Day Seven: Access Denied

Jesse Used: Female

Pairing: Lukesse

Words: 2,900

Notes: Not the longest one shot I've done for the countdown, but this one did take a lot of effort out of me. :3


FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE

When someone had over a thousand thoughts and feelings rushing through their head as they were being controlled by a giant insane computer when all it was trying to do was make everything useful, one tends to have a headache.

And Lukas really had a headache.

No matter how hard he tried, Lukas couldn't control his body anymore. Everything he said, everywhere he walked, everything he did…

It was all PAMA.

Lukas tried to get control of his body time and time again. Sadly, every single time he tried to control even a tiny part of his body, it was like his mind kept running into a massive brick wall.

Repeatedly.

The only thing Lukas could do was wait and watch as he tried to not go insane from the many thoughts and feelings of the other people in PAMA's control as they rushed in and out of his head. He tried to tune out as much as he possibly could.

Lukas hated this. He hated trying to chase after Jesse and Ivor as they escaped out of the desert city by the skin of their teeth. He hated having PAMA yell in his mind as he instructed Lukas and Petra to go after their friends.

And he hated trying to fight them when PAMA found them.

Lukas hated feeling so helpless when all he could do was watch as Ivor and Jesse fought so hard against him and Petra. He wished there could have been some way to push the tides in their favor, but the wall around his mind remained strong as it resisted any attempt for him to gain back control of his body.

He was just glad Petra had at least been released out of PAMA's control, at the very least.

Lukas didn't blame Jesse for choosing Petra over him; it was a split second decision and Lukas knew that given the opportunity, Jesse would have saved him too if she could.

Lukas was just glad that he hadn't hurt anyone before PAMA called him back with the strange woman that he was ordered to kidnap.

He didn't think he could handle it if he even harmed the people he cared about.

… But Lukas had a feeling he wasn't going to like what was coming.

- :) -

It was night when Lukas felt PAMA force him back into the desert city.

WE HAVE A FEW MINOR SETBACKS. YOUR PRESENCE WILL BE USEFUL. :)

Lukas wasn't sure he was ever going to get used to PAMA yelling its commands in his head. Its loud commanding presence didn't help his never-ending headache.

He felt himself charge forward as Lukas noticed several mobs heading past a few buildings and towards an opening in the side of the mountain.

The moment he saw Ivor and Petra holding back mobs upon mobs from the cave, Lukas felt his fears were coming true yet again.

Lukas was going to have to fight his friends again and he knew there was no way for him to stop himself.

Petra turned to him as he drew closer with her sword drawn, her eyebrows raising in surprise before she narrowed her eyes in determination. Ivor looked at him with such concern on his face that Lukas wasn't sure he had ever seen Ivor express himself like that.

YOU WILL IGNORE THOSE TWO FOR NOW. WE WILL DEAL WITH THEM MOMENTARILY.

Lukas felt his body leap into the air as he jumped over Petra and Ivor and ran into the opening in the mountain. He could have sworn he heard Petra and Ivor call after him, but he was too deep into the pit to be sure.

The moment he hit the ground and landed on his feet unharmed, Lukas felt his body move forward in a rush. He was running forward with such speed as he ran toward a glowing block that beat like a heart and Lukas felt his body jump into the air and moved his legs forward.

Lukas was pretty sure his own heart stopped in his chest when he realized he was going straight toward Jesse as she was jumping up toward the core of PAMA.

NO!

He could do nothing as he watched in panic as his own feet kicked Jesse in her chest and saw her land back on the ground, momentarily stunned from the sudden kick out of nowhere.

Lukas felt himself stand in front of the beating heart as he felt PAMA prepare his body to guard the core, no matter what.

"We've got company," The older woman, Harper, said and pointed at him as Jesse picked herself up off the ground.

"Why did I think this would be easy?" Jesse muttered under her breath as she looked at Lukas with worry.

But it's never easy for us, Jesse. It never has been, Lukas had wanted to say. But he felt the wall around his mind force him to remain quiet as he walked forward off the descending platform with an expressionless face.

"Your friend looks… tough. You sure you can handle them?" Harper asked, looking at Jesse in concern.

Jesse said nothing as she reached into her inventory and pulled out her diamond sword.

Lukas wondered what was going through her mind as he was coming for them. Was Jesse prepared to do anything she could just to stop PAMA once and for all? Was she willing to do anything to take him down if she had to before going after PAMA?

Lukas hoped she would, for her sake.

"Why keep trying, Jesse? You will only fail," Lukas – no – PAMA said through his mouth as he slowly walked toward them. "Just as you have failed to save Reuben… Just as you have failed to lead your friends back home… You will fail to defeat me."

No, no, NO, NO, NO! Lukas didn't want to say that! He had wanted to apologize so profusely when he saw Jesse stare at him in shock before she shrunk back slightly and held the sword in front of her protectively.

"And Axel, Olivia, and everyone on your homeworld will soon be made useful. Drawing it out like this won't hurt me… but it might hurt your friend."

No, no, no! Lukas wanted to tell Jesse that she needed to do what she had to do, even if it meant hurting him!

Just as long as it meant that she was safe from himself.

