The appreciation week may be over but I still got a few fics left to give (aka ideas that popped into my head at 3 in the morning), if you allow it that is. This is for day 1 again and yes this was heavily inspired by the ending scene of Hopping Mall from Amphibia.
"How's the leg doing?" Violet asks as she takes a seat beside Harper on the couch, making sure to avoid the crutches as she did.
It's been a month since the whole fiasco with the caves and carnival. Violet became part of a team dedicated to hunting down and curing the horrors while also protecting the Power against those who wish to use and abuse it. Meanwhile, Harper went back to the hospital for further treatment and was let out a few days ago when the doctor determined that his condition is stable enough to let him go. Now, he's staying at his grandpa's house until his leg is fully healed.
"It's fine. A pain most of the time." Harper looks at the cast with disdain. "God, I just want to run around again."
"Yeah, that looks like it sucks." Violet subconsciously places a hand to her eyepatch. "How did you get it broken?"
"Not sure. Maybe it was from struggling too much while underneath the lake bed, or the Power broke it on purpose or..." Harper sighed, running a hand through his blonde hair. "I'm just glad I'm back...that I'm real again." He looks at Violet, gratitude evident on his face. "And it's all thanks to you."
"It was nothing. You should thank the doctors and the therapists. They did much more than me."
"But you're the reason I'm here now. If it weren't for you, there was no way I could've been freed from the lake bed. The Power wouldn't let me go. You made it let me free again."
Harper smiled. "So, once again, thank you."
Violet couldn't help but smile back. "Alright, you're welcome."
They sat in a comfortable silence for a while, occasionally Harper would grab a pillow from the couch and contemplate starting a pillow fight or sleeping with it, but he never goes through with it.
Violet looks around the living room until her eyes rest on a framed picture on the far wall opposite of them. It showed two adults and two boys, playing happily together in a yard.
"Are those your parents?"
Harper looks up, an agonized look crossing his face for a moment as he sighed and nodded.
"Yeah." He confirms. "They're dead."
"...fuck, I'm sorry." Violet winced, regretting what she said.
"It's fine. It's been a while since it happened anyway."
"... what were they like?"
"They were the best parents I could ask for." Harper smiled, bittersweet. "Todd was more of a father to me than my biological dad. And mom...she was awesome. She was kind and headstrong, and never hesitated to do tell off the teachers when she heard about them mistreating me and Elliot. Though we didn't always see eye to eye. Sometimes they like making out the second my back is turned just to annoy me, either that or they were just impatient..."
"...and the funny thing is, sometimes I would crave to be annoyed by them again, and how I would give anything just to hear their voices again."
Violet looks at his face, tears forming in his eyes. She listened intently, but she couldn't help but be stricken all the same. How his parents remind her of her own the original Violet's, and how she wished he had gotten more time to spend with them.
Harper seems oblivious to to his tears until he felt something wet on his cheeks. Once he realized that, he quickly wiped them away on his white sleeves. "Oh, sorry. Sorry, just got carried away."
"It's fine." Violet knows his pain. Or at least, she thinks she does. She never had a family to begin with. But she misses them all the same. "It's nice that you actually knew them."
Harper gives her a confused look. She took that as a sign to continue.
"My...own family were killed five years ago."
Harper's eyes widened, a hand flying to cover his mouth.
"I know it's not actually my family. It was Violet's...I was never actually her, but I have her memories. I remember everything about her life. Even though it wasn't actually mine."
"And now...I've always wondered. Can you miss someone you never actually knew?" Violet shakes her head, chuckling bitterly. "Of course you can't-"
She was cut off by arms wrapping around her. Harper gives her a squeeze, hugging her tight.
Her eye formed tears she tried to hold back as she returned the embrace. The pain, so unreal yet real at the same time. How she remembers it all like it's her own.
Harper doesn't need to say anything else. The pain they share can't be conveyed through words alone.
Just hugging each other is enough to give each other solace and comfort.
Ever since the homecoming attack, the world lost its color. She lost all sense of simple joy, and became cold and distant and angry.
She became unlovable.
For years now, she's been fighting against the Power with no other life goal or anything really. She just wanted to get back at the force that wronged her, that took away a friend.
She never really did change after homecoming. She was still a jerk to everyone and didn't exactly care if she hurt their feelings.
But she wanted to change. She wanted it so badly that it hurts.
She was unlovable.
But then she met someone. Someone who gave her world color.
Someone who convinced her she wasn't unlovable.
"You don't deserve to suffer. If you think you deserve to be punished for anything, you don't."
"You don't even know me."
"I do know you. You're a hot, dumb jock. I mean, you've got legs for days."
"Uh...wait. What do you mean dumb?"
"Uh can we go back to the hot part?"
Violet Rendanza gave her life color.
She was a complete stranger when they first met, but they were sort of similar in a way. Angry and aggressive to protect themselves from being hurt. But Violet can also be sweet when she wants to be.
Jocelyn doesn't know if she can be nice, not after everything she did.
"It's not about you. It's about the people you hurt. They deserve your apology and amends."
Violet listened to her, encouraged her to be better, and showed her that her past doesn't define her.
She made her feel loved.
"What's happening to me?"
"Whatever's happening to you is happening to me too."
Itâs been an absolute pleasure writing different stuff for the seven days. It helped me keep my creative juices flowing and I got to write for something Iâm very passionate about.
Anyways, this post is about the two fics I sent for day 7 (not the third one I sent), and theyâve been living in my brain rent free ever since I thought about them that I just had to write down all my thoughts about them both.
Fair warning that this post is fairly lengthy and very self-indulgent and probably doesnât even make any sense. Read at your own risk. I will also be referring to the three MCs I speak about with the names I gave them in my playthroughs for the sake of simplicity. (Devon - Jasper. Harper is still Harper. Rowan - Violet. Villain!Rowan - Sumire)
Alternate Anchor AU
This AU refers to the villain path. Right before Sumire sacrifices Jasper as the anchor, she betrays Matthias and uses him as the anchor and takes the former shadow ghost prisoner. This triggers a lot more hatred and anger from the survivors and other crews and they still want revenge against her, but with the added goal of trying to save the resurrected boy.
I donât have a general storyline planned out for this AU but I do have a few things in mind:
- I might consider adding Violet in, but instead of being a Power creature in a human body, sheâs just a regular human who gets dragged into the revenge business. I like to imagine she also has a grudge against Sumire for something she did to her which is why she wants to bring her down.
- A rescue mission in a castle, with lots of action, sadness and general cruelty from Sumire all around. It succeeds in the end but things can be very difficult.
- Before the rescue mission, I like to imagine there could be a unique mechanic where you can choose who you want to be apart of the mission. A sort of Heist: Monaco thing but not really. You can choose a maximum of two people from each crew from the three books. If the ILITW MC is Redfield and has a LI whose alive, the LI will join no matter what but wonât take up a slot, and likewise for the Harper if theyâre still around though you can refuse the LIâs offer to join for Harper. It doesnât really matter who you choose but there will be scene variations for who you choose and some difficulty involved for every combination.
- A beach breather episode scene for all the crews. Just relaxation with no catches. The dinner party/Lake Day/homecoming for this AU.
- All three MCs going to confront Sumire on their own and getting to say some final farewells to their LIs and/or friends.
- Before the final confrontation against Sumire, she could trap them in the scenarios where their lives is at the most danger. (Are You Scared? game for the ILITW crew, the battle against Josephineâs monsters for the ILB group and the battle with their inner fears for the ILW people.
- A hero path and a villain path. The former you can customise a new MC to take on the villain, or you can continue the villain path and continue playing as the villain.
- You can succeed on either path or fail. The good and bad endings will be dependant on which path you take.
I love this AU but I donât really know if I can branch it out into a full story or not. I could try, but idk. Weâll see if I do want to write this out.
Anyways, next up...
Survivor Jane AU
Title says it all. Instead of killing Jane, Redfield simply kicks her out along with a few others (Ava, Andy, Dan and Lily) and keeps the rest as his âfriendsâ. Jane is the new protagonist here and will have a nerve score alongside her friends who also got kicked out.
As for the rest who got kept in the ruins (Noah, Lucas, Stacy and Jasper), I donât believe they would have nerve scores. For one, they would be out of the story for a good amount of time aside from flashback scenes, and wonât have enough time build up nerve so they can survive. Dan in the original story still had time for his nerve to build up so he has a chance of survival while here, if they had nerve scores, itâd probably be impossible to ensure they survive the final confrontation.
Anyways, letâs talk about story changes and how each chapter will differ from the original.
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Chapter 1 would more or less remain the same with a few changes since it starts from Janeâs perspective. Her and Connorâs meeting will probably be different since they know what itâs like to lose a sibling and would probably recognize each other. Everyoneâs nerve drops will remain the same when the chapter ends.
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Chapter 2 will also be heavily unchanged with the exceptions of getting rid of some scenes from the original (such as Lucasâs and maybeeeee the locker scene with Cody and Jocelyn). The flashback scene will remain the same. Dan would still be in the woods, and this time Ava/Andy will want to remain with Jane to rescue him while the other two will be hesitant. Jane will get the premium option of choosing whether to recruit none, one or both of them for the rescue mission and thatâs about it.
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Chapter 3 is where things will differ. Jane and Connor recognises each other and Connor asks Jane why sheâs in the hardware store. Instead of guessing who his sister is, Jane will have to come up with a lie to convince Connor not to worry about her. Get it right and Connor will drop the subject, get it wrong and he gets concerned and suspicious, but he lets her off the hook for now. Lily can get the flashlight (if she came, if she doesnât then the option to get the flashlight will be removed) and Jane can get the barbed wire bat before they go into the woods to find Dan and possibly their other friends as well. They manage to find and save him but not the others and had to bring him out of the woods before they get attacked. Before the chapter ends, Redfield will be seen looking at them with the mad sprite before disappearing back into the trees.
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Chapter 4 will probably remain the same but add in a scene where Jane is arguing with her mother about last night and maybe add in a scene where the remaining friends try to figure things out and what their next move should be. Also the scene where Hilda can be taken care of wonât happen (sorry!)
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Chapter 5 will also remain heavily unchanged, take out the scene with Lucas and Mr. Cooper and Jane will be the one to adopt the crow from the last chapter. Both of the premium scenes with Andy and Connor will remain the same, but with Connor thereâll be a few changes in dialogue between Jane and Connor. With the party thing, thereâll be no blackmail or revenge since Stacyâs not around and instead Britney will actually want to host a party and begrudgingly invites the crew to the party at the beginning of chapter 6 just so she can be close to Lily (the headache thingy remains the same)
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Chapter 6 things remain unchanged for the most part. The flashback scene is still unchanged. Thereâll be no scenes with Lucas for obvious reasons, and instead in its place will be the friends in someone's car on their way to the hospital. They would talk about what happened in the past and if thereâs still hope of their friends still being alive and if theyâre mad at them for not saving them when they had the chances to do so.Â
When they get to the hospital, Jane discovers the kitten when it comes up to her and can adopt her. At the hospital, things remain the same until the option comes up where everyone can see Danâs past messages. His texts remain the same aside from the ones with Stacy and at the end thereâll be a difference. In addition to wanting to prove that Redfield isnât real, he also wants to see if his friends are still alive since heâs been having thoughts about them and he wonders if theyâre still around. Everything else goes the same.
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Chapter 7, the flashback scene is still the same. Jane can dress up fancy for the party and all the nerve checks for the friends will remain the same except for those who arenât around. The walk scene with Noah will also be taken out and instead be Jane reminiscing about the past and her relationship with her brother. The Are You Scared? scene will go the same and everyone including Connor will leap to Janeâs defense when Cody starts to get mad at her. Lucasâs and Stacyâs diamond scenes will be replaced by a diamond scene with Lily. At the end of the chapter, Codyâs body will be seen outside of Janeâs window, having several claw and bite marks on his body.
