Reviews :
Snake557 : Aww, don't fret! I'm sure it's great. I do an insane amount of research and fact checking for my own sanity xD
faolan1230 : Thank you so much! And no, Turbo does it privately, and he explains why. I'm glad you're so excited :D
*Chapter 187*
What started out as a rather tame, easy-going get together inside Ralph's private reservation very quickly turned into a full-blown, celebratory party. Mario Kart's brand new, gorgeous cabinet boasted Arcade's finest graphics, the incredible landscape and colors everything the atmosphere contained was otherworldly. On top of the world, nestled inside the gorgeous, sprawling city that hung just underneath Princess Peach's incredible palace, the view from this specific penthouse, was very similar to Turbo's view from his loft. Although not nearly as high up, it still gave Turbo a sense of comfort, a nice little version of his home away from home. With floor to ceiling glass windows, the majority of every racer, inside Sugar Rush, as well as the entire royal family, friends, band and crew members, everyone in between easily lived up the coolest, most lively house party that anyone had thrown in a very long time. Complete with a Dj, delicious food and an uplifted mood that couldn't be beat, the night rocketed forward with absolutely no end in sight.
Like diligently promised, Zed eagerly enjoyed the party and did everything he could to unwind, though with such taste of fun, he dutifully promised Berri he'd take great care of Chester. Although the torch was passed between Berri, Tessa and even Wren, Zed held on to Chester-duty with a very real amount of pride. Knowing full well he'd do anything to take care of one of Berri's best friends, as well as Lickity's grandson, he was more than happy to lounge with Chester and observe the party before him. Having been relieved by Tessa, she graciously took his place for the time being. In the mess of loud music, flickering lights, bodies that danced off in the alcove that was a few levels beyond the sprawl of a kitchen and gathering area, Tessa and Chester chit-chat with each other for a little while, they lounged near a sneaky corridor that, although was a dark, long stretch of a hallway that led to a swathe of public bathrooms, it also lead to the entrance and exit of said penthouse, heavily guarded by Archived Chaos's body guards. Although the hallway was narrow and only really included the bathrooms and exit, it also held a small nook of a rest area, a more quiet place to retreat and sit, a place to figuratively press pause if need be.
"I'm almost worried what the media is going to be saying, tomorrow," Chester pressed to Tessa with a nervous look, Tessa bobbed a nod and nervously shrugged as she gently fiddled the lead on Chester's chest.
"Whatever, I'll fight 'em," Tessa muttered with a cheeky smile, to which Chester perked his ears and grinned.
"Let me join, I may be blind, but, let's face it," Chester pressed with scheming fervor, "I was able to get Turbo out of the game! My hugest success."
"Yeah, man, what didja end up doing, anyways?" Tessa wondered cutely, she kept her curious hazel eyes tight to Chester's blind, searching, though twinkling orbs.
"I just threw him against the windows of his loft and threatened to throw him out of the glass if he didn't leave," Chester rushed with a laugh, to which Tessa threw her head back and eagerly laughed alongside his adorable, boyish chuckling. Chester grinned with ease and shook his head, "No one else was willing! I can breathe fire, too, I don't know what version of me he was anticipating."
"Well, either way, it was a success," Tessa wheezed as she wiped her eye, though she flinched in surprise as she suddenly could see Turbo urgently passing by. She perked up, flagged her arm and was successful in getting Turbo's cute attention, though he looked frazzled, "Hey, wonder boy, speak of the devil."
"That's the FOURTH time someone has said that as I was walking by," Turbo pressed in grinning irritation, though he slowed his roll and softened in the presence of Berri's mother. He gave her a sweet smile and hovered with her and Chester with a swathe of now tender sincerity, "Your Majesty."
"Your Highness," Tessa volleyed as she raised her eyebrows and gave Turbo a cute, knowing smile. She softly looked about the group before cueing Turbo's eye contact, "You, uh... Got that one certain thing that Ralph let you have about a month ago?"
