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Snake557 : Indeed! :D Thanks so much!


Song Listened To :

One of the Family by Henry Jackman


*Chapter 195*

In the stillness of Sugar Rush's warm, midday sun, Turbo and Zed quietly strolled from the rec-hall and down the single, long, white-stoned path that eventually lead to the stretch of an outdoor corridor that cut the palace lot in half, sunny, pristine, white arches that eventually lead to the palace's main hub of a kitchen. Turbo nervously sagged his hands into his jean's pockets and glanced in Zed's direction. With the glint of sunshine that glowed down onto Zed's brilliant blue hair, Turbo felt his brand new coding swirl in agitated, energetic nervousness. He softly peered about Sugar Rush's glorious, green, early summer grass, the warm breeze that so softly whisked their hair and clothes about in a stir of movement, Turbo patiently hung in Zed's silence and was well aware Zed was simply waiting to speak up once they were far enough away from the rec-hall, where a few people lingered and mostly everyone dispersed from. Once half way into the nearly one-fourth of a mile stretch down said sunny pathway through the grass, Turbo finally inhaled a shaky, deep breath and felt Berri's energetic bravery soak his once fragile, timid honeycombs.

"Sir, I'm... Being honest, here, I'm sort of nervous for this conversation," Turbo eased quietly, a sneaky, brave smile of almost snarky agitation, Zed finally shook his head and popped out of his seemingly clouded thoughts.

"I'm sorry, Turbo, I just have a bit on my mind," Zed mumbled warmly, he gave Turbo a gentle smile and softened as Turbo furthered said show of vulnerability.

"I'm not like... In trouble, or anything, am I?" Turbo rested his hand to his chest and was sure swapping with Berri, after asking for her hand in marriage, and everything last night entailed, would be something that Zed would've seen coming from a million miles away. Turbo pressed on in mild defense, "Sir, you... You KNOW I'd take a bullet outside of Sugar Rush for that incredible woman, right?"

"No, no, you're not in trouble, forgive me," Zed huffed a small laugh and lovingly pat Turbo's upper back, a swift gesture of reassurance that had Turbo immediately dropping his defenses, "I just wanted to speak to you on something rather sensitive. A warning, I guess."

"Warning?" Turbo wondered, though he was thrilled both men scuffed to a halt underneath the shade of a nearby tree, still steadfast on their wide, white-stoned path. Turbo eyed Zed in a new branch of nervousness and shook his head, "Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine, I wanted to originally just bring you back to mine and Tessa's tower to chat, but I just don't want Tessa to be present for this conversation," Zed started, he inhaled a deep breath and softly peered into Turbo's golden eyes. Although glued to his in apprehensive alertness, Zed almost faltered a bewildered breath at just how wildly alive Turbo continued to look, now. The sweet, energetic youthfulness of Berri's coding, now permanently embedded into Turbo's, was beyond palpable, a fresh, lovely new look for him, Zed couldn't help but give Turbo a warm smile of knowing welcome. He finally scoffed a small laugh down to his feet and shook his head, "I know I already said this, in the meeting, but... Seriously... Thank you for, well... Bringing Berri out of said debacle in one piece. I know that opposed-code swap well."

"Opposed codes," Turbo huffed a shaky laugh and bobbed a nod, "I didn't believe you, but, you were right. The scariest shit I've ever had control of."

"Terrifying," Zed heaved a trembling laugh as both boys quietly joined in tender agreeing.

"It was my honor," Turbo chirped gently as he looked off in shy gentlemanliness, "My job to protect the royal family."

"Heard," Zed bugged his eyes and continued to peer down to his feet in nervous delight, though he finally narrowed his eyes and eased his tender gaze into Turbo's, a raw shred of vulnerability both men fell into, "Bud, this question is going to be personal, but I just have to ask. Do you and Berri plan on having children?"

Turbo raised his eyebrows and felt his heart begin to thud in raw concern, the look on Zed's face didn't read curious, grandfatherly delight, though more impending dread. Turbo huffed a faltered, silent breath and almost was really quick to answer, though he hovered for a moment. The familiarity of Zed's anticipatory, nervous gaze, facial features that mocked Berri's to a T, his quiet demeanor so patiently awaited Turbo's answer, something Turbo was now certain was detrimental information.

"Yes, sir," Turbo assured gently, "I-I mean... Not ANY time soon, but, if I'm being honest, we briefly discussed it this morning and she was receptive. Never thought in a million years I'd EVER want a child of my own, but... I love Berri, and... She'd make a wonderful mother."