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Chapter 8, the beginning with Jocelyn and Ava remains the same, as for the scene where Noah reminisces about him and Jane, itâll be Jane opening up to one of the friends about a memory of her going to find Noah after he ran away. Jane goes to confront Redfield and she also demands him to let her friends go once he reveals that theyâre still alive. The rest of the chapter remains the same.
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Chapter 9, the flashback scene will remain the same except itâll happen in Janeâs perspective. She returns to her house where sheâs chewed out by her mother and an argument ensues. The rest of the chapter goes the same.
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Chapter 10, the flashback scene is the same except at the end where Jane repeats over and over again sheâs not scared and Redfield kicks her out, followed by Ava, Andy, Dan and Lily shortly after. They try to get back in but Redfield refuses to let them. Cut out the scenes with Stacy and Lucas (along with their premium scenes) and have them replaced with scenes with Ava, Andy and Lilyâs lives getting ruined by Redfield being an ass, Lily will get a premium scene with Jane here. The rest of the chapter goes the same.
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Chapter 11, Cora will advise the crew to get their friends out of the ruins before they do the ritual to banish Redfield, since I believe that if Redfield gets trapped, so does anyone else who happen to be inside the ruins when the ritual is finished. They go to the hardware store where Jane and Connor can talk things out and can get the option to recruit Connor as an ally for the upcoming confrontation, which will make things easier and may also provide a nerve boost for Jane. Lily can get the pole saw and once everyoneâs ready, they go to the woods to fight Redfield and get their friends back once and for all.Â
The fightâs difficulty would depend on the friendsâ nerves scores and how many weapons you purchase, but itâs still possible to win without diamond options, you just have to be careful. Jane can choose who to bring to the ruins or go alone to save their friends while everyone else tries to hold off Redfield and his minions. The ruinsâ entrance would be guarded by monsters and Jane and whoever she brought with, or if sheâs by her lonesome will have to pick the correct options to get past them. If no correct options are picked, the injuries will take Jane and youâll have to start over. If all correct options are picked Jane will come out unscathed, which will make the remaining portion of the fight easier if sheâs unharmed.
Once all the monsters are taken cared of, Jane enters the ruins and find her friends and her brother alive, severely pale and with minor injuries covering their grown bodies. After a tearful reunion between them, she gets them out and has the option of either trying to get them out of the woods or bring them back to the clearing so they can complete the ritual. Whichever is chosen, Jane will have to defend herself and her friends till the end. If she chooses to get them to safety, she will end up at Jasperâs childhood home and waits anxiously for the others to come back. They do and announce that the ritual was a success. They all hug each other. If she chooses to get them to the clearing, the fight will continue on and Lily and someone of Janeâs choosing (her, Andy or Ava) will recite the incantation to banish Redfield. Once they do, everyone goes back to the ruins to test it out and they find that it succeeded. Hug time once again.
Iâd probably end things here, but if we were to go all the way to the end...
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Chapter 12, things are generally the same except the former âfriendsâ will be very anxious on re-entering society in the group chat. Jane can reassure them or give them tough love. She would be with Noah and helps him through a flashback before she gets ready for homecoming. She can decide whether to bring him to homecoming or leave him be. Everything goes the same here.
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Chapter 13, things generally go the same except with a few changes. Everyone splits off to try and find the former âfriendsâ of Redfield and they can reach them in time if they choose the correct options and save them, if they pick the wrong choices then they get taken. Everything plays out the same.
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Chapter 14, things are generally the same except with no betrayal from Noah and instead Redfield lures everyone down the stairs by taking someone from the group. Anyone can do.
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Chapter 15 is where things get very, very interesting.
In order to save their friends, Redfield wants them all to replay Are You Scared? and if he loses, he will never bother them again. If he wins, then he will keep the friends he kept and may kill everyone who didnât agree to be his friend. This is where everyoneâs moment of truth occurs. Ava, Andy, Lily and Dan can survive or die depending on their nerve scores.
Once everyoneâs out the picture, Jane faces off against Redfield on her own. And this is where her moment of truth occurs. Itâll be similar to Harperâs moment of truth in chapter 17 of ILB. If her nerve score is high enough, she can either automatically survive or have more time to pick the correct options. If sheâs at haunted or she picks all wrong options, then she would die.
The ending of the chapter will depend on who lived and who died.
If everyone who has a nerve score dies, then Redfield gets to keep the kids he kept for ten years and Mayor Greenâs search party fails to locate anyone.
If at least one or a few of them survived, then they can get the friends out of the ruins and the search party finds them.
If only Jane survives, she has to bring her remaining friends out of the ruins and hugs them all and theyâre found.
If everyone but Jane survives, then they all wait outside the ruins, hoping that she survived, but she doesnât come out. She would take Redfieldâs place and watch as all of her friends get found by the search party.
If everyone and Jane survives, Jane stumbles out of the ruins and embraces her friends in a huge group hug and are found by the search party and are finally safe.
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Chapter 16 will depend on what happened in chapter 15.
If everyone with a nerve score dies, then the chapter will open up on the friends who got left behind as they suffer even more with Redfield. Hope became something they never want to feel again. Connor will be the one to speak on everyoneâs behalf on the memorial later on.
The other three endings are kinda obvious (everyone who survived try to move forward and Connor/Jane speaks on behalf of whoever died in the final game) so Iâm gonna skip to the last and best ending of this.
If everyone and Jane lives, then the chapter opens up on Jane greeting Noah in the morning and cooks him breakfast, stating that sheâs been using his tips on cooking for the last ten years. They talk for a while until Jane decides to ask Noah about his time with Redfield and the others. He responds, saying it was horrible and the only reason none of them went crazy is because they had each other. He also says that thinking of Jane was another factor to this. They hug, Jane promising to never leave him again for as long as she lives. Their mother probably comes in and Jane decides to ignore her, dragging Noah out so he can get more used to being outside once again.
The chapter continues on with everyone else. Ava, Andy, Lily and Danâs scenes remain the same. For Stacy, hers would be about her and Connor walking down the street eating ice cream and having a good time, trying to forget about the last ten years and trying to catch up with her brother. Connor notices this and gets her to open up.
For Lucas, he would be struggling in a class, having missed ten whole years of education and having to start high school without much experience, and probably gets attacked with memories of his time with Redfield. His teacher would notice and helps him, suggesting whether or not he would want to see the counsellor and that his mental health is more important than his studies. He responds gratefully.
For Jasper, he would be with his parents, Cid and Hilda trying to adjust to living a normal life again. He opens up to his parents about the last ten years in the end though. He also dyes his hair because I want him to.
When the memorial comes around, Jane gets to speak about all the events and can either tell the truth on what happened or agree with Mayor Green. She can also speak about Redfield if she wants and can sympathise with him or be angry with him.
Then the friends all gather up in a pizza place and reconnect over the past several years and promised each other to be there one another and never fall out of touch again.
Jasper looks up at the doorway to see Noah, face full of worry and guilt, hands shoved into his pockets.
âHis heart is beating at least.â
His hand rests on Lucasâs chest, now covered by a blue sweater he bought years ago. He was surprised to learn that it fits him perfectly.
Lucas once said he wanted to buy a sweater of his own, something he wanted to buy, not something his parents got for him. Jasper knew he liked blue. He wanted to give this to him as a present for his next birthday.
And then homecoming happened. A knife stabbed through his heart, unseeing wide eyes staring at the cavernâs ceiling...
Jasper shook those memories away, forcing himself to remain in the present, squeezing Lucasâs hand to ground himself.
He swore he felt him squeeze back.
â...Iâm sorry.â Noah speaks up, looking at him in the eyes.
Jasper knows why heâs saying this. He doesnât need to ask why heâs sorry, or how he doesnât need to apologize.
âI know. Thank you.â
âDo you hate me?â
Now that question surprised him.
âHate you?â
âI...I killed your boyfriend, Jasper. How could you look at me the same way? Why do you even put up with me anymore? Or are you just being civil because of Connor?â
Jasper looks back at Lucas. He looks so sickly like this. Itâs still so surreal to see him like this, alive with flesh and skin and bones and not shadowy lashes.
He thought he would never be able to hold him again.
â...you helped me save him in the end, didnât you?â
âYeah?â
âThatâs good enough for me. I just...I just want to focus on helping him and make sure heâs okay again. If Iâm mad at you, then how can I help?â
âSo....â
âIâm not completely over what you did. But I will look past that, because heâs safe with me. And you deserve some of the credit too.â
â...Iâll leave you two then. I have something to give to Violet, canât imagine how sheâs doing with the...you know.â
âYeah, tell her I said hi.â
âWill do.â
.~.
âWhatâs going on with Lucas?â Dan wore a mask of worry as he got out of the passenger seat, everyone whoâs in front of the cabin all on edge and wary.
âWhat happened? Is he okay?â Jasper closed the door to the driverâs seat, fearing for the worst.
What couldâve happened while he was picking up Dan?
âProbably not, thanks to Noah here.â Andy scoffs, turning his glare over to Noah, who glares back at him.
âWhat the hell?! I didnât do anything, other than help save his life!â
âAfter killing him you mean?â
âSomeone should probably go and check on-â Violet starts, but before she could finish, a bloodcurdling scream pierces the air, loud enough that it could make the ground beneath them shake.
Jasperâs now fully alert.
âIs that...â
âItâs Lucas.â Noah confirms.
Jasper doesnât wastes another second, rushing into the cabin, his eyes wide with worry.
âIs he going to be okay?â Violet asks, concerned.
âEh, he has Jasper to take care of him. And heâs whipped, so heâll be fine.â Jocelyn shrugs.
.~.
Jasper followed pained gasps and short-lived screams through the cabin. Goosebumps travel along his skin as he approaches the door to the room where the screams are coming from and slams it open, and immediately regrets doing that, thinking that he couldâve scared his lover.
Lucas snaps his head up to look at him, panic evident on his face, hands clutching his head, his breaths coming out as ragged and uneven.
It broke his heart.
âLucas?â Jasper closes the door and quickly comes over, dropping to his knees besides the bed and reaching out to take his hand in his.
Lucas tries to speak, but all that came out were half words and panicked breaths. Jasper gives his hand a reassuring squeeze.
âYou donât have to talk, just focus on breathing. Like this.â
He holds up his other hand and began to take deep breaths in himself, using his fingers to count how long it takes. Three seconds to inhale, two seconds holding the breath in, and three seconds to exhale. Lucas copies this until his breathing was under control, and the panic and terror on his face recedes into exhaustion and sadness.
âDo you feel better?â Jasper asks, climbing onto the bed and sitting besides him, never letting go of his hand.
â...no. Not really.â Lucas admits.
Jasper frowns. âDo you want to talk about it?â
âNot exactly, but I probably should. You taught me that we shouldnât keep things bottled up.â
Lucas draws in a deep breath, and begins to talk.
âI donât know what happened. One moment I was doing okay, trying to follow Andyâs instructions, and the next...I felt like I was back there.â
âBack where?â
âThe ruins. Homecoming. Jane, Noah...the memories just came to mind. I didnât know why, it just happened. When Noah wanted to reach out to me...I saw the knife in his hands. He didnât have it, but I still saw it...â
He trails off. Jasper waits patiently for him to continue, even as he looks away from him.
â...everything about this is horrible. This body doesnât feel like it belongs to me, like I donât deserve to be here or that Iâm a parasite invading a body. Things I could do normally became things Iâm horrendous at, breathing, chewing...itâs like my own body is telling me I donât belong here.â
Jasper can hear the his voice crack, tears filling up in eyes behind glasses. He hated this. He hated that Lucas was feeling this way, that he feels like he doesnât deserve to be here.
It isnât fair that he was being punished for getting a second chance at life.
âHey, look at me.â
Jasper cups his face with both hands, turning him back to him.
