Reviews :

chuckiboo : Yeah, it's all hearsay from your guys' perspective lol. But the truth already unravelled itself, so it's just what Gunner chooses to do with it, really. Thank you friend!

faolan1230 : LMAO yeah they all have come a very long way, it's true! There's still another half of this story though, so they're not all quite to that potential just yet. Thank you for your support!

Nikki Firesong : Thank you so much for your insight! I love hearing all these things, and I'm glad to know I'm making myself clear with my intentions for my characters. Berri actually has a bit of a wrecking moment with Gunner/Turbo. Just a tiny little taste of what could come...


Song Listened To :

The Windswept Wastes by Gareth Coker


*Chapter 178*

Quite enjoying her brand new life, Tatum very comfortably sat nestled into the common room's lovely swoop of a cream, fluffy couch. Alongside a frothy morning cup of coffee, a dark grey fleece throw, and Chester's snoozing presence tight at her feet, Tatum inhaled a deep breath, opened the book she was half way through reading and felt her pupils tighten as the morning sunshine glinted against the crisp, fresh, white pages of her book. Relishing in every single soft and lovely muse that came to her senses, she softened for good and, although reminded of her brand new friend's huge show, she knew she had a few hours to kill before she needed to be keeping a watchful eye on the tv. With Chester's gorgeous pops of orange and blue scales, alongside his back and tucked wings, Tatum allowed her senses to further relish in everything Sugar Rush had to offer before she finally felt as if she had her fill, and it was time to escape into her book. About a few pages deep into the still, easy silence of Berri's empty tower, Tatum felt her heart drop at the sound of the tower's front door softly unlocking, opening to a creaky swing, and gently shutting again.

With such a tiny disturbance far down the main room's corridor and deep in the dim, glossy foyer, Tatum jolted in surprise with the way this immediately cued to Chester's deeply snoozing figure. With a jolt, his larger head flew up, his dark orange ears firmly perked atop his head, he froze in the now urgent, adamant stance of full-on watch dog for this rare and precious soul he was with. Tatum inhaled a shaky breath and knew, full well, that whoever had entered the tower clearly had the right to be here, due to them having a key and so nonchalantly entering the building, though she flinched in raw surprise the second the fur on the back of Chester's neck began to raise in hackled, riled adrenaline, his rib cage quickly expanded, and in a further draw of stunned nervousness, Chester suddenly let loose the meanest, scariest, guttural of a wolf growl that his large figure could afford. Tatum sagged in impending terror and wondered just who this person could be that would bring Chester to such a quick, animalistic, protective rage.

Tatum's eyes adjusted in softness as said being finally approached the mouth of the corridor, and with the scuff of his boots, Tatum long-blinked in prickled, discovered nervousness and very quickly assessed this person, someone of which Chester still angrily snarled at. Darker grey skin, haunting golden eyes, casually dressed and unassuming, the soft, dusty charcoal grey of his hair glinted in the sunshine that bounced all across the common room's lovely white tiles. Turbo finally huffed an annoyed chuckle, gestured his arms outward and gave Chester a wide incredulous grin the second Chester's snarling got a bit louder. Though with Turbo's soft chuckle and his human scent that finally hit Chester's dog snout, Chester sagged his ears, ceased all snarling and very quickly began to get to his feet in a different endeavor of urgency.

"Oh, it's Turbo!" Chester uttered in a very happy switch up of glee, his clumsy body quickly began to press closer to Turbo's still stance that hovered in the corridor.

"Was gunna say, man, why're you growling at ME?" Turbo choked a laugh as Chester urgently pressed to Turbo's gravity and gave him his infamous center-nudge of a hello. Turbo grunted a laugh and firmly pet Chester's head and sides.

"We weren't 'specting anyone," Chester mumbled in cute happiness, and as both boys settled, Turbo eased his softened, apologetic gaze in Tatum's direction.

"Hey, sorry for... Intruding, I'm just here to collect Chester," Turbo pressed tenderly towards her, she seemed stiff and out of sorts.

"N-no, it's totally fine," Tatum huffed with a bashful smile, she tucked her hair behind her ears and now began to feel raw realization crawl over her. As if, once again, in the presence of a celebrity, the raw idea of just who this person was finally came crawling over her. Turbo finally picked himself from the blue slump, cleaned up the shave on his jaw line and was now dressed in a lazy yellow tank and faded light grey racing jeans. Tatum heaved a trembling breath, took a stand, felt her hand begin to shake as well as her voice, "Y-You're... you're..."

"... Turbo," Turbo mumbled in almost sorrowful collection, he bashfully dart his golden eyes about Berri's lovely tower and felt bad for his own self, he shook his head and was happy that Chester finally settled, "I'm... Literally not here, I just have a schedule with Chester's flight lessons I have to keep up on. You won't see any more of me-"

"I'm... Honored to meet you, please," Tatum pressed in soft bewilderment, she carefully rounded the low-laying coffee table, outreached her hand for an adamant hand shake and pressed into Turbo's presence.

"... Y-You are?" Turbo staggered in delighted uncertainty, to which Tatum blurt a shaky laugh and was floored to feel Turbo very hesitantly sag his hand into hers for a proper, sweet handshake.

"Yeah? You're an Arcade legend, there's hardly any old baddies around any longer," Tatum hissed in starstruck delight, "I can't believe it... I-I mean, I already met Throttle, and... That's wild, in of itself, but, dang... THE Turbo."

