Song Listened To : Blu's Arrival, Rio soundtrack
*Chapter 76*
Tessa's eyes easily scanned the horizon, a solid separation between sky and ocean; the brilliant blue hues of EZ Living's sky eased into the crystal waters she was sat practically hovered on. She tucked her drenched hair over her shoulder and let her fingers begin to work in weaving it into a tight braid. She sat comfortably on a surf board Zed graciously let her borrow for the day; it was his favorite, with signature blue racing stripes down the center. She sat comfortably and let the lulling waves come an go, they passed underneath her, as if each time was merely a small hello and goodbye. Her legs dangled in the crisp, cool water. The white sand, far below her, could still be seen, through the crystal clear waters, as well as a school of colorful fish, here
and there.
She breathed a soft sigh of content and let her gaze throw to the gorgeous, puffy clouds above her. The noon sun hung high in the sky and kissed every single pore on Tessa's body. Her very core soaked up every single ounce of the game, as if she couldn't possibly get enough of the happiness EZ Living practically drowned everyone in. She threw her attention back to the beach and caught sight of Lickity, Oliver, and Penny, who were lounging the day away on their beach blanket, while Tessa and Zed practiced surfing. She finally tucked the last of her hair into the end of her braid and solidified it with a hair tie. She flicked her long braid over her shoulder, once and for all, and finally noticed Zed, from far down the stretch of water, brace himself for a perfect wave that finally came his way; Tessa easily fixed her eyes and was prepared for a master class.
Tessa let a wide smile easily crawl her face as EZ Living's glorious, splay of water finally curled into a decent size wave, in which Zed braved. He finally got to his feet and, with all the ease in the world, he rode the wave, as if he could do it in his sleep. Tessa raised her eyebrows and took mental notes, though she knew she would never be as good of a surfer as him, no matter how hard she tried. She heaved a confused giggle as she noticed the wave quickly begin to roll diagonal, towards her direction, though her eyes bulged as she noticed Zed's board begin to make a bee-line for her. She jolted, and as quickly as she could, she began to paddle herself away from the escalating situation. Just before the two were about to clip boards, Tessa covered her head with her arms and hands and laughed an excited, almost scared laugh; Zed whizzed past her, effortlessly, though the wave largely shoved Tessa a few dozen feet away from where she once was planted. After a good handful of minutes of paddling, and Zed resituating himself after riding the last of the wave, the two finally came within earshot of each other.
"You trying to kill me?" Zed called with a playful laugh.
"Yes, that's why I'm here," Tessa retorted sarcastically as the two finally lulled into each other's presence, their boards finally stopped side by side, though Zed reached out and grabbed the edge of her board, to pull her even closer to her.
"I almost ate it," Zed exhaled a chuckle as he ran his hand over his wet, now darker blue hair, "I didn't even see you comin'."
"Oh my User, the world is ending," Tessa quipped, yet again; Zed wrinkled his nose and shot her an annoyed smile.
"You get where I'm coming from, though?" Zed wondered, he lightened his tone and rested his hands on his upper thighs as he finally relaxed.
"Sort of," Tessa side eyed her boyfriend in a curious way, "I see what you mean by sort of... Melting into the wave, and standing at the right moment, though... Somehow, I get the timing wrong. I haven't caught a single wave."
"It's okay," Zed assured gently, the two lightly lulled over the roll of a wave, though it began to form the closer it got to the beach, "Y'shoulda seen me, my first few times. I'm sure people thought I wasn't sober."
"I would've loved to see that," Tessa choked a laugh, "Though, couldn't be any worse than me."
"It all depends on the wave, too," Zed grumbled as he peered out to the vast ocean, "These waves are sort of bumming, today."
"Figures," Tessa sighed, though her eyes curiously glanced about Zed's bare chest, a fit of delightful nervousness she allowed herself to get away with, while his attention was elsewhere, "I bombed it, that last time. Pretty sure my board was about to chop me in half."
