Chapter 7 – Revelations

Disclaimer: If you have not read Fred: Admin in Exile yet. I suggest you read that story first before reading this one.

(Minecraft: Story Mode and its characters belong to Telltale Games, not me.)

(JESSE'S POV)

Jesse, Ivor and Petra reentered the kitchen.

"Back in the kitchen. So, what are we looking for exactly?" Petra asked. "Buttons like back in the dining room? Conspicuous white pumpkins lying around?"

"We just need more evidence." Jesse said. "Anything that can draw a link to one of these people."

"Got it. I'm on the lookout."

Jesse took a look inside various things, none of which seemed to have anything suspicious inside them, until he happened upon a creeper painting. It's eyes seemed to have… holes inside them?

"Does this painting have… eyeholes?" Jesse observed.

Petra turned around and saw what Jesse was looking at.

"Oh yeah. How'd I not notice that before?"

"Seems worth taking a closer inspection." Ivor suggested.

Jesse raised his fist and punched it, to reveal that behind it was a secret passageway.

"Oh!" Ivor said in understanding.

Jesse climbed inside. There was a lever on the inside of the passageway.

"It's some sort of secret passageway! Very clever." Ivor commented. "What do you suppose that lever does?"

Jesse assumed it triggered the arrow trap.

"Okay everyone, make sure you're nowhere near that arrow trap." Jesse warned. Ivor and Petra took a step back, and then Jesse threw the switch.

At once, the lights went out and arrow firing noises were heard, before the lights came back on. This time, the arrows were impaled into the ground.

"More of those potion covered arrows." Petra observed. "Nasty."

Jesse flipped the switch again and they were consumed by the hoppers in the floor.

"Well, seems like we found out how the White Pumpkin killed TorqueDawg." Ivor reflected.

"Yeah, and how he's getting around the house." Jesse added.

There was a ladder deeper inside the secret passageway.

"I assume we're investigating the creepy passageway?" Petra assumed.

"I think we've come too far to turn around now." Jesse pointed out.

"Well, after you then." Ivor said, gesturing for Petra to go first.

They continued down the passageway, turning a few corners and walking down narrow hallways.

"I hope Dan's okay locked up in the library." Petra said. "We could have put them in even bigger danger. What if there are more traps in there?"

"Hey, do you trust me or not? I don't need people second-guessing me on this." Jesse snapped.

"Jeez, okay, okay. Sorry."

"Yes, keep that temper up and people will start to think you're the White Pumpkin." Ivor said, agreeing with Petra.

They found another portrait with eyeholes. A lever was next to it.

"What do you think that is?" Jesse asked.

"No idea. But look, a lever." Ivor pointed out. He stroked his beard as he approached it. "The amount of redstone wiring that must be hidden in this place. Amazing."

"IVOR! NO!" Jesse whisper-shouted.

"What do you think I am? Dense? I was just looking at it!" Ivor growled in response.

"Oh, good."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence though."

Jesse leaned into the eye-holes, poking his green eyes into it.

"See anything that this lever might be connected to?" Ivor asked. "What do you see?"

It was the library where Jesse and Fred had interrogated Dan, Lizzie and Stampy. He saw Dan sitting alone in there. His hair was cyan again.

"It's the library." Jesse answered. "I see Dan locked up in there."

While Jesse was looking around, Lizzie entered, startling Dan.

"Lizzie? What are you doing in here?" Dan asked.

"I snuck in past blondie and that other guy. Lukas and Fred, I'm think their names were. Anyway, we have to talk." Lizzie said.

"About what?"

"I know you pushed the button." Lizzie accused.

"No. That's not true!" Dan denied.

Lizzie rolled her eyes. "You don't have to lie to me, Dan. I know it was an accident. I know you're not the White Pumpkin."

"Ah, thank goodness, that's such a relief-"

But Jesse wasn't paying attention to their conversation anymore, for he saw moving glowing yellow eyes in another poster inside the room.

