Reviews :
Nikki Firesong : Aww, wow. THANK YOU! That means the world to me! I'm so glad you feel that way. And yes, I did reference the movie when Berri said 'the winner!' :) I'm glad someone caught that. Also, YES, Zed, Vanellope and Turbo race! It's not anytime way too soon, but it's in the works. That's been a thing I've been wanting to write for since the end of Rectifying Origin, so trust me, that DOES happen in this story!
faolan1230 : YAY! Thank you! Yeah I'm going to upload that chapter and then likely wait for a few days so everyone can digest it, cause it's a lot lmao.
Snake557 : Oh I see haha
MisterTheX : BLACKBERRY. Okay, I really liked Berbo, but Blackberry I think takes the cake. AMAZING. Thank you so much! I'm really glad you're enjoying it thus far :D
Song Listened To :
This Time by Foxworth Hall
*Chapter 189*
"Take a WILD guess as to just how many messages Lash has sent me today," Turbo muttered in irritation, him and Berri lazily sauntered out of Midnight Moon Theatre's dim, cozy breezeway, void of a single soul, only a few stragglers remained in Arcadia's massive station due to time easing now closer to midnight.
"Did you bubble him?" Berri pressed sweetly, her arm was linked into the nook of Turbo's elbow, they moseyed with each other, nowhere near eager to go rushing back to the party, they sauntered with each other on a cloud nine vibe of sweet solitude.
"...No," Turbo eased through the grit of his teeth, though Berri raised her eyebrows in sharp surprise and gave Turbo an almost authoritative look of shock, to which Turbo sagged his shoulders in sheepish nervousness, "I-I... He wanted to watch the concert, I took a huge gamble... Oh, God, PLEASE don't tell your father."
"You're my top priority, now," Berri muttered in playful irritation, she shook her head and eyed Turbo firmly with a show of caution, though she held a very soft, teasing air of affirmation as she jokingly carried on, "The butthead of all buttheads. Making GREAT decisions with the prospects of being King, on the horizon, my love. Great call. You're secret's safe with me, but I'm not thrilled at your decision, here."
"He's fine, he's... For User's sake, he WON'T shut up. He's STILL texting me," Turbo choked a laugh, he desperately tried to get Berri off of the topic at hand, "You never guessed how many times he messaged me."
"... Twenty eight?" Berri pressed tenderly, though she wildly furrowed her eyebrows the second Turbo cutely shot her a side-eye, as if to insinuate she was way off and more on the low end. Berri gaped a little, though as they stepped a bit further away from the gorgeous breezeway of Midnight Moon, and out into the station, Turbo's glowing eyes muted as warm light glinted atop the two in exposure, "I-I... MORE?"
"WAY more," Turbo huffed a shaky laugh, though he raised his eyebrows in soft surprise as he could see familiar bodies up ahead, slowly moseying to Arcadia's near-empty train station was a hefty group of Sugar Rush royalty and crew, they loudly chattered and joked in an endless splay of never wanting the party to end, though it was clear that things were now due to eventually winding down. He inhaled a deep breath, eased his phone into his pocket, gently halted his and Berri's footwork and bent down so to get a proper grip on Berri's body. In the swing, he easily lulled her into his arms, bridal style, and began to continue on, down the hall. He cocked an eyebrow, and though his footwork was a bit faster, he still calmly pressed his words down to Berri in softness, "Y'give up?"
"Nooo," Berri eased a cute giggle and rested her head against Turbo's upper chest and collar, she lulled her eyes closed in whole delight and relished in his strength, the rhythmic, swaying motion of his footsteps forward, she rested her left hand to the broad of Turbo's strong chest and allowed her eyes to ogle her brand new ring, her heart easily aflutter, "Maybeee... Sixty two."
"You're closer," Turbo breathed, he leaned down and gave Berri's forehead a few warm kisses, she sagged deeper into his love.
"SEVENTY two," Berri added, to which Turbo cocked an eyebrow and gave Berri a cute look of apprehension.
"Seventy three," Turbo muttered, to which him and Berri were rocketed into excited laughter; said laughter cued the group ahead, who were easily more than fifty feet away. Turbo narrowed his gaze and took note of everyone in said group. Easily seeing Ralph's big figure, his eyes scanned further to find the staggering group of individuals including Chester, Tessa, Zed, Wren, Theo, Throttle, Tatum, Oliver, Emery, Rancis, Taffyta, Penny and Orph. He inhaled a trembling breath and now knew this was the moment he'd reveal to everyone that he was set to marry Berri in the future to come, his heart began to pound as he desperately tried to keep his cool, "I mean... When I came to Arcadia, I wasn't planning on diving on to the stage and helping you fill Gunner's gap. I mean, Lash is going insane. I can't wait to fill him in on everything when we get back home."
