Crystal Legacy - Generation 5 (Part 23)

 

Abandoned by her mother at an early age, Citrine has always been loved by her family and she loves them all the more in return. But even that love can't fill the hole inside of her, and chasing after her past only leads to more heartbreak.

Citrine: I’m dead?

Amber: I’m so sorry. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. You were supposed to have more time before…*sigh* Well, that doesn’t matter now. We don’t have a lot of time and there’s so much you need to know.

Citrine: Know–wait, what about Fern?! Is she–

Amber: Not yet. But she’s not what this is about.

Citrine: What this is about–Mom, what do you mean by that?

Amber: I mean someone is hunting you.

Citrine: Wait–Sanguine and Nightshade, they were talking about their Master, is he–

Amber: He is. Obscuro, the Shade, the Watcher’s firstborn son…and the one who cursed our entire family line.

Citrine: …what? What do you mean?

Amber: *sigh* This is going to sound absolutely insane, baby, but…Gramma Opal? She was supposed to die when she was our age. Astral–the Watcher–she intervened, kept her soul in her body long enough for help to get there, but that…that became a Blessing. Families with Blessings….they get Obscuro’s attention because–

Citrine: Because they can open the door, right?

Amber: Right. We’re all keys to a Door in the Void, behind which all Darkness and Malice dwell. If that door ever opens enough for Obscuro to come through…

Citrine: What happens?

Amber: The end of everything. Astral would have to get involved, and…she’s not strong enough to stop him. Obscuro would win. Darkness blotting out everything.

Citrine: Then how–what do we do?! How can someone like that even be stopped?

Amber: He can’t. Not yet, anyway. But…maybe, somehow, the next generation will be able to. Or the one after. It’s hard to say, but you have to promise me, Citrine. Promise me that you’ll be careful.

Citrine: Ma…I don’t think careful matters anymore if I’m…if I’m really…*tiny sob*

Amber: I’m so, so sorry baby.

Citrine: Ma–…I’d dreamed about what this’d be like, you know? Getting to–to hug you, even for a moment!

Amber: We’ve got a couple moments! *watery laugh* Watcher, baby…I’m so proud of you!

Amber: You’ve grown into an amazing woman…I couldn’t be more proud!

Citrine: Ma, I…*sniff*

Amber: Hey, no waterworks. If you cry I’ll cry and then we’re all soaked!

Citrine: *watery laugh* Sorry…*sniff* …Will I…ever see the others again?

Amber: Of course. You’re going back now.

Citrine: What? But–how? I–I felt myself die, not–

Ori: You let me take care of that. Be ready, Citrine.

Citrine: Ori? But–

Amber: Take a deep breath, baby. ….I love you.

Citrine: *gasp* Wha…how…I’m alive?

NIghtshade: You’re alive! No–no, how is this possible?! You can’t be–unless…no. No, it can’t be!

Citrine: Can’t be what?

Citrine: Can’t be alive again? *cough* Well, tough luck. Us Crystals are really hard to kill.

Nightshade: You–Blessed by the Light, you–you’re the Key!

Citrine: Oh, I’m a key alright–oof–I’m the key to your worst days, Nightshade!

Nightshade: Void and Abyss…you’re the one he was looking for! Mother of Blades–

Citrine: Oh, not yet. Not yet I’m not. But about to be the mother of something, that’s for sure!

Citrine: You wanted me dead? You should have made sure it stuck!

Nightshade: Master–ack!

Citrine: No one’s coming for you!

Citrine: This is for everyone you ever hurt!!

*bodies crash to the floor*

Nightshade: Oof!

Citrine: ARGH!

Citrine: *snort* …that was for me, you absolute…

*distant alarms sound*

Citrine: What?

Citrine: Fern–hang on, I’m coming!

Vita: You two, stay there!

Peppermint: Wha–hey! Vita, wait!

Peppermint: Oh, you’ve gotta be kidding. Sit and stay? Like we’re dogs?

Lucky Penny: You wanna get in the middle of that?

Lucky Penny: Didn’t peg you for a masochist, Pep.

Peppermint: Well, no, but.

Peppermint: We’re here! We found them–we can’t just  stand around doing nothing!

Lucky Penny: …you’re right about that. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?

Peppermint: Leave the fighting to them…and make a run for the door.

Lucky Penny: Can’t be any more dangerous than coming here at all. I’m game if you are.

Peppermint: I’m game.

Ardere: Just–stay–down!

-

Vita: We don’t want anyone dead today!

