「Author's Note: This Chapter Two is the choice of (Find another way) If you chose to (Go through Sky City), then read the previous part. 」

"Let's find another way," said Jesse.
[-{ Your story is changing.]
He thought going back to Sky City that was crawling with monsters. It might have even ran out of blocks, thought Jesse.
"Alright," said Lukas, "but how are we going to find the hallway?" He asked curiously. Jesse paused for a moment. He hadn't thought up to there. A long silence has passed. Then Olivia broke the silence.
"How about," she said, clearly with a new idea. "how about, if we find our world's portal?" She said. A smile of hope rose up on everyone's faces.
"That's it!" Beamed Lukas. then he did a little jump. Jesse smiled wider than before.
"Oh, that's clever!" He said. "Olivia, you're a genius! We found the other worlds' portals easily, so finding ours will be a piece of cake!" Axel smiled and hugged Olivia. She smiled back. When Jesse and the others had finished celebrating of their genius idea, they formed a group huddled.
"Right," said Jesse, taking lead. "just in case there could be danger, let's all grab our gears. Our armour and weapons,"
"We should bring Petra along, too," pointed out Axel, "ya know, or she'll miss out on all the fun!" Jesse nodded approvingly.
"Alright," said Jesse, "then let's meet back here. Axel and Olivia, you two, go and get Petra. Me and Lukas will grab our gear. Okay? Let's go!" Jesse and Lukas ran to the armours and weapons, while Axel and Olivia headed to Petra's house, on the mountain.

***

"All ready?" Asked Jesse. Everybody checked their things. "Okay, I can't believe I'm saying this, but let's look for the exit portal for our world!" He yelled.

***

For a few hours, Jesse and the gang continued to look for their world's exit portal, but without success. They had decided to take a break for a few minutes. Then Lukas spoke.
"Jesse," he began. Jesse turned towards him.
"Yeah?" Replied Jesse.
"Remember the portal in Sky City?" He asked. Jesse slowly nodded.
"Yeah, why?" He asked. Lukas looked at the ground for a moment, then looked at Jesse.
"It was underground." He said. A bright spark lit up in his eyes. "And so was the portal from the Two-moons world and Crown Mesas, although Harper destroyed it and P.A.M.A. rebuilt it. Could that mean anything?"
"Perhaps," said Jesse, "I don't know." Then it hit him. "Yes!" He yelled suddenly, causing his friends to look at him. "I see what you mean, Lukas!" He said. "The connection between all portals are that they are all underground!" He realised.
"That means—" Olivia began.
"—our world's exit portal must be—" interrupted Petra.
"—underground!" Shouted Jesse. He smiled as he realised now that he had a better chance of finding the exit portal. "Oh, why didn't I realise this sooner?" Continued Jesse. He was so happy, as if he had found the portal itself. Petra smiled at him.
"Jesse," she said, beaming. "Jesse, let's calm down. We still don't know where the portal is." She pointed out.
"That's right!" Said Jesse. "Lukas! What other connections are there?" He asked. Everyone's eyes turned towards Lukas.
"Uh," he said, "well, all the portals were very close to civilisation, and usually where the adventure happened."
"Then maybe our portal is near Beacontown!" Exclaimed Olivia.
"Alright, gang," said Jesse, "let's go back to Beacontown.

***

Jesse and his friends had arrived at Beacontown, but didn't know where they would look for. Somewhere underground, huh? Thought Jesse.

As he stepped through the giant red gates, he remembered a new addition to Beacontown: the new mineshaft.

He looked at his friends. "Hey guys?" Said Jesse. They turned and faced him.
"Yeah?" Said Axel.
"Do you guys think," began Jesse, "that our portal is in the new mine?" He said. The gang gave a look to one another.
"I dunno," said Axel, "but we could give it a try," he said. Then Jesse and his friends walked down the mine staircase.

They could see a small wooden box on the right of them from the entrance.

It looked like a small shed. Strangely though, Jesse could see light peering through the door. "Hey guys," he said, "is it just me, or does that shed have light coming out of it?" He wondered. The gang all turned back to him and looked at the shed.
"Yeah, there is light coming from it," said Petra. "Should we go have a look?" She asked.
"Let's go," said Jesse as he opened the door. The gang followed behind after him.

