Gold | Disney Descendants

Chap 13

It's just as she thought. Keeping a steady pace, they make it to the beach across from Skull Rock just after midday. The four stand on the beach, staring out towards the large rock island. It ... really does look like a skull, the map wasn't lying. Twyla shakes off the nerves, lifting off of the sand, she leads the way across the ocean towards cave. As they get closer and flutter inside the cavern, they all stick closer together.

The shadows are long and dark, accented by the barest amount of light that comes through the 'eyes' and 'mouth'. Spritz glows brightly, tucking between Twyla and Elspeth's hips. Eventually they land on the rocky floor, still refusing to stray from each other's sides.

"So - uhh - where do we start?" Elspeth whispers. Even with her voice so quiet, it echoes around the cave. As they glance around, still unmoving, Spritz shoots off.

"Wait! Spritz, don't fly off!" Copper calls. He darts off after the firefly, the other three quickly shoot off after the two. The bug bumbles over a rock far in the back of the cavern and the fairies follow quickly. Reaching the top first, Copper gasps. The girls fly faster. When they reach to rock's top, their eyes widen.

There are piles upon piles of gold and jewels filling out the back of the cave. With Spritz fluttering above it, her light shines on the treasure, making it all sparkle. Saffron is the first to speak, her arms crossed.

"This is going to take forever."

"Let's take sections!" Elspeth offers, "Copper and I'll take the left, starting from the front. Saffron, you and Twyla do the right and start from the back. We'll meet in the middle!"

Saffron and Twyla don't have a second to say anything before Copper is cheerfully agreeing and the both of them drop down to the treasure. The pair left standing on the rock glance at each other for a second before Saffron sighs through her nose and starts off towards the far corner of the cavern.

Twyla follows a few seconds later. With Saffron on one side picking through a pile of jewels, Twyla turns to the other side and kneels down on a coin to start sorting through it. Eventually, she reaches the dust-fairy's side.

"Saffron ..." she murmurs quietly. Saffron doesn't look at her. "I wanted to say I'm sorry. About leaving and about not saying anything." She draws in a breath before continuing. "You were right. I was just thinking about myself. I wanted to go and I didn't consider that it would hurt you and ... I'm sorry."

With a small sigh, Saffron finally looks at her. "Thanks. I just missed you, you know? I know I'm not easy to get along with, but you were my friend. It hurt to wake up one morning and find out you were gone."

Twyla sits down beside her, reaching to gently squeeze her hand. Saffron just leans in and yanks her into a hug. Blinking back the tears in her eyes, she drops her chin onto Saffron's shoulder, hugging her back tightly. When they finally pull back, they laugh, awkwardly wiping away the tears in their eyes.

"So, let's find this dumb necklace, huh?" Saffron says and Twyla just laughs.

For hours, they scour through the treasure. Twyla's hands are aching as she finally drops back onto her butt, sitting on a slightly bent coin, her back leaning on something sticking out of the treasure at an odd diagonal. Groaning, Elspeth drops down next to her. The pair are quickly joined by Saffron and Copper as they sit down, heaving out sighs. Copper drags a hand through his platinum hair.

"This is hopeless," Saffron grumbles, "It'll take years for the four of us to search through all of this, and that's if the pirates didn't take it away with them when the Isle popped up."

With every word, Twyla slumps further, eyes closing as she leans back. There's the whisper of a groan as she breathes out. Beside her, she can hear Elspeth shuffle, coins clinking together. She grabs Twyla's hand, squeezing her fingers comfortingly.