"I want to see the look on his face," Berri cooed, though Turbo bobbed a nod and now took note that him and Berri were filling the gap of station between them and their family group, who now halted and awaited the two to catch up.
"You, uh... You want to, well..." Turbo stumbled on his words, to which Berri raised her eyebrows and peered up to Turbo in warm, shy curiosity; he continued to fumble, "Well, we can hang out with Lash any time, but if you, uh... You can totally come over tonight, if you want, I mean... And then leave right after, but if you were too tired, you could... Well..."
"Yes?" Berri cooly eased, Turbo swallowed hard and looked off with a cute, nervous smile; Berri pat Turbo's chest and choked a small giggle as Turbo looked like he was now struggling, "You, uh... Got something to say, there?"
"Yeah, I just... Know you probably miss your bed," Turbo stated in warm, defeated conclusion, though he gave Berri a sweet smile.
"Yeah, but I miss yours, more," Berri stated in a shy, coy whisper before she cutely cupped Turbo's cheek and eased a firm smooch into his other one, the side closest to her; Turbo cocked an eyebrow as his golden gaze drooped to peachy goodness.
"I-I..." Turbo huffed shakily, to which Berri eased a soft giggle, though before Turbo could get more words out, Rancis's voice could be heard from the two dozen foot gap between the groups.
"We were wondering where you two laid off to, we assumed you high-tailed it back to Sugar Rush," Rancis called with a laugh, the group before them was all smiles, and as Turbo slowly filled the gap, he ushered a kind few notions in return.
"Oh, no we just... Needed a breather, a moment to be alone," Turbo innocently assured, the group could sense his no-nonsense vibe, and as they neared, the group very easily cued to the twinkling, glowing delight in Berri's and Turbo's eyes, "Y'guys calling it quits?"
"Yeah, the... Poor palace has just been void of its monarch all day," Zed stated with a laugh as he put his hands on his hips, though he soon after draped his arm about Tessa's waist.
"I'm pooped," Ralph stated through a hefty yawn, to which Vanellope cutely wrinkled her nose and began to try and pick confetti out of Ralph's crazy auburn hair.
"Y'look it," Vanellope sweetly and playfully sneered in his direction, to which everyone bobbed agreeing nods, as if to easily understand Ralph's exhaustion.
"Some day, huh," Wren chimed a bit louder as Turbo was now within less than a dozen feet of the group, though within nearing, Turbo scoffed a bug-eyed, bewildered expression of agreeing and tenderly began to set Berri to her feet, once more.
"Yeah my whole life changed," Turbo choked a humbled laugh and sweetly hooked his arm about Berri's upper back and shoulders, he inhaled a shaky breath and, though they cutely peered into each others eye's with a whole new swathe of sweet, twinkling, renewed warmth, Turbo inhaled a trembling breath and bobbed a nod, "Well, y'guys, Berri and I have a bit of an announcement."
"You're pregnant," Wren choked in frozen, stunned delight, to which Turbo and Berri widened their eyes in shock as the group faltered in the wave of surprised laughter that eventually plagued the group.
"No, but I... Guess we're on the right track," Turbo eased, his deep voice trembled with delight, he lovingly held Berri's left hand with his right one, he squeezed her tighter into a side hug with his left arm and glossed the group a humbled look of renewed delight, "Guys, Berri and I are getting married."
"Surprise," Berri chimed with one of the widest, cutest, happiest smiles anyone had seen in awhile; the group gaped in sharp surprise, and though everyone knew of said impending installment, they still looked as if this was delightfully out of left field.
"THAT'S why you snuck off!" Theo barked in a roll of cute, hot delight as he pointed, Tatum grinned with a gasp and put her hands over her mouth.
"YOU GUYS!" Taffyta lilted in a squeal of delight, and as everyone eagerly began to rise into excitable notions and a warm, tight gathering of congratulatory hugs and pats, both Berri and Turbo glowed like the sun.
