Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

With Ivor’s insistence, the group dissipated in what felt like record-time. With so much ground to cover now, everyone has places to be, things to prep, and people to talk to—so off they all ran.

Jesse already feels his head spinning with ideas for his speech, and damn him if he doesn’t stop every few seconds to jot notes down. But before he can get together with Radar, Olivia, and Lukas for the writing session of the century, he’s got one more person to talk to—and one more person to get in the loop. Where to find him? Honestly, Jesse isn’t quite sure. But, hell, the man’s got spotlights for eyes so he can’t imagine it’ll be hard.

And it isn’t, especially once he spots Gabriel—the rest of the remaining Order doesn’t stray far behind and his uncle is right in tow, like he mentioned. Though he’s got more company than he anticipated to see, and in spite of the grime and utter dishevelment of him, he’s beaming. Considering the company? He can’t say he’s too surprised. Right across him and mirroring his own practically bouncy energy is none other than Alex, and Bruce with them sporting a look that has the man beaming from ear to ear.

It has Jesse stalling in his stride for a moment. Seems he missed the reunion—his heart aches a little for that, but it quickly passes and instead a smile finds a way onto his own face. That was their moment to have, he’ll surely hear plenty more to come. Hurrying on ahead, Bruce catches sight of him first and waves him over.

“Hey kid! You’re late to the family reunion.”

Jesse laughs as he reaches them, “Fashionably late, you mean.”

“Ohhh so that’s how you see yourself, eh?” The man hums and Jesse flashes a charming grin.

Alex shoves Bruce out of her way and quickly traps Jesse in a sudden bear hug. It nearly knocks the wind out of him and yet it’s over before it begins with the woman bouncing back to shake him by the shoulders.

“Jesse, you’re not going to BELIEVE all the things we’ve already figured out! It’s utterly crazy! Oh, I’m so sorry you or Petra couldn’t do the honors of reintroducing us but—” She loses her words for a moment, sputtering as she takes in the mess of a city around her, “With everything going on, and the cleanup— We just ran into each other. Hell, we didn’t even get to speak until hours after! But things were just moving so fast.”

He sweeps her hands down and clasps them in his own, beaming, “You don’t have to apologize for that! It’s a relief and a thrill to see you guys so happy. I was worried, admittedly.”

Alex laughs out something almost sheepish as she just shakes her head, “Admittedly, I think I have you beat there. I was scared out of my wits, not sure who I’d be meeting.” She smiles over at Hiro then, “But that didn’t last long. I’d say our second reunion went much better.”

Jesse smiles, “I’m glad. There may be hope for him yet!” He says, eyeing his uncle.

“Ha! Perhaps—we’ll just have to keep a close eye on him!” She hums and Hiro scoffs at their right. Not that he has anything to add. After a moment though, Alex’s eyes widen and she practically pops up in place, “Oh! Before I even forget to tell you in all this mess, you won’t believe this! You remember my friends that I mentioned, right? Well, we all—”

Hiro grins and interrupts, seemingly just as excited now, “Jesse! As grim as it is, do you remember what I mentioned about a real ruckus going on in that old boss of mine’s side of the world? The old Nameless fella?”

Jesse pauses a moment to dig through all the new information he’s processed. That’s going back even before he and Lukas’ stint in the Stronghold and has him blowing out a heavy breath for it—but he snags that little memory still. The Nameless One, the ancient necromancer who pulled his uncle out from the dragon’s purgatory. Pop-quiz passed. Jesse finally nods, garnering him a small chuckle and pat on the arm.

Hiro opens his mouth to speak again but Alex rams her shoulder into his chest and knocks him aside, pointing to her own face with a picture-perfect smile, “Guess whose name starts with R and ends in —uckus!”

Bruce utterly cringes behind her, “Oh c’mon Al. Are you twelve?”

She deadpans and whips around, “Don’t you have to go be a smart-ass somewhere else?”

“Not until three.”

“Choose your next words very carefully.” She says, waving a warning finger down at the shorter man. He simply smiles a dazzling smile in turn. Waving him off, she continues, “My crew is based out of Squid Coast, Jesse!” She quickly points between herself and Hiro, “That was us!”

Jesse’s brows shoot up, “Woah! Talk about a small world!”

“Isn’t it bizarre? Now, that adventure is a whole story in and of itself—Archie and that stupid Orb were…” She scrunches up her nose and shakes her head, “Well, it was a difficult year, but damn if it didn’t take us all over! Suffice to say, Archie had sought out The Nameless One and his acolytes to help grow his army. And, well, the old mage got in our way. We had to stop him.”

Hiro crosses his arms with a smile, “I’m holding you to that promise of meeting them—I have to thank them myself.”

Bruce snorts, “For killin’ your boss?”

“Sure! He got me outta the dragon’s purgatory, yes, but that doesn’t mean I liked the old codger. He put a lotta thoughts and ideas into my head. Can’t say I’m a fan in hindsight.”

Jesse lets them talk for a while more, just happy to listen in. They’re all rather rugged looking messes still, covered in grime with dark circles under their eyes. Save his uncle, of course. But it’s good to see them all just… talking. Casually, like pieces falling back into place amongst each other. It’s funny what a little wanton destruction can do for frayed tensions. Maybe it’s a temporary high, but even so, he’ll surely take it over the constant strain that’s been felt around here for weeks. Perhaps there’s hope for them all yet, in spite of their many messes.

Speaking of, Bruce reaches out to tap Jesse on the shoulder with a smile.

“So kid, what brings you by? You look like a man on a mission.”

He sucks in a breath and nods towards Hiro, “Yep. I need to borrow him for a few.”

“Uh oh, someone’s in trouble.” Alex hums as she toes Hiro’s boot.

“Haha. Funny.” Casually, Hiro crosses his arms and leans down to Jesse’s ear with his voice quite low, “I’m… not, right?”

“No.” Jesse laughs. Hiro whistles out a breath in relief then swings back upright as confident as ever.

“Well, you heard him! I’m off—let the others know where I up and disappeared to!”