âYouâre going to get better. Youâve only been back for a few days, just give it some time and youâll remember what being human feels like. Iâm not going anywhere until you feel like yourself again.â
âI love you so much, Lucas. To be able to hold your hand again...itâs nothing short of a miracle.â
Lucas doesnât seemed convince, appearing as though his mind is occupied with something judging by the look on his face.
âWhatâs on your mind?â
â...do you think I couldâve been like Jane?â
Jasperâs eyes widened slightly. âWhat do you mean?â
âVolatile, dangerous, hurting people...thatâs what I mean. Sometimes I felt so angry that I wanted to hurl things into the trees...thatâs the scariest part. I didnât know why I was mad half the time, and my powers are at its strongest when Iâm angry...and...â
A tear falls from his eyes.
â...I was scared, so scared of hurting you, of hurting anyone. I was scared of becoming a monster, of becoming a murderer, of becoming a-â
âLucas.â
Jasper wraps his arms around him, pulling him into an embrace.
âYouâre not a monster. You never hurt anyone.â
âBut what if-â
âNo what ifs. No buts. In all these four years, you never hurt anyone, not even Noah. Youâre a good person, not even the Power can take that away from you.â
Lucas hugs him back. Jasper can feel the back of his shirt getting wet, but he didnât care, allowing his wonderful lover to cry, to let his feelings out.
For the first time since he found out Lucas had been turned into a ghost, he felt content. Truly, perfectly content.
He pulls back, wiping away the tears that still remained.
âIâm here. Iâm never going to leave you. Youâre my everything, my love, my darling, my...prince.â
Lucas chuckles. âYou still remembered that?â
Jasper laughs wholeheartedly. âCome on, you thought it was sweet back then.â He takes his hand and presses a kiss on the back of his hand. âMilord.â
âDork.â
âWell this dork is in love with you. Besides, itâs not like you have much room to talk, darling.â
âOh shut up.â
Thereâs no heat in the words, only love and adoration.
Jasper chuckles until he can feel another set of lips crash against his. For a moment, nothing mattered. He didnât cared that he was in the cabin, didnât cared that the world could be in mortal danger.
All that mattered right now was that he was kissing Lucas.
God, he never thought he would be able to kiss him again.
He reciprocated the kiss, arms wrapped around his back while Lucas was holding the sides of his face. If they could stay like that forever, he wouldnât mind.
But it ended far too soon.
âSorry...â Lucas pulled back, drawing in breaths.
âNo, donât say sorry.â Jasper puts on a smile. âIt was perfect.â
âReally?â
âYeah, very much like you.â
Lucas shook his head a little, falling back against the pillows on the bed. Jasper joins him, taking his hand and rubbing small circles in his palm.
â...so, are you okay?â Lucas asks, after a beat of silence.
âWhat do you mean?â Jasper tilts his head.
âI know itâs been hard for you. Staying with your dead boyfriend for four years, trying to bring him back from the dead...I donât have a perfect memory from being a ghost, but I know you havenât been taking care of yourself since you found out I was still...around.â
âYouâre always going to be my top priority.â
âI know, and I love you...but still, answer the question. Are you okay?â
Jasper sighs, knowing there was likely no getting out of it.
âHonestly, itâs been hard. Many restless nights staying up late, researching ghosts and rituals to try and bring you back. Connor has to make sure Iâm even eating properly and...sometimes I think itâll never be enough. That no matter what I do...you would be stuck like that forever. I was so scared, and lost when the ritual didnât work the first time and...â He sighs, trailing off before finding the words again. â...Iâm just so sorry I couldnât have saved you sooner.â
âSweetheart.â Hearing those words come from him made his heart swell. âYou did your best. Besides, you saved me in the end, didnât you?â Lucas laughs, looking away sheepishly. âHonestly, part of the reason I managed to hang on is because...I was waiting. Waiting for you to...save me. It probably sounds stupid but, it felt like I was waiting for a heroic knight to save me from a tower.â
Jasperâs smile came back. âFinally admitting you like that, donât you?â
âI was trying to be nice.â
âYou canât fool me, Lucas Thomas. I know what I heard.â
âYouâre ridiculous.â
âAnd so are you.â Jasper scoots closer and envelops him in a hug. âBut seriously though...Iâm just so glad youâre back.â
â...is it really that good?â
âYeah. Weâll get you through this, I promise. Andyâs going to help you get back on your feet, and if you want to talk about anything, Iâm here. Danâs also an option, heâs been a good listener.â
Lucas nods, then in a blink of an eye, his face twists into a grimace, his arms tightening around his body as what sounded like a groan and a whimper leaves him.
âDarling? Are you okay?â Jasper presses a hand on his cheek. âIâm here.â
â...can you sing me a song?â
âA song?â
âYouâve...always had a good voice.â
âI can do that. Iâve been improving since the last time I sung.â
Jasper hums and sings soft melodies and songs he recounts from memory, the lyrics donât have to mean anything. All he cared about was distracting Lucas from whatever memory invaded his mind once again.
He promised to keep him safe for now on.
He wonât fail him again.
Heâs his sunshine, and no oneâs going to take his sunshine away from him again.
âIâM NOT SCARED! IâM NOT SCARED! IâM NOT SCARED!â
Jane kept shouting the same three words over and over again. It was the only thing on her mind as each and every one of her friends got pulled away into the darkness, as Redfield loomed over her, glowing red with fury.
âIâM NOT SCARED! IâM NOT-â
Redfield screamed at her, grabbing her in his shadowy tendrils, cutting her off. She can hear her friends screaming for her.
âYOUâŚ.AREâŚ..NOTâŚ.FRIEND!â
Then, she is flung out of the ruins.
âNO!â
.~.
âNO!â
Jane sat up in her bed, eyes wide with shock as tears began to form. Her hands gripped the blankets tight as she sobbed, that fateful day replaying itself in her mind over and over again.
Redfield had kicked her out, along with a few other friends who didnât want to be his friend. Ava, Andy, Dan and Lily (She was surprised that Lily of all people stood up to him). Everyone else was unconscious, and were left behind.
Including her brotherâŚand her best friend.
âNoah, JasperâŚIâm so sorryâŚIâm so sorryâŚâ
Jane curled in on herself, crying her heart out. Her mother wasnât awake right now. It was the middle of the night. She was thankful for that.
Her mother wouldnât believe her story. In factâŚshe was even happy that it was her who came back, and not Noah.
Their relationship was never the same again. They got into petty fights everyday, Jane still bitter that her mother cared less about her brother. She couldnât look at her in the eye anymore.
After the incident, they tried to get back inside, back into the woods, but Redfield intervened every time.
He wouldnât let them see or save their friends.
The remaining friends all split apart, too traumatised and guilty.
Itâs been ten years since then. Jane hasnât gotten over it. She still believes that the rest of her friends are still alive.
She wasnât going to stop her pursuit until she saved them.
Once Jane managed to level her breathing, she got out of bed and turned on her nightlight, grabbing a few dozen papers lying on her desk and skimming through the notes she made.
All the notes she made on Redfieldâs abilities over the years.
.~.
âJaneâŚwhatâs really going on?â Connor asked once they were outside the hardware store, where the others were gathering weapons for their confrontation, both of them leaning against the wall as he looked at her, concerned.
Jane takes in a deep breath. âIâm sorry I havenât been honest, butâŚthe truth is going to sound ridiculous. AndâŚitâs related to what happened with Stacy.â
âStacyâŚâ Connorâs voice cracked at the mention of her. Jane felt his pain. She wonders how Noah is doing. ââŚplease tell me everything.â
ââŚokay.â
Jane recounts everything, from childhood, to when she discovered the ruins, to when they decided to come over to Redfieldâs âhouseâ and have a sleepover, to the Are You Scared? GameâŚ
By the time she completed her story, Connorâs face was a myriad of emotions. Disbelief, anger, sorrowâŚ
âI understand if youâre mad at me for not telling you about it. Iâm just glad I finally got this off my chest.â
Jane waited for a few moments, looking at Connor straight in the eyes. An unreadable expression crosses his face, and then his lips curled into a scowl.
âTake me with you.â
âWait what?â
âI said what I said. Take me with you. Iâm going to get my sister back from that bastard.â
Jane wanted to say no, that it was too dangerousâŚ
âŚbut she understood his pain far better than anyone. Even though he canât participate in the ritual, at least heâll be able to help them fight back against Redfieldâs minions.
âOkay. Be careful.â
âI will.â
.~.
The group ventures deep into the woods, weapons at the ready.
Avaâs knife, Andyâs crowbar, Lilyâs pole saw (Jane still canât believe she chose that weapon), Connorâs axe, and Janeâs baseball bat.
Jane felt sort of proud seeing them all together like this. Aside from Dan who fell into a coma, everyone banded together in the end and came here for one purpose.
To save their friends.
(Just hang on a little longer, weâre coming for you guys.)
Pure, agonizing pain coursed through Jasper Brightâs entire body, shrieks echoing across the cave as the fire burns him, opened wounds, created lacerations, charring his clothes and singing his skinâŚ
âŚmemories assaulted his mind. Of the night he took Janeâs place. The chemical burning of his flesh, replacing everything human about him with shadowy lashes, becoming one with the Power against his willâŚ
âŚit made him scream louder. Memories of torture, of flesh being torn apart, of loneliness drowning him in an ocean of suffering with no way to come back up for air.
âA beautiful display of strength, my love.â Matthiasâ voice cuts through the air and brings him back to reality as the flames flicker away, the pain lingering and making even the slightest move an impossible challenge. âYou did me proud.â
The madman slips his arm around his psycho loverâs waist, a grin crossing her face.
âThank you dear.â
âNoâŚâ
Despair began to cloud Jasperâs mind, as he realized this was the end. He couldnât move, couldnât do anything to defend himself.
He was going to die again.
âSumire goddammit! Donât do this!â Lincoln shouted.
âPlease Sumire, this isnât you!â Abelâs voice cracked.
ââŚI guess this is it? Youâll...youâllâŚmurder me, for more power?â Jasper glares at Sumire with spite, it was the only thing he can do in his state.
âFor power? You think this is for power? No.â Sumire glares back. âI was created to die. Do you understand how that feels? Do you know what itâs like to be expected to go to your death for the greater good of everyone but yourself?â
Jasper remembers the night at homecoming, when it was just him and Noah in the ruins, when Jane forced her brother to kill him so he can live.
âOf course I do!â
âNo, you donât. Youâve had your chance at life.â Sumireâs fists clenched. âI never did.â
Her face fills with what looked to be sorrow. âIâm not Sumire, not really. That wasnât my life. What I had was barely a life. An obsession with fighting this, with finding the thing that would ultimately kill me? Thatâs not a life. Thatâs a mission.â Her expression soured again. âI was a thing made to be used. Well, too bad, I donât want to be used. I donât want to die.â
(I donât want to die eitherâŚ)
âSo someone else has to die instead?â Abel glares at her, he looks truly furious at her.
âYes.â Sumire says matter-of-factly. âI want a life. And the only person who ever showed me I could have one was Matthias.â
Matthias kisses her palm, adoration filling his eyes. Truly a match made in hell.
He points a finger at Jasperâs body, and he began to float towards Sumire, his soon to be executioner. He tried to summon his own power, tried to get away, anything to not die.
But nothing he does is good enough. He was too weak.
He was always weak.
He was too weak to prevent Janeâs death. He was too weak to prevent his friends from splitting apart. He was too weak to prevent Noah from betraying them all.
He was always weak.
âPleaseâŚlet me goâŚ!â He pleaded, feeling pathetic for trying to reason with two crazed people. He felt tears run down his cheeks, something so human that it made his soon to be death even worse.
He would live like Loha, trapped by an eternal death, tortured for hundreds of years, whose only use was to absorb corruption and release clean Power.
Thoughts of people began to fill his mind.
He remembers how Noah and Connor stuck with him for so long, their tenacity in wanting to try and help him.
He remembers Jocelynâs change and her desire to redeem herself but too afraid to let herself be vulnerable.