"I think I speak for absolutely everyone when I say, we're extremely proud of you two," Zed stated with confidence as the group tenderly lulled their bustling, loud excitement and eagerly peered to Sugar Rush's King and Queen, as they stood before Sugar Rush's new Prince and Princess, "Turbo, everything you did today took GUTS, man. None of us were expecting you to show up, let alone perform..."
"And THEN propose," Tessa blurt a giggle, to which Zed bobbed a nod to his bride and finally brought his sweet, humbled gaze to Turbo's and Berri's adorable, giddy, smiling eyes and demeanors.
"You two make Sugar Rush proud... What a way to end the night," Zed choked a laugh as everyone urged notions of cooing, loud, happy agreeing, though as Turbo and Zed firmly shook hands, it was clear Zed was beginning to get choked up, "I-I knew all about your proposal and it still didn't feel real until it, well..."
"Was REAL," Rancis barked with a smiling nod, as did Ralph and Vanellope.
"Aww, dad," Berri cooed sweetly as Turbo and Zed unhanded each other, though Berri sweetly tucked her fists to her chest and began to sag into Zed's bubble for a hug.
"My babe's all grown," Zed's voice croaked as he urgently wrapped his arms about Berri's little shoulders and held his beloved daughter close, to which Tessa warmly joined in. Zed heaved a small chuckle as Ralph pat Zed's back, in full understanding, and though Zed gave Turbo his teary, humbled eye contact, he knew he needed to squeak in one last notion of needing affirmation, "Take care of her, bud... She's a wild one. She needs you, as you do her."
"Yes, sir, like my life depends on it," Turbo hurried to firmly and seriously confirm, though Rancis lulled his arm lazily over Wren's shoulder and eased a mutter in Wren's ear, though loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Cause it literally does," Rancis huffed, the group was rocketed into laughter as Zed placed a few kisses to the top of Berri's head.
"You can't have our crowns just yet," Zed playfully demanded in a firm tone, though he choked a laugh as Berri warmly eased her arms about her father's midsection, they remained in a loose, loving hug. Zed huffed a shaky laugh and wiped his eyes of tears, "We're not done being in charge, just yet, but... Once we are..."
"The game will be in great hands," Tessa warmly and lovingly assured with a wide smile in Berri's in Turbo's direction, "Congratulations, you guys... It hasn't been long, but already you've come such a long way."
"It's been a ride, that's for sure," Turbo sighed, he sagged his shoulders in relief and so patiently welcomed Berri's presence back into his aura once her and Zed were done loving on each other.
"Train's here," Wren chirped as the group quickly began to mosey closer to Arcadia's massive, glorious train station.
"Did you JUST propose?" Tatum cutely inquired, the ladies of the group hovered about Berri and ogled her beautiful grey and blue swirled ring, with the delicate swirl of a rosey gold in a thin pinstripe.
"Yes'm," Turbo cutely bobbed a nod and sagged his hands into his pockets, Berri was now too crowded by Tessa, Taffyta, Tatum, Penny and Vanellope to properly hold; the girls now loudly began to excitedly discuss wedding ideas with Wren firmly in tow.
"You were VERY brave, today," Tatum lovingly pressed, she gently nudged her elbow up into Turbo's lower arm and gave him a cheeky side-eye, "Anything I said, this morning, somehow contribute?"
"It did... It all boiled down to Chester nearly tossing me right out my windows, but," Turbo shrugged and peered ahead, the familiar train cab's doors croaked open and began to let the group aboard, them being the only gamers in said train station. Turbo inhaled a trembling breath as everyone began to file in, one by one; he managed to lose Berri, early on, but figured she'd save him a seat inside, "Everyone's words resonated with me. I just needed the toss around."
"Happy to supply it, friend," Chester muttered from a few feet away, he and his lead was safely secure with Orph's smiling figure.
"Yeah, watch out for that one, he is quick to throw you up against a wall and give his snarling opinion," Turbo firmly warned to Orph, who bugged his eyes and peered up to Chester in hot, nervous debate; Chester bared both boys a fang-filled grin.
"Uhhh Pens? Y-Y'wanna take Chester, now?" Orph staggered nervously, though Penny was now way too far gone in conversing with the girls; Orph raised his eyebrows in becoming-terror and swallowed in cheeky, teasing cuteness.
"He won't bite," Theo muttered as he swiped his larger hand down Chester's snout, Chester flattened his ears in a draw of reclusive, playful irritation and sagged as the whole group began to finally make their way onto the cab.
"Yet," Chester snipped with a returning grin, the group continued to banter as Turbo eventually made it onto the train.
