Warnings: None

     ~Mitch's P.O.V.~

     Crack.

     Using every ounce of strength in me, I force my head up to glance around Jerome, and see an arrow plunged through the wither skeletons skull. Ha, you thought Jerome died didn't you >:D? The wither effect sends a new wave of pain spiralling through me, and I shudder, trying to hang onto my awareness and see where the arrow originated from. Jerome stiffens, even after the skeleton falls, and does not move from in front of me. But a few seconds later and shock fills my own, and probably Jerome's mind too.

     Low and behold, Choco rounds the corner, followed closely by Kenny.

     "Looks like you two could use some help." Kenny states.
     "Kenny...? Choco...? How did you guys..." Jerome trails off.
     "Well a certain ghast might have helped us." Choco explains, winking.

     I'm about to smile and greet them, but the moment I open my mouth all that escapes is a strangled groan, waves of pain vibrating in my soul.

     "Guys, help Mitch! He's infected with wither!" Jerome points out, stepping away.

     Choco jumps into action, pulling out a potion of healing and kneeling beside me.

"Drink." He orders me, lifting the bottle to my lips.

I slowly gulp the bright red liquid down, instantly feeling re-energized as the potion instantly takes effect. Now with returned strength I push myself up, sitting back on my knees. Next Choco reaches into his bag and pulls out a bottle of water, placing it in my hands. I glance up and see Kenny also handing Jerome a bottle of water.

"You guys had the perfect timing. Any later and we would have both been goners." Jerome comments, hastily gulping down the water.
Kenny nods his agreement, "Yeah, Preston got worried about you two so he sent us looking. That's when your ghast found us and brought us here... And now here we are."

Choco holds out a hand (/wing??) and I gratefully use it to pull myself up.

"I don't wanna see another wither skeleton for the rest of my life. If our ghast is still waiting let's get out of here before anything else bad happens." I suggest, everyone nodding eagerly.

Choco comes to Jerome's side to help him along, and Kenny joins me, since I'm still weak from the wither effect. With minimal difficulty we maneuver our way out of the dreadful fortress, and eventually towards the last stretch of hallway before the entrance. Almost instantly after exiting, we are greeted with a cry of happiness, and long white tentacles wrapping around all four of us. I don't have to look to know who it is.

     "Haha, I'm happy to see you too!" I laugh weakly, our ghast releasing us from its grasp.
     "You guys should really name it!" Kenny exclaims, the ghast voicing its agreement.
     "Okay uh..." I continue, galling sideways at our ghast, "You're a boy, right?" It nods. "Then how about we name you-"
     "Mr. Bubbles." Jerome cuts in.
     Choco laughs heartily, "Mr. Bubbles? Where did that name come from?"
     "Dunno. It just kinda popped in my head." Jerome replies, shrugging.
     "Mr. Bubbles it is then. But... I'm just going to call you Bubbles, kay?"

     All of us laugh, and with that Bubbles, floats down lower to equal the height of the pathway. Carefully stepping onto his head I direct him to float back upwards and over Jerome, Kenny, and Choco.

     "All aboard the Bubbles express!" I call out, watching over Bubbles head as he binds his tentacles around them.
     "Here we go again..." Choco mumbles feebly.

~~~

     "There it is!" Jerome exclaims as we round the next corner, the nether portal shining brightly through the darkness.
      "Now that's a sight for sore eyes..." Choco adds in from below me.

      Soon enough we are approaching the portal, and once I'm sure Bubbles has let everyone down, I slip off myself, Kenny there to catch my fall.

"Let's get going then, Preston will be waiting for us." Choco states, shaking out his soot stained feathers.

We all turn to leave, and Choco passes through the portal first, Kenny following closely behind. Jerome steps up to the portal next, but right before he dives into the purple mist Bubbles mewls in distress behind us. Jerome and I turn back to face him.

"What is it Bubbles?" I ask gently, Jerome now stepping away from the portal.

Bubbles whines, using a tentacle to point at itself, then point between us, and finally to the portal.

"I think he wants to come with us..." Jerome figures, his eyes showing guilt.
I frown and gaze at Bubbles floating there beside the portal, "But how are we gonna get him through? Like I guess it possible to get him through to portal cuz I don't think you need to be fully through it but... Do you think he'll be able to get out of our house?"

Bubbles cries in dismay again. And Jerome looks on in sadness, not seeming to keen to leave Bubbles behind. But then he sighs sadly, turning away.

"Yeah... I guess you're right... Let's go before the others start worrying." Jerome says, head hanging low as he shuffles away.
"Jerome..." I state quietly, guilt stabbing me as he nears the portal. I grimace. Preston's gonna kill me... "Jerome, wait!" I call out after him, a second before he touches the portal.

Instead of continuing on my statement, I slide over to Bubbles and gently grip onto one of his appendages. Jerome looks on in shock as I lead him over towards the portal.

"Mitch... Are you...?"

Sticking the long white tentacle through the portal I wait for a second as Bubbles body is encased with purple mist and he's gone a second later.

"Let's just hope Preston doesn't freak out... Or we're both dead meat." I chuckle, Jerome's jaw slightly ajar.

Before I know what's happening Jerome has pretty much tackled me, almost knocking me over. My breath is cut short as he crushes me in a tight embrace, even through my armour.

     "Thank you Mitch!" He expresses, his arms tightening around me.
      "Ack- J-Jerome... Can't.. Breathe-the"
      "Whoops, sorry." Jerome blurts, drawing away.
      "It's... Okay... Now let's go... Before something bad... Happens..." I wheeze, Jerome chuckling as we step up to the portal.

      Passing through the purple mist we exit the nether, finally returning to our world for what seems like an eternity.

~~~

Bonus.

     "Hey... Has anyone seen Bubbles...?" I question slowly, a dreadful feeling overshadowing me after passing through the portal.
     "Haha... Um... About that..." Jerome laughs nervously, "You might wanna, eh, run right about now."
     Then Preston's voice rings through the house.

     "MIIIIIIIITCH! WHY DID YOU BRING A FUDGING GHAST INTO OUR HOUSE?!"

~~~

Hope you guys enjoyed reading this story as much as I liked writing it! Quick question, what do you guys wanna see next?

Heroes trap ft. Preston and Rob

Squid attack ft. Sky and Jason

Enderlox ft. Husky, Ty, and Ssundee

Natures madness ft. The Pack and friends

Have a great day everyone ❤️

-DarkDisco7