There was a tunnel leading deeper underground. The Order slowly and carefully, walked down the tunnel. It was very well it up. I wonder who made this tunnel, disguised as a tool shed. Thought Jesse. When they had reached the bottom, they had found what they had been longing for many hours.

"Oh my goodness," exclaimed Olivia in awe. The others all stared blankly at the exit portal of their world.
"Wow," said Lukas, "it was here, so close all along," he said.
"I wonder who made this tunnel," said Jesse aloud.
"Could it have been Ivor?" Said Olivia. The others all turned to her. "I mean, he had to know where our exit portal was, or otherwise, he couldn't have gotten out. Thank goodness he left it on, because we don't have an Enchanted Flint and Steel."
"You're right!" Said Lukas, "without the exit portal, the Atlas and the Flint and Steel would've been useless! And we don't need either of them, since the Old Builder's world wasn't through a portal!" He exclaimed.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Said Jesse, "Let's go!" He yelled as he ran into the portal.

"I'd never thought I'd ever come back here," said Petra, smiling. "I hated this place so much." She glanced at Jesse. He smiled back at her.
"Over here, guys!" called Lukas. He was in front of the opened gate to the Old Builder's games.

"Ah, the stairs," reminisced Jesse, "feels like the old days,"
"By old days, you mean few months ago, right?" asked Axel.
"Well, yeah," admitted Jesse, "anyway, let's go!"

"These stairs," complained Axel, "they remind me of Soren's stairs at the End,"
"Unfortunately," agreed Olivia. Lukas chuckled.
"Oh that's right, you guys didn't take the stairs last time," he realised.
"Well, going down the stairs was easy—" said Olivia.
"—but not so much going up," finished Axel.
"Aww, you guys finished each other's sentences!" said Petra. "Like a real couple — oops!" She yelled out as she realised what she had said.
"Wha-what are you guys talking about?" stammered Axel.
"Uh, yeah, guys?" said Lukas as he stepped up out of the group. "We...kinda...overheard you at Petra's house this morning?"
"Woah, wait, what?" jumped Olivia. "Why?"
"Um, well," said Jesse, "we were just curious."
"So that was what that 'room service' was about," said Axel, "I knew there was something strange about that,"
"No, you didn't, Axel," said Lukas confidently.
"Yeah, you're right," said Axel.
"Anyways..." said Petra, "do you guys forgive us?"
"Well, we were waiting to tell you guys," began Olivia, "but since you guys found out..."
"It's cool," finished Axel.
"Ah, what did I tell you guys!" squealed Petra. "I knew they'd forgive us! By the way, congratulations guys!" She said as she hugged them.
"Heh, thanks, Petra," said Axel.
"Alright, come on, guys," said Lukas. Everyone resumed to walk up the almost-infinite staircase. Jesse lead on forward.

"I gotta admit, I'm really missing Ivor," said Lukas, "what about you, Jesse?" He asked. Jesse turned and looked at him.

(...)
(I miss him too.) + (I don't know...)
(He'll be fine.)
([[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]])

IF: ...

"..." Jesse said nothing.
"Well, I hope we do see him soon," said Lukas. Jesse nodded silently, agreeing to what he said.

IF: I miss him too.

"I miss him too," replied Jesse.
"We all do, Jesse. I hope he's okay." Said Lukas.
"So do I, Lukas," said Jesse, "so do I."

IF: I don't know...

"I don't know, Lukas," said Jesse, "I mean, he's probably fine. He's Ivor! He's probably having fun, on lots of adventures!" Lukas smiled at him.
"Yeah," chuckled Lukas, "he does get into trouble sometimes, but he's always been fine."

IF: He'll be fine.

"...he'll be fine," said Jesse, assuringly. "Right?"
"Yeah," replied Lukas "but I just hope he's okay,"
"I know what you mean," agreed Jesse, "you're just worried about him, that's all."

ㅇㅇㅇ

Jesse stopped. He looked around his surroundings. The whole area was strangely purple, with odd floating blocks, and the long stairs that they had been walking on.