"It's such a relief to be able to talk about this. It's been absolutely tearing me up inside!" Jesse heard Dan continue.

"I'm sure, I just. Haven't you learned anything about not pushing buttons?" Lizzie asked.

As Jesse focused on the moving yellow eyes, they seemed to notice Jesse as well. Jesse stepped away from the back of the portrait.

"The White Pumpkin, he's in there." Jesse announced.

Petra unsheathed her sword.

"Then let's go kick his butt!"

Ivor nodded, holding out his hands.

With a nod, Jesse punched the portrait and stormed inside, taking Lizzie and Dan by surprise.

"What on earth?"

As Jesse approached the poster where the White Pumpkin was, he heard him growl and the sound of a lever being flipped.

At once, the exit door barricaded itself and the fireplace opened up, to reveal spiders which were already starting to crawl inside.

"What's going on in there? Jesse?" Fred's voice was heard from the other side of the barricaded door.

"Spiders! They're everywhere." Jesse announced.

At once, Fred teleported into the room out of purple particles. Dan and Lizzie didn't notice, for they were more focused on the spiders.

"You handle the spiders!" Jesse instructed. Without waiting for a response he raced to the portrait and smashed it, revealing the White Pumpkin in his suited glory.

"Why you little—"

Spiders jumped on top of Lizzie and she began to flash red, but Fred managed to get them off of her before they could kill her.

"Th-Thanks!" Lizzie panted.

Meanwhile, the White Pumpkin had climbed into the room.

"Enjoying the party?!" He taunted.

Fred teleported between Jesse and the White Pumpkin. He turned towards the White Pumpkin and gave him a fierce glare with his admin eyes.

"Would've been a lot more enjoyable without you here." Fred retorted.

The White Pumpkin backed towards the open fireplace. Jesse saw a flicker of fear in the murderer's eyes for a moment, but then they quickly snapped out of it.

"That's my cue."

And the White Pumpkin took off into another secret passageway inside the fireplace.

Fred followed him inside, but Jesse was cut off by the fireplace snapping shut again.

(FRED'S POV)

Fred heard the fireplace snap shut behind him. No way to go but forward now.

"Fred, are you okay?" Petra asked.

"We have to break through." Ivor said, with a struggle.

Fred heard the White Pumpkin's laugh echo around the secret passage he was in.

"You guys get to safety. I'll handle this." Fred instructed, before turning around and following the White Pumpkin's tracks.

He approached the staircase, where he saw the White Pumpkin standing at the top of.

"Try to keep up!" The White Pumpkin said, before jumping on a pressure plate. The ceiling on top of Fred opened up to reveal dispensers.

Even though the arrows couldn't hurt him anyway, as he was an Admin. Fred teleported a few blocks forward, dodging the arrows. He immediately began to fly and chase the White Pumpkin, who to his astonishment was already at the far end of the long hallway.

The White Pumpkin's eyes widened in fear as he saw Fred flying. Fred charged towards him but couldn't reach him in time before the White Pumpkin pulled out an ender pearl and threw it, disappearing in purple particles.

Teleporting? Well, two can play at that game. With a clap, Fred teleported close to him, watching him as he broke a portrait and ran out into the main lounge.

Fred followed the White Pumpkin into the lounge, where he saw Jesse and Lukas walk out of the library. He saw the White Pumpkin walking up the stairs.

"Okay, noob time is over!" Fred said, quoting Magnus the Rogue. "Time to show this idiot who he's dealing with."

Lukas ran towards the White Pumpkin, who had disappeared out of the room.

"I'll cut him off!"

With a cry, Lukas followed him out of the room.

Fred flew in behind Lukas, to find a pitch-black room. The lights turned on, to find that the White Pumpkin was standing in the middle of the room, with Lukas nowhere to be seen.

With a clap of Fred's hands, the mask flew off, to reveal Lukas' face underneath it. Wait, what?

"Lukas?!" Fred asked in disbelief.

