The Lost Ones Book 2: Welcome Home

Chapter 35

Sqaishey found Jerry and scooped him up. "Lets see if we can calm Jordan down, shall we?" She asked the little slime who nodded in agreement.
Tyler looked carefully at the slime then back at Jordan. "You sure this is gonna work? He is just a slime, after all."
"Yeah, but Jordan can understand him." Sqaishey replied.
"He still belongs to this world though..."
"Jordan didn't seem to care."
"I.... go ahead then..." Tyler still sounded hesitant.
Sqaishey slowly approached Jordan, keeping her eyes downcast. 
He watched her cautiously come forward with Jerry held outward towards him. 
She stopped a couple feet away. 
Jerry tilted slightly, watching Jordan and made a couple of noises at him. 
Jordan watched the slime, giving a small hiss but not of anger. 
The two seemed to start talking between themselves. 
Sqaishey glanced at Tyler.
Tyler looked back at Sqaishey, his sword lowering.
Jordan hesitantly reached out towards Jerry who hopped into his arms and rubbed against him, continuing to talk to him. It seemed to be calming Jordan down and his eyes slowly started to dim. 
Jordan slowly slid to the ground, keeping his focus on Jerry. 
Sqaishey gave a quiet sigh of relief as Jordan seemed to start to snap out of it. 
He gave a small hiss as he blinked a couple of times, his eyes refocusing and adjusting before covering them with his hand.
"J-Jordan...?" Tyler slowly walked over to him.
He snapped his head up wincing as he did. "Ugh... T-Tyler?" He muttered, trying to shield his eyes from the light of the rising sun in the distance.
"Oh my gosh Jordan." Tyler knelt besides the other and gently grabbed his arm. "A-are you okay...?"
Jordan flinched away from his touch. "I... I don't... know?" He answered.
"I... um... You lost control on us buddy..."
"I-I what?" His eyes widened, fear lacing them.
"Yeah... You went full enderman..."
"Did... Did I hurt any of you?" He asked concerned.
Tyler glanced over at Sqaishey.
"You scratched my arms but nothing bad." She told him. 
He looked away, gripping Jerry tighter.
“Everything’s ok...” Tyler gently patted his back. “You didn’t do anything bad.”
"But I hurt-"
"No, Jordan. It's fine. They're not that bad and they'll heal. What's important is that you're okay." 
He didn't look up but muttered. "...Could you find my shades?"
Tyler stood up. “Oh, yeah... where was the last place you had them?”
"Uh... Here... With Sqaishey earlier I think..."
Tyler nodded and went off to find the shades.
Jerry cuddled against Jordan and Sqaishey glanced over at Jerome and Mitch.
Mitch was sitting against a tree, with Jerome sitting dog-like across from him. Neither said a word, but it looked like Mitch was crying.
Tyler ran back over to Jordan with his bright red glasses and hand. “They’re a bit beat up but, here you go...”
Jordan accepted them and slid them on. "...Thanks... Where are the others?" 
"Over there." Sqaishey pointed them out.
“There’s something wrong with Jerome, he snapped when he saw you and won’t come back.” Tyler frowned.
"Wh-What?!" Jordan looked over at them, fearful. "I... Oh no..."
“I-it’s not your fault! Something here must be affecting everyone that’s not human!” Tyler tried to explain.
"... but then I should be affected too." Sqaishey reluctantly pointed out.
“W-what...?”
"I'm a hybrid too... A... A duck hybrid..."
Tyler froze and his eyes widened. “Really? How come you never told us?”
"It’s embarrassing..."
“What? N-no it isn’t!”
"It is to me..."
“Well it isn’t to me.” Tyler gave her a small smile.
She gave a small smile in return. "Oh, hush." She replied, glancing away but grinned a bit wider deciding to tease him. "You know I'm getting married, Tyler." She giggled.
Tyler’s face turned bright red. “S-shut up!”
She laughed, clutching her sides as she did. 
Jordan turned his attention to them and even gave a faint smile and chuckle as well.
Tyler looked down and fiddled with his hands, completely embarrassed at this point.
"Sorry, Tyler, I couldn't resist!"
Tyler only rolled his eyes and chuckled nervously.
Mitch glanced over at the others hearing them laughing, but didn’t move.
Sqaishey stopped after a minute and looked over at Mitch and Jerome. "...hey... you guys okay over there?"
Mitch didn’t say anything and looked away.
"Mitch..." Sqaishey stepped over.
Tyler stood up and grabbed Jordan’s hand before leading him over, not wanting him by himself.
Mitch took a shaky breath and looked back at Sqaishey, his eyes bright red from crying.
She frowned softly. "Come over here... We'll figure this out."
Mitch sniffled and looked back at Jerome, who was now staring at Sqaishey with wide eyes.
"Please, Mitch..."
Mitch slowly stood up.
Jordan watched quietly.
Mitch extended his hand out to Jerome to help him up, but the bacca wouldn’t take it. He stayed on all fours, looking around at the others almost hesitantly.
Sqaishey frowned seeing this. "Jerome..."
He tilted his head when called.
"Come on, come over here. You're safe."
Jerome’s ears lowered and he slowly crawled towards her, nose twitching.
She carefully held her hand out. "Hey..." She greeted softly.
He sniffed her hand before nudging it with his muzzle.
She smiled. "See? Friends."
Jerome gave a slight nod and looked over at Tyler. He walked over to him and began to smell his jacket. Tyler tensed a bit and looked at the others but stood still.
"Tyler's a friend too."
