The screen came back on to show Jesse and Cassie sitting on the ledge a few yards away from the entrance to the room with the portal in it, staring at each other silently and a little awkwardly. Somewhere in the background, Lukas seemed to be conversing fluently with Winslow, his brow furrowing slightly as he kept chatting away to the cat. Petra was sitting even further back, and Ivor was just reading his book.

"... so," Cassie said at last.

Jesse just raised her eyebrow at the redhead. "So what?" she asked, mildly.

"So... what now?" the girl that was the White Pumpkin shifted slightly, not to mention awkwardly. "Are... you gonna decide my punishment or something? Or... is this supposed to be some sort of therapy session...?"

Several audience members couldn't help snorting a bit at that comment.

Onscreen, Jesse just shook her head and smiled a bit. "No, not unless you want me to pet you or hug you all day. I don't think I'd make a very good therapist," she said, rather cheerfully for not being a good therapist.

"I beg to differ, you'd make a fantastic therapist," Petra told the black-haired girl with a grin.

"No I wouldn't."

"Yes you would, for three reasons. One, you make people feel really good when you're in the same room with them."

"Well, except for my dad-"

"Well he's an ass, so he doesn't count-" Several members of the audience laughed at that dismissive comment. "Two, you're really sweet and nice to everyone, and you seem to identify with them on a different level."

"You make me sound like some sort of New Age guru or something."

Now several members of the audience were nearly in tears at that, they were laughing so hard at the innocent comment Jesse just made.

"Three, you see the best in everyone- or, try to at least," Petra finished, giving Jesse a joking glare as she finished up.

"... that doesn't make me a good therapist though."

"Yes it does child now hush-"

Onscreen, Cassie's face softened into a slight smile, and she tilted her head slightly at Jesse. "So... what am I here for, then?" she asked, although her voice was nearly drowned out by all the giggling that was going on right now. Even a few of the adults were tittering, Harper putting her hand to her mouth in an attempt to keep herself from giggling.

"Well, anyway," and Jesse's smile faded, "you didn't answer my question earlier."

Cassie blinked at the sudden change of demeanor Jesse had just experienced. "Which would that be?"

"Why didn't your aunt come get you? If... you were stuck here, surely she'd have a portal key somewhere?" Jesse asked, her face going even more serious than before.

Real-Cassie's amused smile faded.

Onscreen, Cassie's face went completely blank at the question, and she looked away a bit. "... she died," she said at last.

Hadrian, Mevia, Otto, and a few other people in the room started a bit at that.

Onscreen, Jesse blinked a bit.

Well, she probably hadn't been expecting that.

"She... she wasn't exactly the healthiest person," Cassie continued, staring blankly into one of the corners of the room as if it were the most fascinating thing she'd ever seen. "And... well..." She paused for a moment, before making a vague sound in the back of her throat. If you paid attention to her eyes though, you could see tears start welling up in her eyes.

"Oh... did that...?" Aiden asked, slowly, glancing over at the real redhead, who was just staring at the screen blankly.

"... yeah."

"Oh..." the spider hybrid trailed off, a sad look coming over her face. "... I'm... so sorry to hear that. I... I'm sad to say that I kinda know how you feel." She stared at the ground, her own expression becoming a little more distant. "I lost someone a few months ago, and... well... I miss him every day."

Reuben snorted a bit from where he was now in Jace's lap, giving a little whine when the girl looked over at him and then a comforting, piggy smile.

She smiled back, faintly.

Lukas still looked slightly loopy, but he must've at least gotten that Jesse was sad, because he wrapped his arms around her and tightened his grip gently. "Don't be sad, Jess," he mumbled, slightly incoherently.

Cassie's gaze grew even sadder onscreen. "... I... I stopped telling people about Aunt Cass, 'cause... well... it always sounds so insincere when people say 'I' sorry about your loss'," she said, after a few moments.

"I kinda know what you mean." The spider hybrid closed her eyes and exhaled slowly and a little shakily, as if fighting off tears.

"But... I'm sorry about your loss."

"Me too."

The two of them sat there for a moment longer, both of them staring at the floor with tears in their eyes, before Jesse took a deep breath and mopped at her eyes a little bit. "Well, I think I liked your aunt. She gave us crackers sometimes."

Cassie snorted a bit at that, although her eyes were still wet. "She did always have crackers in her pockets... I'm sure she would've liked to hear that. I mean, not about the crackers-" Jesse smirked, and a few of the audience members just couldn't help but laugh a bit at that, even though the scene that was currently going on was more than a bit heart-wrenching, "but- you liked her, I mean."

