Mermaids of the Deep

by SailorHexGirl

Rose was in tune with the sea and the beings that dwelled below its surface. When she passed away she leaves many questions for her son. Now that Steven is older he wants to meet the people his mother was close with. There are many challenges for him to face including the trust that has been severed between his family and the ones below.

5. Chapter 5

Note: Ok, I am all caught up on where I have written up too with this story. That being said, updates will be coming slower now as I type and since this story has a LOT of detail to it, along with the rules and such I have made for these Mermaids please be patient with me as we continue this journey together. Thank you for your comments and PM's on this! Enjoy!

---

Chapter 5

The ride over to the boardwalk was an interesting one. Not only did it take several try's to get Pearl to sit in the back of the van with the kids, but then several more try's to get her to stay in the van after. Driving, however, was such a scary thing to the mermaid the kids literally sat on her to keep her still. The whole time apologizing and Steven almost crying.

Pearl was scared beyond belief. She understood the kids were just trying to help and calm her down but once they got to the beach and out of the van, she promptly stomped her foot and clicked out a string of words that would make even a sailor blush. No-one even wanted to try and translate what she was saying but walking back to the car-wash was going to be in everyone's best interest. No-one wanted to get on the mermaids bad side and Pearl decided that anything that didn't have to do with walking or swimming was not something she would ever want to do again.

EVER.

"Here guys." Greg said handing Connie some money while Steven held Pearl's hand. "Go get something to eat and wait near the end of the boards for me ok? I'll be quick."

Greg headed off and left the three of them to there own devices. The kids were thinking of what to do to kill time when Pearl tugged on Steven's hand.

"What is it Pearl?" Steven asked. He followed Pearl's line of sight and saw her staring intensely at a food cart. More importantly, a food cart with cotton candy. "Did you want to try that?"

Pearl looked at Steven and tilted her head slightly and clicked a few times. Steven looked at Connie as she scrolled threw her phone. She had taken a picture of every page in Greg's book so she wouldn't have to bring it with them. "Um... Yes Pearl, its something you can eat."

"Then lets get some." Steven said pulling Pearl and Connie over to the cart. "This can be your first experience with human food and theirs nothing better to start with then candy!"

"Because nothing says healthy like sugar."

"Your mom isn't here to stop us Connie."

"True. OK, lets get some!"

After getting some cotton candy and a few other snacks, The three of them headed towards the end of the boardwalk. Steven went into the Big Donut and got them some drinks before rejoining them outside. From there Steven took them a bit away from everyone and to some boulders in the sand. They knew mermaids weren't fans of humans and being closer to the lagoon mite help Pearl feel better about being out of the water. Both kids perched themselves in the sand while Pearl just watched.

"You can sit Pearl." Steven said "Or if you don't want to sit in the sand you can sit on the boulders here. Whatever is more comfortable for you."

Pearl thought about it for a while and perched herself on the boulders.

"Ok Pearl." Steven said standing and holding out the cotton candy to her. "Here. Wait, you eat it like this."

Steven proceeded to take a peace of the fluffy sweet candy and popped it into his mouth. He looked like he was enjoying it but Pearl couldn't understand why. It looked like a mess of hair on a shell to her. How can this stuff look appealing and taste good? Pearl thought as she watched Connie take a peace and put it in her mouth like Steven. The 'candy' as the kids called it was just such a bright pink and blue like the shells near Antarctica. Pearl focused back on the kids when Steven held out a peace to her.

"Try it." He said with a smile. Pearl smiled in turn and took the peace from him. She frowned at the texture on her fingers but popped it in her mouth.

Oh sweet Neptune! Pearl thought as her face scrunched up and her eyes turned blue then pink for a moment, mimicking the colors of the candy. She gagged a bit and waved her hand in the air. Good lord did it taste awful. Both Steven and Connie were laughing at Pearl's immense displeasure of the candy and tried to help her out.

"You don't have to swallow it!" Connie said "Just spit it out!"

"It's ok Pearl!" Steven said trying not to laugh but failing miserably "Just spit it into your hand. Quick! Before it completely dissolves!"

Pearl definitely did not want to spit this horror show into her hand. She simply leaned over and spit into the sand. She shook her head as the taste lingered in her mouth. Pearl fanned at her face like it would help and she frowned at the kids. She wasn't quite clicking but not quite growling either.

