*Chapter 87*
Tessa marched into the Great Hall with shaking, clenched fists in which boasted her angry, purple circuitry. She chuckled lightly, in a cynical kind of way, and shook her head. She glared at Oliver before she raised her hands and wiggled her fingers before her face.
"Wow, would you lookit that?" Tessa hissed in sarcastic surprise with a devilish smile to match, "Purple code!"
"When's the countdown to silver?" Oliver spat in full hate as he furrowed his eyebrows and set his hard glare into his sister's skin.
"Wouldn't you like to know," Tessa growled as she neared him, though it was at this point Oliver took a few agile sidesteps; Tessa joined in the march as they both slowly began to circle each other, wondering just who would take the next wrecking blow.
"So, if you get deleted, do I get the crown?" Oliver wondered, his voice laced in fake kindness as his eyes squinted in sick curiosity, "Or, are you going to crown your murderer, in your will..."
"Screw you," Tessa snapped as she could begin to feel tears sting her eyes.
"What do I tell mom and dad?" Oliver hissed in sarcastic sorrow, "'Zed just couldn't contain himself, I guess Tessa's life was worth the one blow!'"
"Shut up!" Tessa hollered as she threw her fists to her sides, oh how badly she wanted to destroy the tile under her feet.
"Make me!" Oliver hollered back, his booming voice was easily twice as loud as Tessa's, "None of us will ever equal your's and Zed's magical, forbidden 'achievement get'!"
"I didn't put myself in this position, now you're just making me choose!" Tessa barked, the purple circuits on her arms glowed brighter and brighter the angrier she got.
"Who would you choose, then, theoretically speaking?" Oliver dared as he gestured out to her, "Your kingdom, your family and everyone in Sugar Rush... Or handing your life over to someone who doesn't even have all of his brain circuits in order..."
With writhing fury, Tessa finally exhaled a sharp holler of a cry as she sent her fists straight into the tiles underneath. As if graced with every single last byte of wrecking force inside Sugar Rush, her arms angrily riddled with her circuit lines. In this venture, she noticed the tile's formatting wig out underneath her smash; the grout lines angrily sparked purple in a hot, sear of a jolt. She dragged her fists from the ruble, and much to her surprise, she noticed Oliver take a few nervous steps backwards. With a sudden rush of adrenaline, she felt as if she was immediately beginning to channel every single glitch-move known to Arcade; somehow, the gears in her brain whirred at the speed of light. She was surprised to see the castle's grid pattern flicker in confusion against the walls, just briefly, but with this, Oliver's purple code lightly bugged a bit too. Tessa furrowed her eyebrows, and in a sudden wrinkle of a mean smirk, she felt a sick idea hit her skin.
With no second thought, she threw out her arms and gripped every single last fiber of her concentration to Oliver's being. As if she suddenly was in control of every single circuit under Oliver's skin, she angrily thrashed her arms downward in a lightning speed swipe across the Great Hall. She gasped a hard exhale of angry surprise as Oliver was suddenly dragged across the shattered tile and straight into a large pillar, just near the corridor of the kitchen. The pillar easily crackled, where Oliver's large body had hit it, though he largely slumped to the ground and choked a hard, angry few hacks of pain and confusion. Through a look of terror, he tried to straighten his boggled eyes to get a good look as to where Tessa was now; his heart raced in panic as she quickly marched over to him. He tried his hardest to scramble to his feet, though he slumped back down to the ground in a fit of a dizzy spell.
Tessa grit her teeth and seethed harder than ever before. She shut her eyes tight, and with hot, angry tears that streamed her cheeks, she laid her powerful fists into the tiles underneath, yet again, sending shards of the beautiful, swirled tile up and outwards, into the air. The surrounding area was clouded with dust, though the angrier her circuits became, the more confused the castle's grid lines became. Oliver grunted a nervous noise of confusion as, much to his surprise, the ground easily sprawled and crackled in an angry way towards him. As if molten lava bubbling underneath Sugar Rush's core, Tessa's searing purple code bubbled through the cracks and eagerly reached for him with angry pixels and circuits full of revenge. Tessa set all of her angry attention to what was before her, though with a few sudden pangs of ear-shattering gun-shots crisply let loose into the echoing chamber, that was the Great Hall, Tessa opened her clenched fists and covered her head in a sudden rush of fear. She hunched over herself before she eagerly whirled her ballistic attention to the castle's front door.
