MCSM: Ghost of Her Past [COMPLETED]

Prologue: The Dream

       It was dark. Around her were the withered citizens of the people she used to know. A purple haze shrouded her, making her nervous. She was inside the Wither storm again, only this time there was no getting out.
     Her only company was her best friend, Reuben, who always stood by her side. Jesse was glad for his presence- he provided warmth and comfort in this cold, terrifying place.
      "I need you to watch my back, okay?"
      "I'll be fine."
      Then, Jesse was grabbed from behind, and the sword slipped from her grasp. Jesse cursed, watching as it clattered to the floor. Reuben stood a few feet away, looking up at her with worry. She gasped. "Reuben, remember when we used to play fetch?"
     Reuben beamed at her, then he took the sword and hopped up to her. "I'll catch you, don't worry! Jump!" Jesse cried.
      Reuben leapt. She had the sword in her hand. Raising her arm, she slashed downward at the Command Block. This was it. This was the end. But then-
      "SQUEAL!"
      "Reuben!"
      The head of the Wither storm had bitten Reuben, and was trying to yank Reuben and Jesse apart. Jesse cried out when she lost her grip, and Reuben was gone. He plummeted down into the abyss below.
      "Reuben! No!"
      Jesse awoke with a start. She burst upright from her bed and was panting. Then she sighed with relief when she realized where she was. She was safe at home in their treehouse. Olivia and Axel were sleeping not too far away, far more peacefully than she had been.
      Jesse clutched her fists. She'd been haunted by these nightmares for weeks. Most of them were of Reuben's death. Then there were the ones with PAMA, and her not being able to save Lukas and Petra. There were countless others- her adventures twisted into everything going wrong.
      Jesse was sick of it.
     For the next hour Jesse laid there, waiting for Axel and Olivia to awake and to get the day started. She fiddled nervously with her ebony black hair, which was in a knotted mess.
      It was crazy to think that she was a member of the new Order of the Stone. Not only that, but she was the leader. The one everyone looked up to. The one everyone trusted. The one everyone loved.
      Jesse sighed with surrender. Feeling sorry for herself wasn't going to do her any good, so she got ready for the day as the sun rose.
      "Morning, Jesse!" Olivia greeted, crawling out of her bed. Jesse put on a smile.
       "Morning, Olivia."
      "Boy, am I sure glad to be back," Olivia remarked, glancing out the window.
        "Yeah, me too," Jesse agreed. "We'd been travelling so long. It's just nice to be home after all that portal hopping."
      "What are you guys talking about?" Axel's groan came from underneath the covers.
      "Sorry we woke you," Jesse apologized, scratching the back of her head.
      "Hey, don't sweat it. It's time to wake up anyways."
      Just then Jesse heard someone climbing up the ladder, and Petra opened the door. "Hey guys!"
     "Hey Petra." Jesse greeted with a wave.
      "So, we planning for the party?" Petra asked.
      Jesse narrowed her eyebrows as the others got a huge smile on their faces. "Uh what party?"
       "You've seriously forgotten?" Olivia murmured. "That's just sad." Axel nodded in agreement.
      "Your birthday party, Jesse!" Petra exclaimed. Jesse perked up immediately, her exhaustion and her nightmare had made all party plans disappear. Especially since it was not a long while ago that they returned from the Old Builder's world. Ivor had gone to visit Harper and help her out. Now, she was going to be seventeen years old- she could hardly believe it.
      "Man, I forgot... but you guys seriously don't need to do anything for me." Jesse said.
      "Are you kidding?" Axel marvelled. "Dude, you saved everyone from a massive Wither- storm-"
      "- and stopped Aiden from taking over Sky City." Olivia added.
     "-and stopped the White Pumpkin." Axel said
      "-she saved me and Lukas and all those other people from PAMA's clutches." Petra reminded them.
      "-and kicked Hadrian's butt-"
      "Okay, okay, I get it," Jesse rolled her eyes, a small smile on her face. Her friends always knew how to cheer her up. "Thanks guys."
      "Don't mention it," Axel pounded Jesse on the back, and Jesse fell to the floor from the force. Axel winced. "Whoops."
      Everyone chuckled with amusement. Jesse pushed herself up off the floor, getting a huge apology from Axel. Exhaustion overcame Jesse for a second from lack of sleep over the past few days, and she attempted to stifle a yawn. She couldn't help but notice Petra glancing at her with suspicion.
      "Come on guys, let's go," Jesse said. "Lukas is probably waiting for us."