Direct Sequel to "Invisible". And ironically requested by the same person XD
Every day Jesse would be out on Beacontown's streets, waving to citizens, smiling at everybody. Occasionally she would be sitting under a tree in the park reading a book – or trying to read a book while various fans called out to her, and crowded her. Sometimes she would even stop by the diner she and her friends used to go to, and get some coffee.
But nobody saw Jesse that day, as she stayed inside the Order Hall, the door locked and the curtains drawn.
It turns out somebody managed to recognize her earlier that morning, when she was wandering through the streets, the hood of her jacket pulled low over her face. Now, two hours later, the town was filled with silent whispers over their former-Hero in Residence's strange behaviour.
Jesse was unaware of this however. After the night out in the cold and snow, she had no desire to go outside again. She had made herself a cup of hot cocoa, and sat down on one of the couches in the living room with a book. She had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders for warmth, and her hair was still slightly damp from the snow.
It were times like this, that Jesse was glad she retired from the title as "Hero In Residence". She could stay at home all day if she wanted too.
After ten minutes of blankly staring at the pages of her book, her mind constantly drifting off or getting distracted, Jesse gave up the effort.
She shut her book, tossing it onto one of the armchairs opposite of her, before pulling her knees up to her chest, and wrapping herself more tightly in the blanket. She lay her head on her knees, blinking heavily.
Jesse hadn't slept in days, her depression keeping her up at night. She'd spend most nights just sitting at the window, watching the town silently, drinking strong coffee in the morning to keep herself going.
But it seems the walk she took the previous night had sapped the last of her strength. She didn't even feel the motivation to read, which is ironically her favourite pass times.
Jesse closed her eyes, finding the silence in the living room calming. But also lonely.
She used to be such a happy person, not going a day without laughing or smiling. Yet, here she is, warn out, sad and depressed.
Then again, she used to have her friends with her. She's never been alone before, she's always had somebody who cared for her. Now all her friends are miles away, living their own lives.
Jesse thought she'd be content here in Beacontown, also living her life, doing what makes her happy. However, it seems the loneliness had caught up to her. Just the mere thought of possibly never seeing all her friends again made Jesse's heart sink into emptiness.
Because no matter how cheerful she may appear, or how kind she treats others around her... she always felt nothing inside.
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As the day tore on, more quiet rumours were spread throughout Beacontown. People were having hushed conversations as they theorised about Jesse's actions earlier that morning.
Nobody stopped to consider that the guy who saw and recognized Jesse might have been wrong, or even lying. But alas, what he saw was true.
Jesse, keeping her face in the shadows, her eyes dark and lifeless. Her hair uncombed, her clothes only hastily pulled over pyjamas. Her breathing trembling, her fingertips blue and her body covered in snow.
It wasn't a description anybody in Beacontown associated with Jesse. And it sparked many conversations and gossiping.
It didn't take long for these rumours to reach Beacontown's new leader, Radar.
Radar used to work for Jesse as an intern, and became her co-Hero In Residence after the scene with the Admin. When Jesse decided to step down from the leader-role, it automatically passed on to Radar.
Radar also happened to be the closest thing Jesse had left to a friend in Beacontown, even though he was never aware of that. He hasn't been talking to her much within the past few weeks, as town-running kept him constantly on his toes.
So, understandably, when Radar heard the rumours, he was quite surprised. He had seen Jesse around town, and she had looked fine to him. Yet, he couldn't help but worry slightly.
Jesse had a knack for hiding things. If something was wrong with her, it didn't surprise him that she had kept it to herself. So, after puzzling over it for half an hour, getting distracted from his work, Radar decided to pay Jesse a visit. He just wanted to make sure she's OK.
So Radar asked his assistant, a guy he had hired two months after Jesse left, to clear his schedule for the rest of the day. Putting on his gloves and wrapping a scarf around his neck, Radar left the warmth of his office behind.
As he walked down street, very few people recognized him. He may be their Hero In Residence, but in their hearts it will always be Jesse. Radar respected that. Honestly, after all that's happened, even now, he still looked up to her.
Radar walked up to the Order Hall,walking up the steps of the porch. He stopped in front of the door, brushing snow off his jacket, before knocking. There was no reply.
After waiting a few minutes, Radar knocked again, louder. Still, nobody replied. So he timidly tried calling out Jesse's name, before knocking again.
Still, nothing moved behind the drawn curtains of the Order Hall. Sighing, Radar took out his cellphone. The Order Hall was huge, there was a good chance that Jesse just couldn't hear him. Or maybe she had gone out?
However, as soon as Radar dialed Jesse's number, he could clearly hear the phone ringing right on the other side of the wall. It kept ringing, nobody picking up or even muting it.
Radar felt slightly worried. Like always, he had started over-thinking things dramatically. What if Jesse was sick, or even hurt? What if she was laying somewhere in there, in a coma, or possibly bleeding to death? He didn't even consider the fact that she might just be asleep.