He remembers Abelâs kindness and good humor, always putting others first and wanting to take care of them.
He remembers his friends.Â
Stacy and how she seems to always have cheer inside her.
Andyâs strength and fierce protectiveness.
Lilyâs kindness and desire to become stronger.
Dan conquering his fears and his compassion.
Avaâs witty quips and continuing to be who she wants to be despite others looking down on her for it.
Lucas and his warm smile. His gentle hands, his laughâŚ
âŚand how he would never see him again.
âNo oneâŚwill ever forgive youâŚâ Jasper chokes out as he was placed on the altar. He wasnât ready to embrace death a second time.
He wasnât ready.
âGood thing Iâm not looking for forgiveness.â Sumireâs voice held no remorse.
Matthias presses the knife in her hands, and whispers something to her. She whispers back, and soon he steps back after giving her head a kiss.
She raises the knife, and Jasper closed his eyes, and prepared to give out his last statements. His last words.
But before he could, he heard a surprised yelp, and his body was flung off the altar.
Opening his eyes, what he saw kept him frozen in place. Shock covered his body like a blanket.
Sumire had quickly replaced his body with Matthias, holding him in place as he struggles against her hold.
âSumire what are you-â
âI have plans. But in order to achieve them, I must have the boy intact.â Sumire smiles bittersweetly. âGoodbye, Matthias.â
She raised the knifeâŚ
âŚand plunges it into his heart. Matthias screams, but she kept pushing and pushing until it was through his chest and pinned him to the altar, and the light from his eyes faded away.
The Power began to surge. Blue light enveloped the cavern and it fills Sumireâs body, her eyes glowing blue and she throws her head back in ecstasy.
âYesâŚyes!â
Without looking away, she lifts a hand in his direction and flings him away from the others, out of the cavern and hitting his head against a wall of stone.
Jasper falls unconscious, unknown to the fate in store for him that would be far worse than being an anchor once again.
.~.
Lucas Thomas made a promise to his lover the night he was brought back from the dead.
And that was to protect him from whatever evil that wishes harm upon such a sweet, kind person like him. Till the end of time, he would make sure he was safe and protected for now on.
It was a promise he failed to keep. His naivety was what separated him from Jasper once again.
When the news was broken to him, he spent four days holed up in his studio apartment, crying to himself and ignoring any and all attempts from friends who tried to reach out to him. Grief and unbearable despair enveloped him, drowning him, refusing to let him come up for air.
The key in his pocket felt heavy. Like it was mocking him for his inaction.
Lucas wanted to wait for the perfect moment to ask Jasper to live with him. He had the key made before they went to the carnival, in the event he wanted to do it sooner than later. But he remained patient until he was certain his lover can handle being human once again before popping the question.
And now, he may never get the chance to do so.
Jasper Bright was still alive, but heâs still gone.
He had been taken by Sumire. Someone he thought could be trusted. Someone he thought could be a good friend to Jasper as he recovered from being a ghost.
Lucas felt more saddened and dejected by her betrayal than angry. He wasnât sure why. He got angry at Noah for betraying them all and killing Jasper. But this time, he wasnât even mad. He was just disheartened.
But even though he wasnât mad at her betrayal, he certainly can be unhappy about the fact she took away someone important to him.
Again.
But this time, he wasnât going to sit by.
This time, heâs going to find him and save him again. He didnât care how long itâll take.
A chance to have him back was enough.
Lucas took mental health leave so that college wouldnât be a problem until the near future, and joined the others who wished to get revenge on Sumire to find Jasper.
No matter how long it would take, he will find him.
Heâs not letting his loveâs second chance at life go to waste.
.~.
Harper Vance was not one to blindly hate on others without good reason.
He believed in the good of others until he was proven wrong.
He believed in his grandpa when he âadmittedâ to killing his mom and dad.
He believed in Astrid and Vincent, believed that they still have some form of humanity left in them, some care that was only reserved for their daughter.
He believed in Josephine, his grandmother, that she can still be reasoned with.
He believed in Sumire Lunar, believed that she was his friend.
She saved him from that horrible void world, ended his suffering and was the only reason he can feel safe again.
She betrayed him. Betrayed everyone.
Innocent people died because of her. The compassion in her friends died because of her. A friend was taken away because of her.
And he wasnât there to stop her.
Stupid broken leg, stupid carnival, stupid Blood Moon Ritual. If it werenât for those things, he wouldâve kicked her ass in those caves, couldâve protected Jasper, couldâve stopped all of this from happening.
âŚhe felt helpless.
Like how his parents died, and he wasnât there to stop them from being murdered.
Like how Elliot was kidnapped, and he wasnât there to stop Josephine from taking him away.
Like how Josephine murdered innocent civilians, and all because he let it slip that his mother had died.
Like how Richard Sutcliffe drugged him and put him in a coffin to die in a watery grave.
Harper hated feeling useless. Danni made him promise to never shoulder the responsibilities of everything again, but fuck, this felt personal. Like Lunar had taken a piece of his heart and stabbed a knife through it.
It stung much more than the Society turning on them. Because he believed that she was a good person, someone to trust in.
But for some reason, heâs more pissed off at the fact she said something to Tom before the battle was to begin.
That they should kill any and all horrors they find.
He knew Tom had been possessed before, how he didnât feel like he existed, and how he still has nightmares over homecoming. To know that she said those things to himâŚit made him more angry than ever.
Harperâs been one of the more active members of the group when it came to tracking down that bitch. Driven by the desire to get revenge, to get someone he considers as a brother despite not being related by blood, those were his main motivations for chasing Sumire Lunar.
He wanted to make her pay.
âJesus, you look like shit.â Elliot comments as he came into their shared room, documents and notes scattered all around Harperâs bed.
Harper sighed, lying on his back on the bed. He felt exhausted. âI know Scooter.â His leg was close to completing its recovery, soon heâll have that damn cast taken off him. It was driving him crazy having it on. âI just canât sleep properly these daysâŚâ
âNightmares? That void world?â Elliot walks into the room, a concerned frown tugging at his lips as he takes up the documents and notes and brings them over to his bed. Harper nods at each guess he listed off. âThat bitch-â
âWhat the- Who taught you that word?â Harper sat up, flabbergasted that his little brother said the B word.
âIâm going to be an adult soon, Harper.â Elliot sighed. âBesides, she deserves to be called that.â He hisses, anger flooding his face at the thought of Sumire.
Elliot had it worse when it came to her. She helped him save his older brother and then proceeded to backstab them all. Not exactly the right ingredients for a good relationship.
âScoot, you know you can stay out of this.â Harper hugs a pillow to his chest. âYou have school to worry about, you donât need to carry all of this with you.â
âNo, Iâm not letting you chase a crazy freak by yourself.â Elliot shakes his head vehemently. âSheâs going to pay.â
Harper nods, resolute. âYes, she is going to pay.â
Harper wasnât going to stop until he finds Sumire, make her pay for what sheâs done, and save Jasper.
And when he does find herâŚ
âŚRichardâs death would be considered to be tame for what heâs about to do to her.
.~.
To say that Jocelyn Wu is pissed off would be the biggest understatement of the century.
Hatred and anger seems to be her only emotions these days. Revenge was one of the only things on her mind. She wanted to get back at the bitch who broke Abel and Amaliaâs hearts. She wanted to get back at the bastard that made Brightâs second chance at life a complete hell.
Sheâs just pissed off at Lunar. Very, very pissed. She was going to make her eat a grenade if it was the last thing she ever did.
After punching one too many holes in the walls of her apartment, Connor suggests that she pick up boxing as a way to de-stress and cope with her feelings of pure hatred towards that piece of shit.
It worked too well.
But right now, Jocelyn isn't boxing or going on a run. Instead, she's walking in the middle of the night to go have a chat with some weapon dealers she managed to get ahold of.
The wind caresses her face and she tugged her jacket closer to her body. Noah said this was dangerous, but she didn't care. If it is dangerous, then it can turn out to be a good thing.
Maybe she could actually focus on something else. And not on that traitorous shitbag that played her friends' feelings with no remorse. (As if you didn't do the same thing with Matthias FuckQuoid...) And not on the guilt she felt with the whole thing about Jasper. And certainly not about that goddamn shit weasel that started all of this crap.
Jocelyn huffs as she enters an alleyway to find the guys she's supposed to meet aren't there.
"Oh what the fuck." She kicked a nearby pebble into the air, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, fuming. "Of course they have to be late. Fucking great."
The wind picks up in speed. She doesn't care.
As she waits, she found herself remembering the past few months and years of her life without her even realizing it. Starting from her childhood, to middle school...
...to high school...
She remembers when she shoved Jasper into a locker just for the heck of it. She can recall the giddiness she felt when the deed was done, and laughing it all off with Cody as they leave him to rot, trapped in a tight space all alone.
According to Lucas, he was having some kind of illusion played on him during that time. All thanks to Jane. If it weren't for him, he would've seen all sorts of shit till the morning comes.
Jocelyn winced.
"God fucking dammit." Her grip tightens on her arms. "...not the time for this."
Her mind couldn't clear the images away.
And suddenly, she was transported back to the cavern. Where everything went so fucking wrong.
She left. She left because she was asked to.
She shouldâve known.
She shouldâve known something was up with Sumire. She shouldâve gone with them.
(You ruin everything around you.)
What was wrong with her?
She sighs as she leans back against the wall, trying in vain to keep guilt and anger out of her brain. It doesnât work.
She stands there being miserable until she finally heard the people she was going to meet come up.
Fucking finally.
.~.
Sometimes, Noah Marshall would drive over to the caves in the Westchester butteâŚ
(The same cavern that once held Loha prisoner, the same cavern that put someone else in her place, the same cavern that gave birth to a slimy, smarmy, bastardâŚ)
(âŚthe same cavern that resulted in the disappearance of a friendâŚ)
...and cry. And scream and curse and shout like it would do him any good.
"Happy now Matthias McQuoid?!" Noah screamed into the caves, wondering if that shithead could hear him. He doesnât remember how to get back to where his corpse lies, so he settled to just screaming at the entrance instead. "You fucking- you-"
The words get mixed up in his throat as he feels his hatred boil to the surface...
... he's so tired of feeling angry all the time.
He stomps the ground, frustrated to tears.
"Dammit! Dammit dammit dammit dammit!"
Noah crumbles to the ground, fists clenched and tears run down his cheeks, breathing ragged.
"...dammit..."
Like a switch that has been flipped, his anger was replaced by remorse and regret.
"Dammit..."
He remembers the day with perfect clarity.
The day he failed again. The day he failed a friend.
He agreed to take Connor out of the caves once he was cured. He couldnât shake the relief he felt when his friend had come back to him, that he was finally safe.
âŚit made his feelings with Sumire all the more conflicting.
On one hand, she betrayed their trust and took away a friend he tried so hard to save for years. She made him mad.
But on the other hand, she saved a friend. She saved Connor. It may have been to ensure he doesnât get in the way of her plans, but she still saved him.
God, feelings are so damn complicated.
But in the end, there was always guilt swimming around on that day.
If he had stayed in the caves, maybe he couldâve changed things. Maybe he couldâve saved Jasper.
âŚif he did, maybe he couldâve prevented Lucas from grieving again.
It wasnât likely. He wasnât the best when it came to fighting and he didnât have a connection to the Power, but maybe there couldâve been a slim chance to change everything.
Noah gets up, drops his arms to his sides, taking in a deep breath, before heading back to his car and back to the warehouse.
The warehouse became their new base of operations, though Connor still lives in the cabin. It was easier to store resources there and itâs a better location for everyone involved to meet up at.
Noah gets to work almost immediately once he arrives, taking a seat in front of a computer to review some footage.
And of course when he clicks on what he wants to see, the screen had to flicker. Groaning, he smacks the monitor a few times before the picture comes back.
âStupid piece of shit.â
Noah leans back in his chair, getting a cigarette from his pocket and watches the footage of Sumire talking with a receptionist, a particularly large suitcase by her side. A suitcase he knows that must be containing Jasper.
