Chapter 6 : Reconciliation and the jerks
I was walking in the tunnel, Ayumi was following me and was trying to reason with me but no avail.
"Mickaël, please stop. What did I tell you ? They hate humans more than anything else. They won't show any mercy toward you !"
"Neither will I !" I replied simply with my eyes still fixing the end of the tunnel.
Sunddenly, Ayumi placed herself in front of me preventing me to go futher.
"Get out the way Ayumi.
"No, you listen. You let your hate blind your mind by what they said to me and done to Vanessa...She and I have known eachothers for nearly seven years while you only know her since yesterday. It's my job to protect her and get her pendant back, by the way...Why are you so willing to help her ?"
My face full of anger was replaced to a one with sadness.
"Because...I know what she feels right now...I have been throught it !" I said while looking at the floor.
15 years ago, the orphanage, Mickaël POV
I was walking in the hallway of the orphanage. I was for two months and I was hating it. Everybody was mean toward me. The older kids were punching me and were doing a lot of pranks on me. But the worst of all was Patrick and his gang. As I was walking, I stared at the only thing left of my family. It was a little teddy bear named Joe. He was my only friend in this hell.
"Hey there, little runt..." someone said in my back.
I turned around to see Patrick. He was at least twice my size. He was also always with one of the member of his gang. He looked at me with a grin on his face. He put on of his arm around my throat and began rubbing my head my his fist.
" How is doing my little personnal punching bag ? I hope you are ready for another session !" He laughed.
" Please...don't hurt me..." I said, close to tears.
" Don't worry, little one, I would never hurt you. Just make you cry !"
" Leave me alone...why have I done to you ? "
" Me ? Nothing, I just need a good laugh !"
I was holding Joe close to me, looking for comfort. Unfortunatly, his friend saw my teddy bear.
" Hey Pat', look at this !"
Patrick released his grip over me and threw me on the floor with enough force that I let go Joe. I tried to get it back but Patrick was much faster and he took it right in front of my eyes.
" So, this is your...cuddle toy ? What an ugly one...It probably want some scar to be cool like me !"
With that being said, he pullet out a small knife from his pocket and began cutting the face of my teddy bear. He cut one ear and one arm, destroyed its nose, removed the eyes. I couln't move because of the other pinning me down. When he was done, he thew my teddy bear at me.
" See you next time, loser...Hahaha !"
That was the last thing I needed. As soon as his friend got off of me, I sprinted toward Patrick and punched him. The adventage of being small at that time was obvious, I could punch him where it hurt the most...if you know what I mean. Whatever, this was the first time, I got violent with someone. Yes, I cried, I yelled, I sulked sometimes, but never...never I had punched someone. Well..That surprised Patrick too. I wasn't really prepared for the fact that one of victim would actually fight back. He took my punch right in the gut. Unfortunatly, since my punch wasn't strong, it didn't do anything serious beside some pain. Patrick kicked me in the face sending me flying a meter away from him. Luckily for me, I didn't loose any teeths, but my nose was bleeding. The two bullies walked to me and Patrick said :
" Want to do this the hard way ? Fine with me, we are going to make you cry like you never did. !"
They began to approach me when I heard a familiar voice.
" Mister Donovalle, mister Nojako ? What did I tell you about bullying other students ?" the voice said, obviously angry.
" Yes miss Makio..." the two responded, their eyes looking on the floor.
" Mister Donovalle, is that a knife that I see in your hand ?" Miss Makio said, then she took Patrick by the neck and began to drag him toward the director's office "You are in serious trouble. I hope you know that..."
After the three of them were gone, I looked at Joe. He was in really bad shape. The last thing that was left of my previous life was gone...Nothing was holding me back now. I decided to escape the orphanage the night after.
Present time, Tunnel leading to the mine, Mickaël POV
"Now you know. I have been in the same situation as her. I know what she feels. Like I was always taught ''We can't change the past, but we can help the future !''"