He raised his eyebrows in delight and peered to the only blue-haired individuals on the train, and though the group was sprawled all about their cozy, seemingly now private train cab, Turbo made a straight-away for Berri's positioning. She cutely perked up, pat the empty space next to her, and was eager for Turbo to remain at her side, at all times. With a sigh and a plop into the seat next to her, he swung his arm over her shoulder, eased his left ankle onto his right knee and immediately got comfortable as everyone else chattered and took a seat. With ease, Theo, Throttle, Wren and Tatum all sat close by, as well, the group sagged into different conversations between smaller pairs. Once the train doors closed and the cab began to softly lurch forward, Turbo exhaled a long, satisfied, exhausted breath and further relaxed in the tender murmurings of the familiar voices all about him. He took note that Berri pulled out her phone, for the first time all day, though upon doing so, Turbo was successful in sneaking a glimpse at her lock screen. It was angrily splayed with texts, missed calls and voicemails all from Gunner, had to be dozens of notifications. Turbo froze, raised his eyebrows in hot irritation and now felt protectiveness, for his brand new fiancee, immediately roll into overdrive. He held his breath and felt terrible with the way Berri's already exhausted demeanor sagged, she locked her phone and didn't even dare open the mess her phone had become.
"You just say the word, babe, I have no problem getting up in his face," Turbo's deep voice pressed in a mumble of a whisper, though Berri inhaled a deep breath and gave Turbo sorrowful eye contact.
"I have... NO clue what to tell him," Berri worried nervously, she shook her head and lulled her eyes closed, "I don't know what he wants."
"Well... Don't worry about it, tonight. We're having a GREAT night, with so many memories made," Turbo eased warmly, he lovingly tucked his arm a bit more firmly about her shoulders and snugged her tight into his right side. With a great amount of unending warmth, her body sagged into his side hug as he pressed a few firm, loving smooches into the side and top of her head. He finally lulled his eyes closed and tenderly whispered a secret notion into her ear, only audible to her, "Let's go home and settle in... I'll take care of you."
"Thank you," Berri warmly mumbled with a cute, nervous, bashful smile, she desperately wanted to rub her eye, though resisted the urge due to the makeup she still had on. She inhaled a shaky breath and felt Theo's presence budge into their conversation.
"Bear, y'okay?" Theo worried cutely, to which Wren, Throttle, Tatum, Tessa and Penny urgently drew their attention to Berri's disposition.
"I-I'm fine, I just... Really worry what Gunner's gunna say," Berri largely frowned, though Tessa flagged her hand and blew a raspberry as Penny rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.
"Oh, get me, Penny and Turbo in a room with him," Tessa choked a laugh as her and Penny were now lost in confident laughter.
"Asshole won't know what hit'im," Penny snipped with charming delight as she gave Berri a sweet, sassy smile.
"You have a whole entire army behind you, and he knows that," Turbo's deep voice pressed to her skin, they sat close, though kept respectable distance for the fact that they weren't alone. Turbo warmly tapped the back of her hand and bobbed a nod, "Not to mention, my love... YOU are a force to be reckoned with. You're related to the greats. I know you have the strength to get back in his face, if need be."
"Really WHAT could he say to you, now?" Wren stabbed in smiling irritation as he shrugged, "PLEASE take me back even though a VASTLY superior man came along and put a ring on your finger."
"Aw, Wren," Turbo mumbled in a crackly depth of appreciation, Wren shook his head.
"It's true," Wren choked a laugh, "You shared a spotlight with Berri, you've done FAR more for Berri, even inside Sugar Rush, than Gunner could dream inside the whole of Arcade. Look, Bear, you had your fun and sowed your wild oats, but let's stick with this one, kay?"
"I'm... CURRENTLY in the process of it, Wren-Eddie," Berri stabbed cutely as she held up her left hand and gave emphasis to her brand new ring; everyone within ear shot loudly laughed, though Theo reached out and lovingly gripped Berri's right hand.
"Look... I can see your stress marks are REALLY flared, and sure, Turbo will... Fix that, shortly, but," Theo shrugged and bashfully chuckled the second he saw Turbo stiffen and look off in embarrassed cheek. Berri wrinkled her nose at Theo and shook her head in cute irritation as Theo carried on, "I'd like to share with you something I do that really helps put me to ease. An ol' drummer's trick. It helps me fall asleep at night, are you interested?"
