Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Like a scene out of a nightmare, a ring of glowing red fire stretches in all directions, too tall to see over and making the air tremble and wave in the heat. A drop of sweat quickly forms and is wiped away as the cause of the fire, walks through the wall, completely unaffected by the flames. A man, with a single red stripe through his hair, sporting a white button up and brown pants, torn slightly as if in a recent fight. While he wore a black mask over the top half of his face, the rest was casted in moving shadows and lightning making the wide grin appear all the more malicious.

Firestarter, B rank villain, power rank #32, commonly associated with Ethoslab (B rank villain), recommended to not fight one-on-one in any open spaces, due to the nature of his power, which was pretty freaking obvious from the name.

Scott glared back at the brunette, desperately trying to keep his composure, and not cough through all the smoke billowing in the air. This was not the most ideal situation. However he was not thoroughly unprepared, as he summoned a ball of bright light to each of his open palms, his own small stars. The stars that had given him his own superhero name, Starsign. His beautiful outfit, now slightly charred and covered in ash from the roaring blaze, was a metallic silver bodysuit with a small light blue cape covering his shoulder which had been discarded over the course of the fight. Finally in the center of his chest a golden star glowed in tandem with his own heartbeat, now a quick frantic beat.

Scott continued to watch the villain carefully as they began to circle each other, Scott carefully walking a foot away from the flame that trapped him from any allies or help.

He was trapped, like a rat in a cage. A fact Firestarter was very aware of, based on the way he was holding off attacking, much unlike his usual impulsive attack style. ‘The prick was waiting for him to make the first move,’ Scott grumbled internally, ‘Oh well, might as well give him what he wants-’

From the center of his palm where the glowing star has been resting, it suddenly burned brighter and even through his own control over it, Scott could feel the burning heat of it. Moving as quickly as possible, in a motion perfect from years of practice, Scott raised his hand up and then drew it down quickly, while simultaneously drawing his other hand back to his shoulder. And in response to the movement, the stars changed from single balls of light, to a glowing white bow and arrow, string pulled back ready to fire at a moment's notice. A second later it did, burning pulsing light shooting towards Firestarter's chest, aimed in only a second.

Unfortunately the villain had been prepared for that, ducking out of the way, leaving the arrow of light to soar out through the ring of fire. However Scott didn't give him a moment of reprise summoning a new arrow and aiming and shooting, again, new arrow, aim, shoot. Until one hit a running Firestarter in the shoulder, causing him to halter and scream in pain. The arrow disappeared in a second, but Scott could where it hit, shirt torn away, and a bloody slightly burned mess in its place. not even his fire tolerance could help when the arrow had pierced through clean to the other side.

Smirking smugly, Scott almost missed his combatant screaming angrily and hurling a ball of fire right at him. Badly aimed Scott had ample time to dodge out of the way, still, as it passed, he felt the heat and shuttered at the thought of one of those hitting him. He was quickly put on the defensive, because the wound did not slow Firestarter down, instead fueling him to throw fireball after fireball at Scott, causing him to run around the circle, not having a single chance to breathe the air that was quickly becoming unreliable with all the smoke.

Throwing himself to the right quickly, Scott threw the bow away and paused to hurriedly summon three new lights, then moving them in a single line. Just as a new ball of red orange fire flew toward him, Scott threw up his newly formed shield and planted his feet on the hot asphalt. The fire hit the transparent glowing shield, but Scott held firm and the fire dissipated. Scott let out a huge sigh of relief that was cut off by his feet being swept out from under him.

His head hit the ground before he was able to catch himself, his back aching and letting out an audible oof. Vision swimming even more, Scott looked up and saw two Firestarters smiling merge into one as his vision cleared. He held up his shield but the villain kicked it away with his steel toed boot. Scott, now defenseless, coughed and tried not to think about the fact the ring of fire was only six inches away from his teal hair.

“End of the line, Starboy,” Fire starter said, summoning a glowing marron flame in his hand.
In the back of Scotts mind, a part of him so removed from the situation bristed at the taunt, ‘that wasn't even close to his alias’-before he was pulled back to the present and his very imminent death.

Just as Scott was debating trying to jump into the fire so as not to give the villain the satisfaction of killing him, a loud thud slammed into the ground behind Firestarter, giving both of them pause. Simultaneously they both broke eye contact to turn around and see what made the impact.

Unfortunately for Firestarter, the second he did, a pale fist swung out and hit him square in the face, throwing him over Scott through the wall of fire.

Turning back to the figure, Scott saw an outreached hand, and quickly was pulled up by his ally, and fellow superhero, Cleo, aka the Zombie.

Cleo scanned Scott for a second, seeing if he was all that injured, and then turning her back to him when she saw he wasn't. Cleo stood a good few inches taller than Scott, her long curly hair matching the same orange as the flames that surrounded them. They had a mask covering their eyes bright that matched Scott’s own but in green, and as for their suit, wore a purposefully torn blue top and shorts embroidered over with golden vines that sparked in the sun. Their suit was cute and practical, a design that matched her own personality.

“You okay, Scott?” They asked, looking around for the re-emergence of the wounded Firestarter.

“Yup, you know I can handle Fire on my own,” he joked, and Cleo laughed along easily enough. In a tone that said, ‘Yeah sure you can.’

Scott grabbed his shield from where it had fallen and used two more stars to make himself a sword that pulsed with the same light and transparency. When the villain did not return Scott noticed the walls of fire began to dwindle somewhat.

“Cleo I think…” Scott trailed off nodding towards the walls. Cleo looked over and nodded, running over to the nearest one.

Hopping through the two were only burned a little while their suits protected them from most of the damage, as the walls had clearly fallen in heat.

It appeared the cavalry had finally arrived, Scott heaved a sigh of relief as he let the shield drop and flew over to where backup waited, armed and ready. Cleo gave him a quick glance which he returned with a thumbs up. They nodded and turned their attention back to the sheepish villains who had been caught unaware. Scott now saw, Ethoslab the ice powered villain had joined in on this bank heist as well. Cleo however took the initiative to walk over first.

“Ethoslab, we meet again, what do you say you return the money so we can all go home?”

Etho responded by shooting an ice blast in their direction, which Cleo aptly dodged and jumped forward, clearing the space in between them instantly and beginning what could only be described as a sword and snow fight, as Cleo slashed every icicle he sent their way.

With Ethoslab currently very distracted the backup began rushing Firestarter, who struggled against the sudden waves. Fire flew all around and the ice and snow on the ground began to melt as then reappear again and again.

Deciding they had that particular problem under control, Scott landed lightly and crept around to where the bags of stolen money from the bank lay.

“Easy enough” Scott hummed, already thinking of what he would do after he returned the money. With those thoughts in mind he noticed the cloud of red mist a second too late and spun around to see the money disappear an inch from his outreached hand.

“What the heck?” He yelled, calling forward his powers and trying to use it to light the area around him. He heard a laugh echo all around him chilling him to his bones. Oh no, red mist, a creepy laughter, oh gods this was-

“Well, well, well, look at what we have here,” called a voice in a thick Australian accent.

