Gems in the Ruff

Three

Mercury

My neck gets snapped again.

I wake up and try to shake the dream off. I always have this dream nowadays, yet it still puts me off. I don't even know why, I don't know those people, yet there's just something about them.

Emerald gives me a nod good morning when I get to the training room, no sign of Hazel yet. Today is our first day of team training. I sit down next to her on the floor.

"So, I was thinking about what our team name should be, since the three of us are a team now, and I got it. I think we should be team 'MEH.' Obviously, I would be the leader, since I'm the clear best choice and the 'M' in 'MEH.'" Emerald nods skeptically, giving me a side eye. "Fine, fine. If you want to be the leader so badly, we can be team... 'EHM,' although 'MEH' sounds much better."

"Why are we even talking about this?"

"Hey, if you don't care about this team, that's fine. I'm just trying to come up with something that will instill fear in the hearts of our enemies."

"Yeah, cute. If anything, though, I think Hazel should lead. He has more of the maturity and experience we lack--"

"Are you saying you're immature?" I cut in.

"Harr harr, no. I just think he's the better choice. Team... 'HME' maybe?"

"HME, like home? Sounds stupid."

"Really? I think it sounds... nice," she shrugs at the word nice, but something strange is in her voice. She bolts upright before I can commentate, and I see Hazel entering the room.

"Morning you two," his voice seems to boom through the training hall. "Up early again I see, Emerald."

"You know it, sir. Mercury and I were just talking about team names. I don't know why, something about instilling fear in our enemies." She walks up to him, doing a weird slinky strut she does when trying to act totally chill, but preparing herself for a fight. I don't think people notice at all, but I've done enough assignation jobs with Emerald to know her tricks. I stand up, knowing things are about to start.

"I heard the end of your conversation. HME, was it? I like it. It's like, go big or go home," he chuckles, then places a giant hand on Emerald's head. I know what's about to happen. You see, girls have a very strange obsession with their hair and other people messing it up.

Emerald

Hazel knows what's about to happen. He retracts his arm the moment my leg leaves the ground. I meant to kick him in the crook of his elbow, but I manage to still hit his wrist. I try to focus more on my fist work than leg work, but Hazel's biceps are probably a foot in diameter, so I probably would've injured my fist more than his arm.

"I guess we'll start out with a spar before we work on new moves," he laughs. "Mercury, care to make this a three-way?"

"Gladly." Mercury is already on his feet, sauntering over to us. We look at each other for a moment, then he taps his thigh and grins. "Don't worry; safety's on." And with that, we're off.

The fight is slightly awkward, three bodies constantly in a blur of motion trying to take each other out. We all move against each other; there are quite a few moments when Hazel's trying to fight off both Mercury and I at once. There are also moments when I'll be coming at Hazel and Mercury full-on trips me. Trips me. Like the fricking third-grader he is.

The moment the fight is over is when Mercury pulls off a risky and strange stunt. He jumps into the air and thrust both legs into Hazel's chest, finally knocking him over. As Mercury comes to the ground, he tries to land on both feet. Tries. He half-manages too, but loses balance for second, giving me the window to bring my foot to his metallic shins. He lands on his back, and I place my foot on his chest before he can make a move to get up.

"Hello. How's your view from the floor?" I smirk down at him.

"Ah, it's pretty nice. Would be better if you would get out of the way, though." I begin to grind my heel into his chest. "Ow ow ow, okay, okay, I get it. You're the prettiest girl to ever grace my sense of sight, but you're also really heavy, so please get off."

"You're disgusting." I walk away.