Chapter Text
June 2014
“I don’t care what it costs, Cleo! Just— get it done by the end of the week! You can pay me back this much after everything I’ve done for you.” Pearl insists with mild irritation as she puts the phone down, hanging up on the zombie. The phoenix rubbed her temples as she urged to relieve the mental strain of the last few weeks. Who said graduation would be more stressful than the final exams themselves? Then again, not everyone had the amount of paperwork and patience required to complete the work she’d done in her lifetime. Balancing non-profit volunteer work while attempting to emancipate truly gave her wits a run for their money, inheritance was what kept her going wealth-wise.
Pearl flicked open a pill bottle and took a painkiller, a desperate effort to ignore the searing aching effect in her head. It’s an irritating reminder of how she’s been running her powers dry to orchestrate a perfect escape, an ending with no loose ends. All her efforts would be worth it. She ran a meticulous hand through her brunette locks, focusing on the task at—
“Hey, Pearl?”
Sharing the expression of a cat that got caught with the cream, Pearl turns her chair over to the doorframe. The crinkling sound of the bag of chips and the creaking of the chair filled the air as her moonlit pupils met eyes with forest green, lowering her hand from her head and set it down on the table next to her pen.
Gemini Luníere stood before her wearing dark blue robes and had marvelous butterfly wings that once shone a bright orange. As of recently, they had grown murky and dark. The roots of the wings had become an unsettling teal, matching that of the attire she adorned. Curly ginger hair rested on her back, slightly distressed with strands flying out of a neat braid. Her forest green eyes were tired and lidded, yet nervousness peaked through. Pearl always winced when her eyes landed on her wings. However, another string of thoughts was connecting instead.
“Gem? Shouldn’t you be home by now?” Pearl asked, a hint of distress leaking in her tone as she continued. “I love seeing you, always do but— you know?” She awkwardly supplemented, repeating the actual concern felt like stating the obvious. Gemini knew her issues better than Pearl, reminding her of the fact she has a controlling mother who dictated her entire life up until now felt slightly redundant!
“I didn’t mean to find these, but I did—I looked up the names.” Gem softly explained, jumping straight to the point as she placed two white envelopes all addressed to the stressing busy body before her eyes, who visibly shrunk back into her leather seat when skimming the senders of the letters.
“…Gem, were you going through my things?” Her wings bristled not in frustration, but hesitation. The other had always been undereducated in schooling, she had only ever been taught in a public system during her sophomore, junior, and senior years. She couldn’t possibly know the big names if she had never intended to go to college in the first place, right? But she did, lovingly spending her time researching the subject on Pearl’s behalf to understand something— based on what? A hunch? Pearl’s always been intoxicated by her intuitive nature by even by her standard this was a little much to spring on suddenly.
“…They’re acceptance letters, Pearl-“ She hesitated for a moment- “To big, big schools. You know this.” Gem states with a gentle solemnity, ignoring the hostility in the avian’s language.
“Uh huh,” She agrees nonchalantly with Gem’s words. “What about them?” A genuine inquiry, Pearl had applied to many schools. Sanctuary University just happened to be one of them, with her history and test scores it was mostly the anticipation that spooked her about the application. It was an honor to apply and get accepted into one Ivy League school, Pearl knew that well, she got acceptance letters from two.
"...You're going to one, right?" The dreadful question. Pearl got into two Ivy Leagues but— Hermitscape was in Noxcite City and Sanctuary was in Gilded Helianthia, it had become impossible to attend once she had settled adamantly on supporting the twins as they transitioned outside of that cooped-up environment. It was foolish, allowing admiration to overtake ambition. Anyone in her shoes would pick the bright opportunity awaiting her in the big city!
