*Chapter 120*
"Vanellope, I don't think you need anymore proof than all this," Taffyta chuckled as she joined the two and crossed her arms, "It's pretty clear that this isn't a joke."
"I wish I didn't have to leave so soon," Tessa said gently as she gazed into the dark code room; far in the distance were the usual, floating code boxes. She wrinkled her nose and wondered why the code room was so dark and uneasy to navigate, like such.
"Why do you?" Vanellope asked as the three girls stood lined against the far drop into the code room.
"I just don't want to chance staying in this time frame for too long," Tessa heaved a shaky sigh, she tried not to think about leaving Oliver and Penny for far longer than she needed to, "To tell you the truth, I'm actually kind of scared being so far from 'home'."
"I'm sure you'll be able to get back just fine," Vanellope said calmly before she furrowed her eyebrows, "Why don't we go with you?"
"That's just asking for trouble," Taffyta chuckled.
"It's not possible," Tessa said plainly as she gazed at her mother, though she wasn't totally sure of the facts coming out of her mouth, she still figured it wouldn't be smart, "If you run into yourself via time travel, it could create a whole lot of complications in different game dimensions. It's just not wise. It could crash the game's memory."
"And don't you want to live your life, Vanellope?" Taffyta urged gently.
"I guess you're right," Vanellope sighed.
She opened her mouth to speak but stopped as Tessa quickly leaned down. Tessa suddenly shoved her large hand into the space just past the platform they were perched on. Her hand firmly planted onto an invisible step stone that Vanellope didn't know existed. Tessa inhaled a deep breath and shut her eyes tight, her long dark brown hair fell over her shoulders. Vanellope widened her eyes as hot purple, glitchy goose bump like pixels shot up Tessa's back and straight into the invisible platform that Tessa's hand was on. Vanellope felt her heart jump at the sight of Tessa's familiar, purple code. All at once, the whole code room turned to a soft, glowing white. It was as if they had stepped into Heaven. Tessa slowly stood and gave her mother a small smile before she began to step out towards the floating code boxes. An invisible floor had somehow made itself present, seeming as Tessa walked effortlessly across the vast code room.
Vanellope gaped and slowly turned to look at Taffyta; she had the same facial expression written on her face. Vanellope heaved a surprised chuckle as the two girls gazed after Tessa. Vanellope inhaled a deep breath and stepped out into the welcoming code room, her feet were also supported by the invisible flooring. Vanellope looked down and held her breath; nothing but vast whiteness and small, far away code boxes floated underneath her feet, the drop was extensive. Vanellope and Taffyta slowly trailed after Tessa; she slowly moseyed around the beautifully colored code boxes that bobbed around, their electric current was almost palpable.
"You really seem to know your way around here," Taffyta chuckled, "I have no idea how you managed to turn the lights on. I didn't even know that was possible."
"And the invisible flooring," Vanellope chuckled as she nervously pat her foot around herself on the invisible floor, "How come you know so much more than Taff and I know?"
"Well," Tessa began as she averted her full attention to her mother and aunt, she suddenly had to wonder if the things Vanellope had taught Tessa, growing up, were things that Tessa actually taught her, in this time-travel predicament, "Even though I was born in this game, I technically don't get a game day. All of us self coded gamers, in the family, hang out in the castle while all the adults are hard at work during game day."
"Are you letting other people into this code room?" Vanellope said deeply, suddenly feeling a motherly urge come over herself. She gave Tessa a concerned, 'you're about to be in trouble' look, though she wasn't certain if she was even allowed to do such things yet. Tessa put up her hands.
"No, only those of us that are born in this game are allowed in here," Tessa said before lowering her hands and chuckling, "You and dad embedded that in our heads long ago."
"'Our'?" Vanellope asked curiously, "There are more of you guys?"
"Most certainly," Tessa chuckled as she nudged Taffyta's arm, "You'd both be surprised."
"What are you trying to insinuate?" Taffyta said, suddenly shocked.
"I'm not saying anymore," Tessa chuckled as she turned heel and began to look for a certain code box.
