A Captured Butterfly

Chapter Four

   Steven and Pearl sat down for a solid 30 minutes, Steven talking to Pearl to distract her from the painful wounds that covered her from head to toe. The soft thump of footprints began moving toward the two. "Garnet! Amethyst!" Steven exclaimed, mainly to alert Pearl of their presence. (As she couldn't even turn her head).

   "Wowzers. They really got Pearl good." Amethyst remarked, walking over to Pearls range of vision. Pearl just groaned through her gag, then pulled on her ropes to signify 'let me out.' "Don't tug on them. You'll hurt yourself." Garnet interfered, kneeling beside Pearl to undo her ankles.

   Pearl winced when Garnet slightly pulled on them, taking in a sharp breath. She instantly regretted the breath, as her ribs now felt shattered. The petit gem squeezed her eyes shut in response to the pain, only opening them when she heard a low voice say, "Done."

   Pearl looked down to her feet, which were free to move around (not that she could.) Garnet reached for her gag, holding it in her hand for several seconds before it easily fell off. "How did you..." Pearl began to ask, but stopped once she saw the metal buckle melting in Garnets hands, courtesy of Rubies fire powers.

   "Ah." Pearl lifted an ankle to see it frozen below her knee. She glanced up to Garnet, who was holding three ropes for Pearl to see. "You're free." Garnet said with a smug expression, offering an arm for support. Pearl was slightly confused, then looked for to her wrists to see them frozen.

   She glared back to Garnet, mixed emotions of annoyance and gladness for her ice powers. She reached out a thawing arm, holding onto Garnet for support as she got up. The second Pearl put any weight on her limbs, they felt scorched with pain. She winced, sitting back down and trying not to move.

  "What hurts?" Garnet asked, obviously getting ready to freeze the area. Pearl took a few shallow breaths before replying. "Ribs, shoulders and my left hip." Garnet laid a hand on her ribs, freezing them from the inside. She repeated with the other locations, freezing each one.

   Garnet picked up Pearl bridal style and carried her to the control panel, where Steven and Amethyst had somehow turned the ship around, and were watching the Earth slowly come into view.

   "We is goin' home!" Amethyst exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air. Garnet walked toward the panel, sitting down on a chair by the controls and letting Pearl get a view of the Earth. "How long until we get home?" The injured gem asked, eyes glued to the Earth that slowly grew bigger as they neared closer.

   "On the computer-thing, it says 24 minutes." Amethyst replied, gesturing to the panel in front of her. Silence filled the room as they headed closer to Earth, city lights becoming visible. A thought suddenly dawned on Pearl like a dark cloud, destroying the peace of her mind.

"Does anybody know how to land?"