The Jewels; Mother of Pearl (#ABA2017)

Chapter Forty Two

Lola watched them disappear into the smoky sky. Lola pulled herself to her feet and almost immediately fell over.

She felt weak and sore.

Lola rubbed her eyes as she pushed herself back to her feet. It was like a balancing act.

Lola's mind snapped back into gear when a loud bang filled the air. Lola looked to the sky in search for some sign Annika didn't get shot. Lola staggered to the nearest thing that could keep her upright. She nearly fell off the roof.

Lola stared at the church, from her angle she was higher then the rooftop.

She suddenly heard something, a very faint voice. 'Shoot her down...' it didn't sound like her own, she looked up to the sky, 'Shoot her down...' It sounded like Annika, but the statement changed, 'shut up Elinor...'

Lola looked to the sky, what was going on up there?

There were more loud bangs, one after the other, and then Annika and Elinor started falling from the sky. Annika was closer to the ground then Elinor, and they were firing at each other.

Annika flipped at the very last moment and landed on the roof and jumped to the top of the bell tower, right to the point.

Lola watched as Elinor landed less elegantly and glared at Annika, who balanced on one foot on the point. Annika looked at Elinor for a moment and then her eyes locked onto Lola's. Lola jumped, then her gaze went back to Elinor as she tried firing a gun, three loud bangs. Annika jumped in the air and brought down her rapier and their sword fight continued.

Lola fiddled with her bow and made sure it extended to it's full size, she went to grab an arrow and went wide eyed, there was only one now.

Lola held it in her fingertips and sighed quietly as she ran them down the silver, glittery thing. It was all sparkly.

The other arrows must've fallen out when she was thrown over to the building.

"One shot," Lola mumbled as she loaded it, "better make it count."

She ran across the building she was at and climbed up a ladder that led to a higher part of the rooftop. There were several cardboard boxes on the ground and what looked like a second signal antennae, most likely for phones. Lola looked it up and down and scaled it, she grunted as she tried to pull herself up.

She grabbed the end of the antennae and used it to climb up it like a ladder. She tangled her legs in it, practically hugging it, as she loaded her bow, the thick smoke was beginning to burn her throat and blurr her eyes.

She aimed it at Elinor, her tongue sticking out as she aimed, the taste of smoke assaulted her taste buds.

Everytime she aimed it, Elinor would move, or Annika would get in the way.

She stared at them for a long moment as they continued fighting, but Lola couldn't get a clear shot. "Come on, Annika..." She mumbled.

Annika continued to move around, dodging Elinor's attacks. She fired her gun again, after two bangs the gun clicked empty. Their fight stopped momentarily as Annika double-checked the gun, Elinor had frozen to brace herself.

"Damn," Annika said as she accepted the gun was empty, "I'm empty."

"I'm not," Elinor informed as she aimed her own gun. It was right in Annika's face. Annika put her hands up slowly in surrender, rapier still in hand. Elinor chuckled slightly as she clicked the gun into gear and fired. Annika simply tapped the gun, and the bullet went right by her ear, just trimming it a little.

Annika smiled as she wiped the blood from her ear as Elinor clicked the gun into gear, "you need to work on your aim, Elinor," she said as she wiped the blood on the end of the gun. The hole at the end of the gun melted. Elinor went wide eyed as she tried to fire, the bullet went to the end of the gun and then caused the gun to short circuit and practically exploded in Elinor's face.

Her face was covered in gun powder, she wiped some out of her eyes and nodded, "guns aren't as much fun anyway," she stated as she swung it.

Annika ducked and the gun went right out of Elinor's hands, and was immediately replaced by her blade. Annika caught her blade with her own. Annika pushed away and jumped over Elinor, landing on the other side of her. Elinor started swiping and slicing through the air and Annika blocked them almost terribly.

Every time Elinor hit her her weapon would vibrate in her hand. Elinor took this advantage as she caught Annika's blade in her own and twisted it out of her hand and it shot high into the air. Annika had been disarmed.

Annika froze for a moment as she looked to where her blade went, it was beyond the smoke, she couldn't see it.

Elinor was pleased with herself as Annika held her hands in surrender and took several steps back, when her back hit the wall she lowered her hands to her side. Elinor smiled, "you really have gotten weaker, haven't you?" Elinor said as she used the end of her blade to lift Annika's chin, "you've grown soft because of these emotions."

"You succumbed to them as well," Annika replied.

"And now," she was puffing, "I feel nothing, for we are alike, Humanoid. In more ways then one."

Annika looked to the ground as a smile came to her lips, "Yeah, and you're intellegance has gone down the drain as well," Annika replied.

Elinor raised an eye brow, "what?"

Annika tilted her head, "do you really think I'd let you disarm me?" she asked.

Elinor went wide eyed as Annika's outstretched hand caught her rapier as it came down and slammed it against Elinor's blade, it fell out of Elinor's hands and slid off the roof entirely, in one swift movement Annika punched Elinor, forced her to turn around and had her rapier pressing against her neck. Elinor scratched at Annika's headlock as she was forced to lean backwards.

"We are nothing alike, Elinor," Annika whispered, "don't you ever even try to pass yourself off as good as me."

Annika pushed Elinor forwards and jumped back herself.

Elinor turned and watched as Annika gave a small wave, before she took one step off the roof and fell to the ground. Elinor stared at where she had fallen, half expecting to see her fly up with her Angel wings... but instead a crow cawed at her as it flew past her shoulder.

Elinor turned around to watch it fly to one of the buildings.

Annika rested on Lola's shoulder's as she aimed at Elinor, in her vulnerable, plain view and sight.

Elinor went wide eyed as Annika let off a loud caw and Lola released the arrow from her bow, a sparkly, silver trail following it.