"The hell is going on in here!" Tammy suddenly barked in a loud, dominant voice as her hand gun was pointed straight for the castle's gorgeous windows, in which she had easily destroyed three of them with the three wasted bullets. Zed, Lickity and Penny stood behind her, in the gaping castle door, in pure terror.
Tessa scrunched her shoulders to her head and stared at the three down the hall in confusion, though after a moment, she quickly drew her attention back to Oliver. She began to quickly fill the two dozen or so feet of a gap between them, her march was firm and still full of all of the hate in Arcade.
"If you know what's good for you," Tessa started through her angry, trembling voice; it was dark, and laced with eons of angered fear, "You will never speak to me ever again."
"Tessa," Oliver choked as he tried to stand, though he largely winced as he lightly wobbled to one knee, his large hand fumbled to find stability on the shattered tiles underneath.
"I don't care who you are," Tessa hissed through her cloud of an angry haze; she shook with blind rage, though she grew closer and closer to Oliver, "You'll pay for everything you just said to me."
"Tessa, please," Oliver begged nervously as he began to sink into himself; she came within half a dozen feet of him before she was suddenly, and largely held back by Zed.
He rushed up and largely grabbed her arm, to yank her away from the situation that was bound to get even more out of control. Tessa quickly stared her hateful glare into Zed's eyes, though she largely looked back to Oliver; he slumped his shoulders and was grateful she was finally stopped.
"I can't believe you'd say all the stuff you did, to me," Tessa largely hollered as tears dripped down her cheeks; the veins in her forehead largely bulged, "One more crack and I'll drag you out of Sugar Rush, myself!"
"Tessa," Zed urged quietly, as if to be offended. He nervously peered to Oliver and furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. As much as Tessa wanted to shove Zed away, she remained in his tight grip as he held her upper, left arm and kept a firm hand on the center of her tight stomach, to hold her back.
"All I want is just even a SMALL sign that you actually care about what we think!" Oliver tried to shout, though it was clear he took damage to his chest; he winced as Penny and Tammy eagerly rushed over to help him to his feet. He choked nervously and peered his glassy, hateful eyes to Tessa.
"Of course I care what you think, you've never given me signs that you were upset, Oliver!" Tessa loudly hollered, she tried her hardest to budge out of Zed's strong grip, though he jolted to keep her still, she inhaled a shaky breath and wholly seethed with rage, "None of YOU guys care that I'm even in the MIDDLE of this predicament!"
"What do you mean?" Oliver wondered in a loud tone, though it was clear he was humbled by the smack down he was just given.
"What do I mean!? YOU try being in love with someone who has the ability to kill you, out of an act of selfless love!" Tessa hollered as she tried to squirm out of Zed's strong grip again, though he continued to firmly hold her from getting to Oliver, "YOU try wondering if anything will ever eventually move forward, in fear of being permanently killed! Leaving behind not only the best family in the world, but a whole entire KINGDOM that will eventually be mine!"
Oliver furrowed his eyebrows nervously as Tammy and Penny finally got him to his feet; his arms, face and knuckles were badly battered and scraped, though he gave Tessa an earnest, saddened glare as she continued.
"Code swaps should be fun! Easy! Exciting! Something to cherish!" Tessa shouted as tears continued to spill down her cheeks. Zed exhaled a faltered, shaky breath and nervously peered down at her through eyes filled with apprehensive sorrow. He continued to hold her still as her strong glare remained solid to Oliver, just past Zed, "Not for me! One small slip up, one wrong move... Do something too exciting? Whoops! Deleted. Bust a nut too early? Bye-bye!"
"Tessa," Zed eased calmly, purely for the sake of trying to convey to her that she should try and attempt to calm down. He gently stroked his thumb on her arm, though his tight grip remained; he knew of her strength and her spontaneous outbursts, when angered.
"Not a day goes by where I don't think about how great of a loss Sugar Rush would take, if somehow, something went wrong," Tessa growled to Oliver; his nervous eyes held to hers in growing humbleness, "Not a day goes by where I don't think about how much you guys mean to me! So don't you DARE say I don't care!" Tessa nearly screamed as she suddenly jolted and tried her hardest to get out of Zed's grip, though he largely pushed back and gripped her harder.
"Hey, hey," Zed dared in a firm tone; he knew he was quite literally the only thing to keep Tessa from flying off the handle again.
"I'm sorry, Tess, I'm sorry!" Oliver complained as his eyes remained glassy, "I just wish you realized... How devastated we all would be..."