The Scarlet Pearl. Scott grumbled and quickly flew out of the cloud of smoke to see the villain standing cockily on a rooftop. The villain was dressed in her typical outfit: a long horn blood red cape with the hood pulled up and two little ears sewn on. He wore black shorts and most shocking of all was the rose vine she always had wrapped around her leg which Scott knew was real enough. Finally a red mask covered her eyes leaving the bottom half of her face dominated by her sharp tooth grin.

This had gotten much more annoying.
—-

Scott watched as the Scarlet Pearl tossed a bag of stolen cash over her back easily as she glanced down at him and grinned. Drat there goes the element of surprise, still he had a chance. The two of them were more or less evenly matched at full power, and Scott was not at full energy right now. He tossed his blue hair out of his face and summoned his last remaining power to throw at Pearl.

The women appeared stunned and instinctively trying to jump out of the way, but not managing to get all the way out of the blast-

-till her dog, a huge hound of a beast with snow white fur, jumped in front, taking the full force of the blast. And even from his distance, Scott could smell the singed fur and hear the pitiful wine it let out.

The villain yelled out in surprise in a resounding tune and looked down to tend to her pet. Scott tried to ready another light blast, but realized he was completely out of juice. Between Fire and Scarlet, if he tried to push himself anymore he would collapse, which he knew unfortunately from experience.

Shoot, Scott thought, looking back and hoping Scarlet was still distracted, looking back, he found her eyes making eye contact with his. Seems she was not distracted, and she was pissed.

Pushing himself more, Scott flew desperately back into the action, where Ethoslab had been handcuffed and captured with Firestarter was not far behind. Cleo was currently fighting him, sword versus flames and looked over when Scott ran by.

“Cleo, there's a new issue.” He yelled as he skidded to the ground, scraping his knees through his costume.

“What are you talking about Sco-”, Cleo was cut off by the Scarlet Pearl, slamming onto the ground, directly in front of them. Despite landing on her feet, Scott could practically feel the pain on her legs and winced in pain.

“Okay, yep see the new issue,” Ceo said, throwing a smaller knife in the Scarlet Pearls direction,

“Some help Scott?”

“Cleo I don't have much power left,” Scott winced as the knife cut the cheek of Pearl, even though she barely winced, he could practically feel the cut, and oh, he was also cut on his cheek, when had that happened?

Not given a moment of reprise, the Scarlet Pearl launched forward at Cleo, shocking even Fire, who looked surprised for a moment before seeing his chance and ducking out of the fight. Running back towards where Ethoslab had been detained. Scott turned to see Cleo facing off against the Scarlet Pearl holding a scythe a foot above her head. Thinking fast, Scott summoned his sword again and rushed back to where the two were.

“Say hi to your soulmate for me, would you?” Pearl asked in a mocking tone,a phrase which made Cleo’s eyes go wide and then angry, pushing Pearl off her and a few feet away.

Before the Scarlet Pearl had a chance to recover, Scott was there, slashing towards her. Pearl responded in time to guard, but now her attention was fully on him.

“Cleo-”

“On it Scott,” And she ran off, Scott feeling the full loss of her presence, as he hit and guarded in his own battle. Scythe hit sword again and again as Scott tried to hit back, only to be put on the defensive repeatedly.

The Scarlet Pearl was grinning, and while that was terrifying, Scott had heard that she would often laugh while fighting for her life, the picture of a completely mad person. He suspected the only reason she wasn't doing it now was because of the injury of her dog on her mind.

And Scott appeared to be right, as he foolishly tried to step back only to trip and fall on his back with a soft oof. Oh no, he was done for.

The Scarlet pearl stood above him menacingly, scythe held at his throat.

“This is for Till-” She was abruptly cut off as Scott slashed with his sword at her bare legs, and she jumped back in hurt, even as Scott felt pain etch across his own leg. He looked down and saw in the same place he had cut her, an identical cut had blood pouring from it. What, when had he gotten injured-no he hadn't- it wasn't possible, unless…

Scott looked up at The Pearl, who was walking shakily back, blood pouring from the wound, Scott realized he now shared, at the recent cut on her face, that Scott felt on his. This wasn't possible unless…

The Scarlet Pearl, clearly wasn't sharing the same thoughts as she tried to stand up straighter and tightened her grip on her weapon again. She was raising it above her head again when she tilted her head as if hearing something,and sure enough, her wolf of a dog ran up beside her, limping slightly still. Scott smiled, proud his power hadn't gone to waste after all.

“Pearl, cmon lets go,” Scott looked up to see Firestarter and Ethoslab standing a good few feet away as the former grinned at Scott. “We’ll continue this later Star.”

Scarlet Pearl nodded at them before taking one more angry look at Scott and climbing on her dogs back and riding after the two, who similarly sped away in a different direction.

Scott stood up shakily, leaning on a nearby building as he tried to look out through the dust of battle. Eventually he found Cleo, holding several of the bags of money and trying to talk to an employee of the superhero organization they were a part of, The Watchers Corporation.

Eventually the other figure nodded toward Scott and they walked over to him. What followed was countless questions about what had happened and more so, gone wrong.
The fellow did not seem that impressed with the appearance of The Scarlet Pearl, and instead asked him how he had gotten so injured.

Scott paused, he had realized what must have happened during the battle and had been pretty successfully avoiding thinking about it until now. He and Scarlet were soulmates, it was the only explanation that made sense. And it did make sense, the countless scars and near lethal injuries his soulmate had gathered over the years all but confirmed it. But him, soulmates with a villain, someone who had hurt him and Cleo countless times before, no he refused that. The universe might have tied them together but Scott was cutting the string of fate.

“The Scarlet Pearl, and her damned scythes,” Scott lied. She wasn't his soulmate and no one had to know, least of all her. The officer nodded and made a note and then gave a paper to file the full report back at HQ. Scott nodded and Cleo helped him over to where a medic was fixing people up. Scott was about to try and tell her what had happened, when her phone rang. They pulled it out and rolled their eyes when they saw who it was.

Scott tried to peek over but Cleo covered it and smiled at Scott.

“Rain check on the paperwork?”

“Go ahead i've got it, I think i'll be sitting down for a while,” He said gesturing down to his leg being bandaged.

“I owe you Scott,” Cleo said, smiling and walking away.

Scotts smile faded as she answered the call and begin speaking in hush angry tones. Seems like everyone was keeping secrets, he thought as he looked at all the bags the villains had left behind. It was like they didn't even care about them, but then why go through the trouble of the heist? Scott groaned as his head began to hurt from overextending himself and questions with no simple answers. He could puzzle more over it later, right now all he could think about was going home and taking a nice warm bath.

Chapter Text

Pearl was used to being alone.

She wasn't ever really alone, she had Tilly. And even when Tilly was gone she had allies and alliances, and the stray cat she was slowly getting to trust her with little bowls of milk and salmon.

Pearl was alone but she wasn't lonely.

Not in any way she'd admit.

It wasn't even really her fault she had few friends, really if she thought about it, and she did, it was because of The Watcher Corp, and their stupid rules about powers.