Morte: Speak for yourself!

Peppermint: Go! Now now now!

Lucky Penny: Just try and keep up!

Vita: Wha–hey! Peppermint! Lucky Penny!

Vita: Get back here! It’s not safe—dammit!

*alarm bells start ringing*

Sanguine: What–no! Aconite! Get rid of her, quickly!

Aconite: My Lady!

Aconite: Wait–ack!

Fern: Never turn your back on a Hunter!

Fern: Especially one with nothing left to lose!

Fern: This is for Citrine!!

*sword is drawn*

Aconite: Wait–you Hunters–you have a code of Honor!

Fern: ….didn’t you hear? I’m not a Hunter. I’m an Exile.

Fern: I have no honor anymore.

Aconite: Wait–

Fern: Good riddance.

*footsteps on stone*

Fern: –!! Citrine!

Citrine: Fern!!

Fern/Citrine: You’re alive!

*joyous, relived laughter*

Fern: You’re alive! oh, Citrine, you–baby, how–

Citrine: I’m alive! You’re alive! Aconite and Sanguine–

Fern: They don’t matter! Oh, Citrine!

Fern: I thought I’d lost you…

Citrine: I’m here…we’re still here.

Fern: …Watcher, thank you…

Citrine: …you could say that. *sniff* Fern…what’s happening?

Fern: An alarm sounded. I’m guessing Sanguine’s got company she didn’t want.

Citrine: Then this is our chance. We can leave.

Fern: We’re leaving. 

Fern: I’m getting us outta here, baby. And then–

Citrine: Later. We’ll talk about it later, love, I promise.

Fern: *sniff* Later. Let’s go.

Citrine: They brought us through here- *gasp* Nightshade!

Fern: Stay back!

Nightshade: You’re not going anywhere! Not now that we’ve finally found you for certain, Key!

Citrine: My name is Citrine!

Fern: And you’re not going to do anything to her ever again!

Fern: Not without going through me first!

Lucky Penny: And me!

Peppermint: And me, too.

Citrine: Guys! How did you–

Lucky Penny: We had some help! But we saw a red lady running upstairs–

Fern: Sanguine!

Citrine: Fern, go! Stop her!

Fern: On it! She’s yours, guys!

Nightshade: You–

Citrine: Eyes on me, jerk! We’ve got unfinished business needs dealt with!

Peppermint: We’ve got this. 

Lucky Penny: Bring it, berryhole. We’ll show you what a few berries can do when we work together!

Fern: Sanguine! Get back here!

Sanguine: You’re just like your father. You don’t know when to quit!

Sanguine: I should have known better than leave you alive…

Fern: Yeah, you should have. Too late for that now.

Fern: I’ll give a moment to pray.

Sanguine: Pray? *scoff* You think a person like me prays, fool girl?

Fern: No. I just thought I’d be nice.

Fern: Because one way or another, you’re meeting your maker today!

Sanguine: Ha! Do you honestly think you stand a chance? I have lived for centuries, fool! One wasted girl with a sword will not do me in!

Fern: I’m not a wasted girl! I am the daughter of two Hunter lines, and I’ve got something to protect! 

Fern: Which means you need to die!

Sanguine: You–ack!

Fern: AAAGHHH!!!

*thud*

Sanguine: You–you have no idea what powers you tamper with…

Fern: Your master has abandoned you, Sanguine. Where is your power now?

Sanguine: You…brat. You think I need his power to stop you?!

Sanguine: I could tear your throat out–erk–

Fern: You could. I’m not going to give you the chance. You die here, today. Make your peace.

Sanguine:–wait! Wait, I can–I can give you anything you want!

Fern: ….anything?

Sanguine: Anything! I have connections, money, power in San Marsh, I can–

Fern: Can you bring back the dead? Can you give me back the time I’ve been here?

Fern: Can you undo every horrible thing you’ve ever done in your master’s name? Can you bring back the light you snuffed out?!

Sanguine: ….

Fern: You can’t, can you. Because that’s not the power your master gave you, or the power you went looking for. All you do is destroy things, Sanguine, you can’t build them.

Sanguine: ….*snort* I suppose not. I have no power over death, or time. Not even my own.

Fern: No. You don’t.

Fern: Which means–

Sanguine: This won’t stop! My death means nothing to him, girl! Master Obscuro will come for the light, for the key, for her line, no matter what! You can’t protect her forever!