“…No, I’m writing my rejection email tomorrow.” Pearl spat out reluctantly, her pen dipping harder as she filled out fWhip’s application to Crystal Cliffs in Grimlands. Bryce held the skill of an expert mechanic, although his literacy could use some work. Pearl offered to write his essay— or, insisted very heavily that she would jot it down on his behalf, being more adept in essay work. While the three needed to get out of Rivendell’s slums posthaste, the living expenses for all three of them in Gilded Helianthia would prove impossible. So, Pearl had settled on a school in the Grimlands, Stratos Academy to be exact. It didn’t hold the same prestige as Hermitscape Institution or Sanctuary University but it held courses in advanced architecture which were what Pearl had been eyeing. The Grimlands was far more suburban and made living affordable for the millions that lived in the area compared to Gilded Helianthia or Noxcite which were city-based.
Following that revelation, a moment of silence echoed in her study. It was a taunting linger of silence. It was excruciating not being able to read what the monarch was thinking at that moment, her expression holding no emotion as she seemingly reflected upon Pearl’s unyielding response.
“I think you should go to one.” Gem piped up, interrupting the silence that had found itself comfortable in the air, now sitting a newfound tension in the air as Pearl continued to scribble some fake stories onto the page without giving her attention, unusual from how much she found her eyes straying to meet Gem’s petite figure generally.
“Why would I?” The other woman’s words felt like rubbing salt into wounds she hadn’t even acknowledged. Pearl was over the moon when she had the letters delivered, rambling on and on to her co-workers about the opportunities. She couldn’t stop grinning and ruffling her feathers, to the point that the others in the soup kitchen got mildly concerned from how ecstatic she was. Pearl had baked a loaf of bread for everyone at the organization that day, made purely by love and elation.
“It’s a huge opportunity, and I…” Gemini cleared her throat, her thumbs dancing together as if they were in a nervous ballet. “You shouldn’t miss out on it because— because of me. You can’t just- throw it away.”
Pearl’s wings folded back uncomfortably as she bit her lip, halting her replies to find the proper words. “It’s not because of you, it’s too much work for me regardless.” She retorted, disregarding herself in an attempt to put an explicit end to this discussion. Generously underestimating the amount that Gem observed the perfectionist behavior that she exhibited daily.
“You got accepted to— to an Ivory League school, and you’re settling for a small one?”
“Mhm.” Pearl agreed, swallowing the urge to correct her on the status to try and bring a swift conclusion to this conversation. Choosing to stare down at her paperwork to avoid eye contact, knowing that disappointment was all she would find in Gem’s emerald eyes instead of the soft warmth they usually glimmered towards the phoenix.
She heard Gem’s heels click forward, and felt her hands cup her face and tilt her head upwards to face the butterfly. "Please, just… go to one. Don't send the rejections, at least– Think about it."
“I can’t, Gem.” She snarls out, lacking vice but holding the intensity of one. It was already a harsh reminder of reality to be discussing this, but for the other to personally go out of her way to sway her with her mellifluous voice and angelic tenderness despite Pearl’s bitterness surrounding this topic. “The deadline is tomorrow.” She concluded, her voice melting from an aloof attitude to a resigned murmur when her cheeks were caressed lovingly by her best friend.
"Why?” The butterfly asked swiftly. “Why can’t you?”
“I just- I can’t, I want to stay with you—“ She almost sounded pathetic from how much her voice mellowed at Gem’s touch. “I’m not cut out for these fancy schools like I said, it’s too much work.”
"Then how did you get accepted? If it’s too much work, why apply?"
“I just wanted to know if I could— I’m lucky,” Pearl stated earnestly, far more honest than anything else she’s said or written all evening. Pearl’s golden wings ruffled as she nervously tapped the wooden desk with her free hand, her handwriting slowly unraveling into ruin onto fWhip’s application.
“You always say things like that.”
“…It’s true—“ She forced herself to continue before the other could ask for context. “It doesn’t matter Gem. I want to stay with you— and Bryce.” She promptly reminded herself to add. “If it means going to Stratos over Sanctuary, I don’t mind one bit, I’m happy with you over those pretentious snobs.”
“I want to stay with you, too,” She muttered, “I really do, but–” The forest eyes glanced away from Pearl, landing on the clock for a moment. “She’ll be wondering where I am,” She sighed, her thumbs dancing together once again. “Just, please, consider them. If you won’t do it for yourself,” Her gaze landed on Pearl once more. “Do it for me?”
