A/N: Hey guys, it's that time again! I am taking DRAWING REQUESTS from BOTH Wrecking Limits and Defying Code! If you would like anything drawn, I will be posting a sketchdump within the next week or so! Just review your drawing request and I'll add it to my list! Again, this goes for BOTH Wrecking Limits AND Defying Code!
Also, I have just uploaded a painting of Tessa, Penny and Oliver to my deviantART, if any of you are interested in what they look like as 'fully grown' gamers! My deviantART username is Vyntresser - check it out! :D
*Chapter 8*
"Wakey wakey!" Tammy chimed happily as she made herself welcome in Tessa's room. Tessa jolted with a bit of a raspy snort as she barely lifted her head off of her pillow.
"User," Tessa hissed as she rubbed her chin and groggily peered at her headboard from her chaotic sleeping position. She tried her hardest to yank her covers over her before Tammy got to her, though she knew she was too late. The fabric easily and slowly ripped off of her in a whirl of confusion.
"C'mon," Tammy urged as she slumped her thick comforter to her tiled floor. She put her hands on her hips and gazed down at her younger cousin with eager, wide eyes. She was dressed in a light blue tank and khaki shorts. Underneath, she sported a bright yellow bikini. Her golden blonde hair was easily tucked into a ponytail. She tilted her head barely to get a better look at her slightly shifting, and grumbling cousin, "E Living calls!"
"Do you have a day off of Academy?" Tessa grumbled as her hand idly groped for blankets that weren't there. She finally half sat up, her dark brown hair was a wreck all over her shoulders.
"It's Saturday," Tammy breathed with a cocked eyebrow, "I don't have school on the weekends. C'mon, I want to go to the beach. Penny and Oliver are downstairs waiting for us."
"Tammy," Tessa groaned as she largely rubbed her face and fully sat up on the edge of her bed. She was in a large, comfortable red shirt and a pair of brown shorts in which she slept in. She held out her larger hands in a gesture of confusion, "If you guys wanted to go to the beach so bad, you should just go. Clearly, I'm sleeping."
"Clearly, you're on a terrible schedule," Tammy retorted, "When you go to Academy, you're going to have to get up early each morning. Besides, it's ten minutes before open Arcade call. We have to hurry to EZ Living before all the good spots on the beach are taken."
"No need to hurry… Everyone has a game to attend to," Tessa groaned as she slipped out of bed and head towards her bathroom. Her floor was lightly littered with a few articles of clothing, as well as a teal rug that was slightly wrinkled out of position and folded over itself once.
"Everyone from Academy wants to hit the beach," Tammy called into the closed bathroom door in which Tessa had disappeared behind, "You love EZ Living… You'll get to see Zane!"
"That soggy beach bum?" Tessa barked, though she tried her hardest to hide a small chuff of a loving laugh.
"Hurry up, the beach awaits," Tammy chirped as she gave Tessa's bathroom door a knowing look. She began to step out of Tessa's room to join the other two downstairs, "Amongst other things…"
"Oh don't tell me," Penny groaned as she slumped her chin farther into her hands. Her elbows were lazily planted on the kitchen island's marble swirled counter.
"She's up, don't worry," Tammy exhaled through a small, annoyed laugh as she entered the kitchen.
"That didn't take much," Vanellope said over her shoulder as her and Taffyta idly gathered the rest of their racing gear off of the large, wooden table near the gaping doors of the back patio.
"Tammy has the magic touch," Taffyta chuffed over her shoulder as well, the two girls began to make their way towards the garage doors. They were strapped in their racing gear, ready for a long game day. Taffyta gently pointed to Penny and gave her a knowing look, "Mind the limits, Pen."
"Mom," Penny softly complained, she cocked an eyebrow and gave her mom a contemplative look as if to suggest wondering why they were traipsing into this topic. Taffyta tried her hardest to force back a smile, but failed miserably.
"Don't worry," Tammy smiled as she put her hands on her hips. She eagerly shot Penny and Oliver a cheerful smile and nodded once. The two were laced in summertime clothes, they were all ready for sun and sand. Tammy averted her gaze back to her two aunts, "We'll have fun. We'll be back right after game day ends."
"Sounds good," Vanellope nodded as her and Taffyta inched towards the door a little bit more, "Please keep an eye on Tessa, Tams… She has an awful habit of running off."
