I smile before my eyes even open. Already I feel great, not cold or depressed or groggy or anything. The gray morning light seeping into the room just makes me feel more awake. Although perhaps the credit really goes to the blonde next to me, who's hugging my arm.

A soft mumble makes my smile even wider, as Lukas gently squeezes my limb closer to his chest. I smoother a laugh, not wanting to wake him up. It's generally him who wakes up before me.

Which means he was thoroughly exhausted yesterday. It's pretty impressive how he stayed up so long now that I think of it. He said he gave energy before he possessed me, so he's already tired. He then possessed me, which I could see as something quite tiring since I apparently don't take good enough care of myself. Personally I don't think it's a big deal.

Once he was back in his body, well, he was kinda nutty at that point. He must have been shot down tired and delirious. Then he pulled himself together to explain to me what happened for awhile. And somehow stayed awake to get back to his room, even though he couldn't even stand anymore, while still able to explain to me the fireball mark.

Happiness rains down from the memory, the relaxing pleasure the bloomed there last night. It was amazing, but I can't exactly stay in that state all the time. I would love to, it just blew my mind in pure pleasure, but not possible.

Since I believe we would have found out about it if it could be activated through clothes. I can't walk around shirtless with Lukas touching my chest all day long. It's a complete mix of weird, awkward, and wrong.

What do I need to do today? I definitely need to talk to the entire gang, but that probably won't happen until a mealtime. I'm assuming that the others have already talked to Ivor by now since they have normal sleep schedules.

So I'm going to be talking to him for a very long time, very long indeed. I'm sure Lukas, despite him either being asleep or in a different body, has his own questions buzzing in his mind.

It was strange though how Lukas could possess me in the first place, or perhaps it's not strange at all. There's still that yellow fire that bursts forth every once and awhile. Maybe that's even stranger that it can possess me.

Lukas has been connected to me from the very get go, or almost the very get go. Either way it was before the yellow flames, although I did feel kinda off walking back from River Valley...

No, I was just tired, confused, and hurt. Any weird feelings that happened on the walk back to Beacontown were purely because of those, I don't want to spend time overthinking things. I have friends who do that.

Anyway, back on track now. Maybe it's like a parasite or disease? No that doesn't make sense, but what in the Nether could possess me? I've never really thought about it before, but now that I am, it doesn't make sense. None at all.

Possession wasn't even possible for Romeo, at least I think so. Instead taking my face it would have been more convenient for him to take over my body. Or maybe Romeo was just insane and could actually do it, I don't know.

But I really don't want to deal with some other insane person with powers. It always ends badly. The Old Order of the Stone used it to lie and Ivor unleashed a terrible monster, the Old Builders literally killed over and over again as some sick form of torture for their amusement with their powers, and Romeo... well that was just crazed insanity.  

Besides I'm already dealing with these demons, one crisis at a time please and thank you. Demons that I can kill, with luck and a lot of firepower. Although last time I killed them more or less one at a time. I don't want to face any more that, no thank you.

It probably will happen though, since enough of them just decided to walk through a portal in the middle of a jungle for Otto to shut it down. Which is pretty, really, concerning.

How many are there in the wild then? The same number of them as sheep? Horses maybe? Maybe wolves? There should be zero, that's my opinion though. These things shouldn't exist at all.

Although why did they go through the portal in the first place? Animals don't go through portals unless there is some kind of human influence. Is there some kind of reason or maybe pull for the creatures to go through the portal?

I shake the thought out, there are more important things to think about right now. Our priorities should be learning on how to fight these things in case they attack, that's what's most important. Then the yellow fire and make sure it's not the evil side of my fire or something. And after that I can learn some more about my fire, but only after that.

So the book Ivor got is what I'm doing first. Well, Ivor's probably already read it forward and back so I can just talk to him about it. I know Lukas didn't go too much in depth with the book since he was way more concerned about the fact he was in my body.

Anything else I should be worrying about right now while I have the time? All my friends seem like they're doing good, better check up on them soon though. There hasn't been anything new with Beacontown so I'm good with that too.

