WARNING: CONTAINS SUICIDE AND OTHER DARK THEMES
Jesse let out a small sigh, gazing out from the edge of the cliff. Just jungle. Jungle for chunks upon chunks. Nothing else. He looked down. He had already been stuck here for a week. With... Jack. They had been separated somewhere in the jungle and haven't found each other since. Supplies were running scarce, and he didn't even have his armor. Jesse looked down at his arm. It was wrapped in a makeshift bandage, dried blood leaking out from it. He didn't know ocelots could even get to seven blocks tall.
Jack, on the other hand, was in a makeshift shelter, high up in the trees. He didn't know if he would see Jesse or anyone again, and honestly, all he really cared about, at this point, was making sure that Nurm was okay. He couldn't bare the thought that something had happened to Nurm, the thought of it made him shudder. But he knew he had to try and search, so he stepped out of his makeshift house, grabbing the few wooden tools he had and climbing down the tree to the ground below. He looked around. No signs of humans...
"Jesse!" He yelled out. "Are you here?!"
"Yeah." Jesse answered back. "Why?"
"I've been looking for you!"
"I was just right here."
"But why didn't you tell me?! You know how worried I can get..."
"I'm not helpless." Jesse retorted, standing up. "I don't need anybody worrying about me."
"But you KNOW that I'll get worried, always. You know how I am, don't you? I always worry about my friends..." Jack seemed to be tearing up a little.
Jesse sighed, crossing his arms, awkwardly because of the wound. "I can handle myself. That ocelot was... Just a surprise."
"Sure... Just, do you have any leads as to where we are, and any way we can get home?"
"No." Jesse bit his lip. There's nothing but jungle here."
"Damn it." Jack sighed. "We need to get back as soon as possible... Who knows what that 'Admin' could be doing... " He sighs and clutched the necklace he always wore. "I'm not letting Nurm die, just like how Vos and Sammy died. I can't lose my last friend. You know that."
"Nobody's dying. We're gonna get out of this jungle, and stop the Admin." Jesse got up, but he stumbled, catching himself on the tree. He winced before standing upright, acting as if nothing had happened.
Jack seemed worried. "Are you okay...? That looked like it hurt."
"I'm fine." Jesse muttered. Let's just... Let's just get a move on."
"Of course... " Jack handed Jesse a wooden sword. "Here, just in case."
"Thanks." Jesse put it into his inventory.
Jack smiled a little. "So, which way do we need to head, do you think?"
Jesse shrugged. "I don't think any way we take would be different at this point."
Jack sighed. "Jesse, that makes you sound like you're losing hope... I guess you wouldn't be the only one."
"I'm not." Jesse snapped suddenly. "Let's... just go."
Without another word, Jesse walked away, pulling out the battered wooden sword.
Jack followed, being a little concerned for Jesse. Jesse didn't say a word to him.
Even as minutes turned into hours as they walked, the landscape didn't change. The hot, humid air that made Jesse feel like he was walking through soup, the leaves above them that shaded the entire floor, the muddy dirt that made walking difficult, and bugs that would not stop trying to bite at Jesse's wounded arm. Still, he didn't stop. There had to be some way out of this jungle.... Right?
Jack was losing hope by the moment. Everything was the same... Same trees, same floor, same... them. Nothing was going to get them out of this place, right? That's what Jack believed. He sighed and looked at Jesse, a concerned look upon his face.
"So, Jesse..." He hesitated to talk, afraid to be yelled at.
"What?" Jesse turn't turn to look at him.
"How about... I tell one of my adventuring stories to you, to pass the time...?"
"Okay." Jesse didn't sound too enthusiastic.
Jack begun to tell a very specific, and quite detailed story. The story of how he meet Nurm... His voice had a tone of upset in it as the story progressed. Jesse didn't say a word as he listened.
By the end of telling the story, Jack seemed to be on the verge of crying.
"I'm..." Jesse began. "I'm sorry I left Nurm in that prison."
