Song Listened To : Innocent - Taylor Swift

*Chapter 123*

Zed's stern, though thoroughly terrified gaze glued to every single last fiber of Penny's trembling existence. He softly shook his head, through bulged eyes, and tried his very hardest to keep from falling to his knees; to beg forgiveness or to thank Penny, with every single last pixel of his being, he wasn't sure which would surface first. His trembling hands idly groped the wall his back was flush against, though he flinched once Penny let out a soft noise of inquisition, as if she wanted to somehow say something, anything, though she was uncertain just what would come out first. Before any sort of intelligent conversation could begin, she suddenly and clumsily dropped the bloodied sword, as if it had immediately became scalding hot to the touch. She thrust it to the ground and, as her eyes grew crazed and mortified, she aimlessly gazed at Zed's heaving chest and uttered a soft call of a yell, as if to be completely beside herself.

"A-Are you okay?!" Penny suddenly hollered to Zed, though it was clear to him that she was likely asking herself that question. Zed bulged his eyes, furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head just barely.

"Are YOU?" Zed loudly wondered in a raspy, wheezy voice as the two continued to messily pant and gasp for the warm, still air they were drowning in.

"Oh my User," Penny brought her trembling hands to her temples and looked down to the bloody sword on the ground, between her and Zed. She took a wary step back and, though she seemed to be confused as to just what emotion to let show through first, large tears welled in her eyes, "Oh my USER!"

"Penny, you... You...!" Zed stammered on words and largely held his forehead in his shaking hand. He gawked at the situation that just took place, in front of them, though he fixated his scared eyes to Penny, "I-I... I can't believe you just did that!"

"I had to, I had to!" Penny shrieked as she largely gestured her arms and gave Zed her crazed, terrified, teary eyes. She shook her head, swallowed loudly and darted her eyes about Zed's figure, as if to size him up and physically tell him just how little and how much he deserved her loyalty, in this moment, "I-I'm surprised YOU haven't killed his sorry ass, by now!"

"That took guts, Penny," Zed dared as he largely shook his head and finally tried to relax his shoulders, "I could never have brought myself to do something like that."

"And YOU had access to his delete button!" Penny hollered, her hands and arms continued to shake; she looked as if she was on the verge of a panic attack. She shook her head and began to largely pant and gasp for air, "I'm always cleaning up after you boys, you couldn't have deleted him long ago? You had to make it so now his blood was on my hands!"

"Penny, you didn't have to d-"

"Yes I did!" Penny barked in Zed's direction, a loud snap that brought Zed's flinching attention back to her point blank, "I-It was either him, or you! I'd MUCH rather live with the fact that I killed someone, than... than... Than sitting back and watching some asshole kill one of my best friends!"

"Penny," Zed scoffed as he finally felt a smile sprawl his face. He fixed his exhausted gaze on Penny and felt his heart swell, for the first time all day. He shoved his trembling hand to his forehead and remained still.

"I had to! I had to," Penny demanded again as her eyes idly scanned her father's gorgeously crafted sword, one of which didn't have an innocent past, to begin with. Penny let tears stream her cheeks, with ease, as her eyes slid up to meet Zed's in dire desperation. She heaved a few soft cries and peered into his soul, as if he was the last being on Earth, "I would've never forgiven myself if something happened to you, just then."

"Penny," Zed finally attempted to catch his breath, though the two urgently peered to each other, "You saved my life..."

"It's because I love you!" Penny loudly urged, her face scrunched with impending anguish as more tears rolled down her cheeks. She shook her head, though she carried on through her trembling voice, "I love you, Zed... You're my family, too..."

Zed raised his eyebrows in delightful, and nearly sorrowful surprise, though just as he was about to rush to Penny's aid, and sweep her into a comforting hug, she largely accomplished said task for him and pushed into his bubble. She covered her face, with her hands, and, as if she didn't even need to ask, Zed largely wrapped his arms tight around her upper back. He squeezed Penny into his chest and tucked his hand to the back of her head, so she had a shoulder to cry on. Penny quietly wailed into his neck and largely shook, as if the massive shock, of just what had taken place, finally plagued her sensitive inner coding. Zed firmly kept her tucked into his embrace and buried his face into the top of her shoulder. He softly opened his eyes and peered across the room, though he flinched once he noticed Oliver suddenly hack a few coughs and clumsily get to his feet.