"I'm sorry Pearl." Steven said getting his act back together before smiling up at her. "Do you want some water?"

Pearl looked at the bottle Steven offered her and she quickly shook her head. Nothing on this planet made her want to ever try anything these two offered her again. She watched as Steven placed the drink next to her foot before opening another and taking a swing.

"Guess your not going to want to try the sour pops then." Connie said eating one. Pearl frowned and the kids just smiled at her. After a while the kids were showing Pearl what a sand castle was, with Pearl watching in fascination, when Greg made it back to them.

"H-Hey guys." Greg said getting the kids attention "Where's Pearl?"

They pointed to Pearl, who was bent over looking at the tiny door they had made into the sand castle. "Shes never seen a sandcastle before so we- oh h-hi there."

"Wow shes big." Connie said as Pearl sat up.

'Jasper!' Pearl clicked out excitedly. The bigger mermaid smiled at her and that's when Pearl realized she had Greg by the scruff of his shirt. Poor guy looked pretty scared but unharmed. Pearl stumbled her way around the sandcastle and Jasper tossed Greg aside in order to catch Pearl before she could fall.

'Where are you hurt? Do you understand how strong the smell of your blood is in the lagoon?' Jasper clicked holding Pearl out at arms length for a second before pulling her into her arms and holding her tight 'Did these things do this too you?'

'No, no Jasper they didn't hurt me.' Pearl clicked hugging the taller mermaid back. 'They helped me and there called humans.'

'That's what I said.'

'No you didn't'

'What happened out there?' Jasper said running her hand through Pearl's hair looking at her 'After the cave sealed we couldn't see you. I couldn't feel you. We feared that they caught you or worse-'

"Um, Pearl?" Steven asked bringing the Mermaids out of there conversation. "Is Jasper hurt bad like you?"

'Hurt bad?' Jasper looked confused 'How hurt are you?'

'I'm fine.' Pearl clicked giving Steven a thumbs down.

"Is she-"

"You ask a lot of questions for matters that don't concern you." Jasper growled out.

'Jasper!'

"You can talk?!" Steven said jumping to his feet with stars in his eyes, followed by an apology for making both aquatic beings jump something bad. He then took a small step back at Jasper's hard glare and slightly bared teeth. He forgot for a moment she was a Guardian and didn't want to piss her off.

"Well considering Pearl ended up at our place hurt pretty bad, it does concern us Jasper." Greg said getting up and brushing the sand from his pants "And I was at the lagoon to make sure it was safe for her before you jumped me by the way."

"It's safe." Jasper said "Or else I would of come up a different way."

"Then lets go!" Steven said as him and Connie quickly gathered there stuff from the sand. Jasper backed up half a step, pulling Pearl with her at there sudden movements "Pearl needs to be in the sea more then my tub and we need to think of a game plan."

"I can take her alone." Jasper said staring down the kids, who weren't intimidated in the slightest. "We don't need your help."

'Yes we do.' Pearl clicked. 'Jasper were out of our league with whats happening.'

"You do like it or not Jasper." Greg said "Your both here now without your pod and we need to find out whats going on. If it's not safe for you both in the sea then we need to find somewhere that is."

"Lets go to the lagoon." Steven said "Pearl needs to get back in the water Jasper. She doesn't know how long she been on land for and- hey wait up!"

Jasper had turned away the moment Steven said Pearl basically didn't have a time frame. She had bent down and picked Pearl up bridal style, the lesser squeaking in surprise. She didn't pause to wait for the others.

'Jasper, I'm quite able to walk on my own you know.' Pearl clicked wrapping her arms around Jasper's shoulders.

'What is this?' Jasper clicked tugging at the peace of the clothing she had on.

'That is a shirt.' Pearl said 'I must of left it in the water when we left the lagoon but it looks good on you.'

'Thanks.' Jasper said turning a bit red then suddenly turning to hide it with a cough. 'And this thing you have on now?'

'Another shirt but this one is long... I think Steven called it a dress?' Pearl said a bit confused 'Speaking of, where are those three?'

'If were lucky not following us.' Jasper grumbled. Her frown turned into a small smile when Pearl kissed her cheek.