"Every time I see this place—" began Jesse.
"—it stays so weird," ended Petra. They both looked at each other. They smiled. Then they turned away, slightly embarrassed. Jesse shook his head, thinking his thought that they had both finished each other's sentences like a couple was a coincidence, and he had high doubts that Petra liked him too. The Order had finally reached what had seemed like forever; the top of the stairs. He could see the pair of brown doors which was the entrance to the Old Builder's Games.

"Ah," he said, remembering what had happened the last time he was at these doors, "the two doors. Ready guys?"
"Ready," came everyone's voices from behind him. Jesse opened the doors. Bright light blinded everyone. They tried hard to open their eyes.
"On three," ordered Jesse. Everyone began to count.
"One,"
"Two,"
"THREE!" they yelled as they jumped into the light.

***

When Jesse opened his eyes, he hadn't landed on the white sheet of snow from the Spleef game from last time. Instead, to his surprise, they were falling endlessly, down a some sort of rainbow vortex.
"Lukas!" yelled Jesse over the hard wind rushing over him as he fell. "Do you have any idea what kind of game this is?!" He asked.
"Actually, yes!" answered Lukas, to Jesse's surprise. He had expected him to not know about what this 'game' was. "It's called," he paused, gasping. "'The Dropper'!"
"The what?!" yelled Petra.
"It's called 'The Dropper'!" said Lukas. "You drop down and land in the water to win and survive to the next level! But since normally you can't respawn back in our world, we used to have a big landing pool and a short jump distance!"
"Who's we?" asked Axel.
"The Ocelots!" Yelled Lukas.
"Right." came Olivia's voice. "Sorry, forgot for a moment that you used to be an Ocelot!"
"No problem!" he replied. "But we could really save this talk for later!"
"Guys!" shouted Jesse. "I'm straight headed for the water! Get behind me in one line!" He ordered. They all moved in the air, in single file, behind Jesse as they fell. 

SPLASH!
Jesse and his friends had realised that they had all survived by falling correctly into the water.
"Phew!" said Axel, relieved.
"Who the heck, would make such a thing?" groaned Petra.
"I think I know who would," said Jesse. He had seen, and experienced a dropper before. Not as hard or deep as this, but he just saw the resemblance. It was the same idea as the entrance to Harper's underground secret laboratory.

"Harper?" yelled Petra loudly. "But she went back to Crown Mesa, didn't she?"
"I thought so too," said Lukas, "right Jesse?" Jesse stopped and thought for a moment. Then he spoke.
"What if..." he began, "what if Harper came here? I mean, Crown Mesa's portal wasn't closed, it's still open." Lukas widened his eyes.
"You're right!" exclaimed Lukas. "Harper could have come back here anytime!"
"Do you think the post-P.A.M.A construction is finished?" Petra asked Jesse.
"Could be." he replied.
"Well, this is quite a surprise," came an old, familiar voice. Jesse and the gang turned around.
"Otto!" yelled Jesse, smiling.
"Hello, Jesse," said Otto, "what brings you here to The Games?"
"We came back to take Reuben back with us." said Jesse. "We forgot him before. Is he still here?"
"I don't know," said Otto, "but I hope he is well. Follow me, to my new office, also known as Hadrian's old office.

"Hey Otto, how come we didn't land on the Spleef game again?" asked Jesse.
"Oh, that's because it wasn't on." explained Otto. "When you first came here, it was in the middle of our Spleef match, but just then, we were finishing off the Dropper."
"Speaking of the Dropper," said Petra, "Jesse here says it could have been Harper's idea?" Otto turned to her.
"Quite right, yes," said Otto, "when the post-P.A.M.A construction had finished back in Crown Mesa, Harper visited us again, and she helped us with new game ideas."

Jesse looked around, as he realised that he was back in Hadrian's old office, which was now Otto's.
"I assume you know this place, Jesse?" said Otto, as he saw Jesse looking around.
"Yeah, and I noticed the Tim's Armour place has been replaced?" said Jesse as he pointed over to the new armour. The new armour on the armour stand seemed to be a replica of his own Ender defender.