"And dragging the curled wonder with her," Taffyta urged in an annoyed tone towards her daughter. Penny shrugged and shot her mom a sheepish half smirk.
"And then there's me, wanting peace and normality," Oliver said in a loud grumble, though the presence of large, thudding footsteps made him scrunch his shoulders to his head in a way to suggest he had been caught committing a crime.
"You've had your fair share of disrupting the peace, there, Ol," Ralph said through a small laugh as he emerged into the kitchen; Oliver largely rolled his eyes and slumped his chin into his larger hand as if to hope to avoid further notions on the topic.
"Have fun, and stay safe you guys," Vanellope called as she waved to everyone, she gave Ralph a small, knowing smile as if to convey a silent string of routine, loving assurances to him. He tilted his head up once, as if to acknowledge and reciprocate the affection in return. With a kind wave, the two racers slipped out of the castle; the kitchen was silent for a few seconds before Ralph laid his large hands on the counter tops.
"Alright," Ralph sighed as he gazed down to the counters in a contemplating way, "I don't want any running off, any game-overs, any sneaking around, any code room entries, any game-jumping or any tattle tales. You four are to stick together," Ralph urged deeply, yet he tried to remain kind. He largely shot Oliver a slightly disgruntled smile and furrowed his eyebrows, "And get along. All of you."
"Understood," Penny stated politely, the nervous twinkle in her eye lead to suggest she knew exactly who was boss in this situation.
"I don't want anyone of you running into Fix-It Felix Jr. with the news of someone missing a limb," Ralph chuckled, though he shot each youngling in the group a serious look, "Or a life."
"On that note," Tessa chimed sarcastically as she marched into the room, she gestured her arms out and beamed an annoyed smile, "Whose excited to go get killed?"
"Do you want to go back upstairs?" Ralph said with an exasperated chuckle as he straightened his posture slowly, he crossed his arms and gave Tessa a serious look, though he smiled through and through, "Stay safe, have fun, come back in one piece. Got it?"
"Got it," Everyone agreed; Tammy and Penny's replies were a lot more peppy than Oliver's and Tessa's.
"See you guys later," Ralph nodded once and began to head towards the direction in which Vanellope and Taffyta left not minutes prior. As soon as the castle's garage door shut, with a loud pang, Tammy gently looked to the three younglings she was in charge of for the day. She put her hands on her hips and inhaled a long breath before she calmly let it back out; she slumped her shoulders and smiled in a knowing way.
"Hopefully the spot by that one cove is still available," Tammy smiled, Penny's eyes lit up.
"Do you think we'll find mermaids?" Penny wondered loudly; Oliver largely rolled his eyes, as did Tessa.
"Penny, mermaids don't exist," Tessa laughed softly, Penny gaped.
"I've seen one!" Penny exclaimed with a frown as she looked to Tammy for urgent vouching; Tammy politely nodded, though her words her empty.
"I believe it!" Tammy giggled as the four slowly tensed into action and head towards the long hallway that led from the kitchen to the Great Hall.
As the three began to stroll out of the castle with their beach bags in hand, Tessa's heart suddenly jumped in a fit of remembrance. Her eyes widened as she gazed at the massive castle's front doors, down the Great Hall. She clenched her larger fists on the bright blue bag that was slung over her shoulder, she remembered the last thing her and Vanellope talked about the night prior. She suddenly let the widest smile prowl across her face as she burst past Tammy and Oliver, who were diligently leading the way. Oliver yelped a small noise of annoyance as Tessa brushed past her.
"S-sorry guys, I almost forgot something!" Tessa urged as she began to run towards the castle doors.
"Where are you going?" Tammy wondered loudly, and in great annoyance that she was already planning on running off, even after she was told not to.
"I need to go tell my mom something!" Tessa urged as she jolted out of the castle's doors, she glanced back at the three confused faces a good handful of yards behind her, "I'll meet you guys at Sugar Rush's entrance in a few minutes!"
"If you say so," Tammy said as she slumped her shoulders, she eagerly peered to Penny, "You wouldn't happen to know what that was all about, would you?"
"Not a clue," Penny said through a playfully annoyed sigh as she shook her head.
"Probably going to ask for the spare key to mom's car," Oliver said, he idly gazed off into nowhere with a disgruntled look.
