Something that I love about the soulmate winners, especially Grian and Scar and Pearl and Scott is that while Grian and Scott won with the other by their side, Scar and Pearl faced their seasons alone.
They were both rejected by their soulmates in double life and it is reflected in their winning seasons, especially Pearl.
While Scott and Grian thrived with a teammate, Pearl and Scar “thrived” alone, almost as though they were held back before and that going against the grain is what really brought them glory in the end.
It’s kind of poetic in the end, how different their endings were to their soulmates, yet how similar they are to each other, I love how beautifully written an unscripted series can be
The dogs were howling. Pearl runs her hands through Tilly’s fur as her sisters tried to ravage the moon. Of course they didn’t get very far, barking at the night sky that was in their eyes just out of reach.
“Tomorrow everything changes.” Pearl says to herself. A chilling wind pushes past and she shivers. Her holed covered cloak a stark red against the forestry.
Tilly licks at her hands, nuzzling her. Scars run like rivers across her skin, breaking up her fur. Her daughter looks more like a mosaic put back together than anything. She nips at her ring finger and Pearl looks down. A bright green string swings loosely in the wind.
It never tugs, never hums. Occasionally it burns, racking her body with a pain not hers. Reminding her who she’s tied to. Scott didn’t want her. She was too wild for a man like him. But in a world like this doesn’t it advantage you to be a little crazy? Willing to do the worst?
People kill each other here and yet he finds a problem with her.
“Maybe I’m not worth it.” Pearl says, eyes welling up with tears. Curling in on herself she hugs her hand close to her chest.
Across the map, Scott feels the burn of pain through his string. He readies himself to hurt, but instead he’s met with tears sliding down his cheeks.
.
The hunt has started. Her pack is smaller now, red staining white. Pearl moves through the forest swiftly, cloak bellowing behind her. She doesn’t trip or falter.
“Where are you?” She grins, eyes scanning the ever blurring trees.
Players were dropping off the board faster than she expected. Though she doesn’t mind. More deaths mean a higher chance of surviving.
In the back of her mind, her subconscious reminds her that she’s living not only for herself. The longer she makes it, the more people fall off the edge, the higher chance Scott survives.
Tilly growls, head snapping to the side. With her the other dogs whirl left. Pearl skids to a stop and dawns her diamond sword. The bush shifts and out tumbles Grian.
The avian lets out an ‘oof’ as he lands face first in the grass. “Grian?” She voices, knuckles turning white with a harder grip.
Grian jolts to his feet, unsheathing his weapon. Her dogs growl in warning. “Pearl.” He voices back, head on a swivel. His iris was red, like her own, both speckled with blue. A reminder of the kinder eyes they both once had. “Have you seen Scar?” He asks hesitantly.
The question plunges her into cold water, shocking her for a second. No ‘please get out of my way’ or ‘are we doing this?’ Just…concern fid his soulmate.
Out of everyone she expects Grian to care about his soulmate the least. He was a cheater. Everyone knew it, it was no secret. Yet here he in asking her where Scar is.
“I haven’t seen him.” She says, eyes darting over Grian’s armor. Only half is enchanted. Not that hers is much better. Still with her pack she’s fair better then him in a fight.
Grian’s wings shake out a little. “Okay. I’ll uh, I’ll get going then.” He says, shuffling to the side. Pearl lets him.
They keep looking at each other until he’s past lunging distance. Once far enough he turns on his heels and runs off further into the forests.
Standing there for a moment she tries to regain her bloodlust. It doesn’t show, sitting lowly in her chest. It twists into something ugly and mellow.
Villy pokes at her hand with her nose and Pearl continues moving.
.
She finds Scott last. Everyone else is dead. Bodies being slowly reclaimed by the dirt. Soul ties broken. It’s just her and Scott.
Her soulmate.
“Pearl.” He says. She can’t tell if it’s a greeting or a warning. His eyes flick to her blade then back to her eyes.
