Generated word of the day: Exile

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Jesse was happy. She had defeated Romeo, alongside Petra and Jack. She could return to her normal life. Things could settle down again. She could finally rest.

Jesse knew the future probably wouldn't be perfect. She was still hesitant over letting Petra go off adventuring alone, and the thought of accompanying her friend was still in consideration. Beacontown needed her as well, the citizens all probably shaken up and traumatized by Romeo's short time of leading. A lot of renovations awaited in the future.

Alas, the thing Jesse just wanted to do was rest. Calm down. Have a good time. Relax.

She hadn't had a proper night's sleep since the Admin's attack, always having been stressed out, weighed down by pressure, or even terrified. This was no easy journey, and it showed in everybody's eyes.

Only, Jesse's desperate wishes for some peace and quiet never came.

The moment they stepped foot into clear sight, they were surrounded.

Eyes were glaring, a look of hate on the faces of the surrounding Beacontowners. Even the citizens from champion city was there, after Romeo had ripped them from their city and exploded it.

And before Jesse knew it, they had descended on her like a pack of hungry wolves.

The person who tormented them, the person who locked them up, destroyed their builds and ruined their town.

In their eyes, that person was her.

Jesse tried to explain that it wasn't her, that she wasn't even in Beacontown when that happened. She desperately tried to beg them for forgiveness.
But the Beacontowners wanted her dead.

They attacked. Jesse ran.

Normally she wouldn't flee. Jesse never backed down from a fight, she never let fear get the best of her. But this time, things were different.

These weren't her enemies... these were her people.

Jesse's friends had tried to intervene, the Beacontowners not minding their presence at first – their hate was for Jesse, and only her.

However, the moment they were confirmed to be on the side of Jesse, on the side of the traitor, it was like a red target had been printed on their backs.

Jesse didn't know where to go, instinctively retreating back into the Order Hall. Out of every window she looked, she could see them waiting for her.

Petra was the only one who managed to get to Jesse, most of the Beacontowners not very eager to go up against the warrior. Yet, even that way, by the time Petra reached Jesse, her clothes were torn, her arms, legs and even her face covered in cuts and bruises.

"We need to leave." She had desperately said to Jesse, who were pacing up and down across the room, both her hands gripping strings of her chestnut hair.

"Those people out there want blood, Jesse, you're blood." Petra had insisted, raising her voice over the overwhelming hammering and banging on the doors.

"There's only one other option you really have left, other than death."

"And what's that?" Jesse had asked, turning around and facing Petra with bloodshot eyes.

The redhead had taken a deep breath, reaching over and touching Jesse's shoulder.

"You need to run."

And they did. Jesse had fought, not to kill, but to protect. She and Petra were physically chased out of Beacontown, the people behind them screaming in blood-lust. It was like war.

Lukas was outside of town, ready to meet up with them as he too had been chased away. Even the rest of the new Ocelots had turned against him. They believed Jesse, but their own safety was more important to them than hers. So when Lukas chose her side, he was automatically labelled as an enemy.

Axel and Olivia had made their way back to their own towns at Jesse's command. She had refused for them to get caught in the mess, fearing that they might be turned on by their own citizens after the incident. Luckily, the fight didn't seem to spread that far, meaning her friends were safe.

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It's been a month. And it's been hell.

Jesse, Petra and Lukas had fled, far from Beacontown. The word of the traitor, as Jesse was now known, spread like wildfire. Her face was planted on wanted posters, as far they went. Where they were recognized, they were attacked.

Here she was now, five weeks since her life took a turn for the worst.

Jesse sat on the ground beneath a large oak tree. She was staring out in front of her, her eyes distance and her gaze expressionless. Her skin had paled, her eyes had dulled. Scars covered her body, even her face.

Worst of all, one of her eyes were glazed over, the rich brown iris faded to a sandy colour and the pupil glassy. It was an injury inflicted by one of her very own beloved Beacontowners. It was the most painful one Jesse felt, physically and mentally.
And alas, it never healed, leaving her blind in that eye, her sight in it forever lost.