'Don't be rude.' Pearl said with a smile of her own.

'I'm happy your ok.' Jasper said touching her forehead to Pearl's gently. This was an intimate gesture in there kind and Pearl pressed back slightly with a chuckle 'It drove me crazy not being able to feel you.'

'I can only imagine how Blue feels right now.' Pearl said with a sigh 'I'm happy your ok too. I was so worried that I would never see you again.'

'Our bond is strong and your tie to the heart stronger.' Jasper said 'Nothing will take you down easy.'

Before Pearl could respond Jasper let out a low growl. "Ugh, your so fast." Steven said running up to Jasper's side and having to keep a slight jog to keep pace.

"Bet your the fastest in the water huh." Connie said coming up to the mermaids other side. "No-one would be able to keep up with you."

"Your like a super hero!" Steven jumped in excitement.

"With the power of like, a hundred wrestlers!"

"Like dog copter!"

"But in the water!"

Pearl giggled a bit as Jasper's chest puffed out at the praise. They both knew she wasn't the fastest in the water but they weren't about to correct the kids. Besides, them unintentionally buttering Jasper up a bit couldn't hurt. If anything it would make her a little more cooperative. Nothing made her more willing to at-least listen then a good stroke to her ego.

The kids kept asking question after question as they made there way across the sand. Pearl was trying to answer them the best she could with Jasper just grumbling and being no help at all and Connie trying to read and jog at the same time. Eventually they stopped when they came to the boulders and rocks hiding the lagoon. The kids didn't know where the entrance was and Jasper was a little embraced not remembering exactly how to get in. So, there solution, turn to Greg. Who was coming up behind them, winded to the dixens and sweating.

"Good lord your faster on land then I could of imagined." Greg wheezed climbing up next to them "Remind me never to challenge you to a swim contest."

"I'd drown you." Jasper huffed out as Pearl proceeded to smack her shoulder lightly. 'What? Its true.'

'Doesn't mean you need to say it.' Pearl clicked back 'We still need there help.'

"Never going to let it go, are you?' Greg grumbled on the way by. He took the lead as he navigated them to the hidden entrance. Once they got inside he lead the way down the ramp "So whats the plan-and there she goes."

The three of them watched as Jasper took two giant steps and jumped off the side of the ramp, plunging her and Pearl into the water below.

"She doesn't seem like one to listen." Connie said as they watched both mermaids glow for a few moments before kicking off further into the lagoon.

"She has it out for me more then Lapis." Greg said.

"Why?" Steven asked.

"The whole pod blames me for your mother passing. They don't want to except she is gone." Greg said looking at the pair in the water "That's why it took me so long to bring you here. I didn't want them to hurt you but I didn't want to give them hope about something that wasn't going to happen."

"Do... do they hate me?" Steven asked softly.

"Trust me son, if they did they would of killed you the first time you met them." Greg said smiling at the kids "And Pearl seems to like you well enough. That's approval enough for me."

"Whys that?" Connie asked.

"Believe it or not Pearl is the head of there pod." He said starting down the ramp.

"The head?!"

"But shes a siren." Connie said pulling Steven behind her to catch up with his dad. "By aquatic law they should of killed her, or at the very least out-casted her."

"There pod is a strange one." Greg said "There are alot of laws they should follow but don't."

"I wonder why." Connie thought allowed.

"It's not our place to ask them." Greg said looking back at the kids "They have a lot going on right now, not to mention whatever else is going on in the sea we can only imagine. If you want answers your going to have to wait for them to tell you. However, right now we need to find out whats going on."

Pearl squeaked pretty loud as Jasper jumped off the ramp. When they hit the water she couldn't help but laugh. She suddenly felt energized. The power of the sea zipped threw her and she glowed extra bright as her tail formed. The second she could move Pearl kicked back powerfully and shot through the water. She twisted this way and that before Jasper was able to get a hold of her.

'Pearl.' Jasper clicked pulling the smaller to a stop 'Just wait a second.'