Villy stands next to her, panting. They’ve been through a lot in the past hour. Her wild pack was now down to one. That hurt more than killing her friends, as rude as that may sound.
“It’s just us now.” She notes.
“It is.” Scott replies.
Pearl looks at the way the sunset dances across his face. Orange and yellow hues dancing in his red eyes. She was meant to love him, or at least care. For a while now she thought she didn't. At least until last night. Pearl doesn’t want to not care, she just wished he did.
“There can only be one winner.” Pearl says as she raises her sword. Scott raises his own sword, feet getting into a fighting stance. He’s willing to kill her.
She barks a laugh, a smile spreading across her face. Scott narrows his eyes on her, shifting his stance once more. “What’s so funny?” He asks.
“You really think that I’d let you hurt me more?” Pearl questions back. Confusion crosses his face right before she turns her sword in on herself. “Peal wait—“
“Enjoy your win Scott. You finally got what you wanted from the start. A life without me.” Pearl announces. Scott drops his sword, eyes wide as he rushes towards her.
She plunges the sword into her chest.
.
It’s been…weird.
Pearl doesn’t have many friends off server. But after the last Life Games she’s started hanging out with Scott. Scott and her usually only interact during MCC or cross server events.
With the last Life Game everyone involved realized they can’t remember what happens after. Only the winner. Scott won Double Life.
Maybe she did something during Double Life that made him want to hang out with her? They probably teamed up. Or were at least allys. Either way, having him around was nice. It feels like…
Like he’s filling something in her that’s been missing.
“Hi Pearl!” Scott greets. He has a shopping bag on his arm and a pride shirt on. They were going to hit the shops before entering the MCC Pride event later that week.
“Hey Scott.” She smiles back. Jogging over to his side, they queue up for the portal train. “Nice of you to invite me. What is this, like the fourth time we’ve hung out this month?”
Scott looks away for a second, then back at her. Something changes in his eyes and his smile saddens slightly. “This is what I want.” He says with a sincerity she doesn’t quite understand. “You my best friend.”
“Thanks, you're my friend too.” She replies, tilting her head to the side. Scott’s been weird, yes, but she doesn’t mind it. She actually kind of likes their days out.
Pearl and Scoot get on the train and life continues on.
This is for my (WIP) life series winners au fic series on ao3, The Archive Of Lives, which takes place inbetween games in a castle of the Watchers where all past lives are recorded.
Grian: The Fallen Mercenary - 'Fallen' coming from Grian falling to his death and also from being a watcher - reminiscent of a fallen angel in christianity or Icarus in ancient Greek mythology, 'Mercenary' as his loyalty to Scar was payment for killing him with the creeper prank.
Scott: The Escaped Knight - 'Escaped' because Scott avoids the repercussions of acting on the boogey curse, and also escapes being killed by reds a lot in last life, and 'Knight' as he chooses to sacrifice a life to remain loyal to his allies.
Pearl: The Red-Tainted Scythe - 'Red-Tainted' DL! Pearl is heavily associated with the colour red, and death so it also represents the blood from the lives she's taken, and how she can't separate it from herself, and 'Scythe' because she is viewed as a weapon as she brings death without even meaning to, and its also a farming tool (so links to esmp1), so in other conditions she wouldn't have become murderous.
Martyn: The Time-Strung Executioner - 'Time-Strung' Martyn isn't entirely in control, instead his need for time (and possibly those outside the game) are driving his violence, 'Executioner', continues with the lack of control, but even if it was something necessary the blood is still on his hands.
Scar: The Untethered Merchant - 'Untethered' Scar isn't on a team in SL and there is a lack of stability around his alliances and his home, when he wins there are complications at first (this part will make more sense when Scar's part goes up), and 'Merchant' he tries to sell people things and make trades throughout the entire series, and while it could be seen as him being well-off/living a comfortable life as one might expect from a merchant, he is seen as a villain subverting the expectation.
