Chapter eight: The Color of Two
The wood of practice swords connected. With a snap, it flew out of a young girl's hands, landing in in the sand a few feet away. The opponent didn't relent, the sword snapping against her stomach next. With an oof she stumbled backwards into the sand.
"Come on Clancy!" Etihvv whined. They slung the fake sword over their thin shoulder. With a turn of their heel they collapsed down next to her. For a moment they were quiet. It didn't stay that way long as laughter bubbled from their lips. "Is it just me, or are you getting weaker?"
"No. You're just getting stronger." Clancy pushed them.
"Nah, you're just getting weaker." Etihvv teased, laughing louder. They swung the practice sword again, lightly tapping her where they hit earlier. "You gotta practice more." With a grunt, Clancy sat up. She could feel the sand trickling down her back, resting in the wrinkles of her practice clothes.
"I've got to get going, I'm on cleaning duty again." She sighed loudly. Pulling Etihvv up, Clancy went to retrieve the lost practice sword. Slashing the weapon through the air, she could feel its power extending through her muscles. "Next time for sure! I'll get out of cleaning duty!" She jabbed the sword in the air.
Etihvv laughed again, a melody mixing with the wind. Clancy joined in, the laughter bouncing against the golden sand dunes.
"Etihvv?" Vermillion took a step forward. Her eyes were wide, mouth agape. It was impossible. There was no way that they could be standing here. Yet, there they were; leaning over the Cleanser. Stumbling forward on unsteady feet, Vermillion tried to make her way towards them.
There was a wordless scream. The sword was red, but it wasn't fast enough. All she could see were the disgusting, twisted backs of Dead-Colors. Run. Run. Run.
Her body wouldn't move, hand twitching uselessly towards Etihvv. Despite knowing that she wasn't there, at the fall of her home, her mind just wouldn't recognize it. The ground wasn't cold marble anymore, but instead the shifting sands; glittering white under a bleached out sky. The domed walls of the Chroma room unfolded to a blank desert. Sand as far as the eyes could see. It was like she was the only person there.
Can't breathe; it was like something was constricting her lungs. Each breath was a difficult journey with an unfulfilling reward, only for the process to repeat. Someone was calling her name. Merle or Etihvv? She couldn't tell, the voice shifting between the two's. One second it was feminine but low (Merle) the next it was a haunting whisper of the dead.
"Clancy?"
"Vermillion?"
A mummer along the wind. It drew her attention. She wasn't transformed anymore but, when had it disappeared? Clancy couldn't remember. Her mind was racing too fast, eyes darting across the desert. There was danger, but where? Why couldn't she locate it? No matter how much she looked, how much her chest heaved; she couldn't breathe, couldn't see it.
A louder gust of words. It was definitely her name. Clancy couldn't place the voice as it was ever changing. The winds usually were like that. Something gripped her shoulder. She screamed.
The mirage (not hallucination she'd never use the word) fell apart, the walls erected themselves; solid ground settled beneath her flats; the gray ceiling replaced the washed out blue. Etihvv's hand gripped her upper arm hard. The hand was gray. With a strangled yell and shove, they fell to the floor. Clancy backed away, chest heaving for air. She still felt like she wasn't getting any, lungs burning for relief.
"You can't be here!" She finally screamed. Another mirage. They couldn't be here. They couldn't be here. The thought ran over and over in her head. Because she left. Ran away. Fled. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes. It was always so realistic and always ended the same.
"What are you talking about?" Etihvv stepped back. "I'm right here."
There was a wordless scream. Run. Run. Run.
"Even if you abandoned me I'm still here." Etihvv gripped Clancy's hand hard enough to leave bruises. "You traitor."
Clancy glided through the castle in a daze. The people went on with their lives around her, oblivious to what was happening. No, not oblivious; there was a tension in their shoulders, in their frantic movements. Clancy passed through them like a ghost. She couldn't focus on anything, her feet moving on their own.
The large, ornate doors to the Chroma room came to sight. They were slightly ajar. The guards to the sides lay in a pool of their own sticky, black blood. Clancy stepped over them, a calloused hand pushing a thick door open.