"You don't think my sorry ass would be devastated, too? I'd be permanently gone!" Tessa said loudly, though to everyone's relief, her fervor began to slightly dip, likely from exhaustion, she pushed on through a largely nasally, raised voice as she tried to hide the urge to verbally cry, "You KNOW Zed would do anything and everything to keep it so everything remained the same! If I didn't stick up for Sugar Rush, and my family, you can bet your ass he would! He wouldn't let me be divided from you guys over the mere idea of a code swap, for crying out loud, Oliver!"
Zed cocked an eyebrow and dared to give Tessa a small smile, though he looked lightly over his shoulder and caught eyes with Oliver, as if to express that she was, indeed, correct. Oliver exhaled a hard sigh through his nose and furrowed his eyebrows in growing anguish.
"Oliver, I love you!" Tessa largely begged as tears continued to soak her cheeks. She grit her teeth and shook her head, she pushed on through a few shaky sobs and squinted her eyes in pure, writhing anguish, "It kills me to think you thought different, Oliver!"
Oliver exhaled a soft sigh and peered his apologetic, though still nervous, stare to his older sister. He looked absolutely miserable, though somehow the hopeful twinkle in his eye cued Tessa into at least attempting to switch gears. As gently as Tessa could, she laid a few fingers to Zed's chest and lightly pushed on him, to convey that she wasn't going to lunge out of his grip. Zed immediately noticed the difference and took a small step aside, though she wasted no time in pushing past Zed and closing the gap between her and Oliver. As quickly as she could, she shoved into Oliver's arms and wrapped her arms around his upper chest. Oliver immediately wrapped his larger arms around her upper shoulders and squeezed her to him, as hard as he could. He shut his eyes tight and buried his face into the top of her shoulder.
"I'm so sorry, Tess..." Oliver uttered into her shoulder, "I never thought we'd ever find ourselves in a situation, like this."
Tammy nervously peered to Zed as Tessa began to lightly cry into Oliver's chest. Zed caught eyes with Tammy and gave her the same, apologetic frown, though the three were careful with how soon they approached the two. As tenderly as Penny could, she lightly began to rub Tessa's shoulder, through Oliver's grip, as Tammy gently pat Oliver's upper arm. Zed exhaled a nervous sigh and stood a few feet before Oliver, just behind Tessa.
"You're so stupid, Oliver, thinking I'd just run away, without considering any of your guys' feelings," Tessa said through a few cry-hiccups, buried deep into his strong chest.
"I know," Oliver inhaled a shaky breath as his slightly trembling left hand began to stroke the back of Tessa's head.
"That doesn't sound like Tessa, anyways," Tammy chuckled softly as she shook her head and continued to rub Oliver's arm, for comfort.
Tessa buried deeper into Oliver's chest and inhaled a shaky, reviving breath, though she raised her eyebrows in perked curiosity and wobbled a little, as Oliver unraveled his right hand from the tight hug he kept Tessa in. Everyone glued their attention to the tender situation before them as Oliver largely reached out and gripped Zed's left shoulder. Zed froze, though he lightly wobbled as Oliver firmly gripped him, in a brotherly way. Zed raised his eyebrows in hard surprise and gave Oliver his sharp stare and full attention. He suddenly felt a weird knot in the bottom of his stomach, as if suddenly Ralph's and Oliver's roles had switched, and Oliver was truly the gatekeeper to Tessa's heart. Zed swallowed nervously and awaited some sort of verbal beat down, though he softened his posture, to portray to Oliver that he was neutral.
"I don't care what has to happen," Oliver started as he kept his hard, glassy stare into Zed's eyes, "I don't care if it means chopping off one of your own limbs, or whatever the secret to opposed-code swapping is... Stick to it, like your life depends on it... Cause your life, literally does, depend on it."
"Only Tessa would be deleted, if something went wrong, though," Penny innocently inquired as she nervously glanced at Zed, though he gulped a nervous swallow and only barely let his eyes meet Penny's.
"He'd be deleted too," Oliver insinuated darkly as his glare never left Zed's, "Trust me..."
"I always keep my promises, Oliver," Zed stated honestly as he lightly held his palm to his chest, "You know I'd do anything to put Tessa's safety first."
"If you one day find, you literally have my sister's life at the tips of your fingers," Oliver continued as he squeezed Tessa closer to him, "I don't care how much discomfort it brings you. You quit, while you're ahead... Or else I will put you in the ground."
Zed raised his eyebrows in nervous surprise and remained frozen. He knew he had been spoiled to not get such a rough talking to up until now, though he didn't expect to receive it from tender-hearted Oliver. He nodded softly and gave Oliver a look as if to convey that he knew just who was in charge.