"Yes, ma'am," Turbo pressed cutely as he pat his left pocket, where Berri's beautiful engagement ring resided. Turbo's golden eyes caught with Tessa's in riled, nervous, grinning fervor as Tessa cupped her hands to her chin and squeed a cute noise of silent, elated anticipation.
"You have any idea when or where?" Tessa wondered sweetly, she tried to keep her words as vague as possible, just in case anyone else passing by could pick apart her words.
"No clue, but... I think I want it to be private," Turbo eased softly, he eyed Tessa in tenderness and wondered if that would, at all, be okay. He shrugged in further confidence as Tessa bobbed an understanding nod, "I don't know, the concert was in front of literally everyone, as well as, well... That kiss she laid on me, even though we promised we'd never show public displays of affection in front of anyone."
"Oh, that was different, I thought that was so sweet," Tessa flagged her hand and gave him a knowing smile of warm assurance, "Do what you feel is right. Whether it's in front of this whole group, or in private. It's your's and Berri's moment. Don't let anyone else dictate it."
"'Sept for me, you didn't even ask for my permission, dude," Chester blurt in rising irritation, though with such words, Tessa grimaced an apologetic smile as she noted Turbo's shoulders stiffened in a scrunch of nervousness, his eyes muted to a softer yellow and not so prominent in glow.
"... You're right, I totally didn't," Turbo eased in a lilt of tender, sorrowful apology. He laid his hand to his chest and peered to Chester with whole earnest, "Chess, I'm really sorry. How can I make it up to you? Will you be the deciding factor, then?"
"Hmm," Chester fingered his lip in tease and looked away, though Tessa scoffed a silent giggle of smiling annoyance and fiddled the lead in her possession. She gave Turbo a cute, knowing smile and shook her head, as if to assure that she had the whole palace on Turbo's side and Chester's antics, here, were strictly playful and brotherly. Chester flattened his ears and sagged, "Nah, I can't think of anything. I think you're well aware just what will happen if you do anything to hurt her."
"Yeah, you'll follow through with throwing me out of those windows," Turbo huffed in nervousness as he rubbed the back of his head and blurt a soft laugh, "I want nothing more than to take care of her for the rest of my life. You know I love her, Chess, I'd do anything to make sure she's safe and happy."
"I mean, considering how Gunner used to treat her, I'd say she's in great hands, now," Chester finally softened, to which Turbo eased a relieved smile and glanced into Tessa's eyes with warmth. Chester pointed a clawed finger, of his paw, in Turbo's direction and perked his ears high in dominance, "Don't ever forget who flew you across Sugar Rush, so that you could be here. Don't you dare forget my name."
"Chester, I could never," Turbo huffed softly, he warmly sagged his hand to Chester's snout, "You beat sense into me and, well... We both accomplished our fears together. I could never forget that."
"Now hug me in such a way that looks inconspicuous," Chester demanded, to which Turbo blurt an incredulous laugh and finally sagged into Chester's front. With a firm grapple of his arms about the broad of Chester's large, thick neck and fluffy chest, Chester lulled his eyes closed, hugged his arm and paw about Turbo and gave him a firm squeeze. Chester finally officially softened and eased Turbo a warm conclusion, "She needs you, dude. And you for her. Don't ever take that for granted. She loves you so much."
"She really doesn't shut up about you, ever," Tessa mumbled cutely as Turbo and Chester finally pulled apart, "Just know that this journey now means leaving the game more than just tonight. Think you're up for the task?"
"It's going to be a challenge each time, but after that SHOW earlier?" Turbo staggered as he grappled the wider collar of his golden tank top, he heaved a shaky breath and finally began to scan his eyes about the crowd, obviously in search of a certain blue haired beauty, "Safe to say it's going to get easier and easier."
"Yeah, that show was probably enough to humble you for an eternity," Tessa staggered a soft laugh as she crossed her arms and inhaled a deep breath, "Y'lookin' for Berri?"