"You know that's not I mean Mickaël." I heard Ayumi say " You are in bad shape yourself, your shoulder is badly wounded. Futermore, they are three and we are only two...well...one and a half. I know your are angry but YOU must wait until your shoulder is better. I'll go alone to try to recover this pendant without a fight...Even if I really want to kill them for what they did !"
"..."
"If you go now, you will die..."
"Don't try to change my mind..." I said
"Mickaël...please..."
I didn't listened to her. All I knew at this moment was that I needed to get that pendant back. I began to walk toward the door leading to the mine. At the moment I touched the handle, I felt a shap pain in my shoulder. It was unbearable, I looked at the wound and I saw blood coming out of it...lot of blood. I fell on the floor wincing in pain.
"Mickaël ? Are you alright ?"
She approached me and a look mixed of concern and horror came upon her face.
"Mickaël ! Your wound ! I TOLD YOU TO TAKE IT EASY !"
"Arrg...stop screaming, my head hurt !"
She looked closer to my wound.
"Damn it, it reopened. You need to get patched up. I'll have to carry you to back home..."
Ayumi lifted me on her shoulder and she began running toward our cave.
"Mickaël...you are heavy..."
"Hey, I only weigh 165 pounds !" I chuckled.
When we arrived at the cave, we met Vanessa.
"What happened to Mike ? Did he fight them ?" She asked.
"No but his wound reopened, we need to treat it before its get worse !" Ayumi responded.
"Can I do something ?" Vanessa asked while Ayumi removed my armor et my bandage.
"Yes, bring me the needle. We will need some of your strings too !"
"Wow, hold on a second. Is the needle sterile ? I said.
"Is the needle what ? Ayumi said.
"WHAT ? You use the same needle over and over ?"
"Yes...but we clean it after each use !"
"No way you are going to use that on me !"
"Listen Mickaël. It is either that or bleed to death. You choose !" Ayumi said with a harsh voice like the one you use on a child that did something bad.
"Fine...just make it quick...I hate needles !"
By the time we finished our conversation, Vanessa came back with a needle in a shape of a hook and some strings.
"Vanessa, did you made some strings ?"
"Yep, here there are..." the little girl said while handling the needle and the stings "...the best strings coming from the best spider !"
"Doesn't strings comes from spider's...", "AAAHHH...THIS IS GROSS, DON'T TELL ME HER STRINGS COMES FROM HER..." I asked.
"No, it doesn't Mickaël. Spiders strings come from their mouth. Now stop moving so I can treat that wound !" Ayumi said
I looked at Vanessa who was grinning at me with a small piece of string between two of her teeth. I felt something cold on my shoulder. It was Ayumi who was cleaning my wound with water and some...piece of wool ? Yea, I think it was...
"Well, I finished the cleaning. Now, hold still, it will only hurt for a second !" Ayumi said while she was holding the needle with the string attached to it.
"Speak for yours...OUCH !" I winced when the needle pierced my flesh and exited on the other side of my wound.
"Okay, one more time...ready ?"
"Yes, I thi...ARG...Seriously, can't you wait until I have finished to speak ?"
"Stop complaining...You sound like Vanessa the first time she cut herself..."
After hearing that, I looked at Vanessa who was blushing like crazy. It was my turn to laugh.
"Who is laughing now, VanessAHH..."
"That was the last one Mickaël. I am finished with stitching your wound. Now, I'll prepare some meal for the both of you, and after that I'll crafte some bandages for the both of you. Especially you, Vanessa !"
Ayumi got up. Then, she looked at me directly in the eyes and said :
"And you... Dare to move juste one inch and you will regret it. Understood ?"
"Hum...Yes ?" I answered
"Good...I'll be back in a second !"
After Ayumi left to prepare the food. I was alone with Vanessa. Neither of us dared to speak and we both looked at the floor for nearly five minutes until I decided to break the silence.
"Hum...Vanessa...I want to thank you !"
"Why is that ?"
"Well...It is you who make the strings used for the bandages. Without them, I would probably be dead right now !"