"Yes, sir," Zed complied gently and humbly, though he nervously glanced to the back of Tessa's head and felt his heart pang with nervousness, though he flinched once Oliver squeezed his shoulder once more, before releasing it.
"I love you, Tess," Oliver urged quietly into Tessa's shoulder as he gave her one, final squeeze.
The two softly pulled apart, though not without Oliver wiping a few of her tears away. Before Tessa could get words out, Oliver ever so gently nudged the back of his knuckles into the side of Tessa's hip and began to scoot her backwards, towards Zed. Tessa wobbled slightly before Zed lightly caught her by her hips and steadied her. Tessa just barely jolted and turned to slightly face him. She rested a hand on his chest and peered into his eyes with a wash of new concerns, humble notions and an exhausted, relieved demeanor. Zed scoffed a small chuckle and welcomed Tessa into a warm, tight embrace. Oliver inhaled a deep breath and eyed the two, though he couldn't help but beam the smallest of smiles.
"End scene!" Penny hissed dramatically as she cupped her fist under her chin and looked up with a flick of her golden hair; it wasn't until everyone easily started laughing did Tessa wonder if her ears were working correctly.
"For real, what a show," Tammy argued as she nudged Oliver, "User, almighty... I don't think I have EVER seen you two fight, like that, before."
"There's a first for everything, I guess," Oliver gently shrugged, though he almost angrily caught eyes with Zed in a knowing way, which caused Zed's face to turn beet red.
"Welp," Tammy hissed as she propped her hands on her hips and eagerly looked around, "Now that the Great Hall is destroyed... Whose hungry?"
"You guys really did a number on the place," Zed urged as him and Tessa only barely pulled apart; he kept her close to his warm chest, for comfort. He eagerly looked over his shoulder and noticed Lickity largely rummaging through the wreckage, down the hall.
"I don't know what you did, Tess," Oliver shook his head softly and peered into his sister's eyes, "When you rocketed me across the hall... Half of me was terrified, but... The other half of me was wondering how the hell you were doing that!"
"What happened?" Zed beamed a curious smile as everyone fixated their eyes on Tessa; she shrunk into herself and grew an exhausted degree of bashful.
"I-I don't really know what to call it," Tessa mumbled nervously.
"It was similar to what Zed did to those tree trunks, the one time he was teaching me how to properly wreck," Oliver gestured to Zed, though Zed returned his growing, curious gaze to Tessa.
"You manipulated exterior circuits?" Zed tried his hardest to calm himself, though he beamed her a kind, surprised smile; Tessa shrugged, but then nodded in an agreeable way, "Not just any exterior circuits, but... A living being?"
"Rocketed me all the way from that point," Oliver pointed to about three dozen feet behind Zed, and he dragged his finger all the way to the crackled pillar behind him, "To all the way right here."
"So, step one," Penny chimed as she listed the points on her fingers, "Don't piss off Tessa."
Everyone burst out in soft laughter, though Tessa only lightly smiled and buried her face into the side of Zed's neck, in a burrowing, upset kind of way.
"Step two," Penny continued through a giggle, "Don't piss off Tessa."
Zed chuckled in a knowing way, though he clued in to the shy, exhausted demeanor Tessa was giving off. As lovingly as he could, he scooped Tessa into his arms and squeezed her to his chest. He placed a few loving kisses on the side of her cheek before he pulled his head back and tried to get a good look at her face, though she wouldn't budge from her hideout, in the nook of Zed's neck.
"I'm sure an adrenaline rush, like that, was more than exhausting," Tammy said softly as she crossed her arms, "C'mon... Let's get the Great Hall cleaned up before Vanellope sees this mess."
"She'd kill us," Oliver grumbled.
"That was a cool stunt you pulled, with your gun," Zed chimed to Tammy as the five began to mosey on towards the code room. It was only then did Tessa finally un-glue herself from the safety of Zed's arms, though she kept close to him and was beginning to feel nauseous; she kept to herself.
"I almost shot Tessa, to get my point across," Tammy blurted, which caused everyone, but Tessa, to erupt in surprised laughter.
"It's a good thing she's in her own game," Oliver raised his eyebrows in nervousness as he rubbed the back of his head.
"I think we should all watch our backs, around Tammy," Penny giggled, "She has the most powerful weapon out of all of us."
"Between wrecking, swords, and being unbeatable at racing?" Tammy lulled her head back in playful contemplation, "Yeah, I'll say."
"Wouldn't Calhoun be proud," Penny sneered as everyone, including Lickity, slowly filed towards the code room.