'Sorry, sorry.' Pearl said turning and smiling 'I just-'

'What happened?!' Jasper pulled Pearl closer and yanked her arm up. Pearl forgot for a second that she had been really hurt. All the swimming in the water loosened the scarf Connie had tied around her and left her borrowed shirt free floating. This left all her wounds visible and Jasper was not happy. The bigger pulled the shirt off of Pearl and tossed it aside as she looked her over. 'What did they do to you? Did this happen outside the cave or when you got here? I'll drown those three faster then the tied if they-'

'Jasper no, this is from the cave.' Pearl said as Jasper twisted her this way and that to get a good look at every scar and wound she had. The more she saw the angrier she got, to the point where her eyes started to glow a faint orange 'Jasper just-ow!'

Jasper let go the second Pearl clicked in pain. 'I'm sorry! I'm just...' She circled Pearl slowly before spotting the base of her tail 'Does it hurt?'

'Not as much as it did.' Pearl said looked at her tail.

'What happened?' Jasper asked as her eyes started to dull there glow. 'Waking up to your scream was just...'

Pearl wrung her hands together as she spoke 'Well... I was going to check on Amethyst when I spotted the person who attacked me. They were just floating at the caves entrance and before I knew it I was chained and yanked out of the cave.' Pearl gestured at her tail 'Once out of the cave I saw it disappear... I couldn't feel any of you. I couldn't feel the heart! I was so scared.'

'That's because when you were pulled your hand brushed the runes on the wall.' Jasper replied 'The heart turned red then everything else started glowing red-'

'The heart glowed red and your still alive?!'

'The hearts defense was to shoot out crystals everywhere. We all got trapped in there. I'm only here because Sapphire was able to get a teleportation rune to work.'

'The others are still trapped?'

'Were hoping that you now how to get them out.'

'Jasper... I didn't even know the cave disappearing was my fault until you just told me.' Pearl said throwing her hands out 'I have no idea how to make them go away. I wasn't a designer... She would be the only one-'

'No.' Jasper growled as her eyes shined bright again.

'I wouldn't even know where to begin.'

'We have to try something.' Jasper said 'Maby if you just try-'

'I wasn't made to be a designer or soul protector of the heart!' Pearl clicked loudly. 'I was made to be thrown away!'

"You were not meant to be thrown away!" Jasper yelled.

'Yes I was! The elders made that clear when it came time for me to learn of my purpose.'

"Fuck the elders!"

'Jasper!-'

"No!" Jasper snapped so loud that the water bubbled around them for a few moments "You are more then the damn purpose they gave you to be! Do you think I was meant to be a guardian any more then a drone just for keeping our kind alive?! Pearl." Jasper grabbed the smaller mermaids hands and pulled her close "You broke the mold and became one of the most powerful of our species and if your broken then so are the rest of us!" Pearl turned her face away and worried her bottom lip "None of us are how we were supposed to be. Each of us were casted out of our pods for different reasons and yet here we all are after the rest have gone."

"So as far as I can see, are flaws gave us the power to be stronger then the rest because were still here." Jasper ran her fingers through the smaller's hair.

'Not strong enough...' Pearl said wrapping her arms around herself but leaning forward to put her forehead against Jasper's. 'I don't even know how to get back into the cave if we made it back without being attacked again. She is the only one left that would even remotely know how.'

'Sapphire has probably figured this out already and has sent a call out for her.' Pearl said as Jasper growled but pressed back into Pearl's touch and closed her eyes 'We'll be lucky if she comes to help without killing any of us off. Shes probably still mad at you.'

"Wouldn't surprise me." Jasper huffed out "I would still be pissed."

'We should head up.' Pearl said pulling back 'We have alot to talk to them about'

'I don't like this.' Jasper clicked reaching out into the water and pulling Pearl's borrowed shirt back to them 'That...thing up there may be Rose's son but he isn't her. How do we know he isn't one of them.'

'We don't.' Pearl clicked as Jasper helped her back into the shirt 'But I trust him.'

'Why?'

'If he was one of them he wouldn't of helped me the way he did. He wouldn't of brought me back here either.'

'And the other small thing with him. She isn't human, is she?'

'No shes not.' Pearl frowned taking Jasper's hand 'I'm not sure what she is though it is familiar. We'll just have to ask.'

'You mean I'll have to ask.'

'Translate. You'll need to translate.'

'Same thing.'

Pearl smiled and squeezed Jasper's hand before starting there swim up. Greg and the kids had settled on the rocks like Steven and his dad did the first time. Connie had her nose to her phone again with her shoes off and feet in the water as the pair emerged. She looked up as Steven smiled. "Do you feel better now Pearl?"

