"Lukas." Said Jess in a cold voice... coming from right behind him. Startling everyone. "How would you like to join me in my task?"

That was a question nobody expected. Silence spread throughout the Twilight Forest as the only thing that can be heard is the natural underground gas igniting, spewing a column of fire up to the surface.

"Uh... what?" said Lukas, confused as he is surprised.

Jess rolled her eyes and let out a huff of annoyance. "I said, do you want to join me on my task?"

"Me?" he asked skeptically. "Why?"

"You're wasting your time, Jess." said Aiden. "Lukas wouldn't consider going with a loser like you! Right Lukas?"

"Oh really?" said Jess, raising an eyebrow. "I can be very persuasive."

"Threatening us won't do any good for you Jess." Said Gill. "We can take you on."

"Who said anything about fighting?" said Jess. "I'm simply giving Lukas an offer."

Aiden just scoffed. "Yeah right, Lukas is sticking with us Jess."

"Doesn't he get a choice in the matter?" asked Jess.

"He doesn't need to." Said Maya, breathing a little heavy. "We know he'll stay with us, and away from you."

"Then why is he still not declining my offer?" said Jess, pointing to Lukas who had a look of concentration on his face.

"Is this a temporary job?" he asked. "Or a permanent position?"

"Lukas, you can't be seriously thinking about going with her?!" protested Maya, still being assisted to stand by her boyfriend.

"Of course this will be temporary, a one time thing actually." Clarified Jess. "Once it's done, you can go back doing whatever stupid things you like to do with your gang."

"But still, why me?" said Lukas. "Why are you giving me this offer and not someone else?"

"Don't think that this is something special Lukas." Said Jess. "You simply have to do something for me later on."

"What do I have to do?" asked Lukas, worried and thinking about the horrible possibilities.

"I promise that it's nothing complicated, or immoral." She replied. "But still, since you're going to get a hefty reward for your efforts, I think I'm being generous."

"What exactly am I doing for this job?" he asked.

"Simply help me kill a few monsters here in the Twilight Forest." She explained. "And I'll give you twenty percent of all of the loot."

The Ocelots eyes widened. Twenty percent is still a lot since Jess could get tons of monster drops from enemies, even the rare ones! But still...

"That doesn't make sense." Said Lukas, shaking his head. "You can clearly handle yourself, you killed a hydra for crying out loud! Why would you need someone who's weaker at your side?"

"Like I said before, Lukas." Said Jess. "I bring you along for this fortunate journey, and in exchange, you'll do something for me. And to be honest, you're the only person I think who's not stupid enough to screw up the task I have for you later on."

He should be thinking this through, but Jess just seemed so convincing. Almost as if she has a power to sway people with words...

"Lukas, aren't you tired of being dragged into your friends problems?" Jess asked. "When was the last time someone listened to you, you're the leader after all, and yet your friends somehow makes it more difficult for you."

"Shut up, Jess!" shouted Aiden. "Before I make you!"

"See how your friend is quick to start a fight. It only reinforces my point." Said Jess, ignoring Aiden's threat. "Think of all the times where you had to deal with another problem because they dragged you into something they caused."

"Do you really think they even consider you a friend?" asked Jess. "Do they even respect and appreciate you?"

"Lukas don't listen to her!" said Gill, but Lukas was tuning them all out. Remembering.

... Aiden, Maya, and Gill insulting Jess at her own funeral when everyone still thought she was dead...

"Jesse, his friends, and family now hate the Ocelots, hate me, because of you guys." Lukas began. "They group me in with you as if I did it as well, blaming me. All because of you three, even though I didn't do anything!"

... Aiden, Maya, and Gill trying to rob Jess in the Nether...

"We wasted time in the Nether because you three decided to rob someone." Said Lukas, getting angrier. "We almost died because you three didn't listen to reason."

... Aiden, Maya, and Gill, start to ignore Lukas's warnings in the Twilight Forest. Disregarding the picnic he planned for a month to go after Jess. Even though he warned them not to, they still didn't listen...

"We ended up in another life threatening situation, all because of you three!" shouted Lukas enraged, glaring at them. "We almost died again, because you three wouldn't listen!"

"Lukas please-" said Aiden.

"Just shut up!" Lukas shouted, his hands rubbing his forehead. "I need to think...wait, what happens to them?" He asked, pointing to his 'friends'.

"What about them?" asked Jess.

"I mean, are you going to hurt them the second we're done with this job?" Explained Lukas. "Jesse, Axel, and Magnus described your new... personality, Jess. You're not exactly the type to let go of a grudge."