“Still leaving others to do your dirty work at your grown age? Noted!” Bruce hums and Hiro shoots him a sour look. The man laughs and just nods, “We’ll pass it along. See you guys around!”

With that, the two groups part. Alex and Bruce disappear deeper into the town commotion while Hiro and Jesse start walking… Well, frankly Jesse isn’t quite sure where he wants to have this conversation. So he lets his feet take the lead. Thankfully, Hiro doesn’t jump him with thoughts or questions, seemingly waiting quite patiently for Jesse to say something first. It’s a little jarring still to see how quiet the man can be, he supposes he just ended up that way though after everything. A lot of time alone. As they move, Jesse quickly tries to rehash everything he wants and needs to discuss with the man. By the time he has it all in order once more, he finds that they’ve ended up along the dock.

Sucking in a deep breath of air, the salt almost burns his lungs. He reaches up with both hands to shove his hair back and out of his face before finally stopping and dropping his hands to his hips. His eyes wander out across the horizon, following the delta’s winding channels out to the sea not too far ahead. Gulls squall overhead and it’s a welcome sound. Behind him, he’s greeted with a supportive pat on the back that shifts to a comforting hand on his shoulder. Clearing his throat, Jesse greets his uncle with a smile.

“Sorry. Guess I’m figuring out what to open with.”

“I’ll start. How’d you and Lukas do last night? Everything sorted?”

The question stuns him for a moment. Recomposing himself, he nods with a bashful bow of his head, “Yeah. Yeah, we got it all hashed out. It’s… A total relief.”

Hiro smiles a little, “That’s good. I figured as much, you seem… More sturdy? Probably not the right word, but hopefully you know what I mean.”

“You mean like I actually have a brain again? Thanks, I like to think so.”

“I didn’t say that.”

Jesse laughs and just shakes his head, “Seriously though, I do feel a lot better. I… I think I’ve figured a lot of things out. Or at least, come to the conclusions I needed to. There’s a plan forward, daunting as it may be. But I can work with that. I mean I—” He pauses, searching for the words as the wind whips his bangs around. He presses his hands into his chest absentmindedly as he speaks, almost as if for emphasis to himself, “I’m me. I slayed the witherstorm. I’ve run through world after world in the Old Builder’s Portal Hall. I-I’ve fostered this city! I beat an Admin!” He bounces his fists in front of him, rolling his lips a little, “I’ve got this… This is my city. My life. And I’m ready to do whatever it takes to take it back.”

Hiro hums, arms crossed, but he has an easygoing smile on his face.

“I like the sound of that, Jesse.”

He smiles, “I do too.”

The words start to more easily flow out from there. They have a lot of personal catching up to do, starting way back from after the cave expedition went awry. There was the wait for the journal, the beginning of the missing items, getting that little message from Romeo about Hiro. Explaining where his head started spiraling out of control with ideas until it led him and Lukas right into the trap of that Stronghold. Then the Stronghold itself… He does his damndest to recount everything he can in spite of himself—he relies heavily on Lukas’ times recounting the info more than anything. But he remembers the feelings that utterly corrupted his mind. And that Enderman. How could he forget the creature that still sends a chill down his spine and has his side throbbing in phantom pains? They have to put a pin in that topic at the moment for the sake of Jesse finishing his little recap—though the way the man leans forward and those blaring eyes of him practically flare, he knows his mind races with thoughts over the ordeal.

Then the Deep Dark… A whole different sort of beast. Like a place out of a horror novel—he can still hardly comprehend it even happened. The chill can still be felt seeping into his bones if he thinks about it. Then the utter helplessness that poisoned the whole ordeal. But that won’t happen again. And they made it out, even if it was by the skin of their teeth. He can’t help his honesty when speaking of it, and something tells him that Hiro’s already growing respect for Lukas is tripled by the time he’s done. Jesse’s always been impressed by the man, that’s a given, but his gratefulness and adoration for him by now is simply unable to be summed into words. He’s always trusted Lukas without a second thought—he’s saved his life more times than he can count. But god, he never realized that all those feelings he had for him could grow beyond that—but maybe it’s just because he gained the courage to actually speak and act on them. Open the floodgates so to speak.

But he gets himself back on track from there and jumps right into all the things that have been happening in town from his perspective. The bombings, seeing Alex, his suspicions and blowups with everyone from Petra, to Lukas, to Olivia all leading up to the chaotic culmination Hiro found them all in. And now they’re down a Hall and left with the city’s shattered morale. It’s a lot to recount, and from the sheer look on the man’s face, a lot for Hiro to take in. As Jesse finishes spinning his tale with his little visit back to their ransacked home—save for Hiro’s oddly clean room—Hiro stays where he is for a long minute with his brow furrowed so tightly that his forehead wrinkles. But he comes out of it nodding. It’s a lot to know that he missed, but he’s all caught up to speed now.

Well, save for one more detail. But Jesse holds out on that announcement for just a little longer. With everything else now out on the table, Jesse isn’t quite sure where to jump back in. There’s a few topics they have to discuss, he just has to pick and choose.

“Lukas um… He mentioned you’ve seen that Enderman that I saw? What can you tell me about that?”

Hiro almost has to shake himself back to the present but quickly nods, “I don’t understand it fully myself Jesse. In my waking life? I’ve never seen it. But I had this… This nightmare that seemed to correspond to the time while you and Lukas were down there. And we obviously can’t compare times or anything too closely but… After I woke up from it I swear I heard your voice calling for Lukas. Like you were yelling in warning of something—alert, alarmed. But obviously you weren’t anywhere near the Nether. Coulda been a hallucination, but it’s odd… There’s no reason for my mind to have conjured that… And the fact that my nightmare right before had me seeing that very Enderman you and Lukas are now describing?” He taps his lips incessantly, almost nervously, “I can’t help but think it’s not a coincidence. But I dunno how that’d even be possible. I’ve never done that sorta thing with my powers.”

“What happened in the nightmare exactly? Like, where were you?”