Jerome looked content at this and moved away, turning his attention onto Jordan. His brow furrowed.
Jordan stiffened. 
"It's okay, Jerome. They are all our friends."
Jerome growled.
Jordan flinched back, eyes widening. 
"Jerome, no!" Sqaishey cried.
Jerome lunged but the back of his hoodie was quickly grabbed by Mitch, who pulled him back. "B-Biggums stop it!"
Jordan stumbled backward, shaking, tears brimming his eyes. "J-Jerome, I-I'm sorry..."
Mitch tugged on Jerome again and the two fell to the ground. Mitch sat up, his arms firmly wrapped around the bacca's neck. "Sorry isn't going to cut it... he's gone completely feral..."
Tyler looked over at him in surprise. "Feral...?"
Jordan stared at them. "Then what did I do to upset him this badly?"
"You two kinda... fought. He can probably sense the ender on you..." Tyler explained.
Mitch glared at Jordan. "You're the reason he's like this."
Jordan stepped back again. "I... I what?" 
"Mitch! You know that's not true!" Sqaishey argued.
"Yes it is!" Mitch stood, arm still holding Jerome. "You're the one who attacked Sqaishey! You're the one who made Jerome try and help her from a monster like you."
"Mitch stop!" Tyler moved between them. "You're being a real jerk!"
Jordan felt tears stream down his face. "I-I..." He looked away before anyone could approach him and teleported away. 
"Jordan! No!"
Tyler walked over to Mitch. "Look what you've done! He lost control! He couldn't help it!"
"Jerome lost control too! What makes Jordan so special." Mitch argued.
"He didn't mean to do it!"
"Well he still did it!"
"He couldn't control it!"
"Well he should learn to then!"
"Mitch calm down! You're making a big deal out of this!"
Mitch let go of Jerome and faced Tyler jabbing his finger in the other's chest. "Making a big deal? Imagine losing your best friend as you knew him! Him reverting back to the state that he was found in! The state that took years to get him out of, that he would be hunted down and killed if he ever turned back to it!" Tears streamed down his face.
Tyler grew silent and looked confused, not having any idea of what the other was talking about.
"BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP!" Sqaishey yelled, turning to them, tears in her eyes. "Arguing and pointing fingers doesn't solve the problem!" She huffed. "You've brought him out of this before Mitch, you have more of a chance of finding out how to do it again! Jordan however is completely new to all of this! His whole world has been turned upside down! Plus being in this place is stressing, not only him, but all of us out! We need to be supportive of each other and try to help, not break the other down!"
Mitch turned his attention to Sqaishey. "What do you think I've been doing the whole time you guys were talking to Jordan? I've tried petting him, talking to him, everything! The first time was mind control, this isn't!"
"Are you sure? This place messes with our minds! We know that already!"
"This is him reverting to his natural instinct, not mind control. I grew up with Jerome, I know this better than anyone else here." He looked back at Jerome, who was standing by his legs, still on all fours.
Sqaishey huffed. "Fine! if you want to be depressing and pessimistic about our chances then fine! Do that! I'm going to look for Jordan!"
Tyler grabbed onto Sqaishey's arm. "Wait wait wait... Guys get ahold of yourselves! We can't separate, we all know what happened last time we did. Let's go look for him together!"
"Why should I do that?" Mitch sneered.
"Mitch if we find him we can get this all sorted out..."
"Then what?! That's not gonna miraculously turn Jerome back will it?"
"I mean it cou-"
"NO IT WON'T! WHY CAN YOU GUYS JUST LISTEN TO ME?"
"Listen we won't find out until we actually find out, your making a scene dude, get a gri-"
"GET A GRIP? HOW CAN I GET A GRIP AT A TIME LIKE THIS?!"
"Mitch calm down... We just need to get this all sorted ou-"
Mitch shoved Tyler to the ground with a thud. He stood over him, his eyes glaring daggers.
"You know what... fine. Go find Jordan, I don't care. I'll be going off to find a way to fix all of this. Who knows, maybe even that demon guy can help us. I'd rather be around him then around you. Maybe you are just useless, Tyler..."
Suddenly and without warning, Sqaishey slapped Mitch across the face as hard as she could, glaring at him. "DON'T YOU DARE TALK TO HIM THAT WAY!" She snapped. "THIS IS NO WAY TO TREAT YOUR FRIENDS! YOU ARE BEING A CHILD, MITCHELL!" She yelled, standing defensively in front of Tyler. "Jerome wouldn't want this!" she pressed in anger.
Mitch stumbled back and looked at Sqaishey completely and utterly shocked, his cheek already turning a bright red.
"Well I guess you guys don't want this 'child' around anymore then." Before the others knew it Mitch was walking off. 
Jerome stared confused at Tyler, then at Sqaishey with a slight look of concern on his face. 
Mitch looked back and snapped his fingers, causing Jerome to lower his head and turn around. Mitch quickly disappeared into the forest, the bacca following.
Sqaishey glared after them before sighing. "You okay?" She offered her hand to Tyler.
"I..." Tyler stammered and grabbed onto her hand. "I-I..."
"It's okay if you're not... I know I'm not..." She replied softly.
Tyler slowly stood and looked down at his feet. “L-let’s go look for Jordan.”
She slowly nodded. "Okay."
Tyler began to walk. His hand still tightly gripped onto Sqaishey’s arm, it seemed to be shaking.
She glanced at him and carefully moved his hand into hers and gave a small smile. "This way..."
They walked in silence through the trees, Jordan nowhere to be found.