Pearl nodded as she laid her arms on the rock but didn't pull herself out of the water. Jasper stuck very close to her side, her arm wrapped around Pearl under the waters surface. The bigger of the pair was staring down Connie. She tried not to say anything about the staring but it was getting uncomfortable fast. "Are my feet in the water bothering you? I can take them out."

"What are you?" Jasper asked. Pearl frowned and smacked her with her tail lightly getting an agitated look in return 'What? You said I had to ask since they can't understand you.'

"I can a little bit Jasper." Connie said getting a slightly startled look from the bigger mermaid "And I'm a shape-shifter."

'Whats your kin?' Pearl clicked.

Jasper didn't want to wait for Connie to try an translate so she did it for her "She wants to know your blood line."

"Blood line?"

'Kin Jasper.'

"Your Kin."

'Why didn't you just say that first?'

'I didn't think she would know what it was.'

"Oh. We were descendants from across the sea but came this way. Maheswaran is what we go by now but it was Maheys." Connie said.

"Maheys was your ancestors name right?" Jasper said "Your all still alive?"

"Three generations ago." Connie said "You mite know some of my ancestors."

"Pepper Maheys" Jasper said.

"That's my grandmother." Connie said. "She said she was part of the war, right at the end, with my mom."

"Her name was Pepper?" Steven asked a bit confused.

"Pepper was her nickname because no-one could pronounce her real name." Connie said closing the notebook.

'Peperinah' Pearl said.

"Wow, you said it!" Connie said excitedly leaning forward.

'How did you even say that?'

'Practice.' Pearl clicked a bit smugly.

'I could never do that.'

'That's because you gave up after the first two try's.' Pearl clicked giggling at the grumble she got out of her bigger companion.

"I didn't think the war was that recent." Greg said looking off at the light filtering through the rocks. "Or that your family was in it Connie."

"There are a lot of things about the war my mom won't tell me." Connie said "She said it was hard being apart of it. Even harder being on the losing side."

'I do remember her ancestor having a child with her the last time we saw her.' Pearl clicked 'It explains why she wasn't around when the final fight came to be.'

"She was. I fought along side her up towards the end." Jasper said. "The power your family has in shifting almost rivals ours in the water. It's impressive."

'Honestly we thought she was dead.' Pearl clicked to herself more then the others. When they looked to Jasper she just shrugged "We didn't know what happened to her."

'That's not what I said.'

'That's not something you tell others about a great warrior.' Jasper pointed out. Pearl could only shrug one shoulder in response. She was right.

"So." Greg said "I know you can't tell us everything, and I know you would tell even less to me, but what happened out there?" The pair in the water looked at each-other "How much danger are you in?"

"Enough." Jasper said.

"We guard something very special." Jasper translated as Pearl clicked "People are after what we guard."

"What you guard." Connie asked slowly "Is it...Is it the heart of the sea?"

"How did you know that?" Jasper growled pulling herself out of the water a bit to get closer, in turn made the three on the rocks lean back "Who told you?!"

"M-My mom had a book on it." Connie stuttered out "When we came over to help Steven get rid of the curse shell she showed us a few pages on the heart and the three original protectors of it."

The three of them were confused by the aquatics reactions. Jasper was pissed off but seemed frozen in place by terror while Pearl looked ready to cry while shaking in excitement? Horror? They couldn't really tell. The air felt too tense for them to move so they kinda just sat there for a bit until Pearl moved. Her shoulders slowly relaxed as she looked to Jasper. She reached out a gentle hand and guided her frozen form back into the water next to her. Under the surface her hand gently rubbed up and down the bigger mermaids arm until her giant hand took her smaller one in hers. She could feel the tension in her grip and the slight tremor rolling off her body.

'How much do you know about the heart?' Pearl clicked slowly for Connie to translate.

"Just that there were three protectors and the war started because one was killed, one went missing, and one left." Connie said.

Pearl nodded as Steven spoke up "On one of the pages there was a drawing of a giant pod swimming around the heart and a single mermaid under it. It looked like you Pearl."

Pearl glanced at Jasper to see her looking perplexed at her before it shifted to something more bitter. That was going to be a fun conversation later.