She felt like her hand should have stained the holy door; have given some proof she was there, that she wasn't supposed to be there. But, all that happened was a slight squeak and the brush of cold air on sweaty skin. There was a long hallway, not a domed room. She passed through it quickly. There was nothing on the walls, no windows, no art; nothing. All it was, was an ordinary hall leading to an ordinary door that was slightly open as well.
It opened easily. She should have been shaking in fear, or feeling something, anything, because she entered the holy room without permission. Because she left all her comrades to die like Etihvv. But, all she felt was a numbness. A numbness and a slight pull at her abdomen. A pull that led her here.
There were only three Pigments floating around the room. The other four were with the current cures: Sienna, Lilac, Indigo, and Citrine. Etihvv should have had theirs but, the ceremony got interrupted. Just seeing the red Pigment made her feel like her insides had been carved out. There was no other way to describe the hollowness she felt.
A man stood in the middle of the room. He was impossibly tall and draped in a heavy, black coat. The hood was lined in a thick fluff that covered the most of the back of his head. At the creak of the door he looked her way. Monochrome. The thick fluff of the jacket hid his expression as well as most of the bottom of his face. Sharp, curled bangs almost covered his eyes. While his hair was black, the tips were white as if dipped in paint.
She expected him to say something. Maybe kill her where she stood, but all he did was turn. Was she so insignificant that she didn't matter? Was it that he couldn't be bothered to rid of her? Clancy could almost laugh. None of this really mattered. She should feel something standing in the same room as the enemy, but again; nothing. No palpitations in her heart. No gasps. Just a dull pain in the hollowness.
The Pigments spun in the room, their lights dancing across the curved walls. There were large gaps where the missing Pigments would have been. The blue Pigment passed overhead and an immense sadness weighed on Clancy.
That should have been hers. The pair to the red Pigment. The pair to Etihvv's.
"Well Queen," Monochrome's voice was oddly smooth. "This is the end. Surrender and we won't have to kill any more of your people."
The green Pigment passed over head. Surrender? Death? Etihvv's limp body came to mind. They hit the ground. They don't get back up. Run. Run. Run.
"You cannot have the Pigments." The Queen's voice was youthful. They were total opposites, Monochrome draped in blacks and grays (true to his namesake) while the Queen wore white and was adorned in the colors of the Pigments. She was the youngest queen yet as well, barely 20 and had not been enthroned for more than half a year. Then this happened. "The Land of Canvases guards the Pigments, keeps the-"
"Enough." Monochrome sharply silenced her. "We both grew up on those tales. We both know what they do. I am giving you a chance to surrender, to save your people's lives."
The red Pigment passed close. Clancy's eyes latched onto the stone. The battle went on between the Queen and Monochrome. Her fingers reach up to touch the Pigment. This was theirs. This was supposed to be theirs. Etihvv.
Her hand curled around it.
Red. A second later and everything was red. Fire curled under skin, ignited veins. It lit in an empty belly, burned everything inside to a crisp. Passion. Anger. Courage. Rage. Determination. Radiance. Clancy could feel the inferno of those feelings under her skin. She gasped, feeling embers light up her throat. It should hurt. She should be screaming as it felt like she was on fire. But, she didn't. The emotions passed through her like wraiths, the haze of red dissipating.
Both the Queen and Monochrome turned to Clancy. Their attention directed solely on her. The Queen moved first. Raising her staff, the bright, clear crystal on top shone. Monochrome barely had time to pivot before he was encased in a bright, iridescent cage. "Quickly! Grab the other Pigments!" The Queen ordered.
Numbly, Clancy obeyed. She barely had time to grab the blue Pigment before the cage shattered. The crystal substance turned dull and gray like stone and shattered against the colorful floor. Monochrome whirled on the Queen, his hand grasping her throat.
Clancy turned from the fight and ran. A scream echoed around, high pitched and feminine. It was followed by a primal roar of something. She covered her ears and continued to run.