According to them, if you had powers you had to work for them, or else you were treated like some reckless vigilante, and casted out from society. Which wasn’t a problem for Pearl, she was fine playing the bad guy, even if it meant becoming the villain. She was going to take down the Watcher Corporation,and she was going to make it hurt.

Which was why she was currently stalking out a warehouse that looked from the outside completely abandoned. In the dark of the late night, Pearl hardly moved more than a shadow, cape all but silently flying in the breeze. The warehouse was on the outskirts of town and looked about one bad day away from falling apart. If Pearl had not known the biggest weapon exchange of the year was happening here, she probably would have guessed. The place looked like it was still only standing because of these kinds of deals.

Pearl quietly encircled the roof,looking for a crack or way inside without causing too much of a stir. The only information her informant had given her was that the deal had to do with something that could change the world. A phrase Pearl had only seen once before on a top secret document that had been unclassified. Whatever it was, it was something bad. The Watcher Corp had been cracking down on people who went rogue with their power, even more than ever before.Not to mention, the recent acquisition of much more suspicious material recently. Something was happening, and Pearl was going to stop it.

Tiptoeing over to a large hole in the roof, Pearl peered in, bemoaning the loss of Tilly on this case. The poor girl was still out of commission thanks to that no good Star hero. Speaking of the devil, her left leg shook slightly still unsteady from the recent wound. She wasn't at the top of her game tonight but it seemed the Watchers waited for no one, as she heard footsteps from the floor below.

The hole let in enough light to make out three hooded figures walk into the center of the warehouse, with another figure standing in the shadow of a support beam. Trying to lean closer to hear what they were saying, Pearl could just make out, “This will work…if you complete your end of the deal.” Then the other figure was talking in such a low volume, Pearl could not make out anything, even with her superpowered hearing.

She leaned a little closer just managing to hear the word “immunity”, before she sensed a presence behind her. Spinning around, she blocked a strike with her arm and stumbled back, barley catching her balance before stumbling into the hole in the roof. Quickly grabbing her scythe from her back, she firmly planted her feet on the roof and turned to face her attacker.

In front of her stood a man taller than her dressed in a bright yellow suit with electricity flickering out around them. The vigilante/bounty hunter, Impulse. Great, of course they would have hired some security for this shady trade off, Pearl had just been unlucky enough to get caught.
Impulse sprinted toward her as she swung her scythe around, catching Impulse on the arm and making him stumble back, not before letting lose an electric bolt in her direction.

She moved, so her scythe took the brunt of the shock but still froze as the electricity ran through her. She felt panic run through her for, one, two seconds, before she was able to move again. And running back she summoned her power for the fight, all around her red mist appeared as she called to the plants in the ground far below them. Before long, she had vines and vines of everything from rose bushes to ivy forming a half shield around her. Impulse, stared at her from where he had been hurriedly bandaging his wound, he looked briefly annoyed at the plants now covering the formerly barren rooftop.

“Where's your soulmate, busy ?”

Impulse smiled, never a good sign when they do that, and shot out another bolt of electricity that missed her, and Pearl wheeled around to face him, trying to steady herself.

“No, hes right on time,” Impulse said and turning around too late, Pearl got a chance to see Clockwork, bringing his big as fuck hammer down on her head, then everything went black.
—--

Pearl woke up with a pounding headache, moving around and around, her head like a pinball machine. Peeling her eyes open, she was faced with a gray featureless ceiling that swam in her vision. Sitting up only caused more discomfort as every molecule in her body screamed at her to lay back down forever.
Still, she pushed through the pain, to look fully around the room she did not remember falling asleep in, and what she saw only made her want to close her eyes all the more.
She was in a grey box of a room, with the only source of light being from a strong looking metal door with small bars near the top. Pearl was in a cell and a cheap one from the looks of it. She remembered her last fight before this and groaned, Impulse and Clockwork, the stupid soulmates that they had taken her by surprise, and without Tilly to watch her back, she was dead now. No closer to stopping the fucking Watchers, and all the more closer to her death.

She frustratedly lied back down, back hurting as it hit the uncomfortable rock that her capturers thought constituted as a bed. Most likely, the two had been working for hire and now would keep her locked up here until the Watchers or cops paid them and stuck her in another jail.

Pearl sighed and turned to itch at her wrist where a new bracelet lay. A power subduer, she experimentally tried to use her powers only for a slight burning pain to emit from the skin touching the shackle. Never the matter, with or without power, eventually they would have to transport her, and when that happened she would be ready.

Pushing herself off the bed and onto shaky legs, she took stock of herself. Apparently her captors had left her in her costume which was going to be great news for her. She found in her pocket, Tilly's whistle, which could normally call the adorable pup to her side. Pearl didn't want to call her, as she was still recovering, but, desperate times call for desperate measures, she thought as she blew the whistle.

“Sorry, Tilly, i'll get you extra dog treats for this,” Pearl whispered, and then putting the whistle away, reached to grab at the rose bush vine that wrapped around her left leg. It wasn't the most convenient thing, being more for show than actual use, but after a couple of pricks she was good. Her power normally protected her from the worst of the vines but now she would have to adapt. She tore a bit of her cape off and wrapped it around both hands tightly, then looping part of the vine around her left and right hand, ready for the next person who walked through the door. They might have captured her, but the Scarlet Pearl wasn't going down without a fight.
—--

A few hours later, by Pearl’s best estimate, she heard sounds coming from the hallway outside of the door. Reading up, she stood off to the side slightly and focus all her attention on the door.
… One beat
Then two…

Then the door swung open with a thud-
Pearl swings the thorn vine with all the force she can muster and is rewarded with a yelp and a man with blue hair and dressed all in black throwing up a shield. A very bright, shiny familiar shield…

“Starlight ?! I didn't expect the Watchers to send their number 5 hero to pick up little ol me,” Peal taunted, trying to remember all of the heroes strengths and weaknesses. Surely the enclosed room would give him a disadvantage and she could always go for the same spots she hit last time they fought-

“Shh, shh, don't talk so loudly,” He hissed, somehow equal parts annoyed and worried. The hero couldn't stop looking back over his shoulder almost like he was scared of someone finding him here. But that wouldn't make sense, why would he be worried.

Not one to waste an opportunity, Pearl swung again with her makeshift whip and this time managed to snag the arm holding the star shield, it wrapped around hungrily and Pearl smiled as it drew several bright spots of crimson blood.

Then a second later let out a mirrored cry, as pain erupted from her own arm, causing her to drop her weapon. ‘But nothing had harmed her, why now were there several pinpricks of blood appearing that hurt suspiciously like thorns…’

She looked back up to Starlight, now seeing him in a new light, taking in his banged left leg like her own, and a small scar on his face, not covered by his mask…

“No way, were soulmates?” Pearl yelled, and realized it was true, suddenly all the weird scars and hurt that had haunted her for so long made sense, of course her soulmate was a superhero. It made all the burn scars and splintered bones make so much sense. But looking up at her soulmate's face, it wasn't happiness, or even surprise that shaped his face, but just an annoyed look.

