MCSM: Nothing is the same #3

Part 14 (Olivia)

(Back in real world)

Olivia's heart was racing as she hurriedly grabbed a few supplies. Axel came and told her the horrible news.

Tears were streaming down her face. "Let's go."

Axel nodded and they went to the basement of her house. It had a portal that took her to Beacontown.

They went through the portal and rode the mine carts to the other portal. Once they got there, Olivia looked up at Axel one last time, "Do you think he's still alive?" Olivia asked.

Axel looked down. He wasn't acting like his normal self. "I don't know. I don't want to get your hopes up, because from the looks of it, no."

Olivia sniffed. She took a shuttering breath and stepped through the portal. They ran out of the Order Hall to Ivor's base.

By now, Olivia's heart was racing even faster.

They stepped up the ladder and Olivia's curiosity was killing her. She raced to the door and swung it open. Her wide eyes surveyed her surroundings.

Harper, Jack, and Nerm were sitting in chairs to her left. Lukas was conversing quietly with Ivor, who was making a potion of sorts. Jesse and Petra where sitting by a bed. Petra was fast asleep, head and hand on the bed. And Jesse was staring at the head of the bed. Everyone had two things in common. Swollen red eyes, and mostly to themselves, although some of them talked with one another. The others looked up at her for a moment before focusing back on what they were doing before.

Jesse-however-gave Olivia one glance before leaping out of her chair to hug her friend tight in her arms.

Olivia could hardly feel it though. The world was spinning and it all felt like a nightmare. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around Jesse as well. Jesse was bawling once again and soon enough, Olivia was as well.

Arms wrapped around the both of them and lifted them up off of the floor. Olivia looked up to see Axel crying and holding them tight as well, "At least Ivor was able to save his life a moment ago."

Jesse nodded and said nothing.

Olivia thought back to how she used to hate Ivor's guts. Now she understands him, and she felt gratitude bubbling inside of her more than she ever would've thought possible for such a stubborn old man.

Olivia thought back to her childhood. She remembered the day she and Axel met the twins...

(Flashback) Olivia and Axel were working on their new project together. The inseparable best friends were attempting to build a treehouse. It was turning out way better than they expected it to. Especially for two eight year olds building it.

Olivia watched a falling hammer miss her head by a few inches. She glared up in Axel's direction. He sheepishly smiled down at her, "Sorry. I didn't mean to drop that. Can you grab it for me?"

She rolled her eyes, "Fine." She stepped down her ladder and grabbed the hammer from the hand holding it out to her, "Thanks!" She turned to get back on the ladder and froze. She turned once again to see a raven black-haired girl laughing. She was wearing overalls. When the girl opened her eyes, shocking green ones appeared. But her stunning eyes weren't what surprised Olivia most. A large bruise was on her right cheek and her left arm had a lazily-wrapped bandage over it. Blood was seeping through.

Olivia gaped and turned as the bushes rattled. A brown-haired boy with the same eyes and suspenders over a white shirt and jeans followed. He had a big bruise on his neck and a tear in his shirt. He, however, jumped when he saw Olivia staring at him.

"Olivia! What's taking you so-" Axel cut himself off as he saw two strangers. He quickly climbed down the ladder and stepped beside Olivia. Even now, he was towering over the others.

The boy shrank back a bit at the boy's large size and the girl just extended her (good) hand out to them. "Hi! I'm Jesse! What are your names?"

"I'm Olivia!" I said cheerily. I liked these people already. I shook her hand and then she turned to Axel. He shook it as well with a wide smile, "I'm Axel!"

The other boy stepped out from behind his sister. He looked more curious than scared now, "I'm Jess." But he didn't offer his hand.

"Whoa. Your names are similar! That's confusing!" Axel's brow raised (yup. Already has a unibrow lol).

Jesse nodded, "We're twins."

"No wonder." Olivia said, "Are you eight too?"

"Seven." Jess corrected.

"Wait so, you're eight too, Axel?" Jesse asked.

Axel hated being made fun of for his large size. He looked down and nodded. Jesse smiled, "Cool! We're all about the same age!"

Axel was shocked that she didn't mock at all. Then again, she seemed like a really nice girl. Olivia then asked, "What are those from?" She motioned at the injuries. Jesse and Jess glanced at one another. Jess nodded and Jesse turned back to them, her wide smile was gone, "Don't tell anybody, but our parents aren't exactly the best.." A tear dropped from her eye, "Sorry about that. I'm trying not to be all negative, but..."

"That's what leads us to why we came." Jess spoke, "We hate our parents. They hate us too and want us gone, and we saw that you guys were building a treehouse. We were wondering if we could live with you guys."

Axel and Olivia turned to one another with the same sympathetic look. They understood how these kids felt. Axel's parents didn't like him for his large size, overwhelming love of cake, and destroying things like his favorite guy in the world, Magnus. Olivia's parents didn't like her for her lack of interest in designing clothes and armor. That's what they did for a living and wanted her to do the same. It has been passed down for many generations, but Olivia wanted to be a redstone expert just like her hero, Ellegard.

But from the looks of it. The twins had it way harder than Axel and Olivia. They were never actually beat like these kids were.

"Of course you can." Olivia offered them a smile. The twins' gazes lit up. Jesse grabbed them all and they had a huge group hug. 

Ever since then, they've been best friends and built the treehouse altogether. Olivia and Axel were at home at night, but the twins lived at the treehouse.

(Back to present) Axel set them both down. His eyes cast in Jess' direction and Olivia knew exactly what he was thinking.

That group hug was not the same without Jess.