Merle was beyond confused. She tensely stood on the sidelines watching with wide eyes as the person (Etihvv?) accused Clancy of being traitor. She bristled at the comment, how dare they! Clancy worked harder than anyone else to restore her home. Had put her life on the line multiple times, here and on Earth.
"Trai…tor? No… no that's-" Merle had never heard Clancy stutter so much. It was like the words were too difficult for her to get out. "Is this a joke?"
"It'd be a pretty nasty joke if it was one." As Etihvv (she was sure that was their name) stepped forward, Clancy moved back. "You abandoned us Clancy, left us to die!"
"I-I," her voice was ragged.
"How could you do that? You left me!" They didn't relent as they stepped into her personal space. "I thought we were friends and you left me!"
Merle was rooted to the spot. Her hands balled into fists, biting into her thighs. The one holding the Pigment stung, but the pain was little to what she felt welling in her heart. This person… just who were they? Who did they think they are? But, as much as she willed her body to move, to confront this person, the limbs wouldn't respond.
"Etihvv-"
"It's a good thing I didn't really die Clancy. At least," the colors dripped like water from their skin and clothes, "not the way you think." The colors washed away leaving a completely gray scaled person in its wake. Once the droplets hit the floor they dissipated into smoke. Unlike Anneis and Tessur, Etihvv was completely gray, silver eyes narrowed where the others were brown.
It was the final straw. Clancy tried to mouth words, a plea maybe, but all that came out was silence. She fell to the floor. It was the final straw for Merle as well. Finally, her legs moved. She ran across the room, stopping just shy of the fallen girl. Etihvv narrowed their eyes at her, slightly backing away. Even then, Merle could sense the rage coming from them.
"I was always working with Monochrome, Clancy." Etihvv talked on as if Merle wasn't there, and maybe in their eyes she wasn't. "I thought we could be friends despite that yet-"
"Shut up. You don't get to speak to her like that." There was no time to be surprised or astonished at the fact that she snapped at the newcomer. If anything, Merle was surprised at the venom that dripped from the words. It was like someone was speaking for her because there was no way this bravery was hers.
"Who the hell are you?" Etihvv reached behind them. For the first time, Merle noticed a sheath strapped to them. A sword? Who had a sword in this day and age?
"It-It doesn't matter," she stumbled over the words. As quick as the bravado came, it went.
"A bystander then? Get out of the way." The thin light reflected off the blade as it was pulled out. The hilt was ornate, trimmed with darker, silver designs and the blade itself was sharp without a hint of mar. "Or would you prefer to die now than later?"
"I'm not a bystander… I'm Clancy's friend." The words dropped in volume till Merle was practically whispering. What was she doing? Why couldn't she speak correctly? If only she could tell this person off... if only she could speak correctly once. "And- and you're going to stop talking to her like that." Merle could barely get the words out.
"Speak up a little, I can't hear you."
"I said-"
"I was kidding. No one here actually cares what you have to say." Etihvv sneered. "Not out of my way." The cold side of the blade slapped against Merle's fore arm. With a jolt, she stumbled to the right. Her heart battered against her ribs, threatening to break the bones. That was a real sword. Merle could practically envision how her blood would look on the blade.
"Clancy, give me your Pigment and we can continue like this never happened." At the words, Clancy lifted her head. Her eyes seemed vacant, as if they weren't looking directly at Etihvv, but instead through them. She made no other move to show she heard them. The red Pigment dangled from her neck, a bright red in the otherwise dim room.
Pigment! The thought hit Merle like a train. She had to recover the blue Pigment. But, seeing how close Etihvv stood next to Clancy sent shivers down her spine. Slowly, Merle backed away. Her eyes stayed glued to the pair as she methodically moved backwards. Stay calm, work out a plan. As Cure Aero she stood a chance… at least she hoped so.
"Etihvv…" Clancy dropped her head.
"Come on. Give me the Pigment."