Jack twitched. "...Sorry.... SORRY?! Really... Sorry?! You left a LLAMA over my last remaining friend?! You know, I've actually freaking given up hope now, well done for reminding me! He's probably fucking DEAD and YOU are just being all 'Oh, ever so sorry Jack for leaving your only close friend in certain doom!' It's not nice, Jesse. Have you ever felt what it's like having your friends die right in front of you, then finding something that reminded you of them?!" He sighed.
"Yes, I have." Jesse's voice remained low, but there was an edge to it. Still, he didn't turn to Jack. "When I battled the Wither Storm, I lost somebody very, very close to me. He died slowly right in front of me. There was nothing I could do."
Jesse's voice was beginning to get shaky.
"I get reminded of him every. Single. Day. You're not the only one, Jack. You're not a 'one of a kind, tragic hero.' So you better stop making assumptions."
Jesse started to walk faster, making Jack lag behind.
He sighed. "I...I'm sorry for that outburst, Jesse...I just... I just can't bear the thought of losing Nurm..." Shaking a little, Jack then fell to his knees and started to cry, all this stress finally getting to him...
Jesse stopped, and turned. He wiped a tear from his eye and looked down at Jack. He bit his lip.
"We're going to go back for Nurm. After all of this is over. If he can't find a way from that cell, he'll be right where we left him. He's going to be fine."
"I just can't believe that..." Jack stood up and wiped the tears away and sighed. "I can't believe anything anymore... I just want to.... I want to... " He mumbled something and looked over at a nearby cliff face. Just staring at it and thinking...
"Don't." Jesse's eye widened.
"I... I can't take the guilt... I'm so sorry Jesse, but..." He looked Jesse dead in the eye. "Not all heroes can take all of the guilt, and heartache... You may be strong-willed... But me, I'm just a coward hiding behind a tough guy schick..."
"I'm not letting you die, Jack." Jesse raised his voice. "I don't care if you're a coward or whatever. You're still not doing to die. Not on my watch."
"...You can't stop me forever, Jesse." He seemed to be getting a little angry. "I hate life. I want to see Vos and Sammy again. I want to see Nurmie... "
"You're not dying!" Jesse repeated, his voice raising. He took a step towards Jack.
"Try and stop me." Jack seemed to smirk a little as he ran over to the cliff face. He wasn't going to let anyone stop him from seeing his friends.
Jesse sprinted after him, a lot faster than anybody would have expected a malnutritioned teenager to.
"Let me die, Jesse! Why do you continue to hold onto me?" Jack reached the edge of the cliff face and looked at Jesse, then took a step towards the edge.
Jesse slammed into him, not being able to stop in time, but he latched onto Jack's arm just as he was going off the edge.He yanked the older hero away from the edge.
Jack smirked. "Well, I guess this is a goodbye. Whatever, I'll be seeing Vos and Sammy soon. Then hopefully, even sooner, Nurmie.." He grabbed Jesse's hand and was about to push Jesse away...
"Jack, I care about you!" The teenager kept his grip on Jack's arm.
Jack seemed to not care... "Jesse... Does it look like I care about you back? Goodbye." He pushed Jesse away and fell.
"Jack!" Jesse could only helplessly watch as the older hero's figure fell and disappeared into the trees below.
He stood, unmoving at the cliff's edge, looking down. He felt nothing but shock. He breathed in shakily, barely choking out a sob, backing away from the edge. Jack had really did it. He really had killed himself. And he didn't even care that Jesse tried to stop him. He sank to the ground, hugging his knees, letting out a sob. He was all alone now.
Hours turned into days and days turned into weeks without Jack. Still, Jesse pressed on. He had found Jack's inventory two weeks prior- and it only made him break down again. Jack didn't have much on him, but he discovered that he had kept a diamond sword in his inventory. So he replaced the wooden sword with it.
