"Please no, don't take me back to Ice flower, he'll be angry he'll hurt Cobalt." Opal pleads her voice riddled with terror, her expression copying that very same feeling, no doubt I would feel the same in her situation, whoever this guy is, the guy looking for me, he must be incredibly powerful to inspire this much fear in a genetic as powerful as Opal. Garnet had put a cuff on just one of her wrists, it makes it so she can't use her powers and with all of us here able to use our powers there's no chance of Opal escaping, even if she did manage to wiggle herself free of Garnet's grip.
"I'm sorry I can't do that, the officials at Ice flower want you to be placed under close watch and they have psychics ready to interrogate you. While you might have mental blocks put in place we have some of the most powerful psychics in this area, it won't take long for them to break one down. If you co-operate I'm sure you'll be able to go back to normal life soon enough. Now before we get back to Ice flower, who is Cobalt, is he the boy that was with you, the one that summoned the paintings?"
"Well yeah- but he only did it because I told him to! He wouldn't hurt anyone normally- welllllll ok maybe he would but he only attacked you guys because I told him to."
"What do you mean he 'might' hurt people normally?" Opal doesn't answer Garnet's question, instead the look of terror turns to a look that tells you that she isn't going to say anything.
"I don't care if you answer me or not, the psychics will get it out of you whether you want them to or not." Still Opal stays quiet, probably a first for her.
I can still feel the burn on my chest, with each movement it feels like a pin is being dragged across a small part of my chest, usually in multiple areas. Honestly I can kind of smell it, even in the air outside, burning flesh smells a lot like- well beef...in a frying pan- I'm actually quite concerned. Why does it give off a smell that makes me want to eat myself- ok ok that is weird, I'll admit that much, but it's true. Opal still remains defiant in her answering of questions, I guess she thinks she can take on the psychics.
"OH ummm I know it's not exactly the time but I have a gig later, with my band." Brock starts, his voice wavering slightly, awwww he's nervous.
"I just wanted to invite you guys before I forgot, I was gonna ask before we left but I mean that might have been worse timing, so do you guys wanna come or?"
"I'll go." I say raising my hand a little and holding up two fingers as if it would bring more attention to myself.
"YAY." Brock bounces up and down a little clapping.
"Anyone else?"
"Sorry dude, I gotta study."
"I can go, Lynx babe do you wanna go?"
"Sure haven't got anything else on."
"I'm gonna be helping Levi study, sorry man." Haven gives a small smile, it almost seems fake but at the same time genuine, it's hard to explain really.
"Okee, Garnet?"
"Sorry Brock, I gotta make sure Opal behaves herself at the interrogation, I'm sure you'll do amazing, another time perhaps?" Brock nods a little fast. It is going to be pretty cool, hearing Brock play whatever he plays, or even sing, I do have to admit.
"I wanna go, maybe big boss won't find me there." Great, she's speaking again.
"You're not going anywhere but the interrogation room."
"Meanie, I don't like you anymore glasses girl."
"Oh but you see, I never liked you in the first place so I'm not obligated to actually care." Opal goes back to silence, which by the way is amazing, who knew one person not talking would be so peaceful.
We keep walking, Opal being dragged by the wrist until we come to the school's gates, for some reason I get a strange feeling but I ignore it, after all nothing could really go wrong right now, not in school- ok maybe there has been some incidents in school but now surely not. Everyone starts to walk over to the dorms, save for myself and Brock along with Garnet, Garnet heads off in the direction of the main bulding, no doubt to bring Opal to the principal while myself and Brock start heading over to the nurse.
"Hey Brock what time's your gig?"
"About ten thirty."
"That's in like three hours, you sure you don't need to get ready for it?"
"Well not really, the other guys are setting up, I won a bet so I don't have to so all I really have to do is get changed and style my hair maybe, not too sure about that one."
"I think your hair looks awesome." It's incredibly hard keeping a straight face while it feels like a million tiny needles are being dragged across my chest but somehow I manage it, even a smile. He blushes a faint red and smiles wide.
"Thank you." His voice cracks a little as he says 'you' I bite my lip so I don't laugh which makes the pain in my chest a little worse. I mean don't get me wrong it's adorable, his voice cracking, but it's also funny, nobody ever really understands why.
"Do you think we could hurry up maybe? My chest hurts like a bi- bicycle."
"Bicycle?"
"Well I was gonna swear but then I figured you'd get mad."
"Oh right, yeah that's true." He nods in agreement his hair shifting slightly in the wind making it even more adorable. Awkward silence befalls us and we're just restricted to me trying not to scream in pain and keeping a straight face, something that is quite hard when you're not straight by the way, all while walking, Brock however having no pain- well none that I know about, while he walks, fucking show off.
"So..."
"Yeah."
"Awkward." I see the nurses building starting to come into view, dim light coming from inside.
"Umm Brock can we talk about- in fact nevermind."
"No no what is it?"
"I'll talk to you about it after your gig? I kinda think it's one of those longer conversations and we don't have the time right now." I say wincing a little as there's a sudden flash of pain in my chest that dulls to the regular feeling of nails being dragged across it.
"Okee whenever you want." He smiles looking into my eyes, I never really noticed but he has small dimples when he smiles, it's cute.
<><><><><><>
I move my hair from my face and back into my normal style, the wind having blown it out of place, plus gel and hairspray are over rated, unlike Brock I actually tried to look ok for this, after all there's a lot of people here, who knew Brock was so popular. My chest was basically healed however it was itchy as fuck, a little like sunburn but worse. I'm a little late, finding an outfit is hard ok? All I ended up throwing on is a white shirt and black jacket along with blue fitted jeans, they were uncomfortable but still I have to admit not too shabby considering I have horrible fashion sense.