"Yeah, for User's sakes, it's almost as if she's avoiding me, I can't find her to save my LIFE," Turbo now unveiled his cute, grinning frustration as he urgently looked about the crowd, all about the bustling, loud place. He gave Tessa an almost defeated look of cute pleading and shook his head, "I've been looking for her for the past fifteen minutes..."
"Methinks she's just trying to relish in the moments she bumps into you," Tessa shrugged with a sweet, motherly smile, "If I were her, I'd be floored every single time I looked over and saw YOU, of all people, outside of Sugar Rush. Just let her be surprised by you. I don't know if that's really what's going on, but if I had to guess..."
"Yes ma'am," Turbo assured gently with a polite nod, "I'm sure that's it..."
"Just hang out with someone else, she'll turn up," Chester cutely bobbed a few nods.
"She'll bump into you faster than you desperately searching for her, y'know?" Tessa assured, to which Turbo inhaled a deep, refreshed breath and now stopped his frantic searching.
"You're probably right," Turbo gave Tessa and Chester a warm smile, though he flinched in surprise the second Tatum, Theo and Throttle urgently began to call Turbo over to their conversation, across the way; he perked up and, in ushering Tessa and Chester a kind, conclusory departure, he warmly slipped away.
"Poor guy has no clue what to do with himself," Tessa mumbled cutely as she chuckled and pat Chester's side with a firm few loving thumps.
"We'll all sleep well, tonight," Chester sighed with sweet relief, though just as him and Tessa were due to slipping into another one of their warm, collected conversations, a sudden blip of silver coding suddenly zipped up to them, and in the unravel, Berri's twinkly-eyed figure came out of it, causing Tessa to merely side-eye her daughter in anticipated, smiling irritation.
"Babe, that POOR boy is desperately searching for you," Tessa muttered, though she jolted and choked a small laugh as Berri glommed on to her mother and raveled her arm about Tessa's shoulder. Although Berri had a little bit of height over Tessa, it was more prominent now with Berri's heels, causing the top of Tessa's head to be level with Berri's chin. Tessa rolled her eyes, grinned and wrapped an arm about Berri's little waist, "Please go collect him before he begins over-turning tables, he's been searching for you for fifteen minutes now."
"No, don't, I think it's funny," Chester grinned in sneaky delight, to which Berri was a soft, panting, smiling mess as she rested against her mother's shoulder.
"I know, I've been following him, I've been like right behind him for the entire time and he's had no clue," Berri huffed a hard giggle, to which Chester grinned and bobbed an agreeing nod to her antics.
"You tease," Tessa stated in curt cuteness, though she held her daughter close and softened with her, "You two doing okay? Like... You guys made up?"
"Oh, not at all, it's an elephant in the room," Berri beamed an ironic grin of delight and shook her head as her twinkling blue eyes hooked tight to Tessa's, though Tessa furrowed her eyebrows in sharp surprise and opened her mouth to urgently question Berri, though she quickly carried on, "I mean, we're fine, we both told each other that we'd iron out the issue tonight, once we got home."
"You two going to be awake enough to do so?" Tessa side-eyed Berri and knew, full well, this night was beyond exhausting for everyone, "Why don't you save it for the morning, love, just get some sleep and wake up refreshed."
"Whatever happens," Berri shrugged cutely, she blushed and eyed her mother in teasing delight, "Mom, he left the entirety of Sugar Rush and then sang WITH me, Wren and Theo in front of over fifteen thousand people. Put yourself in my shoes. If that was you and dad, you'd without a DOUBT-"
"Give it all up, yeah, I'd give him every single last pixel to my name," Tessa muttered, to which Chester flattened his ears and sent both girls a shocked look of entire irritation.
"Yeah, currently where I'm at," Berri snipped with a wide smile as both Tessa and Berri immediately burst out into hard laughter, the sheer look of cute bewilderment now written all over Chester's face.
"Wow," Chester huffed shakily, "Please have me sleep in the enclosure, tonight, I don't want any details."
"Done," Berri shrugged, her Tessa jostled and wobbled in each other's grip as she shifted on her feet, "You know where I'll be sleeping, tonight. Oh my gosh, mom, can I get personal with you really quick?"
