought, she remembered her mother stating that Turbo would definitely know what to do, and with such thoughts, she grit her teeth in stark remembrance and felt her stomach clench in mental agony, only certainly making her stress lines more apparent, "W-We have someone in the chain of command that knows how to get them to go away, so I should be fine."

"Certainly... If it's just stress lines, then it seems like you only need to do things that relieve stress," Gunner lovingly suggested with a shrug of his broad, thin shoulders, he wore a comfortable dark green zip up and a lovely heather grey t-shirt, with an EZ Living logo, on his chest, "Maybe take a long, hot bath, have a cup of tea, maybe just sleep in, this weekend. Read a book?"

"You're probably right," Berri nodded, and although she knew that when it came to coding, it all wound right back to everything inside her circuits and stressor points, though she tabbed Gunner's ideas and knew said things would probably help, as well.

"A-Anything to destress, y'know?" Gunner prod softly, though he lit up and softly pointed in her direction, "Wh-which reminds me... Are we still down for our date on Friday?"

"O-Oh, yeah, of course... I-I can maybe see if I can code you to Sugar Rush, so you don't have to worry about the potential of being deleted, either," Berri rushed to explain, to which they both nodded and breathed exasperated chuckles of knowing.

"Thank you, that'd be great," Gunner huffed bashfully, the two hung close to each other, though Gunner cocked an eyebrow and gave her a sweet smile, "What did you want to do, Friday, then? M-Maybe go out to eat, go to the mall? You obviously know Orion City better than I do, but I'm down for whatever."

"Yeah, maybe go for ice cream after, or something," Berri encouraged in a rise of soft excitement, love and happiness that began to feel normal again.

"That'd be great, I can't wait," Gunner smiled ear to ear, he eased his masculine hands into the front pockets of his faded jeans and, in a fit of containing himself, he bobbed on the balls of his feet a little and shrugged, "I guess we can figure it out the day of, or something... Or I can just meet you a few hours after Academy lets out."

"Yeah, gives us time to catch up on weekend homework and whatever," Berri rolled her eyes and eased a loving smile and although Gunner adhered to it as well, he softly sagged and gave her a coy look of nervousness.

"... You think we should tell your dad?" Gunner mumbled through the grit of his teeth in nervousness, to which Berri froze and cocked an eyebrow in an equal share of nervousness.

"The poor guy already was lofted all of this bullshit... Let's just... Keep it quiet, for now, I guess," Berri shrugged, "It's just a date. I'll tell my mom, she's a bit more level headed, right now... That way you can be coded for Sugar Rush."

"Good call," Gunner huffed, his nervous smile never wavered.