"I'm glad to hear that she would've been glad." The two girls looked up at each other, a few moments passing as they regarded each other silently.

Then Cassie snorted a bit at that, and Jesse chuckled, and the two of them let out small laughs at that. It was... a little bittersweet, honestly.

Real-Cassie and Jesse exchanged looks at that.

Onscreen, Jesse's smile faded again, and she finally let out a low sigh. "... okay, look, everyone in this room is expecting you to go through- some sort of punishment," she said at last, bluntly. (Both Real-Cassie and Onscreen winced at the comment.) "And... frankly, I agree. It's not okay for someone to- I don't know- get away with murder, so- well, I've got two options for you. One, you can stay here, but you can't leave this world."

Cassie winced, fists tightening.

Honestly, for what she'd done, she'd been expecting worse, but...

It still hurt.

"Ever. You can't leave the house either, you- literally would just have to sit in the house all day with your cats." Jesse paused, sounding a little pained, before meekly adding, "Basically house arrest. But, um, you'd be free to do whatever you want within the house, of course."

Cassie's body was tensing up onscreen, and her gaze was becoming steadily more and more fearful. "... what's the second option?" she asked, after a few moments. She tried to sound casual, but came out more as a tight and fearful mutter.

Aiden put an arm around Cassie instinctively. The redhead looked at him oddly, and he winced, getting ready to remove his arm-

She leaned into him.

He blinked in surprise as Cassie leaned up against him, tears beading up in her eyes a little bit.

She was scared.

She didn't want to be trapped here...

Alone...

Even with Winslow at her side...

After being trapped in this world for so long, her punishment being that exact thing...

Well, it hurt.

Onscreen, Jesse took a deep breath. "The other option... is that you come with us."

Several members of the audience automatically looked over at Jesse, but Real-Jesse was simply smiling slightly. Real-Cassie's head snapped up, eyes widening. Onscreen, the redhead also blinked at Jesse, simply looking completely bewildered.

"Ivor, Petra, Lukas and me. You come with us," Jesse repeated, gesturing at herself and then her other friends.

Lukas glanced up upon hearing his name. "Petra and Ivor aren't exactly stoked about the idea," he called out, absently.

"No. No, we're not," Petra said rather flatly, glaring up at Cassie a bit and sparking a bit in- well, in anger.

Real-Cassie shifted away a bit, looking slightly frightened now.

"How is that a punishment?" Cassie asked the spider hybrid blankly. "I mean- I've been wanting to get out, for- for a long time now. How is you taking me with you a punishment?"

"Yes, that's... a good question," Ivor mumbled, raising his eyebrow.

Jesse shrugged a bit, arching her eyebrow. "Well, our lives out there aren't exactly a cakewalk. Besides, we can keep a better eye on you out there better than with you locked up in a mansion, and... well, you've got some useful skills."

Harper visibly shuddered, making several people look at her oddly.

"Also, Lukas and Winslow get along pretty darn well," Jesse added, glancing over at Lukas, who had gone back to chatting with Winslow rather animatedly, before looking down at her lap.

"You'd... take me with you?" Cassie stared at Jesse with a blank expression.

But... there was a tiny spark of hope growing in her eyes.

Several members of the audience glanced at Real-Cassie, who was leaning forward a bit to stare at the screen. She looked... hopeful.

"Yeah..." Jesse rubbed the back of her neck a bit, awkwardly. "I mean... I'm not sure I trust you all that much anymore. Or... yet, or however you want to put it, but... I do trust you. Enough. Besides..." She looked back up at Cassie sheepishly. "I don't like hating people. Do you?"

Cassie stared at Jesse for several long, slow moments, hope slowly beginning to come into her face. Real hope. "You... you'd take me with you?" she repeated, simply looking stunned now.

"I mean..." Jesse shrugged again, looking away awkwardly and staying quiet for a few seconds. "Petra and Ivor are willing. They're not happy about the fact that I'm even willing to suggest it, but... if you want to, they're willing to. And Lukas is fine either way. And... well, I mean... you know how I feel about it, I, ah," and she chuckled a bit. "I just told you."

Several members of the audience smiled at that at that a bit, but were looking from the screen to the real-life counterparts sitting in front of them.

Real-Cassie was shaking her head slowly. "I..." She looked over at Jesse, the black-haired girl giving her a cheerful smile. "... I... thank you... I don't know what to say..."

Jesse shrugged a bit, giving her a smile as Lukas blinked a bit, loopily. "You don't have to say anything."