"She would," Zed gently agreed, Turbo furrowed his brow in now full apprehension.

"Why? What's wrong?" Turbo worried, "S-Sure, I'm... Maybe strange looking, but y'think maybe our children would-"

"No, no, I'm not concerned about that, I'm positive whatever children you two had would be beautiful," Zed choked a soft laugh and flagged his hand in warm, kind dismissal, "I'm... I'm mentioning this because last night, when we all got home, to just give myself peace of mind, I checked to see if you had swapped your's and Berri's source coding."

"Yes, sir," Turbo eased in a neutral air of warm understanding.

"... Turbo, I stumbled across an alter-ego that you seemingly had made for Berri," Zed cautiously pressed, to which Turbo raised his eyebrows in embarrassed discovery and now nervously looked off. Zed eased a gentle chuckle and grappled Turbo's shoulder in fatherly warmth, "Turbo, you're NOT in trouble."

"I-I'm sorry," Turbo choked a laugh and gave Zed a pleading look of cute apprehension, though Zed firmly shook his head.

"I'm not saying any of this to be nosey, what you two do is YOUR business, I just... Noticed she had this extra alter attached to her exterior appearance coding and, I wanted to... Well... Warn you," Zed instructed as he finally gave Turbo's shoulder a squeeze and released him.

"Warn me?" Turbo worried, "I... I made her that disguise so she could freely leave her tours without being noticed by fans or anyone. She confided in me once upon a time, she felt as if she needed to getaway and such."

"Oh, I understand entirely, you're well aware of my alter," Zed stated freely, he hooked his eyes to Turbo's in gentle nervousness, "Turbo, I'm telling you all of this because... Before Sugar Rush was won, when we all lived in Dead Zed, Tessa and I ditched a castle meeting, set up by Ralph and Vanellope, and I was in my alter's coding."

Turbo bobbed a nod and hooked his attention tight to Zed's in soft, nervous curiosity as Zed's broad chest expanded with a nervous inhale.

"In the heat of ditching and rebelling, Tessa and I had this brilliant idea to potentially try for another baby, at that time," Zed pressed calmly, "And, it worked... We had successfully coded a baby, before Berri, but because I was in my alter, the coding wasn't strong enough and Tessa miscarried the next morning."

Turbo sagged his shoulders in soft sorrow and urgently peered his slope of a frowning expression tight to Zed's fatherly eyes, so full of care and protection; Turbo heaved a shaky breath, shook his head and looked off, "Sir, I'm... So sorry."

"It really devastated Tessa, she REALLY wanted another baby," Zed tenderly carried on, "I just wanted to warn you. Don't swap codes with Berri, in that disguise, if she tells you she wants a child with you. Tessa still hasn't really recovered from the event, and though we eventually coded Berri and all's well that end's well, it's..."

"Still a huge loss," Turbo eased in tenderness, he bobbed a soft nod and gave Zed a sorrowful look of whole dismay, "I'm really sorry that happened... And, I appreciate you warning me. I would've never considered..."

"Nor I, we thought it was fun and rebellious and different," Zed shrugged, he choked a laugh and shook his head, "Thought we got to have our cake and eat it too. Outside of that, sure, have fun. Inside a detrimental, life-altering decision? Normal coding, please."

"Will do," Turbo assured with a shaky, nervous chuckle, "User, you genuinely had me SO scared, I thought I had done something wrong."

"I'd rather rattle you here and now, instead of the universe rattling you and Berri later with trauma that will take a lifetime to overcome," Zed stated through a trembling sigh and an equally as shaky chuckle as he looked down to his feet, "Don't rush to have children. Just log that information away for the future. I WAS going to just text you, but I figured..."

"Yeah, this was better reserved for a physical conversation, I appreciate it," Turbo bobbed a nod, he looked off across the palace's sunny, grassy lot and eased a wide smile as he noticed the palace's dragons now moseying out to the sprawl of fields to lazily sunbathe, far across the way.

"Anytime," Zed stated in genuine, loving warmth, "I'm proud of you guys. Welcome to the family, OFFICIALLY."

"Thank you," Turbo smiled a bright, revived smile and nodded, "These glitching powers are SO much different than the older, more rudimentary glitching powers Libby Swirlz had. So much more fluid and graceful."

"And the wrecking?" Zed wondered in prickled cuteness, he eyed Turbo, "You know Ralph is going to want to take you and all of us other wreckers on a field trip to the candy cane forest."

"Yeah?" Turbo wondered as he furrowed his brow in soft, eager surprise.