"Are you SERIOUS," Oliver bellowed in hard annoyance as he peered down to his hands, "What, I'm helpless when Selka's trying to kill you, but the second I'm needed for a group hug, I'm suddenly reset to normal?!"

"Oliver, you're okay," Zed urged in relief as he only lightly moved his presence up and away from Penny, though she remained close to Zed, for further comfort.

"Yeah, NOW I am," Oliver said in a disgruntled tone as he wiggled his fingers, though he peered back at the Hull, "Whatever Tessa did... It worked."

Zed opened his mouth to continue prodding if both Penny and Oliver were okay, though Penny largely hugged her arms around Zed's center and squeezed him tighter as she continued to quietly cry into his shoulder. Zed chuckled and held Penny a little tighter. Oliver quickly pushed closer to the two and rubbed Penny's back. He shook his head and, as much as the three wanted to yank apart from each other and loudly conclude just what had taken place, they remained in their tight bubble of comfort. The two shushed kind notions towards Penny, though Oliver shook his head and looked down to the bloodied sword on the ground.

"I-I can't believe she actually followed through with that," Oliver chuckled as he tidied some of the hair on the back of Penny's head, "If I had my strength, you better believe I would have ended him the second he walked in the door."

"How long was he here?" Zed winced, it was clear he was still in pain from being kicked.

"Too long," Oliver grumbled, "But, Penny was just trying to tend to me... He was calm, until you showed up."

"I-I can't believe that happened," Penny uttered as she buried closer to Zed, even though his knees began to lightly tremble.

Everyone jolted once the entrance, to the Hull, largely buzzed an electric noise and let Tessa escape it. She emerged from the wall, her skin sprawled with her purple circuits for a second before they snaked away and vanished. She whipped her attention to her right and gasped a small noise of inquisition. She largely furrowed her eyebrows and counted all three of the precious beings she was hoping were still alive, though she began to feel her heart race faster and faster.

"What happened, are you guys okay?" Tessa loudly barked as she pushed closer to them, "Who died?!"

"Tessa, I didn't mean to, I-I had to!" Penny suddenly urged as she ripped herself out of Zed's arms and began to cling to Tessa's bubble for further comfort and reassurance.

"You had to what! What happened!" Tessa hollered angrily as her eyes darted between Oliver and Zed, though she finally peered her confused, dominant stare to Penny's.

"Well, why don't you ask THIS one!" Penny loudly argued as she flung her arm back, clumsily grappled for the collar of Zed's shirt. She was successful in yanking him closer to her and Tessa. Zed choked a small noise and, although he had been manhandled all day long, he let a sheepish smile grace his face as him and Tessa caught eyes. Penny's hand trembled, though her crazed eyes stayed planted to Tessa's, "Now my hands are dirty because I care too deeply for THIS twat-waffle!"

Zed choked as Penny largely, though clumsily, shoved her whole palm to the side of Zed's face and pushed him away, once and for all. Oliver largely laughed as Zed wobbled backwards a handful of steps and bumped into Oliver's chest. Zed groaned a loud, annoyed noise and began to weakly step across the bedroom, in search for a place to sit.

"What do you mean?" Tessa urged as she glanced at Zed's figure, he continued to walk away, though Tessa wrinkled her nose in confusion and noticed he was slightly limping.

"Selka was here," Oliver concluded as he crossed his arms and looked down to the ground, just near Tessa's feet. Tessa looked down and quickly noticed her uncle's bloodied, candy cane, double striped sword. Tessa slowly slid her eyes to Penny's, though she could tell a dark aura had slipped over her cousin; one of delightful accomplishment, as if she knew she didn't deserve to be so pleased with herself.

"WAS," Zed said through a raspy choke from across the room.

