Bk2 Ch.4 Midnight escape - part.1

Ruby and Sapphire ran through the forest, with Mora close on their heels. They swerved through trees, while gun shots sounded close behind.

Sapphire: Ruby, keep running! I've got an idea.

Ruby nodded her head, and continued sprinting. Sapphire got a cinnamon bomb (that she "borrowed" earlier), set it off, and threw it to the ground. Almost in an instant it exploded and the golden dust was all around her. She ran after Ruby as the UnMythic guards came closer.

Ruby: What did you do?

Sapphire: Once upon a time, a jerk thought it would be fun to push a young girl off a rocky cliff. They didn't realize, however, the awesome thief skills of the young girl, and lost a few cinnamon grenades that day.

Ruby: ...

Sapphire: ... And that is why they shouldn't ever annoy me.

They kept running, while the UnMythics got lost in their own weapon.

Midnight, Sunshine, Barak and the rest of the Vampires in GemRock village stayed underground.

Midnight: So... Sunshine, was it? How did you manage to get into this adventure party of ours?

Sunshine: Well, I was just walking alone in Everwinter forest (a little lost, to be honest), and I found a red kangaroo in deep thought. I asked for directions to your village, she gave them, asked what I was doing with the Moon crystal I was holding, and... kinda dragged me to her house.

Midnight: I see...

Sunshine: Why do you ask?

Midnight: Well, we never... properly introduced ourselves until now.

Sunshine: I guess there was always something in the way.

Midnight: Yes. There was...

Midnight looked hard into Sunshine's eyes. They locked gazes, not speaking for a while.


Fang: HEY GUYS!!! What are you doing?

Midnight quickly hit Fang, which sent him flying across the dark room.

Midnight: FANG!!! How many times has Ruby said to NEVER surprise people unless ordered to!?

Fang: (other side of room) Uh... never?

Midnight: Well, she should! You could kill someone with that power!

Fang scurried back over to the cheetahs.

Fang: It's not a power - it's a common skill among spiders. It usually only works on little kids and girls, though... and sometimes other animals.

Midnight: Power, skill, talent... whatever. All the same thing.

Narrator: Actually, there is a difference-

Fang: Be quiet, up there. No one cares!

Narrator: ...

Sunshine: Uh, who are you talking to, little spider?

Fang: My name isn't little spider! It's Fang! And I'm-... no, you wouldn't believe me. I'm out of here.

And without anyone noticing much, Fang scurried quietly away.

Sunshine: ... Is Ruby's pet always like that?

Midnight: I don't know if she thinks of him as a pet. Maybe a weapon or a tool, but not a pet.

Sunshine: Interesting...

Midnight: She's weird. But I guess that's a side effect to being a normal(ish) villager girl.

Sunshine: How so?

Midnight: The most obvious is that she goes after friends and family, even when it's better just to leave them behind.

Sunshine: That's not true - while, yes... sometimes, someone may seem helpless, having no strength in anything... but looks can be deceiving.

Midnight: Maybe, but Sapphire will put us in more danger one of these days.

Sunshine: ... Something tells me you like her.

Midnight: Oh, you girls and your jumping to conclusions... that's it, I'm off. So long, snowy.

And so saying so Midnight padded away into the darkness, and out of sight. The beat of wings suggested that Barak was following close behind.

Meanwhile, Ruby and Sapphire were trying to climb over the wall of GemRock.

Ruby: Come on, hurry up! Before the UnMythics find us...

Sapphire: Well, I would if my feet weren't injured.

Ruby: Fine, I'll give you a boost.

Sapphire: Don't forget Mora

Ruby: Kinda hard not to...

Ruby helped get Sapphire over, and then passed on Mora before following her. They dashed towards the center as quickly as they could, but an explosion on the other side of the village made them stop.

Ruby: Quickly, we have to get to the hideout!

Sapphire: Too late...

UnMythics could be seen charging towards them, so the cousins and hound hid in a nearby house, mostly empty.

Ruby: (whispering) Now we just have to hope they pass us...

After a minute, they heard a commotion outside. Curious, Sapphire opened the door, and peeked out. She was surprised to see Midnight, battling the UnMythics alongside Barak, who was blasting them off into the forest by the dozen.

Sapphire: (whispering) What are you waiting for, Ruby? Don't tell me you did all that training at your Lord's mansion for weeks just so you could hide in the dark, letting your friends do all the dirty work!

Ruby: (whispering) I don't know what you're talking about.

Sapphire indicated for Ruby to come and look. She did so, and sighed as she saw Midnight. She darted out of the house and joined the fray.

Midnight: Hello, Ruby. So glad you could join us!

Ruby: What took you so long to get out of the shadows?

Midnight: Nothing. Came out of my own free will.

Ruby: Heh, free will, eh?

Midnight: Is there a problem with that?

Ruby: No, no of course not... but let's discuss this when our lives are not in danger, please.

Barak: Couldn't agree more! Leete gat theme! (Let's get them!)

They battled for a few more minutes, but the UnMythics were in far greater numbers. Suddenly, a voice cried out to Ruby and Midnight.

???: LOOK OUT!!!

Ruby and Midnight instantly dived for the ground, as a cinnamon bomb exploded.