Now Radar was panicking.
He left the Order Hall, running back down the street in the direction of his own house. When he used to work for Jesse, she had given him a key to the Treasure Hall. The Treasure hall had a door that lead into the living quarters of the Order Hall, so he could possibly get inside. Of course, Jesse might not want visitors, but if she needed his help...
After getting his set of keys from his house, Radar immediately jogged back down the street to the Treasure Hall. His breath came out in short white puffs, his cheeks and the tip of his nose red.
He stepped up the the Treasure Hall, swiftly unlocking the door and opening it. To Radar's surprise the Treasure Hall was dark and layered in dust. It didn't look like anybody had been in there recently.
Radar walked through all the rows of trophies and treasures obtained by the Order of the Stone, feeling slightly upset to see them all layered beneath dust, forgotten.
Shaking his thoughts away, Radar reached the door that lead into the rest of the Order Hall. He reached for the doorknob, praying that it wouldn't be locked. Both to his relief and surprise, it gently swung open, the wood creaking slightly. Radar didn't stop to question it, walking into the warmth of the Order Hall itself.
"Hello?" He called out softly, his small voice bouncing off the walls back at him.
No replies came.
"Jesse?" Radar called again, as he started walking through the building. "Are you in here?"
He stepped into living room. At first he didn't see anything, and was about to turn back around, when he saw Jesse. She was laying on one of the couches, a blanket around her shoulders and her eyes closed. Her mouth was slightly opened as she breathed rhythmically. She was just asleep.
Radar walked up to her, frowning slightly as he took in her appearance. Her chestnut hair was a tangled mess, strands dangling over her pale face. She had dark circles under her eyes, like somebody who haven't been getting any sleep and was wearing pyjamas. A half-full cup of hot cocoa stood discarded on the coffee table.
Was she sick? Radar thought, immediately starting to over-think the situation again. He knelt beside the couch, reached out with one hand to feel her forehead. Jesse didn't have a fever, but Radar still felt concerned for her health.
Not wanting to wake her, he decided to hang around and wait for her to wake up. He wasn't planning on just leaving her. So he walked over, sitting down on one of the comfy chairs.
Minutes ticked by as Radar waited for Jesse. He kept a close eye on her, but she seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Radar picked up the book that was laying beside him on the chair, casually starting to read to pass the time. He didn't even realise it was one of the books written by Lukas.
After about an hour of waiting, Jesse finally stirred in her sleep. She slowly opened her eyes, which were slightly red from the lack of sleep. Her expression was distant and tired.
"Jesse?" Radar asked carefully, setting the book back down beside him.
She jumped slightly at his voice, looking over at him with a surprised expression.
"Radar?" Jesse asked groggily, sitting upright. She rubbed her tired eyes, stifling a yawn.
"Don't take this the wrong way, but why on earth are you inside my house?" She asked, lifting one eyebrow.
Radar nervously fidgeted in the chair, his face read with embarrassment.
"I came in through the Treasure Hall." He explained. "I'm really sorry for intruding like this..." He trailed off, looking up at Jesse nervously.
Despite her drained expression and tired eyes, Jesse smiled faintly at Radar.
"It's OK, I'm not mad." She said gently. "But why?"
"I was kind of... worried about you." Radar said, glancing down at the floor.
"Worried about me?" Jesse asked in confusion, stifling another yawn.
"Somebody saw you in town this morning." Radar explained. "Or at least, they claimed to have seen you. Apparently you didn't look too good..." He trailed off, not exactly sure how to word his sentences. "I came over here to hear if you are OK, but you weren't answering your phone. I just got worried..."
Jesse nodded silently. "So someone did see me this morning." She said softly, sighing. "I was hoping nobody would recognize me."
"Is everything OK, Jesse?" Radar asked, standing up and walking over to sit beside her. "Why were you out in the cold this morning? And why did I find you asleep here?"
Jesse looked down at her hands, not saying anything. Radar couldn't remember ever seeing her this way, she was always so confident, so energetic. It looked like all the fight had just been drained out of her.
"You know you can tell me anything, right?" Radar asked softly, timidly putting his hand on hers.
Her skin felt cold against his.
Jesse took a deep breath, smiling at Radar. But her smile didn't reach her eyes.
"Nothings wrong." She said. "I just dozed off while reading a book."
Radar didn't feel convinced. "What about this morning?" He asked softly.
"Is it illegal to stroll around Beacontown?" Jesse asked bluntly, the sudden steel in her voice scaring Radar. "I was just taking a walk. I kept the hood of my jacket over my face, because I just didn't feel like getting flocked by fans. Is it that wrong to want a little privacy to myself?"
Radar's heart sank. This wasn't the Jesse he knew. Why was she acting so off?