Fern: I don’t need to. Citrine can protect herself, and. *deep breath* You dying still solves a lot of problems, you know? It still makes the world a safer place. It’s still my duty!

Sanguine: Duty? To a bunch of old men who turned their backs on you the moment you made a mistake?! To the family who abandoned you?!

Fern: To the world! To hold back the Dark just a little longer, and to give them all a fighting chance!

Fern: That is what it means to be a Hunter, to be a Guardian! To hold back the Darkness just a little longer, day by day, until one day it’s over and it’s safe! And that means that you have to die!

Sanguine: No–

Fern: This is your end, Sanguine Shadow!

Fern: I am Fern Strike, of the House of Thorns. It is my duty to end the threat you pose to this world and all who live in it!

Sanguine: No no no–

Fern: Find peace in the Watcher’s embrace.

Fern: ….give me back my family, you miserable witch.

*hard, tired breathing*

Lucky Penny: Citrine!

Peppermint: Hey! Hang in there!

Citrine: I’m…I’m okay…

Lucky Penny: No, you’re not–you…Cit, you…

Peppermint: You look like roadkill, sis.

Citrine: *tired laugh* Missed you too, Pep.

Lucky Penny: What happened?

Citrine: …*sigh* It’s a long, long story.We–

*anguished scream*

Citrine: Fern!

Penny: That came from upstairs–come on!

Vita; I’m gonna kill them. I’m gonna kill them!

Morte: *snort* No you’re not.

-

Citrine: Fern! Fern, where are you?!

Vita: There you are–

Peppermint: Hold that thought–Cit, slow down!

*anguished sobbing*

Citrine: Fern! Oh, Watcher–

Citrine: Fern! Fern, we’re here!

Peppermint: What did she…oh. Oh.

Lucky Penny: Oh.

Morte: She’s dead.

Citrine: Fern! Fern, look at me!

Fern: I…I can’t–I don’t–

Citrine: Hey! Hey, it’s over, we’re okay! We’re going home!

Fern: Cit, I…*sob*

Citrine: I know…I know, shh, shh.

Citrine: Shh…it’s over, Fern. We’re safe now.

Fern: We’re…we’re safe? Nightshade–

Citrine: He’s dead, too.

Citrine: *laugh* You should have seen it! Penny got him right in the heart with a steak knife!

Fern: *teary snort* A steak knife?

Lucky Penny: Hey, I had to work fast!

Fern: …he’s dead?

Citrine: He’s dead.

Fern: …it’s over.

Citrine: It’s over.

Citrine: We get to go home now, Fern. All of us. Showers, and warm beds, and good food, and–

Fern: …you’re safe.

Citrine: we’re safe. 

Fern: …no. You’re safe. I’m…I’m leaving.

Citrine: –What?!

Citrine: What–no! Fern, no!

Fern: …all I’ve ever done is put you in danger. You’ll be safer without me.

Citrine: Fern…

Citrine: Fern, it’s over! We can go home–I want you to come with me! I love you!

Fern: …and I love you. That’s why it’s safer for you if I leave.

Citrine: Fern…

*baby crying*

Morte: The hell?

Peppermint: Was that a baby?

*crying continues*

Peppermint: …wait here a second, guys.

Morte: Peppermint! Don’t–!

Morte: You–argh!

*crying stops*

The next day…

Nova: Are you serious? She’s a baby!

Chronos: She is the child of two vampires–best to leave that egg unhatched!

Ignis: *snort* That was the wrong metaphor, brother, and I daresay you have been entirely overruled this time.

Fulgur: Yes, because punishing a child who shall not even remember her birth parents for their sins actually bore thinking about. What nonsense!

Glacies: I believe the saying is, nurture over nature? One cannot change what she is, but who? I daresay she is in good hands now.

Terra; Yes. Raising a vampire when you are not is perhaps a difficult ask, but….are you both willing to try?

Peppermint: We are. I know it seems rushed, but she’s–we can’t just abandon her!

Stone: All children deserve the best chance they can be given. I would say this matter is closed.

Nova: Damn right it is. That’s my granddaughter you’re thinking of killing, Chronos, so don’t think I won’t knock your damn teeth out if you say it again.

Chronos: Hmph.

Stone: Now, now, Nova. There will be no need for that.

Nova: We’ll see. So, what now?

Terra; Now, you go home.You and the children under your protection, including the new little one. Ah, that reminds me: what will her name be?

Eternal Glow: Scarlet. Maybe a little on the nose, but…

Peppermint: Pretty name for a pretty girl.