Soulbreak - A MCYT 3rd/Last/Double Life FanFiction

Chapter 14 - How're Your Legs?

[PoV - Pearl/3rd]

"How're your legs?" Grian asked in a would-be-casual tone if the surprise and apprehension weren't obviously written across his eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Pearl's voice came out shakily, her eyes betraying her blank shock as she looked down as if to check if her tall, diamond boots were still pulled over her shins.

"Maybe the better question is... how are your legs, Scott?" Grian acted as liaison between the two.

Pearl's gaze finally rested on the exposed tissue of Scott's lower legs. Her gasp was strangled with pain and sorrow. "Oh... Oh, Scott..." She breathed, dropping to her knees on an involuntary reflex and causing a gasp of pain from both of them. She didn't ask to step forward as she examined the bloodied, mangled flesh belonging to Scott. Obvious works of a severe burn.

When her eyes finally raised to meet Scott's, they only sang of remorse and apology.

"You... you're my soulmate?" Scott wondered aloud - uncomprehending. "I don't understand." His tone was bleak, not a hint of acceptance. Pearl gently removed one of her boots, careful to not scrape their wounds and cause them any more pain. The matching burns were impressive, to say the least. Scott's looked only fractionally smaller around the edges, a shadowy mirror of Pearl's own casualties but not quite as real, not as perfectly charred.

"I'm so, so sorry." Pearl's eyes brimmed with tears. They threatened to spill over any second.

"I - I don't know what to say," Scott answered earnestly, his Scottish accent a touch stronger than usual. Maybe it was the grief and uncertainty that gave it that edge.

It was only then that Grian registered Cleo's expression. Her face was far more readable than the blank ones of the two soulbound, who merely stared into each other's irises uncomprehendingly. The horror, concern, and anger that disfigured her features were tangible - like a storm cloud on the verge of breaking and soaking every living creature beneath it. That was the only way Grian could express the intense feelings radiating off Cleo. And he'd always been good with words.

"What - what does this mean?" Pearl questioned. Scott remained silent for another minute, mulling things over in his head before he spoke. The ice his voice held took everyone in the room aback.

"This means nothing. Nothing at all." Scott gave a cold shrug.

"I - I don't understand-"

"This changes nothing. Now we know. In the future try to watch where you step more carefully. Please build your base somewhere in the overworld - if there's even an alternative and you really were in the Nether." Scott scoffed.

"M-my base." Pearl whispered.

"Are you slow?" Scott growled.

"That's enough!" Grian fumed, gently lifting his sister to her feet and helping to put her boot back on. "I don't care what stupid anger issues your holding on to, Pearl's been through enough. Think whatever you want but don't you dare take it out on her."

Grian had never spoken to Scott this way. Scott blinked.

"We're leaving in the morning to go set up a base. Do whatever you want." Scott snatched up Cleo's hand. Cleo looked surprised for a second, then a pleasant smile played at her lips.

Meanwhile, everything fractured and cracked in Pearl's little world. The tiny half-moon in her heart split into a jagged fissure, and time lost all meaning again as she sunk back to the floor. Grian caught her and dragged her back up of course, but Pearl could hardly feel his hands on her arms, supporting her. Everything was numb again. The world just spun around and around... was this what heartbreak felt like?

Reality? What was reality? Pearl laughed, a high cold sound.

"Shh... it's going to be okay." Grian's low, frightened whisper barely registered. Okay? Nothing would ever be okay again. Everything... everything was broken. Her best friend was gone... Another chorus of laughter broke the silence. She was hyperventilating now, her eyes refused to focus, the tears threatened to spill over... deep down she knew she didn't want Scott to see how he hurt her, know how much she cared... another laugh. Tears of laughter, Pearl told herself as she allowed Grian to lead her out of the cave.

It was raining. Of course, it was raining. Grian hoped the rain would help, that it would calm her. He had never seen Pearl like this... he had never known anyone was capable of responding this way. Her crazed laughter cut him to the core. It hurt him to see his sister hurt. It caused him to feel a rage towards Scott, his best friend, that he didn't know had been possible to feel towards anyone but Joel. Let alone his best friend.

Pearl's new speal of laughter caused Grian to turn his attention to the rocking lime green bundle. The ball was curled up on the grass, already soaked to the skin. Grian quickly attached a little wooden roof over her, but she crawled absently back into the rain.

"Just-" Pearl giggled, "let - ha - me die now." She rolled onto her back, spread out like she was making a snow angle. Her little face, her oh-so-breakable looking face smiled up at Grian.

"And then who would be my partner?" Grian kneeled down to Pearl's level. He didn't care whether or not the rain soaked him through, too.

"Am I your partner?" Pearl asked in a curious voice.

"Of course, bat-head." Grian patted her shoulder affectionately. It felt like he was talking to a small girl instead of a very clever and lethal young woman.

"It's cold out here." The little girl shivered, and Grian removed his own sweater and set it under the shade. A little damp, but nothing a fire wouldn't heat up quickly.

"You can have my sweater if you sit under the roof." Grian coaxed. The child looked back and forth from the rain to the roof in reluctance. Eventually, she was won over by the warm-looking green sweater and dragged herself under the cover.

"Am I sleeping out here tonight?"

"If you want the monsters to get you." Grian raised an eyebrow.

"I - I don't want to go back in there. I don't want to see him." Pearl rocked, her voice breaking.

"Shhh-shhh. I'll dig you out your own little room, you don't have to see him." Grian was getting exhausted, he wasn't very good with children. He never had been. This entire situation was completely new to him, and he had no idea what to do. Despite his best persuasive tone, Pearl wasn't exactly an easy child either.

Pearl relented when the last ray of sun disappeared under the hills. Grian led her to a little hollowed-out room, Gem made good on her promise to get Pearl a bed, and Pearl's spells of laughter gradually stopped. Grian sat by her bed, waiting for her to fall asleep. The last thing he needed was for her to get out of bed in the middle of the night and sneak off who knows where.

A low hum thrummed in Pearl's throat... it wasn't until much later, when Grian was climbing into his own bed, that Grian realized what she was humming. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end. Something wicked this way comes. 

A/N: That was really annoying to write... Pearl's always been really strong and above everything... but I have to make her turn into the front cover somehow... sorry, Pearl - this is the second book she gets a really bad end of the deal T-T. I promise you'll get your revenge.