"I'm... I'm flattered, thank you," Turbo huffed in unadulterated surprise, he furrowed his eyebrows down into Tatum's sweet disposition and knew, full well, that she would be here, though he was certain she'd be hidden away, and coming and going wouldn't interfere with her day to day. Turbo gently pat Chester's broad chest and gave Tatum a knowing look, "You should be honored that THIS one was about to go to war, for you."

"Oh, with the snarling?" Tatum questioned, Chester bashfully flattened his ears and looked off.

"Yeah, this one doesn't have a mean bone in his body, I don't think I've EVER heard him snarl and growl like that," Turbo shyly chuckled and gave Chester a knowing look, "Neither of you were aware I'd be showing up."

"Yeah, and I can't see, all I know is that the door was opening and no one is supposed to be here but Tatum and I," Chester muttered, his sentence structure was easily becoming better, though he still hesitated on a few words.

"I'm honored," Tatum sighed, she bobbed a nod and peered to Turbo in warm delight, "From both of you, I mean, really. It's an honor meeting you."

"Well, you too, I love your previous work," Turbo volleyed kindly, to which Tatum bobbed a nod and looked down in shy sweetness.

"Thank you, I'm... I'm really grateful Berri is letting me stay here, to get on my feet," Tatum pressed, though Turbo narrowed his gaze and felt his heart pang with the idea of his love, someone he hadn't properly talked to in weeks.

"Forgive me, Berri and I are, well... Sort of not talking right now, it's why I haven't been around much," Turbo mumbled gently, he shook his head and eyed Tatum in curiosity, and although he was well aware he likely shouldn't prod at a perfect stranger, he cautiously took his chances, "No one has really filled me in, genuinely, on why you're here. Not that you being here is a bad thing."

"Uh, well... I-I guess, long story short, Gunner made a rumor about me cheating on him to boot me off the stage," Tatum gently pressed, "I've been homeless in EZ Living for the past year. I guess... Berri had on a disguise, she was in EZ Living for some open mics and... I went to pick-pocket her, snatched her phone, and realized it was her because her lock screen was of, well... You and her."

Turbo raised his eyebrows in tender, surprised delight. Even after their fight and indefinite pause, he felt his heart thud with purpose over the fact she kept her lock screen solid with the cute picture of him and her. Turbo huffed a shaky breath and peered deep into Tatum's eyes, as if to silently inquire her to continue.

"I didn't have the heart to steal from someone that went through a shred of what I went through, someone I greatly admire... I-I was just trying to get by," Tatum nervously rubbed the back of her head and looked off in mild shame, though she finally gave Turbo a soft look of shy inquiry and continued on, "I guess... I told Berri my plight and she offered me room, here. I'm just thankful she took me in. After everything we've all been through."

"Gunner's a dick, let's just keep that at the forefront of everything and all agree there," Turbo blurt with a soft chuckle, this got a genuine, brightened grin out of Tatum's figure.

"Uh, yeah, deal," Tatum leveled to a soft giggle and eyed Turbo in warm confusion, "I-I... Know I shouldn't prod, but, Berri's hardly said anything about you. Aren't you two dating? I assume there's some soreness there, so forgive me, but... Aren't you going to her show?"

Turbo's smile now began to sink, the urge to further shell away and make things complicated was his expertise, he heaved a long sigh through his nose, looked away and shook his head in a show of now stunted reservedness, after the quick, easy effort of so swiftly coming right out of his shell to a perfect stranger.

"Yeah, we're... Not on good terms, right now," Turbo mumbled, "I don't feel comfortable leaving the game, she's... Upset I won't come to her shows."

"I can see where she's coming from," Tatum pressed in almost daring, tender authority, though she nervously peered up to Turbo and gave him a soft chuckle of apologetic understanding, "Though, I know you're nervous, due to your past, but... I mean, I was thrilled to see you. You're a walking legend. I think you should give the public a chance."

"It's not something I'm willing to risk, right now," Turbo muttered, he furrowed his brows and peered to Tatum's warm eyes, though he very swiftly began to feel as if she was backing him into a corner. With skill, he volleyed it all right back to her, "Well, what about you? You're not going to the show?"

"And have Gunner boot me out again? Yeah right," Tatum scoffed as she placed her hand on her chest and shook her head, "I might go later, as the duration of the show goes on. Theo promised me he'd tell security to let me in... I know, full well, Berri has done the same thing for your name."

"... Well, it was nice chatting with you," Turbo pressed after a few moments of now hot, tangible silence, though Tatum long-blinked in soft defeat and shook her head.

"Yeah, you as well," Tatum eased, "It was really... Genuinely an honor meeting you. I hope you and Berri sort your differences soon. Would be cool to have you around, more often."

"Thank you," Turbo ushered weakly, and though he gave her a sweet, almost apologetic, defeated smile, he turned heel and began to press down the common room's corridor, straight for the dim foyer that hung in wait.

Chester inhaled a long, deep breath and hovered with Tatum for a moment as Turbo peeled away, and though Chester had remained a very neutral air about all of this drama for the entirety of it, he softly flattened his ears, lowered his head in almost predatory, stewing frustration and very hesitantly began to follow Turbo's figure down the corridor. Tatum sagged her shoulders and watched as Chester skulked after Turbo's figure, which confidently left, his ultimate magic trick of making himself disappear as quick as he arrived. She knew everyone was on edge, due to this, though she piqued to Chester's demeanor and felt a wave of uncertainty climb over her. Fully aware that she would be leaving a lot later and meeting up with Theo after everything was coming to a close, she side-eyed the now shutting tower door and wondered if somehow Turbo was being followed by a furry, ticking time bomb, and the countdown to zero was mere minutes away.