Onscreen, the spider hybrid sat there for another moment, before looking back at Cassie again. "So? How about it? Which option do you want to take?" she asked, softly.

Cassie hesitated... before saying the option they'd all been almost certain that she'd take.

"I'll come with you."

The spider hybrid nodded a little bit, a wolfish grin coming over her face. "Well, that's settled then. And you'd better do your best to make up for what happened, or else I can't really guarantee your safety if Petra and you are left alone in the same room. Let's go, then." The spider hybrid hopped to her feet and cheerfully trotted out of the room.

Cassie blinked after Jesse, watching as Petra and Ivor got up to follow her, before glancing over at Lukas. "I'm... starting to worry that my decision wasn't the best one," she said, slowly. "Why's that?"

Lukas considered the question for a few seconds. "Good instincts?"

That probably didn't make Cassie feel any better, if the way Real-Cassie had just stiffened a bit was any indication.

Cassie and Lukas walked over, Lukas back on Cassie's shoulder, and Jesse smiled at the redhead cheerfully. "Ready to go?" she asked, cheerfully.

"I- sure." Cassie blinked a bit, looking almost shocked. "I... just can't believe it. Fourteen or fifteen years of searching and waiting, and... I'm... leaving," she said, after a few more seconds of surprise.

"Yes... I'd imagine that's a little bit of a shock after so long," Ivor said, not sounding exactly sympathetic... but definitely pretty mild.

"Actually, I think you might get along with Olivia," Jesse said, as they walked through the doorway towards the portal. "Once- y'know, once you get past the whole 'murderer' thing and... all."

Olivia blinked at that, before tilting her head. "Well, actually... yeah, I could see that happening. We both like redstone."

"Both geniuses," Cassie joked, making Olivia grin.

Onscreen, Cassie simply blinked. "Who's Olivia?"

"A friend who likes redstone," Lukas told the redhead simply.

"Ah."

Petra tapped her lip, eyes becoming more thoughtful at the thought of that. "Y'know... huh. You know, you've got a good point there, Jesse."

The spider hybrid came to a stop in front of the portal, a rather relieved smile coming over her face. "Well... here we are." She pulled out the flint and steel that Cassie had returned to her, before kneeling down. Carefully, she clicked them together.

A pillar of blue flame exploded in the spot she'd just clicked them above, and suddenly the doorway was blazing a bright, beautiful green.

"Good sign so far," Ivor said mildly, tilting his head and giving a slight nod.

"Yeah. No arrow traps or trick floors or anything," Petra said, looking around and the floor, Lukas also looking.

Cassie frowned a bit at that. "Okay, I'm not that paranoid."

"Yeah, I can't see even you being that paranoid," Petra said simply, ignoring the way Cassie winced a little bit at that.

"Back to the hallway," and Jesse stood back up, hands going on her hips.

"Okay, who's going first?" Lukas asked, looking around at the rest of the group with his ears twitching.

Jesse turned around to face her friends, a huge grin coming over her face. "Hey- we're all a team now. We all go together."

Cassie blinked at that, eyes widening a bit as she regarded Jesse.

The spider hybrid noticed the surprised look, and gave Cassie a bright smile in return, before turning back around to face the portal. "You guys ready?" she asked, grinning back at them, before getting into a preparatory position. "One..."

"Two..." Lukas and Petra joined in this time.

"Three!" Cassie and Ivor joined in, before the screen switched to show the portal head on. Jesse, Lukas, Petra, and Cassie (who was accompanied by Winslow) charged through the portal in a small cluster. Ivor ran towards the portal before suddenly coming to a stop and looking right at the audience, a wide grin on his face.

Soren blinked. "Can he... see us?" he mused.

"It might just be for dramatic effect," Mevia suggested. "Or- well- something along those lines."

"Adventure!" he exclaimed, winking at them.

Then he turned around and charged straight through the portal.

The screen blacked out again.

Slowly, it came back in to show the portal hallway, and from the right walked in-

"Sparklez!?" Dan shouted, bolting straight up, overbalancing, and knocking him and Stampy to the floor. Sparklez would've tried to help them up, but he was too busy gaping openmouthed at the screen.

"Alright! What's going on, dudes? It's me, CaptainSparklez," Sparklez said, putting his hands on his hips. "Next time on Minecraft: Hybrid Mode..." and he adopted a deeper voice as he started walking along the hallway. "After defeating the dreaded White Pumpkin in a way that was really not expected-" and he went back to his regular voice, "I mean, who'da thought that Jesse and Cassie were best friends as kids, right? - will Jesse and the others find their way back to the portal hallway? And will it lead them home? Or instead, are they destined for more perilous adventures?"