“Nowhere underground, that’s for certain. It was like… Like another one of the nightmares I’d described to you previously. The ones where I’m partially Ender myself.” He scowls as he thinks hard to recall every beat of the experience, “It started rough—I hit the endstone hard. I was dressed in somethin’... Kinda similar to how I used to when out adventuring with Steven, but I also had a red wrap that kinda reminded me of the Nether.” He huffs and waves the thought off, “But that’s not important, what’s important is I felt like I was being chased. And as I got up in this panic, I was looking all over for something. The thing that was hunting me. A-And I caught a glimpse outta the corner of my eye of these wings! Dragon wings, I think! I dunno for sure, but they looked like them from the brief flash I got. But there was no dragon to be found. Couldn’t see it, couldn’t hear it. It was just barren End islands all around. Then finally I whipped around and caught sight of that damn Enderman. Exactly as you described it, Jesse.”

Jesse blows out a shuddering breath, unable to wrap his head around it, “Same scars? Same missing mouthguard? Same claws? Same height?”

“If I could somehow impart the vision I saw into my head, or vice versa, Jesse I swear we will have seen the same thing. It’s a gut feeling—I know it sounds crazy but I know I’m right on this. You don’t find an enderman like that just every day, especially not with such unique features. It was so…”

“Jagged…?”

“That’s a good word for it. Jagged. Rugged. I’d almost feel bad for the sonuvabitch if it weren’t such an unabashed killing machine! Certainly been around the block.”

“So, what’d it do next in your dream?”

“Well, first I wanna note something else that was weird. You know I don’t like endermen. I have good reason to, obviously. They… They scare me. I don’t cower around them with my power, but they freak me out to say the very least. So usually my first reaction to seeing one is something along the lines of wanting to retreat or just avoid them. Leave them be, mind my own business. But that wasn’t what I felt in that dream, no matter how lucid I was.”

“Is that normal…?”

“No. But the emotion was just so strong—I don’t understand where it came from. The moment I saw that Enderman, I was flooded with this blinding white-hot rage. And, with my own clawed hand, I attacked it first.” He scoffs next, waving the ridiculous notion off, “Not that it got me anywhere. The damn thing caught my arm like it was nothing! My hand was totally like that of an Enderman’s—claws and all, and my fingers were just twitching trying to get closer to make some kinda dent on the thing. Didn’t do shit of course. After that I finally got the right idea and tried pulling back but it had a vice grip on me. Last thing I remember before I woke up was it screeching right in my face—up close and personal.”

Hiro lets his arms fall awkwardly at his sides there, “I… I don’t really know what context that adds to this whole mess, if any, but… It seemed too weird not to mention in hindsight.”

“No, no, I’m glad you did. That’s… Bizarre. I wonder what that head of yours was trying to tell you…”

Hiro shrugs, “I think at best we can assume it was just a kind of warning. Why or how it even happened I don’t really have a clue. Xara and Romeo have been turning their own memories practically inside out to try and remember if they had anything like that, but it’s been so much time for them…”

Jesse frowns, “Right… And especially towards the end with Romeo, it could be hard to really discern what counts… He was so deep in it all.”

“Exactly the issue.” Hiro sighs, “I just wish I had known it meant something serious was up. I dunno, but I can’t help but think just— had I known, I would’ve been able to get you and Lukas out of there like it was nothing. Even if I had to recharge my powers between, I love old cave systems and structures—I lurked down in those depths for years on and off. I know it’s a foolish thought, but I don’t like standing around feeling useless, I suppose.”

Oh.

Jesse blinks a moment, almost huffing out a ghost of a laugh.

So that’s where he gets it.

He reaches up and claps his uncle on the shoulders, “Believe me, I understand, uncle. But those are thoughts and worries best tossed aside. That’s how I got into this whole mess to begin with. You’re here now, we’re back on the same page and, frankly, I think we’re gonna be in even better sync than before. Now we just gotta be ready for our next move.”

Hiro sucks in a big breath, “Right. And you haven’t told me what that is yet.”

“I wanted you to be caught up to speed first. To understand why it’s the choice I’m making, in spite of… y’know, things like logic, fear, and experience.” He can’t help the laugh that escapes him. He drums his arm and briefly glances around, checking to see if there’s any potential eavesdroppers. But it’s a quiet day down by the water—the commotion is all in the center of town. Turning his gaze back to his uncle, he meets him squarely in the eyes, “We’re going to bait our perp out by going to The End.”

Hiro stiffens, his gaze shifting in turn to look down his nose at Jesse. It’s intimidating, but the man means no harm in it past a sheer reaction. He settles again quickly, rolling his lips and just nodding. He doesn’t utter a peep. No pushback, no outrage. Just acceptance. It’s almost jarring—it’s not fully the reaction he was expecting from his uncle who died there.

“Are… Are you okay with that?” He asks, not really sure why he’s asking permission for such a thing. He’s going to do it anyways, but…

Hiro barks out a loud laugh, “Am I okay with that? No! I’d have to be out of my mind to be okay with it. But… I also figured this was a possibility a while ago.” He hums, a bittersweet smile on his face. Jesse’s brows furrow a little but his uncle speaks before he can, “But before I can be fully at peace with it, I just need to know something for certain.”

“What is it?”

“What are you looking for at this point? What are you looking to get out of that dimension…?” He asks, head cocked at a slight angle as those eyes bore into him. It’s a feeling Jesse hasn’t felt under his gaze in a long while now—like what he first felt before this all unraveled. When they were merely obstacles to each other, when he was someone his uncle could hunt. It’s an eerie feeling that settles in his core, like the man’s eyes can see right through the layers of skin, muscle, and sinew into his very core being.

Jesse steadies himself as he takes a moment to consider his answer. His honest answer.

“I want to finish this… I want to find the person behind all this. I want to put the issue to bed.” He pauses, “It’d be a goose chase looking for anything in the End. If anything, maybe our perp and their enderman friend will be able to clear up the last few questions I have.”

