Episode 2, Chapter 4: Kinetic Flashbacks, Team A (Jess/Petra)
This chapter is from Petra's point of view.
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We found ourselves in a cave, water dripping in the distance as Jess stuck close behind me, pressing us against the wall.
"...You don't wanna get a reputation as a wimp."
"This… isn't my first time in a cave, Petra."
I looked at Jess; they made a face and looked back at me. That definitely sounded like us - Jess, before they'd even started growing their hair out - hell, before they'd started training their voice… and, of course, me.
"I remember this… you'd shown me that wither skull." Jess mumbled as we snuck away from ourselves. They didn't even notice us as we made our way to the other side of the cave, hands on the ladder as we saw the sky - well, fake sky - swirl above us.
"This is more Admin nonsense. That much we know. But how much does he know about… us?" I asked as we made our way to the top of the ladder, the scene changing to the bridge. Like it was back then, we were surrounded by mobs, and our only options were to fight… Or to jump.
"Let's jump." both Jesses said at once, taking my hand as we jumped, our past selves jumping from the opposite side. We stared at each other on the way down, myself maneuvering to be closer to Jess before we hit the water.
And this time, they didn't bellyflop. We ended up tangled into each others limbs as we hit the water, our bodies sinking and spinning as we ended up on top of a burning tree, water hissing off of our backs as we fell onto the dirt, scrambling into the temple.
"Hurry! Inside the temple!" I heard Gabriel's voice from outside, bringing Jess inside. They grabbed my arm, looking at me.
"We gotta find a way out of here, Pets - last time we were in here, you…"
"I know. I nearly got sucked into the Witherstorm." I looked away. Not exactly a memory I wanted to remember… "But maybe I can make things right."
"How?" Jess looked at me, raising an eyebrow. "I- past me- Jesse? Whatever. I could only save you by sacrificing Gabriel…"
"If anything happens, I'll meet you guys at the temple-"
"Y-You two! H-Help!"
The two of them - past me and Gabriel - found ourselves in the tractor beams of the Witherstorm, past Jess sprinting towards past me...
"Past you will grab past me… so what if I grab Gabriel?"
"This is the past, Petra - and the past you literally said was the Admin's fake tricks to be a fakey fake faker. How the hell do you flip between being completely aware of this and completely unaware?"
What the hell? Maybe… "Maybe I just want a chance to pretend we could've both been saved!" I folded my arms. "So often you'd pick me over anyone else, and so often I'd find myself thanking you only for whoever you left to die to be stuck in some awful hell fate! Gabriel went mad with Wither Sickness, I nearly died from it, and Lukas almost fell to his death because you wanted to have me by your side instead of anybody else! And of course nooow that you run Beacontown, you- You don't have time for me! The one you almost fucking killed people over just to have by your side!" I yelled, shoving Jess out of the way and sprinting, reaching to grab Gabriel's leg…
Only to be caught in the tractor beam, completely phasing through him as I ascended, Jess screaming as they tried to jump for me.
"PETRA!"
"JESS!"
The last thing I saw was Jess falling to their knees, reaching out desperately but unable to stand up, much less jump high enough to reach me.
Such a shame, who's to blame? Petra's gone, and won't respawn!