"So how are you the only one who got hurt?" Greg asked Pearl getting back on topic "Your not a, um, ya know."

"A guardian." Connie said.

"Thank you Connie." Greg said

"I was the only one they saw when they attacked." Jasper translated "If they saw the rest of the pod it was too late. The heart... Protected itself and saved the others from harm." Jasper then spoke for herself "We were all asleep and didn't get hurt when they attacked. Were pretty sure they didn't even know the rest of us were there."

"How did you get here without everyone else?" Connie asked confused "I thought pods never traveled alone like this."

"We don't." Jasper said before translating again "We never stray far from each other because we fear this very thing happening."

"Being alone?" Greg asked.

"Being hunted down." Jasper said.

"Do you think you were followed?" Steven asked. They all, except Pearl, jumped as Jasper quickly ducked under the wasters surface and darted off deep into the lagoon. "Did I say something wrong?"

Pearl shook her head. "Jasper is hunting, no, checking if I was followed or if we are being cat-watched." Connie translated. Pearl gave her a slightly sympathetic look as she gave her a thumbs up. It was a good try.

"Are you afraid you were followed?" Steven said "I don't want you to get hurt again."

Pearl shook her head and gave a thumbs down. She was worried about that yes but she also took into consideration that she would of been attacked by now if that were the case. The people who attacked her were aware of her being the soul protector of the heart so the weaker she was the easier it would be to catch her. She was thanking the stars in the sky's that she was able to get away and that they had not found her.

Jasper's re-appearance set worry into the group.

"You ready for another round on land?" Jasper asked Pearl "Or do you need more time?"

Pearl frowned at the way the Guardian wasn't looking at her. She kept looking at the entrance of the lagoon then around its edges. She had also positioned herself to be between her and the way out. Pearl knew the look and posture well and didn't hesitate on pulling herself out of the water. Jasper was right on her heals without moving her eyes from the darkness below.

'How many?' Pearl asked.

"How many?" Connie questioned "Are the people who attacked you close by?"

"There scouting party is just off the drop off to shore. About ten miles out." Jasper said "So we need to go. Now."

Greg didn't question as he got to his feet and pulled the kids to there's. "Are they mermaids like you both or-"

"Less talking, more walking." Jasper said ushering the whole group towards the ramp out. Pearl took her arm and without looking the Guardian could feel the worry flowing off her partner. She clicked quickly and quietly as they moved, too low for anyone outside the group to hear but fast enough for Connie not to be able to translate 'It's not going to take them long to find the lagoon. Were going to have to find another way into the sea.'

'How did they find me?' Pearl clicked. 'They didn't follow me when I hit a current and got swept away.'

'The smell of your blood saturated the water in a wide area leading here. For how bad you were hurt were lucky it took them this long to find where you went.'

Pearl's step faltered for a moment and Jasper didn't wait to ask if she was ok. The second they were out into the open air she picked Pearl up and perched her on her shoulder. The smaller mermaid didn't protest until Jasper picked up both kids and put them on her other shoulder.

'Jasper-'

'We don't have time for there small legs and small steps.' Jasper clicked out as her stride took them faster across the sand then Greg could run. 'We need to get off the shore and out of sight.'

'Ask Steven how to get back.'

"Which way to your safe place?" Jasper asked poking Steven in the leg.

"Oh, when we reach the boardwalk walk all the way down to the building with the big flashing light on the front and then turn right."

'I'm worried Jasper' Pearl clicked softly but quickly 'They tried so hard to stop me from getting away but they didn't chase me onto the land.'

'That is strange.' Jasper clicked back. 'They left after you got away and now they won't follow you up here. Maby they don't know which way you went.'

'What if they wanted me to get away?' Pearl said looking around worrying her bottom lip again 'What if-'

'Not now.' Jasper cut Pearl off with a gentle tap to the back of her hand before taking the smaller's in her own. 'Rest for now. Will figure it all out when we get to a safe place. You still need to recover and we need all the time we can get if this turns into a fight later.'

Challenger Deep, Heart of the Sea

It started off as an itch for Garnet. A small nagging feeling in the center of her being. Then her marks started to burn ever just enough to make her fingers twitch. Then the restlessness set in. She started to swim back and forth unable to meditate any longer. Garnet's unease didn't go un-noticed. The others picked up on it too. They started to feel the same way to different degrees. Every minute that passed the water seemed to get thicker with tension.

