Chapter Text
How does one know they’re being stalked? Well there was the time at the grocery store when me and Pearl were just grabbing some things for dinner. While we were walking through the chip aisle some black shadow figure tipped over a shelf and it almost fell on us. Luckily it didn’t but the person still got away. It looked just like the figure from that night…
“Anything else?” she clicked her pen.
Well then there was the time at the park… and the time at that bar… and that italian restaurant. And every single time it’s always been the same person. I know it’s the same person. I can feel them.
I’ve had this feeling I've been being followed for a very long time. Ever since that night when the theater burnt down. The agency had lied to the public, saying it was a malfunction in the electrical system that caused the fire. It was an old theater so it wasn’t unbelievable that a faulty wire blew up in flames, burnt the whole building to a crisp. No proof of the fight that had gone down between the Gs and the bamboozlers. Exactly what they had hoped would happen.
Occasionally a superstitious journalist will ask her for more details about that night. She signed that NDA though, the one for that night and for Daybreak–ehem, Pearl’s release. And if she was completely honest she had zero clue what went down that night. The only information she could gather was all of the Gs terminated contracts, none of the bamboozlers spoke a word. They each kept their silence, and the agency kept their promise.
The agency had kept something too. On Pearl’s file report it states she was being released due to having no particular charge of her autonomy. Basically it wasn’t her fault for the incidents that happened, and she was forced by her teammates. However, Impulse or Blackhole’s report states that he had direct contact with “K” and therefore would not be released. Who was this “K” person, and why weren’t they named in the report? It must be them… that’s who it is.
One month ago Pearl and Gem were dancing around the kitchen, as friends do. When an arrow had shattered through the window attempting to hit either her or Pearl. Instead Gem’s powers kicked in and it smashed right into the upper kitchen cupboards. It was 10:45pm when they rang up the watcher in a panic about what happened. And it’s been a month since the watcher told them to act like nothing happened. They moved Gem and Pearl to a new apartment 2 weeks ago…
“Sorry it’s a little smaller,” the watcher had apologized.
Gem turned the key and pushed the door open. The movers had already dropped off all their boxes, now it was time to unpack. This was her first time viewing the new apartment. She didn’t like how the air felt so stiff. Calm down Gem, you’ve lived with her for 3 months already, you can do a few more. She took a step inside.
Once you walk in the front the kitchen is to the left, and there's a bathroom door to the right. There's a half wall with a window cut out from the kitchen island to view the living room. And farther to the right is the bedroom door.
Gem looped her fingers around the knob and twisted it with the slightest of force. She gave it a little more push and the bedroom welcomed them.
“Wait—this is a single bed!?” She didn’t think that’s what they meant by ‘a little smaller’
“Huh?” Pearl looks over Gem into the dim bedroom. Gem’s bed is placed in the center and the pull out couch Pearl used is pushed into a corner. “They know there’s two of us?” Pearl was confused how they could’ve made this mistake. Gem however was furious. She immediately called HR with complaints. Aka the watcher.
“This is a one bed apartment.” she hissed through the phone, “No watcher I am not–ok yes well that’s cause I didn’t have the money. Well now I can't cause we don’t have the space. Dont-” the call beeped as the watcher had hung up on the other end. Pearl stood there blankly watching as Gem threw herself onto the bare mattress with a groan.
“So… are we moving again?” she decided to ask.
“No, there's no other places,” Gem laid staring at the ceiling.
“Alright, I’m going to start unpacking in the kitchen,” Pearl gave Gem a second to see if she would want to help. When the other didn’t respond Pearl backed out of the singular bedroom and left her to silence.
Gem watched as Pearl closed the door, then she took out her phone and started texting Joel.
“THEY PUT US IN A ONE BED!” she furiously typed. Joel responded with a “haha” reaction. “This isn't funny Joel, we have to share a room,”
“It’ll be good bonding,” he responded.
“Who ya texting?” Lizzie leaned over to read.
“Gem, she’s ranting about her and Pearl getting put in a one bedroom apartment,” Joel snickered.
“Oh! Is our ship gonna sail?” the grin on Lizzie’s face grew. Listen I know she was just about to literally behead Pearl on the spot once–or uh maybe twice. Ok but the second time she just wanted information on why they released her she wasn’t actually gonna cause any crimes… Ignore the fact she robbed a bank as a distraction and broke into Slayer's house as part of that process but she;s a villain. What did you expect? It’s been weeks since then and she has grown as a person.
Aka Joel started telling her the texting drama Gem would rant to him about. Most of which was Gem being pissed about actually enjoying Pearl living with her. She didn’t have to cook all the time. Pearl deep cleaned the bathroom while she was at work. So on and so forth. Lizzie was starting to get jealous because how did Gem find this girl behind prison bars? Like damn that's some sort of standard.