“Yeah, well if you couldn't go yelling about it, that would be good,” He all but grumbled, carefully peeling the vine off his arm, “Now if you could hurry up, I would like not to get caught here.”

And with that he started walking away, not looking back to see if she was following. Pearl shook her head, trying to wrap her head around all that had happened, so they were soulmates, but he dint care? And why did he care so much about rushing if he was supposed to escort her to a different prison. Starlight had always seemed stuck up, but not enough to try and speedrun a prisoner delivery, unless-

This wasn't Watcher sanctioned.

“Are you jailbreaking me, right now?” Pearl asked, sticking her head out the door curiously.
Starlight jumped a foot in the air, and turned around angrily.

“Don't-don't call it that,” He hissed at her, and yeah he definitely was a bit stuck up, but he was her soulmate, so she decided to humor him and follow him where he had stopped by the stairs up.

Starlight sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose for a moment.

“Its, just, if you get brought to the Watcher prison, they'll find out were soulmates like that,” He snapped his fingers, causing a spark to ignite for a second. “And, if don't want to figure out to superheroes who have high ranking villains for soulmates.”
“So, you've known we're soulmates,” Pearl asked quietly, trying to wrap her head around everything, and the hurt blossoming like a rose in her chest. He didn't care about his soulmate?

“Just since the last time we fought, that's when I figured it out,” He admitted somewhat proudly.

By this time their walking had reached the top of the stairs and to the door that led up to what Pearl guessed was a larger room filled with guards.

“Look, I managed to sneak in but after we exit, there's going to be about eight guards and we can probably handle at least those, we need to break- What the hell are you doing?!”

Starlight was cut off by Pearl swinging her fist full strength at the wall above Starlight's head. The shorter ducked and yelled, but all Pearl was doing was trying to break her power suppressed.

Starlight stood back up, fuming, but Pearl only shrugged and motioned to her wrist.

Sighing as though having to deal with ‘so much’, Starlight grabbed the bracelet and quickly melted it. The bracelet sludged off in a heap of metal and wires onto the ground and Pearl was able to fully flex her wrists again.

“Now, if I COULD continue what I was saying-”

Pearl cut him off again by placing her hand over his mouth while he reached to yank her hand off, until he heard what Pearl had heard a second sooner, footsteps and several voices moving towards the door they hid behind.

“Hell, okay, new plan,” Starlight whispered, hefting up his shield in one hand, and summoning a star in the other, “Get out of here.”

Pearl nodded excitedly, but Starlight missed it as in that moment, the door flew open and Starlight was out in a second. Glowing weapons lighting up the room. Pearl followed not a second behind, hands moving like a whirlwind as she felt her power surge up like a hurricane.

She moves her hands, left and right, scanning the room as she does for more formidable opponents.

The room appeared very large and housed around seven guards, most of who had been caught completely unaware by Pearl and Starlight's sudden appearance. While Impulse and Timekeep appeared nowhere to be seen, Pearl's eyes instantly caught on her pair of diamond scythes laying on a table guarded by one measly man.

Running over, Pearl reaches out an arm, and from the concrete sprouts a fully grown vine wrapped in thorns that carelessly grabs the man by a leg and flings him in some random direction. Reaching the table, Pearl carefully grabs her scythes, running her hands over the sharp sharp blades.

“Scarlet, let's go,” Pearl looks up to see Starlight perched in an open window, shooting arrows of light at the people running around below him.

“On it,” Pearl yells, and then dives through the crowd, dancing in a tornado of vines wrapping hitting and growing in all directions. By the time she reaches her soulmate, the entire room is full of people lying unconscious under vines or struggling cocooned in them.

Pearl laughs at the scene, delighted at the idea of Impulse and Timekeep returning to this wreckage. She almost missed the way Starlight flinched back, and then composing himself, turned and dropped outside.

Pearl hurriedly followed him, even as the other began to shed his black robe that had functioned as a shitty disguise for the famous hero.

“So, where to now soulmate?” Pearl asked, rocking back and forth on her heels, as she kept watch over the two. She glanced back at Starlight, to see the shorter growing at her.

“Now, nothing,” He snapped, standing up to his full height and looking her in the eyes through their masks. “Now, we go our separate ways, and if anyone ever finds out about this, I will make sure you die before I do.”

Pearl, reeled back, shock and hurt evident on her face, she had never heard of anyone rejecting their soulmate, it- why was this happening to her?

At that moment as though sensing her hurt, Tilly rounded the corner, seeing Starlight growled and he in response, called two stars to his hands. Tilly was being so brave even as her former assailant readied another attack.

“Tilly, no it's okay,” Pearl said, running up to the giant wolf and petting her, trying to calm both of them down. Surely Starlight doesn't mean it, how could he?

Starlight turned the opposite way down the alley and began to walk away, letting his power fade to a soft glow. See he was trusting her, that was something!

“My real name's Pearl!” She shouted, voice nearly cracking at the end. The other stalled for a moment but then continued walking, not even glazing back.

“Doesn't matter.”

And in a matter of seconds Pearl was alone with Tilly in the alley as sirens began to sound from blocks away. She should move, she should leave, but all she could do was stare at where Starlight had walked away from her.

Chapter Text

It's been 3 days since Scott staged his great prison escape and he’s felt on the edge ever since.

Three days of him constantly checking over his shoulder and jumping everytime the phone rang. Certain that this time, this time, it would be The Watchers, found out and ready to lock himself away forever.

Even Cleo had noticed, and asked a couple times before getting the hint. She had looked hurt, but Scott couldn’t risk it, if They ever found out They knew… he couldn’t risk Cleo going down with him.

So for three days Scott paced and worried and stayed home with the windows drawn. After another sleepless night, Scott decided he had to do something about it, that being telling Cleo.
His better half sounded relieved when he called then worried when he mentioned meeting up at the park. Somewhere they could talk and not be listened in on. He didn't say that of course, but Cleo agreed and two hours laters they were both chatting casually.

After a while Scott looked around casually and then waited for a man walking his dog to pass them, before speaking.

“Cleo, I may have figured out who my soulmate is.”

Cleo instantly perked up, letting out a sigh of relief that confused Scott.

“That's all that's been troubling you? I was worried it was going to something like you killed someone or something. So, who is it?” Cleo chucked as Scott scratched the back of his neck. It was technically a bit more than that but maybe it could wait.

“Well, that's the thing, it's kinda, the Scarlet Pearl,” Scott blurted out, purposefully looking anywhere but at Cleo. Their laugh shocked Scott back to looking at his friend, while they got their laughter under control. “It's not that funny,” Scott muttered a bit embarrassed.

“No it's not, it's just you having a soulmate who's one of the top supervillains, it's just, so you.”

“She's not even that good a supervillain,” Scott muttered, shaking his hair a bit just to do something with his hands. She had gotten caught not that long ago, and HE had to go rescue her.

“Hmm still,” Cleo said, staring forward as they walked, “Wait how did you even figure that out?”
“At that last fight, when I went to hit her, well,” Scott grimaced, gesturing down at his own leg that was still bandaged.

