7 in 3

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Scarlet

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Soon the entire massive cavern is bathed in a bluish light. I yank my hand away from the moss, cutting off the supply of magic. Soon the river running through the cave slowly begins to glow as well. 

Emerald puts me down and I’m quickly surrounded by flashing Unraks. 

“Scarlet, what… light?” Holly’s voice betrays their nervousness. I quickly explain that I just cleaned the water. The panicked flashing dims from their shells. Just as everyone has calmed down, the floor begins to shake slightly. 

I look up, preparing myself for the worst. Slowly the lightly glowing moss grows brighter, the patches of plant thickening. Soon the entire field is bathed in light as bright as indirect daylight. The rumbling comes to a stop. Thank god, we weren’t crushed to death by stones. My relief is short-lived as I notice that while the moss has stopped thickening, it is still spreading. 

The now vibrant moss grows beyond the farm’s lower ceiling, slowly crawling up onto the main cavern’s roof. Green luminescent plantlife quickly takes over the stoney roof. I rub my face with my hands. I just wanted to clean the water. Just make the water not toxic, ya know? I didn’t want this huge spectacle. Dammit… When I finally uncover my face, the entire cavern’s ceiling is carpeted with the bright plants. I brace myself and turn to face Holly. 

The boss’ shell is tilted towards the ceiling, like they are looking up. After a few minutes of staring, they turn their attention to me. “Scarlet.” The red light gives me no comfort this time. I brace myself for scolding. “That… Amazing. So much light… very… pretty.” 

The leader’s awestruck voice shocks me. They aren’t mad? I look around at the other Unrak with us. Sea and Emerald are still looking up at the moss, but unlike the boss they are gently pulsing a white light. The calming pattern makes me relax and I look up at the moss. 

“Happy to help, boss.” I smile softly. 

 

【〓〓〓〓】

 

When we return to the Unrak village we are almost instantly swarmed by nervous and excited people. Holly quickly wades into the crowd, clicking out a rhythmic explanation to all present. The gather throng quickly drowns out the elder with a chorus of questions. 

I feel an arm pulling me away from the crowd. Emerald stealthily tries to lead me away from the swarm. I decide to take the hint and follow her quickly. After a few minutes of walking the three of us approach a home that is painted, unlike its neighbors. Emerald opens the front door and ushers me inside. 

The dimly lit interior has a warm, earthy smell pervading it. I glance around, my eyes slowly adjusting to the dark. Most of the furniture is similar to what I’m used to, but a few stick out. Around a table in the next room are a group of what are clearly chairs. Unlike chairs that I’m familiar with, the seat is a large bowl instead of a flat plank or cushion. 

Sea moves past me carefully and quickly settles into a seat. They withdraw their limbs, letting their shell sit in the bowl-like space. I glance at Emerald to see if they also are going to sit. Emerald is instead facing me silently. 

“Scarlet… sorry no… chair.” Emerald's words confuse me greatly. There are plenty of chairs though? Oh, they mean for me.

I put my hand on their shell, hoping it isn’t some sexual gesture. “It's fine, Emerald, why would you have a chair suited for a race that's never spoken to you?” I give them a casual smile. 

Emerald flashes a few times without saying anything. After a few silent moments they speak again. “Have soft chair… for Scarlet… upstairs.” Emerald moves through the room, climbing up through a hole in the ceiling on the far side. After a minute or two a large thump startles me. 

A large bag has fallen from the hole Emerald went through. The lumpy bag looks as if it is filled to bursting with… something. Two pale blue limbs descend from the hole, pulling Emerald back down into the room. They quickly push the bag up to the table next to Sea. Pointing at the bag, they face me.

“Chair for… Scarlet!” Their voice is full of pride. I smile and hobble my way over to the bag placed for me. I almost reach the seat when I lose my balance, putting too much weight on my hurt leg. 

I let out a yelp and start to fall backwards. Before I can hit the dirt floor, several tendrils wrap around me. They gently lift me back into a standing position. I look at Sea and Emerald, who both have their limbs extended towards me. Blushing furiously, I limp the rest of the way. 

Once I’m finally seated, Sea speaks for the first time in hours. “What Scarlet eat?” I pause, realizing I haven’t eaten since last night. Before I can answer, Emerald returns from an adjoining room with a few bowls of things. They place the food in front of me, so I give it a look. 

The first bowl has a type of mushroom, which I instinctively know is edible. Thank god for that. Looking at the second bowl, I see that it’s filled with a tuber. I get a pang in my gut warning me that it's poisonous. Next is a bowl full of some kind of edible insect. The six legged beetles are all dead, apparently dried. The final bowl has a few live frogs. My gut says that both types of animals are edible. 

I look at Emerald. “I can eat all of it but the roots.” I point at the tubers, to ensure they understand. I’d hate to be accidently poisoned by such friendly creatures. Emerald’s shell pulses happily. 