"Hey." Lukas greeted. He turned around and grabbed the White Pumpkin mask.

"Give me a moment. I'm trying to figure this one out myself."

"YOU LET THAT IDIOT GET AWAY!? I THOUGHT YOU WERE RIGHT ON TOP OF HIM!" Fred demanded.

"I was! I was! And I almost had him until, y'know, he took me by surprise and stuffed this pumpkin on my head." Lukas explained.

Petra, Jesse and Ivor entered the room, followed by the others.

"What's going on in here?!" Petra asked.

"NO!" Ivor gasped.

"You caught the White Pumpkin! Grab him! Quick!" Stampy instructed.

"On it!" Stacy responded. She and Cassie stepped forward.

"Get out of our way, Fred." Cassie demanded.

Fred resisted the urge to display his Admin eyes.

"Not until you two back off!" Fred threatened.

"Nope. It's all out in the open now, you can't defend your friend anymore." Stacy spat.

"No, no, no. I am not going to stand for this. One of you is still the murderer, and you're just trying to use Lukas as a scapegoat so that you can get away undetected." Fred said.

"Yeah, bold words." Cassie retorted.

"Mmm-hmm." Stacy agreed.

Stampy stood forward.

"It's the facts, Fred. These horrible things only started happening when your group arrived." Stampy pointed out.

"Well, I saw we throw him outside and let nature take it's course." Cassie suggested, walking toward the window.

"What? 'Out-Outside? Outside?'" Stacy repeated.

"Where all the googlies are?" Stampy questioned.

"Well, I'm afraid you aren't going to be doing that, Cassie. Not while I'm still here." Fred said, with a smirk.

"Yeah, uh, I don't know. I still have my suspicions about Lukas, but Fred here did save us." Dan said. "I don't feel right about chucking your friend to the zombies."

"Exactly." Lizzie agreed.

"Hmph. Brave stance." Ivor commented.

"Oh, thank goodness some people here know how to demonstrate the tiniest amount of common sense." Fred said, relieved. He pointed to Cassie and Stacy. "Not like these two."

"Fine!" Cassie huffed.

"Thank you." Lukas responded.

"Don't go celebrating yet." Cassie continued. "We've still got to do something with you so you're not roaming around freely."

"What, like lock me up in a closet or something?" Lukas asked.

"Don't give them ideas." Fred said, elbowing him.

"There was a closet in the main hall! With a lovely metal door! Seems like a perfect place to lock someone up." Stampy suggested.

"Wait. I was…mostly joking." Lukas nervously chuckled.

"I guess that's fair." Cassie conceded. "But I'm keeping guard because I still don't trust him."

"And I don't trust you either. Guess we're both disappointed!" Fred retorted, glaring at Cassie. She glared straight back.

"It's fine, Fred. I'll watch over Lukas." Ivor offered.

"Awesome." Lukas responded, looking visibly uncomfortable.

"Come on, Cassie." Ivor said, gesturing for her to follow. "But don't go getting any funny ideas, blond guy. This isn't because I like you or anything."

"No, of course not." Lukas played along.

"Quiet! Prisoners aren't supposed to talk." Cassie snapped. Winslow ran after her.

"Okay, well what are we supposed to do now?" Petra asked. "We need to figure out how we're going to clear Lukas' name."

"Well, I did notice that some of these people were remarkably quick to accuse Lukas!" Fred pointed out. "Stacy and Cassie, for example. Right now, we need to find some way to get some dirt on whoever the White Pumpkin is."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Petra agreed.

Fred approached a portrait of the White Pumpkin holding a potion. Getting an idea, he punched it, revealing another secret passage.

Everyone gasped.

Entering the secret passageway, Fred saw a set of double iron doors.

"Don't mind me if I just…" Fred started.

With a clap of his hands, the doors disappeared.

"Sometimes you have to use brute force to solve problems." Fred explained to the shocked people behind him. Jesse and Petra just rolled their eyes. "What?"

"Ho-how did you-" Stampy stammered.

