As I awoke, Jamie was still at my side, fast asleep. She still had her arms and legs wrapped around me, breathing softly onto my shoulder.

"Welp… guess I'm gonna be stuck here for a while." I thought to myself. Just then, Erik came across the doorway and spotted me. He gave me two thumbs up, with a massive smile on his face. I gave him the middle finger.

Turning my head back to Jamie, her hair was messed up a bit, in a cute-ish way. As I was looking at it, she opened her eyes, and we made direct contact.

"M-morning…" She said, but not moving to get up.

"Morning." I replied.

"H-how long have you been stuck here?"

"Eh, not too long, I don't mind anyways." I replied. Jamie yawned.

"You need a minute?" I asked.

"Y-yeah…" She yawned again. "Thank you…" She closed her eyes and dragged herself closer to me.

Staring into the ceiling again, I thought back to last night.

"You tell me…"

"What did she mean by that?"

"Is this…"

"Am I falling for her?"

"Pfft. I can't be. That wouldn't make any sense, she's just…"

"Dammit…" I muttered to myself.

I didn't know what to think of her anymore. Our relationship with each other was just a massive blur. I couldn't comprehend this feeling, and I don't think she could either.

I heard a door open in the distance. Sure enough, soon after, Josh passed by. He didn't bother to look through the door though.

The comfort of Jamie was making me feel drowsy again, and I was starting to feel myself fall asleep again. As I rested my eyes for a bit, Jamie took her arm off my chest and decided to get up.

"Alright, I'm awake…" She said, going to a chest to grab her things. I did the same. Heading downstairs, Erik still had a small grin on his face.

"So… what now?" I asked Walter.

"I mean…" Walter started. "We're safe."

"Safe?" I started. "We're safe, for now…"

"This village is the most secure village in the area."

"If you're referring to that wall on the outside, those Pumpkin head people will knock that wall out in under 10 seconds as well as all the houses close to it with that damn TNT cannon they used on us…"

"TNT cannon?" Walter asked.

"I don't know how it works, but it used command blocks." I explained. "And that village Erik showed earlier, that place was completely cratered. Not a single house there was intact."

"Yeah, Mike has a point." Erik stated. "With that kind of weaponry, we aren't safe unless this entire town is surrounded by 5 layer thick bedrock…"

"Even bedrock can't stop them if they have access to command blocks…" I stated. "How the hell did they get those in the first place?"

"I'm asking myself the same question…" Walter stated. "I've heard of a lot of stuff happening on this server, but not people gaining access to command blocks…"

"Do you think the server operator gave them command blocks?" Jamie asked.

"I don't think so… why would it only be the griefers getting them? There's something more fishy going on…"

"Oh hell no…" Josh started. "Don't you tell me the griefers got hacks too…"

"Or, perhaps they are using something as leverage to get the blocks." I suggested. "Either way, if we do actually plan on fighting back, we need a VERY elaborate plan to pull it off, and a lot of players to be in on it with us." I stated.

"I thought you just said you–" Jamie started.

"I know I said that." I interrupted. "But it doesn't seem like anyone is standing up for these people, they're just letting them take from us like the IRS takes two thirds of your paycheck every month."

"Mike, are you sure that we can pull this off?" Erik asked.

"Not in the slightest." I answered. "But we have to try, because if nobody gets the ball rolling, it ain't gonna roll at all."

"What's the plan then?" Jamie asked.

"First, we go back to Jamie's village. Take them out, and rescue the survivors. That will leave us with some convoys."

"Okay, you're forgetting something." Erik mentioned. "There's 5 of us, and like 20 of them."

"We can pull it off, if we are smart with it." I answered. "In theory, we don't even have to take them out to get the survivors out, we can just have them all go through the ravine underneath the house."

"Uh, okay?" Jamie replied. "How do we get back? We don't even remember where that tunnel is…"

"Why do you all of a sudden want to fight back?" Walter stated. "I figured we could go here so you guys could all be safe and live a happy life here until–"

"Walter, I can't just stay here and live a safe and simple life, knowing somewhere nearby, an entire settlement is getting brutally attacked by some dumbasses wearing pumpkins on their heads." I replied. "People are dying and nobody's doing anything about it."

"And you can?" Josh stated.

"It's Minecraft… how hard can it be…" I replied.

"Well, we're going to need a plan." Jamie stated. "We can't just go in guns blazing like last time."

"How about we dress like them?" Erik suggested.

"Erik, that may have been the smartest thing you have said up till now…" I commented. "Walter, you know where we can get a bunch of pumpkin heads?"

"Definitely not here." Walter replied.

"What about pumpkin seeds?" I asked. "If they aren't okay with pumpkin heads, they should be fine with pumpkin seeds."