“Ooh,” Cleo winced sympathetically, then appeared to think for a moment, before glancing around suspiciously. And Scott knew them well enough to know they were debating telling him something. And seeming to decide on something, she spoke again.

“Well, on the subject, you know how I never figured out who my soulmate was?”

“Oh my god, who, and how long have you known?!”

“The vigilante The Listener,” Cleo admitted, looking a bit embarrassed, “And I haven’t known that long, just a couple of months, he reached out to me after he realized his injury almost made me die.”

Cleo finished rolling her eyes, seeming recalling a less than pleasant meeting, Scott could relate.

“Anyways he tried to get me to join him to which I told him hell no, and that I already had a great partner in you,” Cleo smiled at Scott as they spoke, and Scott smiled absently back, trying to recall when this could have happened. All the suspicious calls and disappearances, how did he not realize? And more so why hadn’t Cleo told him?

Shaking those thoughts away for now, Scott tried to focus on what he should tell Cleo about what had happened, normally he would tell them about the jailbreak, but now…

“I wouldn’t tell the corp,” Cleo said casually, “There’s so much paperwork even if your soulmate is a civilian. Better to let them wonder.”

Scott nodded, “Yeah, I don’t even know her real name- oh wait she said her first name was Pearl.”

“That name kinda sounds familiar, maybe you could look through the archives to try and find background info. I did the same for mine,” Cleo hummed thoughtfully.

Scott nodded again, only considering it slightly, knowledge could be useful, but what else could he find out. He knew she was a villain already.

After a bit more casual chatter, Scott waved goodbye, and began the walk home. Mind buzzing with thoughts on plans on what he would have to do tomorrow.
————

THUD

Scott sits straight up in bed, arms raised defensively with stars already summoned. When no further attacks or noises come, he cautiously looks around the dark room.

Nothing.

He experimentally places a foot out of bed onto the ground, then the other. He let out a sigh, letting his power slip away. ‘It must have been a stray cat or person upstairs’, resisting the urge to go complain to management tomorrow. Glancing at his bedside clock he saw the time: 4:00am. He’d rubbed his forehead, annoyed and realized there was no way he was falling back asleep now, might as well get up and make some coffee.

Slinking to the kitchen, Scott sets a pot of coffee to boil, and leaning against the countertop, looks over his dimly lit apartment.

It's the apartment that he gets to live in for free( it's taken out of his paycheck), as part of his contract with the Watchers. Work for them for twenty years, you get a retirement plan, a decent apartment in central downtown, and a very likely chance of death and or ptsd. It's a lousy deal, but one you're all but forced into if you have powers. But back to the apartment. Most of it was vintage, thifted, yet matched carefully so as not to appear messy. He had a velvet green lounging sofa, and a classy low rise table, a bookshelf “borrowed” from an ex, and a vase of hydrangeas, a gift from Cleo.

Speaking of which, his friend was probably sleeping soundly in the room across the way from him. He debated waking her up so he could have someone to keep him company, but decided against it. Things had been awkward enough with all the secrets recently, he didn't want to put a further strain on things by barging in at 4 in the mor-

THUD

Scott whirled around, this time shooting off a bolt of light before even processing what he saw. Too late he saw the figure climbing through his window was wearing a red cape and-

Searing pain burns his face, just as he sees Pearl, blocking only half of the blast, with her scythe. Scott grabs his face, remembering the sensation of fire and burning-

He squeezes his eyes shut and takes two steading breaths, by the third his breathing is significantly less shaking and he manages to open his eyes. He sees Pearl grabbing at her own face, swearing, in the same place Scott feels a hammer of pain that nearly makes him double over.

“What the hell was that for?” Pearl yells and Scott feels oddly comforted at her anger, before feeling nausea with pain. It hurt, it hurt- he could fix this.

Running over to his bathroom and leaving the frustrated Pearl behind, Scott rummages through his cabinet uncaring for once, of the mess he makes.

Finally finding in the very back, the bottle he was looking for, burn lotion. Applying a generous amount to his face, Scott sighs as some of the pain is dulled.

Remembering who he left in his living room Scott runs back to find Pearl perched on the window sill clutching at her face.

After debating for a second, Scott rolls his eyes and tosses her the bottle, underhand. Pearl catches it with scarily ease. She looks down at the bottle back to Scott suspiciously, which made be warranted as he had attacked her, he shrugged and went back to his coffee, which was ready. By the time he glanced back while casually grabbing a mug, Pearl was applying the lotion to her face on a scar that took up quite a bit of real estate.

He winced, did his face look that bad as well?

Pouring himself a glass, he once again realized he was in a hospitality dilemma. Did he offer coffee to the villain who had broken into his house? If only to help himself feel more comfortable in the situation, Scott decided to choose for her. Pouring coffee into one of his least favorite mugs.

Walking over to the window Scott awkwardly held out the cup, Pearl once again looked frustratingly suspicious, what did she think he poisoned this to?

Finally grabbing it and chugging some, while hot, Scott felt the inside of his throat burn and Pearl smiled smugly. Fine if she wanted to play like that, Scott could as well, he thinks before deciding better of dunking his head in a bowl of ice water. That could wait, for now-

“What the hell are you doing in my house?”

Pearl looked up and grinned for the first time, wincing when it hurt her face. Scott knew as his face hurt again, and he waved her hand at her in a motion of ‘stop it’.

“I just thought I'd stop by for a little visit to my soulmate!”

Scott frowned, he didn't like how she said that, like they were actual soulmates, and not the gods most recent joke at Scotts expense. “No, I mean how did you find my house?”

Pearl's smile slid off her face a bit while she shrugged, “You should really be more carefully walking home. You're pretty easy to follow.”

“I knew someone was watching me!” Scott yelled, feeling vindicated for looking over his shoulder about fifty times on the walk home. He glared at the women and once again debated the pros and cons of an ice bath.

Shaking those thoughts away, he realized with horror, that Pearl had gotten up, and was now looking around his apartment with an openly curious expression. Walking over to his bookshelf she picked a book randomly and read the cover.

“Hey, put that down! I don't want your fingerprints all over everything,” Scott seethed, grabbing the book out of her hands. She was going to get him in so much trouble.

Pearl complied, but didn't look happy about it beginning to tap on the bookshelf instead. “Well what can I do in here then?”

“You could leave,” Scott tried, but was unsurprised when Pearl shook her head happily. Sigh as if anything could ever be that easy.

“Fine, but if you mess up anything, I'm calling the police.”

“Do you think they could take me in?” Pearl asked, cocking her head, as if encouraging him to test it. Scott really did not want to.

Deciding to ignore her and go about his normal rhythms, Scott finishes his cup of coffee and goes to set it in the sink. Moving on, he begins to set up the sink, pointedly putting his back to the villain behind him.

“It's kinda weird that were two soulmates who were nemesis, makes you think”

“What?” Scott said, half speaking over his shoulder, “We're not nemesis.”

“What! We fight all the time, you gave me this scar?” Pearl said in a loud voice, hand flying to point up at her face.