"Admin powers." Fred responded. "Long story. I'll tell you guys about it later. You guys should stay here, it can get dangerous."

"Nooo. I totally want to follow you into your friend's creepy secret passageways." Stacy sarcastically replied.

Jesse stepped up.

"Hey, we're gonna prove he's innocent! You'll see!"

"Sure! Welp. See you back here at quarter-to-never!" Stampy responded before storming off with the others. Petra was the only one still standing there.

"Jesse and I are going to investigate this passageway. You keep an eye on the others, make sure they don't try anything." Fred instructed.

"Got it." Petra nodded.

Jesse and Fred entered the passageway, to come across what seemed like a bottomless pit.

"Wow. That is deep. Guess it leads down to whatever the White Pumpkin calls home." Jesse commented. "I wonder how he gets down there."

"Perhaps it has something to do with those ender pearls that I saw him use earlier?" Fred suggested. "In any case, you may want to brace yourself."

Fred waved his arm, and they slowly floated down.

It took a while, but eventually they hit the bottom. The passageway in front of them seemed to be made out of dirt and stone. It was also really dark as well.

"Wow. It's dark down here, isn't it?" Fred commented. "What do you think, will we find the White Pumpkin down here?"

"I'll be honest, I hope we do." Jesse responded. "And this time, his ender pearls aren't going to save him."

"Not when I can just…" Fred waved his hand. "…his mask into nothingness."

Jesse stopped, hearing something.

"Hey, do you hear—"

"A million zombies? Yes. I do." Fred answered for him. "And the familiar smell that makes me want to gag."

"Ugh, ditto. Gross." Jesse agreed.

As they walked past a bunch of iron bars, a zombie jumped up, banging on it.

"Well. There are the zombies." Fred said.

As they walked past another cage full of zombies, Jesse noticed something.

"What in the world is that?" He asked.

Fred saw what he was staring at. A mob spawner.

"It's a zombie spawner." Fred pointed out. "You only find those in dungeons, and there is no crafting recipe for them, so I am really surprised that the White Pumpkin managed to get his hands on these. It also means that the sea of zombies outside was made by the White Pumpkin. This guy is cunning, I'll give him that."

Reaching an opening, they saw a machine with items flowing through it. It was an item elevator. Wow, this guy was no amateur, he could probably give Xara a run for her money with those redstone skills.

"An item elevator." Fred observed. "I assume that these were items of both TorqueDawg and CaptainSparklez."

The loot seemed to be going in the direction of a lit tunnel.

"I'm guessing that's where we need to go." Fred said.

"If we can get up there, I think we might be able to follow the loot to wherever it's going." Jesse added.

Fred clapped his hands and teleported them up, taking Jesse by surprise.

"Jeez, Fred. Could you not do that?" Jesse snapped, gagging.

"Sorry. Couldn't resist." Fred chuckled, while strangling a stray spider that tried to get the jump on them.

They continued on in silence, until they heard a sound that sounded a lot like meowing.

"Weird. That almost sounds like…" Jesse started.

"…cats?" Fred finished.

Turning the corner, they came right face-to-face with the White Pumpkin.

Fred vanished the mask instantly, to discover with a groan that it was just another armor stand. Ahead, they came across what seemed to be a White Pumpkin growing station.

"Hmm. Seems like this guy is a good farmer as well." Fred commented.

But before he could say anymore, footstep sounds were growing near. It was coming from behind them. The light from the other room casting a human shadow on the wall.

"The White Pumpkin must have heard us!" Jesse pointed out.

Ready to vanish the mask of whoever came around the corner, Fred prepared himself.

Only the figure wasn't wearing any mask or suit whatsoever.

It was Stampy, in the same cat hoodie he was wearing upstairs. And he looked extremely nervous.

Author's Notes: Don't mind me if I just… ahem. End it there.

My decision to save Lizzie might have been a bit, ahem… cliché. But I wanted Fred to be useful for something.

Not much else to say here.

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More to follow.