"That's plausible, but they'd be expecting us to eat the pumpkins." Walter explained.

"We'll start a pumpkin farm in the back of the house, make some pumpkin pies with them to reduce suspicion, then when that's taken care of, we take some, carve them, and hit the road." I answered.

"Who wants to grab the seeds?" Erik asked. "I can prepare the backyard for them."

"Me and Jamie can go." I suggested.

"Awesome." Walter said, handing us a few emeralds. "If they ask, tell them you're going to use them to craft some pumpkin pies."

"Sounds good." I replied, walking out the door. As we were walking, Jamie asked me a question out of the blue.

"Have you ever dated anyone before?"

"Uhhh…may I ask why?" I replied.

"Eh, just curious." She replied.
"Well, to answer your question, no, I haven't. I haven't really been looking into one."

"Any particular reason why?" Jamie asked.

"Every relationship that I have seen has ended in like a month. I don't want that. I want something that lasts." I explained.

"Welp, I'll agree with that." Jamie replied.

We approached the shop, and I placed some of the emeralds on the counter.

"How much pumpkin seeds can this get us?" I asked.

"12." The guy behind the counter said, taking the emeralds and going to the back to grab some. As he came back, he held them back from us.

"What are you going to use these seeds for?" He asked.

"We're going to use them to craft some pumpkin pies." I explained.

"Well, in that case, we have a special offer, if you buy eggs and sugar along with the pumpkin seeds, you get half off all of them." The guy explained.

"Oh wow, that sounds great!" I replied. "Let's do that then!"

"Alright, I'll be back with the rest of your supplies!" The guy said, walking behind the counter.

Looking at Jamie, her hair was still a bit messed up from this morning.

"Uh, your hair is all over the place…" I mentioned, pointing to it.

"Oh shit…" Jamie said, realizing it and quickly correcting it with her hands. "Better now?"

"Ehhhh…" I said. "I kinda liked it messy."

Jamie blushed a little. "You're not serious…"

"Nah, I'm just screwing with ya." I replied. Just then, the guy returned to the counter, the pumpkin seeds now accompanied with eggs and sugar.

"Thank you for your business!" He said, passing over the items. Taking them, I stuffed them into my inventory.

As we made our way back towards the house, I spotted the two guys from last night, sitting at a table outside a bar, with drinks out.

"So, what was that about "last time you'll see me" huh?" One of them said, I ignored them.

"Hello, blue hoodie kid, I'm talking to you…"

"Mike?" Jamie got my attention, pointing behind me. Turning around, one of them was following me.

"So, you did end up getting the girl, congratulations!" the player said. "Unfortunately, she comes with a cost."

"Huh, let me guess, my life?" I assumed.

"Bingo." The guy said, pulling out an enchanted iron sword. "Now, let's go."

"Pay for your drinks first."

"I'll pay for 'em later."

"You won't get the chance to."

"Who the fuck does this kid think he is, Jack Reacher?" The guy joked, looking at his friend, chuckling.

"No." I replied, slightly annoyed. "My name is Mike."

"Pretty funny joke, but I'm going to terminate your ass." The player interrupted. "You wanna die here, or the PVP stadium?"

I let out a sigh. "The stadium."

"Alright, smartass. Let's go." he said, leading the way. Jamie followed closely behind me. As we walked past the street, a few more people accompanied us. I assumed that they were the player's friends.

Checking my inventory, I indeed still had the diamond sword on me, but no armor. As we walked towards the stadium, I stopped to look at the guy.

"This is your last chance to tap out." I said.

"No thank you." The guy replied.

"Welp, it's your funeral then."

"Your funeral?" The player questioned, as two people approached him side by side. "It's a one versus three." he pointed at them.

"One versus two." I replied.

"How?"

"Well, once I take out the leader, which is you, one of your two enthusiastic boyfriends here will think they can come in clutch and start swinging, and when I knock him out, the last one will surrender."

"You think?"

"All the time. Try it, it'll help you."

"Enough screwing around…" The player said. "Let's get this shit over with quickly so I can take that precious diamond sword of yours home with me."

Me and the two players headed for a tunnel on the left labeled for contestants, while Jamie and the rest of his friends headed for the tunnel on the right. I knew very well the capabilities of my diamond sword, so I wasn't too entertained about the "mess" I had just gotten myself into.

As we passed through the corridor, there were dispensers on the side that dispensed us each a totem of undying. When we reached the main gate, we split up, the other players heading to the other side. There was a gatekeeper there to explain the basic rules.

"There aren't many rules." He explained. "All you have to do is continue fighting until all the enemies have used up their totems. If you win, you get whatever you want from their inventories, and the totem as a prize."