"You can't force me to hurt Lukas," Jesse said, staring angrily at Lukas – no – PAMA, her expression unwavering.

"Good. That will make this go so much faster," PAMA forced him to say, sounding oddly pleased with her response.

NO! Lukas wanted to tell Jesse that she had to hurt him if she had to! She couldn't let PAMA win!

Jesse backed away slightly before she turned around and glanced at the water behind her. She turned back toward him and Lukas could tell she had already thought of a plan. "Okay, Lukas – Let's see what you got."

"Careful, Jesse!" Harper called out to her from the sidelines. "I hope you know what you're doing!"

Lukas had confidence that Jesse knew exactly what she was doing.

Raising his fists, PAMA forced Lukas to charge at Jesse. She quickly jumped out the way from his attack and he inched ever closer to the water that was pouring from the pillar.

Much to Lukas' vexation, PAMA stopped his body just as the water was mere millimeters away from his face.

Lukas felt himself frown before he turned and stared Jesse down. "You cannot win. I honestly think you should sit down and think things over."

Jesse looked at Lukas in shock before she picked herself back up off the ground and ran away from the incoming Lukas, heading towards the hole where PAMA's heart had lowered itself. "No time to spare, I've got to get to that heart!"

"Enough of this!" PAMA exclaimed through Lukas' mouth as he felt his body leap into the air and raise his fist, preparing to strike Jesse before she could get too close to the heart.

NO, NO, NO! GET OUT OF THE WAY!

Jesse quickly jumped out of the way, causing Lukas to miss and punch the glass floor beneath them.

That's when Lukas felt himself fall.

He saw Jesse landed on a stretch of obsidian as he felt himself falling further and further away from Jesse.

Good, maybe Jesse could-

Lukas stopped himself in mid-thought as he felt his body grab onto the platform that was holding PAMA's heart and began pulling himself up.

When Lukas looked up, he saw Jesse briefly glance at him for a moment before she turned to the heart, raised her sword above her head and then broke the glass that surrounded the heart. Jesse quickly put away her diamond sword and reached for the heart as she began to struggle to pull it out.

The moment Lukas had stood up on the platform was when his mind felt like it was exploding.

Lukas could hear PAMA and all the other thoughts from other people screech into his mind in pain as he held his head as he tried to focus through all the pain and agony that was going through Lukas' mind at that moment.

The walls around Lukas' mind began to crumble and he quickly grabbed control of his body despite the pain.

"Ow, my head!" Lukas – not PAMA – groaned in pain as he rubbed the side of his head as he tried to quickly gain his bearings.

Wait… he moved his arm.

He could control his body again!

"Jesse?" Lukas called out to Jesse, slightly disoriented from the pain and screams in his mind.

Y-YOU WILL CONTINUE TO B-BE USEFUL TO M-ME!

Just as quickly as Lukas had regain control of his body again, he quickly felt it get taken away again.

No, you're losing PAMA! Stop while you can, Lukas tried to say to PAMA out loud, but found that his voice was lost once again.

"You are being silly," PAMA said aloud the moment it regained control of his body. Lukas was unsure if it had said that to him or Jesse, but maybe it was both.

"Fight it, Lukas," Jesse called down to Lukas, sounding hopeful. "I need you to help me fight PAMA."

Before Lukas could force himself through the crumbling walls surrounding his mind again, PAMA quickly jumped up and punched Jesse in the face, forcing her away from the heart and nearly falling off the podium.

JESSE, NO!

Lukas quickly forced himself to grab onto the ledge just before he'd fall and felt Jesse hold on to his leg for dear life.

The screeching in his mind became louder as Lukas felt his mind begin to burn itself from the inside out. Lukas struggled against the enclosing and crumbling walls in his mind as he tried to fight PAMA's forceful presence once again.

YOU WILL N-NOT BREAK FREE FROM ME. YOU MUST BE USEFUL TO M-ME ONE LAST TIME!

"Jesse," Lukas gasped out as he clung to the edge of the platform as he felt PAMA try to gain control of his body once again. "I can't stop it- PAMA's too-"

"This has gone too far!" PAMA yanked Lukas' control of his body from him again. "I will destroy you both to preserve functionality."

No, no, no, NO, NO, NO! DON'T YOU DARE, PAMA! I WON'T LET YOU KILL HER!

Lukas forced his other arm up just as he felt PAMA remove his hand from the platform, focusing every ounce of what little control he had into the grip of his arm. "Ugh! I can't hold on much longer, Jesse…!" He called out to her, feeling PAMA trying to force its control on him once again.

"You can't give up! I won't let you!" Lukas heard her call up to him, sounding determined. "I can save you if I can just get to that heart!"

As Lukas felt Jesse begin to climb up his leg, he could hear PAMA yell in his mind once again.

IT IS ENVITABLE YOU L-LOSE. YOU CANNOT STOP M-ME!

I might not be able to, Pama! But Jesse can! She has to!

"Ow!" Lukas cried out in pain, as he slowly felt PAMA's hold on his mind grow stronger.