"Hey... isn't that Jesse's armour?" Petra spoke.
"Yeah, how come it's here?" said Axel.
"Guys, guys. I'm wearing my armour. This must be a replica. Right, Otto?" Jesse asked.
"Jesse is right." Otto explained. "Since Tim had never existed, everyone said Jesse was the 'New Tim', and because Jesse did win the games, when before, no-one had. And it could even be stronger than yours, Jesse. I mean, yours is the original, but this armour is, well, 'Old Builder made'. It was made of harder material, from the original's still-hard silicon carbide, to the currently-strongest-material-known graphene — the miners in the mine had discovered these." added Otto from the confused looks of Jesse and his friends faces. "I admit; the maker of the original armour was great, I have to hand it to him (Jesse smiled as he thought of Ivor), but the materials are kind of out-dated; old-fashioned. This replica armour here, is currently stronger than any armour that exists, even our old 'Tim's Armour', which we also made.
"Also," said Otto, "I changed the diamond in the middle of the chestplate to Wurtzite Boron Nitride — which is found to be harder and stronger than diamond."
Jesse exchanged looks with his friends. They shrugged.
"Okay... thanks for telling us, Otto," said Jesse, a little overwhelmed with the slightly-more-advanced armour.
"Surely you'd want to switch with this one, Jesse?" Otto asked curiously. "I mean, it's my gift, you do deserve it from helping me change my mind about the games."
Jesse looked at Otto, smiling thankfully.
"Thanks, Otto," he said, "but I just can't take it. I have many armours back at our treasure hall at our world, and there'll be someone out there who needs, or deserves, this armour more than me."
"But — but,"
"Jesse, are you sure?" came Olivia's voice.
"Seriously? That thing is way more powerful and awesome than what you're wearing right now!" Jesse heard Axel's voice.
"Come on, have a think about it, Jesse!" said Petra.
"You could give it to someone, Jesse," Lukas said, then he coughed something that sounded awfully like "me!".
"Guys — guys!" said Jesse, raising his voice as his friends didn't realise he called them and kept trying to convince him. "I've got enough armour for a long time, I don't need it. Plus, this armour is still pretty tough, an it's not damaged or anything."
So Jesse's friends had to give up convincing him, and as Otto, shrugged and smiled himself, they walked to Otto's desk.
"So — Reuben, hmm?" said Otto, sitting down in his chair behind his desk. "Well, we could check the old cell again. Now — where did I put my diamond pickaxe?" he muttered as he spoke to himself, crouching down to look for his pickaxe in his chest. "Ah — here it is." Otto indeed pulled out a bright, diamond pickaxe from his large chest, and began mining away at the quartz wall, where Jesse knew that this was the obsidian cell where Olivia, Axel, and Reuben were imprisoned, one month ago.
The dark, obsidian cells were noticeably empty; the cells missing Axel and Olivia, and —
"Reuben!" Jesse yelled, hoping to see him around the corner. He peeked closer into the darkest cell. "Does anyone have any spare torches? I can't see a thing." Lukas came to his side.
"Here," he said as he handed Jesse some torches. "Hey, is it just me, or do the prison bars have —"
"Holes!" said Petra, pointing at the bars. And sure enough, some of the bars were missing; various rough patches of holes were in place. "I don't think he's in there, though." Jesse placed some of his torches on the walls. The prison cell was empty; and seeing how there weren't any items floating on the ground, like how it does when a person dies, Jesse guessed that Reuben had somehow managed to get through the iron bars and escaped.
"I wonder how he had gotten out of those bars," wondered Olivia, "They must have taken forever to punch through." Jesse examined the bars closer after Olivia had said this, and realised something. There were little gaps in the bars, which resembled—
"Bite marks?" said Lukas in disgust. He stepped back a little. "That means —"
"He ate through those bars?" said Olivia, cupping her mouth with her hands. "Poor guy, how hungry must have he been to eat through solid, iron bars!" Axel wrapped his arms around her shoulders to comfort her.
"Then —" Jesse began, " then, where is he?"

{END OF CHAPTER 2}
「Achievement Unlocked!
[9-2] Back to the Hallway!」