Two days later, it is early afternoon, ‘today is the day I have to tell Jon and Vincent how I have decided,’ Jeff thinks to himself, mentally sighing, ‘I love being a tree, but… thinking about it and focusing on what memories I still have from when I was human, I must say, being a tree isn’t that great. I mean… I can’t move, I can’t talk, bugs and insects are chewing away at me, it hurts, it itches, animals live inside of me, which is annoying to be honest… being a human… I could do so many things’.
“H-hey, Jeff,” he then hears the voice of Vincent in his head, lowering his gaze, Jeff spots the Squirrel-boy and Jon standing beneath him, staring up at him, “have… have you decided?”
‘Do I really want to do this,’ Jeff thinks to himself, ‘I mean, I’d be taking over Jon’s body, he may be still “around” but only in my mind while I control his… my new body’.
“Jeff,” Vincent says.
‘I’m here,’ Jeff says, ‘it wasn’t easy, but I have decided. Before I say anything, Jon, are… are you sure about it? Do you really want to give me your body?’
“Yes,” Jon writes in the “chat” instantly, “Jeff, I mean it: if you want IT, my body is yours! You’ll be happy being a human again, Vincent will be happy for giving you your humanity back and I’ll be HAPPY that both of you are happy!”
‘But you wouldn’t be able to do anything,’ Jeff replies, ‘you’d be a “prisoner” in your own mind’.
Jon chuckles, “I won’t be a prisoner in my own mind, it’ll be your mind,” the 12-year-old says, “it’ll be weird to not be in control, but I’ll be fine”.
‘Okay, if you really are sure, then… Vincent… do it,’ Jeff says.
Vincent is overjoyed, “th-thank you… both of you,” he says, “I’ll still have my brother, but knowing that you, Jeff, are finally back to who you are meant to be: a human… I… I’m so happy!”
The Squirrel-boy starts typing into his phone, then Jeff feels the known tingle and then a pulling sensation. It feels as if his mind is being pulled towards the ground, then when his vision is level with Jon, everything goes black, but suddenly his vision returns, this time he finds himself staring back at the trunk of a massive tree.
Jeff looks down at himself, seeing feet, legs, arms, hands… clothes. The former-human-former-tree now human again reaches up and touches his face, then clenches his hands to fists and taking a few steps.
“This… this is what it feels like being human,” Jeff asks, “it… it feels on the one hand weird, but also so… so familiar… and right”. Jeff turns and looks at Vincent who is just standing there with a nervous expression on his cute little Squirrel face.
“Jeff… I…,” Vincent starts.
Jeff raises a hand, “Vincent,” he says, his face stern, “don’t call me “Jeff”, THAT person doesn’t exist anymore. Please… call me “Jon”, that is the least I can do to thank your brother for giving up his body to me”.
Vincent slowly smiles, “okay,” he says, “so… Jon… how… how are you feeling?”
Jeff, now Jon Quinn, smiles, “I feel fantastic,” he says, “your brother is in my mind, he’s happy, so that makes me feel good. It’s great to be human again, but…,” he looks up at the tree he had been and places a hand on the trunk, “… I still feel connected to my original body”.
Vincent nods, “I understand,” he says, “are… are there Acorns on your old body?”
Jon nods, “yes,” he says.
“Would… would it make you happy to… um… have a part of your old body on you?”
Jon tilts his head, “like what?”
“W-well… I could climb up and find the biggest Acorn,” Vincent says, “I… I could transform it into a pendant, that you could wear around your neck”.
Jon smiles, “that, actually, would be nice,” he says, “please, Vincent, do it”.
Vincent nods and using his claws starts to climb the tree that had been his brother.
“Be careful,” Jon calls.
“Don’t worry, Jon,” Vincent calls back, “after all: I’m a Squirrel… hehe,” he then disappears into the leaves.
Jon waits a few minutes, he then hears leaves rustling and smiles when he sees Vincent crawling down the tree.
“I was starting to get worried,” Jon says.
Vincent giggles, “you don’t have to,” he says, “but I guess that is just natural for a big brother”.
Jon nods and smiles, “have you found an Acorn?”
Vincent nods and holds out his hand, a big and nicely formed Acorn lies in the Squirrel-boy’s palm, “this is the most beautiful I could find,” he says.
Jon nods, “it sure is,” he says.
Vincent scans the Acorn and soon a golden Acorn pendant on a golden chain lies in Vincent’s palm, “let… let me put it on you… please,” he says.
Jon nods and lowers his head, Vincent then places the necklace around Jon’s neck and fastens it, Jon then straightens up and takes the pendant between his fingers, “thanks, Vincent,” he says, smiling.
Vincent smiles and his tail wags a little, “I… I’m happy,” he says.
Jon chuckles, “hehe… looks weird seeing a Squirrel wag like a dog,” he says.
“I’m just happy… is all,” Vincent says, pouting cutely.
Jon smiles, he then opens his arms, “come here,” he says, Vincent walks up to Jon and Jon wraps his arms around Vincent, hugging him tightly, “thanks… for bringing me back… giving me my humanity back… little brother!”
Vincent can’t help it, the Squirrel-boy buries his face into Jon and starts to sob, hugging the 12-year-old back, “please… please forgive me, Jon,” he says, “I… I’m so sorry for wh-what I have done all those y-years ago!”
“Ssh… it’s okay, Vincent,” Jon says, “as I said before, I am not mad at you, of course I forgive you. You were a Squirrel and you just did what any other Squirrel would have done! If there is anyone to blame, it would be me, I shouldn’t have transformed myself into an Acorn in the first place!”
Vincent continues to sob into Jon, the 12-year-old silently strokes his Squirrel-brother’s back, finally Vincent calms down, “thank you… Jon,” he says, “I… I needed that”.
Jon smiles, “let’s go, I want to see my new home and meet the rest of my new family,” he says, “and get into a DRY t-shirt… you soaked me,” he adds with a grin and a boop to Vincent’s nose.
Vincent lets out a squeak and covers his nose with his hands, “hey,” he says, but then he giggles and grabs Jon’s hand, “yeah… let’s go,” they then start to walk away.
Jon turns one last time to his old body and smiles, ‘I guess… I’ve made the right decision,’ he thinks to himself, ‘thanks once again Jon!’
‘No problemo,’ he hears Jon’s voice in his mind, ‘just take good care of my body!’
‘I will,’ the new Jon says in his mind.