Unfurling her own stone, ugly red lines cut into her palm where she held it too hard, Merle looked to the Cleanser. It was a short, flat podium with seven indentions in the top. Each hole seemed to be the size for a Pigment. With a sharp breath, she shoved the Pigment into the closest one. Energy pulsed at once. It felt like she was at the beach. In this case, it was energy she felt instead of water. Like a wave it lapped gently at her hand. It drew her closer, the foaminess tickling her palm. The energy itself traveled like a shiver over her body, engulfing her.
For a few moments she was lost in the feeling. Clancy and Etihvv were talking, but she couldn't make sense of it.
"Did you ever care… about our home?" Clancy's voice broke, "did you care about any of us?" Merle caught the words through the radio fuzz that was the energy. Even from this distance she could see the fat, heavy tears drip down Clancy's cheeks. They plodded against the tiles looking surprisingly small.
"Of course… but you ruined that."
That was it. Merle ripped the Pigment from the podium. The energy ceased to pulse, instead flowing like a river beside her veins. At the noise, Etihvv turned. Their eyes widened once they landed on what was in Merle's hand. "The other Pigment?"
"Pretty Cure! Primer and Gloss!" The familiar feeling of water cascading down her body was a relief. But, it didn't quench the rage she felt inside. Never had Merle felt like this. It was like she was burning from the gut, the fire threatening to engulf her soul. With more force than necessary, Aero slammed a heel against the floor, relishing in the crack that happened. "The color of the unforgiving Earth! Cure Aero!"
"Cure Aero?" Etihvv tensed. "So you aren't just some bystander."
"I told you! I'm Clancy's friend!" Aero shouted the words. How's that for volume, she seethed. Her heart drummed in her ears. Unlike the Dead-Colors, this was a person. Someone like Clancy; trained in combat.
"I don't care for cheap words," Etihvv grinned. They dropped into a defensive position, readying for any attack. Aero didn't move at first. This was different. Silver eyes stared through her as if she wasn't worth the time. A splinter of fear wormed its way through her heart. If she attacked them, she knew for a fact they'd deal twice the damage. It was in the vibe they gave off, in their off kilter gaze.
In a flash they disappeared.
On instinct Aero pushed back.
Something silver flashed through the dim air. The ground where she stood crumbled. A large, black scar opened in the floor engulfing a part of the room. Etihvv reappeared a second later. Their feet barely touched the ground before they disappeared again. Where are they? They're gone? How? What's happening? The thoughts jumbled in Aero's mind. She felt a tremble of energy to the left. Dodging again, the silver flashed tearing into the ground.
Aero landed quicker this time. Pushing off her toes, she launched to the reappearing Etihvv. The sword glinted in their hand, glowing with silver energy. Her feet barely hit the ground before she dodged to the right. Etihvv made no move. The sword was idly held in a lax hand. Landing across the room, she gulped for air. It's barely been a minute, and no attacks on her part, but she couldn't get enough air.
"You can't fight if you're afraid. Or… are you just being cautious?" Etihvv taunted, slashing the sword through the air. Aero braced, ready to dodge. But, no weird silver energy appeared. With a sinking feeling in her gut, Aero knew they were right. Her eyes were drawn to the blade. The thought of it ripping through her skin… no. She could picture it dripping red instead of silver. The feeling made her insides twist so much she could retch.
But, Clancy. She risked a look towards her. The girl was slumped, but still sitting. Like before, she was a puppet with its strings cut. Slumped with no life within. Distraught, heart broken, destroyed, Aero could see the emotions etched into the girl's form.
Before she could call out to her there was a silver flash. Aero dodged backwards, the blade missing her by mere centimeters. The air from the attack brushed against her skin, a testament to how close it they were. Etihvv took another stance, body more rigid than before as they blocked Aero's view of Clancy. Finally, she called out to the other cure. Clancy didn't move, didn't respond.
Aero launched a counterattack. Her fist cut through the air, missing Etihvv. They slid to the left and slashed downward with their sword. Merle dodged, moving to recover. It was becoming a routine; dodge, dodge, and dodge. There were no openings to even get close to hit them.
In another silver flash Etihvv was gone. Aero jumped to the side, watching with fear as the ground came up in torrents. As always, they landed amidst the wreckage and moved to chase her down. Aero guided them away from Clancy. Leap by leap. If she didn't have the strength (or will) to fight, then she'd keep this away from her. It was the least Aero could do.
