One.
Two.
Three.
Jesse was mentally counting her laps as she circled the entire house... mansion... well, whatever it was. Over and over again. It was getting a bit too repetitive, but it was the only thing that kept her mind off of what had happened-
Oh no, now she was about to start crying again.
One. Two. Three.
Reuben was snuffling along in her arms, almost as if he were encouraging her to keep going, which she did. Probably because it was the only thing keeping her from bursting into floods of tears.
Four. Five. Six.
The laps were quite quick the way Jesse was doing them, especially since she alternated between walking and jogging in an effort to keep her mind on anything and everything except Lukas's voice, still ringing in her head over the crunching of grass underneath her shoes, hollow and empty and almost cold.
"It's not your fault."
He'd said it. And she should've felt better.
But she could tell from the way he said it that he didn't really believe it.
Seven. Eight. WHAM!
Jesse was not a very large individual, and so in running into the mystery person standing there she proceeded to very elegantly fly backwards and land right on her butt. At least Reuben was still snug in her arms.
"Oh. Jesse, there you are."
The black-haired girl blinked a bit, looking up at one of the last few people she'd ever expected to come chase after her. "Mevia?"
The pale-blue haired woman let out a long sigh, crouching down to get on Jesse's eye level. (Or, well, a rough approximate of it, anyway.) "I said you'd be outside but does anyone listen to me? Nooo," she grumbled, making Jesse smile a bit.
A slightly awkward silence came over the two of them. Mevia wasn't quite meeting Jesse's eyes, and Jesse didn't know enough about Mevia (or, well, anything now that she thought about it) to try to start a conversation or anything along those lines.
Oh, but-
"Is... Lukas still angry?" Jesse asked weakly.
Mevia glanced sharply at the green-eyed girl, who was now staring at her knees, Reuben insistently snuffling and nuzzling her shoulder. "He... definitely didn't seem happy when I left," the blue-haired woman replied, careful to keep any emotion that might betray her out of her voice.
Jesse let out a little groan and buried her head in her knees. "I knew it."
The blue-haired woman spent a few moments pondering how to put this to Jesse delicately. Then she realized that her nickname was Mevia the Enforcer for a reason and she wasn't exactly fantastic at being delicate, despite being a woman. Otto was better at matters like that. So she just said it bluntly.
"Your boyfriend's an idiot."
Jesse lifted her head, blinking at Mevia in surprise. When Mevia saw that Jesse hadn't quite understood, she made a flailing gesture with her free hand, rolling her eyes a little bit. "You know. Your boyfriend. The blonde guy. Lukas."
"Oh, but he's not my-" For some reason, Jesse decided the battle was futile before she even got that far with it and let it trail off in a soft sigh. "He's not an idiot."
Even Reuben snorted derisively at that.
"Yes he is. He's clearly blaming you for something that you cannot take the blame for." Mevia was very aware of how flatly and bluntly she was saying these things. She really was.
She also was trying to get a point across, and if she danced around the issue all day she was going to get nowhere.
The young girl simply sighed a little again. "But... I mean, I did have a choice. Hadrian was right about that..."
Mevia's shout of "for Notch's sake" probably hadn't been heard by a few people in the Far Lands. Probably.
Well, maybe that witch heard it. Actually, she probably did hear it and was wondering what the heck that had just been. As it was, Mevia's shout sent about fifty parrots flying off with a loud squawk.
"Are you freaking-" Mevia punctuated the statement with a very long sigh, before deciding to get to the main point of her argument. "... this is not your fault."
"But-"
"No. No butter, no scones, no tea. No buts."
Jesse couldn't help but grin slightly at Mevia's way of saying 'no buts', as the pale-blue-haired woman continued lecturing the more petite girl. (And significantly younger. Let's not forget that.) "Hadrian's an insensitive idiot for saying that. Yes, it's true," Jesse winced at the very blunt statement, "but at that point in time he could've done without saying it. Lukas is an idiot because he's not taking the obvious thing into account."
