The Pearl

Stage 12: Introductions and Insecurities

Lynn has to stop with her controlling thing, especially since we have a pretty long way to go until we reach the others. Ever since I told her about my pin and the strange "two-gender" people that gave me it (and Zach, but that's not really important), she's been bombarding me with questions. I've gotten annoyed several times, but Lynn must've sensed it somehow and changed my mood to bright and cheery.

"Was one of the people who handed you the objects have black hair maybe up to," she gestures right under her chin, "here? Oh and a little pale? Gray eyes? A higher left eyebr-"

"I didn't really pay that much attention," I admit. She grunts and lights out a remorseful sigh. I can feel my emotions becoming gloomy. I roll my eyes but don't say anything; it wasn't her fault she was born this way. "Who is he anyway?" This time I make her blush.

"Just a friend," she mutters simply. I laugh sarcastically, showing that I knew that I knew she was lying but wouldn't attack her for it. She meets my eyes and I instantly feel bad, but I've encountered her powers one too many times to realize what was real and what was not. I try to ignore the growing feeling until I just let it consume me and make me apologize. Lynn nods in approval.

It was a long, tiring walk-probably because of Lynn-but Manda, Iimura, and Jett were finally in sight. Jett was pacing as Amanda followed right behind him, screaming. Iimura glances in desperation and anger all around her, even getting up in an effort to find me. "I'm here!!" I yell. When Lynn sees them, I feel nervousness bubble up in me. "It's okay," I assure Lynn, "they won't hurt you." Unless I tell them to, I think viciously. Their heads whirl in my direction in unison, and Amanda immediately runs and jumps of the ledge, blowing air up from under her to cushion her fall. Jett smoothly shoots toward me like a black-haired superman, and Iimura just cries with joy since she obviously couldn't move.

I open my mouth to explain, but I was interrupted by two bodies crashing into me, squishing me in a tight hug. Amanda pulls away for a second with a gasp. "We have to get Mura," she says as she sprints back to Iimura. Jett quickly breaks apart just as Manda does. His eyes turn to slits when he spots Lynn, who impressively was standing casually with a hip jutted out, examining her cuticles. After a few seconds obviously planned just to piss Jett off, Lynn raises her eyes to meet Jett's, blinks twice, and goes back to what she was doing before.

I struggle not to burst into giggles, to which Lynn looks toward me while giving a small, proud, and arrogant grin.

"And this is?" Jett says in a tone that was far from friendly. I elbow him lightly, but he obviously keeps stubbornly glaring at Lynn, to which she doesn't acknowledge. But I could tell that Lynn was holding down her anger; I could feel it flowing in waves onto me.

"Jett-"

"My name is Lynn Fyre." She jerks her head up and juts her chin haughtily at Jett. He stands there with his jaw wide open, not embarrased by what just happened at all.

Amanda finally comes from behind me, carrying Iimura on her back. A little air jet supports Iimura and helps Manda carry her. I internally giggle at the thought of having gusts of wind propelled into my ass.

Okay. Keilani. Stop. It's not funny.

A rebel snicker escapes my mouth.

Maybe just a little bit funny. "What is it?" Amanda asks in what seems like a mixture of an offended and demanding tone. Iimura carefully lowers herself onto the ground, all the while with a raised eyebrow in my direction.

"Nothing, nothing." I manage to pull off a straight face. Immeadiatly after I the words fly out, Manda and Iimura spot Lynn facing off Jett.

"Uhhh," Iimura drawls, questioningly looking over at the other two. The atmosphere turned tense, every single one of us staring down someone else. Jett still has his mouth in an 'o' shape, only he's asking questions to Lynn. Crazy questions, like her shoe size, barber's name, if she could sign his abs...