He spent his time traveling, from sunrise to sundown. He didn't do much else besides walking and sleeping. He ran into a few giant ocelots, but now that he knew their attacks, he could kill them more easily. One day, it was so hot out that he passed out right on the jungle floor. But, when he woke up, though he was confused, he just got up and kept walking.
But one day when he woke up, he couldn't stand. His head was pounding, and he broke into a coughing fit. His legs felt horribly sore. He felt hope die away when he realized he was sick.
He didn't know how long he laid in the bushes that he bedded down in. But his head hurt too much to even guess how long he had been there. It was difficult to breath, and he constantly felt cold.
One day, he heard rustling. He tried to remain quiet, because he thought it was going to be another giant ocelot, but he sneezed. Which caused him to break into a coughing fit. He curled up, letting out a quiet sob. He was going to die.
But then, someone ran forward. Petra, followed by Radar and Xara.
"Jesse? Jack?" Petra ran over to where the coughing had came from. She was worried.
Jesse didn't respond. He was sobbing now.
Petra called out yet again. Xara rolled her eyes and half-heartedly yelled out Jesse's name.
"H-he's dead." Jesse muttered. He coughed again, and something came out of his mouth. His eyes widened when he saw it was blood.
"J-Jesse!?" Radar came forward, and, without hesitating, he pulled the teenager into a hug. "O-oh my Notch Jesse I'm so glad you're okay!"
Radar pulled away, still holding onto him. "O-oh Notch, what happened to your eye!?"
Xara looked around. "Where is that other guy?"
"D-dead." Jesse muttered. "He... H-he threw himself off a cliff."
Petra seemed heartbroken. "N-no... " She whimpered a little, and hugged Jesse.
Xara mumbled something, then looked at Jesse. "You did grab his inventory, right? 'Cuz, we have the inventory of his little 'Nurm' friend, or whatever his name was." She looked at Radar.
Jesse's eye widened. He tried to stand up, but collapsed again. Radar caught him.
Petra sighed and hugged Jesse. "We... we know the way home from here... We need to get back and 'demote' the Admin of his powers... We have the required item..."
Xara pulled out some shiny... potato? "This is it... A potato. Kind of stupid, I know. But Fred, the admin who discovered this power, needed to make it not so suspicious."
"Admin..." Jesse murmured. He coughed again, clutching his stomach.
"H-He's sick." Radar bit his lip. "W-we need to get him m-medical help!"
"Obviously." Xara rolled her eyes, obviously not caring about Jesse.
"P-Petra! W-we need to get him to that town." Radar looked up helplessly at the ginger.
"Of course. Then when he's healed, we get to Becontown, destroy the Admin and... Well..." She sighed. "I guess things are back to normal."
Xara raised an eyebrow. "But what about the power that's left over from Romeo?"
"Either destroy it, or let Jesse have it."
"C-can we not worry about that right now?" Radar was trying to lift Jesse, and even though he was pretty much the equivalent of a skeleton at that point, the younger teen couldn't lift him.
Petra sighed. "Radar, let me carry him." She went over to Jesse, and effortlessly picked him up.
Xara was bored. "Can we go? I'm getting bored."
"L-let's just g-go." Radar took off, in a walk that was pretty close to a jog.
Petra followed, quite quickly. Xara just lagged behind, looking around.
At the pace they were going, it didn't take long for the four to get to the town. But by the time they arrived, Jesse was passed out, right after vomiting blood right onto Petra.
Xara sighed, being pretty damn bored. Petra didn't care. She walked up to one of the villagers.
The man turned, boredly gazing at her at first, but his eyes widened.
"Y-you're Petra." His voice was close for a whisper.
"Yes, I am. Now please... Help... J-Jesse he... He caught some illness from the jungle and he needs healing..."
The man pointed a trembling finger to a hospital in the distance.
She raised an eyebrow. "Why are you shaking so much?"
The man didn't respond, but he didn't let down his arm. He just kept pointing at the hospital.
"Thanks, I guess?" She headed into the hospital, carrying Jesse.
Xara eyed the man suspiciously. "What's gotten you all shaken up?"