"What would that be?"
"That you didn't think about it. I highly doubt you actually came to a well-thought-out reason for saving one or the other and just tackled the nearest person to you."
Reuben grinned as Mevia continued, in her very straightforward and (slightly painfully) candid manner, "This is not your fault. You just happen to have an idiot as a boyfriend." Mevia paused. "Well, not a complete idiot. An idiot in this situation."
Jesse still didn't feel fantastic about this, but... she did feel much better now that Mevia had delivered her little speech. "... okay."
There was a short pause where Mevia was looking at Jesse and Jesse was just looking back at her, Reuben looking between the two of them.
"... alright, I can see I'm not getting anywhere with this, so how about we stop talking about this and I can teach you how to fight?" Mevia asked abruptly, standing up and looking down at the petite girl still curled up on the ground.
"Wh-? You can fight?" Jesse asked automatically, standing up, Reuben still cradled in her arms.
Mevia sighed, giving her eyes a slight roll. "Does it really look like I can't fight? Yes, I can fight. I'm quite good at it, actually. I'll go easy on you, since you're still basically a kid and since you took a bit of a beating earlier with some of the others."
"... okay." Jesse managed a small smile, setting Reuben down next to her. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it."
The two of them started for the armory, one slightly taller woman (but significantly older) and one very short girl walking alongside each other in silence.
"... wait, how did you know Petra, Gabriel, Isa, and Reginald were training me earlier?"
"Petra seems like she's got a very quick and very uncontrolled fighting style. Mostly to fight off mobs, not other people, so her style is a little more wild and uncouth than the others, harder to predict and easy to end up with lots of bruises if using a practice sword. Gabriel's fighting probably deals more on brute strength, rather than finesse, so he tends to push harder with the blade and causes more strain on your muscles, making it harder and harder to keep up your attacks or defenses, and you were trembling quite a bit when you came back. Reginald seems to have an almost mechanical style, as if he's used to fighting in sync with others, and he's quicker to show defense than offense, since what he's supposed to do is protect the Founder. And with Isa- well, Jesse, I've seen Isa's fighting in action over a hundred times, give me credit for recognizing her handiwork once again," Mevia rattled off, almost automatically.
"... that describes their fighting styles almost down to a T," Jesse said meekly.
Mevia let a smile twitch over her face. "Well, Hadrian and I have a habit of analyzing people as frequently as possible in new situations."
"... you should be an analyst."
At that, Mevia just openly laughed.
Lukas was fiddling with a loose thread on his jacket sleeve. He knew he probably shouldn't, since he'd end up pulling the thing apart, but it was almost hypnotizing the way he'd gotten intrigued in it.
"You have to talk to him about this..."
That was Maya. Her whisper was low enough that if it had been anyone else but Lukas, they probably would've just heard muttering. As it was, Lukas had some pretty fantastic hearing.
"Why exactly will he listen to me again?" That was Aiden.
"Well, you were his best friend..." Gill. Were they were talking about him?
"Yeah, were. Until I pitched him off of a city and kicked him out of the group. I'm sure he'd love to talk to me now."
Yep, they were definitely talking about him.
Lukas didn't show that he was listening, but he shifted around to get a better look at the thread. Chancing a glance up, he could see Aiden gesticulating wildly with Maya and Gill whispering to him. Ivor was watching with some detached interest from where he was.
"Well, first off, you're going to have to talk to him sometime-"
"Unless he ignores me or avoids me, and frankly in his case I couldn't blame him if he did that-"
Ivor got up and started speaking to the three teenagers, his voice low enough that Lukas couldn't quite pick it up. Lukas would never understand how Ivor could keep his voice so soft one minute but then blare out like a broken trumpet the next.
The next thing he knew, Ivor and Aiden were sitting on the carpet a few feet from him, Ivor's face completely unreadable and Aiden's face rather impassive. He could see the way Aiden was chewing on the inside of his cheek a little, though, and he could almost instantly tell that Aiden was nervous.
But about what?