"Damn…" I said. "There goes the fun I would've had Hipixeling their asses."

"Good luck."

And with that, the door opened to a completely bland sand field, with the 3 other players at the other side. Looking at the first one in the middle, he had a golden chestplate and helmet, accompanied by his enchanted iron sword. The other two players just had iron helmets on, but no weapons equipped yet. I pulled my diamond sword out. Player one mindlessly charged at me in a fit of rage, while I walked calmly. As he raised his sword, I could assume he was going for a chest attack, so as he approached me, I ducked, and dug my diamond sword into his legs.

The first hit.

The first player tripped and fell to the ground face first in front of me. As the guy was trying to get up, I threw my second swing, a giant crack formed right in the middle of his chestplate, and he stumbled back down on the ground, dropping his sword. Stunned, he looked to the side where his sword was.

"Get up." I demanded, as I saw one of his friends approaching me. He had an enchanted golden sword equipped.

"Nice sword you got there buddy…" I said, raising my diamond sword and taking a violent swing at his blade as he approached me, ready to attack. As our two blades hit, a giant crack spread through the center of his sword, but his sword must have been enchanted with knockback, as I was pushed back a bunch of blocks.

As the main guy got up and made a way for his iron sword, I charged him and took another swing from the back, forming another large crack in the back of his chestplate, then I took another swing for his exposed legs. Falling to his knees again, he was crawling for the iron sword. I decided to give him a chance to pick it up, and as he grabbed the handle, he turned around and swung violently, landing a hit on my shoulder. I tried not to focus on the pain, as the guy immediately started lining up for another swing. Unfortunately for him, I was able to block it with my sword.

Preparing for an immediate counter attack, he blocked it with his Iron sword as well. As our swords clashed, his started to crack, but very subtly.

"Shit…" the player muttered as I was swinging my sword back and forth at him.

"This unbreaking is going to wear off any time now…"

The third player pulled a bow out and entered the field, taking aim at me as the golden sword guy inspected the severe damage I caused to his sword.

I went for another swing at the leader's legs, the player once again stumbling to the floor, glowing bright red. Shoving my diamond sword deep into his golden chestplate, it shattered, my sword digging deep into the player's chest. And with that, the totem levitated above him, causing his player model to start glowing a bright gold. As the totem faded away, he was laying on the floor, stunned. I grabbed his shimmering iron sword and took it from his frozen in place body. For some reason, I was able to wield both the diamond sword and iron sword at the same time.

"Alright, who's up next?" I asked, as the bow player fired their first shot. Taking a quick glance at the arrow, I noticed that it was a poison arrow. Dodging it, I rolled to the side as the other player with their golden sword charged me. Holding both the swords out in the shape of an X, I blocked his attack, as his sword pushed me into the sand. Using the two swords, I pushed him back and swung both the swords at his chest, able to strike. The player glowed red, stumbling back. Turning, I was directly in the line of fire for another arrow. Grabbing the player that had just fallen over, I held him up and let the arrow hit him right smack in the side of the head. As he screamed in pain, he fell to the ground, and I finished him the same way I finished the first guy. His totem levitated above him, as his player glowed just like the last one.

Taking a look at the bow guy, he had another shot ready, but rather than taking it, he was looking at me with fear in his eyes.

"Really?" I asked him. Dropping his bow, he made a beeline for the exit, and I threw the iron sword at him, impaling him right in the chest, and he stumbled to the floor, his totem rose above him as well. Walking over to his motionless body, I grabbed the iron sword and put it away, and grabbed one of his poison arrows. As I was walking back to the gate, I passed up the guy with a golden sword.

"Gold's useless for tools." I said as I walked by. As I passed the entrance gate, even the gatekeeper was impressed by my skills.

"Y'know sir, that was the first time I have ever seen someone dual wield swords…" He mentioned.

"Good to know…" I replied.

As I went out the same way I came in, Jamie was there waiting for me.

"Where are the other guys?" I asked her.

"Making sure their leader is okay, probably…" Jamie joked. I laughed a bit.

"Oh, they got smoked." I replied. "Now, let's head back to the base and plant these seeds."

As we arrived at the house, Walter noticed the scratch in my shoulder.

"You good?" He asked.

"Yeah." I replied.

"What happened to you?" Walter asked.

"Eh, some street kids tried to pick a fight with me, and I won."

"Ooh, Nice…" Walter replied. "So, did you get the seeds?"

"Oh we got more than just seeds." I answered, pulling the stuff out of my inventory.

"They had a special deal. All the stuff for pumpkin pie for half off."

"Awesome!" Walter said, taking the seeds. "Erik just finished the garden in the back, so we can get to planting them now."

"Sounds good." I said.