“So, I fight with a lot of people, that doesn't make them all my nemesis,” Scott said shrugging. He honestly lost track of all the people he had fought over the years, maybe if pressed he'd say Martyn was his nemesis, but the man was more annoying than anything else.

“What about Joel? He seems to think you're his nemesis,” Pearl countered leaning back on the window sill.

“The Firestarter? Really? I always thought of him as one of my B tier villains,” Scott said smirking, thinking of the last time the arsonist and him had fought.
Pearl barked out a laugh at that. Hands flying to half cover her mouth. Like this, without the full costume and the glow of her powers, she looked almost normal. Like a regular soulmate and not a crazy villain.

“He literally talks about you all the time!?” Scott shrugged, a bemused smile creeping its way onto his face.

“Fine then,” Pearl said finally getting the giggles under control, “Who would you say is your nemesis?”

Scott turns around fully now, humming thoughtfully for a moment and tapping his finger against his chin, really playing up the act of really thinking it over.

“Well, if I had to pick someone, I'd probably say, the Phoenix.”

“Jimmy ?!?” Pearl screeched, howling with laughter again. Scott cracked a grin, glad she understood his joke. “Like that, the Phoenix, not another one?”

“What about it, he can't die, he seems like a worthy enemy,” Scott barely managed to say before he started to grin.

“HE DIES ALL THE TIME,” Pearl shouted, to the point where Scott would be worried about the neighbors if he wasn't in near hysterics. While Jimmy had regenerative powers, the man really did die a lot in battles.

“I thought you two were allies or something, shouldn't you be defending him or something,” Scott said, trailing off into hiccuping giggles.

“That doesn't mean I don't have eyes, Scott,” Pearl joked, good naturedly elbowing him. Scott laughed along, feeling a jolt of electricity from the small touch. He really needed more physical contact if he was reacting like this with his enemy.

And with that thought, the cold began to seep into the room again and Scott's face fell back into his neutral expression. Pearl as if sensing the change, eyes dulled, and put her hands into her pockets, closing her jacket slightly.

After a moment of silence Pearl stood and placed her half empty cut on the table and went to the window she had left open. Scott nearly joked about his coffee not being that bad, but reminded himself she wasn’t his friend. She was a villain.

“The Watchers aren’t what you think,” Pearl said seriously, stepping onto the window and looking Scott in the eyes. With her new still red scar, she cut quite an intense figure. “They’re lying to you, they’re not good.”
Scot huffs annoyed, “You come into my house and tell me to quit my job. Nice try, but if I’m looking for bad advice I’ll ask you.”

Pearl’s gaze hardened. As if trying to force her words into Scott’s beliefs, “You should quit, they’re- your hurting people. This company kills everyone it dislikes and hurts people with superpower-“

“Get out of my apartment,” Scott commanded. Eyes darkened and power pulsing ready, just under his fingertips. This whole night had been a mess and even if it hurt, he could fight.
Pearl sighed and exited the apartment, but standing outside on the fire escape spoke as she pulled up her hood.

“Do you know who you're working for? They know all about you, Scott.”

And then she jumped. Scott resisted the urge to look at the ground, it was really amateurish, the oldest trick in the book. But what she said gratingly sat in Scott’s mind as he tidied his apartment. She was right he didn’t know much about the Watchers Corp. it didn’t matter, he reasoned. He was just there to do his job.

And maybe it couldn’t hurt if this job led him to the archive section of the main building.

Just to prove Pearl wrong.

Chapter Text

“So how’d the fight with Zookeeper go?” Pearl asked, dodging a yellow star that flew way above her head.

“He caught me off guard,” Scott protested, jumping back far more than necessary to avoid a bramble of thorns. “Plus it was a two v one!”

“Okay, Scott,” Pearl teased, glad to get a rise out of the man as some small retribution, for waking up with dozens of scratches and claw marks. She’d almost had to go get a rabies shot just in case.

Since their last tense conversations, the two soulmates had fallen into an alliance of convenience. Any harm caused to each other would only hurt, and despite a few hiccups, (Pearl may have tested out a lighter on herself, and Scott in retribution had had Cleo punch him) the two were now content to put on a show anytime Scott got assigned to a mission against Pearl.

“Hey, we should really team up,” Pearl said, smiling as she and Tilly dealt with the last of the enemy combatants.

“Yeah, when you get out of jail in a hundred years,” Scott laughed, but his face shifted as he realized Pearl was serious. “Pearl, no way, I’m a hero.”

“Working for bad people.”

“Pearl drop it.”

There he went again yelling about ever considering he made a mistake. Pearl sighed, wondering if he would hurt Tilly if she sicked her on her grumpy soulmate.

But then surprisingly, Scott sighed, and looking back, spoke in a whisper, “I talked to Grian about what I found, and he told me something..”

Pearl leaned forward, intrigued. This was new, a welcome difference for sure, but she had no idea what the number one hero would have to say.

“He mentioned he heard something about the ‘next stage of superheroes’ at some big meeting, I hadn’t been invited to,” Oh he sounded really pissed when he mentioned that fact. Pearl wonders how much of his change of heart is based on his own wounded pride. “Something that would put a stop to villains for good.”

Scott looked genuinely concerned for a moment, like he had been thinking about this for awhile, it was clearly bothering him. Pearl was similarly concerned, she was a villain! And it didn’t sound like a vague statement there, it was about something something, something she had been hearing whispers of in dark places. From the Listener as well, something that she had been trying to find out more about.

“That's concerning.”

“Yeah, and I don't know how much I can find out working here, since apparently I'm not important enough to get invited to secret meetings…” Scott said, trailing off, obviously requesting Pearl to snoop around.

“I'll look around, see what I can find.” Pearl nodded, She would. Not just for him, but in her own self interest. Speaking of self interest, “Why are you so concerned, hero?”

Scott looked surprised for a moment but soon his calm facade returned, “Hey, I'm unfortunately tethered to a villain, so I don't want to die with you, if their grand idea is murder.”

Saying so he stalked away, having had the last word.

“See ya soulmate!”

Now to see about finding an informant.
—-
Her informant ended up being as was often, none other than the Listener.

Her and Martyn were old friends from before, but unfortunately sometimes getting information out of him was like pulling teeth. The man had to have everything be a riddle of some sort. And always insisted on meeting in dark alleys, like some kind of bad movie cliche.

Pearl thought, as she crossed her arm beneath the street light, on the opposite side of town from her apartment. It was a nice quiet location, but Martyn was too suspicious. The surrounding buildings had been dark for a while, and as the light flickered, Pearl heard the telltale clack of the vigilantes boots behind her.

“Well, look who finally decided to show up,” Pearl teased, turning to look at him. She jumps as she sees another figure behind him-

The Zombie.

“What are they doing here,” Pearl hissed as Martyn looked back at Cleo annoyed. The two shared a silent argument for a moment before Martyn turned around sheepishly.

“Well, you're not the most trustworthy sort recently, Pearl.”