"Can you like MUTE yourselves or something? Make it so I can't hear this convo?" Chester now urged in whole annoyance, though Tessa grunted a little and eased her and Berri five feet away from Chester, knowing full well the music wouldn't drown out his incredible hearing, though the distance potentially helped.
"Yeah, what's up," Tessa huffed in cheeky girliness as she kept Berri in her arm, though Berri bashfully raised her eyebrows and began to cutely twiddle the longer, wavy auburn hair that draped down Tessa's chest; although not dressed in something as revealing as Berri, both girls still looked as stunning as ever.
"So, this is probably TMI, but... Do you know ANYTHING about stressor points and core coding?" Berri prod innocently, though her face turned beet red as her and Tessa suddenly locked eyes; Tessa's dull eye contact was ironically laced with a cheeky little gape of a smirk, as if to be totally shocked that Berri had this information.
"Oh, okay, so... Innocent Mr. Turbotastic is more ahead of us than any of us realize," Tessa blurt in irritation, and though Berri shook her head, looked off in grinning, blushing embarrassment, she jolted with a laugh as Tessa poked her stomach, "Yes, your father and I know all about it. Turbo wrote a whole entire dissertation about it and taught us master coders. He added the information to the code room. He's been dying to spread that valuable information."
"And?" Berri prod in cute delight, though Tessa wildly furrowed her eyebrows and now nudged Berri as she blurt yet another cute giggle of warm, lovey delight.
"What do you mean, 'and?'!" Tessa shrieked as the two were a giggling mess, "Your father and I studied up and did a whole night's worth of homework! I'm not going to indulge you on the details, young lady!"
"I-I don't want THOSE kinds of details, I just wanted to... Enlighten you, if you didn't already know," Berri shrugged, both girls glowed with blush, though Berri felt safe sagging into her mother's sweet, non-judgmental presence.
"You enlightened me with TOO much information, babe, I don't need you revealing to me that Turbo taught you about stressors and core coding," Tessa rushed in girly irritation, though Berri heaved a shaky sigh and shook her head as she looked off in cute dread. Tessa gently tapped the faintly glowing stress marks on Berri's temples and cocked an eyebrow, "Guess it shows that you two have been separated. I remember when you first started dating... Your stress marks were GONE."
"Mom, I was just wanting to pass information on to you because..." Berri caught herself in her words and now realized she was digging her own grave; she blurt a hard laugh as Tessa unhanded her and began to firmly tickle her out of her's and Chester's presences.
"Because Turbo's been messing with your stressors and you want me to know how amazing it all is once they're relieved? I'm the Queen of Sugar Rush, don't insult your father like this, GET out of my sight you filthy little brat," Tessa firmly staggered in whole playfulness as she was finally able to get Berri's wildly giddy, blushing, giggling figure to nervously hobble and stumble away from her, once and for all. Tessa flagged her hand in Berri's direction, to get her to officially go away, and finally reunited with Chester, "Sheesh, man. I'm one of Sugar Rush's master coders, she really gunna ask me stupid questions like that?"
"Yeah, I STILL could hear everything you guys were saying and I'm irritated that I can't unhear it," Chester muttered in cheeky, boyish annoyance, "I don't want or need anymore info on the subject matter."
"Oh, bud, don't have children, then," Tessa sighed wistfully as she pat Chester's side lovingly, she sagged deeper into his cozy, furry self and cutely peered about the crowd as she could see Berri finally making it a point of head in Turbos direction. Chester gently tilted his head to listen in on Tessa's warm conclusion, "I remember being in her shoes... Zed and I turned the whole Arcade upside down. Seems like it was just yesterday."
