*Chapter 16*
Zane felt as if his neck was going to snap in two. The three slowly approached the strong walls and gates of Tessa's future ruling place. She smiled up at it through an almost disgruntled smirk, as if the walls had done their fair share of harboring her strengths and curiosity, though she knew there was no place like home. Tammy slowly began to slip her jacket off; she knew the castle would be a warm retreat from Sugar Rush's cool, spring evening.
"I didn't realize how big this place was," Zane uttered nervously as the three stepped inside, the large castle doors creaked shut with a loud, reverberating thud. The great hall stood in it's poised stillness, it was warm and inviting, though Zane was certain he had vertigo from the massive sprawl of everything.
"You don't have castles or anything like this in Dead Zed?" Tessa said, almost sarcastically. She wrinkled her nose and gave him a playfully snobby look. Zane beamed nervously.
"Nope," Zane chuckled, "I mean, we have strong holds and large buildings, but I don't think anything in the arcade compares to Sugar Rush's castle."
"Do people talk about this castle like it's untouchable or something?" Tessa largely wondered with a concerned smile, Tammy cocked an eyebrow and gently nodded, as did Zane. Tessa blew a hard raspberry and looked away in a flustered manner, "That's hard to believe."
"That's because you live here," Zane nudged his best friend's arm, "Sort of a different story when you're here all the time."
"I guess," Tessa shrugged, the three slowly began to file towards the kitchen; lots of delicious smells were in the air and only got stronger as they neared the kitchen.
"I wonder what's for dinner," Tammy chimed curiously as she casually crossed her arms, though she idly glanced at Zane in an incredulous way, "I'm sure mom and dad are here already."
"Does everyone eat here every single day after the arcade closes?" Zane wondered, he felt as if he had been out of the loop.
"Pretty much," Tessa shrugged, "I'm so used to having all my family at the castle. I'm fairly certain aunt Calhoun and uncle Felix were invited to move into the castle from mom and dad."
"I heard about that," Tammy said eagerly with an excited smile, "That'd be so fun."
"You guys are all practically related anyhow," Zane said, he tried to hide his nervous tone, "Seems about right."
"Hard to believe this castle used to exclude everyone but mom, aunt Taffyta and aunt Candlehead," Tessa gently breathed a small giggle, though she crossed her arms and suddenly felt her stomach drop as they neared the turn into the kitchen. She finally realized that this would be the first time she introduced an outside friend to Ralph and Vanellope; a boy, nonetheless.
"Did you know, they used to be only three feet tall?" Tammy wrinkled her nose and gave Tessa a deranged look; Tessa furrowed her eyebrows.
"That makes no sense," Tessa argued, Tammy largely shrugged.
"It's true," Zane chimed confidently, though both girls looked at him in a curious way, "Sugar Rush had an upgrade a few years ago. They used to be shorter than Fix It Felix."
"How did you know that?" Tessa gave Zane a confused, almost playfully insulted look.
Just as Zane opened his mouth to talk, the three wormed their way out of the long corridor that led from the great hall into the kitchen. They were gently graced with a dull roar of chatter from every head of Sugar Rush. Candlehead, Penny, Oliver and Calhoun were comfortably sat at the kitchen island. Ralph, Vanellope, Gloyd and Felix were gently busy around the kitchen. The air was light and comfortable, though Tessa could largely feel that lump gather in her throat again. It doubled in size once Taffyta noticed the extra presences in the room.
"Hey, we have more company tonight!" Taffyta chimed with a smile, though she largely gave Tessa an inquisitive look, as if to wonder how all of this was going to unfold. Tessa smiled a nervous smile at her aunt, though she immediately felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end as every single pair of eyes, in the kitchen, turned to observe the situation before them.
"Hey Tess, whose this?" Vanellope inquired lightly, though her voice was laced with a hint of protectiveness. Tessa swallowed hard and gently gestured to Zane, Tammy hung near the two in fear of making the situation awkward.
"Everybody, this is my best friend Zane," Tessa said as she tried to quell her shaking voice, she sheepishly smiled at everyone, "I-I figured it would be harmless to add one more body to the table.
"Sure, welcome to Sugar Rush, Zane," Vanellope said with a kind and curious smile as she motioned the three deeper into the kitchen.
"Th-thank you for having me," Zane stammered with a nervous smile, Vanellope wrinkled her nose and gently set down the mixing bowl she was holding. She held her words, for she knew Taffyta would take the reigns from here.
"She may be Queen, but she won't bite, I promise," Taffyta barked with a happy laugh, everyone joined her. Zane finally felt his shoulders un-tense.
"I don't know about that," Ralph urged playfully towards Zane with a kind smile, though he kept a curious eye on his daughter; he knew Tessa wasn't the social butterfly of the group, so any friend that was good enough to bring home had to be approached with care, so not to scare anyone away.
"So what game are you from?" Vanellope urged as Tessa and Zane slowly approached the kitchen island; Ralph and Vanellope were stationed on the other side of it. Penny and Oliver quickly approached Zane, Tessa and Tammy for their usual, friendly banters and hellos. Zane chuckled a few times at Penny's usual girly charm and wit before he fixated his happy, yet nervous, demeanor on Vanellope.