“I’m doing all of this for you! Can’t you just—“ She groans in annoyance, leaning off of Gem’s touch sharply as she snaps at the niceties.
“Pearl—“
“Leave.” She had hit a nerve.
“What? I-“
Pearl notices her ferocity and settles for a resigned beg. “Please just— go. I don’t want you getting into trouble when we are this close.” It sounded like a plea, but Pearl’s voice sounded hurt.
Pearl finds her head cradled in her hands for the rest of the night as she hears Gem’s sigh, before the clatter of her shoes and the shutting of the door. Sitting like that for what felt like hours before eventually finding the energy to stand up, and glancing under her desk to meet eyes with her suitcase.
She lifts the handle and walks out of the room as the sun rises through her window, her wings glimmering brighter than she ever would be.
———————————————
APRIL 2022
GeminiTay: Our friendship has been over ever since you said that, you know that!
PearlescentMoon: You’re just mad that everyone agrees with me! Pineapple is the superior topping!
Pearl grins childishly as she takes a bite from her pizza, defending herself over text after making the mistake of sending Gem a photo of her meal when the other had asked if she had grabbed lunch already. The other replied by simply adding a thumbs down to her message and she found herself giggling at the obvious defeat that radiated from her reaction, enjoying the melting meal as she felt the satisfaction run through her as she pictured the pout on her best friend's face at the loss.
GeminiTay: Yeah, yeah, whatever!
GeminiTay: BRB! Helping Scott with something!
PearlescentMoon: Aye aye!
She pocketed her phone afterward, deciding to focus on finishing her food before something terrible happened and they had to follow up on their city contract. While Boatem Inc. was an independent faction, they currently were working under Mayor Ren due to a… lack of interest in their services. If you asked Pearl, it was probably due to how one of their members barely wears his shirt and the CEO is a heavily oppressed species in Noxcite city, an area with hefty expenses to pay bills or buy food.
There wasn’t much to be done about it, honestly. Why worry about something she couldn’t control? Even if it meant working for a guy who has his head screwed on the wrong way, she could ignore it if it meant they were employed. Pearl hadn’t had much interest in being a hero, but Grian had a knack for dragging people into things with a confident stride following them despite their original willingness. So now she donned a mask with the alias Solaris, a city protector!— not really, no. That’s incorrect, she’s a mercenary for hire under Boatem Inc., which Grian, or Eris, also convinced Mumbo, who was so lovingly named Mavos, to create. That was beside the point, Scar enjoyed being a superhero, and Impulse did too! However, it made their job far less predictable and led to interruptions— Right! Her food! For now, it was her and the deliciously crafted pizza that Mumbo had delivered because Impulse accidentally dropped their fridge into a portal and could not find where it went, preventing Pearl from her usual cooking ventures.
She lifts a slice, takes a bite and—
Her ears fill with ringing as she hears an explosion in the distance, the blast range causing glass to hit their walls. Mumbo investing in thicker glass windows was a wise choice on his part, or else she’d be covered in glass by now! That wouldn’t be any good, that’d ruin the meal! Wings beating in annoyance, she closed her pizza box, washed her hands, and then adjusted her mask. Ensuring that her outfit was comfortable and stretching her muscles slightly, silently pondering who would be at the bank when she arrived. Sheriff? Levitation? It could be an individual or it could be a team, whichever it was, she’d find out soon—
“PEARL! MOVE!” Grian shouted from below as if he were speaking to a puppy, causing the phoenix to turn on her heel and follow the poultry man out without another word. Everyone else must have arrived by now. Pearl wasn’t too concerned on time, most of the city underground enjoyed theatrics far more than they wanted their goal to be done. Why break into a bank if you’re not going to be showy about it? They wouldn’t mind the two being a tad bit late to their heist. It was a bank robbery, they’re already at the top of the news! Whoever’s head honcho of today’s catastrophe could handle not having Pearl and Grian’s attention for ten more minutes.