Berri bit her lip in cute, surging energy as she skillfully weaved in and out of the dancing, bustling crowd about her. As the music blasted, the bass reverberated every single pixeled soul in this building, she felt her heart begin to cutely race as she happened upon Turbo's backside. Her eyes curiously scanned the peaks of his gorgeous, intricate, sprawling back tattoo, though as she gently glitched hopped in a bounce, she skillfully maneuvered her way in front of him and popped out of her silver coding with a cute, youthful smile. Turbo largely flinched and halted his cute conversing with Throttle, which was in its beginning stages of departure, Berri previously overheard him frustratingly explaining to Throttle that he couldn't find her. Berri grinned in cuteness as Turbo jolted in hot surprise and finally beamed a smile of relief.
"Oh, Bo, found her," Throttle choked a laugh, in which Theo and Tatum eagerly giggled as well.
"For User's sakes, have you been avoiding me?" Turbo urged with a hearty laugh as he lovingly grappled Berri's upper arms, as if to assure he wasn't going to let her out of his sight, or grip.
"Yes, actually," Berri chirped cutely as she shrugged, the splay of flickering lights all about their skin, the heavy bass and loud music that they nearly shouted over. Berri eased a full tease of a smile and bashfully tucked her hair behind her ears. Although she was still in her rather reveling outfit from the concert, Turbo had kindly given her his favorite, faded red zip up from his materializer. It was baggy on her, lazily slagged over her shoulders and unzipped in its entirety, it was almost something that began to drive Turbo even more nuts, the fact that she was cozily draped in his clothes. Turbo raised his eyebrows in sweetness as she bashfully pressed on over the music, "I just like being surprised every time I see you, I've been dreaming of these moments for months now."
Turbo gently sagged and felt a roll of sweetness crawl over him, and though guilt was gently knocking on his door, as well, he softened in positivity and was glad he could now make memories here, with Berri, entirely out of Sugar Rush. He softened his grip on Berri's upper arms and lovingly peered down into her eyes, he felt a bubbling urge boil inside of him, that ring in his pocket was surely due to burning a hole right through his pants, he inhaled a shaky breath and so sweetly gave her his sincerity.
"I'm here, now," Turbo pressed warmly, "But I want to actually hang out with you, y'know. We have a lifetime ahead of us to see me outside of Sugar Rush. I want to make this memorable night count."
Berri relished in his unforgettable words, a massive promise immediately made, she long-blinked and now realized that her tour was officially over, and the Arcade was now theirs to claim. The places she's so desperately wanted to take Turbo, the countless memories to suddenly be made, she felt her heart race with the now opened ideas presented right between them, she eased a cute giggle and scrunched her shoulders in cuteness.
"Thank you," Berri assured with a warm nod and a smile full of gratitude into his eyes, though she cutely side-eyed him and began to warmly take a few steps backwards, "Well, since you ARE here, now, why don't we start these memories off right?"
"I'm listening," Turbo cooed in deep, cute curiosity, though as a new song began to blare through the speakers and the crowd began to bounce and dance in excited fervor of noise, Berri began to get lost in the colorful crowd.
"Come dance with me," She called cutely as she began to vanish, though Turbo held his breath and raised his eyebrows in a jolt of terror, he finally took a few staggering steps into the crowd and urgently began to chase after Berri, so not to lose her again.
Turbo nervously staggered her name with a bashful grin, the mute of his golden eyes made clear he was not the best at this kind of thing, though as the two melted deeper into the mend of light and noise, the bodies all about, the maze of dancing and the vibration of the bass against their coding, Turbo felt his eyes string into an enchanted draw of her beautiful blue hair, she twirled and danced about in cute rhythm, her beautiful body elongated as she raised her hands above her head and beamed a free smile as the people about her joined in her fervor, like a blue bolt of lightning that set the crowd on fire, Turbo huffed a shaky, incredulous breath, through his dumb grinning, and was shocked to feel his body begin to move, as well. As if everything and everyone outside of Berri's two foot radius was just blur and bubbled noise, his heart jolted at the sight of her gorgeous blue hair messily splayed all about her shoulders and breasts, the dangle of messy bangs on her forehead as she shot him a coy look and danced about, he was certain he was about to have a heart attack.
