45 Just Asking for a Break

Jayce wasn't sure he had heard Ionas correctly, "a new religion that follows me?" Ionas nodded, "not you exactly, but what you represent. Two separate Overwatchers have chosen to place their power in you. Those that believe it to only be one will soon see the black webbing extending across your body. That's a big deal." Ionas then stood and knelt in front of Jayce. "And the two Overwatchers who had a reputation for caring about the lower races chose you. The ones who gave us the hubs and the ability to actually win the Grand Prize. It's a big deal." He patted Jayce's knee before standing. "I recommend the four of you lay low until exam days. I will have Steve take you to and from the Coliseum as secretly as possible. But we must keep a low presence until we know what's going to happen next."

Jane stood and hugged a stunned Jayce, "I did say I expected incredible things out of you. I wasn't expecting things to get this incredible but no use crying over spilled milk." She released her son and looked over at Ionas, "I assume that I will also need to be careful? I'll let my job know not to tell anyone I work there." Ionas quickly shook his head, "Sorry Jane. You're staying here for the foreseeable future. Starting today you work for me. Here's the contract." He slid a thin tablet to her across the coffee table and then moved to begin fiddling with the chef robots.

Jane picked up the tablet slowly. "I'm going to be a crafter for you?" Ionas spoke loudly from the kitchen, "yep! You're going to have this little place as your office. I never use it so I figured you might make it a little homier. I already have the moving robots packing up your house." Jayce hopped up, " you mean we're moving out of the human zone?" Micu placed a hand on his shoulder, "it's too dangerous. My dad is right it's better to be here. At least we are somewhat protected by the guards this tower employs.

A mournful sound escaped Jayce's lips and he looked at his mom with sad eyes. She knew the emotions he must be feeling and the two embraced. "It'll be okay honey. Ionas is paying me triple what I made before and this great penthouse! Now you can come to visit me as much as you like." Jayce nodded but had his eyes still buried in her shirt. When he pulled his head away his eyes were red with tears. "Okay. It'll be okay. We're okay." He said in a half-awake state. Jane gave him a smile, "chin up Jayce, we'll get through this craziness together." He nodded and turned to Ionas. "Anything else you need from us?"

Ionas ran a metallic finger across his chin before speaking. "Nope. You four are not to leave the apartment tomorrow understood? I'll send Micu some money to buy whatever things you may require but stay inside and recuperate. It's a rest day anyway." Jayce nodded and turned to his friends, "shall we go?" The four waved goodbye to Jane and Ionas before exiting the penthouse and taking the elevator down to their shared apartment. Ralnas took a deep breath of air and then plopped down on the couch and turned on the TV. Micu laughed and ambled over to the kitchen and started picking out their dinner.

Jayce began climbing the stairs and Jenira chased after him. "How are you feeling?" He didn't lift his eyes from the stairs and replied slowly, "I have no idea." He trudged to his room and Jenira debated in her head for a half second before following him inside. Jayce sat on his bed with his head in his hands as he looked at the floor. Jenira sat down next to him. "Jayce..." He continued to sit silently and she gave him an awkward side hug. She was about to leave him alone when he mumbled something.

"What did you say?" She leaned down close to his head. "Please don't go," he whispered quietly. His voice was soft and weaker than she had ever seen him before. She nodded and leaned her head against his bent over body, "then I'll stay."

...

Anna tried again to understand the train map. It just looked like multicolored lines leading into a spinning mass of confusion to her. "I really should have gotten out more," she said quietly to herself. "Excuse me, can you help me get to major hub one?" She asked a passing man. He pointed out the train she needed and then tipped his hat to her before walking along. Anna dug through her saved up credits and sighed with relief as she had enough to buy a ticket.

Boarding the train she got quite a few strange looks. She hadn't needed a pair of normal clothes since joining Pure so she was still wearing the all-white outfit she had worn every day for the last nine months. She sat as far in the corner as she could find and stared out the window. She opened up the file she had received before she gave the tour the other day. "Jayce Good, Ralnas and Jenira Marrow, and Micu" was the headline and the ID pictures of each were displayed below their names. "I will find you and you will give me the truth." She said quietly to boost her own dwindling confidence. Staring out the window she watched as her home faded from view into the blackness of the night.

...

"Ral what do you want for dinner?" Micu called out from the kitchen. Hearing no response he stepped out from behind the wall to look at Ralnas. The TV was still showing the rescheduled exam's events but Ralnas was fast asleep. Smirking Micu turned off the TV and grabbed a blanket from his room to cover Ralnas. "I guess I owe you one from making sure I wasn't dead." He went back to the kitchen and picked out food just for himself before happily reading an article on the next exam.