"Garnet." Sapphire said.

"She's close." Garnet said eyeing the closed off entrance.

"How can you tell?" Lapis asked.

"It's a Guardian thing." Ruby whispered.

"You need to breath." Sapphire said but Garnet could only click. She couldn't relax even if she tried. The very person who hurt them was coming to help them, or more likely, kill them. Poor Amethyst was fairing just as well as her. The others were just swimming back and forth a bit. Her and Amethyst were full on swimming circles. For Garnet it was the instinct of protection. For Amethyst it was the instinct of fear, to run. She wasn't around for what Bismuth exactly did but she had saw enough of the aftermath to know not to trust her. The fear and pain any time she was mentioned by the pod who lived it would haunt her for years.

"Yea Guardian." A deep voice echoed through the cave "You need to relax."

Everyone stopped moving and the only sound that could be herd was Garnet's growls echoing off the crystals. A deep rumbling laugh echoed back in return and everyone but the remaining Guardian backed up as far as they could go.

"Look at the fins on you minnow! And here I thought you wouldn't figure out your head from your tail!"

"Bismuth." Sapphire said "You came."

"With such pitiful plea like that I had to see how the final "protectors" were holding down the fort." Bismuth said as a crack echoed into the pods ears. The water shifted and the walls shook. The Pod looked the best they could at the caves entrance. It seemed to vibrate and with a high pitched screech and boom, the crystals jutting out into the darkness fell away. "And it seems like you guys are more stuck then I thought you would get." The mermaid at the entrance laughed "You got yourself stuck pretty well didn't you?"

"Don't insult us!" Amethyst snapped "We were attacked!"

Coal black eyes glowed in the dark and the smaller mermaid shrunk back like she had been struck. This caused Garnet to growl loudly and slam herself into the crystals closest to Bismuth. She turned her eyes on the Guardian and it was a stare down until the silence was broken.

"We didn't call you to fight." Sapphire said "We need your help."

"Clearly." Bismuth said before pointing at Garnet "She doesn't quite get that though."

"Garnet, please." Sapphire said slightly pleading. "Your scaring them..."

Garnet's growls jumped down to a slow murmur as she glanced back at the rest of her pod then at Amethyst. She felt like hitting herself for how scared the smaller looked. Her hands balled into fists as she quieted down as best as she could.

"The Guardian listening to a Reader. Now I've seen everything." Bismuth boomed "What else have you lot messed up-"

"We were attacked!" Lapis snapped suddenly "Pearl is the reason were freaking stuck in here, we sent Jasper out to help her and Poseidon knows where they both are, and the people who attacked us knew about the heart!" Bismuth's face dropped "So are you going to help us or not!?"

"They knew about the heart?" She asked so small that they almost didn't hear her. "They knew you were all here?"

"N-No." Ruby said "No, no, no they didn't know we were here. They only saw Pearl and-"

Ruby stopped talking as Bismuth looked away. She raised a hand and whispered hushed words they couldn't decipher. They were words of calming and tranquility. Words of hushed silence and of lullaby's of old. The pod watched in awe as the runes one by one dulled there red glow. They bubbled and silently turn to there calming blue glow some thought they wouldn't see again. As the blue glow moved slowly across the cave the crystals started to glow. The mermaids pushed off them and swam to the center of there walled off parts. They watched as one by one the crystals vibrated and bubbled before retracting back into the walls and floor. The second the crystals had freed them from there grip the pod swam at each-other. They quickly made a big group and held onto each-other tightly, Garnet making sure to be between them and there unfortunate savior.

"What happened?" Bismuth asked. She frowned at the way Garnet was growling at her and she supplied her own in return "I'll put the crystals back and leave you here. Quit whining."

"Bismuth please." Sapphire said as Blue swam up and wrapped her arms around Garnet's shoulders. She gently clicked into her ear and Garnet in turn clicked back but swam backwards to be closer to the others. "We really need help."

"Then start talking icicle." Bismuth said crossing her arms. "What happened? This place doesn't get beat up like this from Pearl just getting in an argument. Speaking of, where is she and the big one. Better yet, don't tell me. Just where miss thin and nimble is."