"That was hilarious," Zed suddenly choked a laugh as the funny thought hit him; he beamed a wide smile and held his stomach softly, "User... Though, in your defense, that wave came out of nowhere."
"That, or you just decided to not mention it to me," Tessa beamed a cocky smile in Zed's direction and put her hands on her hips.
"That could be the reason, too," Zed fingered his lip, though he stifled a hard laugh as Tessa suddenly kicked water up at him.
"Get a life," Tessa argued, though she couldn't help but grin alongside Zed's contagious fervor as well. He finally heaved a reviving sigh, though not without a soft chuckle and a tender-loving smile in Tessa's direction.
"Wanna keep trying?" He inquired, though Tessa curiously peered at him.
"What, so you can watch me humiliate myself?" Tessa barked; Zed scrunched his shoulders and revealed his true, mischievous smile as he continued to stifle more laughter, "Yeah right! I'd rather go lay out. This sucks."
"Oh come on," Zed argued, though he grabbed the edges of her board as she desperately tried to paddle away. She squealed an annoyed noise, though in the action of trying to get Zed's grip off of her board, he quickly transferred boards and plopped down on hers, in front of her. She exhaled a hard sigh and slumped her shoulders, the two lightly wobbled to keep their board afloat, "You were doing just fine. You're a beginner! You gotta start somewhere."
"What, give me a whole entire DRAGON and I ace that exam... Give me a simple surf board and some water, and I act as if existing isn't even written in my code," Tessa laughed as she flung her arm towards shore and motioned towards Lickity, who was sunbathing alongside Penny, on the fluffy white sands.
"Flying is different, your surfboard isn't sentient!" Zed shook his head and chuckled, though he dared to scoot closer to Tessa.
"Yeah, YOU won't be sentient, in a second, here," Tessa muttered under her breath, though she shot him a cheeky, playful, annoyed smile. Zed smiled a small, teasing smile and poked a finger at her side, which caused her to bark a soft, startled giggle. She swat at his hands and shook her head, "I do believe I know how to give you a game-over."
"Something I'd only endure, for you, m'love," Zed tilted his head downward and glared at her through a daring, though annoyed smirk; she raised her eyebrows in kind surprise and couldn't help but give him a curious smile, "If you do recall, that one time..."
"Yes, I know, I know," Tessa rolled her eyes and looked away, her gaze fell upon the glorious sprawl of water they were sat hovered in; she felt her face heat up as Zed's warm and tender hands gripped hers in a roll of happy, overflowing love.
"Tessa Von Schweetz, the only gamer, ever, to give the blue-haired jerk, Dead Zed, the ultimate, wrecking game-over," Zed called quietly as he shook her hand and arm around lightly; it was limp in a fit of annoyed defeat. He chuckled and squeezed her fingers, "Oh lighten up, I thought it was hilarious."
"Yeah, beating up your significant other is really a lot of fun," Tessa tried to remain solid, though she let a stifle of a chuckle escape her figure.
"It was for good reasons," Zed kindly snapped as he shook his head, "Besides, we're outside of Dead Zed. Not like you'd pummel me to the ground, here."
"Make one more crack about my attempts at surfing and I might reconsider," Tessa sneered, though she knew the playful twinkle, held in her eye, was easily conveyed. Zed beamed an annoyed smile and looked down to the foot or two space of surf board between the two.
"Alright well... Whatdoyahsay we head back to shore then?" Zed wondered, though he gave her a teasing smile as he tried his hardest to stuff his laughter, "Y-you wanna... Boogie-board yourself back?"
"That's it," Tessa quipped as she suddenly flung her hand out and reached for Zed's other board, which hovered near them. Within a fit of clumsy swipes and grabs, Zed finally got his other board away from Tessa's grasp, so she couldn't leave his presence. His other board float a few feet away, though in the midsts of suddenly not having another board to grapple for, she gently shoved on Zed's shoulder and spat a few playful, annoyed obscenities in his direction; he crippled with laughter and tried his hardest to catch each of her loving, though annoyed shoves and swipes.