âThere has to be something I can use. Anything.â
But there was nothing to be found other than disappointment in the footage. A room key was given and that was that. Thatâs it.
âDammitâŚâ
The door opens, and Connor comes inside, though Noah doesnât look up to greet him, his eyes never leaving the screen. He hears him pulling up a chair and sitting besides him.
âYou havenât slept in over twenty-four hours Noah. You need to sleep.â
âNo.â
"You're not gonna miss anything by taking a little break from staring nonstop at the same 5 minutes of footage.
"I said no."
"I know you're angry about what happened to Jasper, but you're not the only one. He was my friend and Lucas...god have you seen Lucas? He's a complete wreck. He hasn't taken a proper rest in days by now. And he completely abandoned his college assignments to join the search. Even though his leave time is up, he still refuses to focus on his studies. If it weren't for Lily, Abel and Amalia, he probably would be kicked out by now."
"Yeah, I know. Sucks that your boyfriend got kidnapped by some power hungry freak when you just got him back."
Noah sighs, feeling so goddamn tired but he doesnât want to sleep yet. Not now.
âI canât sleep anyway, might as well make myself useful.â
Connor rubs his forehead as if massaging a headache. âI donât think Iâll ever get used to your infuriating stubbornness.â
âHave you heard from the others yet?â
âSome of them.â
Noah gives a rundown on the people who told them what they did and what they got. He continues on until the door bursts opens once again and Tom steps inside.
âGuys!â
âWhat?â
âGather everyone up, now. We found him. We found her.â
.~.
Sumire Lunar cannot tell you why she thinks the way she thinks.
One moment, she could be enjoying the life she supposedly never had, traveling across the world and trying out everything this measly world had to offer.
The next, she could be relishing in the suffering of a pet she adopted.
He should be more thankful really. She couldâve made him into the new anchor and let him suffer like Loha has for hundreds of years.
âChew.â
She clamps a hand over Jasperâs mouth after shoving a fish inside, bones stuck out like it was a ball stuffed with needles. His eyes squeezed shut, but she can still feel the fear emanating from him.
She savoured it.
Jasper struggled to chew, each bite extraordinarily difficult for him, especially with the added obstacle of the bones inside the fish.
Sumire loved that he was struggling. Her decision to keep him alive as a prisoner was worth it.
A muffled whimper was heard.
Thoughts began to come to mind as she though about how to make this more entertaining for her. Aside from making him take part in rituals and strange practices of the Power, sheâs been gettingâŚcreative with how she toys with him.
She wasnât sure why she wanted him to live. Maybe itâs the small part of her that didnât want him to die. Maybe itâs because she wanted to test her newfound strength against an easy test subject. She didnât know, but she doesnât care.
Sumire smirks as an idea came to mind. She brings her palm close to his face, and blue flames appear.
Jasper flinches at the sight, nearly choking on the fish.
âChew, or Iâll burn more of your pretty face. Those scars arenât exactly pretty.â
He tries to obey, but he couldnât. Not exactly.
Sumire was about to burn his face, to add on to the scorched scars littering his features, when the door to the basement opens up, and her loyal servant steps in.
âAh, itâs you. What is it?â Sumire extinguishes the fire in her hands as she stood up.
The servant tried to speak, but before they could get a word out, she stops them.
âNo. I know. Go be a dear and prepare a bubble bath for me.â
The servant nods and rushes to complete the task.
Sumire turns back to Jasper, who spat out the fish when she wasnât looking. His eyes shone with a kind of fear and a glimmer of hope you havenât seen in days.
âWhatâs going on?â She can see him tugging at the chains engraved with runes, but she knows he wonât make it far.
That pathetic cult was good for something in the end.
âBe good in my absence, pet. I need to greet some visitors.â
She climbed the stairs out of the basement and closed the door behind her, locking it and walking to the front of the mansion in no particular hurry.
She knows that even if they all band together, sheâs unstoppable.
âOh well, let them try.â
Once sheâs outside, she looks around and finds a familiar figure standing some distance away.
âIs thatâŚâ
Abelâs eyes stared at her with sorrow.
âAbel, is that you?â Sumire shouts across the lawn to ensure that he hears her, her voice condescending.
âSumire, we need to talk.â
âOh, you know we can do much more than that.â
From where she is, she canât tell what his expression is like, but he shook his head, shoulders heaving. She wonders if he cries himself to sleep, regretting having ever trusted her.
She didnât feel an ounce of remorse.
âCome on Sumire. Iâm serious.â
Sumire decides to comply, walking over to the man she played like a fiddle and stops a yard away from him, all forms of contentment gone.
âOh this is a bother.â
She drops the robe, leaving her in her undergarments as she steps over the fabric and goes straight to Abelâs face, inches away from him.
âWell? You wanted to talk.â
Abelâs eyes flick over her shoulder, blinking twice.
Sumire held back a laugh at his obviousness. But let them try. They wonât get far either way.
âItâs not too late to turn back. This isnât you.â Abel dares to come closer, hands hovering inches away from her shoulders as tears glistens in his eyes.
âI know you Mira. IâŚI love you.â
Normal people would feel remorse right about now and break down like pathetic little crybabies.
But Sumire isnât like them. Sheâs more, so much more.
âYou know me?â She spat, backing away a few paces.
âUp until now I didnât know me. Not even Matthias knew me.â
She throws out her arms, a dramatic flair for one thing, but as a way to express her emotions for another.
âYou have never known me.â
Sumireâs lips curl into a cruel smile.
âOtherwise you wouldnât be stupid enough to try this.â
With a tilt of her head to the side, she heard a distinctive crack followed by a scream. Turning around, she saw exactly what she hoped for.
Noah, angry, spiteful Noah, glaring at her, one hand ensnared in the invisible force that possessed a knife.
With little effort, she shifts her head a little more to the side, and his fingers bend backwards one by one, a chorus of pops and cracks filling her ears. It sounded like music to her.
Noah couldnât help but cry out in pain. She adores it.
âHonestly, Iâm hurt to think that you could assassinate me with a kitchen knife.â
âYouâŚâ
âHush, teacher is speaking.â
He begins to choke. He desperately searches for some kind of landing as his feet kicks out. He was still held in the air by his broken hand.
âSumire, stop it!â Abel pleads, eyes wide with terror.
Sumire obliges, letting Noah breathe in air again, but she doesnât release his hand. It was losing circulation fast.
âIâm disappointed. Really I am.â
Sumire directs a finger towards Abel, and heâs lifted into the air. She lets Noahâs hand free of her hold, but his body is also floating above the grass.
âLetâs go say hello to your fellow rag-tag group of rescuers shall we?â
Sumire walks back towards the house, ignoring the screams and shouts and protests of the two boys as they tried to escape, but they canât do anything. Sheâs too powerful.
She enters the house and heads in the direction of the basement, finding that it was still shut, but with the padlock on the ground.
âPathetic.â Sumire shook her head, leaning her ear against the door and was able to make out some words on the other side.
ââŚgonna be okayâŚsafeâŚâ
She pushes the door open as slowly and quietly as she could.
Once she could see properly, she saw Lucas trying to undo the chains on Jasperâs wrists. He looked desperate, and her pet hasnât noticed her yet.
âLucas!â Both Noah and Abel shouted, gaining both of the lovebirdsâ attention on the bottom immediately.
âRun!â Jasper urged, looking back and forth between his lover and his friends, not making eye contact with Sumire.
âIâm not sure thereâll be running.â
Sumire flicks her wrist, and the knife Noah was going to use on her flies in Lucasâs direction.
With no time to react, it embedded itself deep into his shoulder, forcing him back and pinning him against the wall, an anguished cry drawn out from him.
âNo!â Jasper struggles against his bonds, trying to reach Lucas as Sumire walks down the steps with two hysterical boys in tow.
She clicked her tongue.
âTskâŚtskâŚtsk. You really shouldâve plotted your rescue plan better.â
She throws Noah and Abel to the ground, not relinquishing her hold on the both of them.
âButâŚyou all impressed me. You actually found me. Though thatâs on me for picking such an obvious location. California is quite beautiful. but Iâm still impressed. However, you shouldâve been more vigilant and more careful with planning.â
âThatâs why Iâve thought of a brilliant idea that will satisfy everyone.â
Sumire circles around the four of them like a tiger stalking its prey.
âEvery time you manage to find me, Iâll let you have more and more time to talk with my pet.â
âDonât address him like that!â Lucas shouts, fury painting his face. Red lines drip down his sweater to the floor.
âHush.â Sumire waves her hand, and no more words came from his mouth.
âNow, as I was saying, now that youâve found me once, Iâll say you all haveâŚtwo minutes to talk with him. I wonât interrupt in any way. I know you all miss him dearly, so Iâm sure thisâll make you all happy.â
Sumire walks back up the stairs, and goes through the door.
âYour time starts now.â
She lets go of her hold on Abel and Noah, and closes the door, holding it shut with her power.
âThe games are only beginningâŚâ
She smirks.
Thisâll keep her occupied until she decides she wants the world for herself.
Late to the party as I decided to go back to the previous two books (aka watching them on YT) to see which scenes I liked the best since I loved a lot of scenes from the two books. But i managed to compile a list of scenes from all three books I adore by a longshot.
ILITW
Chapter 7 scene where everyone including Connor gathers around Devon (whose name is Jasper in my playthrough) to protect them against Cody. I loved it as it proves just how much they meant to their friends and also Cody deserved to get smack talked like that.
Chapter 7 premium scene with Lucas, I love those boys so much and the kiss was the cherry on top.
Chapter 12 premium scene before homecoming, specifically Lucas's. It's just so soft and it really is like a calm before the storm kinda thing.
Chapter 14 where Devon talks to Dan in the premium scene. Poor guy suffered a lot under Jane's control and both of them talking about everything is just shajcjbssh
Chapter 16 where the survivors gather up in a restaurant. Loved it a lot.
ILB
Chapter 3 where Harper is trying to escape Ned's house from the cultists. Really gives off the feeling of being trapped and there's no room for error.
Chapter 7 dance scene with Tom. Very soft and a good moment before shit goes down with the cultists.
Chapter 11 scene where Tom faces his fears to save Harper. Loved it as it shows that even though he didn't witness it personally, he probably visualized it in his brain so many times that it's engraved, and despite that he still got in to save Harper.
Chapter 12 where Astrid threatens Tom's life. It's like a totally hopeless situation and for a moment I thought the guy was gonna lose an eye before Parker and co. saved everyone.
Chapter 17 where Harper gives Dick Sutcliffe a reality check. Hell yeah.
ILW
Chapter 16's scenes where all three MCs get something. Harper reuniting with the friends, Devon getting revived and Rowan (Violet) discovering what they really are.
Jocelyn's carnival scene in chapter 19. It's like the penultimate thing before the finale and it shows how much she's grown despite wanting to betray Rowan at first. And the kiss, the kiss holy shit i love it.
The memorial in chapter 23, everyone happy at last despite all the shit they gone through <3
A son that was as kind and sweet as them. Happy, full of energy, the greatest son anyone can ask for.
Eighteen years later, he died.
The police and Mayor Green say that his death was caused by Noah Marshall, but they knew that something else took their son away. Something sinister, something he told them about before that fateful night. They couldnât bring themselves to believe that a friend of their sonâs would murder him, despite the hard evidence presented to them.
Something that lived in the woods. A spirit named Redfield. They once believed he was the real reason why he died.
Jasper had told them that Janeâs death was due to âunfortunate circumstancesâ. They didnât believe it, but they decided not to pry, believing that one day heâll open up to them about what really happened, and how the Marshalls lost their daughter.
And he did, at the end of freshman year, during homecoming.
â...Redfield snapped her neck. She was the only one who wasnât scared...and he killed her...â
Mariza remembered hugging her son tight, while William was stroking his dyed hair. They told him over and over again that he doesn't have anything to be ashamed of, and that it wasnât his fault Jane died.