"Yep, he amps up for new wreckers added to the group," Zed nodded, "He did so for Emery, for Nox, he taught Ace and Libby everything he knows, Beaux and Mara... He'll be comin' for yah, I promise. Especially since he hasn't had nearly as much time, with Berri and Theo, as he'd like."

"I'd love that," Turbo pressed, though Zed eyed him in soft suspicion.

"How's Berri handling the time-warping?" Zed wondered delicately, though Turbo shrugged and so shyly gave Zed an apprehensive look of cheekiness.

"It's... Well..." Turbo choked a laugh as Zed furrowed his brow in soft curiosity, though Turbo bravely pressed on and shyly looked down to his feet, "It's only been a little over an hour, sir."

"... User," Zed blurt a hard laugh, scrunched his eyes tight, shook his head and finally tossed his gaze out across the stretch of field, "Alright, I'll ask later. I just always am curious to see how other gamers handle glitching and wrecking alongside ANOTHER power. Like Nox and Koko, for instance."

"Oh, Nox and his invisibility powers," Turbo pressed warmly, Zed nodded and inhaled a deep breath.

"Always cool to see just what's going to come about," Zed eased, he finally eyed Turbo in cute delight and was glad their bubble of warmth was secured in unwavering love, "Well, congratulations, again. Tessa is over the moon, by the way."

"She's the best," Turbo so tenderly eased with a kind smile, though as the two fell into a moment of gentle silence, nothing but the rustling of the tree's leaves overhead, Turbo furrowed his eyebrows and felt his mind trickle back to Lash, and that whole predicament. Turbo inhaled a trembling breath and knew he had to get this issue off of his chest, once and for all, "Sir, I... I have to be honest with you."

"What's up?" Zed wondered gently, he furrowed his brow in a revisit of concern and held his attention tight to Turbo's disposition, which was now sagging with obvious inner turmoil.

"Sir, I... I did something last night that I KNOW you won't like, or agree with," Turbo pressed shakily, he glued his golden eyes to Zed's and interjected a quick notion of assurance, "It has nothing to do with Berri."

"My first thought," Zed mumbled, he bobbed a nod and ushered Turbo an anticipatory look of undivided attention given.

"Zed, when... I left Sugar Rush, to come to Arcadia, I... I made a very risky decision and left Lash unbubbled," Turbo admitted in full guilt, he nervously peered into Zed's eyes and felt his stomach clench the second Zed's gentle, understanding gaze began to just barely sharpen to that of stern, disappointed authority. Turbo felt a wiggle of nervousness come over him. Never in his life had he ever understood fatherly authority, nor hand any parents, and although Zed was similarly in the same boat, Turbo was well aware he had fathered two children, and with said stern look in his icy blue eyes, Turbo immediately felt lobbed in with Berri and Ace, in this respect. Turbo faltered on a few shaky words as Zed's stern, unwavering gaze held strict to Turbo's depleting aura, "I... Am fully aware I should've either asked, or bubbled him and saved said risk for another day, outside of my escapade to Arcadia but-"

"You proud of that decision, son?" Zed wondered curtly, though still swathed in love, it was clear to Turbo that the King's crown wasn't due to be handed over any time soon.

"No," Turbo admitted, he fiddled his fingers, inhaled a shaky breath and looked down, "I'm... Well aware that if Lash maybe had his previous, terrible intentions and the will to worm about his restrictions, that could've... Been..."

"An entire disaster," Zed finished, his tone still curt and complete; Turbo immediately threw in the towel and bobbed a nod, "Can you explain to me your thought process, there, please?"

Turbo felt a weird switch up happen; although he had hung his head in defeat and was due to allowing Zed to now steamroll over him, Turbo felt his nervous, golden eyes hone tight to Zed's in curiosity that warmed from death. Piqued in soft, prodding concern, Turbo raised a grey eyebrow just barely and peered into Zed's stern eyes in renewed courage that came trickling into his new, rosey-blushed coding. Now in a delicate, proverbial reach for the towel he had just defeatedly tossed into the ring, he inhaled a shaky breath and felt Zed's presence eke a very fair playing field of genuine question. Having strictly assumed that Zed's previous inquiry for Turbo to explain himself was rhetorical and patronizing, Turbo relayed his words and tone, once more, and very quickly realized this was a genuine man-to-man question. With rushing purpose that came back to Turbo's skin, he quickly inhaled a confident breath and was swift to volley into mature conversing with his impending father-in-law.