Y-YOUR CONFIDENCE AND STRANGE FEELINGS YOU HOLD FOR JESSE IS… A-AMUSING. BUT I WILL N-NOT ALLOW THIS TO CONTINUE. Y-YOU MUST SACRIFICE YOURSELF TO PRESERVE CONTINUED F-FUNCTIONALITY.

No, PAMA! I won't let you force me to let go as long as Jesse's life is on the line. I don't care what you do to me after she's safe, but I won't be forced to fight her anymore!

"My head- it feels like it's on fire!" Lukas groaned in agony as he felt PAMA's force for control got even stronger.

I stop WILL no NOT never LOSE!

"I can't think straight..." Lukas felt the control of his body beginning to leave him the moment Jesse climbed back onto the platform and made her way to the heart. "Get out of my head, PAMA!"

The moment Jesse laid her hands on the heart was when PAMA gained back full control of his body. Lukas thought he could feel a touch of fear in his mind that he was sure didn't come from himself.

"Jesse- please- stop," PAMA pleaded, forcing Lukas to climb back on the platform and looked up at Jesse. "Please- do not deactivate me. I know I've made some very poor decisions recently…"

Yeah, that's putting it mildly, Lukas grumbled in his mind, but he felt PAMA ignore him.

"… But I can show you so much… I can help you get home to your friends."

Lukas saw Jesse pause for a moment as she glanced down at Lukas – no – PAMA.

No, Jesse! PAMA's lying! Defeat it once and for all!

"I can be useful. To you," PAMA pleaded, the fear welling up in Lukas' mind again.

Jesse turned away from Lukas, as she looked back down at PAMA's heart. "Sorry, PAMA- I've got enough friends," She said before she reached down and began to pull on its heart once and for all.

"STOP! Will you?" PAMA called out, but it was too late.

Jesse's mind was made up and there was no stopping her. She was pulling on the heart with all her strength.

"I'm afraid. My̢-̵my mind is go͜-goi̡n͘g̛. I ca-̢can̛ feel it…"

Lukas would have almost pitied PAMA just from the fear in his mind alone if it hadn't tried to kill both him and Jesse a few moments ago.

And then the heart was pulled.

PAMA screamed in agony.

Lukas' mind felt like it exploded.

PAMA used his body one last time to scream.

And then everything went dark.

- :) -

Lukas felt his body be placed down on the ground the moment he could feel himself beginning to wake up.

His mind pounded in agony as he tried to focus on the familiar voices talking nearby.

"Oh, no! Lukas… is he…" He heard Petra say worriedly.

Well, considering his splitting headache and feeling like his body was bruised all over, Lukas was pretty confident he wasn't dead.

Although, Lukas felt something holding onto his hand, but he couldn't make out what it was.

"When you removed out the Redstone Heart… it must have severed their connection." Lukas heard Ivor say thoughtfully.

"Lukas, you better not be giving up on me right now, because you are way too tough for some computer to take you down." He heard Jesse say next to him, feeling whatever was holding onto his hand get tighter. "Please…" She whispered pleadingly.

Wait, was she holding onto his…?

Oh…!

Um...

Well…

Lukas' eyes snapped and looked straight at Jesse, who opened her mouth in shock the moment he did. "Wow. Never knew you cared so much."

"He's okay!" Jesse called out to the others in relief, helping Lukas get back on his feet. The moment he was standing up, Jesse reached out and gave him a hug so tight, it would have squeezed the life out of him.

Lukas would have enjoyed it more if his body wasn't screamed in protest.

"Ow! Just really sore," Lukas groaned in pain as he let go Jesse and held himself in pain. When could he have…?

Oh… when PAMA was pushing his body to its limits when he was forced to fight Jesse.

"I can't believe I tried to… kill you," Lukas said slowly, as if he could hardly believe he would ever do something like that to Jesse in the first place. "I'm so sorry." He looked apologetically at Jesse, hoping she would have it in her heart to forgive him. "All I could hear was PAMA's voice, telling me what to do…"

"Hey, apologies not necessary, okay? That was PAMA. Not you," Jesse said calmly. "Sorry about knocking you around."

"I don't know…" Lukas began before he winked at her. "I kinda remember it the other way around, actually," He said jokingly.

"Bygones, right?" Jesse replied with a smile and a shrug.

Lukas felt himself relax, happy that Jesse wasn't angry at him for trying to kill her while he was under PAMA's control.

He just hoped nothing like that ever happened again.

Because Lukas wasn't sure his heart could take it if it did.


A/N: Oh, I don't know, Lukas. There's always season two. :D

I know I could've done Petra instead, but I went with Lukas for a few reasons.

1) I like a little angst in my preferred ships just as much as fluff. Makes things interesting. :3c

2) ... No, actually, that's pretty much it. xD

ANYWAY, tomorrow might be the last one-shot I do because doing one-shots several days in a row is a little exhausting for me. Heck, I might post the eighth day on the day season two comes out.

I don't know. It's kind of a 'we'll see' kind of deal.

Besides, I want to try and complete the next chapter of 'Beyond Limits' before the new season comes out. I'm hoping I will and I'm sooooo close to finishing it.

What will the next and possibly last one-shot hold?

FIND OUT NEXT TIME!