"Alright, alright!" Zed wheezed with laughter as Tessa finally gave him one last shove. He wiped his eyes free of tears and shook his head, "I-I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself."
"Yeah-yeah-yeah, why don't you say that in all aspects of this crazy relationship," Tessa dared, though she felt her face get hot at the fact that she let those words leave her brain. She raised her eyebrows in annoyed surprise, at herself, though she cleared her throat and nervously caught eyes with Zed, who seemed to be surprised by her notion as well. She choked an inhale and beamed a curiously shy smile, though she peered off in the distance and noticed something she could easily use as a distraction, "O-Oh uh... Hey! There's Keppel Crest."
"Keppel Crest?" Zed wondered as he looked over his shoulder, Tessa pointed behind him. He peered at the peak, far off in the distance, though he gave his curious attention back to Tessa, "Isn't that place like... Ridiculously expensive?"
"Yeah," Tessa beamed and crossed her arms, "Wanna know what else is ridiculous about it?"
"What?" Zed wondered as he furrowed his eyebrows.
"That's where I was conceived!" Tessa blurted with a soft laugh, though Zed's eyes bulged as he suddenly felt sat in confusion.
"What the... How do you know THAT?" Zed exhaled a hard laugh, though Tessa waved her hand lightly.
"My mom told me, how else?" Tessa shook her head and giggled, "Well, I actually pried it from her... Mom and dad were on their honeymoon. I'm an EZ Living baby!"
"No kidding," Zed hissed in an incredulous way as he peered back towards the looming, glorious peak in the distance, "Y-You were conceived on your parent's honeymoon?"
"Yeah," Tessa scoffed as she cocked an eyebrow.
"They wasted NO time," Zed tilted his head down and kept his curiously shocked eyes held to Tessa's.
"You're telling me... At least they didn't have a shotgun wedding," Tessa muttered, though her eyes lightly lulled from the peak to the beach, to where Penny, Oliver and Lickity were stationed.
She furrowed her eyebrows in growing surprise and noticed another person hanging around Penny, Oliver and Lickity. She could see Penny standing, in tense wonder, before Lickity, though the nervousness could be felt all the way from where they were sat, in the water. Tessa kept her hard glare on the situation, and could finally feel Zed cue in to the apprehension she gave off.
"I wonder what's going on?" Zed chimed curiously, though his tone easily slipped to that of concern.
"I don't know... C'mon, let's head back," Tessa urged as she quickly moved from her board to Zed's other board; the two quickly began to paddle back to shore.
"Olly," Penny groaned in annoyance as she waved her hand idly.
She eagerly peered out from underneath the nook of her arm, which was rested over her eyes. She lightly shifted, she was comfortably rested against Lickity's chest and neck. Her large, heavy paws were lazily draped around each side of Penny, a loose hug. Lickity's head and jaw was firmly rested to the sand below, everyone easily lazed about in a still comfort of warmth, soothing waves and a light, summer breeze. Lickity inhaled a slow breath through her snout and lifted one of her floppy ears, though she kept her large eyes closed. Penny waved her hand in hard annoyance and slumped back into Lickity's body, which fortunately didn't disturb Tessa's resting dragon.
"Olly," Penny whined, though she finally took her sunglasses off of her head and lobbed them right for Oliver; he inhaled a sudden snort and lifted his head in surprised annoyance. Penny breathed a hard sigh and giggled, "Oliver, don't fall asleep. You were snoring."
"I wasn't asleep," Oliver complained, though he immediately rolled from laying on his back to his stomach. With a hard grunt, he go comfortable and put his forehead to his upper arms. Penny cuddled into Lickity's warm body and rolled her eyes.
"If you fall asleep and burn to a crisp, I'm not going to be the one to say 'I told you so'," Penny grumbled, which caused Lickity to inhale a huff of a groan as well, as if to agree with her.
"Hey, there," Chimed a kind voice, though in the time it took Penny to adjust her eyes and sit up, Lickity suddenly tensed in dreaded surprise and lifted her head.