Tessa panted a heaved as she sprint towards the massive racing arena and start line. She tucked the bag tight to her body and continued to let her strong, bare feet carry her. She huffed and puffed as her beautiful, long brown hair wildly flicked behind her. Her eyes eagerly peered around as she kept her ears open for any quarter alerts that may take place. She was grateful the Arcade still had one minute left until they were open. Tessa skid into the dim hallways that led to the stadium of the racing arena. The loud, anxious and excited crowd was noisy as they hung in wait for their daily routine.
Tessa's feet skid through the soft, flaky chocolate ground undertow as she flew past a few guards with ease. They easily bowed their heads and upper bodies as she flew past them. With every ounce of manners she could muster, she waved a polite wave to anyone that bowed in her presence, though she inwardly grumbled a small wish that she wouldn't be treated in such a way. She quickly shook her thoughts and burst through the gates to the arena. The massive, gaping sugar coated golden road sparkled underneath Sugar Rush's sunshine. Her eyes met with each of her mother's fellow racer's powerful, grumbling cars. Each racer was idly loitering by each of their cars, they all chit chat with each other as they patiently waited for their quarter alerts.
"Mom!" Tessa hollered, though she realized just how urgent she sounded as each and every single racer turned their head with anxious eyes. Vanellope whirled around and largely widened her eyes as Tessa quickly began to run out to her, on the tracks. Tessa beamed a sheepish smile and almost felt embarrassed as the stadium began to perk up and chatter a little louder at her presence; she knew it was a rarity for anyone to see Sugar Rush's heir far beyond the borders of the castle.
"Tessa," Vanellope said through a wide, incredulous smile and shook her head lightly, "Is everything okay?"
"I'm fine," Tessa said in a dull, annoyed tone as she easily trotted past Taffyta, Candlehead and Rancis. She gave each one of them a knowing smirk and easily rushed up to her mother, which cause Vanellope to ease her hands on Tessa's shoulder's as she neared.
"What's up, then?" Vanellope wondered as her eyes looked around the entrance of the arena, "Where's Tammy, Penny and Oliver?"
"I'm meeting them at the entrance," Tessa panted softly as she held the undersides of her mother's upper arms, she inhaled for air quickly and deeply as Vanellope squeezed the tops of her shoulders, "I-I just wanted to come down her, because…"
"Because what?" Vanellope worried as Tessa trailed off and nervously looked around, she was thankful the other racers weren't totally in earshot of her and Vanellope.
"Because, I-I wanted to know if you would still let me drive tonight?" Tessa whispered, her eyes gazed up at her mother in pure, innocent want. Vanellope largely slumped her shoulders and showed her teeth through an annoyed grin.
"You ran all this way just to remind me of that?" Vanellope laughed as she shook Tessa's shoulders, though Tessa began to feel her request slowly slip away from her. She squeezed her mom's arms and just barely squirmed in her position.
"Please mom, please… We had a deal," Tessa hissed in a soft whisper. Vanellope rolled her eyes and gazed back at her car for a few minutes, though the game cabinet loudly chimed the open Arcade call. Everyone tensed and got to their carts, minus Vanellope. She peered back down at her daughter with a mix of a smile and confused frown, though she couldn't help but let her grin shine through.
"Fine, Tessa, yes," Vanellope breathed, though Tessa jumped up and down just barely a few times and bit her bottom lip, as if to contain her excitement. Vanellope held up a finger, "Only if Tammy gives me a good report and nothing goes wrong at EZ Living."
"Thanks, mom," Tessa urged quietly as she suddenly lugged her arms around Vanellope's middle and lifted her off the ground with all the ease in the world. Vanellope jolted and let out a small, girly laugh as she lightly hugged Tessa's neck. Tessa squeezed her one last time before lightly setting her back down. Vanellope breathed a small choke and straightened out her racing jacket.
"Don't mention it," Vanellope scoffed through a smirk as she ruffled Tessa's hair, "Have fun."
"Place first," Tessa called over her shoulder as she began to run towards the entrance of the arena. Vanellope exhaled an excitable laugh and lightly shoved her helmet over her head.
"As always," Vanellope chimed. Tessa largely rolled her eyes as Vanellope and Taffyta began to bicker about who came in what place.