“Good! Make… us burger.” Their words make me perk up. I try to imagine what the new food will be like, and strangely, a vividly clear picture appears in my mind. Thinking about the strange-looking sandwich, I stare off into space. 

I’m brought back to earth by a light tap on my shoulder. I look down to see that Sea wants my attention. 

“Scarlet… Gender?” The shelled friend’s voice is full of curiosity. I give them a smile. 

“I’m a girl, what about you, Sea?” I use the opportunity to satisfy my own curiosity. 

“I… zet.” The unfamiliar word sounds strangely metallic in my ears. So Sea is that third one Holly mentioned. Our conversation is interrupted by clicking from the other room. 

“I girl.” Emerald’s voice carries into the room. These guys are unexpectedly pleased with having a visitor. Emerald returns to the table, carrying a plate full of burgers. Shockingly the food looks almost exactly like how I imagined. 

I’m snapped out of my thoughts by a plate being put in front of me. “Scarlet… must eat!” Emerald’s voice is motherly and stern. 

I smile and dig into the meal. 

 

】〓〓〓〓【

Pim

】〓〓〓〓【

 

My sleep is interrupted by a horrible and unfamiliar sound. The wretched reverberations feel like they’re drilling into my head. I sit up and look around, trying to find the source. My brain takes a few seconds to register what I’m seeing. 

Instead of being in my bed at home, I’m laying on a large, soft sack. In front of me is a glowing stone that is giving off a pleasant heat. Beyond the warm rocks stand two… things. Shelled creatures covered in holes, clicking and flashing at each other. As I watch, one extends a greenish tentacle in my direction. 

Panicking, I fall backwards out of the bag-like furniture. I feel a sharp sting as my head hits something hard. I scream internally, not able to let it out. 

I feel the air around me ripple. The ripple moves through the air, visibly warping the space. As the warped space races away from me through the building it shakes and moves all the loose objects. It quickly fades to nothing, not even making it out of the room. 

I notice my body shaking violently as I attempt sitting up. A warm feeling spreads from my back, helping me up. One of the things is assisting me and I’m in too much pain to be afraid anymore.

Once the tentacle withdraws from touching my back, the two creatures start flashing and clicking again. The combination of horrible stimuli makes my head throb in pain. I close my eyes in an attempt to soothe the pounding. 

After a while I feel a tap on my shoulder. The green shelled thing trying to get my attention. It taps on the packed dirt floor, showing me a drawing it made. It has drawn two things that look like the two creatures, and a stick person in the soft soil. The tentacled creature draws the stick person and one of the creatures holding hands. It taps the drawing happily. 

Why am I here? Why is it dark? What are these things? None of my questions can be answered because monsters can’t read. 

I reach down to the drawing, putting an ‘X’ over the clasped hands. My petty action causes the lines drawn in the dirt to glow brightly. I almost fall backwards again in shock as the entire room is flooded in golden light. 

Once the light fades, the drawing is gone, replaced by a scorch mark. I look over at the creature who is touching the burn as if it's sad. The green shell turns, as if it's looking at me. The monster reaches out a tentacle gently, trying to hold my hand. Whatever, if the thing wants to hold my hand that bad then it can. What do I care? 

I don’t withdraw my hand as the bluish limb approaches. When the arm is about to touch my hand a golden light pulses between us. Blinded, I can’t see what is happening, but there’s a lot of crashing. I rub my eyes, attempting to get them to readjust faster. Finally able to see again, I see the green shelled creature buried in a pile of debris. It hit a wall behind it, causing a part of the roof to fall in on it. If the thing didn’t have a shell, it could have easily died. 

Immense guilt flashes through my chest. How did I even do that? I didn’t use magic… Is it the drawing? The thing did explode in the same gold color. Why would that work, though? I run over to where the two creatures are digging the green one out, and quickly draw a new picture. In the dirt by the debris, I draw a stick figure standing next to a crude sketch of the shelled beings. I draw a small mass of text between the two, with lines to indicate speech. 

No golden flash, no burnt dirt. Why didn’t it happen this time? Looking at the scorch mark, I try to think of the differences between the two situations. After about ten minutes it dawns on me, the creature was also by the drawing. I toss a stone near the blue creature, trying to get its attention. Unable to tell if it's looking at me, I just wave it over. 

Soon the blue creature cautiously moves towards me, making sure to not touch me. When it's close enough I point down at the drawing. The creature doesn’t move, but the drawing flashes bright gold all the same. 

After the light is gone, I look over at the two creatures. The blue one has already returned to its friend, successfully pulling it out of the pile. 

“Careful Emerald, I need to check your shell.” Words echo through my mind, in sync with the blue shell’s flashing. It worked! The drawing came true! It has to be my blessing… Does a crappy sketch like that count as a law? There has to be more to it. 