"It's not like I wanted you to recover or anything. If I didn't make thoses strings, Ayumi would have kicked my ass. You don't want to see her when she is angry !"
"Is she really that scary ?"
"You don't want to know..."
There was another moment of silence.
"Hey, Vanessa ? About your pendant ?"
I saw her looking at the floor with sad eyes. "Well done Mickaël, you made her sad. You have to cheer her up or give her some hope."I thought.
"I promise to get it back for you. You will see !" I said full of confidence.
"Don't make promise that you can't keep..." She said.
"Alright but, at least, we are gonna kick their ass for what they did to you !"
"Why do you want to help me so much ?" Vanessa asked
"What do you mean ?"
"Since you arrived, I treated you like garbage, I insulted you...but there you are, wanting to help me getting back my pendant. So why ?"
"Because I know what you feel. A man destroyed the last thing that was left of my family : A litte teddy bear named Joe. He was my only friend. I may have not been able to protect him but I can help other protect their precious !" I said while petting her head. She looked embarrassed.
"Stop petting me...I am not a dog or whatever..."
We heard some footsteps on the hallway and we saw Ayumi coming back with three bowls of mushroom soup.
"Meal is served everybody !" She said
"Yeaaay, give me mine !" Vanessa ordered jumping around Ayumi to have her bowl. "Give me, give me, give me !"
"Calm down Vanessa ! Sit down, then you will have your bowl. I don't want you to spill it out on the floor !"
Vanessa pouted and sat down on the floor. It was quite funny to watch. I began to laugh.
"Don't laugh Mickaël, that's the same thing for you. I don't want you to spill it so I am going to feed you for now !"
"HAHAHA...WAIT WHAT ?" I asked to Ayumi " I am not a baby, I can feed myself. I can lift that bowl with one arm..."
"I don't want to take the risk. So I am going to feed you. No arguing !"
"But...but..."
"HAHAHAHAHAHA" Vanessa was laughing out loud
"Oh you can laugh Vanessa. It's only a matter of time before karma gets to you !"
Ayumi sat close next to me and began to feed me. She wanted to play with me.
"Come on Mickaël, open your mouth..."
"This is embarrassing...aaahh"
She continued to feed me like this for the rest of the meal with Vanessa laughing next to me. I was going to never hear the end of that. After we finished, Ayumi got up, picked up the bowls and said to Vanessa and I :
"I am going to make some bandages, Vanessa, can I have some strings ?"
"Alright..."
I saw Vanessa putting her thumb and her forefinger into her mouth. The two finger got out with a string between them. Suddenly, she closed her teeths violently cutting the string. She repeated this process three or four times. It was pretty disgusting to watch.
"Thanks Vanessa !"
"Yea yea..."
Ayumi left one more time to craft some bandages. I saw Vanessa pulling out the ripped picture and staring silently at it. I couldn't just stand there. We had to get back her pendant. The pain in my shoulder seemed to have eased a little but I knew, if I moved, it would be painful, unless...
"Hey Vanessa..."
"Mmmm ?"
"You, cave spiders, can poison your ennemies, right ?" I asked
"Yes but...why are you asking me that ?"
"What kind of poison do you possess ? Do you just have the poisoning one or do you have more than that ?"
"Well, we usually use only the poisoning one, but we have some other poisons. We have one that can paralyse our ennemies, one that will only infict pain but will not damage the ennemy..."
"Do you have one that can erase the pain ?"
"Humm, yes...I think...Why ? Don't tell me you want to fight those jerks alone ?"
"If Ayumi learn about the fact I want to get in there to get your pendant back, she would probably knock me out and go by herself !"
"Well...I...Fine, but don't cry to me if she gets angry toward you !"
"That's a deal !" I said with a smile
"Alright, don't move..." she said while coming toward me. " Show me your wound !"
I did what I was told and showed my shoulder to Vanessa. In a fraction of second, her fangs were in my flesh. I could feel the liquid going through my veins. She released my shoulder and a bit of blood was coming out of where she bit it. I was feeling better, the pain was gone.