Hiro seems to consider his words for a minute before easing up and slowly nodding, “Good. I’m glad to hear that, Jesse. The last thing I wanted for you was to hear you were going to be chasing ghosts.” He says, a smile returning as he blows out a little sigh of relief. Jesse matches the look, just shaking his head a little now.

“No… I think I’m done with that.” He pauses, “You’re taking this a lot better than I thought you would. When did you start considering it an option…?”

Hiro huffs out a laugh, “Romeo and I were talking some days ago before this all happened—I was getting myself worked up after not hearing from you for a while. It got brought up then, and I had a lot of time to mull it over and consider what I was going to do were you to ever propose such a thing.”

“And what’s that…?” Jesse asks tentatively.

“Go with you, of course.”

“Uncle Hiro—”

“Jesse, there’s no way I am just letting you waltz in there without me in tow. Your father would raise himself from the dead just to kill me again! This isn’t debatable. If you’re going in there, so am I. Especially with those End Artifacts missing.”

Jesse looks up at him again, a little surprised at his directness. Hiro’s face is stoney and unreadable, but the message is crystal clear to him. Jesse concedes with a small bowing of his head.

“Do you expect to fight it?” Hiro asks. A simple question with huge implications. Jesse answers readily and honestly.

“I’m hoping for the best, but entirely expecting the worst. And we’re preparing as such.” He sucks in a breath, “With that in mind, you can reconsider, uncle. I understand this is no small request of anyone. Nonetheless someone who already…” His words trail off and his eyes shine with a mix of sympathy and pain. Hiro doesn’t even seem fazed though, merely shaking his head.

“If you’re going, I’m going. It’s the very least I can do after all this time and all the trouble I’ve caused. But understand also that I’m not just doing this to— to relieve some sorta guilty conscience and then fuck off, okay? I do want to make things up to you, of course, but moreso I just…” A small crack in his stoney front finally appears, softening the look a smidge, “You’re my brother’s little boy. My little nephew. Things’ve changed a little—or a lot—but… Like it or not, you’re still you, and I’m still me.”

Jesse can’t help the beaming smile and stinging in his eyes, “Thinking I’d be going in alone is crazy-talk, I suppose.”

“Right on the money, shortstack. Here,” The man chuckles with a smile and open arm. Jesse happily accepts the invitation and gives his uncle a hearty hug, getting a solid clap on the back for it. The man reeks of smoke, fire, and copper, but for the moment it keeps him comfortable, unlike the rest of the city the smell permeates. It’s a safe feeling and a nostalgic one that he’s enveloped in. Something in the air feels heavier still, not necessarily bad, but like this one holds more weight than it has in a while. Jesse struggles to place the feeling for a moment but then finds it—it’s like that very first one he got in the Nether. But the awkwardness is gone, the shock is gone, the nerves are gone. All that’s left is the quiet promise that they’re going to look out for each other, like they were meant to.

They break, back up, and share smiles. But as Jesse moves to step back, Hiro catches his attention by holding onto his shoulders for one more minute.

“Jesse. One more thing.” He steps back a pace to dig in a small—obviously borrowed—hip-bag. Then he pulls out the now familiar sight of his father’s journal, “Here. I’ve done my reading.”

Jesse’s brows furrow then shoot up, “Already? There’s no rush, uncle. We won’t be leaving for another week at best.”

“I’ve already read all of the entries a few times over. Your father was the known bookworm, but I got to be a pretty fast reader myself. ‘Sides, I trust you to keep this safer than my scatter-brained self.” He says and takes Jesse’s hand, planting the journal firmly back in it without another word. Jesse stares down at the battered old cover rather conflicted, but concedes.

“Alright… Still, I think that’s pretty fast… If you change your mind and end up wanting to reread something or even just wanting to read it all over again, I’ll keep it at Lukas’. Just stop by.”

Hiro smiles sadly but nods, “Sure. I couldn’t help but tear through the thing, frankly. I couldn’t wait—I had to know what I’d missed. What my brother was thinking.” His gaze shifts down to his hands there as he awkwardly fiddles with them, “I… I wish I could just talk to him. One last time. To tell him he was crazy just for starters but also just… God, he had to stop taking so many unnecessary responsibilities on his back.”

“I don’t even know what I would say to him at this point…” Jesse huffs with a little shrug as he hugs the journal close. “That I love him. That I miss him. Past that… I dunno.”

“I think those would be more than enough. I think they are more than enough—wherever he is, he knows.” He says and squeezes Jesse’s shoulder comfortingly with that. He smiles and nods, punctuating the conversation with that.

“Well, I’ve still got quite a few places to be. Thank you for talking with me, uncle.”

“Of course, just keep me updated on the details as they’re developed.”

“Of course. Right now, we’re aiming at heading out in a week. But I’m announcing our intentions tomorrow morning at my address to the city. We’re not saying anything about the Dragon or our suspicions though. We’re going to do a mix of bluff and misdirect. We’re going to claim that we got them and announce a Legacy Project that’s ‘been in the works for a while’ of adding infrastructure to the End. As a means to help people and honor those lost. We’re hoping to play their own game and make them feel comfortable—like they have a winning edge again. But that means that nothing can leak. We have to keep the details strictly to ourselves. You can’t discuss details with anybody other than me, Ivor, Lukas, Petra, Olvia, Axel, or Radar. No Alex, no Bruce, no Romeo, nobody. Though, I’m sure Romeo already has more than an idea of what’s going on—like you. But it’s the principle. We need to keep this under wraps as much as possible. I’ll let you know who else is in the loop later.”

Hiro nods, “I see. You have my word, Jesse. I can keep a secret.”