"Lukas, you're being an idiot about the whole thing with Jesse."
The blonde almost jumped out of his skin and turned to stare at Ivor, who was still completely unreadable. Aiden was staring at Ivor too, looking a little taken aback by the statement himself. "Well, you didn't have to put it like that..." the brown-haired boy murmured, softly.
"If it's subtlety with Ivor you want, he's not like that. He will get straight to the point even if it's a little mean. Actually, he's a bit like Ellegaard in that regard," a passing Soren remarked, before he returned to his seat and flopped down, a book nestled in his hands.
Lukas decided not to comment on how everyone in the room appeared to be listening to the conversation, and the fact that Ivor was looking almost faintly amused at being compared to Ellegaard, and decided instead to focus his attention back on the other two sitting across from him. "How so?" Even he winced (internally) at how cold his voice was.
"Lukas, you're pretty much blaming her for something that's not her fault. If there's anyone to blame, it's PAMA. Not Harper, not Petra, and definitely not Jesse," Aiden picked up, quietly.
"As if you're one to talk," Lukas muttered back bitterly, before blinking in surprise as Aiden visibly flinched at the comment.
Holy crap, had he just said that?
"Alright, what is wrong with you?" Ivor asked, tiredly.
"What do you mean what's-" Lukas didn't even get halfway finished with the statement as Ivor started listing reasons, staring right at Lukas the whole time.
"You're acting like a total asshole, you've been distant with everyone, and you didn't get up and run after Jesse almost immediately. You're blaming her for something that's not her fault at all. And you know full well it's not her fault."
I know it's not her fault, Lukas wanted to say. I don't know why I'm feeling like this.
What came out, instead, to his utter mortification, was a bitter, "Isn't it?"
Everyone in the room had completely abandoned the pretense of pretending to do something and was now just staring at Lukas. Em and Nell had been holding a small conversation, but were now gaping at him in perfect unison. Soren had dropped his book, Maya had whipped around from where she'd been about to quietly exit the room, and Petra and Jace had conked heads as they'd spun around to stare at him. He could feel a hot red flush rising to his cheeks, he was just so utterly embarrassed.
"Of course it's not!" Jace finally spluttered out, looking befuddled. "Lukas, what's wrong?"
I don't know what's wrong, I have no idea what's going on! Lukas wanted to scream. I'm not the one saying these things anymore! What's going-
Wait.
Episode 6.
The chaos. Things shattering. Those shadows he'd vomited up. Jesse's new choker.
Those shadows he'd thrown up. Jesse's choker.
She'd gotten a lot of it out of him. And he'd felt better this morning, so he hadn't questioned that she'd gotten it all out.
But had she really?
How much of it was still left in his system?
Why hadn't this started happening until after she left the room? Why hadn't he started acting like not him until after she'd jumped up and run away? Because she'd been practically sitting in his lap. Why hadn't he gotten angry about anything sooner? Because there hadn't been any reason until to get angry. Not at Jesse. Not at her. Not enough to make her run away.
Not enough to make that choker come out of contact with him. Not until now, anyway.
"Lukas?"
His mind snapped back to the current dilemma. Aiden and Ivor were staring at him with concern, Ivor's brow furrowed slightly, Aiden's lip between his teeth in that signature moment of worry that Lukas had gotten used to over the years.
"Are you okay?" Aiden asked him, hesitantly. As if he was afraid of Lukas lashing out at him again.
Lukas managed a tight, stiff shake of the head as he struggled to get to his feet without his body and voice rebelling against him. Get up, dammit.
"I don't think so."
"Awwww!" Jesse let out a half-laugh, half-groan as she collapsed back onto a heap on the floor, letting the wooden sword clatter out of her hand. "I don't think I'm ever going to beat you."
"Oh, you're doing fine."
"You said you're going easy and you whacked me fifty times! Over that, really!" Jesse panted out, but she was still grinning. This was oddly therapeutic, being whacked by a sword. (Technically it was supposed to be the other way around, but Jesse hadn't managed to land one hit on Mevia. For such a significantly older woman, she could really move.)