"Jesse?"

Jesse didn't blink at the sound of her name, continuing to stare out in front of her. Petra didn't need a sign to know that Jesse heard her, however.

The warrior herself no longer looked the same, her own skin covered in awful scars, including a deep one across the bridge of her nose. Despite the painful memories these scars held, memories Petra would forever now carry with her, she didn't loose anything. Unlike Jesse, she still had both her eyes.

"I have some news." Petra said, sitting down beside Jesse. "From Lukas."

Jesse immediately turned her head towards Petra, interest suddenly gleaming in her eye. They had split up from Lukas a few days ago. They wanted to cross the ocean, see if they could find a place where they could start anew. While Jesse and Petra kept to the most remote route, for Jesse's safety, Lukas had split up from them to try and make contact with Axel and Olivia. Before fleeing, Jesse's last wish was to carry over a message to her friends.

"Is it good or bad news?" Jesse asked, her voice low, but still gentle as it's always been.

"It's good news." Petra said, breaking into a smile. "As predicted, he couldn't get into Boomtown, but he was able to come face to face with Olivia at Redstonia. She has contact with Axel, and promised to carry the message across."

Jesse nodded, letting out a soft sigh of relief before turning her head back away from Petra.

"I have better news, however." Petra said, a slight bit of excitement in her voice. It wasn't something you heard often.

"Olivia was able to provide us with a map, to a mostly isolated island out at sea. She found it in an old chest of Ellegaard's, most likely back from the Old Order's adventures.

And Jesse, this island is honestly deserted. Nobody would ever find us there either, no matter how much they searched."

"You think it could be where we take refuge?" Jesse asked, softly, her voice dropping slightly lower.

"I think it is." Petra said, smiling. "This is the best thing we could've received right now.

We'll meet up with Lukas in two days, as planned, at the docks. Olivia left him with a boat that we could have. We're finally going to be at peace."

"Anything else?" Jesse asked softly, continuing to stare out into the distance.

"One last thing." Petra said softly, slipping a crumbled piece of paper out of her pocket, and folding it open. "Olivia... she has a message for you."

Jesse's gaze flickered to Petra for a split second. She took a deep breath, emotionally preparing herself for what's to come.

"Read it to me."

Petra smoothed out the message, and began to read it.

Dear Jesse.

I really hope this message reaches you. If things go as planned, you, Petra and Lukas should soon be free. We might never make contact again, but I hope that you'll at least find peace. That you'll still find a slither of happiness out there.

I miss you, Jesse. More than anything. I regret not being there for you when I had the chance, considering we might never see each other again. You were the best friend I ever had in my entire life, and you changed me in so many ways.

Axel and I will never forget you. The times we used to be nobodies, the times we lived in that old tree house. I would give anything to relive just one of those days.

As we go our separate ways, I want to make one final request.

No matter where the world takes you, no matter how hard things get, just know that this wasn't your fault. You didn't deserve what happened, not after everything you gave the world.

You're a smart and brave person, and no matter what the people think of you, you will always be the same Jesse in our hearts. And she's a hero.

- Olivia

Petra lowered the message slightly, her own voice having started to tremble on the last few words. Her blue eyes shone slightly with tears, and she blinked rapidly to hide them.

Jesse didn't move, her gaze fixed in front of her, her mouth pulled into a thin line. However, a single tear running down her cheek, was a sign that she broke inside.

She never wanted to be an exile.

___

I'll be honest with you, when I wrote that letter bit, I legitimately started tearing up slightly. 

I was so happy about the prompt "exile", because I thought 'Wow! Lot's of possibilities here!' 
No surprise, it didn't take me ten minutes to come up with this.

But oh my lord, this has to be one of my favourite one shots I have ever written. A part of me want to write a full on book based on this idea now, but I've already got too many projects, lol. 

But honestly, the whole way it ended... I'm sad now XD My own writing made me depressed xD 

Anyhow, I really hope you liked it! I'm quite excited to see what word the word generator spits out next, to be honest!