"Thank you Vanessa. I'll have to repay you for that !"
"Just bring me my pendant back. Remember, this poison erase the pain but doesn't heal your wound !"
"I'll keep that in mind !"
After that. I got up and picked Exbarelyburn on the way. I began to sprint toward the mine. "I hope I am not too late..."I though. I arrived in front of the door that led to the mine. "Screw it, I don't have the time to slow down !", I runned into the door, breaking it down. I finally arrived in the mine.
"So...If I remember well, the home of those three mob are a few tunnel in front of me !"
I walked through the mine until I came across a tunnel who was darker than the rest. I closed my fist and approached the door...
Present time, The jerk's home, Corn POV
It was the time to do some festivities, we were rich now. We had enough ressources to last, at least, one or two years. We were celebrating our successful trick. That little insect stood no chance against us. We were playing with some cards that we have bought. But something was not right...Ayumi probably knew by now that we stole the pendant of her little friend. Why is she not coming ?
"Hey Strodus, any news of Ayumi ? Do you know why she doesn't come ?
"Maybe she know that you don't mess with us without risking your life in the process...It's your turn by the way..."
"Nah, she is not a coward, she will come eventually..." I said while putting a few card in front of me.
"You lost boys !" Shika said happily. " Now give me the money !"
At the moment we gave the money to Shika, a knock was heard on the door.
"That's must be her...everyone get ready...I am gonna make her enter, then we will lock the room. After that, we will beat her to death and throw her lifeless body into the mine. That will show to everyone that you don't mess with us !"
There was another knock.
"I am coming...I am coming..."
I opened the door, exepting to see a famous female archer
"Oh, Ayumi ! How are you..."
I was greeted with a punch on the face, sending me flying past my two friends. I hit the floor and everything went black...
Present time, The jerk's home, Mickaël POV
I was opened by the creeper who was probably expecting Ayumi since he called me by her name. I didn't let him finish as I punched him straight in the face sending him flying a few meters away from me. I entered their home and I heard the zombie say :
"Corn ? Are you alright ?"
Then she turned to me.
"A...human ? What is he doing here ?" She asked to the enderman
"It seems that our theorie was right, Ayumi was saved by a human...How pathetic..."
The enderman was staring at me, looking for anything suspicious.
"Mmmm..."
"What is it Strodus ?"
"I don't know why...but this human have not the same aura as the other humans !"
"But Strodus, why is he here ?" The zombie asked.
"If he is really the human that saved Ayumi. I can only see one possibility. He came here to recover the pendant of that spider !"
"What ? With juste a sword and no armor ? He is crazy !"
"You're gonna pay !" I said for the first time since I arrived. I pulled out Exbarely burn from its sheath and I rushed to the enderman for the first strike. What didn't surpised me is that he teleported himself...but he teleported behind me and he punched me in the back of the head. I stumble for a few second before I turned around to face him. The enderman looked at me, laughing.
"So, is that the human that saved Ayumi ? She must be weaker than I thought !" he said
"Don't underestimate me...and more importantly, don't underestimate her."
I prepared a second strike. The enderman teleported himself behind me. This time, I was prepared. In a fraction of a second, I turned around and I hit him in the face with the flat part of my sword. I didn't want to kill them, just make them regret. The enderman took a few steps back.
"Is that all you have ?" I asked, confident
"Oh no, we have a lot of tricks..." He answered
Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Corn, still unconcious on the floor, and Shika who was trying to get behind me. Sunddenly the enderman teleported in front of me. I just had the time to avoid the punch. The funny thing is the zombie tried to jump on my back at the same time and it's her who took the punch for me. She was sent flying, hitting the wall behind her. Knocking her unconcious. Blood was dripping down her nose. "Wow, enderman's punchs are really strong. I feel really sorry for Steve who had to fight three endermans at once !"
"SHIKA !" the enderman screamed before turing to face me "You will pay for what you did to her !"
