AN:Hi

A Place to Call Home

Chapter 4

Previously…

He saw the light again at the end of the tunnel, he saw his friends, the Oresorens, everybody reaching out towards him, and he looked away but stopped. He heard Shirley's voice again, "don't look away, Jay!" he faced the light once more and smiled at them, "I do belong…"

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Jay felt strength building inside of him, a strong light that shone out brighter than the brightest star in the night. He opened his eyes and let the light envelope him in it's embrace, "let's go, Shirley," Jay turned to her with a smile.

She returned his smile, "that's better, you look much nicer with a smile! Now we have to...No, you have to ask everyone for their help to rescue the Oresorens!"

He blushed slightly as the two began running again. They ran for a long time until they heard a familiar voice, "hey! You two!" Moses could be seen running and waving at them. "Hey y'all! Jay 'n Shirley's back!"

Everyone came running out from where they had been resting, and greeted them, "I knew you would come back!" Norma cried out.

Moses ran up to Jay, caught him in a headlock and gave him a noogie, "that's what you get for making me worry!"

"Ow! Let go you..." Jay stopped and grinned, he decided that he probably deserved this after what he had done.

Senel walked up to Jay and Moses let him go, they both stared at the ground for a while, and all fell silent. Jay spoke up first, "I...I'm sorry," he bowed his head down, he could feel his face turn red. "I'm very sorry I caused you so much trouble and making you worry about Shirley so much!" Jay had never done anything like this before. "I know I betrayed you, I know you must hate me by now because of what I did, but now, I really need your help!" He looked as though he would start crying. "I need to save the Oresorens and defeat Solon but my power alone is not enough to do it." Jay finally lifted his head to look straight at them all, "please, lend me your power! Lend me your strength! Please, help me!"

Everyone looked at him and smiled, "of course we'll help you!" Senel patted his back.

"We're 'ere for you all the way, Jay," Moses stood on the opposite side of Jay with a hand on his shoulder. "We're family, and family should always stick together!"

"Th...thank you," Jay's eyes stung again, but not from sadness and fear, but from happiness that his friends had forgiven him.

"Aww, come on now," Moses grinned down at the smaller boy. "No need for cryin'!"

"I...I'm not crying!" Jay said scrubbing his eyes with his sleeves quickly.

"Well, we should get going, then," Will stated.

"Yes, we should get going before Solon does anymore damage to the Oresorens!" Jay returned to his normal self once again.

They quickly made their way up Mirage Palace, when they saw a few Oresorens laying on the ground, "oh no, they're hurt!" Norma panicked and Jay rushed forward to check on them.

Shirley also came forward, "I can heal them," she said as she said a few words and a light surrounded them. "I've healed them, but they're not responding," Shirley now panicked.

Jay checked on them again and he heard soft snores coming from them, "it's alright, they're just sleeping now," everyone sighed in great relief and continued on.

They encountered a few more sleeping Oresoren and healed them as they made their way up, and left them to sleep. Jay suddenly ran ahead, as they neared the top room, and they all ran after him. As they entered, they saw Pippo, Poppo and Quppo fighting Solon to prevent him from leaving the room, "we're not going to let you get to Jay!" Poppo yelled as he charged forward.

"You insolent little fool," he began to collect dark eres into his hand to fire at him. "Do you think you can actually stop me!"

Just as he fired, Jay blocked the attack and saved Poppo, "you're not going to hurt anymore people who are important to me!" Jay exclaimed.

"Oh, so you've returned," Solon snickered. "How pathetic, you think you're stronger just because you brought along more people!"

"They're not just people," Jay said offensively. "They are my friends!"

"Friends! I thought you wanted a family, Jay?" Solon stared him down again.

Jay felt his knees weaken but grew strong again, "there's no difference! Friends, family, they are all people who stay by you no matter what happens!"

"Well said, Jay!" Moses complemented.

"Heh! It doesn't matter, Jay, once they know the truth about you, no one will stay by you!" Solon laughed. "You all don't even know, do you? He is an assassin, a murderer! He has killed hundreds of innocent people, men, women, and children! He is my tool and he will do whatever I say! He has no family because he was abandoned!" He turned to Jay "you do know too, don't you? Even if you die, even if you suffer, no one will care, no one ever has, have they? No one will love you, or miss you after you die, once you're dead, no one will even remember you!"

Jay bit his lip as he looked down to his feet, "he's right... everything he says is true..."

"Come back to me, Jay! I am the only one that will ever care for you!" Solon stretched a hand out to him.

Jay took a few steps and the black mist once again engulfed his body, he didn't like the feeling inside the mist but it seemed to take all the pain away from him. NO! This is not what I want! The black mist suddenly cleared from around him and took on a familiar form beside Solon.

"Oh no! The black mist is back!" Shirley pointed to the figure beside Solon.

"This could be one tough battle..."Chloe drew her sword ready.

"That may be true, but we're together now!" Senel took his stance.

"Yes," Jay nodded drawing his daggers. "You've trusted me this whole time, now, it's my turn!"

"Yeehaw! Let's get this show on the road!" Moses exclaimed.

Everyone turned to look at Jay and smiled, "FOR JAY!" and they all charged in...

They defeated Dark Jay and Solon now stood alone, "don't think that it's over yet..." Solon suddenly turned and charged at the Oresoren who stood by.

Jay swiftly and confidently stepped in his way and countered his attack, "I know your every move, Solon! It's one of the few things I've learned from you, and that's how you use dirty tricks!" Jay took a step forward with his daggers ready once more, "I'm not alone anymore, and I'll never be, as long as I have my friends and family!" The bright light surrounded him once again, giving him incredible strength and power, he heard a distant voice that sounded familiar yet unknown to him, home is always close to you. A place to call home, is a place with the people you can trust... and it faded, he struck Solon down and finished off the fight.

"You've killed another person, Jay..." Solon murmured as he lay face down.

"Yes, yes I have, but this time, it wasn't an innocent, helpless person," Jay answered as he turned away from him as Solon took his last breath.

He stood there for a moment, when his thoughts were interrupted by two voices, "Jay!" Senel called.

"Hey Jay!" Moses waved him over.

Jay looked down at the Oresoren, unsure of what to do or say, but all they did was nudge him forward. He smiled and nodded understanding what they meant, follow your instincts! He ran towards them and saw them raise their hands, he jumped up and clapped his hand against theirs in a high-five.

"Aww, the three of them looks like three best friends!" Grune said smiling.

"You were right, Grune," Norma looked up at her.

"What was I right about?" Grune asked.

"About Jay being a good boy, and he'd never hurt anyone," Norma grinned, knowing what Grune was going to say.

"Oh, did I really say that?" Grune tapped her chin in wonder.

"I knew it..." Norma shook her head and laughed.

They all left the Mirage Palace together, and Jay stood back for a bit watching the whole group walk ahead slightly. Everyone noticed and turned to look at him, "are you alright, Jay?" Senel asked.

"Yes, I'm alright, now," Jay smiled.

"Well, then hurry it up! We're all gonna leave ya behind!" Moses teased.

"Coming!" Jay grinned and ran to join the group with the Oresoren close behind. "I finally have a place to call home, and people who I can call a family..."

That was when he remembered, the voice he heard in the light, he finally remembered, the voice that called to him, it belonged... to his mother.

-Fin

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Finally! I'm done this story! I just had to write this story... It was one of my favorite Character Quests, and it was for my favorite character! Oh, and I forgot to write this at the beginning so I'll write it now, although it's probably too late, it has SPOILERS in it! Sorry I didn't tell you earlier but I completely forgot about it...