Their words werenât enough.
They remember the day they managed to get back to Westchester. A day after homecoming. Mariza was in hysterics, panicking over her little boyâs safety and if the police had arrested him for Codyâs death. William was the only reason why she hadnât flown off the handle, reassuring her that there was no evidence he did the deed and that Sheriff Cunningham wouldnât make a severe error in his judgement.
But he would lying if he said he wasnât freaking out either.
They arrived at the police station, demanding for answers on what happened while they were overseas.
All of Jasperâs friends, minus Noah and Jane, were there. None of them were happy to break the news.
âJasperâs dead.â
Ever since then, the Brights blamed themselves for his death. If they hadnât gone overseas, they couldâve kept him safe. He would still be here, listening and humming some new song that came out, helping Mariza in the kitchen and failing miserably and setting off the smoke alarm, play around with Hilda in the front yard with their neighbour Cid, tell William the latest dumbest stories that happened in school...
...if only they were still in Westchester.
They locked themselves in their house for two days afterwards. And only came out for Jasperâs funeral.
The image of his body burned itself into their minds. Wide, unseeing eyes, still dressed in a golden suit stained with blood.
They cremated him. They didnât want the last thing to remember their son by was his dead body.
When the funeralâs over, and they were about to go home, they were approached by Lucas Thomas. Who told them the truth.
âJane was behind it all. The attack on homecoming, why Noah betrayed us...and why he killed him.â
The Brights knew of Jasperâs little crush on the boy, but chose not to say it to him in hopes he finds out for himself one day and gather the courage to tell it to him himself.
And he did.
And they werenât there to see it.
Despite this, they were still proud to hear that he managed to do so, and accepted Lucas as their unofficial son-in-law, no matter what his parents would say.
They just wish they had more time.
A second chance. Just to hold him again.
.~.
âYou know, when I was a ghost, sometimes I would come by to look at my old house. I donât remember much, but I still remember what my parents looked like.â
Itâs been a few days after the disaster at the carnival. Though there were still a few horrors roaming around, they had a cure at their disposal to save the remaining ones. They just had to hunt every single one of them down.
But for now, before Jasper can do his part, there was one thing he wanted to do.
Say hello to his parents.
Violet was with him, (who was carrying him with one arm despite his wishes of wanting to stand and walk or float), along with Noah and Lucas. But even with the support, he found himself anxious on seeing them again.
How would they react to seeing their son, back from the dead after four years of grieving?
âYou sure we shouldnât just use the cover story of you being kidnapped?â Violet asks, walking towards the familiar house he lived in since childhood. It was close to the woods. It brought a sense of comfort to him. âI know you told your parents about the whole ghost thingy, but would they believe you being resurrected and all?â
âThey did a lot of research on ghosts when I told them about Jasperâs situation.â Lucas says, giving their intertwined hands a light squeeze. âThey shouldnât be surprised by the supernatural bit. They were out of town when we did the ritual both times though...â
âYeah, but seeing your son alive would give them a shock.â Noah commented, and soon enough, they all stand in front of the doors of the house, still well maintained even after all this time.
â...so should we be standing here while you do the thing?â Violet asked. âOr do you want us to be here?â
â...I think I want to be alone with this. If you donât mind.â Jasper responds.
âOf course love.â Lucas nods, and Noah gives a thumbs up.
âYou canât walk or stand properly dumbass.â Violet glares at him, refusing to relinquish her hold on him. âAt least let me be here so you donât fall on your ass while talking with your parents.â
âI can float.â
âAnd floating might cause your old man and woman to have a heart attack.â
âYou just want an excuse to meet my parents, donât you?â
âOh shut up.â
Jasper shrugs, knowing that Violet would not let this up no matter how hard he tries. âFine.â
The other two walk off to the side to not be seen as Jasper takes a deep breath in, raises his hand, and knocks on the door.
âYes? Iâm coming.â
God, itâs been so long since he actually heard his motherâs voice.
The door swings open. âHow can I....â She trails off, her eyes going wide when she saw a face she never thought she would see again.
Jasper manages a smile, waving at his mother. âHi mom.â
Mariza walks over to her son, her gentle hand resting on his cheek, lips trembling and eyes filling with tears. She seems to be ignoring Violetâs presence.
âIs it really you?â
He nods. âYes mom. Itâs me.â
In a blink of an eye, his mother scoops him out of Violetâs arms and into hers, hugging him so tight he was sure he was going to get crushed. He can hear her sobbing as they fell to the ground.
âWhatâs going on?â William walks to the doorway, confused. âIs every...â He stops when he sees him. And just like his wife, his eyes go wide, unbelieving.
âDad...â Jasper looks up at him, smiling even wider. âI missed you.â
It didnât take long for him to join the embrace, dropping to the ground and wrapping his arms around his wife and son, letting out years of pent up emotions.
âI missed you too son. We missed you.â
âYou donât have to miss me anymore. Iâm here.â
As the Bright family reunite, Violet feels a small pang in her heart, just like she felt when she saw Elliot reunite with Harper. Her not so real family wouldnât get the chance to hug her one last time.
Please contact Pine Springs P.D if you have any information on this person's whereabouts.
.~.
Tom walks into the police station for what must be the millionth time, finding Parker talking with a rookie officer. Bags gathered under his eyes, making him look years older than he actually is.
Parker notices him coming in, and turns back to the rookie. "Please go and pick up the case file I mentioned earlier. It should be in the filing cabinet over there." He points over to an area in the police station, and the officer nods and jogs over to complete his task.
Once there's no other distractions, he turns his full attention to Tom. "Harper?"
"Yes." Tom responds, staring at the floor.
It's been so long since he's been able to hear his voice, his real voice that didn't come from videos. It's been so long since he's been able to hold him, kiss him...
"I'm sorry, Tom. But that lead you got for us turned out to be a bust." Parker sighed. "No new clues came out of it either."
Tom held back tears, breathing in a sharp breath. "It's fine. I wasn't expecting much either way."
He turns to walk out the door. Parker looks like he wanted to say something, but he kept his mouth shut as Tom walks away, all hopes scattered once again.
Tom felt scared.
He was scared when the bear attacked Ben.
He was scared when he was bitten by a spider and nearly died.
He was scared when he was possessed and was forced to hurt his friends.
He was scared when Harper was about to suffer the same thing that happened to Andy at homecoming.
He was scared when the Society tried to use him against Harper.
He was scared when he couldn't save people's lives.
But this?
He was terrified. Terrified of never seeing Harper again. Terrified of being alone with bittersweet memories to accompany him. Terrified of finding a dead Harper someday.
"Harper...where are you?"
.~.
It's cold and lonely.
Harper tried to keep his breathing under control, tried to calm himself. But when your surroundings is the bottom of the lake, and you haven't had pleasant experiences with it, it's difficult to manage.
He wanted to go home. He wanted to go back to Elliot, to grandpa, to his friends...to Tom.
"I'm sorry, Harper Vance." Loha began speaking to him again, he couldn't see her. God it would be good to just see someone here. "But the time for you to be freed is not now."
Harper couldn't manage a response, all he could do was hold back tears as he remembers his life before this. He couldn't move, he couldn't do anything but reminisce until Loha says it's time for him to go.
He wanted to go home now.
He felt scared. He hasn't felt this terrified in a long time.
He was scared when his parents died.
He was scared when the Society turned on them.
He was scared when Astrid threatened to kill Tom.
He was scared when Josephine brought ruin to Pine Springs.
He was scared when he had to fight for his family's lives.
He was scared when Richard tried to kill him.
But this?
He was terrified. Terrified of never going home. Terrified of being trapped here forever. Terrified of losing himself.
There was always something about Lucas that drew Jasper in, ever since they met during childhood.
Jasper wasnât exactly a smart kid back then. He was kind and sweet, but certainly not smart. Half the time he failed to submit fully completed homework because it was too complicated for him to understand.
But one day, this kid came along and helped him with his homework and stopped him from getting into trouble with the teacher.
It was a newly transferred boy from another kindergarten. Lucas Thomas.
Jasper admired him, all things considered. How he was smart but also helpful and kind. Other smart people he met were snooty and unpleasant to talk to, but Lucas was different.
They eventually became friends, and joined with their other childhood friends to form a great group, up until Janeâs death and they all split apart.
But before they did, Jasper felt something around Lucas. Something that never left him even years later.
Ava, Stacy and Andy loved to make fun of him for it. They always say he has a crush on him, but he never had to courage to tell him about his feelings, of how he felt warm and fuzzy and safe around him and how he wants to keep holding hands on their way back from school when his parents couldnât pick him up.
One of his biggest regrets was not acting on his feelings back then.
Years later in high school, they found a way to reconnect again. Jasper found out about his struggles with his parentsâ expectations and the drastic measures he took to try and keep up with them. He found out that even the supposed perfect people can fall into dark places.
But he was there to be a guiding light for him.
âYour parents put unreasonable expectations on you. Of course you would crack under the pressure!â
âIâll be here with you. Withdrawalâs probably gonna suck but Iâm going to be here for you. You deserve to relax. You deserve to be happy.â
He guided him out of that dark place, and back into the light. He saved him. Kinda like how a knight saved the princess in fairytales. Except, fairytales werenât real. They were fabrications made up to hide the dark truth behind monsters that roam in the woods.
Jasper wished to protect Lucas from those monsters.
(Sometimes, back then, when they were all together, Jasper joked that he could be the knight saving Lucas the prince from a horrifying dragon. Ava would say that he would die foolishly in the process, and Jasper would retort, saying that heâll come back to him like in The Princess Bride. Because love always conquered all.)
And he did.
At the cost of his life.
.~.
Jasper Bright was a simple kid to the eyes of many.
To Lucas, he was more than just another one in the crowd. To him, he was the sweetest kid to ever roam around, the light that lit up the darkness surrounding him.
In their first meeting, when he saw Jasper, little Jasper with unshaved, brown hair, struggling to answer a few questions for their math homework, he couldnât help but help him. He knew not everyone can be as intelligent as him, so he did what he can to help those around him.
At first, he just wanted to leave it at that. A simple encounter that wouldnât become something more.
Then, Jasper said he wanted to be his friend. He couldnât refuse.
He felt so happy when he was with him, how he wants to make everyone happy and laugh, how he considers himself as Janeâs best friend, how he likes doing little dances when listening to music...everything about him was extraordinary to him.
Sometimes, he feels his face flush whenâs around, or his palms start to get sweaty when he speaks with his lovely voice, but itâs normal. Definitely normal.
When they split apart, one of his biggest regrets was not admitting that what he felt for Jasper wasnât normal.
Without his friends, his parents dominated his life. They kept pushing him until he felt the pressure starting to collapse on him, until he found that the only way to live up to them was to use his motherâs focus pills. He was terrified of someone finding out what he did, of the repercussions, of everything really. He thought there was no way out.
But Jasper came in and helped him when he was at his lowest.
âThat doesnât excuse what I did...â
â...youâre right. Iâm going to be okay. Iâm going to be okay...Iâll be okay, with you here.â
He guided him out of that dark place, and back into the light. He saved him. Kinda like how a knight saved the princess in fairytales. Except, fairytales werenât real. They were fabrications made up to hide the dark truth behind monsters that roam in the woods.
Lucas wished to protect Jasper from those monsters.
(âHow come Iâm not the knight?â Lucas asked, back when things were more calm, with no death, no trauma.
Jasper giggled. âYouâre so proper! Thatâs why youâre a prince!â He takes his hands into his, unsuspecting to the heat now covering his face because of this.
âBut what if the knight gets hurt Or...?â
âThen the prince can save the knight. But maybe it happens in another storybook? Besides, if the knight is gone, then the knight will come back! Like in that movie! Love always conquers all!â)
In the end, the knight gave his life to protect the prince.
The prince grieved his death.
.~.