“Thank you, uncle. For everything.”

~~~~~

With the sound of scraping wood, a large and almost funnily casual glass of warm, glowing pink liquid slides across the table. The sound catches Jesse by surprise, interrupting he and Harper’s fervent debate on the urban legend of the Creaking. She can believe the Warden, but she draws the line at a ‘discount inverted enderman.’ Jesse gives up pleading his case there. Glancing up, Jesse spots Ivor slapping the tabletop proudly before marching his way over to join the three.

“There you are, Jesse. Regeneration II of the finest quality! You shall find no other brewery makes it to my caliber! Drink up—you will need it.”

Jesse smiles, “Thank you, Ivor. I, of course, have no doubt in your potion-making prowess.” He says as he picks up the glass. Ivor guffaws loudly and triumphantly, punctuating it with a proud grin towards Harper. The woman snorts. Jesse meanwhile swirls the potion in his glass, watching the sparkling liquid dance and the occasional bubble pop, “Can I ask you one question though?”

“What? What’s there to question? It’s regeneration—you drink and you regenerate.”

“Nah, nah, I get that. But like…” He trails off and chuckles a little, “Not trying to nitpick, of course. You are a professional. But do professionals typically use mason jars to drink out of?”

Ivor glowers at him, “Haha. Very funny. I’ll have you know that those are extremely versatile little containers! Respectable! And are you taking that potion with you?”

“Well, no—”

“Aht! Zip-it! If it’s not travelling with you, then I'm not wasting a perfectly clean bottle of mine! It’s basic sense, Jesse, I mean truly!” He huffs to shake his head as he wipes up a small spill on the table, “‘Why is it in a mason jar?’ Feh!” He rants under his breath. Jesse gets a chuckle out of it and Harper smacks Jesse lightly on the arm then points at the potion.

“I’d hurry before he goes and changes his mind, Jesse. He could any minute now!”

“He wouldn’t.” Jesse says with a laugh. Ivor turns back his direction with quite the raised brow. Jesse remains totally relaxed and casual all the while, an easygoing smile on his face. There’s a very very still beat of silence. And admittedly, the tension starts getting to him. So, when Ivor suddenly reaches out towards the glass, Jesse moves in a snap to yank it defensively close to his chest with a glare. Ivor immediately bursts into loud laughter. Covering his little bout of humbling embarrassment (and to partially make sure he can’t get his hands on it), Jesse starts downing the potion, though that only encourages the older man.

“Oh I wouldn’t, huh? HA!”

He glares at the older man over his glass and treats him with a lovely gesture from his other hand. But Ivor’s laughter is contagious and as that renews the man’s spirit, he can’t help but giggle a little as he drinks.

The potion itself is warm and sweet, with a little bit of what he can only describe as spice to it that leaves his tongue tingling. It warms his whole body from the inside out, and maybe it’s placebo but it’s like he can feel it already working with the way his muscles relax and lighten. A league's better experience than his last run-in with the potion. He’s disappointed when it’s finished, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as he checks the glass. Setting it down finally, he clears his throat and smiles.

“Thank you, Ivor. Really. I’m excited to be back.”

The older man nods, “Yes, well, we certainly couldn’t do any of this without you. And touting you around expecting you to perform while you’re still hobbling around with healing lacerations certainly won’t do us any good! You should know the routine—rest well tonight, you’ll need it for more than one reason. You may be a little drowsy but that means it’s working. Go topless, lest you want your scabby peels to roll around with you all night.”

Jesse cringes at the thought, “Eugh, noted.”

“I meant to ask, Jesse. How did that talk with that odd uncle of yours?” Harper asks with a cross of her arms. Ivor meanwhile starts cleaning up his brewing space around them.

“It went well. We had a lot of ground to cover but I think we got it all. At least we got all the big points. He’s even going to be coming with us.”

Ivor makes a surprised sound, “That’s unexpected. I recall him having quite a series of issues with that dimension and the dragon—for good reason, of course, but…”

“He does. And I told him he could back out after spelling things out, but he’s sticking to it. I think he’ll be good to have on our side in terms of power and protection. I don’t know what would happen in the event the dragon really does come back, though… I don’t think he’d get— I dunno— sucked back in or anything, but we shouldn’t rely on his powers just in case something gets disrupted.”

“That’s a good thought to keep in mind. Hopefully it doesn’t come to that, but the End’s a bizarre ol’ dimension, that’s for certain.” Harper huffs.

“Jesse,” Ivor starts and Jesse swings himself around on the stool to face him next, “I know you were interested in seeing if Soren could assist in easing your panic around Endermen. Why not broach the idea to your uncle as well? We don’t truly know how he will react in the End once we get there. It could be beneficial to you both.”

Jesse hums thoughtfully and nods, “That’s not a bad idea. I’ll have to ask him about it when I see him next.”

Harper perks up and curses under her breath as she checks her watch, “Shoot! I hate to leave you so soon, Jesse, but I’ve gotta go meet with Olivia and Radar right quick before they gotta shoot over to your little brainstorming session. Been a real hassle setting up for that address of yours tomorrow—you sure you don’t wanna swap locations…?”

“Positive. Trust me, it’ll be it’s best right there. And thank you, Harper—we appreciate the help a ton.”

“Don’t thank me yet! Now take care this evening, heaven knows you need it.” She says with a huff and reassuring little slap on the back. She waves to Ivor as she passes, “I’ll be back by nightfall. Hopefully.”

“I’ll come to assist if you’re not.”

“You’re too kind.” She hums and he matches it with a smile. And like that, she’s off. And then there were two.

Jesse really doesn’t have much else left to do here. He’s got his potion, he’s chatted and caught them up for the day, really he should head back and get a headstart on his speech while he still can. But something holds him here. Maybe it’s the quiet. This place is rather serene and he’s in trusted company. A small breather before his mind starts racing again. Or maybe it’s just the fact that he has the feeling Ivor has more to say.

“Jesse,” The man starts, his voice a little more subdued than typical, “Is there anything else you’d like to discuss while you’re here?”

His mind draws a blank. He stares down at the empty jar. Is there anything that hasn’t already been covered? He has all his ducks in a row, he thinks. Everyone’s up to speed who needs to be—or they will be. They know their crew, they know their goal. Though, there is one little thing he wants to know. One last little voice in his head to quell.

“... Do you think we can pull it off?” He asks quietly.

Ivor completely stalls in what he’s doing. He pauses to think, then finally turns around to look at Jesse rather oddly. Jesse leans against the table and just shrugs. There’s nothing else to his question. Ivor hums, his dark brows knitted in deep thought.

“Jesse, why are you doubting yourself?”

“Well—! I’m not lacking confidence so much as… Well, experience. You’ve seen the dragon—I haven’t. I still have confidence, but… Y’know, the fear’s still gonna be there. So, hit me Ivor, do you think this is feasible? Or are we going to have to dig our heels in and pull off another miracle?”

The man actually huffs out a laugh at that. He’s not sure whether to feel complimented or frustrated to be so brushed off. But as Ivor reaches across the table to clap him on the shoulder, he feels his anxieties ease.

“I have an idea—Here’s what you need to do, Jesse.” He quickly walks around the table as he talks, yanking out a stool to sit on across from him that squeals as it's ripped across the floor. Jesse cringes but Ivor sits down all the while, already animated as he reaches up and holds Jesse’s head in his hands, “Now I need you to think back—and think hard! Put yourself back in the shoes of your younger self—before Romeo, before Hadrian, before PAMA and even before Sky City! Remember that utterly brazen confidence!”

“My confidence…?”

“Yes! The very same that had you darting in and out of town nonstop for months merely exploring for treasure and adventure—taking on everything you saw because you simply knew you could! I want you to tap right into that because that is what I want to see out there!”

Jesse snorts, “You mean my overinflated ego? Ivor, I don’t—”

“Overinflated for a reason!” He chides with a smirk, “Jesse, I wouldn’t even entertain such a quest if I didn’t think it was capable of being done. So to answer your question, yes. It won’t be easy, but I think you could’ve even pulled it off as that greenhorn 20 year old if you had needed to put your mind to it. That’s high praise, but you’ve earned high praise, so accept it—now’s your time to use it!”

Jesse smiles at that, nervously, but smiling nonetheless.

“But there’s something else, Jesse. I want you to be thinking of more than that foul beast—this is still a chance at adventure!” He reaches out to shake him by the arms, and admittedly his energy is infectious, “To explore the far reaches of the End Dimension! Now I know it’s a dangerous place but, where have you been that hasn’t been wrought with such foul potentialities? You’re an adventurer, I’d say it might as well be in your blood at this point!” He grins, the action wrinkling his sparkling eyes.

His smile brightens and his heart feels a little lighter as he takes in his words, something about the compliment even stinging his eyes. In his blood. It may not be the life that he’d imagined as a child, but Ivor’s right—he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t a little excited to see what’s out there. He just has to hang on tight to that ingrained sense of wonder and curiosity. It’s what’s brought him this far, and he’s been fostering it little by little on his own, but this is it. This is where he fans that spark back into the flame and fire it’s supposed to be. It’s who he is.

Taking a deep breath, Jesse pats Ivor’s arms, still outstretched and resting atop his own. But then he pauses to think. The next second, he gets up from his seat and reaches out to clasp Ivor in a hug. The man startles in surprise, but eases up with a hearty chuckle and pat on the back. It’s short and sweet, but exactly what feels right. Standing tall once more, Ivor begins cleaning up now.

“You’d better get a move on, that address isn’t going to write itself, yes?”

“Yeah, they’ll probably be waiting on me soon if I’m not careful.”

“I’ll be there to cheer you on!” He hums, raising the collection of used bottles he’s awkwardly clasping in his hands high in a sort of cheers. Jesse chuckles and nods.

He tries offering to help clean up with him–even just for a few minutes—but Ivor has none of it. So on that note, they exchange their pleasantries and bid each other adieu. Ivor to work on his own tasks and Jesse hurrying back to Lukas’.