"Seeing your guys's luck so far, I'm more inclined towards the latter," Em said flatly. Upon hearing this, Jesse let out a laugh that slowly petered out.

"Haha! Haha... ha... ha..." Her smile turned into a frown. "Yeah, I think you're right."

Several people got the giggles at her reaction.

Sparklez came to a stop in front of a green portal, the screen switching back to his front as he shrugged, putting his hand on his hip. "Well, I guess I'll never know because I got pounded into the ground by a ton of sand." He walked forward a little, smiling mildly. "I guess you saw that, right? I'm in the middle of an a-MAZing speech, and boom!" He suddenly disappeared towards the ground. The screen switched to show Sparklez posing in a very casual pose on the floor, one arm keeping his head up and the other gesturing at his body. "I've suddenly become part of the floor."

Several people just couldn't help but snort at that.

"I mean, dude, you saw that, right?" Sparklez stood back up, putting his hands on his hips. "How much worse can it get? First, they choose NOT to invite me on their adventure, and the next thing I know-" He crossed his arm. "I'm part of the floor!"

After a moment, he shrugged and uncrossed his arms, giving them a cheerful smile. "Anyway, one thing's for certain- even without me, this is going to be an amazing adventure!" and he turned around, the screen slowly zooming out as he walked away down the portal hallway before fading to black.

A few moments passed, and the screen came back on to the title screen.

"That's it, then?" Otto blinked. "That's this episode?"

"I... I guess so," Petra said, blinking a bit.

"Yeah... now, I'd love to discuss everything that we just saw, but, um, I think Lukas needs sleep right now," and as Jesse looked at him, Lukas was laughing loopily at something.

"Haha... Jesse... you're pretty..." he said, in a sleepy way.

Jesse raised an eyebrow and gestured at him, as if to say: See?

"Yeah. It's-" Soren yawned, tears springing into his eyes as he did so. "It's pretty late. Let's have a meeting tomorrow morning, shall we?"

"Sounds good to me," Jace yawned himself, stretching a little bit as Jesse managed to heave an unresisting Lukas to his feet and start leading him towards the hallway.

Petra waited until Jesse had left the room, before clearing her throat and attracting the attention of several people who'd been about to leave. "Hey, Isa, Reginald, Gabriel... can I talk to you guys for a minute?"

The three of them exchanged bemused looks, before getting up and following Petra out of the room as well.


A/N: Oooh, what did Petra want to talk to them about? 0-0

Haha, anyway, that wraps up Episode 6! Expect some fluffy fillers for the next two chapters! :3

Also... please submit characters to Phantasmagoria's website, my DeviantArt (comment on the actual contest post, don't note it to me), Quotev messages, or FFN PMs; I need 40 background characters and I'm not in the mood to design them all.

RQTC: Who's ready for a huge binge-uploading of chapters in the next few days?

Responses!

TheRealRedGaming: (laughs)

MissyMattingly: Don't worry, just read it again slowly if you need to. Or, if you're still confused, PM me or just ask again xD

LunarStarsMoons: (laughs) Ahh, it's fine. x3 / Yeah well it was midnight over here xD / x3 / (laughs)

LittleAngelbun: Cool! / Yeah, it hurt a lot... he's gonna be sleeping for a while. Kind of both. Imagine being drunk after having stayed up for two days and you've kinda got Lukas right about now. / Yes, they need to sleep xD / Nah, it's fine xD

RapidSammi: (laughs) / Well, Lukas was kinda loopy so xD / Yeahhh :3 / Ahhh, that sucks. / (laughs)

Guest: Oh, hi! I remember you. x3

Infernius Flashfire: Yep! xD

RavenBlaze4850: Ahhh, gotcha xD / Hehehe xD / (beams) / Yeah, true. / I've never had shepherd's pie, but okay xD

giriri: For which chapter? / I see. / (blinks) Um, thanks.

Emily The Avenger: (laughs) It's fine~

Jack: HI! / Oh :3 That's good to hear. / Oh- (laughs) That's a coincidence! / Yes, yes you do xD

Toni42: We're dead?

sailor . mikuchan: Heheh xD / (grins) / Yeah, I'll be updating as fast as possible for the next few days.

PoptartCrumbs: Ah, cool! :3 I'm glad you liked it! / Yeah, I like it too x3 / Ahh, gotcha.

Savannah-the-Caracal: (blinks) I don't think they're creepy. Even from the POV of the characters. What makes you say that? / Ah, I see :3

x.X. A.L. X.x