Through all the noise and light, the blur of Berri's movement and the hair in her eyes, she grinned in cuteness and softly peered in Turbo's direction. Although the splay of light hit them in entirety, she felt her heart freeze in collected, delightful desire at the prominent glow of his golden eyes, piercing through everything. Hooked tight to his gaze, a sultry look of silently promising her that she was due to getting the full brunt of his love, eventually, she breathed an airy laugh of panting delight as Turbo finally wormed his way into her bubble. Through the mess of arms and noise all about the two, Berri's hands softly and messily pressed to Turbo's broad, powerful chest as the two wormed in easy, free movement. The glue of his golden eyes all over her body, the bass that vibrated the crowd into near-mince meat, the flicker of her gorgeous hair as his strong, able hands finally found Berri's wider hips in a sway, she dared to twirl underneath his arm once before swinging back and falling right into his strong, protective arms, laughs and wide grins delivered freely. Although the two slowed into a softened, more romantic sway amidst the banging of the incredible, catchy music all about them, Turbo felt as if his knees were buckling. He inhaled a shaky breath and was well aware if he didn't propose to this incredible woman, in his arms, right now, he was about to burst into an explosion of confetti.
"Follow me," Turbo pressed urgently as he gripped Berri's hand and began to diligently drag her through the messy, dancing crowd.
"Where're we going?" Berri wondered in smiling, bewildered delight as they held hands, tightly.
"Away from here," Turbo urged to her, over the music, the crowd about them was way too lost in the loudness of everything to even notice the two making an urgent scout for the exit.
"Turbo," Berri choked a laugh as the two climbed out of the area of the dance floor and sunk into deeper, darker aspects of said penthouse.
Turbo's glowing eyes illuminated the dim corridor that eventually lead to public bathrooms, as well as the exit. In swiftness, he finally hooked a corner and sunk into the more private, quiet sitting area near the main entrance they haven't seen in hours. Berri blurt a cute, nervous, panting giggle and jolted to a scuff of her heels, on the tiles below, as Turbo finally yanked her into the smaller, darker alcove and clumsily brushed the nearby tall, looming house plant. Both beings heavily panted as Turbo's curious eyes sharply scanned about the hallway they were in, as if to nervously wonder if someone could be coming. Their much heavier panting was now louder due to them being in a bit of a quieter area of the penthouse, though Berri relished in all of it and softly pressed her hands to Turbo's broad chest, she ushered him a shaky notion of gentle desire.
"Where-to?" Berri's gentle, womanly voice hissed him in secrecy, to which he eased his peachy, glowing eye contact tight to hers and concluded a soft, exhale of easier panting with a coy, sultry smile into her twinkling eyes.
"I wanna take you somewhere else, I have a surprise for you," Turbo whispered as they hovered before each other in a sink into further, delirious delight, and though he so desperately wanted to just swoop her into his arms and full-on make out with her in this little, dark alcove, he desperately tried to pause his needy thoughts and eased his masculine hands to the tops and backs of hers, as they remained firmly sagged to his strong chest in a needy manner.
"How many more surprises can you dish out, tonight? For User's sake," Berri huffed a shaky, whispering giggle and sagged tighter to his presence as Turbo strung his sweet, loving eye contact to hers and finally began to look about for contact points of electricity the both of them could sink into.
"Loosen my leash enough, doll, and you'll find out," Turbo muttered sneakily, a full insinuation that had Berri's blue eyebrows softly raising in a tickle of sure delight, something Turbo cued to in the form of easing her a sure smile, full of certainty, as if to assure her that he was definitely meaning that literally. In Berri's cute, stunned silence, Turbo whispered to her in soft seriousness, "Go ahead and cue your exterior coding... I'll handle the rest."
Berri hovered for a second and knew, full well, he was about to take her on a coded ride through the wall's wires, to User knows where, though somehow the taste for adventure and excitement hung tight on Turbo's demeanor, something she only dreamed of seeing and experiencing. As if willing to do just about anything he asked for, due to his sacrifices, she let go of control, cued her coding, and allowed Turbo to very easily whisk her away, for just what, she only had vague guesses of.
