"Yes, I've heard the rumors that they're calling you that and I can see why," Hadrian continued, "people love an underdog story."
Jesse blinked. "I have heard no rumors, except for the mention that I could be like Tim, and that was from ONE person." She hesitated for a moment. "Nice office though."
Hadrian blinked. For a moment, he seemed unsure what to say. "... you can look closer," he said, gesturing at the armor finally, "go ahead."
Jesse turned to the armor, looking it over. It was nice, but of course Jesse could never wear it... what with the extra arms and all... and while Tim may have been slightly bigger than she was this armor was not as flexible or as stretchy as the other armors she'd been lucky to get in the past.
"I assume by now you've heard all about Tim?" Hadrian added, making Jesse look over at him.
"Well, I've heard about him. Quite repeatedly, too, I might add," Jesse agreed mildly, shrugging a bit.
"Everyone loves him. And why shouldn't they?"
Jesse's brow furrowed a bit. "... yeah. Seems like he really gives them hope."
"Even better than that," Hadrian said casually, "they really believe in him. Tim is an inspiration to them, even when he's not here. One could argue that he's an inspiration BECAUSE he's not here."
Jesse frowned at him, brow furrowing as her mental gears started clicking. "It's so much easier for a legend to stay nice and shiny when it's a fond memory," Hadrian continued mildly, "easier to control it. I've been watching your legend grow, but I worry that with you still in the picture, it could get... messy. I'm starting to think it would be best if you... made a quiet exit."
"Are you trying to change the terms of our deal?" Jesse asked flatly.
"Think of this as a... shiny new deal," Hadrian said, in a light, calm voice. "See, there's something you should know about the Games. No one ever wins unless we want them to. Not even Tim..."
"Tim's not real, is he?" Jesse asked, simply.
Hadrian's brow went up, and he gave a little nod. "... I knew you were a smart one. Incidentally, how did you know that?"
"All the signs are pointing to it. The crazy stories people tell in the mines, the way Otto called me a 'real' Tim, the way you said he's an inspiration because he's not here." Jesse's tone hardened a little bit. "You made Tim up so people would compete in the games and not just give up, didn't you?"
Hadrian let out a chuckle that made rage flash through Jesse, red hot and fiery. "Exactly. He keeps them playing the games. But no one wins. Ever. Which is why, I think it'd be in your best interest to... play along."
He turned to grin at Jesse. "Don't you miss your friends? Your treehouse?"
The rage turned to ice in Jesse's chest. "Wait- m-my treehouse?" she asked, incredulously.
Hadrian shrugged. "The Atlas can see where people are from, you know. And of course, I can't forget that world- it's where we set up the Bureau of Amalgamology, for the short period it was open. I had Mevia go check it out again. Turns out you're pretty famous! I was impressed!" He was strolling towards his left, a blank stretch of quartz wall.
Jesse followed Hadrian over, as he said casually, "Had her bring back some things you might be interested in..."
Whipping out his pickaxe, he mined through the wall in less than thirty seconds, Jesse approaching the new doorway- and stopping in her tracks. "Axel? Olivia?!" And she raced into the room, which was made completely of obsidian and the little 'windows' were blocked with bars. They were wearing... collars, of a sort. Black collars with strange blue-green gems in them.
"Jesse!" they chorused, loudly, beaming at her.
"Oh my gosh, I can't believe you're here!" Jesse blurted, staring from the creeper hybrid to the Enderman hybrid, "how come you're not getting out? How did you get here?"
"Yeah, this creepy blue-haired lady showed up-"
Jesse grinned at Axel's description of Mevia.
"Knocked us out, and now we're in these little boxes. They gave us collars, too- I think they suppress our powers or something, because the most I can manage when trying to explode is a couple sparks, and Olivia can't teleport. I mean, she can move a few inches, but that's it."
"What's going on here?" Olivia asked, standing on her tiptoes a bit as Jesse looked at the Enderman hybrid.
"I'm going to get you guys free, I promise," Jesse said, crossing her heart and then covering her eye.
Axel gave Jesse a sort of lopsided grin. "Well, it's great to hear that YOU'RE not a prisoner at least."
Jesse rubbed the back of her head with a sheepish chuckle. "Ahh... well, I kind of am, but... different..."
"Oh."
"I'm just glad we're all back together," Olivia said, and indeed, the beaming grin that was on her face glowed brighter than her Enderman eye.
"Just wait till I tell the others you're here... I've missed you guys so much," Jesse said, sounding relieved as she approached the Enderman hybrid's cage.
"Wow," Hadrian spoke up, making Jesse jump a bit- she'd actually forgotten he'd existed, even- "This is just... wow. Such a tapestry of human drama and emotion. And we haven't even gotten to the best part!"
Jesse glared at him as Hadrian kept speaking, lightly and casually, "You know, respawning has changed magnificently over the past ten years or so. Now we can respawn people who didn't die in respawn zones, respawn people from a hundred years ago, even, the only limitation... is that the person we're respawning has to be human. Or at least half."
"Where are you going with this, Hadrian?" Jesse said, gritting her teeth.
"You remember some of the scientists back at the Bureau, right? Well, we went to your place, and we got some DNA of someone you very obviously missed. Mevia asked around; she got some very good answers. Well, we brought the DNA back, and we've created yet another hybrid- he can be a violent little one, that's for sure..."
Jesse went still, as did Axel and Olivia. "Oh... Jesse, you're- you're going to get a bit of a shock here," Olivia started speaking in Jesse's ear, rapidly, softly, and so fast that Jesse almost didn't hear it.
"What do you mean?" Jesse asked, slowly, to both Hadrian and Olivia.
"Isn't it obvious?" Hadrian asked, a wicked smile on his face.
Jesse shook her head with a derisive little laugh as she realized who he HAD to mean. "There- there's no way-"
She froze, the laugh dying where it was in her throat, as a little head appeared at the bars, face pale. He was short, and really looked more like a child than anything. He had slightly longish pink hair, a pair of pink pig ears, and was wearing a white shirt, like she had back in the lab.
But what really convinced her were the so very familiar pale brown eyes that met hers, stared into hers, the shock she was feeling reflected in those pale brown eyes, that hint of intelligence that had drawn her to him so long ago fixed in them.
After what felt like ages, Jesse spoke in a whisper, unable to speak above it. She felt as though her vocal cords were being strangled, her lungs felt strangely empty, and the whole room was tilting, spinning, even as she stood immobile and staring at the one being she'd never thought she'd see again.
"Reuben?"
A/N: BOOM.
I told you this ain't the last we see of Reuben. :) And over 68 chapters later, I have kept my promise.
You're welcome.
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x.X. A.L. X.x.