"Hey, you are the one who punched her, not me !" I ginned at his face.
The enderman teleported away, leaving me alone in the room. Then, all of a sudden, he reappeared in front of me punching me in the stomach. I nearly fell on the floor coughing. The enderman teleported behind me and punched me in the back. Then repeated the same process and kicked me on the side of the head. Despite the pain, I placed my arms in front of me to protect my face while the enderman hit me again and again.
"That's why, we should be the only species in Minecraftia. Humans are weak, Skeletons are weak, spiders are weak. You are weak. You helped them and, in return, they sent you here to die. Well...It was nice knowing you, I had fun. Time to end this !" He said as he prepared another punch.
I did something he didn't exept me to do. By some miracle, I manage to catch his punch, leaving him startled.
"Still trying to put up a fight ?"
He tried to remove his hand. To his surprise, he coudln't. I had my fist grasping his. He tried to teleporte away but since enderman teleporte with them whatever is touching their skin, I teleported away with him.
I kicked him in the stomach with my knee since one my fist was holding his hand and my other hand held my sword. He fell on one knee. I released his hand and put it around his throat.
"You are wrong. I came here on my own accord. To say the truth, they didn't even want me to go kick your ass. They didn't want me to die. I'll tell you, we are friends !"
"But...you are human...humans don't befriend mobs. What are you ?" he asked, visibly scared.
"Me ? Just someone who try to survive and want to protect his friends until I can go home. Now you listen. You can insult me, you can insult my kind. For all I know, I don't care, BUT YOU DON'T INSULT A LITTLE GIRL'S DEAD FAMILY !" I yelled with a dark, scary voice.
That being said, I throwed him a meter away in front of me. I began to walked toward him with Exbarelyburn. I didn't want to kill him...juste scare him eneugh so can tell me where the pendant is.
"Corn ! NOW !" I heard him said
"Wha...?" was all I was able to say before I saw the crepper giving me a big hug. He was grinning like a crazy murderer.
"You are dead human..."
I heard the fuse of the creeper triggering inside of him. I though that my time was over when I saw him going white. Right before the explosion, I heard a girl voice
"MICKAËL !"
I saw Ayumi drop-kicking Corn in the face. That caused him to release his grip over me and fly into a wall where he exploded. The explosion made a big hole into the stone with Corn unconcious in the middle.
I fell on my buttocks. I looked at her and said :
"I guess we are even now, right ?"
She didn't respond and looked at me with a stare that could scare the death itself. She turned back to Strodus and walked toward him with eyes full of hate. They were only a meter away from each-other when Ayumi asked with an harsh voice :
"Where is the pendant ?"
It was at this moment, Strodus knew, he fucked up. He was probably shitting in his pants.
"We...we sold it to a man...He gave us a bunch of emeraulds for it..."
"Who was this man ? What does he looked like" I asked
"He was blond, muscular..." He answered
"David..." I thought.
I rushed toward the enderman, took him by his throat and put his face in front of mine.
"Where is he now ?" I asked angrily
"He probably returned to the village !"
I turned to Ayumi and said :
"He what he said is true, then we dont' have much time !"
"Yes...but for now..." she said. She punched Strodus with enough force that his nose broke. He cried in pain, I must say, it have to be quite painful.
Then, Ayumi turned to me with the same stare as earlier. She walked toward me.
"As for you...You are in big trouble..."
It was at this moment, I knew, I fucked up too. She took me by one hand and began to drag me out of the three jerk's home.
"Hey Ayumi, I can walk on my own you know !..Ayumi ?"
No matter how hard I tried to talk to her. She didn't responded to any of my attempt. After a few minutes, we arrived in our cave. Vanessa was tranquilly eating a piece of bread.
"Vanessa ? a little help, please ?" I asked
She didn't answered and simply gave me an ''I told you so'' look. Ayumi dropped me against a wall. Damn, Vanessa was right. She looked very intimidating when she was angry. Ayumi closed her eyes for a second before yelling at me.