"Of course," Berri bobbed a nod and sat up a bit straighter, as did Theo.
"Okay... So, I may not be a master coder or anything, like the rest of you glitches, but... I DO know a thing, or two, about how coding operates, and how it affects your wake-sleep patterns," Theo warmly chimed, Berri softly glanced to where Tatum was sitting and could now very easily tell Theo was excited to show off, here, though she was thrilled Tatum's cute gaze was very sweetly hooked to Theo's every move, she hung on his every word, the little blush and sweet crown of a proud smile assured to Berri that she, too, was crushing hard. Theo inhaled a deep breath and pat the tops of his own thighs with his large hands, "Before bed, or if I'm feeling anxious, the key to calming or settling down is to lower your heart rate... Through a little drum pattern."
"I'm listening," Berri chimed, to which Tessa now was seriously cued in, as well, her sweet hazel eyes hooked tight to her adorable nephew as he pressed on.
"So, I'll either do this sitting up somewhere quiet, or even in bed if I find myself tossing and turning... So, I just pat my thighs, one by one, in a steady, rhythmic beat," Theo gently instructed, in tenderness and noise that he barely made, his larger hands began to pat his thighs like a metronome. He inhaled a deep breath through his nose, his chest expanded slowly, "In this time, I'll breath deeply for eight second counts... Eight seconds in, eight out."
"Okay," Berri cooed in listening, she easily followed Theo's instruction and cutely kept her eyes hooked to him in curiosity.
"After two counts of inhales and exhales, I'll slow down," Theo pressed softly, "I do this about four times until... My beat is slow and barely even a beat."
Theo's hands so slowly continued to pat his thighs until he sagged through one last deep exhale and lulled his eyes closed in a sag.
"G'nighhhht," Throttle's deep voice teased, the group erupted into soft laughter as Theo perked up and beamed a wide smile.
"Exactly, it's sort of like a manipulating beat, it's a frequency following response. Sort of like... When you hear music, you subconsciously start rhythmically moving your foot relative to the beat. It relaxes your mind and coding from chaotically jumping to new ideas or thoughts and grounds them to the pattern and beat that is occurring. This is, essentially, what calms you down," Theo delicately explained, a show of great thought, persistent intelligence he didn't ever loudly boast, though with such, Throttle raised his eyebrows in whole pride and bobbed a serious nod as him and Tessa firmly caught eyes.
"Wow, Teddy, that... Was really profound," Throttle choked a small laugh, Theo beamed a bashful grin and sunk into himself, though Wren pointed in sweet success as Berri heaved a hard, gaping yawn.
"Yeah, wow, that really did the trick, Ted," Berri mumbled through her yawn as she concluded it with a now sleepy giggle.
"You can thank me later," Theo flagged his hand, though Tessa shot him a sneaky side-eye and gestured to him.
"Alright, Mr. code expert, where have YOU been on all of our code meetings?" Tessa wondered with playful authority, "We could use your in-depth insight, my love. Is it just not your cup of tea, or something?"
"Oh, no, I'm proud of my powers and everything the knowledge contains, I guess I just..." Theo sagged further and shot Tatum a cute, bashful smile, her proud eyes hooked tight to him in boiling curiosity, "Guess simple sleep and brain patterns never really matched up to the greats, like you and... Dad and Turbo and grandma Vanellope..."
"Uh, Ted, this brings a whole different angle to it, methinks you should be joining us on those code meetings," Tessa gawked cutely, to which Penny nodded at him with sweet encouragement, though just as Theo was due to exploring this further, Turbo gingerly cleared his throat and pressed the group a tender whisper of sweet delight.
"Teddy, what kind of a spell did you just put on Berri?" Turbo sharply whispered, though as everyone looked over in curious delight, they were floored to see Berri's skull heavily lulled against Turbo's shoulder; she was out like a light and then some, her mouth cutely agape, she so soundly snoozed against Turbo's still, calm presence.
"Oh, wow!" Penny hissed quietly as she covered her mouth, the group huffed shushed notions and cute, silent laughs at the adorable sight, and as Turbo so carefully wrapped Berri into his embrace and made sure she was safe to soundly snooze against his broad chest and shoulder, he gave Theo a kind, grateful smile and bobbed him a nod.
"Thank you, Theo," Turbo whispered humbly, he nuzzled his face into the top of Berri's head and fluttered his golden eyes closed, "We're all in for a good night's sleep tonight."