“Still, why-”

“They’re my soulmate,” Martyn admitted as the hero- his soulmate apparently- groaned and shook her head. Pearl stood shocked for a moment, huh well that made things make a lot more sense. As well as made her feel better about this two v one. If things went south, they could only take so many hits between the two of them.

“So if we could, ahem, get back to business,” Martyn said, apparently trying to recover some dignity as his soulmate glared daggers at his back. Pearl grinned and nodded, motioning for him to continue.

“As for what you messaged about… it's difficult to explain.”

“What does that mean?” Pearl demanded, getting annoyed by the blondes stalling. His soulmate turned their glare at Pearl, but she ignored that, for now.

“It means he can't tell you,” Cleo answers before Martyn can speak, stepping forward into the light. Pearls seen her in battle before, her superhuman strength destroying everyone that tried to fight her. But their weak to long distance attacks, Pearl plans, calling her power to the ready, ready to be used in battle.

Similarly Cleo noticed her movement and turned her back. “You're Scott’s soulmate but that doesn't mean you're not a villain.”

Martyn sensed the growing tension, and put his hands up looking between the two of them in a calming gesture.

“Look, we don't have to fight, Pearl there's something big going on something I just can't tell-”

Three things happened in the span of the next couple seconds. First, Pearl rolled her head back in an annoyed gesture, to which the tense Martyn, ready for an attack, grabbed his sword, a large blood red weapon. In response, Cleo moved to stand alongside him, dukes up. And thirdly, Pearl whistled through her teeth.

In the soulmates defense, it wasn't really a two v one.

Tilly pounded from behind, stretching at Martyn's back, quickly drawing blood. He tried to fight back, slashing, and Tilly withdrew, yelping out.

Though the uncertainty of winning this fight was enough to spark Pearl into action, grabbing her twin scythes from under her belt, and jumping at Cleo, who shields herself with her arm.

“I don't want to hurt, Scott,” She mumbled, for a moment before seeming to make up a decision. Ignoring her bleeding arm, she charges at Pearl, drawing her own sword midline and slashing down over Pearl's head. Pearl dogged out of the way easily, but was blindsided, as Cleo change her sword's direction and, using all her momentum, slashed sideways.

A deep cut hit Pearl across her side. Pausing for a moment to examine the blood, Pearl threw her scythes down and raised both hands in a motion of moving her powers.

Two thorny vines split the ground and quickly tangled around Cleo's leg. They cut them easily, but Pearl called more and more. An unending visual of thorns and greenery. Cleo kept up but the pace was beginning to wear on her, and Pearl saw many small cuts all over her. It doesn't help that just out of view, Pearl is sure Martyn is struggling with his own fight as well.

Finally it's Martyn who collapsed first, Cleo running back to defend him against Tilly.

Pearl walks over, trying to remain upright despite her own wound.

Pearl calls Tilly away a bit, and then using a vine, points it at Cleo's throat.

“So what was that about information?”

Chapter Text

Tap tap tap

The soles of Scott's shoes made an anxious pattern as he circled in his apartment. Tap tap tap.
He tried to walk a little quieter, stepping on the tips of his toes, and then again more quickly.

Tap, step, step

There was quiet, and that’s when Scott remembered why he was pacing. Ah.

Tap tap tap

Scott threw himself down on the couch, trying to think, but his body kept betraying his nerves, his fingers bargaining to tap, and his left leg shaking erratically.

Cleo hadn’t made contact in three days.

She hadn’t shown in to work, he’d stopped by their apartment, which was empty. And they weren’t hiding out in his apartment, so where were they?

He had checked all the local hospitals on day two of her missing. Earlier today he had checked the rest of the ones in town. No new checks in matching her descriptions, no nothing.

So Scott had seared her apartment, empty. Her phone was gone, but no clothes were. Nothing was packed like they left town, everything was as it was, when they had last talked.

When they had their argument…

Shooing away that train of thought, Scott thought over his actions as to see what he could have changed, to fix things. He filed missing persons when he could, and all but demanded a meeting with anyone to fix this. To find Cleo. They sent out people to search. No one found anything.

And now Scott was here, worrying, shaking with caffeinated energy, because he was also out searching all last night and got no sleep. It seemed like he had exhausted everything.

Well there was one more thing he could try.

He reached for his phone, and selected a contact called, “crazy ex”. Pearl. She could know something, or even just help him look. They hadn’t talked in days, and Scott didn’t want to rely on her for anything, but- what choice did he have?

Finally calling, he let it ring and ring and he was about to hang up, when his soulmate's voice answered.

“Hello, Scott?”

All of a sudden emotion welled up in Scott’s throat, he couldn’t show it, no. He cleared his throat and then in the strongest voice he could muster, said:

“Cleo’s been missing for three days. I was wondering if you had heard any news about her or?”
His voice wavered at the end and Scott almost hung up from that. The enduring silence seemed to last too long. Why was she not answering -

“No I haven’t, but I do have some news that might be relevant.”

Scott leaned forward, and nodded, before saying yes.

“Well I heard about the new weapon the Watchers are making, and they might be testing it out on people..”

Scott saw red for a moment before considering. Maybe Pearl was right, they did have a vigilante for a soulmate, maybe Cleo was just collateral damage. He spoke before he really thought it all through.

“We need to investigate tonight, I can get us in, meet me at fourth and north at 11.”

Getting confirmation, he hung up and put his head in his hands, what was he doing?

He was going to do whatever it took to ensure Cleo was safe.
———-

It's eleven o'clock when Pearl shows up.

Scott motions her over, glad she's wearing darker clothes than her normal bright outfit, but with her mask on still.Noddin at her, Scott leads them around the main building ot the back. Producing a key he had picked off a janitor earlier in the day, he unlocked the door quietly, and silently motioned Pearl to get through the door. He shuts the door quickly after them.

Inside, its pitch dark, and Scott creates a star that casts light around, as well as creating dark shadows. This was creepy.

The halls that in the daylight were dull and full of conversations, turned sinister, and the two waited until they got to the emergency stairs to speak.

“I know I said Watcher Corp was evil, but this is cartoonish,” Pearl said, still walking with careful quiet steps. Scott silently agreed, but out loud said:

“This is just how all buildings look in the dark. Now c'mon, I know there's archives downstairs as well as most of the secure offices. It's just a few flights down…”

The two make their way down. To the basement levels and paused only for Scott to direct them out into an empty hallway of gray motunus doors. Looking at the helpful guide on the wall, Scott begins scouring the doors for room 282t

Finding it he flips through the keys until he finally finds the right one. Turning the lock and opening the door is simple, and soon they are through, inside without a hitch.

The room is unimpressive as far as rooms go, several desks are lined up each with their own computer. Beyond that there's some filing cabinets, and that's it.

Pearl let out a sigh, probably equally unimpressed. Scott elected to ignore her, instead quickly picking a computer and booting it up. Scott finally got it on and typed in a quick log in and was successfully able to access the files.

“Woah, how did you hack in?” Pearl asked, impressed, looking over his shoulder.

