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-

TIME HAD SEEM TO STOP FOR PEARL. Or at least it was moving slowly.

Very, very slowly.

She was 2 seconds away from kicking Scar into the Boatem Hole, which dropped down all the way into the void.

Her mind always seemed to tell her that it was right.

It was right to make people and their friends suffer.

To make them feel agony, pain, depression, and worry. Grief, anger, sadness.

A small part of her told her it was wrong.

But how could it be? The feeling of a sharp sword, piercing through soft flesh, watching the look of fear appear in their eyes as she had just seamlessly slid a knife through their insides. It felt amazing. The dark, shiny red liquid showing as she then pulled out her sword, leaving them unconscious and collapsing. The thought just drove her devoted. Devoted to kill.

In her eyes,

This, was perfectly ok.

-

"SCAR!"

Her mind was brought back to reality as she saw a group of various hermits, most familiar to her, but she couldn't quite put her finger on who they were, standing in a group. Most of them had their hands on their sword, ready to draw them just in case. Pearl and Gem looked at each other and both took out their swords, the others doing the same. Scar helplessly laid there, silently praying someone would come to help.

The group of hermits separated as some ran over to Pearls base and as some ran over to Pearl and Gem, Gem running over to Pearls base as her eyes glanced over to the group, pulling out their swords.

"This is going to be fun." Pearl mumbled, sneaking a sly smile on her face.

False ran over and drew her sword, getting infront of the crowd and almost hitting Pearl in the stomach. Their swords hit and the grip of the both of them caused the swords to hold against each other. False started to speak while looking at the swords, her eyes drenched in worry.

"Pearl, please. This isn't like you, it never was." Her face was fixed in a discomforted position, looking right into her dull eyes. The shine that almost felt like it came from the sun disappeared. The once happy Pearl..

Disappeared.

Pearl grit her teeth with anger as she slashed her sword, making False fall down and toss her sword away. She glanced at it, before looking back at Pearl. One of her arms were holding her weight of her upper body while the other one was just over her eye, squinting. Her eyes widened as she saw as Pearl was sitting right in front of her. Her sword was above her head and it looked like it was about to plunge right into her. She watched in horror as it was quickly striking down on her and the sharp tip was right above her heart. She turned around and screamed.

"Guys, HELP!"

Blood splashed everywhere.

-

GRIANS POV

Huh. I feel dizzy. And unwell. What's going on..? Why do I hear voices..?

"Hurry, lift them up!"

"I'll take care of Gem when she comes."

"Mumbo! Grian?!"

"We're doomed."

I lazily move my eyes around the room, but my vision is too blurry. I want to stand up.. but my body feels weird. I can't feel anything below my upper stomach.. and it feels numb. How come I can't move my wings..? Cmon.. just at least one bit..

"Are you ready Zedaph? Ok, 1, 2, 3!"

Why do the voices sound muffled..?

"Impulse, did you try to do anything?"

Impulse..? Impulse is here? What about Scar, or Mumbo? What.. ever happened to Pearl..?

I black out again.

But only for a few seconds.

I wake up again in Boatem. Woah, I can stand? Huh, weird.

Also, this is weird. Pearl is asking me to come to her base for some reason on her communicator. I walk over and knock on her door, admiring her beautiful front entrance. The amount of detail is just, amazing! I wait for a few minutes until I hear a knock on my door, and delightfully come in.

"Hey Grian! I just have a favour to ask!" She smiles at me, to which I nervously smile back.

"Sure, what is it?"

For some reason.. she doesn't sound the same.

Act the same.

Is something wrong?

"I just want to see what you think of my storage system! I've been changing it around from time to time, and I'd like your opinion on it."

I nervously step in, but I take a quiet sigh of relief. Nothing has changed! Silly me! We both walk downstairs and I look at her storage room. "Wow! May I look some more?" I look at her, but she suddenly has a change of tone.

"Sure, just don't look too much." She mumbles one last part, and I tilt my head to the side, clearly not understanding what she said. I inspect the storage system and admire the small details that she had put in. But when I went to go look at one part of the storage system, I see something clearly hiding in the shadows.

"M-MUMBO?!" I shout fearfully as I stare at the bleeding dead body. I turn around to see Pearl with her sword, ready to stab.

My feet were frozen to the floor. Glued.

I couldn't move.

Couldn't scream,

Couldn't do anything.

Why am I so useless..?

I can't even save my friends.

-

"Hurry guys, carry them quickly!" Stress whisper-screamed and glanced over to where Impulse was guarding the door. Stress was currently carrying Grian on her back as Zedaph and Impulse were carrying Mumbo. She wiped her forehead and watched as the others carried them out the other door quietly to avoid commotion as she walked behind. Gem had just been taken care of, tied and unconscious.

"Let's take them to Impulses base." Zedaph looked at all of them, knowing that they agreed. He could see it in their eyes.

When the came over to Impulses unfinished factory and away from the commotion, Stress and Zedaph properly aided to them. "Impulse, would you please not try to aid them with iDimpy bars next time?" Zedaph slightly giggled as Impulse joined along.

When they finished aiding to them, they were talking a little farther away from them.

Grian suddenly woke up in a cold sweat as his wings quickly spread out and relaxed.

"Grian?!" Stress looked over and ran to him. Grian ruffled his hair as she studied him. His eyes were wide, breathing heavy and fast. He glanced around the big empty entrance room. Stress had a small phew of relief and took her hands off of his shoulders.

"Is he ok?!" Impulse looked over at the poor winged boy.

"Guys..?" His voice squeaked. He looked over at Mumbo and stopped. He was bandaged, but the last time he saw him, he was dead. Or at least he thought. The room was silent, the white noise of air conditioning echoed the room, as Zedaph started to hear sniffling. He watched as Grian started to cry. Tears that stained his wooly sweater.

The noise shook the empty room, Grian bawling his eyes out. Zedaph attempted to put a hand on his shoulder and say something, but he aggressively pushed him away as his wings curled around him. Stress and Impulse looked at each other, and nodded. Impulse got up and he went in front of Grian, and tried to speak softly.

"Grian.. he's goi-"

"NO! STOP! PLEASE! Please.."

He covered his ears with his hands, refusing to believe that this was reality.

-

Grian had calmed down after a while.

But it would be the last time he would be calm.

For the time, atleast.

Because footsteps could be heard softly from outside the factory. Everybody's attention went towards the door,

And that's when Pearl came in.

Grians face turned pale, As everyone else drew their swords. Grian just sat there, on his knees, not being able to move. He was too scared. It had felt like his legs were practically glued to the floor. Was he weak? Or was it just fear? How come he was the only one who wasn't able to move?

PEARLS POV

Those.. idiots! They think that they can get away with healing those dumbasses. I'll show them. I look over at that winged boy, who looks completely pale. I smile as he looks like an easy target to kill. I'll kill him and this time he can stay down. How about those other people? Maybe I'll go for the blonde one in the lab coat.. or the girl?

You know what, forget it.

Why don't I go for them all?

-

"N-no.. NO! ZEDAPH!"

Screaming echoed the room.