Her glove split in half. Blood spurt from her forearm. Aero screamed. Her feet caught the latest scar on the floor sending her sprawling. Blood pulsed and wept from arm. Aero grasped the cut with her other hand, the pain making her shout again. It did little to staunch the wound.
This was serious. They were going to kill her. It hit her a second time. This wasn't some game. This wasn't like with Dead-Colors where she was protected. This was a real fight. Etihvv rushed forward, their flats slapping the ground the only sound. Aero barely had time to stumble back, dodging the blade. Her mind was as frantic as her movements. She scarcely moved out of the way over and over. The sword grazed her other forearm, a searing hot pain driving her backwards.
They were trying to trap her, Aero realized. Each slash, expertly handled, made her move in reverse. The wall of the doomed room neared her fleeing back. At the last second, she ducked down. The blade sunk into the wall with barely a sound. Etihvv struggled with pulling their sword out, yanking to no avail. Aero's body moved on autopilot, cutting from the wall and towards Clancy. She hadn't moved an inch during this whole action, unless you counted curling up. Her head practically touched the floor, her hair a blonde curtain to hide her face.
"Clancy, come on." Aero slid to the ground. She wrung her hands, bloody hands she dully noted, on the unresponsive girl's shoulders. Giving her a good shake, Aero tried to bring her back to the real world. "You have to get up. We have to go." Distress made the words come out faster than intended. But, Aero didn't notice that. "Get up."
The only response was a laugh. It came from Clancy, but it didn't sound like her. She lifted her head, dull eyes staring blankly forward. In a shaking hand, a necklace hung. The Pigment swung from her fingertips; dull. With the blue Pigment, it looked as if there was something shining beneath, a hidden radiance behind corrupted stone, but that wasn't the case with the red Pigment. There was no color to it at all, like someone had chiseled some gravel to be Pigment shaped. No elegance, no radiance; nothing.
"I wanted to be the knight. I wanted to defeat the evil. But, I just help them over and over again."
"What- What happened?" Trembling hands grasped Clancy's. Blood smeared against the girl's skin, but Aero doubted she cared. "Why is-"
"I never deserved to be a Pretty Cure." Clancy's voice was surprisingly steady. Yet, there was no hint of emotion there. "Someone who abandons her teammates doesn't deserve anything."
"What are you talking about?" Aero chocked the words out.
"I wouldn't say that," Etihvv laughed, "you deserve to have the chance to make up for your mistakes."
Aero's head snapped up at the sound. Whirling around, she looked up to meet Etihvv's gaze. She never had to look up to meet someone's eyes before, being extremely tall cut out the need for that, but, kneeling there with Clancy and having to look up, another splinter of fear struck against her insides.
"You-"
"Don't speak unless you know what went on there, Aero." Etihvv punctured the sentence with a swift kick. The pain resounded through her body. She shot to the side, slamming into the ground. The ground broke as she collided, air leaving her lungs in a woosh every time she bounced. Coming to a stop, lying there numbly, she couldn't help but think if she wasn't Aero, then she'd be dead.
"This can't even be considered a fight. Not like that one, right?" The question was directed not to Aero, but instead Clancy. She seemed to slump to the floor more. Her hand cradled the dead Pigment with little care.
This couldn't be happening. Clancy's heart rammed in her chest, blared in her ears. Etihvv ran next to her, one hand on their sword. Their real one. Her own hand rested on hers, the hilt digging into a sweaty palm. The rest of the platoon was already fighting, scattered across the battlefield. As far as the eye could see and more Dead-Colors roamed the area, stomping their feet, soaring through the air.
"We have to find Sienna!" Etihvv leapt over a large hole. They never slowed. Clancy nodded and cut across the field. Eyes scanned the area for the orange clad cure, but all she could see was gray. Gray, black, white; the colors of the Gray-Scaled Kingdom blanketed the desert. This… this is what she'd been training for. Etihvv unsheathed their sword and pointed towards the horizon. Over the cacophony of battle they screamed-"There! She's over there!"
