Pixel - - A Cube SMP Fanfiction

Chapter Twenty One

Hello everyone, and welcome back to Pixel! c:

I realize I left a lot of you on a huge cliffhanger last update... sorry. And I know a lot of you don't like that I killed off Grape. Trust me, I didn't like it either, but it makes for a better, more realistic story. It wouldn't have seemed like much of a challenge if they all had the same stroke of luck that they did in the Nether: it's more than unlikely that it would've happened in the End as well. Grape is my favorite, and deciding that he was going to die was one of the hardest decisions I've made as a writer. Life goes on, though.

For those of you who didn't see, I posted my Halloween treat for you guys yesterday! It was something a TON of you guys were asking for: a sequel to Begin Again! It's called Fix You, and I made the Introduction public last night. I really need ideas for what you want to see, so comment or message or tweet me ideas! Be sure to go check it out if you haven't: I'll be working on Fix You after I finish Pixel, but I won't post any more of it until Pixel is truly finished.

Speaking of which, after this chapter, only the epilogue of Pixel is left! :c I'm super sad that this story has to end, but thus, it can't go on forever. This has been my favorite to write, and I've never actually had writer's block while working on it, as I was always full of new ideas for it, some of which never made the final cut. It's likely, though, that I'll want to write either a sequel or something more for this, as I still REALLY love the concept and I want to do something more with it. So it's possible that it's not truly over, but not for certain. 

Honestly, this chapter is sadder than the last one. Sorry. I cried again when I wrote it.

Remember to follow @code_cherry on Twitter, and to vote and comment for more. Here's chapter 21!

J U L I O  [ T O M A H A W K ]

The first thing I saw was the dragon rearing backwards, bursting into purple light as it died, and I gasped in relief. We’d done it. We were getting home!

These thoughts were immediately erased from my mind when, a split second later, I spotted Grape hurtling backwards through the air, having been hit by the dragon itself. I found myself screaming his name, my throat raw, but unable to move, shocked beyond belief. I heard Jordan and Ash’s voices among the rest, all of us utterly horrified and frozen in place.

He smacked into one of the towers with a loud smash, before falling slowly, as if sinking into syrup. Landing with a sickening thud, he lay unmoving at the foot of the tower.

Suddenly my feet were moving again, and I was sprinting, along with Jordan, to the tower, ignoring the newly-created portal and dragon egg a few yards away. I reached him first and had to forcibly keep myself from falling to my knees beside him. 

His body was twisted terribly unnaturally, limbs splayed in directions they shouldn’t have been able to achieve. Blood pooled from wounds in his chest, where the dragon had struck him, and from his head, where it had been smacked against the tower. His eyes were closed, and I was almost glad they were, so I didn’t have to see the blankness in those deep brown orbs.

Almost.

I heard Jordan choke just behind me, and footsteps hurrying from all directions to reach us, and I made no effort to do anything more. I simply stared at the shape before me, disbelieving.

Grape, the strong and tactful leader, was gone.

“No,” gasped TYBZI, his voice muffled by tears. “It’s my fault, I wasn’t paying attention… he jumped in front of it to protect me…” He trailed off, trying to control his grief.

Soon, we surrounded Grape in a ring of silence, all staring at it without really seeing. After what seemed like hours, Jordan stepped forward and placed his hand on Grape’s cold one.

“You did a brave thing, my friend,” he murmured, almost inaudibly. “You did what I know I wouldn’t have been able to do, and you saved not only TYBZI, but all of us, by finishing the dragon. Your sacrifice was not in vain: we’ll make it home, all of us. And when we do…” he hesitated before speaking again, his voice wobbly. “We’ll never forget you.”

Tears were flooding my own eyes (and I didn’t cry often, if at all). One by one, we each stepped forward and spoke a few words, and at last it was my turn. I forced my legs to move, and crouched down beside him, taking him in slowly before speaking.

“…Grape, you were the best leader I’ve ever known. Your battle skills were unmatched, but you balanced it with a kind, reasonable personality. I always admired that about you, how you could be so good but keep a cool head at the same time…” I sat in silence for a few seconds before saying one last sentence. “I will always remember you.”

Jordan and H dug a small hole (we were still on the End’s island, after all), and lowered Grape inside slowly. Eventually we all stood around a grave, decorated with the few materials we still had, saying farewell to our friend one last time. I stared around at the group left: Ash, clinging to Graser with tears streaming down her face. Jordan and H, standing beside one another and staring blankly at the grave in front of them. Straub and Rusher, muttering quiet words under their breath. TYBZI and Dul, who were leaning against one another for the support they both needed. Myself, alone, lost in a whirlwind of thoughts that I couldn’t control.  It didn’t feel right to leave him here, but we couldn’t bring him back. It was a losing battle.

As we walked in exhaustion to the portal, Jordan caught up to me and took a place beside me. 

“You okay, Tomahawk?” he asked softly, uncertainly.

“I’m alright,” I muttered, not wanting to talk about it any longer.

He looked like he wanted to say something else, but he closed his mouth and nodded, hurrying forward to take the lead, and I was left to my grief.

It felt like only seconds before we all stood around the escape portal, though it must’ve been a few minutes more, at the least. Jordan took a deep breath before speaking one final time.

“We’ll talk when we all get back, alright? Nobody forget, I want to make sure everyone gets back safely. We’ll see each other again on the other side.” Nods all around, as no one seemed to want to speak.

What about Ash? Where will she end up? I glanced at Jordan, about the voice the question, but he and Ash were looking at each other knowingly. He knows where she’ll end up, and so does she. In my impaired mental state, I didn’t question it, instead waiting for a signal.

Just as the jump into the End portal, they jumped one by one. Straub, then Rusher, followed by H and Dul. TYBZI and Graser went next, and Ash squeezed Jordan’s hand and leaped herself. Jordan and I were alone, and he watched me expectantly, willing me silently to jump next.

I glanced behind me, at the grave a distance away.

Thank you, Grape. For everything.

And I turned, finally taking the leap that would take me home at last.

D":

I can barely stand to reread this for editing. Why do I do this >.<

QUESTION OF THE CHAPTER:

I asked this in Fix You, too, but what would you like to see in a sequel to Begin Again? I have a generic plot, but no details, really. So leave suggestions below: I read all of them and I'll take them all into consideration!

Vote and comment for more! Until next time!

~Cherry