~~~~~

The scramble to draft, revise, edit, and revise his address again and again is a hectic one. But it’s fun in its own right. The four of them—Jesse, Lukas, Radar, and Olivia—all sit on the floor of Lukas’ study, pillows, drinks, and papers all scattered about with everyone speaking over each other with ideas, revisions, and opinions. It reminds Jesse of a time years ago, when he, Axel, and Olivia would do something similar in preparation for an upcoming build or school project. Bullshitting and cramming at the last minute was in their nature. But in spite of the constant talking over each other and occasional redirecting on Jesse’s part (thank god he has the pipes to speak over them all), the atmosphere remains fairly light, considering. And there’s a lot of laughs to be had—though the delirium that eventually sets in likely plays a part in that.

Eventually the other three all badger him into going to bed, lest Ivor throw a fit after he went through for that potion. With one less person amongst them, the others work until light returns to the sky and the stars return to their slumber—something they severely neglected. But with a few power naps taken and even more coffee ingested, they’re all able to review with a semi-fresh set of eyes and end up feeling confident enough with what they’ve cranked out. And if Jesse’s good at anything, it’s adlibbing. Throughout the morning he reads the words over dozens of times, burning them into his mind from the moment they finalize it all the way up to the final checks at the address site.

Turnout that morning is beyond what he could’ve imagined. Though, in retrospect, he can’t say he’s surprised. Of course the people want to know what on earth has been happening in their home. And especially why he chose to host it here of all places.

Now’s the big moment for them. It’s time to get his home back.

As he waits under one of the temporary little gazebos off the side of the Order Hall, his nerves settle in. The air is buzzing with conversation and his heart hammers in his chest, his ears practically ringing. He’s gotten better at public speaking over the years, but there’s still moments where it gets to him. At the very least though he knows exactly where everyone is standing and supporting him from. They’re scattered around the perimeter of the crowd, just in case. But in all the time it takes for everyone to meander in, for their final checks to roll in, and for Jesse to be handed the microphone—nothing happens. So, it’s now or never.

Jesse takes a breath, and begins walking out onto the former breezeway of the Order Hall. As he tugs the microphone cable along, silence begins falling over the crowd in a wave. He gets to what’s close enough to consider the middle and gently toes away some rubble of the former overhang. It tumbles down and rolls along, eliciting a few scattered laughs in the large crowd—children. But for the rest of them the tension is palpable and he swallows as he quells the nerves trying to crawl their way back up and choke him out.