Cure Sienna flipped over a Dead-Color. Orange dust swirled in a torrent, swallowing it. She landed with a pose, her pigtails flaring behind in an unfelt wind.
"Cure Sienna," Clancy heaved the name out. After running that whole distance she was out of breath. Sienna turned, orange eyes narrowed.
"Slow them down. Not one passes." She ordered. With that, Sienna ran off, orange dust trailing behind. Stop an entire army. The ground quaked beneath as if mocking them. Clancy's breaths came out as gasps. The sword in her hand slipped out. I can't do this. I can't do this. I can't d- Etihvv gripped her shoulder, their hand shaking like a leaf in a storm.
"We're rookies. We can't do anything," Clancy's voice broke. A peal of thunder sounded across the field. You couldn't escape the sounds of battle; Dead-Color screams and Cure attacks heavy through the air. "We have to…" have to what? Etihvv gripped her shoulder harder.
"As the newest Pretty Cure, I have to do something," Etihvv whispered. Their face steeled, their hand stopped shaking. A Dead-Color advanced towards the two. Slowly, it lumbered. A sword pointed in its direction; a challenge. "Clancy, we have to try." Despite the confident stance Etihvv wore, their voice was hollow. Clancy slipped to her knees. She felt like retching. The smell of smoke and paint filled the air.
I can't.
I'm scared.
The Dead-Color took one last step and raised a meaty arm. It brought it down, slamming the ground where Etihvv once stood. They spun through the air, sword glinting with energy. A slip of red cut into the Dead-Color, the ground behind it breaking as well and with a flash, it was gone.
The scar in the ground was still there.
'If I can do it, so can you,' Etihvv had proudly stated not even an hour ago. The ceremonial robes swirled around them, yards of fabric swishing against marble floors. 'If someone like me can become a Pretty Cure then you definitely can.' They picked at the bright, red sash across their chest. Did they really say that today? It felt like forever since it happened.
Clancy frantically pawed at the desert sands, trying to find her sword. Her resolve hardened. Lurching to her feet, sword gripped hard in her hands, she scanned the battlefield. There was no end to targets. They had to destroy each and every one. A final stand. She wanted to cry.
A cat like Dead-Color slunk forward. Its claws dug into the soft sands. The smirk all cats wear was proud on its face. Even if she wasn't a Pretty Cure, Clancy could do something. The beast jumped forward. Clancy slashed the sword through the air. A slice of colorless energy sped forward meeting the cat midair. Etihvv took the cue and cut with their own sword. Another one cleansed. "Hope for the best Clancy, we're gonna lose the fight if you don't." Etihvv outstretched a hand.
"We're doing this as a team."
"As a team." Clancy took the outstretched hand. The ground quaked again, the many cuts in the ground growing larger. In the corner of her eye, something black moved. Letting go of the hand, she blocked the strike. Distorted limbs clasped the blade. The Dead-Color leaned forward, pushing its weight into the attack. Etihvv was a flash in dismembering it.
A team, the two of them couldn't go down if they were a team.
The Dead-Color let out a scream, the smell of paint coated the air. Clancy blocked another attack. The two quickly fell into a messed up routine. Block. Stop. Dismember. Block. Stop. Cleanse. Red energy flared across the gray scared fields. Heat and fire was a constant companion, scorching through the enemies. Like a snake, Etihvv slipped into the chaos. Striking from below, striking from the sides, they constantly waited for an opportunity.
Red energy dripped from their blade and seemed to fall from their skin. The energy stained their face, their clothes. Fitting as they were the new Cure Vermillion. A flash of orange drew Clancy's attention. Cure Sienna stopped three Dead-Colors with a wall of orange energy. She seemed to hold it for a second before it shattered like spun glass. She collapsed to the ground, transformation flickering.
"Sienna!" Clancy's scream was lost in another.
She turned. The world slowed. Etihvv twisted in the air, mouth agape. Their sword was red, but it wasn't fast enough.