"Yes, sir. If I'm being honest, I didn't have much thought process," Turbo choked nervously, he tried to straighten his posture and remain confident underneath Zed's gooey, Kingly sap of dominance, "Chester, well... Had just roughed me up, and I made a knee-jerk decision to leave. Right before I left, I told Lash that I'm leaving him unbubbled, and... Well..."

"... You made him swear not to tell anyone," Zed wondered gently, Turbo heaved a shaky breath of a chuckle, bobbed a nod and now nervously looked across the sunny field they were lost in; all six flyers were lazily sprawled in the grass, as still as could be. Zed looked down to his hands, inhaled a long, deep breath and tried not to be mad at his daughter's brand new extension of coding. He long-blinked in soft contemplation and pressed on, "Turbo, do you trust Lash? If... We were to give him back full gamer rights and allow him everything, would you be worried?"

"Mildly," Turbo admitted, he grimaced and shook his head, "He's strangely softened, lately. It's... It's because of Berri. They've fallen into this sibling-hood that I'm quite enjoying watching unfold. He really loves her."

"Seems to be a trend," Zed muttered as he gave Turbo a knowing look, which finally got a wide, relinquished, genuine smile out of Turbo; both men shared in smiling fervor before softly settling, "I haven't been around Lash, for awhile. I've left him in your care, and though you made an extremely risky move, there, I'm... Delightfully surprised."

"Yeah, I came back home and he was just watching tv, eating dinner," Turbo shrugged, "Nearly climbed all over me for answers, cause he watched the whole concert."

"Oh, he did?" Zed wondered, Turbo bugged his eyes and bobbed a nod.

"Ho yeah, it's the main reason I left. I went to Berri's tower to pick Chester up, and when I came back I saw that Lash had the channel changed to the media coverage at Arcadia," Turbo gently explained, "I got mad and selfishly explained that I didn't want to watch it, cause... Y'know... And, I went on about how I didn't like Gunner and Chester had had enough of me, so..."

"Lash wanted to watch it, though," Zed pressed softly, Turbo nodded and smiled down to his feet.

"He said he wanted to do what he could to support Berri," Turbo softened, "He sees just how much I love her. How much she means to me. He... May be a lost boy trying to find his way back, but with that guy... Family is forever. And there's no wavering him from it."

Zed long-blinked in further softening, heaved a grumbly sigh and looked off across the field, the green grass set ablaze by Sugar Rush's confident sun, every tower and tree to the palace's name glowed with Zed's pride. His strong chest inhaled the whisk of a breeze that flit by, and as he swallowed all of the information, he finally brought his eyes back to Turbo and gave him a nervous smile.

"Alright, my guy... I'm trusting your judgement, here," Zed started cautiously, "We want to do what we can to make it so Lash can prove himself, can earn back trust like you have... Like I have, like Rancis has, Ralph has... Every bad guy that has graced Sugar Rush's grounds has been given a chance to do right by the people they love."

"You want ME to make a decision here, for Lash's privileges?" Turbo staggered nervously as he rested his hand to his own broad chest, Zed bobbed a confident nod.

"You're due to being a Prince, alongside Ace and Oliver, which includes Beaux and Theo by coded-proxy," Zed instructed, "Of any huge decision making, ultimately the final say goes to my Queen, but... Princes and Princesses are next on that tier."

Turbo softened and glanced into Zed's eyes, still stern with authority but kissed with that fatherly grace Turbo was unfamiliar to. Sagged in every fiber of Zed's cautious, careful, relentless love, Turbo bobbed a nod and understood just how important this all was. Although Turbo was well aware the King's Knights were easily next on said totem, he scoffed in delight at the sheer fact that he had been diligently promoted, here, by Zed himself. Turbo smiled and returned his grateful, humble gaze back to Zed's.

"Your word?" Zed wondered gently, his Kingly gaze held unwavering to Turbo's in kind, though apprehensive delight, an honor Turbo was well aware he was being graced with.

"... I'm in the beginning stages of planning a week-long getaway with Berri and the band, maybe all of my brothers and their spouses," Turbo confidently pressed, "My plan was to potentially take them to Sugar Sun Island, just to recuperate and unwind from the band's tour and everything in between. Why don't we take that week as a test run, for Lash? Give him full privileges, he can go anywhere and do anything. Maybe make it so he can't teleport anywhere he wants, but... Really give him freedom and see what he does with it."

"Why don't we compromise," Zed started with a cheeky smile as he nervously looked off, "Why don't we give him all of his privileges but limit him to Sugar Sun Island? Gives him a taste of his freedom, gives Tessa and I peace of mind. Baby steps... Do you think we could start there?"