Still I don't see Lynx or Ryder anyway so I just stand there waiting for Brock to come on stage, not only was I late but I made it so Brock was late too. It's his fault though, he insisted on waiting for me to change and stuff, obviously he hadn't expected me to take so long. Then I catch him walk onto the stage and up to the mic, confidently looking over the crowd.
"Hi this is our second gig, I think, so I hope you guys like what you hear and stuff I guess." He sounds nervous but confident at the same time, he keeps a large smile on his face the whole time. While he's talking I look at the other band members, Shocker is playing guitar, weird I never imagined him as a guitar player, well he's a prick so I don't imagine him doing anything that actually makes people like him but still, here we are. The guy on drums and the girl on piano I don't recognise, in fact I don't think they even go to Ice Flower.
"So the first song we'll be playing is called Read all about it and it's originally by Emile Sande and she's really good so if you have the time listen to some of her stuff." He turns and nods at the guy on drums and he starts playing a steady rhythm, Shocker and the girl follow as Brock picks up the mic and brings it closer to his lips.
"You've got the words to change a nation but you're biting your tongue, you've spent a lifetime stuck in silence afraid you'll say something wrong-" His voice is amazing, smooth and soothing, soft, hell I'd even go as far as saying calming. The song itself I've never heard but it sounds amazing.
"You've got a heart as loud as lions so why let your voice be tamed-" I do have to admit Shocker knows how to play the guitar really well.
"I wanna sing, I wanna shout, I wanna scream till the words dry out-" I zone out, not hearing anything else, just listening to the music, everything else becomes a blur.
"Let's get the tv and the radio to play our tune again, it's 'bout time we got some airplay of our version of events-" I feel something grab my shoulder and shake me slightly, I choose to ignore it instead watching the way Brock moves his hair out of his face, the smile on his face and the light behind his eyes, the way he holds the microphone, he just looks like he belongs on that stage, singing to people. The rest of the song drifts by lulling me into a serene trance like state. His voice, the music, it's beautiful. The shaking in my shoulder gets worse and I decide to finally pay attention turning only to be met by Ryder but not Lynx.
"Hey Dustin come with me?"
"Ummm sure what's up bro?"
"Oh nothing just come out there I wanna talk, make sure Lynx doesn't see you?" Weird.
"Ok... Is everything alright?"
"Yeah I just needed to ask you something." I follow behind him trying my best not to be seen by Lynx, wherever he is, why the hell am I doing this. Ryder leads me just outside the door and I lean against the wall looking at him.
"Ok I need you to-" He pauses glancing around the corner as if looking for someone, probably Lynx.
"Punch me, in the fat, stomach, anywhere, just punch me."
"What? Bro no, why would I do that?"
"Well I hurt you... I need you to hurt me to make up for it."
"No Ryder it's ok don't worry about it, I'm all healed look." I pull my shirt up to where he burned me revealing there to be nothing but a red patch of skin in the shape of a clawed hand.
"Yeah but I still hurt you Dustin, come on just punch me."
"Ok." I don't punch him, instead lightly tapping him on the shoulder with a closed fist.
"There."
"No Dustin, I meant really punch me, like as hard as you can."
"Ryder we both know I'm not going to do that bro." I turn to head back inside but he grabs my jacket and pulls me back.
"Dustin please, I need you to hurt me so I don't feel bad."
"You don't deserve it, you weren't in control, I'm not punching you Ryder." He quickly lifts his hand so his palm is pointed at the roof and he lets it set on fire providing more light in the area around us.
"Ok then if you won't then I'll just burn you now while I'm in control so then you will right?"
"What? No Ryder come on bro stop it."
"Please Dustin."
"Ryder I am not punching you, I'm not changing my mind."
"Why-" Lynx suddenly bursts through the door, for a brief moment I hear Brock singing again, he still sounds amazing.
"Hey what's going on, Ryder, why is your hand on fire." I decide to speak quickly before Ryder can even get a word out, no doubt he's going to lie, otherwise he wouldn't have made me try so hard not to be seen by Lynx.
"He was trying to get me to punch him bro, said he needed punishment for burning me." Ryder quickly looks at the floor not willing to meet Lynx's eyes.
"Ryder no- you don't- you don't need punishing." Lynx turns to me malice in his eyes.
"Did you punch him?"
"No, hell no I would never." Lynx just nods and turns back to Ryder.
"Ryder, listen to me, you don't need to be punished, I'm sure Dustin forgives you."
"Yeah, bro no worries."
"See, look Ryder, you weren't in control, you can't control that side of you yet that's not your fault, you're still learning, just like we all are."
"Yeah but I hurt him, he's my friend and I could have killed him." Oh my god did he just- call me his friend? Thank fuck I finally have more than a couple friends. I refrain from pumping my fist, not the time.
"Yeah but you didn't kill him did you?"
"Pretty sure I'm still alive and well bro." I poke my face deciding to use it as an example, you can't touch a ghost...wait can a ghost touch a ghost... ok maybe not the best example then.
"I still hurt you Dustin, how can you even tolerate me let alone be friendly right now?"
"Well it's like you said, we're friends right?" I am never getting over the fact that he actually said that.
"Well yeah but-"
"But nothing, I'm your friend, I forgive you, shit happens no worries bro." Lynx turns and gives a me a small smile before embracing Ryder.
"I love you Ryder."
"I love you too Lynx. Thanks Dustin."
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AN: Hey sorry it's been a while, but I've been a mess lately so sorry about that, hopefully I'll be able to update more often from now on, hope you enjoyed the chapter
Mortacai aesthetic^^^