So of course Lizzie started telling her bamboozlers about the tea between Gem and Pearl living together which led to them forming a shipping club. No not the mail delivery service, and no this does not involve boats, Scar. This is about placing a bet on if and when Gem and Pearl start dating.
“Wait, I thought they were already dating?” Jimmy said, confused.
“No Jimmy, they ‘hate’ each other, remember,” pan to Grian shaking his head.
“So they're not dating?” Jimmy was not going to get the memo.
“Jimmy oh my gosh this is what we did for you and Tango,”
“You shipped me and Tango?!”
“Yes of course we did you guys we’re insane!” Lizzie slammed her hands on the table they were gathered around.
“Guys back on topic. So we’re not going to try and eliminate Pearl?” Scar was looking for confirmation. “Like i know i’m the one who said maybe we shouldn’t take her out and we could use her against the agency for-”
“We legally have to abide by the promise we made with the agency, that we cannot harm Pearl in any act of malice to get what we want. This includes information about Gem, also known as Slayer.” Lizzie cut him off stating this as if she was giving an oath.
“And the reasoning for this is because Pearl is now officially classified as a loved one since she’s pining over Gem and they live together,” Grian added. “Speaking of, has anyone found the new place they’re living in?”
“Not yet but they invited me and Joel over for dinner later so I’ll mark it then,” Lizzie started to get up and gather her things. “I told him I'd be home by 9,” she grabbed some extra cookies Scar baked and started for their secret base exit.
Lizzie was struggling to get her other shoe on with her hands full of stuff. She was half way through chewing a bite of cookie when she paused and turned to the others.
“I just got a really weird feeling in my stomach…” She started looking around their base, scanning everything for something to prove her gut right. “Jimmy, did you lock the grave when you came in?”
“Yes I did, I double checked,” he nodded. “It's probably nothing. You’re just tired,” Jimmy brushed off pushing his chair back from the table and standing up.
“Shush,” Lizzie stepped away from the door to stand next to her teammates.
“Your face is scaring me,” Scar muttered. Lizzie didn’t stutter her movements, she was taking the stance she does when facing a hero in battle. And Scar didn’t like that. Not in their secret bunker that was meant to be safe.
“I don’t hear anything,” Jimmy started after many moments of silence. Lizzie didn’t respond, she just snapped her fingers at him to shut him up again.
Then they heard a rumbling… that turned into a sizzling. And what we now know was the sound of an explosive lighting…
The far wall that housed their entrance was blown to smithereens. Chunks of debris getting thrown everywhere. Before the others could act a red flash of light blinded them. The dust held heavy in the air. The bamboozler's secret bunk had been compromised.
Jimmy had ducked behind the table. Grian threw himself in front of Scar. But Lizzie stood like a deer in headlights watching as the drywall flew towards her. But it wasn’t going anywhere. It was frozen mid air.
“Guys…” Scar spoke. He held great focus on his powers, one move and the whole wall would come crashing on them.
“oh my gosh,” Jimmy didn’t really know what to say.
“Jimmy, Lizzie, Grian go to the bedroom and take cover. I don't know how much longer I can hold this,” cause if he lets go they all go boom, y’know.
Jimmy nodded, getting up from the table and dragging Lizzie away.
“Hell no, am I leaving you out here?!” Grian decided to argue.
“Well then figure out a way,” Scar was trying not to focus so hard on talking rather than holding the entire front wall of their base from crashing.
“Ok, quick thinking,” Grian unclips the locks on Scar's wheelchair and wheels him over to the room Lizzie and Jim were hiding in. “On the count of three, release your power and we’ll duck inside,”
Scar nodded.
“One… two… three-“ Grian yanked Scar behind the door, which Jimmy slammed shut. Scar dropped his power, red dust scattering everywhere like shattered glass. The entire wall went down with a massive bang, shaking the whole base like an earthquake.
“Always trust my gut…” Lizzie said. The air pushed its way out from around her face as her mask locked from her nose to her chin. Navy and teal stripes crept up her legs stopping to make room for her shorts then continuing for the best of her villain suit. She twisted her hair into space buns, then adjusted the cuffs of her sleeves. Giving one final glance to her teammates she activated the spear on her weapon and ran out of their bunker.
“Well that’s one way to conclude a meeting,” Grian stared through the now opened wall of their compromised lair.
“It’s time to help Eclipse boys,” Boogey man threw a fist toward Ringmaster who met him in the middle.
“You guys seriously aren’t going to just run after her with no plan right?” Grian could just smell the incoming wounds he’d have to heal.
“We’re coming Eclipse,” Boogeyman sprinted past their doctor, and I would say through the doorway… if there still was one. Ringmaster wasn’t far behind.
“I’ll prepare bandages, and maybe a clean up crew as well, this place is a mess,” Grian sighed to himself.