"T-the hospital's right there!" He turned and ran off.
Xara facepalmed and looked at Radar. "You have any idea what's with these people...?"
Radar shrugged. "I-I don't know... Maybe they don't want to get sick...?"
"They got freaked out over 'Petra', though. It's odd as heck..."
"I-I mean... Jesse and P-Petra are renown heroes known by the whole world..." Radar said.
"The person was freaked out. Like, negative freaked out."
"J-Jesse being sick?" Radar shrugged.
"I have no idea... And yet again, I've stopped caring." She looked away.
"Less talking more walking." Petra was already walking briskly towards the hospital.
"I'm staying out here." Xara smirked a little to herself.
Petra sighed. "Whatever... Come on, Radar."
Radar ran to catch up with the ginger.
They got to the hospital, and Peta walked up to the receptionist. "My friend... Illness... In the jungle.."
The lady's eyes widened at Petra, and she called someone immediately.
A few doctors came out from a set of double doors, hastily rushing. One of them took Jesse. Petra was just worried.
The receptionist looked up at Radar and Petra. "Please wait in the waiting room."
"Of course..." Petra sighed.
Radar sat down in a chair, fidgeting with his glasses. Petra sat down next to him, and sighed.
"I know Jesse's going to be fine, he has to be..."
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It had taken over a week, but Jesse had been fully healed, and the group were heading for Beacontown as quickly as possible. They needed to, if they were to stop the Admin before anything majorly serious could happen.
"I... Still can't believe Jack's dead." Jesse muttered as the four were walking.
"And Nurm, too..." Petra was holding Jack's necklace and Nurm's hat, looking at the items.
"I guess they're together, right? In whereever dead souls go after death." Xara piped in a little.
"I... I guess you're right." Radar murmured.
"I tried to stop him," Jesse sighed. "But... H-he was set on jumping off that cliff."
"Yeah..." Petra sighed, then looked ahead. Beacontown was just in the distance.
"What if we die?" Radar gulped.
"We're not gonna die." Jesse replied.
Xara was smirking. "I can't wait to beat Romeo's ass."
"Uhh, are you okay...?" Petra asked Xara.
"I hate that idiot." Xara seemed to smirk. "He's not worthy of Admin powers."
"Y-yeah..." Radar sighed.
"Well, whatever happens, we're gonna beat him." Jesse said.
Xara pulled out the potato and passed it to Jesse. "I don't know how this works. You either make him eat it, or you comically throw it at his 'soul' or something?"
Petra rolled her eyes. "However it's done, the powers need to be destroyed after."
Jesse stopped at the top of the hill. Beacontown was so close. Soon, he could teach the Admin what happens when someone steals his identity and impersonates him.
Petra was mentally preparing herself, and Xara was just happy.
Jesse turned to them. "Now let's defeat an Admin."
Petra yelled a war cry, and sped towards Beacontown. Radar let out what was supposed to be a battle cry, but it sounded more like a high-pitched scream, and ran after the ginger.
Xara looked at Jesse. "So, what are you going to do with Romeo once he's defeated?"
"I don't know... But it's gonna be bad." Jesse answered.
"Of course." Xara looked at Beacontown. "I have to say, however, your town is one of the most impressive I've ever seen."
"Heh, thanks." Jesse smiled.
"No problem."
The group was approaching Beacontown quite quickly. The sun was starting to set, and the warm air was a nice feeling, for all of them.
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It had since been one year since Romeo had been defeated. The 'Admin powers' he possessed had been destroyed, and his fate was unknown to most, except Xara, who was now living in Beacontown, assistant leader of the aforementioned town and Jesse.
Jesse was looking at a memorial he and Petra had built themselves. A memorial for Jack and Nurm. He smiled a little to himself and whispered.
"You can finally rest now, guys. Your adventures are finally over..." He then heard Petra call out.
"Hey, Jesse! Come on, we need to prepare for the next Founding Day!" Petra yelled out. Jesse smiled, and ran over.