"Hmm, smart and cute." She complimented as he slightly blushed from that. "True, I will come back and get my revenge for trapping me in an illusion, and trying to capture me."

It was then the large obsidian spike, inside the hollow hill, covered in hydra blood, started to break down and quickly formed a dome around the Aiden, Maya, and Gill with only a few hole for them to look out of.

"Wait, you don't need to kill them!" said Lukas, scared for his so-called friends.

"Why not?" she said coldly. "I don't really need them alive, and they have been nothing but hostile every time we meet. Why should I show mercy to people who wouldn't show mercy to me?"

"Then I want to make a deal." Said Lukas, trying to keep his cool, despite the other three freaking out inside the obsidian prison. "Let me show mercy for them, to you."

"What could you possibly have that I want?" asked Jess, almost tempted to crush them to silence their protests...

"If you promise not to harm them for this incident, forgive them for what they did... I'll leave the Ocelots... permanently." Said Lukas.

"What?!" shouted Maya.

"Lukas you can't be serious?!" said Gill.

"Lukas, why would you offer something like that?!" screamed Aiden. "Doesn't the Ocelots mean anything to you?!"

"They do have a point?" said Jess, pointing to the obsidian prison. "How would you quitting your little gang of troublemakers be something I want?"

It was then she noticed that Lukas is looking down at the ground, body trembling. He is crying. "I'm angry at them, possibly hate them!" He let out a shaky breath. "But I don't want to see them hurt..."

"But you do." said Lukas, tears streaming down his face. "You laughed at me when I thought the rest of the Ocelots drowned in lava in the Nether. Axel even told me of the horrible things you said to him and Magnus in Boom Town. You love emotional pain Jess."

"And if I quit, it will hurt so much. I'll quit the very thing I have that kept me and my former friends so close throughout the years." said Lukas, shaking. "It'll be a show for you to watch me break down into tears."

"Former?!" screamed the imprisoned Ocelots.

"But won't be sad about leaving your friends?" asked Jess. "Won't you miss them?"

"I'll miss the Ocelots, the building group I created." Said Lukas. "I'll miss the recognition I got from it, people acknowledging me, not just another person in the background... but I won't miss the people in it. They're nothing but bullies, and I'm tired of being dragged into their problems."

"Lukas... do you really hate us that much?" whispered Maya, watching the whole ordeal through one of the holes in the obsidian dome as tears starting to flow.

"Lukas!" shouted Gill, pounding on the obsidian prison. "Don't do this, please! We're sorry, just don't leave!"

Aiden didn't say anything, just glaring at Jess as he clenched his fists even tighter.

"Do we have a deal?" Lukas extended his shaking hand. "If I quit the Ocelots, will you promise not to hurt them? Forgive them?" Even though the tears stopped, the eyes are still full of grief.

Jess looked at the extended hand, connected to the saddened blonde, who once again has to do something in response to the trouble caused by his friends.

She grabbed his hand, shaking it. "Deal."

Ping!

For doing the unthinkable: letting a grudge go, and forgiving an enemy, Notch has granted you the Twilight Skeleton Key that is now in your Inventory!

[Twilight Skeleton Key]

This key will open any locked passage or locks that are in the twilight forest. Great for gaining access to areas that is normally lethal and difficult to get to.

It was then Blink appeared, the mutant enderman scaring everyone. "Is it completed?" asked Jess as her mutated minion nodded, holding her latest invention. "Good."

"Lukas, go take a walk with my minion here." She said calmly. "Don't worry, he won't hurt you... unless you give me a reason to."

Lukas, hesitantly, nodded and walked with the 8-armed, deformed enderman as Blink placed down Jess's newest invention on the ground.

The Mana Generator.

"Wait." She said, causing them to stop. "Give me your leather chestplate, with the ocelot face on the back." She said to Lukas, holding out her hand.

Lukas didn't hesitate to give her the armor piece. "Here." He said, handing over the chestplate to his temporary boss.

Jess raised an eyebrow at that. "Well that was quick. I thought you would argue over it, considering they're your friends."

"Why would I? It's just a stupid jacket." He said coldly as he started to walk away. "And I'm not their friend, I'm just their babysitter that takes part of the blame of the problems they cause, and is forced to clean up their messes." He added before walking away.

To be continued!

But just a second, did you all expect this to happen? Tell me what your thoughts!

Also, new follower! AnnaMattingly1!

For you, here's a donut! (0) Enjoy!