Jesse noticed the hurt expression on his face. She sighed heavily, leaning her head into her hands and rubbing her forehead with two fingers.
"I'm sorry." She said softly. "I didn't mean to snap."
Then, to Radar's absolute surprise, she leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. She stared out in front of her, like she was trying to focus on something else.
"I know something's wrong, Jesse." Radar said softly, hesitantly putting his arm around her for comfort. "You're not acting like yourself."
Jesse closed her eyes, and all of a sudden she broke. Radar felt her shoulders slightly shaking, as a few tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Jesse?" Radar asked uncertainly, as he wrapped both arms around her.
He's seen Jesse comfort all of her friends before, but never the other way around. This was completely new to him.
Jesse buried her face against Radar's shoulder, crying softly. Radar timidly stroked her back. Whatever has been on her mind, seems to have been cropped up inside her for too long. She looked like she really needed to let this out.
"Thank you." Jesse suddenly said, her voice muffled against his jacket.
"For what, Jesse?" Radar asked, confused.
She pulled away from him, looking up with watery eyes.
"You're the first person to come here in... months. The first person who actually showed me that... that you cared."
As she said these words another tear escaped her eye. Jesse slowly wiped it away, looking back down again.
"Please tell me what's wrong." Radar said, gently squeezing her hand. "It kills me to see my boss like this."
Jesse smiled vaguely. "I'm not your boss." She said softly.
"In my eyes you will always be the Hero in Residence, and I will always be your intern." Radar replied. "Now please, talk to me. I want to help you."
Jesse leaned back against the couch, hugging the blanket to her chest. She started talking to Radar, telling him how lonely she's felt. How desperately she's been wanting somebody to talk to, how she's missed her friends. She told him that she found herself mourning, even though they weren't necessarily dead. Only the friendship was.
She regretted not trying to mend their bonds, more than anything. They used to be so close, they used to be all each other had. And nothing ever came between them. She wasn't sure how they managed to drift apart, but she couldn't stand it. She missed them with all her heart.
She told Radar how it's been affecting her. How she no longer felt the will to live. She's been depressed. Every night when she tried to sleep, she'd stare at the ceiling, thinking about her past and how desperately she wanted to go back.
"We promised each other we would always be best friends, no matter what happened." Jesse explained. With every word, more tears seeped from her eyes.
"They were the best friends I could ever have asked for, and I loved them. They say if you love someone let them go. But I regret more than anything for not trying to keep us together.
They were what made me happy. Now that I'm alone, life doesn't feel worth living any more. What's the point of anything, if I can't share it with them?
I feel empty. I don't even know how to describe this feeling any more, it's just... nothing. I don't feel anything any more."
Radar silently fiddled with his jacket. He didn't know what to say. He couldn't believe Jesse has been going through all this.
"Why didn't you come to me?" He asked softly. "I know I'm not them, but if I'd known sooner..."
"I don't want to be a burden." Jesse said softly. "You have your life to live."
"Jesse, no." Radar said softly, putting his arm around her again. "You mean a lot to me, I want you to be happy. You've changed my life more than anybody ever could. I was nobody before I met you, now look at me. I want to repay it."
"Well, I don't know if there's anything you can do any more." Jesse said softly, closing her eyes and resting her head on Radar's shoulder once more. "There's nothing left for me."
Radar pulled away, taking Jesse by both shoulders and looking into her eyes.
"Don't talk like that." He said firmly. "If it weren't for you, the world wouldn't even be here any more. It's not right that your life ends this way."
"But I have nothing to live for." Jesse said, her voice strained.
"You will." Radar said firmly. "I promise, you will."
With those words he pulled Jesse into another hug, wrapping both of his arms around her.
"If it's OK with you, I'd like to stay here for a bit." Radar said. "I want to help you."
Jesse just nodded, but didn't say anything. She closed her eyes as she rested her head against Radar's chest.
"Listen." Radar said softly, pulling away from her again. "Why don't you go to bed? You're exhausted."
Jesse looked hesitant.
"Look, I'll be right here the whole time." Radar insisted. "And when you wake up, we'll fix things. I promise."
This came out much longer, and also much deeper than I had intended. When I got the one word prompt "nothing" I wanted to do something based on the phrase "feeling nothing inside."
I've written a lot of one shots based on Jesse years after Storymode, alone and regretting that she were no longer with her friends. But all of them basically ended with Jesse just accepting her fate and trying to move on. I wanted to write a one shot where she actually talks to somebody about it. Where she could possibly get her happy ending.
If you guys want another sequel to this, based on how Radar tried to fix things with Jesse, I wouldn't mind writing it. In the back of my mind I already have a faint idea, hehe :P
Nonetheless, I hope you guys enjoyed this. Thanks so much to everybody who's been requesting! I love writing daily, it's not even a challenge anymore XD Keep the requests coming! One word prompts, actual plot lines, as well as continuations of previous one shots are all welcome.