Moving on was difficult.
Especially when you keep having nightmares about your trauma.
It was always the same one, and somehow, they keep getting worse despite remaining the same.
Lucas would dream that he was back in the ruins, on the night of homecoming (the night Noah betrayed them and killed...him) and see Janeâs spirit looming over Jasper.
Sweet, understanding Jasper, who tried to reach out, to fix what he supposedly broke ten years ago.
Then Noah came, and stabbed him in the heart. Shadows would envelope him and look back at him with wide, terrified, horrified eyes.
âPlease...save me...â
Lucas would try - he would try so hard.
But no matter what he did, he couldnât save him. He would be consumed, his body in the middle of their seats.
And then he would wake up.
If he was honest, the only reason he hasnât gone mad would be college and Dan, who he talks to on the daily for therapy.
Jasper taught him how to ask for help. He wasnât going to let that lesson be wasted.
He was about to press on Danâs number when he received another call from someone else. He didnât think about it much when he answered it and held the phone up to his ear.
âH-â
âJasperâs still alive.â
Normally, that voice wouldâve prompted him to end the call immediately, but hearing those three words, three words, stopped him.
âWhat did you say?â
âCome to the ruins. I promise itâs not a trap. Here I even have some proof.â
A few moments later, before Lucas considers hanging up on Noah, another voice comes in. One that is very familiar, but unfamiliar all the same.
â...Lucas...?â
.~.
It was the middle of the night, and classes are supposed to start early tomorrow, but Lucas got into his car and drove all the way over to the woods.
The same woods that carry a dark secret.
The same woods that took someone (two people) away from him.
He started towards the ruins, a pocketknife held tightly in one hand and a flashlight in the other. Last time he went towards those ruins, he got tricked into playing a game where he could have died by a friend who also got his boyfriend killed.
He surpassed those feelings and memories, forcing himself to go towards that familiar structure.
When he finally arrived, he saw an old friend.
âNoah.â
That name feels forbidden to say.
Noah turns around when the beam of light from the flashlight came his way.
âHey Lucas.â
âYou said Jasperâs still alive. Where is he?â Lucas tightens his grip on the pocketknife, wondering if all of this is just a trick to give him false hope. Or just some dream he hasnât woken up from.
Noah turns to look at the trees. âJasper? You can come out now.â
From the trees, a shadowy figure melts out of them and forms into a familiar body of shadows, glowing eyes looking at him curiously.
This wasnât Jane. Jane moved on.
This wasnât Redfield. Redfield moved on.
â...Lucas...?â
â...Jasper? Is that you?â
Lucas drops the pocketknife without even realizing, his hand stretching towards his wispy hands. He felt a swirl of emotions go through his head as he wonders if this is even real.
That Jasper Bright is still alive.
â...I am...Jasper...â The ghostly figure darkens with sadness, his wispy hand entangling with his. â...I...think...?â
Panic coursed through him momentarily. Then was replaced when a thought came to mind, hoping that itâll help his memory.
âDo you remember when we were kids? You always say that you were a knight who would save me, a prince, from a terrifying dragon.â
âI...save you?â
âThatâs right. You saved me, actually. And now...Iâm going to save you.â
â...save me...â
Jasperâs eyes glowed blue, a ghostly grin on his face.
âLucas...save...me...â
.~.
The next three years were difficult.
Lucas spent more time researching ghosts and rituals than he does on his studies, unable to let the feeling of hope escape him again.
He just couldnât leave Jasper like that. Not alive but not dead, with the possibility of turning into something violent like Jane, with the possibility of hurting people.
He wonât let him lose himself.
But when the ritual didnât work the first time, his hopes were dashed.
He spent his time in his studio apartment, unable to sleep as he wonders what went wrong, and if this was his last chance to save Jasper.
And it didnât work.
He considers Connorâs advice on moving on and look at the people whoâre still here with him. All his other friends are still alive, trying to move forward with their lives.
If Jasper was actually dead, then he probably wouldâve joined them.
But because he isnât, he canât move on. Not yet at least.
But with the last of his hope gone, there wasnât much he could do anymore. Other than grieve a future he couldâve had with Jasper.
Then, one night, at three in the morning, Noah called him to inform that the ritual will work this time. Because Jasperâs soul is whole again.
He immediately got into his car and drove to the cabin.
Hope began to burn once again, anxiety pooled in his stomach as they recite the incantation once again.
The wind had began to pick up, and it was so fast that it created a cyclone that wrapped around Jasperâs wispy body and lifted him into the air. For a moment, Lucas was terrified for him, irrational thoughts clouding his mind as he thought that the vortex could kill him instead of reviving him.
âJasper!â
But as the vortex died down, he got a glimpse of what was really happening.
âOh...â
âMy...â
âGod.â
Bones snapped into place, skin and flesh covered the body, until finally he was no longer a ghost.
The wind dies down, and Jasper, fully human, falls to the ground.
Lucas immediately rushes to his side, taking his head into his lap as overwhelming joy and relief filled every part of his body.
âJasper! Jasper youâre here! Oh my god youâre here- sweetie I-â
He cuts himself off when he hears a groan, and he leans in to catch what heâs saying.
âWhat was that?â
â...water...â
Connor rushes to the cabin to grab some water bottles, and Noah tosses him a towel for him to wrap around Jasperâs shivering body.
A few moments later, Connor comes back with the bottles. Lucas helps him drink until he coughs after a few sips.
It hurts his heart.
âHeâs completely exhausted and probably doesnât remember what happened to him.â Ava looks at him with pity and concern. âYou should bring him back to the cabin, Iâll check on him in the morning.â
Lucas nods, and looks back down at Jasper as his eyes open the slightest bit and his lips curl up into a smile.
âLucas...Iâve missed you.â
âPretty sure Iâve missed you more.â
Jasper laughs, and before his eyes close again, he lets out one last sentence.
â...you saved me...â
When Jasperâs unconscious again, Lucas strokes his hand across his cheek.
âI saved you...youâre safe now. Iâll take care of you.â
Cody has been thinking about that shitbag ever since he was driven away from the party by his friends, all of them leaping to his defense almost immediately.
It makes his rage boil to the surface. It boils in his bones, in his blood, in his entire body.
âLittle fuckerâŚâ He hissed, kicking a loose stone into the air, fishing his phone out of his pocket and going to his contacts, finding a specific one almost immediately. âAnd to think I gave him love when he wanted itâŚâ
Cody remembered middle school very, very well. How his eye caught a very peculiar and stupid looking head of shaved lavender hair. How he gave him the kindness and affection he craved for from whatever the hell happened to his friend.
And he rejected him.
Jasper Bright rejected him.
They say time heals all wounds, but for Cody, those wounds only got worse overtime.
Itâs why he targeted Jasper in particular. As revenge for turning him down. As revenge saying all that shit about him.
Yeah, he only kicked him a few times, but it was to make him stronger.
Yeah he pulled his hair too hard, but he couldnât look at him in the eyes while he was talking. He deserved it.
He deserved everything coming his way.
He presses the call button to Jocelynâs number, and soon he hears her voice.
âYo, heard the shit that went down.â
Cody spent the next five minutes ranting to her about how ungrateful Jasper is and how much of he hates him and his friends.
âYeah, fuck that guy. Nerdy little loser.â
âAnd you know what? I think I should get some revenge on him. A prank. Catch my drift?â
âWhat drift? That twerp wrecked your car didnât he?â
Cody doesnât bother to correct her.
âYouâll see.â
.~.
Cody waits outside Britneyâs house until he caught sight of a red jacket and lavender hair leaving the property, talking animatedly with that pretentious student body president.
But what really set him off was the linked hands.
They were holding hands.
They were holding hands.
Jocelyn said earlier that Britney caught them both kissing in her dadâs office or whatever, but seeing it in person made him sick.
It made him mad.
âYou want to stay at my house tonight?â Jasper asks, rubbing soothing circles over Lucasâs hand. âYour parents probably wonât appreciate you staying out late.â
âIâll be fine. They come home late on this day so they wonât notice.â
They give each other a kiss on the cheek. Cody struggles to not gag at the sight.
âWalk home safe.â
âYou too.â
.~.
Jasper turns around every few minutes as he takes the path to his house, Cody taking extra care to not be noticed as he follows him.
As he stalks him, a thought creeps into his mind.
Why the hell should he do it at his house?
Why not do it right now?
His mind made up, he looks around to make sure no one is able to see him. It was late and barely anyone is on the streets.
Once Jasper is away from the light of a streetlamp, he rushes forward.
âHu-â
He slumps to the ground before he had a chance to scream, out like a light.
Cody takes his unconscious form into his arms, heading in the direction of his house.
.~.
Cody opens the basement door and walks down the steps, flipping the light switch on and seeing the stirring form of Jasper Bright, wrists chained to the wall. A groan escapes his throat as he looks around, the light forcing him to keep his eyes shut for a few seconds.
He comes forward and yanks his hair, earning a yelp.
âHey, Jaspy.â He spat out the nickname like itâs poison.
That seemed to get a reaction out of Jasper, his eyes widening and blinking a few times, dread and terror crossing his features.
ââŚCody?â
âHey, love.â
Jasper glares at him.
âDonât call me that.â
âWhereâs your little nerdy loser friends to tell me that, hmm? Whereâs your boyfriend at?â
The way the word boyfriend left Codyâs mouth is reminiscent of venom.
âWhâŚwhat?â Metal cuffs prevent flesh from moving, and panic crosses his face as he looks back and sees the chains. He begins to tug at them, trying to break free.
Cody kicks him in the stomach. It stops the thrashing as he heaves from the impact.
âListen here, youâre never going to leave this place again. Not until you make up for what happened in middle school.â
ââŚfuâŚfuckâŚyou.â Jasper looks up at him with pure hatred. âYou hurt me. How can I ever be with you?â
âYou will be. One way or another.â
Cody smirks.
âBut suit yourself. Rot here until you yield. Canât wait to see all the missing posters of you at school.â
If you told Violet Rendanza that she would be living in an apartment in Westchester, making a living on protecting the Power, and getting ready for a movie night with two kindred spirits five years ago, she would slap you across the face and call you delusional.
Now, she can't believe that it actually happened. That she would be able to simultaneously live a good life while being a protector of a beautiful phenomenon that came from another world.
She loved it. Despite everything that happened, she doesn't regret a moment of the past, because it brought so many memories and friends to her.
"Got the popcorn ready!" Violet calls out from the kitchen, bringing two bowls of popcorn to the coffee table where several other snacks lie, alongside some drinks and glasses.
"Sweet, tell me it's butter popcorn, I love that stuff." Harper smiles, already digging through an open bag of chips.
"It is." Violet nods, turning to the third person sitting on the couch. "Not sure if you can properly chew on the popcorn, so you're gonna have to pace yourself." She gives a glare. "Don't think I forgot last time."
"Violet, I'll be fine." Jasper chuckles, waving his hand dismissively. "It's not like I lost my teeth or anything."
"I know, and one of the reasons I'm telling you this is because I worry over you. And also your friends told me to not let you be a tiger pouncing on a gazelle when snacking."
"...who told you that?"
Violet shrugs. "Dunno. Point is, non ghost or not, no overdoing it."
"I get it, I get it." Jasper rolls his eyes, taking a glass of soda into his hands, relishing in the coolness it brought out. "So what movie we're watching? I know I missed about four years of those so..."
Harper gives Jasper a sympathetic but understanding look. Violet knows he feels the same way, being trapped in that void world and all. "Well there's this new one called Fuss in Hoots: The Last Dish that came out sometime ago. And it's a really good movie. Seriously, Imogen and Tom have been talking nonstop about it since it came out."
"Then I guess that's what we're watching. Haven't seen it myself yet, so it'll be fresh for everyone." Violet grabs the remote and goes over to Webflix and finds the movie they're looking for almost immediately. "Huh, it's at the top...and recommended to me. Cool."
She picks that movie, and the movie night has officially begun.