"Am I an auntie in the future?" Vanellope asked in sheer excitement as she shook Taffyta's arms. Taffyta rolled her eyes and slumped her shoulders. Tessa finally felt a warm smile grace her face as her mother's and aunt's usual banter coated her existence. She only pleaded she could have that back, again, one day.
"I'd be a terrible mother," Taffyta groaned.
"I wouldn't write yourself off completely," Tessa said sweetly, giving Taffyta a knowing look before turning around again.
"This is way too much for my brain to handle," Taffyta groaned with a sheepish smile.
"So whose the lucky guy?" Vanellope urged Tessa as the two quickly caught up to her.
"Please don't tell me," Taffyta groaned, "I surely hope it's not someone gross."
"He's not gross," Tessa chuckled, "You'll definitely find out soon."
"It's just as well, Taff," Vanellope chuckled, "We're all pairing off and coding babies. You're bound to jump on the bandwagon eventually."
"Boy does she," Tessa laughed with a wide, gap toothed smile; Vanellope felt her heart swell as she beamed a wide smile, wider than she had in a long while.
"Guh," Taffyta groaned as she slumped her shoulders and shoved her hands to her face.
"So, what exactly are you looking for?" Vanellope asked.
"I'm looking for the game's core," Tessa said gently as she looked around, "For the longest time, I thought it resided in your code box, but it's elsewhere."
Tessa quickly gestured her large hands into the air and quickly swiped them downward and away from Vanellope and Taffyta. All at once, all the code boxes in the room began to shoot in the direction Tessa had gestured her hands. Tessa beamed an excited smile and, like driving a new car, she was excited with just how much power and energy the game gave her, as if it had been secretly waiting for her existence all along. The code boxes revolved like a globe, millions of them whizzed past the three in a starry frenzy. Vanellope and Taffyta gasped as they both suddenly clung to each other. Vanellope inhaled a breath as the air in the code room picked up. She gazed at Tessa earnestly; her long, dark brown hair softly fluttered with the current of the code boxes that whirred past them. Tessa's brilliant, honey hazel eyes gazed around at each floating star that moved past the three. All the code boxes began to slow in speed; Tessa's eyes scanned each box thoroughly.
"Aha," Tessa stated as she gestured her hand forward and above her head slightly. All the boxes quickly halted and floated gently around the three again.
"Now that, was cool," Taffyta breathed as her and Vanellope gave each other a surprised, knowing look.
Tessa quickly tapped her palm against a specific code box twice. It beeped a melodic noise before expanding, opening to twice it's original box size. Tessa bit her lip and rubbed her chin before glancing at Taffyta and Vanellope. She fiddled with a few things in the box before nervously rubbing the back of her head and heaving a long sigh.
"Why did you have to give dad the code book," Tessa sighed as she looked at Taffyta in an annoyed manner.
"Yeah, why DID you give Ralph our code book?" Vanellope asked as she, too, looked at Taffyta.
"Uh," Taffyta stammered, "H-he wanted to look through it. He was just curious how different our game is from his."
"That sounds odd," Tessa chuckled as she lulled her head and put her hands on her hips, "Sounds like dad just wanted to study up for when he becomes King of Sugar Rush."
"You really think that'd be the reason?" Vanellope said gently, her cheeks red. Her code glitched a little bit; hot purple pixels finally surfacing.
"Considering the future, and considering I'm standing here talking to you guys," Tessa chuckled as she shrugged her shoulders, her hands still on her hips, "Yeah, I'd say dad secretly wants to know just what he would be getting himself into."
"Though, now, he probably doesn't let our code book out of his sights," Taffyta said gently, "That'd be the only reminder of us that he has."
"I wish someone could tell him that it will be okay," Tessa chuckled as she glanced at the open code box to her left, "But none of us have a way of getting there. His game is too old for this kind of technology."
"It's only a matter of time before he moves into our game for good," Taffyta chuckled.
"Well, even I don't know when that's going to happen. He still has his game, at least in the time frame I'm currently from," Tessa smiled.
"That's reassuring," Vanellope smiled whole heartily; she could see Taffyta stare at her for a long while before opening her mouth to speak.