"I-I'm from Dead Zed," Zane stammered with a smile, though he instantly became nervous as the twinkle in Vanellope's eye grew.
"Ah, another racing game, huh?" Vanellope beamed; Zane gulped a hard swallow, though he jolted once Taffyta elbowed his arm a few times.
"Don't get this one started, she's the most competitive smarty in this whole arcade, when it comes to racing," Taffyta muttered as she sheepishly smiled at Vanellope.
"When it comes to anything," both Ralph and Gloyd muttered at the same time, Vanellope furrowed her eyebrows at the two boys behind her; they stifled hard laughter and tried to dodge any swats that came their way.
"It's ok," Zane eased, "Our games are very different in that aspect."
"Dead Zed is motocross," Penny assured as the five younglings hung near each other.
"That reminds me of our bikes," Candlehead chimed in, "We didn't race in the EZ Living Motocross tournament this New Year's year."
"I've always wanted to race in that tournament," Zane said softly as he looked down to the marbled counter underneath his hands.
"It's definitely a doozy," Ralph urged, he almost shuddered as he recalled the last, tragic race Vanellope was in.
"You can say that again," Calhoun barked quietly, which caused Taffyta to laugh.
"Sorry I'm late, guys," Rancis suddenly chimed as he stepped into the kitchen. He heaved a hard breath and took off his dusty racing jacket; he had chocolate powder and dust all over his neck and arms, "It was raining near the Evergreen Mint Forest. Those tracks get so muddy. But, the game's stable."
"Thanks, Rancis," Vanellope raised her eyebrows in dewy concern, "Next time the weather conditions are bad, you can just come straight home, we can just use the code room to look for danger."
"I don't know," Ralph started softly as he glanced between Rancis and Vanellope, the two leads to Sugar Rush, besides him, "I heard the technology of the newer games are making it so even viruses can have cloaking devices. Best to be safe than sorry."
"It's not like we're in any danger, right?" Taffyta wondered nervously, the five younglings of the group fell silent in poised concern; Vanellope glanced at the five innocently worried eyes at the kitchen island and gently waved her hand, as if to pretend it was nonsense.
"No, we're just fine," Vanellope urged to Ralph and Rancis; they quickly caught on to her silent demands to protect the worries and feelings of the younger gamers in the room. She gave the five kids a small smile and furrowed her eyebrows, "It's just always best to make sure no strangers wander into the game. Even if they are harmless."
"Ranc, we got a new one here," Taffyta said gently to Rancis as she motioned to Zane; he raised his eyebrows and double took, as if he felt bad for not noticing the extra presence in the room.
"I'm so sorry," Rancis urged as he lightly smiled at Zane, he reached out for a handshake, "I'm Rancis, Tessa's uncle."
"Zane," Zane said in an almost confused tone, though he politely shook Rancis's hand. Zane held his suddenly confused position and kept his eyes glued to Rancis. He squinted his eyes and side eyed Rancis in a baffled, almost insulted way, "Radex?"
"Uh," Rancis breathed as he furrowed his eyebrows and glanced at Taffyta, he cleared his throat into a closed fist and gave Zane a genuinely confused look, "No, it's Rancis."
"Whose Radex?" Tessa lightly inquired with a sudden giggle as she nudged Zane's arm, Zane shook his head and lightly glanced at Tessa, as if to be apologetic.
"I-I... I'm sorry, you look so much like someone I used to know," Zane inquired lightly, "You're from Sugar Rush?"
"Yeah," Rancis largely furrowed his eyebrows with a sheepish smile, "I'm Sugar Rush's Knight."
"Oh," Zane inquired lightly, he nervously looked around and was suddenly aware of the nervous cloak he had draped the place in. Ralph quickly furrowed his eyebrows and glared in Vanellope's direction. He had his back turned to the kitchen island. Vanellope subtly caught eyes with him in a side-eyed way, as the two conveyed eons of conversation within just a single strand of suspicious eye contact.
"What game are you from?" Rancis asked lightly, as if he had seemed un-phased and breezed past the misunderstanding.
"I'm from Dead Zed," Zane answered gently with a polite smile.
"Oh, the new racing game that just got plugged in a year or two back, yeah?" Rancis smiled, Zane nodded.
"Yeah, dirt bikes," Zane clarified, Rancis beamed a wide smile and looked down.
"I'll have to come check it out," Rancis chuckled, as did Tessa, Penny, Oliver and Tammy.
"You'd kick their butts, uncle Rancis," Tessa sneered lovingly in his direction; Rancis rolled his eyes.
"That's not what I meant," Rancis complained with a wide smile.
"Admit it, it crossed your mind," Vanellope lightly stabbed in his direction with a wide smile, Rancis gaped and gestured towards Tessa and Zane.
"Oh come off it!" Rancis laughed happily; Ralph just barley looked over his shoulder and gazed at Zane just past the top of Rancis's shoulder. He furrowed his eyebrows in concern and curiosity. He could feel his heart lightly pound out of anxiousness, as if the tracks to Sugar Rush's stability were slowly turning to goo.