"Hey," Penny eased to the kind stranger, he was about their age, though he was a bit bigger; he wore baggy surf shorts and his pale skin was already riddled with a peachy sunburn. He held a pile of messy fliers in his thick fingers.
"Don't mean to bother you guys, but, EZ Living is having it's annual volleyball tournament, a-and my boss is wanting me to pass out fliers," He lightly shrugged, his shy demeanor was borderline endearing. Penny gently stood and took a few steps closer to the new stranger, though everyone quickly diverted their attention to Lickity, as she let a deep, angry growl hum in the back of her throat. She kept her fangs hidden, though her eyes glued in a death stare to the new individual in their bubble.
"That's okay, I'll take one," Penny said happily as he handed her a colorful flier, though she nervously glanced back at Lickity, "My mom and my aunt usually compete, so I'll be sure to give this to them, later."
"I-Is... Is your dragon okay?" the stranger wondered as Oliver quickly stood as well, Penny curiously peered into Lickity's eyes and could sense something in Lickity had definitely shifted.
"Sh-she usually isn't mean toward strangers," Penny said nervously as she gave the stranger an apologetic smile, "She won't hurt you... I think she's just... Cranky."
"She's really pretty," He said kindly as he softly gestured his hand, as if to hopefully intrigue Lickity into lightening up, though the three nervously flinched as Lickity finally let the tips of her fangs show through a little. Her nose wrinkled with a mean snarl that grew a tiny bit louder.
"Best not to goad her," Penny worried, "Sh-she just wants to relax, right now. Thanks for the flier!"
"Sure thing," He said in kind nervousness, though everyone flinched as Tessa and Zed quickly strolled up.
"Everything okay?" Tessa worried, though she felt her heart drop as Lickity's snarling finally came into hearing. She raised her eyebrows in hard surprise and almost felt a chill go down her spine, "Lickity, what's the deal?"
"I don't know, that guy came up, to give us a flier for the volleyball tournament, and Lickity got all angry," Penny gestured to the stranger that was now busying himself with another group sprawled on the beach, "He wasn't even threatening or anything. Lickity is always kind to strangers."
"I think Lickity has had her limits tested, today," Zed muttered nervously as he rubbed the back of his head. Him and Tessa lugged their surf boards into the sand, though Tessa quickly made her way over to Lickity, who remained laid on the sand, though her snarl continued on.
"Lickity," Tessa urged in a motherly tone, though the fact that Lickity didn't quit snarling, for no reason, made Tessa feel pushed from concerned to annoyed. She stood in front of Lickity and quickly grabbed her large chin, she firmly jolted Lickity's head and forced her to look upwards, "Hey! Knock it off."
As if snapped out of a trance, Lickity's large, bat ears perked atop of her head and she gave Tessa her curious, undivided attention. She let her aggressive snarling finally stop, though she peered up at Tessa, as if to beg for understanding. Tessa shook her head down at her and kept her strong grip on Lickity's chin. She raised her eyebrows in hard knowing and gave Lickity a dominant stare-down, as if to ask just what she thought she was doing. Just as she was about to open her mouth to continue lovingly scolding Lickity, she softened her wings and exhaled the slightest, most nervous whimper. Her snout wrinkled a few times, as if to hopefully sniff out some tender loving care.
"Lickity, girl," Tessa scoffed with a wide, annoyed smile as she softened her grip on Lickity's chin, "What's gotten into you..."
"I've never seen her get so upset over something like that," Penny worried as her, Zed and Oliver lightly approached Tessa and Lickity, "She loves strangers... Especially here, at EZ Living."
"Because they usually have food," Oliver chuckled as he rubbed his large hand through his hair, "I wonder why she's getting so uppity? Is she just tired, or something?"
"No... We uh... Sort of had a hard morning," Tessa lovingly ran her strong hand across the side of Lickity's face, she firmly pet her over her closed eyes and ran her fingers along her scaly cheek.