"This is the most emotion I've seen from you in about a month," Taffyta said in an annoyed manner, "Was all the stuff, Candlehead and I did for you, not good enough?"
"Taff," Vanellope sighed, "I'm sorry… Of course it was good enough, you just have to understand. Losing someone you hold so close to your heart, is so difficult… Not knowing, if you'll ever see them again."
"All those code swaps will do that for yah, Vin. I can only imagine how Ralph is feeling," Taffyta said casually before hers and Vanellope's eyes bulged; they shot a nervous look at Tessa.
"Mom!" Tessa hollered with a wide grin of disbelief.
"Taffyta!" Vanellope shrieked, her face hot red.
"Vanellope!" Taffyta whined as she shoved her hand to Vanellope's shoulder.
"You're not even married to him yet!" Tessa laughed, though she almost felt the hypocritical roll of guilt wash over her, the fact that she almost handed over her own very purple coding to Zed the night prior. She swallowed a hard gulp and almost felt it alien that she stood before a past version of her mother with so much harbored information, such as bad guy boyfriends and fallen kingdoms. She wasn't certain which one Vanellope would tear her apart for first. Vanellope heaved a short sigh and glared at Taffyta.
"Now my own future daughter thinks I'm a sleaze, thank you very much Taff," Vanellope growled, her face practically turning purple.
"You're probably going to go back to future Vanellope and have this same conversation," Taffyta said to Tessa with a small laugh. Tessa lulled her head in agreement before fixing her eyes on the box in front of her. She knew, this kind of conversation, would be far more easier to have, than to be faced with the fact that she is the main reason she won't be getting a third sibling.
"Well, mom and dad are really terrible at hiding that part of their marriage," Tessa said casually as she tapped a few things on the code box.
"What?" Vanellope whined, her face still blushed hot red. Taffyta beamed and gazed at Tessa expectantly.
"Every now and then, you guys get this googly-eyed look on both your faces," Tessa wrinkled her nose and laughed. Taffyta shoved Vanellope's arm and roared with laughter.
"O-okay, I've heard enough," Vanellope said sheepishly as she gave Tessa a pleading look. Tessa continued to fiddle with the code box in front of her.
"Dad is REALLY terrible at being subtle, of course... You know him," Tessa chuckled as she rolled her eyes, "He thinks no one sees when you guys trail behind the group to talk about 'important Sugar Rush business'" Tessa used her large fingers for air quotes.
"It sounds like not much has changed!" Taffyta barked as she threw her head back and laughed, causing Tessa to beam at Vanellope.
"Can we just drop it already?" Vanellope hollered as she tried to hold back a smile.
"At least you guys are happy," Taffyta giggled through a sigh as she wiped her eye, "See? Everything works out."
"Well... I wouldn't get her hopes up, Aunt Taffyta," Tessa said gently, her demeanor suddenly dropped as she fiddled with the code box. She knew she was on the brink of spoiling stuff.
"What?" Taffyta said with a sudden frown.
"The future is always subject for change," Tessa said gently before looking at her mother lovingly, as if to somehow warn them of the impending doom, in any sort of way that she could, "But, I'm going to try my very hardest to make this work."
"I certainly hope it does," Vanellope said nervously, the huge knot suddenly winding itself in position in her stomach again. She heaved a long sigh and looked down, her eyes slowly filled with tears.
"Oh, c'mon Vin," Taffyta said in a caring way as she put her hand on her shoulder, "Don't lose hope."
"Yeah," Tessa smiled nervously at Vanellope, "If I remember correctly, we just have to hack into the main screen of Sugar Rush. The screen that the gamers see."
"What then?" Taffyta urged as Vanellope rested her head against Taffyta's shoulder. Taffyta gently wrapped her arms around Vanellope's neck and shoulders in a loving way, keeping her sister close.
"We have to write a convincing message, on the screen, explaining that this cabinet of Sugar Rush is only playable at Litwak's Family Fun Center," Tessa explained as she put her hands on her hips.