There was no other sounds other than the sounds of snacks being taken, drinks being drunken and the movie taking place on the screen. Occasionally they speak to one another regarding the movie.
"Those two characters have some serious chemistry, don't you think?" Harper comments, stuffing some popcorn into his mouth.
"You sure? They could just be rivals." Jasper looks at him conspicuously.
"I have a lot of dating experience. 'Course I'm sure."
"Harpy's got a point. They got the hots for each other." Violet smirks.
"Harpy?" Harper looks confused at the nickname.
"Come on, haven't you ever been called by a nickname before?"
"Yeah? But not that."
"Do you like it?" Jasper asks.
Harper smiles. "Hell yeah. Now let's continue watching the movie."
The movie soon ends, and most of the snacks were gone by then. Violet turns the lights on once everything is over and done with and goes back to the boys.
"So do you guys like it?"
"Well I can see why Tom's so talkative about this movie now." Harper smiles.
"I like it...but that scene near the end hit too close to home." Jasper winced, running a hand through his hair.
"Oh...right." Violet looks away awkwardly. "Shit, probably shouldn't have chosen that one."
"No, it's fine." Jasper manages a smile. "I think the fact I reacted like that makes it even better."
"Really? You know you don't have to pretend. Especially around me." Violet ruffles his hair fondly. Harper laughs at the sight, it reminds him of when Elliot was young and had been brought into the family.
"Come on, I'm serious." Jasper swats her hand away, but he doesn't seem annoyed.
"Whatever you say. Now let's get this cleaned up."
â˘~â˘
The sounds of cooking were heard from the kitchen, accompanied by low humming as the sun came through the window to bring light into the apartment.
Harper yawns as he walked in, disheveled blonde hair falling on his shoulders.
"Whatcha cooking?" He asks, going to brew some coffee to rid himself of the sleepiness.
"Scrambled eggs and bacon for us, and some cream stew and rice for Jasper, 'cause that he still has problems chewing since the whole ghostified thing." Violet answers, her lavender hair already in its usual style. She seems to be adjusting well to her eyepatch judging from her movements.
"Maybe we could share the scrambled eggs with him? It's not that hard to chew."
"Last time we tried Noah whacked you with the spatula upside the head. Plus he almost choked on them."
"...fair enough." Harper nods, pouring the coffee into a mug and taking a sip. "Chocolate milk for him today?"
"Sure thing." Violet places their breakfast onto separate plates, turning off the stove and pouring the cream stew into a bowl besides a plate of rice.
Footsteps patter against the carpeted floor from the outside. The two of them turns to see another head of lavender hair pop in through the doorway. One hand against the wall to support himself.
"Oh, good morning Jasper." Harper waves as he takes his plate and Jasper's plate to the table in the dining room, offering a grin.
"Morning." Jasper rubs his eyes, stumbling slightly into the dining room and taking a seat, Harper setting the plate and bowl down.
"How'd you sleep?" Violet asks, placing a glass of chocolate milk on the table before going to sit down herself.
"Okay, all things considered." Jasper said. "Only had one nightmare..."
The room's atmosphere changed slightly. Harper and Violet know exactly what he's talking about, both of them still having them even after months.
"Wanna talk about it?" Harper asked, brotherly instincts developing inside.
"No, not yet." Jasper shook his head. "Sorry to be a downer."
"Nothing's wrong with admitting what's wrong." Violet reassures. "If you wanna talk, you can talk. If you don't, then you don't have to. Simple as that."
Jasper smiles gratefully. "Thanks. But let's enjoy breakfast. Wonder if I can taste anything in this. It smells amazing."
Violet and Harper share a laugh and dig into their own breakfast.
This life was exactly what all three of them wanted.
(Inspired by Little Miss Perfect and President Perfect songs)
Note: takes place before homecoming in ILITW
Minor warning: mentions of emotional abuse and manipulation and implied drug abuse
Straight hair.
Straight A(s).
Straightforward.
Be the perfect daughter of Mayor Green.
She didnât want to pretend thereâs nothing wrong in her family. She hated it.
So much.
Her mother and father were constantly fighting before their eventual divorce. She kept fighting with her mother about the most ridiculous things that her brother had to keep intervening to make sure they donât kill each other.
Stacy hated the word perfect.
It would never describe her, never be something that can define her.
So when Britney told her that sheâs the perfect little princess of the mayor, she snapped. She spilled so many secrets that were locked behind locked doors that the media would have a field day with if they got ahold of it.
She thought she was safe when she shared it all with Britney, who held her and gave her a shoulder to cry on when she needed it most
She betrayed her. And made her her puppet.
It was never worth it.
Not when sheâs little miss perfect.
.~.
Straight hair.
Straight A(s).
Straightforward.
Be the perfect student of the whole school.
The student body president with so much to do, too little time for himself.
The pressure became too much.
His parentsâ successes played through his mind on repeat. How his mother would chew him out for losing 1% on a test, berating him for one little mistake he made. How his father read his accomplishments to him until dawn comes, as if mocking him for being lesser.
Lucas hated the word perfect.
It would never describe him, never be something that can define him.
But he tries to maintain the âgoodâ reputation he built up, until it became far too much for him to bear.
So he turned to...drastic measures.
It worked, far too well. It became a secret he must keep until the end of high school.
It was never worth it.
Not when heâs president perfect.
.~.
âDo you hate a specific word?â
âAs a matter of fact, I do.â
âPerfect?â
â...yes, that one.â
In that moment, as they hugged each other, they werenât little miss perfect or president perfect.
They were just Stacy Green and Lucas Thomas, ordinary students with too much to bear.
Theyâre no longer perfect in the eyes of others, but it was worth it.
.~.
âSo, who wants to go and murder some bitches?â Ava reaches for the knife taped to her boot, unsheathing it and itching to use it.
âHell yeah.â Andy cracks his knuckles.
âDo you want to get arrested for murder by your own father?â Connorâs hand on Andyâs shoulder was the only reason why he hasnât run off yet. âBesides, Stacyâs mom is my mom and-
âDonât care. Lucasâs parents suck and Stacy doesnât deserve that garbage mother. And neither do you.â
âOh yeah, kill them.â
All heads turn to Lily, who had a furious expression plastered on her face, brandishing a baseball bat that suspiciously looks like Candy the bat Jasper got at the hardware store.
âLily. Holy shit.â Noah muttered.
âCan we kill Noahâs mom too?â Jasper asks, raising a knife menacingly into the air.
The Triple Trouble for the baddies + villain MC (for Week 1 of the @ila-appreciationweek)
1) Jasper Bright - Resurrected (ILITW)
2) Harper Vance - Alive (ILB)
3) Violet Rendanza - Power creature in a human body (ILW - Mixed Path)
4) Sumire Lunar - the Power turned villain (ILW - Villain Path)
Headcanons for them:
Jasper Bright
-Â Before Janeâs death, everyone referred to him as the Little Ray of Sunshine due to his approachability and friendliness. Part of the reason why the childhood friends got to know each other is thanks to him.
- The reason why he dyed his hair lavender is to try and separate his child self from himself as much as possible.Â
-He has undiagnosed PTSD from Janeâs death and it didnât get professionally diagnosed until after homecoming, when he finally told his parents the truth.
- From childhood, he had developed a small crush on Lucas that blossomed into love when they reconnected in high school. Ava, Stacy and Andy were constantly teasing him about this back then and especially during the events of ILITW.
- His parents blamed themselves everyday for his death. Though they have a somewhat distant relationship due to work, Mr. and Mrs. Bright cared about their son and grieved him everyday.
- When his parents find out about his relationship with Lucas, theyâre very supportive of it and immediately treated the former student body president as their own. Theyâre also one of the reasons why Lucas kept going and tried to move on after the Are You Scared? game.
- Lucas loves making punny compliments with his last name. (Example: âYouâre just so...Bright)Â No matter how much he tried to play it off like he hated it, he always bust out laughing in the end.
- He almost never listens to Noah telling him to pace himself when eating food. Mainly because he thinks doing so will grant him some kind of taste.
- Jasper wanted to become a singer when he was a kid, music was basically a huge comfort for him and became his main way of coping from what happened with Jane, which amplified his liking for it. After getting revived, he takes vocal couching lessons from Violet to try and achieve his dream after losing four years of his life.
- His parents didnât let him leave their house for 1 week when they found out he was brought back.
Harper Vance
-Â Dated a lot of people during his life but they usually never last more than a week. He thought that would be the same with Tom, but he proved him wrong with his loyalty and sweetness.
- Harper loves teasing everyone around him. Doesnât matter what time of day it is (except during the danger hours) he would take any and every opportunity to tease them.
- Heâs not a fan of showing weakness or vulnerability in front of those he dislikes, but finds it harder to ask for help from those he care about. Elliot is constantly telling him that Tom was the only reason why he starts asking for help now.
- Gets older brother instincts around Jasper, before and after his resurrection. The main reason for this is because his mannerisms when he was a ghost reminded him of Elliot when he was young.
- Harper still harbours some amount of resentment towards Loha for essentially kidnapping him for months, despite knowing her intentions. He never goes to the viewing chamber alone (or ever) after the incident.
- At one point, Harper was able to catch a few glimpses of the other half of Jasperâs soul during his time in the void world. They were never able to talk to each other, but they can still feel some kind of understanding for each other, being trapped in another realm with no way home.
- Harper often jokes with Jasper that their names rhyme while Violetâs doesnât with either of them.
- Sometimes he gets asked why he doesnât use his Rune Armor more often. And his answer? He doesnât want the thing to keep latching itself onto him every time they go out to hunt horrors. It freaks him out.
Violet Rendanza
-Â She would sometimes use her powers to create unique light shows. Needless to say sheâs basically the decorations at any party.
- She and Jasper are constantly mistaken as siblings due to their hair color and how they act around each other. After a while, they began to treat each other like siblings do and eventually accepted their fates as non-blood related siblings.
- Violet, Harper and Jasper sometimes meet up in real life or on video call to play video games with each other. Usually it ends with them yelling at each other but they always have fun in the end.
- During the winter, Violet makes sure to have mittens that can fit two hands at once just for Jocelyn, since the latter leaves her gloves at home so they can hold hands better.
- She loves listening to metal, and jams out to it with Jocelyn at times in her apartment.
- Violetâs a little complicated. She can either be super sweet one moment and very, very aggressive the next, but mostly the latter. Jocelyn says she loves both sides as they kind of remind her of herself.
- To try and distract herself from the pain of losing her eye, she sometimes try acting like a pirate and oftentimes get caught by someone doing some ridiculous pose and in the middle of a dumb pirate one-liner. Every time sheâs caught she aggressively chases whoever it was that caught her until theyâr both out of breath - the only exceptions to this are Amalia and Jocelyn.
- Super protective over lots of people - Abel, Amalia, Lincoln, Jasper, Stacy, Connor and Harper especially.
- At one point, she, Harper and Jasper introduced their pets to each other - Moss the vine creature for Violet and Jasper, Sugar the kitten and Soar the crow for Jasper and Thumper the jackalope for Harper. Chaos broke out. And somehow the trio made it out unscathed.
Sumire Lunar
- Sumire screwed around with Abel and Amalia precisely because theyâre âher typeâ. Kind and ambitious. But she found herself more drawn to Matthias, and the reason for that is because she found those qualities more present in him despite being secretly evil.
- She visits the caves for the sole purpose of tormenting Jasper and testing her powers against his spirit.
- If she still had her mental link with Harper, she would be torturing him with all sorts of things - dreams, deaths, the likes. Mainly because she wants him to know what she went through when he was forced to give her directions to all sorts of places that couldâve killed her.
- She does misses Matthias, but she knows he probably wouldâve done the same to her if she didnât betray him first.Â
- She gets trust issues after the whole Loha thing, which is why she doesnât want followers.
- She fully intends to keep her former friends alive so they can watch as she brings the world to its knees.