"She was doing that to protect you," Zed assured softly to Penny and Oliver as he crossed his arms and peered down at Tessa and Lickity, "She saw a stranger approaching and... I guess, the events from this morning probably has her on pins and needles."
"What happened?" Oliver nervously wondered, Tessa glanced him a look of sorrow.
"I bumped into her old owner," Tessa worried, she kept her attentive gaze down at Lickity as she continued to lovingly pet and stroke her face and the top of her head.
"The abusive one?" Oliver worried as he gestured his arm and shot Zed a look of surprise, "Well... Well no wonder! She's probably going through a whole load of traumatizing memories."
"Maybe we should get her home," Penny lightly looked about, "I know Lickity is smart, and all, but... Animals DO still roll on instincts, and User-forbid someone here sets her off..."
"Yeah," Tessa heaved a hard sigh and continued to love on her dragon, though she peered at her with concerned curiosity, "What did that guy want, anyways?"
"Oh, he was bringing fliers for EZ Living's annual volleyball tournament," Penny chimed as she lightly waved the colorful paper around.
"Oh yeah," Tessa let a smile surface her expressions again, she lightly stood, though she knew to remain close to Lickity, "I'm sure mom and Aunt Taffyta are going to compete in that, again."
"Your mom competes in the volleyball tournament?" Zed asked with a widening, curious smile; Tessa nodded and put her hands on her hips.
"Mom and Aunt Taffyta won the last two years in a row," Tessa boasted with a sly smile, "They also compete in the motocross tournament, but... they didn't do it this year, for some reason."
"I think, having kids sort of halts production on participating in crazy tournaments, all the time," Oliver grumbled softly, though he gave Tessa an understanding smile nonetheless.
"Well, hopefully they compete in the volleyball tournament this year," Penny nodded softly, "I'd love to go watch."
"We went last year, though... We were too little to remember anything," Tessa fingered her lip curiously and peered down to Lickity, as if to minutely assess the status of her best friend.
"It's next week," Zed smiled as Penny gently handed him the flier. He curiously peered down at it, though he let his eyes widened, "Wow, that is a nice looking trophy. Your mom has two of 'em?"
"Yep," Tessa glanced up at Zed with a kind smile, though she re-glued her attention back to Lickity, "Mom and Aunt Taffyta fight over where each one is displayed, all the time."
"Remember when my dad broke their trophy from last year?" Penny stifled a giggle, though Zed shot her a curious smile.
"Dark days, let's not talk about it," Tessa muttered sarcastically as her three friends burst into soft laughter. She stood and nervously peered down at Lickity, "I hate to break up the fun, but... I think this one needs to be getting home. She doesn't look so good..."
"Maybe a reset?" Oliver wondered as him, Zed and Penny cued to Tessa's lead and began to clean up their things, for the walk back to Sugar Rush.
"I don't think a code-reset will help with mental issues," Tessa worried softly, though she didn't seem too concerned, "Maybe she just needs a good night's sleep."
"So, did Lickity just see her old owner in a quick fly-by?" Oliver wondered as Tessa finally, albeit nervously, took a few steps away from Lickity and began helping everyone clean up.
"No... W-We were brought down. It wasn't that big of a deal," Tessa fibbed; she knew she didn't have the mental energy to explain everything, that had happened, to Penny and Oliver.
She glanced at Zed and felt even more secure in her decisions as he shot her a look that led to suggest keeping their secret just that, for the time being. Tessa gave Zed a soft nod, as if to convey she understood where he was coming from, though she could suddenly feel Penny's hot stare in her peripheral. She knew Penny would likely worm anything and everything out of her, eventually.
"I'm sure it scared her," Oliver worried as they finally tidied up the last of their belongings.
"Believe me," Tessa scoffed gently as Lickity finally got to her feet and inhaled a deep, powerful breath. Tessa caught eyes with Penny, though she tore her gaze away and peered down at Lickity, in a knowing way, "Scared me, too."