"Penny," Tessa quietly urged, though Oliver largely covered his face and laughed.

"I'm just glad it wasn't me," Oliver mumbled through his chuckling as he slowly began to approach Zed.

"You... You killed Selka?" Tessa felt weird letting said words slip from her mouth, her eyes bulged in growing fear.

"I had to," Penny darkly urged as she looked down, though her eyes caught with Tessa's, as if to express enough annoyed notions, for her cousin, "It was either Selka, or Zed."

Tessa furrowed her eyebrows and slowly peered across the room, to Zed and Oliver. Zed was sat in a low chair, though he was hunched over himself. He suddenly let a few hard coughs escape his figure, his arms and hands held his lower stomach, as if he was drowning in a fit of extreme pain. Oliver knelt next to Zed and kept his brotherly hand on Zed's upper back, as if to show empathy; a pain only guys could begin to understand. Tessa softly glanced back to Penny, in growing, scared confusion, though she shook her head as Penny finally gripped Tessa's upper arms. Penny's eyes looked beyond exhausted, as well as her tear-soaked cheeks.

"He knows how to fix this mess," Penny begged to Tessa, quietly, "We need him. I don't know what Selka thought he was doing, trying to kill Zed, but..."

"Thank you," Tessa urged softly to Penny, though the surprised look in Penny's eye led to suggest she previously thought she'd be in trouble, with the Queen. Tessa chuckled and shook her head, "If Selka would have killed Zed, you can bet you'd have to fight ME for who gets their hands bloody, first."

Penny giggled and looked down, though she nodded and widened her eyes in soft knowing, "I figured as much."

"He really hit you, good," Oliver grumbled as Zed groaned a soft noise of anguish and held his head in his hands. He shook his head and let his trembling fingers grip his short, blue hair, though Tessa and Penny slowly let their presences budge into theirs, from across the room.

"I'm just glad all of you guys are alive," Tessa's quiet voice coated everyone's existence with the small inch of comfort they needed, right now. Everyone, but Zed, held their curious eyes to Tessa, as if to ask just what to do now. Tessa shook her head and smiled into her brother's eyes, "One task was successfully accomplished... We just have one job, left."

"Reversing this downgrading curse?" Penny wondered softly, Tessa nodded.

"I-I have... I have no idea how to go about it," Tessa said in a sorrowful tone, though she glanced at Zed's figure, "... I know someone that does, though."

"Well, now that I'm sterile," Zed choked sarcastically as he finally tried to stand.

"Yeah, it looked like that kick to the nuts could've ended you right then and there," Penny said to Zed, in a dull tone, as she crossed her arms.

Oliver stood, as well, and spot Zed, just in case he wobbled backwards, though Zed's strong figure caught his footing and, once and for all, he peered into Tessa's eyes with a dominant vibe. He knew he was in charge, here, and the fate of the game was held in his knowledge. Tessa slowly slumped her shoulders as everyone fell silent. Penny and Oliver eagerly watched the raw situation before them unfold, as if they were merely watching a play that started out on the wrong cue. As if to watch if they would crumple to the ground, yet again, and have to repeat history. Tessa furrowed her eyebrows and dared to set a confused, sad glare budge into Zed's soul; the thought of all of Zed's memories, she was fortunate enough to have a front row seat to, hung crisp on the forefront of her mind.

"Tessa," Zed started, though she was surprised to see him reach his hand out to hers and, with the same force of love, as he had always used, he gripped her skin and desperately peered into her soul, "I know how to fix this. I need you to listen to me."

Tessa held Zed's eye contact for a few seconds before she finally glanced down to the ground in growing contemplation. She knew their relationship was now confetti, all over the ground, as if a small firework that had exploded all over the land, and finding the pieces, to put it back together again, was totally impossible. She was aware things would be very different, from here on out, though she knew she had to put the game first. Tessa finally gave him her eye contact and, for the good of her homeland, she knew she had to drop her defenses and listen to just what Zed had to say. She nodded softly and let her walls come down for him, just one last time. She gripped his hand in return and so desperately prayed they still had a spark, somewhere.