Eyeing the crowd and feeling the air, something in him shifts. Fear and anticipation is written on the faces of each person his eyes scan over in that crowd. Rolling his lips, he realizes that he’s going to start ad libbing a little early. At least at the start. He turns his back to the crowd momentarily, resting his spare hand on his hip and standing there staring at the ruins now staining his city. Finally, he blows out a sigh into the mic as he turns around.

“So, it’s been a bad week.”

He manages to get a quiet chorus of chuckles from the crowd as he toes at another piece of debris. Probably more out of a release of tension than anything. He rolls his lips and nods slowly as he drags his gaze from the rubble to his people.

“I have a lot to explain. Not just for this week, but for the past month now. I know things have been… Chaotic, to say the least. Unpredictable. Scary. Not to mention the fact this is all happening not even a full year after ending this city’s hostile takeover from The Admin. And, disappointingly, my presence as a leader has been… lackluster, to say the least.

“So what even happened? I’m going to give you the rundown, let you know where we’re at, and the plan we have moving forward. I’m not standing up here to just whine, apologize, and fearmonger. I do have good news.” He smiles, sucking in a confident little breath, “Today marks the end of this mess.”

“But, let’s review.” He drops the expression back to something serious, pointing westbound now towards the smoldering ruins of Bruce’s shop, “At 8 am on a Sunday morning, right as the bells chimed, Mr. Faulk’s shop was terrorized and destroyed in a series of explosions. We’re lucky the explosions remained as contained as they did, but even so, all the potions, ingredients, gunpowder, and unique mix of items sold there made for a toxic mix of smoke and debris to say the least.” He sighs, his brows furrowing, “Things like that don’t happen in this town. We don’t hurt each other like that. And that sentiment was immediately felt—with every strike of the new hour, the bells tolling would come with a cacophony of anticipation and dread, wondering not just ‘if’, but when the next one would hit. And I can tell you that there was going to be a second one.” He pauses there as a wave of gasps run through the crowd. Rolling his lips, he nods before bringing the mic back up, “Jack’s Adventure Emporium was rigged with a similar device, thankfully discovered by Jack and Nurm themselves and disarmed before… Well, the worst.”

His eyes flick from person to person in the sea of people, trying to meet as many people as he can in the small break while his words settle and the people chatter amongst themselves. From there, he takes in a big breath.

“Then, as if that wasn’t enough, one of our own goes missing. And not just anyone, but Captain Stoddard, a former pillar of our community for years now. A kind man. A strong man. A man whom I’ve owed debts of gratitude time and time again.” He waves a hand around fruitlessly as he speaks, “We think—we hope—that his absence is a misunderstanding. That, maybe, there was just a mistake and he’d come waltzing back in like it was nothing.

“But then we find him maimed.” He swallows, keeping his voice low to keep the shake out of it as the blood boils under his skin. Slowly, as he begins to pace and speak once more, his voice steadily raises back up in volume in step with his own outrage.

“We find him unceremoniously dumped within our own borders in a barbaric, and frankly incomprehensible act of violence. My only solace is knowing, for certainty, that he gave them one hell of a fight. I fully believe his actions that night saved us from another attack like this, meaning he went out doing what he’d dedicated his entire life to doing—protecting his community and the people within it.”

“… But we’re still here for a reason. I had hardly finished saying my own goodbyes to him when I heard the explosions ring out.” He huffs, merely shaking his head in disbelief over it all, “I’m grateful today for getting to say that I do not have to zip anyone else up in a bag, but that doesn’t mean we got out unscathed. The most egregious wound here is the blow to our home’s sanctity. To our confidence. To our trust in one another as the fear seeps in and festers while we stand here silently wondering just who amongst us would engage in such remorseless violence.”

He reaches down and shakes some of the dust off of the mic’s cord as it crackles a little, some of the redstone from within coming off onto his fingers. Guess there’s a cut. Just his luck, he supposes. So he simply hangs onto that bit of the cable for the meantime. The moment allows time for his words to settle with a natural break in his words. From there though, he raises his gaze to the crowd once more.

“You all know how I operate up here, so I’m going to be candid with you.” He steps a little to the side and points back at the wreckage, “This scares me.” He pauses to scan the crowd, getting that eye contact. As he speaks again, he shakes his finger at it for emphasis, “It’s had me scared out of my utter wits since day one. Something that shouldn’t have been more than dusting off some old documents has spun out of control in ways I could never have imagined. I poked my nose in places I didn’t realize someone would go to such foul lengths to keep hidden. And I only realized how deep I’d dug my hole once it started affecting everyone. And for that, I’m sorry. I have a lot to apologize for, but ultimately I’m sorry for letting it get this far. Overnight, our sanctuary was turned back into a place of fear, suspicion, and trepidation. It’s unacceptable.”

He lets out a heavy sigh but quickly replaces it with a big breath, “But, like I said, I’m not just here to complain. First, I need to thank all the volunteers who’ve assisted the cleanup and reconstruction efforts, Christine—our newest Captain of the Guard, and all those working with her for their diligence and determination. With their help, amongst the other members of the Order, and the information we gained from Odin—” He rubs the cable in his off-hand nervously and puts on his brightest smile, hoping it doesn’t betray the incessant pounding of his heart within his chest, “—We got them. It’s done.”

Relief sweeps through the crowd—some people laughing, others sighing, and a mix of questions and chatter lighting up amongst them all. It’s a sound that both leaves him feeling lighter and twisting his gut. This’ll work. It has to work. Gripping the microphone a little tighter, Jesse sucks in a breath, signalling the crowd to simmer as he speaks again.