"Well, you're still doing better than most people would."
"I shudder to imagine what you're like with an actual sword in your hand," Jesse eked out, flopping onto her back, but she couldn't help but just grin at Mevia.
Mevia let her wooden sword drop, a grin coming over her face. "Yes, well, you really aren't doing that badly. Really," she said, when Jesse gave her a flat look, "if you had some armor, in a real fight with me, you might be able to survive long enough to run away."
Jesse just groaned a bit, before rolling over onto her stomach and managing a weak grin up at the blue-haired woman. "This is oddly therapeutic."
"What, being smacked with a wooden sword over and over again?"
"Well, it sounds bad when you put it that way," Jesse managed, although she couldn't help chuckling a bit with depleted lungs. That was almost exactly how she'd put it, mentally.
Mevia scoffed a little bit, shaking out her short blue hair a little bit. "Don't tell anyone that, I'd be a terrible therapist."
"Well, I don't know about that."
"I'm blunt, I just spent the past half-hour whacking you with a wooden sword, and I'm not empathetic at all," Mevia replied, in her usual brusque manner. "I would make the worst therapist in the world."
"Well, it made me feel better," Jesse chuckled a bit, pushing herself back to her feet and letting out a long breath. "Shall we go again?"
Mevia didn't get the chance to even begin to reply, when suddenly the door to the armory was thrown open. Mevia's relaxed expression tightened, and Jesse automatically glanced over her shoulder to see who it was.
It was Lukas, his hand still tight on the doorknob. So tight that he was practically strangling it as he stood in the doorway, shoulders trembling.
"Lukas?" Jesse frowned, turning around to face him with concern written all over her face. And she obviously couldn't see her own face, but... she knew. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"
Lukas didn't respond immediately, just staring at Jesse for a moment. His shoulders were trembling violently as he stepped forward, almost hesitantly. And his eyes... were those tears in the corners of his eyes?
"Lukas?" Jesse frowned again, setting her wooden sword down, before walking forward and putting her hands on his shoulders, feeling them abruptly relax under her hands. "What's wrong?"
His eyes flicked down to her neck. Now that he was glancing down, Jesse couldn't help but remember that thing- an almost choker-like object- with the thin chain around her ne-
Oh Notch.
Oh Notch no.
His eyes travelled back up to her own green eyes, which had suddenly widened in horror and realization.
Oh no.
Oh no.
Oh no.
"Help me," he whispered.
And then his eyes rolled back into his head, and for the second time in 24 hours, Lukas collapsed to the ground in a dead faint.
A/N: Lukas stop fainting
Okay, but Mevia was nice, we realize "oh Lukas being an asshole is not entirely Lukas's fault", and Jesse's swordfighting skill has... sort of progressed.
Also, completely off-topic, but I went to Hot Topic (lol) the other day and got soooo much stuff. I'll show y'all once it's out of the wash x3
Another completely off-topic topic, but happy belated birthday to the wonderful guest reviewer Rabbits rule! (thanks for telling me Aboun) I should've posted the chapter two days ago or yesterday. My apologies.
Ooh, one last thing! The Phantasmagoria background character contest is still on, and going on until the END OF AUGUST. So please submit characters as fast as you can!
RQTC: What aspect of my stories do you not like?
Everything. xD
Also when the heck did we get almost 80,000 views like w a t
Responses to reviewers!
LunarTheMooncake: Ahh, sorry fam. xD / (shrugs back)
PoptartCrumbs: Yeah, I oddly love angst, too. xD / (laughs) I know what you mean, dude, I completely know what you mean. Which reminds me that I never uploaded my Radar fanart, did I -_-
Jack: Sorryyyyy xD
Toni42: Oh dear xD I'm sorry about that. But... well, I just had to once I got the idea.