"I'm listening," Tessa soft voice was humbled and agreeable, though they both flinched as Penny and Oliver finally grumbled hard sighs of relief and took a few steps about the area, as if to be disgruntled it took them so long.

"My User, I was about to start shaking you!" Penny urged with a small laugh.

"You're telling me," Oliver grumbled, though Tessa felt her heart jump as a small smile sprawled from Zed's handsome face, though his neck and jawline was riddled with nasty bruises. She winced and almost didn't want to know just what took place while she was locked away, in the Hull.

"Everything I'm about to tell you, won't make any sense and will sound like I'm just making it up, but..." Zed shook his head and peered harder into Tessa's soul, "I need to you to believe me."

"I'm listening," Tessa pleaded softly, as if being reminded that nothing, from this standpoint, was off the table, was too much for her emotions to handle. She shook her head and felt tears gather in her eyes.

"Tron still exists," Zed's voice carefully carried on, "We need to get there, in order to fix Sugar Rush."

"Tron still exists?" Penny quietly wondered as her and Oliver caught eyes in delightful wonder, "H-How?"

"What will going to Tron, accomplish?" Tessa wondered, though her voice led to suggest she fully believed him; the twinkle of wonder finally came back to her existence.

"We can't fix Sugar Rush from the inside," Zed urged as he glanced at Oliver and Penny, as if to seem nervously excited, "We... We have to leave."

"Leave, as in," Tessa's heart began to race with uncertainty, "Leave... The game?"

"Leave the ARCADE?" Oliver wondered in a scared tone.

"The ultimate game jump," Zed urged quietly as his eyes held solid to Tessa's, though his handsome smile finally peeked from the corners of his mouth, "Come with me."

"Go with you!" Tessa barked through an incredulous laugh as she ripped her hands away from Zed's, took a few clumsy, brooding steps away from the three, and held her head in her hands, "Y-You're talking about... Actually leaving!"

"A few years ago, someone had found the dregs of technology, made by Kevin Flynn," Zed stated quietly, "We were the last, un-explored land the Users had to discover... They found a way, into our world."

"If they can come in," Penny trailed off as everyone's growing excitement became palpable.

"We can get out," Zed dared as he attempted to take a step closer to Tessa; she looked delightfully scared, "Litwak's arcade has said technology."

"How do you know?" Oliver worried.

"Because I've been there," Zed stated softly, which had Tessa's look of surprise growing. He continued on, "I-I've... I've never left the game cabinet before, but... Now it looks like I have no choice."

Tessa remained shell-shocked in Zed's presence, which continued to grow closer to her. He finally chuckled and, as easily as his sore arms could allow, he let his fingertips slid to the dip of Tessa's waist. She breathed a small noise, as if to express being totally conflicted, though her hands softly slid to Zed's upper arms; letting in as much of his genuine love was enough for her to survive off of, for now. Zed peered down into her eyes, almost in a pleading way, though his demeanor was soft and patient.

"Come with me," Zed's voice was quiet. He nervously, though excitedly peered into her eyes and smiled, "I know how to fix this mess from the outside."

"Will we be able to come back?" Tessa quietly wondered, as if beginning to agree to this crazy idea was a crime.

"Yes," Zed assured, "But, we only have one shot... I don't know how many times my light-disc will let us go back and forth."

Zed raised his eyebrows and tilted his head just barely, though he almost winced, as if the grappling bruises along his neck made it hard to do anything. He patiently gazed into her eyes and almost squinted, as if to show signs of beginning to politely beg.

"Will you come with me?" Zed's soft, warm voice wondered.

Tessa nervously stared into Zed's patient soul, though she could tell he was on the brink of running out of the ability to kindly wait any longer, for her answer. She finally exhaled a small laugh and shook her head, though her eyes idly dripped down to his chest in tired sorrow, though they held a twinkle of knowing, as if she was totally aware that whatever Zed had up his sleeve was her last and final bet on Sugar Rush's safety. She finally inhaled a deep breath and, through a hard, exhausted sigh, she uttered her answer.

"Yes."