010 - Video, backdated to the 16th

[therightchoice]

[ Jesse is in his room. As usual, it looks very tidy, but there are a few bags in the corner. Jesse's beloved dog Wiggler, now nearly his fully adult size, lays down on the floor, snoozing. The looping end of the leash is underneath the snoozing dog. The hamster is not floating, but nibbling on some food in a blue, transparent cage clearly meant for travel. ]

Hi, everyone.

I guess school's over now. I said goodbye to my classmates - the ones whose parents would let me talk to them, anyway. Most of them are in MAN.

Or used to be in MAN. I guess MAN doesn't matter anymore.

[ They either fled from the island or stay behind to die. That's how it goes in this stupid island. ]

I'm leaving. The island, I mean. I can't go back home anyway. I'm going on a boat instead of teleporting, if I can. I don't want to leave alone this time. I'm taking my dog Wiggler and my hamster E.T with me.

[ The dog suddenly gets up and greets his master, nuzzling his cold nose against Jesse's elbow. Jesse pets Wiggler distractedly. ]

I can't say I'll miss this place. It gave me good things, but it mostly gave me a lot of grief. It gave me good people I would have never have met back home, and it took them away in the end.

[ Like Bruce. Like Christina. ]

It made a lot of people suffer when they shouldn't.

[ It made me suffer, is the obvious omission from Jesse. But he won't complain about himself. Not when the end is so close. ]

It gave me a different life, I think. I used to live as a normal boy, back home. Now I live as the Antichrist, and I think - I think it's no different, yeah?

I don't know what will happen when I get to the mainland. Maybe I'll help with fighting the Darkness with the CIA and stuff. Or maybe I'll live in California and be a surfer. I really don't know what to do after I leave the island.

[ Jesse sags in his seat, winded by that little speech. He's not one who talks a for a long time. He's not exactly a conversationalist. ]

Well, that's it, I guess. Sorry if that was preachy. I usually don't talk this much.

[ Jesse looks down, thoughtful.]

Well, I guess . . . this is good-bye.

[ He reaches down to Wiggler and drags the dog's upper body to his lap. He takes one of the dog's paws and waves it at the screen, making the dog to wave good-bye himself. ]

Say bye Wiggler! Bye-bye!

[ The dog just rolls his eyes toward Jesse, in a mournful expression of trepidation.

Jesse reaches over and turns off his NV, ending his final post to the Newcomer Network. ]

Comments

text;

[reassures]

[Nill has never spoken to Jesse, but she empathizes with a lot of what he said. Most of the good things she had in this place are gone too. Maybe he won't see it, but replying won't hurt.]

I've heard California is nice.

I hope you have a better life off this island. One with less grief.

text;

[therightchoice]

thanks I hope so too maybe I won't turn toys back to life again

text;

[reassures]

It might be interesting if you did. I thought it was a little cool when it happened here.

text;

[therightchoice]

[ ...wait a minute. ]

i do have alot of toys. maybe i can have them defend the portals from the monsters and other bad guys

text;

[reassures]

Don't do anything dangerous. If things start to look bad, you should leave as soon as possible.

This isn't going to get any better.

text;

[therightchoice]

my powers will still work after i leave. the toys will still be alive until they are destroyed completely by the darkness

permatext!

[reassures]

Really?

That's an amazing power.

audio

[servingmichael]

You're too young for the CIA. Go find somewhere safe.

[Yes, Jesse freaks him out. But if he's not coming back, Raphael is ok with that.]

audio

[therightchoice]

I've already done that. I'm gonna help this world, not run away like I did from home.

audio

[servingmichael]

Don't be in such a hurry to grow up. It's not as good for you as you think.

audio

[therightchoice]

I stopped being a kid the moment I found out what I was.

[ Jesse is trying really hard not to be so cross, not when Jesse has finally understood what it means to embrace to what he is. It's why he's not going home, after all.

But it never fails to get underneath his skin to have someone try to advise him to do something else simply because he's a kid. He's so much more than that. ]

audio

[servingmichael]

Being a kid is something precious Jesse. You shouldn't throw it away, and you shouldn't allow others to take it away. Growing up too fast only hurts you.