Jayce let the tears flow and Jenira simply continued to rest her head on his shoulder. "I don't know if I can do this Jen." "Do what Jayce?" He waited until he had recovered some composure before speaking again but his voice still cracked due to the tears. "How exactly am I supposed to lead a religion? I can't even keep my room clean." Jenira laughed softly and looked around his new room. It had only been one day but already there were stray clothes on the floor. "You're not alone Jayce. We're all right behind you." He sniffed and the tears continued to fall.

"I can't let you down though. We almost died yesterday because of me." Jenira lifted his head from his hands and looked him dead in the eyes. "You saved our lives Jayce. I would be dead right now if not for you. I felt death reaching to take me when that bug monster faced me. I accepted it..." she had begun to cry now and Jayce cursed himself for bringing her down. "And you saved me. You saved my life Jayce. I don't know how, but you killed that thing." Jayce raised his eyes from the floor to see she was smiling at him.

"Jenira I couldn't let it hurt you." He said in between choked breaths. She nodded, " I know. That's why I'm not worried about you." He raised an eyebrow. "You protect us. You built our team. Ralnas is a class clown, I'm his weird loner sister and Micu should have probably been hanging out with the other rich kids but instead, you somehow pulled us into your plans. Now we're stuck with you but you're stuck with us too. You don't need to carry this burden by yourself." Jayce felt the tears flowing even more heavily than they had been before. "This is really fucking crazy isn't it." Jenira's tears had slowed and she laughed. "It is really fucking crazy that's for sure."

Jayce stared into her eyes and couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked. He moved a strand of hair out of her face and smiled. "Thanks, Jen, I think I needed this." She nodded, " I know you did." A faint smile appeared on her face. Jayce kept moving his gaze from her eyes to her lips and started to lean closer to her face. Jenira twisted her head slightly to the side as he did so. Her eyelids started to close as Jayce slid his arms around her back. "Ral is going to kill me," he whispered inches from her face. She opened her eyes lazily, "I don't mind." He pulled her to a hairbreadth from his face. "Neither do I."

Their lips met for a long moment and Jayce refused to let himself rush anything. He pulled her entire body closer and the two sat side by side intertwined with each other. She released her soft lips from his, "we could probably be more comfortable doing this you know," she whispered in his ear. Jayce slid himself back on the bed and she crawled on top of him and leaned her face down in front of his. He wanted desperately to reach up and kiss her again but her head hovered just out of his reach. He finally brought his arms around her and pulled her down onto his chest. Jenira had a love drunk smile on her face as she kissed him again.

Jayce pushed her off him slowly and got off the bed to close the door. He turned to her and his whole body was red with passion. She patted the spot on the bed next to her and the two embraced as intermittent kisses kept either one from falling asleep. Jayce played with her hair as he watched her silently. Her head rested on his chest and rose and fell with his pounding heart. "I've never slept with someone before," he admitted nervously. He watched as a smile formed slowly on her face, "well I'm not leaving this bed so that might be changing." Pure intoxicated happiness drowned out any intelligent thought Jayce may have had and the two stayed cuddled together until they fell asleep in each other's arms.

Micu finished his dinner and started climbing the stairs. He noticed Jenira's room door was still wide open and he knocked on it before sticking his head inside. Seeing no sign of her he checked his parent's room and the one he and Ralnas shared before smiling to himself. "Not what I expected but tomorrow morning is definitely going to be interesting." He climbed into bed with a mischevious grin on his face.

...

An ant soldier shuffled towards Zcernboch. "My lord, we are almost ready to mobilize your army. Where is our destination?" Zcernboch sat upon a throne carved to resemble the bugs he wielded in his army. "I do not know yet. The rules for this game haven't been put forth from my brothers. Just ensure that when I give the order we are ready to move out at a moments notice." The ant bowed deeply before it's thin legs carried it out of the room. Czernboch pounded a fist against the throne and stared into the screen that was reserved for communication between him and his brothers. "What are you two planning?" He screamed with fury. He created another galaxy in his palms and watched it spin idly in his hand before crushing it into dust. "Have our spies reported nothing!" He roared at a trio of ant humans and they quickly scurried out of the room to get reports from his spies. Czernboch continued to glare at the screen. A crazed look sending shivers down the spine of every being who was remaining in his throne room.