"I hope they buy that," Vanellope croaked as a tear slid down her cheek, "This roller coaster we're on is making me nauseous."
"What if they take that as a sign that our game is no good and should just be forever unplugged?" Taffyta worried as she gazed at her niece nervously.
"The future is subject to change," Vanellope repeated Tessa's words nervously.
Tessa slumped her shoulders and removed her attention from the code box in front of her. She gently stepped over to Vanellope as Taffyta removed herself from her sister. Tessa very gently took her mother's hands in hers and tilted her head down to get a good look in her eye. She smiled Ralph's smile, her honeydew eyes twinkled with the code box lights all around, their white surroundings made Tessa's soft, vanilla skin look like cream porcelain. She gently squeezed Vanellope's hands as a few tears slid down her mother's face.
"Mom," Tessa started before glancing down to the ground and back up to Vanellope, with how badly she wanted to stay with her upgraded mother, forever, she sucked back her shaking voice and carried on, "You feel my hands?"
"Yeah," Vanellope whimpered as she squeezed Tessa's hands; they weren't as large as Ralph's in proportion to her body, but they were a little bit bigger than normal.
"You see me, you hear my voice," Tessa continued lovingly, her eyes full of wisdom beyond her years.
"Please… Don't leave," Vanellope urged shakily before biting her lip. She shut her eyes tight; tears continued to spill down her face as Taffyta gently rubbed Vanellope's back. Vanellope inhaled a shaky breath and looked down to the invisible ground beneath her, "I'm so scared I'll never see you, or any of you guys, ever again."
"No one really knows what's going to happen," Tessa said gently, the very sight of her mother trembling to tears, and seeking her own daughter for comfort, made Tessa want to sob out loud, "But I do know that I'm going to try my very hardest to get you guys out of this bind you're in."
"There's only so much us gamers can do," Taffyta said gently to Vanellope.
"Dad urged me to be an encouragement to you," Tessa said as she gazed into her mother's eyes, "He would've come, himself, but only those who were coded for Sugar Rush can step through that portal." Tessa furrowed her eyebrows and wondered if she potentially dug herself a hole; the fact that Ralph was, indeed, not coded for Sugar Rush anymore, because of the mess the game was currently in. Tessa bit her bottom lip and hoped to breeze past it.
"I understand," Vanellope sighed as she shut her eyes tight and tilted her head down. She squeezed her future daughter's hands, hoping that she'd have these very hands in hers again one day.
"He also wanted to tell you something," Tessa said gently; she could see the sparkle in Vanellope's eyes.
"Really?" Vanellope asked in an excited way.
"He wanted to tell you, that even though you may know of my existence, and even though you may know of all the wonderful things yours and his future holds, he doesn't want you to tell him any of it... He said this just in case I spoiled everything, which... I practically did," Tessa explained sheepishly, "I guess he thinks that kind of thing would mess with his head. He would want to constantly align situations."
"I'm sure he'd feel like he couldn't totally live his life until all the things you knew were foretold," Taffyta added, Tessa nodded.
"But what about us?" Vanellope worried, "I hope we don't start thinking that way."
"Even though you both know way too much," Tessa started with a smile, "You have to know that the future is subject to change. Nothing I'm saying to you is set in stone. But, whatever you want in life, will be yours. As long as you are hopeful."
"I see you get your smarts from me," Taffyta beamed, trying to lighten the mood. Vanellope scoffed and smiled a little; she wrinkled her nose at her sister.
"Even though things are so uncertain," Tessa said to Vanellope, "Anything can happen. Whatever mind set you have, whatever situation you want, it will happen. And you can't over think any of it. I know it may be hard, but you just have to forget about me for the time being."
"I could never forget you," Vanellope croaked lovingly with a sniffle.
"You neither, mom," Tessa smiled warmly, "But, I'm not going to be around for a little while. Don't put all your hopes in any of the situations that have been presented to you today, because any little change you make in your life could change the way your future looks."
"I understand," Vanellope finally said in a gentle tone. She inhaled a nervous breath as Tessa squeezed her hands one last time before returning her attention to the code box.
