Chapter Text
Gem jumped off of Etho’s tower. “Why are they at my barn?”
He looked over, not bothering to follow in fear of a bloodbath. “I don’t know.”
Gem was just getting back to normal speed––whatever normal speed was; she swore her body would be off-kilter for eternity now. Scott stood in the center of the bridge, but she pushed right past him. Some slow motion still lingering, she felt that moment was extra dramatic.
“She came here to apoligize.”
Gem turned, her hair hovering in the air above her shoulders; back up sunlight, she looked angelic. “I don’t want her apologies. Not after last time.”
He paused, chasing after her. “Last time?”
It was too late; Gem flipped her fishing pole and began to use it as a sort of javelin. “Get out! Go home, Pearl! Go home!”
Pearl sat on the ground, staring up at her friends. The continued the conversation while she just sat there as if nothing happened. Scott whispered something to her about Gem remembering.
“Go kill Grian.” Gem said, looking at her pointedly.
Pearl jumped to her feet. “Wait, what? Why do you want me to kill my brother?”
Imp sighed. “He’s the one who stole our cows.”
“Okay…”
“Here, take some cobwebs.”
“Now leave!” Gem said, turning to Scott to hand off some supplies.
Scott ran his fingers through his hair, leaning against the wall. “So you remember now?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“No one ever does but we have to.”
Gem slammed the chest shut, staring forward to hid the fact she was crying. “I am literally wearing a target right now. I am going to die sometime in the next few days. I know it.”
“Same. I mean, me, you, and Joel are all still–”
“You and I are nothing. I have my family.”
Scott took a step back. “I was your family once. Imp and I.”
“No, Scott, we were a band.” She laughed, pained and parting. “I have had a lot of family. A lot of confusing family. But Joel and Etho and Scar and Lizzie, that’s my family.”
“What about fWhip?”
“Don’t!” She pointed her finger at his chest, feeling silly for crying like this. “Don’t you bring him into this mess. Don’t mention him in this hellscape.”
“How do you think Pearl feels when you bring up her past?”
“She knew! She knew this whole time! She looked me in the eyes and knew! Knew that I had a brother! Knew that I had this legacy! Everyone knew!” She shoved him out of the barn, taking a deep breath. “We can be on good terms but I don’t trust her or Imp. They got those tones of voice. They are hiding something.”
“Okay. Um, stay safe today. I think someone is gonna try to kill you.”
* * *
Mumbo bite the hilt of his sword, to stop himself from screaming or throwing up, he wasn’t quiet sure. The sky was moving faster. He reached into his backpack and closed his eyes; Gem was a good person. Gem gave them cows. Gem was one of the only one’s who hadn’t died.
The sky was moving faster. The sky was moving too fast. He tried to grab onto Grian’s shoulder but missed and hit the ground. Hard. Dirt kicked up and covered him before the momentum hit and the pain kicked in.
By the end of the day someone would kill Gem, it wouldn’t be him. She’d yell at him in that waveringly disappointed tone about how she wanted him to be the one to kill her. Pity. It was sicken. He was sick. As the world slowed down again, he felt groggy. Even worse, his instincts were all out of sync.