I really should though stop and give a million thanks to Olivia for doing the paperwork. I would be dead if I was trying to balance everything out still. Perhaps I should something for her? We aren't in touch so much anymore, so her tastes might have changed quite a bit. I've known her for a long time though, I should-

A jolt goes straight to my heart, blood dancing in me with energy and joy. I grin and roll my head over to Lukas, who's eyes are flickering open. The bright blue eyes sparkling with life despite the drowsy eyelids around them.

"Good morning, did you sleep well?"

His head really perks up at that, and to my amusement, quickly releases my arm. Rapidly shaking his head and rubbing his face to get himself to wake up.

"We've been asleep for awhile, you must have been really tired."

Lukas rubs his face, still looking half dead. "I was, although why are you-"

I sat up as he was talking and the blanket fell down. I didn't think anything of it, but when I glance at him as to why he cut off, I realize Lukas is starring at the fireball mark. I don't know why though, he shouldn't be surprised by this when he possessed me yesterday.

"Is something the matter?"

"Y-you-" Lukas's eyes fly back up to my face, and his face dusted red. "You already know about the fireball mark?"

I smile at him, to his continued bewilderment. "You told me about it last night Lukas."

"I did?" Lukas rubs his forehead, eyes darting back down and up. "I don't remember that."

I whistle, which was kinda hard considering I really want to smile. "You must have been really tired. It was pretty incredible when you touched it last night."

"What did it feel like?" I roll my eyes at the question, and Lukas takes the hint and touches my mark. The glorious bliss exploding and rippling all throughout me. I hold back any sounds of pleasure this time though, I don't need him to remember that one.

"Wow..." Lukas's own smile rises up. "Because of yesterday I knew the connection got stronger when I touched this, but I didn't expect the pleasure that emits from you when it happens."

I roll my eyes again, and quickly swing out of bed. My chest instantly attacked by a pang of sadness, but better to cut it off before I get greedy. I've already established that I can't walk around with my shirt off.

"Okay great, let's go talk to Ivor-"

"Oh hold up!" Lukas gets up and crosses his arms at me. "You are eating and getting something to drink. And since I realized how good you are at ignoring physical pain and acting like it isn't there, you get to tell whenever your muscles are begging for you to stop."

I huff and pick my shirt, throwing it on. "Olivia told me you would do this, but I didn't expect you to be so demanding about it Lukas. What happens if I don't?"

Grinning as I hook my suspenders, it falls flat when I see Lukas's evil smile. "Have fun trying to ever pull a lie again and getting embarrassed all the time."

"Point taken!" I hold my eyes in surrender as I back up to the door. "I'll be going to the kitchen, although you might want to change. We're probably going out today."

I strut into the hallway, quite frankly feeling really good. I'm aware I'm hungry and a bit sore, but that's normal. Lukas doesn't mean anything out of the normal, does he? Oh well, I'm sure I'll find out soon enough.

It's morning right? Guessing by the light in the bedroom and my internal clock, I'd say it's morning. Although my internal clock is pretty bad at it's job, it never really knows unless I'm looking at a real clock.

Either way, I'm feeling up for some eggs. Maybe someone already made them this morning. Petra usually rises with the sun, I guess that's what happens when you sleep under the stars most days. Axel would never get up at this time unless he had to. Ivor could be, I don't really know. But another definite yes on Olivia.

Do Petra or Olivia like eggs? I know Petra doesn't love them after Sky City, but Olivia used to make them all the time when we all lived under the same roof. I guess then I don't have to worry about that then, I will most likely have my eggs.

And just as I walk into the Treasure Hall does my great mood goes up in flames. Yellow flames that is. It's completely out of nowhere and extremely powerful. I only have the time to gasp before I lose control.

I take a deep breath, and continue to walk forward. The pesky humans will try to stop me, so I have to do this casually. They just can't see my eyes and everything will be fine. It'll be our time to rise again.

Opening and closing the door, I keep my ears open for anyone in these area. Nothing, I don't want to suck up any flames for detection so this is the best I'm going to get.

Clawing my way through the boy's memories, which is much harder than originally suspected. I find where they keep blaze rods and walk that way.

