Jake's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Wait…What on earth are you talking about? We need to leave now!"

Just then, Roxy and Jane came over to where they were standing. Roxy looped one of her arms around Jake's waist and kissed him on the cheek while Jane gave him a surprisingly skillful side-hug. Jake barely felt it. Something was wrong with him and he could feel something breaking inside of him. But why was it happening now? Right when his friends could take him home?

"Jake…?" Dirk's expression darkened and the wonderful smile dissipated as quickly as it had appeared. "Are you okay?"

A loud laugh came from behind them that made Jake's knees give out. It took Roxy and Jane to hold him up as the voice spoke.

"Oh my little Prince, Maid, and Rouge. Welcome to my lovely kingdom here on Derse. I was beginning to worry you would miss out little party."

Complete silence fell on the once rambunctious crowd of villagers as the Condense made her entrance. Jake could feel himself beginning to panic. No, no, nonononononono I can't do this again. Please no. I'll do anything. I just want to go home please…

The Condense laughed again, and Jake saw Dirk's fingers clench around his sword. She placed one hand on her hip and beckoned towards Jake with the other.

"Come here little Page, I think it's time to show your friends your little party trick. Show them and my rebellious little villagers what happens when you meddle in matters you cannot begin to understand."

Jake felt everyone's eyes on him. The heat of the sun, the sting of his wounds, the aching all over his body, the silent expectation of everyone around him, and his goddamn head would not stop hurting. He groaned as the pain escalated again. He heard someone talking but he couldn't make out who it was. The voice began to grate against his head until it became a dagger digging into his temple. He pressed the heels of his palms against his head, trying to hold it together. It had to be coming apart, maybe he was dying. The back of his mind registered that Roxy and Jane had stepped away from him, and he felt his legs collapse and his knees slam against the ground.

Oh god please… let them get away.

The pain in his head escalated to an impossible level. Jake heard screaming- his own screaming he realized with some manner of shock- and then laughter. High-pitched and obnoxious. Then, thankfully and suddenly, the pain faded and he allowed himself to float away into the darkness.

Dirk gasped and took a half-step backwards, tripping over himself in the process. The pain barely registered as he gasped, open-mouthed, at Jake. Jake's body convulsed on the ground. His hands grasped and scrabbled against the solid ground, desperate for some sort of purchase. Horrible screams ripped through Jake's throat; so loud Dirk believed they would rip Jake apart. And, as quickly as it had started, the screaming subsided. Jake's body lay on the sun-warmed platform, completely still.

Is he dead? No, he can't be dead.

Dirk stood to move closer to Jake when the body twitched. His eyes narrowed in confusion as he watched Jake stand back up, facing away from where Dirk stood. His movements were irregular and jerky, like he needed to have his joints oiled. Dirk let out a sigh of relief.

"Jesus man, I thought you were go-"

All of a sudden, Roxy's arms were wrapped around his stomach as she pulled him backwards and away from Jake. Dirk made a noise of annoyance and pulled against her.

"What are you doing Lalonde?! He needs us!"

Roxy's arms tightened, barring his escape unless he wanted to hurt her. She was on the verge of tears and her voice shook with emotion as she spoke.

"Dirk... that's not our Jake anymore! Something is wrong. Please we need to get away!"

"Lalonde, come on, Jake needs us! We can't just leave him again! Don't make me-"

Dirk choked on his own words as Jake turned to face them. His eyes… The dark forest green Dirk had fallen in love with had been replaced. His eyes now flashed an angry barrage of colors and, impossibly, numbers? Were those pool balls? That didn't make any sense. Jake's face was twisted into a sinister smile that did not belong on his face. Roxy was right.

Whatever that was, it wasn't Jake English.

Jane felt her body go into shock. Jake's eyes were impossible. Her brain screamed at her to move, to run, to get away, but her limbs would not respond. She watched, her eyes fixated in horror, as Jake's body began to grow and change. It was ghastly and horrifying and made all sorts of unpleasant cracks and squelching noises, but she couldn't look anywhere else but at those impossible eyes.

She forced her eyes shut, willing this to just be a bad dream. Perhaps she had just used bad eggs in her last recipe and this was her body punishing her mistake. That was plausible. Everything that had happened or was happening couldn't be possible. Perhaps if she refused to believe what has happening it would stop.

When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw were Dirk's shades. They were reflecting the bright sunlight directly into her eyes. She raised a hand to block the light from her eyes and saw Dirk captured in Roxy's bear hug, both of their expressions a mixture of shock and horror. Jane watched as Roxy's arms went limp and dropped to her sides.

Well, shit. I suppose my methodology was off just a teensy bit.

As she followed their line of sight, a huge roar tore through the air. The air echoed with the sounds of the villagers' panic as they rushed to retreat back to their homes.

No, no we can't have lost like this. We barely even started. No…

Jane felt her blood run cold as ice as she slowly turned to face the source.

A huge, 5 meter monster stood where Jake had only moments before. Another ear-splitting scream tore from the monster's huge, green maw. Its giant head was shaped like a skull with monstrous fangs. It was thick and muscular and very upset. The batterwitch broke into a fit of cackling before she spoke.

"While you three sweethearts took your merry time getting here, I took the liberty of helping your friend here discover his true potential."

She smirked at the three of them as she walked over to the monster and patted its side lightly with her hand, like it was some kind of pet.

"All pages need is a little guidance and they can be easily bent to a strong will. And I can be very persuasive if I have to be. It did take him a while to accept it but now he wouldn't dream of disobeying me. Now he will do whatever I ask of him. Shall I demonstrate?" A broad grin broke out over her face as she turned and looked the monster straight in the eyes, "Take care of your little friends for your mistress, Lord English. They displease me."

Jane's feet still refused to move as the monster roared and charged towards her.

This is it. I'm going to be killed by Jake English….

Who could have called that?

Author's Note:

Thanks for Reading~