"I think I've figured it out," Tessa said gently as she opened a box; a small keyboard screen opened with it.
"This all looks so foreign," Taffyta stated in an annoyed way, "Once we get all this settled, I am going to relearn this whole place."
"Agreed," Vanellope giggled with a sniffle, "Who taught you all of this anyhow?"
"You and dad," Tessa said with a smile, "Dad did a lot of it, though. You kind of let him take the reigns with it. I guess, during this split you guys are in, he's read your guys' code book frontwards and back at least a hundred times."
"At least?" Taffyta's eyes bulged, "That code book is at least five hundred pages long. That dude really misses you, Vin."
"Trust me," Vanellope sighed as she looked down at her hand, "I can practically feel it in my code."
"How did you even teleport here anyhow?" Taffyta asked curiously as her and Vanellope stood a few feet away from Tessa. Their eyes glued to her, almost in enchanted awe, as if blinking would make them wake from this dream.
"Well," Tessa sighed as she put her large hands on her hips, mocking Ralph's mannerisms, "Since I was born and made for this game, I'm a part of the game's memory. I'm able to time travel because my code is written for Sugar Rush... Because, Vanellope is my mom," Tessa said as she motioned towards Vanellope. Vanellope tried to hide a wide smile and blush as she looked down; Taffyta nudged her knowingly.
"Is it safe?" Taffyta prod.
"I did get shocked a handful of times on the way over here," Tessa complained as she rubbed the back of her head, she fixed her slightly messy auburn hair, "I got here, kind of like going back on a system's memory and searching for old files."
Tessa bit her lip and suddenly began typing onto the code box in a hurry. After a few minutes, she pulled her hands away and placed them on her hips. She smiled at the box before softly nudging it around so everyone could see. Vanellope and Taffyta eagerly gazed at it, their eyes glued to the colorful box.
"Once I hit enter, this screen will show up on Sugar Rush's cabinet screen," Tessa explained, "It's good I managed to show up during nightfall. Otherwise, we'd have a very angry gamer on our hands."
"This model of Sugar Rush is only playable at Litwak's Family Fun Center and Arcade. Please return this game cabinet to Litwak's Arcade. We are sorry for the inconvenience," Taffyta read the script off the screen. Before anyone could say anything, Taffyta quickly pressed the enter button and slammed her hands on her hips, "I don't know about you, Vin, but I'm ready to go home."
"Do you even see me?" Vanellope said deeply with an annoyed look; she looked absolutely haggard.
"I hope this works," Tessa said nervously as she closed the code box and shooed it away. Suddenly, every single code box in the code room began to flicker and blink a steady orange color, signaling to them that the game was temporarily put on hold. Vanellope nervously gazed up at her code boxes and heaved a long sigh.
"I certainly hope so too," Vanellope worried before they both watched Tessa look around eagerly for another code box. After a few minutes, she finally found the one she wanted and opened it. It was Vanellope's code box.
"Why are you opening Vanellope's code box?" Taffyta asked curiously as they moseyed over. They peered over Tessa's shoulder.
"Because my code box is in hers," Tessa explained casually as she opened her smaller code box, though she figured it had something to do with the fact that she didn't totally exist yet. She fiddled with a few things inside of it before a sudden, beam of glitching hot purple mess opened a large portal like screen. Vanellope and Taffyta gasped and took a few steps back.
"What is that!" Taffyta exclaimed as her and Vanellope stood close to each other.
"It's my way back home," Tessa smiled as she looked back at the two, "If the game gets unplugged while I'm here, I really WILL cease to exist. So, I really need to get going."
"Go, go," Taffyta urged as she waved her hand, "We need you to exist, for Vanellope's sake."
"I'm sorry I practically spoiled everything to you guys," Tessa said sheepishly as she looked down and fiddled her large fingers, "Please don't tell dad that any of this happened, if you guys get to see him again."
"We'll just say that we managed this," Taffyta chuckled, "He'll have to believe it."
"He will," Tessa chuckled before lulling her head, "Until I go home right now and tell 'future him' it was all me."