AquaK13: Agh, sorry xD / It will live. Maybe. ... it might not live. (Jk, jk, Lukesse will live on. I think. Maybe.) / Ahhh, yeah, little kids can be so annoying but wonderful at the same time xD
Kaos Ruin: Aw, I'm sorry xD / I was like panicking internally when I had to pick. Like, Telltale, why do you do this to me?!
andie: ? / ... have you not been reading this story dude xD / Idk. xD / I definitely don't know. / Well, the way Hadrian said it was pretty insensitive. Also, he just generally has a tone to his voice that makes you want to punch him in the face. / ... ummm... / Yeah, precisely. I actually have one line that I'm keeping in that summarizes how OP Cassie is xD / Yep, chapters are sort of pre-made. I change some things, but definitely won't be changing much in Episode 8. / Um, I'm glad you like the story, but please don't comment on other readers's reviews, as I think the review is directed more towards me and not towards the entire fandom in general. (Unless they address the entire fandom, in which case carry on! xD)
EmLee: He knows it's not her fault, and he knows full well, but he can't help feeling like it is, just a little.
homeworkoverload: (cracks up) You can totally play, but he didn't really do anything wrong. Just was a little insensitive at the wrong time. / Aww, but braces will make your teeth look lovely, so it pays off in the end. / (laughs)
LegoGirl794: Oh 0-0
Emily The Avenger: I should've just named the chapter that, no caps xD
CrystalTearsofFaith: (cackles) / Yeah, Lukas wasn't exactly in the wrong, but we all know how sensitive Jesse was. He probably should've tried to hide it a little better until the situation was better. Well, but then again we figured out WHY that happened THIS chapter, but
TheRealRedGaming: Nah, you love Ava more than you love yourself :3
CamronXTheXGamer: (cackles) / Ahhh, hm. / Depends on the situation, really! I could go both ways.
S4SH4L4SH4theGaMeR101: (is cackling) / Yeah, I don't know why I wrote that, but HEY MORE DRAMA THIS CHAPTER xD
RapidSammi: (snorts) (starts cracking up)
NoItsBecky: Yes indeedy / Nah, they're good. / (laughs) I've never played D&D, so art school it is.
Guest: Meh / I'm glad you think I'm amazing, but I'm not really that amazing haha xD
DarkPrincess2001: Oh, trust me... he knows.
LittleAngelbun: Aghhh :/ That sucks. xD / Sorryyyyy xD / Surprisingly, probably one of the last people anyone expected.
Rabbits rule: Sorryyyyy xD
BeliTheGhoti0304: Whaaa xD / Oh noes / Lolololol yep, that sounds about right. / Hahahahahaha xD
the indecisive bird: Oh hi Mason long time no see / Ahhh.
Darkbeast Dend: Mm. / Redstone skill? What redstone skill? I don't see a redstone skill. / Bye! / No, I'm not dead. Why did I get a comment so soon, one week of not updating and everyone thinks you're dead xD
giriri: Yeah that was fun xD / (cackles) / (laughs) / YAS FINALLY SOMEONE WHO KNOWS WHO IT IS!
Infernius Flashfire: (cracks up) Well, it's not entirely his fault, so... / Yes, it totally does. xD
Shadow: Please don't, then the story wouldn't be able to progress xD / (starts cracking up)
WingardiumLeviosa223: That's good! :3
ShiningHopeBeast: Ooh, boy, big long review. Let's get to it! / Aw, thank you! It's not that great, but thanks! / (laughs) Ahh, I know how you feel about that. / Oh, yes! I did see that. Thank you for the submission! / No, it's fine! I was thinking about extending the deadline anyway, so you're totally fine! / Thank you for this submission as well! / Ah, it's fine, don't worry. x3 / ? What's MHM? / Ah, I can't do anything about that. I ship DanCat as well in the game universe xD / Oh, I see. Be forewarned there will be a looooot of same-sex shipping at points in my stories. / Thank you for the (very long) review!
Um, holy shit, that was a lot of reviews.
Anyway, that's all for this time! See ya, sayonara, and g'bye!
x.X. A.L. X.x.