“I didn't, it's the same password for everything,” Scott smirked, watching Pearl’s face turn to annoyance. She moved to walk away, giving Scott room to work. Quickly searching around the computer he found a series of files, conveniently labeled with levels of clearance needed. He hovered over one called, Operation Traffic, and was annoyed to find a password was needed. He turned to shout over at Pearl for any guess when,

The flood lights came on, and the computer Scott was typing at went dark. He swirled around and caught Pearl's panicked look that he was sure he shared. Leaving his back to her, he summoned his powers and felt the hum of electricity in the air as Pearl did the same.

Suddenly a slow clapping echoed throughout the small room. Looking in shock, Pearl and Scott saw Grian walk through the darkness of the opposite side of the room. Smiling he began to speak:

“Well, Scott, i've got to admit, I didn't think you had it in you. Sure I planted the seed of the idea, but I had no idea you'd act on it- and so soon!”

“Grian! Where’s Cleo?” Scott shouted, noticing Pearl flinch behind him, and Grian grin beneath his pearl white mask.

“Cleo? I assumed at home recovering, or what didn't you know that,” He said moving closer even as Scott summoned a sword to his hand. “Did your soulmate not tell you about the scuffle they had?”

Scott looked back at Pearl in shock as the other shook her head vehemently.

“Scott, I-”

“What the hell did you do Pearl?” Scott growled. Pearl looked nervous and panicked, trying to focus on both Scott and Grian.”You hurt, Cleo Pearl, your no soulmate of mine.”

So saying Scott slashed forward with his sword, which pearl easily dodged the haphazard blade. Giving one final glance at Scott, and a glare at Grian, she moved her hand forward and vines grew out of the ground all around.

However as soon as the earth stopped shaking, Pearl was gone, disappeared.

Grian sighed, but looked hopefully at Scott.

“Scott, we've been working together for a long time, I know you're a good guy. This was just a simple mistake. And I make sure the head execs know that also if you'll just do one thing for me.”

Scott glared at the man trying desperately not to show the hurt he felt, both from the betrayal and the thorns that had pricked him.

Grian continued, “The secret weapon, the big reveal, is that we've made a breakthrough in technology. A weapon that can take away villains' powers. It could change the world! Think of it, no more battles or Watchers Corp.”

Grian grinned, madeley at Scott, reaching out a hand, “So, Scott, what do you say?”
—---

The next day, Scott dressed up in his suit and accepted the “prototype” the intern handed him. The thing that would supposedly take away his soulmate's powers for good. He looked at his message to Pearl reading: We need to talk. Tmr.

Walking outside to the main street where they had fought not that long ago, Scott saw Pearl standing opposite, Tilly noticeably absent.

Scott and Pearl stood facing each other on the battlefield, powers racing bubbling beneath their skins. Pearl spoke first.

“I know you snooped around in my background,”Scott nodded, there was no point denying it. “I don't care what you found, but I chose to be a villain because I wanted to change things, in a way I knew wasn't going to happen working for Them.

Scott frowned, this wasn't what he had expected, but he signed nevertheless and moved on with his plan.

Scott pulled, from a messenger bag a bundle of tnt, dropping it on the ground by him, Pearl left out a confused noise and looked at Scott with worried eyes.

“Tilly death do us part,” Scott said, dropping a match into where he knew the string was, leading to the explosives. Time seemed to slow down as Scott stared down at Pearl from meters away.

As if recognizing the futility of such a thing, Pearl still yelled:

“Scott, no!”

And time sped up again, Pearl moved a foot forward, eyes resigned, Scott smiled sadly.
and then the world exploded in yellow and bits of debris.

Chapter Text

The setting sun casts the city in a warm blood red glow. The bright rays cast splinters of sunlight into the cracks of the darker parts and illuminates them for all to see.

Pearl stares into the setting sun, basking in the heat. She takes off her navy hoodie, and sighs contentedly. The sun traces her shining red burn scars on her left side, walking from her chest all the way to her face, stopping just short of her eyes.

A scar that is reflected perfectly on her soulmate's body, contrasting with his cyan hair and resting bitch face.

“I still don't get why we had to use real explosives,” Pearl teases, and is rewarded with Scott turning and frowning at her.

“You know why we had to use real explosives,” He deadpans, “Otherwise, the Watchers wouldn't have-”

“Bought it, yeah yeah, but did you have to use so many?”

Scott now fully faces her, raising a hand to his face to block the sun, “Pearl we set up the explosives together.”

Pearl giggles, and Scott laughs as well, both going back to facing the diminishing sun.

“But no, I get it,” Scott says after a moment of silence, “About, using so many explosives.”

Pearl looks over to see the man taking stock of all his scars, a sad look on his face. He truly cared about presentation a lot, and this, kind of ruined any sort of good first impression.

“At least now, we're officially dead,” Pearl nudges Scott on the shoulder, and he smiles wryly.

“I suppose that is a positive.”

They were dead, well in the eyes of the law at least. The, rather elaborate in Pearl’s opinion, fight and subsequent murder-suicide had all but convinced anyone watching that the two soulmates were six feet deep. Pearl knew Cleo had nearly killed Scott, when he revealed he was alive, much to the hero's surprise. Or well former hero. Despite not actually being targeted for their vigilante soulmate, once Scott told all about what the Watchers were doing, Cleo bailed as well, though they still hadn't forgiven Pearl for almost killing them and Martyn. Not even Scott had forgiven her fully for that, yet.

Now they were all working together outside of the law.

Well kinda.

Pearl looks over at Scott in his new vigilante suit. They both had changed outfits, as so not to reveal that they were still alive. Scott's new outfit was water based, Pearl had joked he looked like a fish at first. He had fake fish ears and faux coral out of his hair. His outfit was much of the same fit, but now in a lighter blue. It was a perfect disguise but with a mask and voice changer, it had to be enough.

Scott caught her eye and threw a questioning look over, but Pearl only looked down at her own outfit. Red traded in for a navy blue. She wore a short hoodie and a moon symbol on the back.

“We should get going,” Scott spoke, standing up and stretching. The two started patrols for the night in different areas that could take a while to get to. Pearl jumped up and began scanning the now almost completely dark city. Lights flickered on like fireflies and shared their cool glow all around.

“Have you heard about that new hero? Someone called Gemini, or something. Apparently she graduated top of her training academy.”

Scott looked over the skyline, trying to look chill and not worried. “What, like it's hard?”

Pearl nodded, but looked away, here they had gone through so much together and still they couldn't work together, they couldn't been seen together so no one put two and two together. She was still alone, she sighed, rubbing Tilly’s whistle in her pocket.

She almost jumped as Scott put a hand on her shoulder, pointedly not making eye contact.

“We can handle it. It's just one more thing to do before dismantling the entire business of heroes.” He spoke, determinedly and like it was a simple fact, only a matter of time.

Pearl worries about whether he regrets his decision to leave a system that was so comfortable and familiar. But pushing down those feelings she focuses on the two of them now. Staring out at the city, their city, that they were going to fix.

“We’ll keep this city safe,” Scott promised.

Pearl grinned and nodded, and leapt off into the night. Her beautiful city rushing up to meet her.