"Someone who knew about the heart tried to come and take it." Sapphire said.

"That doesn't explain why your missing two key parts from your rag tag pod here." Bismuth said.

"They attacked Pearl." Garnet growled. "She must of surprised them when they came and they freaking attacked her!"

"Her scream is what woke us up." Blue said softly.

"By the time we realized what was going on we were trapped in here." Peridot said.

"She unintentionally saved us." Ruby said "But we couldn't save her."

"Bismuth. These people knew about the heart. One of them was one of us." Sapphire said coming a bit forward out of the group. Garnet in turn couldn't help but reach out and grab a hold of the smaller's wrist so she wouldn't go too far. "They attacked Pearl but she fought back. You hear the way the runes whisper to in the water. You can feel the way they bubble and glow." They watched as Bismuth frowned and touched one on the wall gently "I know you can see what happened through them. Bismuth." Sapphire yanked her arm away from Garnet's an swam right up to the last barrier in place. "I know you can see who attacked us so please."

Bismuth looked away past the whole pod to the heart beyond. It still glowed a slight red that didn't compliment its blue hue. It knew it's soul protector wasn't here. It knew she was in trouble. They all were. She didn't need to ask how bad everything was. The runes had told her everything she needed to know.

"We need help."

"Your coming with me." Bismuth said lowering the final magical barrier "All of you. I'm sealing the cave behind you. Only myself and Pearl will be able to open it back up." Once the barrier was down she backed up so they all could exit.

The pod hesitated at first but as soon as Sapphire kicked out of the cave they all bolted out faster then lightning across the waters surface. The younger's in the pod couldn't help but giggle at the freedom they suddenly had once more. They all swam this way and that quickly came back into one big group. Garnet was first to stop and take a place between her pod and Bismuth. The older knew the Guardian didn't trust her and it was a fair reaction, especially after there shared history.

One by one the pod fell into place. From here they finally took a good look around. They took in how most of the weapons they had collected over the years were broken in the sand below or sticking out of the walls of the deep. The body imprints just beyond them sent a cold shiver through the water. The chunks of rock missing and scattered about was shocking to the ones not use to battle.

"She put up one hell of a fight..." Ruby murmured to Garnet "Even Jasper doesn't have this much power and you two are matched head to head..."

"First thing were going to do is find you all a better hiding place." Bismuth said turning and sealing the cave. "Then were going to follow the lovely trail of silver to your missing peaces."

"Trail?" Lapis said.

"Take a deep breath and tell me what you smell." Bismuth said. The pod did and no-one wanted to answer. With a nod Bismuth started swimming up. "That's what I thought."

"Lets go. Its not safe to linger where enemy's lurk." The older mermaid said.

The pod hesitated until they almost lost sight of her tail disappearing into the darkness above. Garnet huffed once but kicked up after her. The others soon followed and soon they could feel the rocks settling into there stomachs. As the light of day started to filter into the water around them it reflected off all the silver droplets of blood in the water. The amount of shimmering around them made them swim faster to catch up with the last person they wanted to trust.

Reaching the top of Challengers Deep they all followed the silver trail in the water until they started down the Mariana Trench itself. Bismuth had taken a long way to get here. In her travel she had come across several ships and creatures not meant to be in the ocean with ill intent flowing off them heavily. She had to go back and take a more obscure route to the cave and she was happy she did. In all honesty if she would of come directly here by the shortest route possible, and she ran into all the blood in the water, she would of turn right around and gone back. The blood of another made most turn tail and run. Nothing spelled danger more then blood and lack of a body.

If it were anyone else who had called for help she would of said no right away, but Sapphire and Pearl had a soft spot on her heart. One smart and willing to learn and one becoming more then she was molded to be. She would be lying to herself if she wasn't at-least happy to see everyone. Well, as happy as one can be with a falling out. The main focus for Bismuth now was to find a safe place for there pod to hide and stay until they could get there two missing peaces back. She didn't want everyone to fall apart.

Not again.

---

Note 2: My favorite part to write for this chapter was Pearl's reaction to the cotton candy. I love the idea of her power not really working like other mermaids and her having weird reactions to things, hence her eyes turning colors to the over powering sweetness of the candy.