"Mickaël...WHAT HAVE GOTTEN INTO YOU ?"
"What ? You are yelling at me because I kicked their ass ?"
"YOU kicked their ass ? Don't make me laugh Mickaël. If I hadn't come, you would be dead right now. Futhermore, I have forbiden you to move with your wounded shoulder. You are lucky, the stitches remained intact. I don't wanna know if what would have happened if your wound reopened again !"
"Bah...I have been worse..."
"You have ?..." She asked suspiciously.
"Well...no !"
She came closer to me.
"Mickaël, you are the only friend I have beside Vanessa. I...We...don't want to loose you. So please, don't do that again. Promise ?..."
"Alright, I promise...How did you know I was there by the way ?"
"Well..." She began.
15 minutes earlier, Ayumi and Vanessa's cave, Ayumi POV
I finished preparing the bandages for Mickaël and Vanessa. I exited our workshop room and was walking toward Vanessa and...Mickaël ? He wasn't there anymore. I asked to Vanessa :
"Vanessa, where is Mickaël ?"
"He went...to the bathroom." She said with a stressed voice and a sheepish smile.
"Vanessa...You were never good at lying...So tell me : where did he went ?"
"Alright...He is actually trying to get my pendant back."
"WHAT ? Don't tell me he went to fight thoses..."
"Yes..."
After hearing that, I dropped the bandages on the floor. I took my bow and I began running to the mine. I said to Vanessa :
"Make more strings Vanessa, we will probably need some !"
I entered the tunnel leading to the mine and I saw that the door has been broken down. I jumped over it and ran to the three jerk's home.
In the mine I could heard Mickaël saying "you don't insult a little girl's dead family !". I runned through the tunnel leading to their home. I saw him getting hugged by Corn. He was in a really bad position, he Corn exploded, Mickaël would be dead. I got myself prepared, I jumped and drop-kicked Corn in the face.
Present time, Ayumi and Vanessa's cave, Mickaël POV
"...you know the rest." Ayumi finished
"Yes...thanks by the way !"
"Don't mention it. Now I really need to take care of Vanessa. Because of your subborness, I didn't took the time to treat her wound !"
"Can I do something ?" I asked
"No, I am fine !"
I got up and followed Ayumi to Vanessa. She was reading a book while still eating her bread. Ayumi took the bandages and poked Vanessa.
"GAAAHH ! Ayumi, you know I don't like being poked. What do you want ?"
"I am here to treat your wound, now stop reading et come over here !"
"Give me two minutes, I must finish this chapter !"
Ayumi went close to Vanessa and picked up the book. Obviously, the little girl wasn't happy about that.
"Hey, give me back my book !"
"After I took care of your injuries, if we don't do that now. It might get infected !"
Vanessa gave up and pouted while Ayumi cleaned her wound.
"So, I assume you have kicked their ass, am I right ?"
"Absolutly !"
"Did you bring me back my pendant ?
"Hum, about that Vanessa..." I began
"What ? What happened ? They destroyed it ?" She asked, worried about what had happened.
"No...but they sold it to a man who leave in the village...I am sorry Vanessa !" Ayumi said
Vanessa looked at floor with sad eyes and was about to cry.
"Hey girls, not all hope is gone. I could go to the village to get your pendant back !"
"But you said it yourself, if you go there. You will be see as a traitor !"
"Don't worry, I have a few friends that could help me !"
"But, if you see that 'David' ?"
"Then, I'll need something to hide my face. Do you have a mask that I could use ?" I asked
"No, but I am sure I could craft you one. But it is nearly dusk outside, you should go tomorrow morning..."
"That is settle then. Tomorrow morning, I'll go to the village..."
TO BE CONTINUED. Hey guys, Agithos here... Wow, that chapter was really hard to write, especially at the beginning because I didn't know what to write. But now, since I am on holidays. I can plainly think about the next chapter. So as always PM or review to tell me what you think of the story : good or bad and vote for your favorite mob.. See you next time ;-)