Focusing, I look at the newly excavated creature. I attempt to imagine giving the creature an apology and follow it with a bow. My actions cause the two beings to start chattering away. The lightshow clicking combo wrecks my mind again. Barely audible above the din is the meaning behind the stimuli. 

The creature apparently named Emerald speaks first. “She apologized, how did she speak without a mouth?” It pauses. “This day has been so strange…” Emerald’s words are heavy with exhaustion. 

The other creature replies. “I’m not sure, are we sure this girl isn’t Scarlet?” When the shelled being says my sister’s name their shell flashes dark red. “I really don’t understand what’s going on anymore.”

Emerald moves closer to their companion, patting the top of their shell. “It’s okay, Sea, I’m sure what happened just now was an accident. She’s been careful not to touch us again.” 

My face flushes pink. God, why did they notice that!? I guess it’s better than them being afraid of me. I try to push a thought to the duo again. 

“I’m sorry for causing so much damage and confusion, it was an accident. I didn’t know that would happen.” The two of them turn towards me before starting to click again. 

“That’s odd, it's almost like she heard us.” Emerald turns slightly towards Sea. “But she hasn’t responded to our words so far…” Wanting to clear the confusion, I think loudly again. 

“I can hear you. The drawing I showed Sea allowed me to understand you.” Saying the bluish creature’s name makes it flinch. It quickly faces Emerald, seemingly for reassurance. 

“Emerald, can she really hear us?” Sea’s words shake slightly. Emerald stays silent for a moment, rubbing their shell. 

“I guess we have to test. I’ll just say something strange and if she repeats it then we know she can.” Emerald’s plan makes the blue creature pulse gently. Now that they’ve calmed Sea, Emerald faces me. “Humans are stinky meatbag people!” Their voice is nervous, as if they’ve never said an insult in their life. 

I’m unable to suppress an inner laugh. I feel the laughter leak out of my mind to the other two. They both freeze in place. 

“I’m a meatbag, but not a human, Emerald.” 

Startled, the green being flashes brightly. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it!” The poor thing’s voice is ladened in guilt. I can’t help but laugh some more. Sea slowly sidles up beside Emerald. 

“Emerald… What is that weird sound they make? Scarlet did it too.” 

Sea’s comment makes me break into hysterics. 

 

【〓〓〓〓】

 

After getting the three of us a jar of something each, the two shellfolk sit down at the table with me. I look at Emerald while holding the jar to my face. Even though I can’t drink, I still somehow smell, even without a nose. I relax by smelling the fragrant scent coming from my jar. 

Emerald tells me what’s happened, why I’m here. She speaks of Scarlet’s insane shenanigans that disrupted their entire city. After her explanation of things, she begins her friendly interrogation. 

“Pim, where did Scarlet go?” Even without eyes the Unrak bores holes in me. 

I respond quickly, hating the attention. “She’s here, kind of. We share a body and switch sometimes. She’ll come back eventually.” I fiddle with the jar in my hands.

Emerald slowly pulses with a dim light that is accompanied by a mental sigh. “I understand, we were watching when the two of you swapped. How did you two end up sharing a body?” 

I laugh shakily. “Well, it's not the two of us.”

“But you just s-” 

I quickly cut her off. “There’s six! Six people in this body. We all share it. We don’t know why we are like this, or even what causes the switches. We woke up in the deathglades with no memories and a blessing.” I rub my eyes, trying to calm myself. 

“Your body has a blessing!? Is it the power Scarlet used to make things grow? It’s amazing!” Sea excitedly blurts out their curiosity. 

I slowly shake my head at them. “No, each of us has our own blessing. That ability is just Scarlet’s” I rub the back of my head nervously. 

“What?!” Sea’s mental voice causes my head to ring. “You each have a blessing? How can you even hold six blessings in one body!? Are they partial blessings?” Sea’s excitement slowly turns to fear as they ask me questions. 

“No, they’re full blessings. All different.” I lower my eyes, not knowing what to do other than tell the truth. Silence hangs in the room, slowly suffocating me. 

“What’s yours, Pim?” Emerald’s voice trickles into my nervous mind. Her voice is calm, without a hint of fear. I look at her before I answer. 

“I have the blessing of ‘Law’.” I shake my head. “I have no idea what it even is or does. It probably was what caused all the problems with the drawings.” My internal voice cracks with melancholy. 

A warm thud hits my shoulder. Looking for what hit me, I see Emerald’s tendril laying there. She didn’t get repelled! I look at her shell, assuming that’s close to eye contact. 

“It looks like you can control it, seeing how that barrier is gone already.” Her voice is kind and calming. “I bet if you were afraid it would’ve stuck around, right?” It sounds like she’s smiling when she speaks. I give her a nod, starting to feel better. She points her tentacle at the spot I woke up. “You should sleep, you didn’t get much before.” 

Obeying the motherly Unrak, I snuggle into the soft cushion.