Heroes & Roses (X-ray and Vav)

Chapter 33: Aftermath

"He will remain forever in our hearts and forever in our soul. He will be missed, but he won't be forgotten. His name will not be in vain, and his determination to fight for what was right will last for ages. I love you man, and just know Millie misses you too. I'll miss you bud, but I'll see you again," -Geoff

"I miss you, Gavin, and I love you a lot!" -Millie

"I can't believe it, you know? I just- I can't. My boi isn't here, and god damn I miss him. I um- I just- I'm sorry. I can't- I can't," -Michael

"He was irritating, annoying, and all around stupid. But he was one of my best friends, and I miss him. I miss him a whole lot. That's all there really is nothing to say I think. For- for those wondering; no. We haven't found the body yet," -Jack

"I can't say a lot but I'm probably going to. I didn't know him for as long as everyone else, but I might as well have. I can't cry anymore. I can't cry. Um- ya. I loved him. More then I've ever loved anyone and um, I think that says a lot in itself. Maybe, one day, I'll see him again, but I've never been one to believe in stuff like that. The enemy is gone, and I know it was for the better, and in the end I knew there'd be losses, I just wasn't prepared. The only other thing I want to say is that I uh- I'm retiring. There's no reason to be X-Ray if I don't have my Vav. Let me rephrase: There is no X-Ray if there is no Vav. There's not, because I wouldn't be here if it weren't for him and Michael who saved me that night. I wouldn't be alive if it weren't for him. Right now I wish he didn't. He shouldn't have saved me, but he did. Now it's on him I guess. I'm rambling- I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," -Ray

The city was thriving, and everyone seemed to care except for Achievement Hunters. Everyone was celebrating, and they had reason. Herobrine is dead, and the 'Mad King' never lived and is actually missing. And I had no reason to cheer. Hell I almost wanted a drink. I wanted anything to give me hope, to make me stand in front of the people and tell them the war was over; but I can't. Any willpower I used to have was drained from my body and stepped on by a elephant.

I sat for what seemed like an hour, when in reality I had sat for more then a day. I sat on the green couch, that was now covered in dirt and ash from my clothes, and I couldn't help but wonder what other kinds of war has sat on this couch. I wondered how it did it. How this stupid green couch could be so filled with memories and yet hold together as if nothing happened at all.

The war was over, but questions that had never come to mind now spew out of every corner. Herobrine is dead, James Ryan Haywood is no where to be found, and the throne has no one to sit upon it. Turns out Texas had been fighting two wars, one within itself and another with the USA. We have ceased from the union and were an independent country with no ruler. What the hell were we suppose to do? What was I suppose to do? I can't do anything.

Gavin Free is dead.

My heart was shattered and gone from my chest, all that remained was a gaping hole that held overwhelming sorrow. My eyes leaked silent tears as I stare at the dark screen of the TV that hung on the wall. My mind is blank and my body seemed to move with robotic motions, like I was moving through the tasks I did with no human responses. Turns out I wasn't a hero after all, and I'm damn glad I'm not. It makes leaving easier.

My mind was still blank when I pressed the power button on the X-Box. I don't know why I decided to turn it on, but it was all I think I could think to do. I robotically turn press 'play' on Minecraft; the first game I had played in Achievement Labs. It was one of my favorite memories I had ever had here. I smile for almost half a second before the Mincecraft screen turned on.

'Mathematical!' Said the small yellow words in the corner. I press 'start game' and look at the worlds that had loaded. Instinctively, I go straight to the world that reads: 'X-Ray and Vav only!'. I hover over the world for a few moments before eventually clicking on it.

This was Gavin and I's world. We had built everything on survival and were extremely proud of it. We had build a mansion entirely out of cobblestone, and had everything you could imagine in it. I travel into the mansion with apprehension. I explore every single room, including the pointless rooms such as the piston room, the Obsidian room, and Pressure Plate room, before eventually making it to the top floor. In the right corridor, at the very end of the hall, was Gavin and I's Minecraft bedroom.

We had joked about how when this war was over we would get a house this big, and everyone could live in it. Geoff, Griffon and Millie would have a room big enough to be a house, and Michael and Lindsay would be able to finally live together in peace. They weren't dating or even close to that, but it was going to happen, or at least Gavin and I thought so. We wouldn't have to fight anymore and it could just be us, the whole family. Always.

I try to hold whatever composure I had while traveling inside of the room. It was large, with a duel-bed placed at the far end. We had made it by-far the best room in the house. There was a chandelier made from fence-poles and torches hanging from the ceiling. Red carpet lined the floor and there were glowstone for lamps. Pictures hung everywhere, and there were chests full of diamond, gold, and iron placed on the right side of the room under the large windows. On the left side of the room, a large painting that hung on the wall if what we joked was a 'girl fucking a horse'. I nearly laugh. I walk to the painting.

We always used that painting to hide secret rooms; behind this one was a wooden door that was already open. I find it easily, seeing as to how I'd been in this secret room millions times before. It was smooth stone rather then cobblestone unlike the rest of the mansion. There was two Towers of Pimps. Four gold blocks placed on a piece of obsidian, Gavin's invention, I just had the gold to make it. On the left and right side of the room to display elegantly what was near the far wall. There was a Creeper head (caught from a super creeper) and a rose in a flower pot sitting side by side in the middle. There were two signs that hung above each item, that when put together said: "X-Ray and Vav, superheroes, together, 5ever!".

That was all it took for me to loose it. My silent tears fall quicker then before and I begin to sob. He was gone; my Vav was gone and I couldn't save him. He saved me and brought me to this life, and since then I couldn't live without him, and now I'm forced to. I cover my mouth and shut my eyes, trying my best to regain control. I don't know what to do. I had given up all hope. I couldn't move on without him and I honestly didn't want to.

I felt like I was nearly going to throw my controller at the wall and collapse when I hear a familiar bleeping sound come from the X-Box. With a lot of conjured effort that I didn't know I had, I look at the screen with a blurred line of vision, however it was quite clear what was on the screen.

My chest swelled and my eyes widened. I had to stand up, something I hadn't done for a day and a half, to get a better look at the TV. Sure enough, it said exactly what I thought it did. I scoff, not believing it at first, but it was there, right in front of me. I laugh, and hope raced to my heart quicker then a cheetah running after prey, and it sprinted to every inch of my body as well. My tears fall still but I was sure they weren't sad tears anymore; they were those of joy. I hear soft footsteps behind me. There it was, clear as day on my newly favorite television screen:

<Gavinofree is online>

<Gavinofree has joined the game>

"Hi, Ray,"

"You little prick!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Epilogue, Coming soon**