Pearls

Chapter Eleven

It was a kinda deja vu moment. This was the second time that a giant drill full of angry Amethysts had burst into an underground room to find Yellow and Blue Pearl. The difference between then and now, Yellow thought, was that this time, she was ready. This time, the attack didn't take her by surprise. Somehow, that felt strangely important- a victory in its own right, and Yellow clung to all the victories she could get.

Four Amethysts disembarked from a door on the side of the drill, then the Fire Agate, then four more Amethysts. All had their weapons out. With a nod from the Agate, the Amethysts immediately circled Yellow and Blue. Upon confirming that they were unarmed and defenseless, the guards moved in. Two grabbed Yellow's shoulders while a third tied her hands. When Yellow glanced sideways, she could see Blue getting the same rough treatment. Before Yellow could protest, or say anything at all, she was being marched onto the drill by two guards with scowls and very sharp fingernails that dug into her skin.

The interior of the machine was made of cramped, dull metal, and illuminated with bright red lights. Yellow and Blue were harshly positioned between two guards apiece, each of whom held them still with vice-like grips on their arms as The Fire Agate ducked under the doorframe and entered the drill. She stopped in front of the captured Pearls and grinned at them viciously. Yellow got the clear impression that the Agate would not hesitate to kill them should the opportunity arise.

"Well, that was easy." The Fire Agate gloated."That Jasper said that you were rouge and dangerous escape artists, but I don't believe she knew what she was talking about. You're so weak, it's almost... disappointing." Yellow kept her head down, knowing that it would just be worse if she took the bait, hoping that the worst thing the Agate would do to them was taunt.

But the Agate didn't want to pass up an opportunity as delicious as this. Without warning, she snached a whip from one of the Amethyst's hands and brought it swinging at Blue Pearl, faster than either of them could react. Yellow had barely realized what was happening before she heard a sharp crack and looked over to see Blue with a bloody gash across her nose and cheek.

"Blue!" Yellow gasped out before she could stop herself, squirming in the Amethyst's grip. The cut must've hurt, but Blue managed not to react. She just bowed her head and let the blood drip onto the floor. Yellow should've shut up, like she had- should have kept quiet, but she'd reacted on instinct, and now it was too late. The Fire Agate turned to Yellow with a smile, and she felt her stomach twist. She had accidentally given the Agate ammunition, and Yellow could see in her face that she was about to use it.

"Don't like that, do you?" She taunted, clearly happy to have just discovered a weakness. "Don't like it when I do this?" And she cracked the whip at Blue again, hitting her on the forearm. Blue let out a little squeak of pain.

Yellow's vision was turning red with rage. It took all of her self control to keep still and quiet. She felt herself shaking with the effort. This, this was why it was so dangerous to care. This was why she kept to herself. This was why she pushed everyone away. Everyone except Blue, and now they were both about to pay for it.

"Or how about this?" The Agate demanded, slicing Blue's shoulder. Yellow saw Blue biting her lip, hard, holding back a scream, and suddenly Yellow had never hated anyone so much in her life as she hated the Fire Agate in that moment. She didn't just want her to stop. She wanted to grab that whip and turn it on her. She wanted to slice her up until she was screaming. She wanted to beat her until she was pleading for mercy, until she was just begging to be shattered. But Yellow wouldn't do it. She'd keep her alive, because that's what the Agate would've done to them. And Yellow would enjoy every drop of her pain, every tear, every whimper. It'd be what the Agate deserved, and Yellow would enjoy it.