"You deserve the recognition," Vanellope smiled as she stepped closer to Tessa. Tessa's heart felt sore with just how wrong her mother's words were.
"Thanks, mom," Tessa smiled. The two girls stood in front of each other for a few moments of uncertainty.
Tessa suddenly beamed and shook her head before gently launching herself into Vanellope. She hugged Vanellope around her middle and squeezed her center lovingly, her face gently burying into her mother's shoulder. Vanellope giggled in surprise before wrapping her arms around Tessa's neck. She held the back of Tessa's head and heaved a shaky sigh with a wide smile. Vanellope gently buried her face into the top of Tessa's head and squeezed her tight.
"I love you, mom," Tessa said gently, above a whisper, into Vanellope's shoulder.
Tessa furrowed her expression and dug her face into Vanellope's shoulder. She squeezed her eyes shut and almost felt the words escape her mouth. Apologies, pleadings that somehow everything could go back to normal. She inhaled her mother's familiar scent, the way her warm skin slid and held taut against Tessa's. Her long, black, silky hair tickled the tops of Tessa's nose and cheeks. She could swear, for just split seconds, she could see the warmth of the kitchen's glow, Sugar Rush's sun rays flood her existence, while Sugar Rush's Queen and heir sat on the kitchen island and ate ice cream for breakfast on an early Sunday morning. The way the air collected sugar dust and held it there, as if to keep the sweet, speckled ambiance true from the night prior. Tessa hesitantly opened her eyes from her daydream and felt her heart slump into the void, a black hole in which she knew she'd have one hell of a time fighting her way out of.
Vanellope felt her breath catch as her heart was swollen with new feelings. She inhaled nervously and pet the back of Tessa's head and soft, dark brown hair gently, tears billowed in her eyes. She could feel Tessa cling onto her nervously, as if she needed motherly comfort. Vanellope exhaled a shaky breath but kept Tessa buried into her arms, she felt a sweep of a million different emotions hit her all at once as she latched onto her own flesh and blood.
"I love you too, Tess," Vanellope said softly with a small giggle, "I never thought I could feel this way for someone within not even a half an hour of knowing them."
"You've always known me," Tessa said happily, she tried to hide the tremble in her voice as she pulled away and held onto Vanellope's hands, "Through dad. I've always been there. We all have."
"There you go, spoiling things again," Taffyta chuckled as Tessa averted her attention to her aunt. She gave Taffyta a big hug and beamed into her shoulder.
"I know you'll forgive me," Tessa chuckled before she pulled away. She gazed at her aunt and mother with uncertainty, yet an unspeakable amount of love. She knew being strong, and pulling herself away, was for the better. She was aware that any more moments rested in her mother's comfortable arms would result in her breaking into a teary mess.
"Tell Ralph, thank you," Vanellope said gently, "He's always looking out for family. One of the many reasons why I love him so much."
"I'll tell him," Tessa said with a smile, "I'll see you guys on the other side... Good luck."
The three girls exchanged a few nervous, excited and loving expressions and waves before Tessa gently stepped through the whirring portal. Once she was gone, the portal quickly glitched and bulged before surging and evaporating into thin air. Vanellope and Taffyta gazed long and hard at Vanellope's closed code box; it loomed near them in an ominous way. Both the girls knew it held so many secrets and surprises… All it took was a few taps to open it and reveal what was inside.
Tessa kept forward on her march through the portal's undecipherable hallway of coding that flitted about. She knew it wasn't a long walk, though she had to wonder if one wrong turn would result in rocketing herself into another dimension. She just barely glanced over her shoulder, and though she knew Taffyta and Vanellope couldn't see her anymore, like time had frozen the two, she still let her true facial expression finally show through as their image was seemingly burned onto the other side of the portal she had just pressed into. She shook her head and looked forward, yet again; she was proud of herself, she knew holding a tight, collected composure, amidst this mess, was near impossible. She scoffed a trembling breath and finally let a few tears escape her face. She felt a strange, sickeningly and unsettling feeling that her encounter with upgraded Taffyta and Vanellope was potentially the last time she'd ever see their normal selves ever again.
"I'm so sorry, mom..."