“I can’t give out much information yet, but the person who’s terrorized us for days and weeks has been stopped. We’ve got a lot to sort out with them still, but this marks our ability to breathe easy again. To trust each other again. And to be able to look forward without any fear or doubt remaining in our hearts!” He says and shoots a sweeping hand out over them all. Nodding along, he raises his voice, speaking with a confidence that rises up from his core, “And forward is where I want to look! Not just for Beacontown. Not just for our neighbors of Champion City, or Redstonia, or Boomtown or even just across the ocean for places like Squid Coast. I want to strive to make a change that, for once, isn’t just keeping our world from getting ripped apart or drowned in darkness. We’re not just going to make our home safer, but some of the far outreaches of our world safer. To inspire others like us to reach higher than before—for the adventurers, the dreamers, and the explorers in us all!”

He settles himself, letting the people chatter as he greets them with a smile. It turns a little nostalgic—a little sad—as he speaks next, “I’ve been doing a lot of reflection in the past month. And admittedly this idea has been in the works for some time now,” he bluffs, “But with the added revelations I’ve had, now seems like the right time to get started. There’s been a lot of changes and discoveries in my personal life lately. But the biggest impact has been the closure I’ve gotten with what happened to my own father—a man who disappeared when I was a child. We discovered he got into a scuffle with an Enderman, which we believe teleported him to the outer End Islands. A random, accidental encounter that changed my life forever.” He says with a small shrug, scanning the looks on the people around him. He can’t help but huff out a sad little laugh before he shrugs, “I know. I can see the same look on every person who learns it—pity founded in hopelessness. Hopelessness because the End has nothing. No maps, no infrastructure, no guides. Just… Nothing. No way home. No chance home.”

He steels himself, a fire in his eyes, “I want to change that. It’s no easy project, and one that will likely take years if not decades to fully implement, but…” He presses his hand into his chest, “In dedication to my father, and the countless others who’ve likely been lost in the same way, I want to at least try. And with the rate things are going in town, I’m honestly shocked at how soon I’ll get to start. The Order and I have plans to visit the End by the end of the week to begin preparations there.

“The response to all of this has been… Astounding.” He shakes his head in disbelief, a beaming smile on his face he just can’t erase, “I can’t begin to describe how proud I am of our community in spite of all that’s happened. We’re tough here in Beacontown, and we always bounce back stronger than we were before. Thank you for reminding me of that. I promise, we are going to bounce back into something incredible. And we will get justice. I’ll run myself ragged if I have to.” He laughs, getting some knowing laughs in return—of course he will. “But I won’t be alone. And neither will any of you. So in the meantime as immediate cleanup continues, be safe, be strong, and hold onto each other—together, we can pull off the impossible. We already have.

“Thank you.” He finishes with a stark nod. Turning his back to the crowd, the noise in the area quickly erupts in a mix of clapping, yelling, and most of all talking. The embarrassment doesn’t even have time to settle in though. The cacophony matches the state of his own head, but it keeps him striding forward, focused, and already thinking on where and who he needs to see next.

He hurries himself back over to cover where Olivia and a few technicians of hers are already there waiting. He passes off his microphone to a techie, mumbling briefly about the cut in the cable before shifting to greet the beaming Olivia with a hug.

“Well done, Jesse!”

“Thank you!” He laughs in relief before dropping his voice by her ear, “Do you think it got ‘em?”

She pauses, biting her lip, but then nods, “It has to. You did good—confident. That’ll carry us a long way. We opened the door for them. We just have to make sure things stay airtight until we get there.”

He nods, “Exactly my thoughts.”

And, almost as if reading his mind, someone else clears their throat as they approach the little covered area. Just the woman he wanted to see. Though she seems nervous if the way her arms are crossed over her middle is anything to go by.

“Jesse! That was… Well done!”

“Christine,” Jesse smiles, quickly hurrying over to her to shake her hand, “Thank you.” He says, not missing for a second the very serious look in her green eyes. He knows exactly what she’s thinking—exactly what she’s worrying about. Casting a quick glance to their surroundings first, Jesse takes her by the arm and leads her away from most of the crowd where she’s the first to speak and speak urgently.

“Jesse, if you caught them, why wasn’t I told?”

“Because we haven’t caught them.” He says quickly. Horror flashes for a second on her face but then settles back into the stern expression she’d been carrying prior. Seems he confirmed her thoughts exactly. He looks her dead in the eyes as he speaks, urging her with every word, “You need to trust me here. We have a plan, but it’s gonna need your help to keep it solid.”

“Jesse, I—”

“We can’t back out of this one Chris. Can I count on you?”

With a hardened look the woman stares at him for a long minute. He almost gets nervous, but only almost. Soon enough she nods and beats a fist over her heart, “... Just tell me what to do and where to be.”

“Thank you.” He smiles and sucks in a quick breath before counting the next part off on his fingers just as urgently, “I need you to help keep our bluff going. If anyone asks—even your closest guards—it was the Order and I who apprehended them and they’re being held in the Underneath under Xara’s eye for the meantime. We’re not risking them being around Beacontown until all the details are sorted and the reconstruction finalized. Don’t give name, age, status, gender, anything. Say that it’s under wraps until we’ve got all of our answers finalized and charges sorted. If people get really pushy, tell them we’re cross-referencing them for another crime. Let people speculate all they want about the who or why—but what needs to stay solid is that someone was caught and that we’re confident this is over. Just for a week—that’s all we’ll need.”

Her brows furrow and she blinks in a frenzy to seemingly catch up, “O— Okay. What happens in a week?”

“We’ll be going to the End, and our perp is going to follow us right in.”

Slowly the young woman nods. Then she eyes him, “Are you ready for that?”

“We will be. In the meantime, there’s still a lot to do.” He smiles up at her and gives her a reassuring pat on the arm, “Thank you—I know this is no small thing to ask of you. But I trust you like I trusted Odin to keep some of the pressure off my back while I handle the insane side of things.” He laughs a little at that and it seems to ease her tension, at least a little. He bounces back a pace at that, clapping his hands together as he glances around for the best path out of the area now. She looks at him curiously, nodding over to him.

“What’s next?”

“Oh, something probably a little bit crazy—as usual!” He waves before dropping his hands down to his hips “I gotta go have a chat with Soren and my uncle.”