Things lurched fast forward. Four Dead-Colors swarmed them, throwing them to the ground. Etihvv didn't have time to scream again.
"…Etihvv?" If the world wasn't gray already, it would have been then. The Dead-Colors overtook the limp body, hiding it from view. All she could see were the disgusting, twisted backs of Dead-Colors. She called out their name again. But, in her hollow chest, she knew. She knew they weren't getting up. Even if she called their name, they would not respond. The thought overtook everything.
Etihvv wasn't getting up.
Her feet were moving before she could register it. Numb. Her whole body felt numb like she was not fully there.
"Now come on, give me your Pigment. You don't need it," their tone was surprisingly gentle. A honeyed deception. The world spun before Aero's eyes, but even then she could pinpoint exactly where the prick was. "It was mine originally too you know, think of this as giving it back to its owner."
What? Aero struggled out of the crater. Every muscle screamed in protest, her arms especially. The blood still hadn't stopped. It splattered against the tiles as the blue clad cure strained to drag herself up. The world spun, but it wasn't due to the kick. Who cared about whose Pigment it was originally, it didn't matter. The thought sluggishly came to her along with a few choice curses.
"I can't believe you corrupted it yourself," laughter rang out through the room, "maybe you're one of us too Clancy!" There was an eerie, cheerful note to their voice.
"She's nothing like you!" Aero gritted the words out. But, there was that little uncertainty. Something inside faltered; her belief, her trust, her heart; she didn't believe in Clancy. Couldn't fully trust her.
The Pigment swung freely around Etihvv's fingers.
The little shard of doubt fully cemented, Aero's heart dropped.
In a blink, Etihvv gripped Aero by the collar. They heaved her upward till they were eye to eye. An off kilter smile stretched across their face. "Guess you were wrong huh, she betrayed you just like she did me."
Aero couldn't get a word in. Silver energy spilled from Etihvv's hands and collected at their fingertips. "I'll get rid of this for you Clancy!" Their hands turned a bright silver. The last thing Aero saw was a silver glare.
How long would she have to deal with this? The scrapes on her face didn't hurt much, at least not compared to the scrapes on her soul. For the umpteenth time Clancy cursed her eyes. How they were silver. How they were the banner of the enemy. She sniffled and shrunk tighter into a small ball.
"Why are you sitting all the way over here?" The voice drew Clancy from her thoughts. She looked up from her drawn up legs and saw a kid. They had messy white hair that curled from the sides of their hair and dark, brown skin.
"It's none of your business." Clancy curtly replied. She promptly sank back into her knees. If she spoke anymore she was afraid her voice would crack.
"Well… if someone's in pain I'm gonna make it my business!" The kid responded quickly.
"Go away," the muffled voice said. Why couldn't this kid leave? Clancy just wanted to cry in peace and go home. Even at the Pretty Cure base she was picked on. And the other kids were right. Someone with silver eyes couldn't become a Pretty Cure and shouldn't be allowed to even try.
"You've got silver eyes," the voice cut deep. Clancy froze. Almost instinctively she curled tighter, trying to blot out the next words. No doubt it'd be another taunt. Why couldn't they leave her alone? "I've got silver eyes too!"
Those… weren't the words she expected. Looking up, with a sniffle, Clancy noted that it was true. They did. Bright, silver eyes that shone with joy. The kid dropped to their knees, leaning till they were a hair's breadth away.
"We both got silver eyes… so that means we should both be friends!" A smile stretched across the kids face. Clancy leaned back, but her back pressed against the tiled wall. She'd picked a pretty terrible place to curl up in; the corner. There was no way to back away to get some air.
"My names Etihvv! What's yours?"
She didn't answer at first. Finally, with a hesitant smile, she whispered, "Clancy."
Afterword: This chapter gave me so much trouble! I rewrote it and rewrote it and deleted scenes and rearranged paragraphs. I'm almost proud of how it came out… almost.
Do I repeat diction a lot? I feel like I do, but I'm not sure. If you want to leave a review / constructive criticism of how to get better, or if I repeat diction, I would really appreciate it! Till then later~