"Yes, sir," Turbo concluded with a soft smile of gracious relief.

"If he behaves for that week, we can begin discussing further action, from there," Zed eased with a nod as he crossed his arms, "With all of this deleter crap going on, and the insane amount of information he has tied back to Aroq and Tron, I think... We have to be extremely careful. I think we need to keep this close to the vest, make clear to him that his leash will be loosened and nothing more. Don't give him an opportunity to bat his lashes and play nice if he knows the end goal will ultimately be that he's let go of entirely."

"Will do," Turbo agreed, though he softened and gave Zed an unsure look of cute, humble concern, "Zed, if it's not too much to ask... For whatever week we pick to have said staycation, do you think I could request I have the week free from work? Or... Would you rather me check in while I'm away?"

"No, you... You take that week for yourself, dude, take two if you want," Zed huffed a small laugh with a wide, sweet smile, he lovingly pat Turbo's upper arm and bobbed him a nod of whole certainty, "You deserve it, okay? You just take that time to relax and keep an eye on Lash and have fun. Tessa and I will be just fine, we have Rancis as well as Ace and Libby for back up. Ace isn't typically too gung-ho about royal responsibilities, but he has streaks every now and then where he wants to nose around and take part. I'll let him have a hand in things, for the two weeks you're off."

"Thank you," Turbo eased with a smile of whole gratitude, a sigh of relief and a nod, though Zed tilted his head and gained eye contact with Turbo, once more.

"Bud, y'know you can always ask for time off if you need it," Zed choked a laugh as Turbo grinned and looked down, once more, "You've been at it since, well... Since Berri was born. I don't think you've ever taken a proper vacation unless we've scheduled it for you."

"I liked to just keep going," Turbo mumbled cutely, he shook his head and shrugged, "Things are different, now."

"You have a new coded family member to prioritize, now," Zed cued knowingly, to which Turbo heaved a long, satisfied sigh and nodded in agreeing.

"Feels good," Turbo concluded softly as both men caught gazes, once more. He smiled and was thrilled to have had this alone time with Berri's father, a closer insight into just the role he'd be eventually stepping into, "Thanks for listening to me, and such. I always appreciate it."

"I'm always here for my family, no matter what," Zed stated in firm, loving adamance, "Just let me know the dates you guys will be gone, your only job during that time is to just relax and have fun."

"And babysit Lash," Turbo mumbled playfully, to which Zed side-eyed Turbo in knowing cheek and grinned.

"Well, likely not, he seems to be just fine on his own, as of yesterday," Zed cued in a teasing show of stern certainty, and though Turbo was aware they were now on the same page, Turbo diligently reminded himself to never try and fly under Zed's radar ever again.


A/N : Hey all I'm sure you're likely aware of it right now, but I feel the need to just clarify. Although major, important stuff has happened within the last half-dozen or so chapters and etc., I wrote Chapters 170-203(ish) whilst I was on my 3 month c*vid leave, and on said leave with ALL the time in the world, I busted out chapters that could potentially be filler-type or slow moving. I'm not apologizing for it, because I very much enjoyed my time off and I was able to slow down and really ponder a topic about emotion and mental health, with my precious characters, that I likely wouldn't have honed in on otherwise. I just want to make clear that these next 10 or so chapters are slower moving and magnify new hurdles that Berri and Turbo have to deal with upon their fresh union. All things I personally found interesting and wanted to explore. Things do, indeed, heavily pick up after chapter 205 or so, major plot points crop up and etc. I'll be posting spoilers for all of that below, so if you're interested in what exactly is to come, then read on! If not, see you soon and thanks for reading! :D

*SPOILER WARNING*

Turbobros, and Berri, explore new eye colors, which correspond to certain emotion, that crop up unexpectedly and reveals more about their past.

Turbo and crew leaves Sugar Rush once more and results in a fun night out, though worry of Gunner popping up always is a possibility

Ralph teaches Turbo to wreck - lots of funny exposition between Turbo, Zed and Ralph

The crew play an encore at Arcadia, in which a celebratory meet'n'greet, inside a certain game inside Arcadia, goes absolutely awry and furthers deleter plot

Tatum and Theo get a spicy chapter, or two (she shows off her wings!/explains more about her species which is important info for the 5th story)

The crew goes on said much needed vacation in which Gunner briefly gets involved in

A certain someone may or may not get their eyesight fixed

And YES - Turbo, Zed and Vanellope race!