Lips tightening as the child tries to push against me. With a fire of his magnitude, he should have had defenses in the first place to stop Mark Possession. And if he keeps pointlessly draining his flames trying to get me out then I'm not going to have enough of his to even fulfill the reason I'm here.

I walk into the room, and hesitate. They have a Nether portal in here? And what do all the pictures and levers mean? That one single chest does not have the capacity to hold any materials at all.

Scowling at myself, I walk over to the blaze rod picture. This is nothing to when I had to complete the Trials, I can do this. Smugly, I flick the lever next to the picture and wait for my blaze rod.

Scowling again, I flick the lever again. Something's happening, I am hearing these noises. I turn my attention to the boy to go through his memories when I feel he is laughing at me. Me! Why how dare he!

Refusing to let the boy have the satisfaction of needing his help, I flick the lever again. Again nothing! How infuriating! Redstone was always the human's thing, I just preferred to my own strength and skills to get what I want.

I can't waste fire though, so I roll the right shoulder of the boy. He's got tired limbs, but they're young, should be fine. He's probably already punch down mountains of netherack.

Then I hear footsteps and I quickly drop my hand looking away from the door. The boy surges in me, trying to get out again. But he can't do anything now, not until his Gebunden comes.

"Jesse! Didn't expect you here!" That's an old voice, I would have like a more naïve child to walk in here. Do I have to respond? Ugh, I have to sound like a child.

"Yeah, need some blaze rods." Success! Now stop talking to me old man! If you call for attention everything I've been working for will be lost!

Since I can't use my eyes, perhaps I should use Fire Sight to look at the man. Wait... they have no torches in here! Or lava! Or glowstone! What's wrong with these people? I look up at the light, seeing a extraordinarily bright blue thing. I don't like it. I've never seen those things before, and it has a cold unnatural light.

I flick the lever again, and it makes that sound again and STILL doesn't give me any blaze rods! I swear, after countless years of toiling in the Ash Lands, this is the thing that stops me. This is completely degrading, and I rapidly pull it up and down feeling my fire begin to fan up in frustration. This redstone stuff is not meant for us!

"Goodness Jesse! How many blaze rods do you possibly need? The chest is going to overflow." I resist the screaming urge to whip around and snap at him, I can't show my eyes. At least not yet, soon enough at least.

Then his words hit, that lone chest has my blaze rods? Blah, this redstone stuff isn't any better than my storage system. I knew exactly where everything was and didn't have to understand with all needless complicated redstone.

The old green man is walking towards the chest, and I creep behind him. I won't attack unless he sees my eyes or takes my blaze rods. I didn't need too many, but they're all mine. Blaze rods have many uses and I don't ever want to enter this infernal room again. Although I wonder where this boy's blaze is to get these things, I suppose it's a good thing I haven't seen it yet.

The roded man opens the chest, letting out a gasp of surprise and reaching in to grab my blaze rods. "Why do you need-"

He turns and sees me, dropping the blaze rods as I clamp my hand over his mouth. I glare at him as his eyebrows furrow together in anger, and I bend down to pick up the blaze rods.

"Don't scream. Your ashes can't scream, so don't scream."

The child erupts at that, blowing up all of his flames and gaining control for a spilt second before I stomp him down. His Gebunden has been alerted now. Blast! No time to waste anymore then.

I toss the man through the portal, holding a single blaze rod in each fist and letting the rest fall. I drag the boy's flames into them, his resiliency much stronger than initially anticipated. Nevertheless, the rods glow green after a few moments.

With better control of part of his fire now, I release my own. Having the flames of yellow and green burst to the ceiling and feeding-

A hand grabs my shoulder and the boy surges, his fire spewing from him as he restores strength. And I release him, hoping that it was enough.

****

Shoot, the bolded words biting me in the butt. Now my little note down here looks similar to the story.

Oh well, I had couldn't have had this chapter completely happy. Since despite the beginning, Jesse doesn't get a happy carefree chapter yet. There is still a quite a few problems he has to conquer.

And some of the inner workings of the Yellow Flames guy have been revealed. Hopefully this creates some new theories, since I'll be incredibly surprised if any of you are close to the truth.

Alas, that's all from me. See you again in another week!