Cleo: The Jesting Killer - 'Jesting' because RL being an April fools/joke special is often not seen as a real win, and jesters are often portrayed as garishly clothed (Cleo's 80s skin), wise (they are a zombie, and also Gaslight) and criticising (she's quick witted), and 'Killer' because of the brutality of death in VR.
Joel: The Uncontained Fire - 'Uncontained' because of Joel's red life madness curse, and 'Fire' as a continuation of that, while also drawing reference to his and Gem's car theme for the season, and the fury/rage at the stagnancy at the cycle of death, and fire isn't stagnant.
[These may change as the winners after Pearl become more fleshed out. The descriptions for Pearl in the fic notes on her part and Grian/Scott in the comments of Scott's are slightly less fleshed out.]
Have a wonderful day/night. <3
(Grian's part will be up soon, probably next 24 hours
Instead of just choosing another flower for one of our lovely winners (paired with the fact that I wouldn’t be able to choose just one) I went with a Red Laurel. The red because they win in their red life and the Laurel because it means victory in their flower language!
favourite winner: Joel smallishbeans.. did I write him? no. no I did not. I got you some pearlo angst. I hope you enjoy :)
if you want to read it on ao3 (fyi ao3 comments make me very very happy but /nf) it's here
@liferadayjune
It had felt like having her insides ripped out by an unbearable blast of crackling heat.
Technically, that was what it had been.
The tnt had sizzled and popped under Scott's feet, and she'd screamed and cried and begged, hadn't even known what she was begging for, the sound leaving her mouth before she could process what she was saying.
His name.
What are you doing?
She'd been confused.
She hadn't understood.
Still didn't really understand, as she sat alone in the loading screen, the shock reverberating through her body again and again and again...
Phantom pains.
Not real.
They had only ever been phantom pains...
It was hard to remember. Hard to think about.
That everything she'd just felt, every ache and burn and twitch hadn't been her own.
It was an impossible thought to wrap her head around. She knew it shouldn't be.
They'd been playing for months at this point, she was sure every other player was well used to their soulmates' pains by now.
She wasn't though.
The thought was bitter.
She should be. It was only fair.
She was sure Scott was sick to death of the random chills and pains he experienced, because she wasn't careful, or because she just wanted him to hurt for all he'd put her through.
And yet he'd never retaliated. Not really.
Clearly not, if the explosion had shocked her that much.
She felt awful.
Sure at the time, punishing Scott had felt right.It had felt inevitable.
He'd left her. It was what he'd deserved.
But he'd continued to be a gentleman, even if he wouldn't let her back in, and in the end he'd sacrificed himself for her.
He'd let her win.
Maybe he was wrong for the way he'd behaved at the start.
But Pearl knew, perhaps better than most, the way these games could get to you.
She was a prime example actually.
And the way he'd looked at her, when he'd agreed to team with her the first time, back in the bunker when she'd turned the tables on him, at the end, when he'd stood on top of a bomb and claimed she "deserved" the win more.
Those expressions played in her head now.
They weren't that of someone heartless.
The features weren't cruel.
He'd made a mistake.
But in his own way, he'd apologised.
In death.
Through death.
Though their death.
And Pearl thought that maybe, now she would be able to forgive.
Let go.
If only he was here to tell him.
She screamed into the wide empty space around her, the one keeping her here, keeping her from him.
It echoed and bounced, searching for a relief.
For a way out.
One that didn't exist.
She could respawn.
She knew that.
She could feel it, the itch to make her body whole and solid again, clawing at her insides and trying to bubble its way up.
And yet she held back.
Because yes, if she took that leap everything would go back to normal.
She'd be back on hermitcraft, building and laughing with her friends and making her very best effort to forget any of this ever happened.
But what if she didn't want to forget?
What if she couldn't?
Not yet.
She'd spent most of this season in a flurry of complicated, confusing emotions.She'd never been given even a second to think, to try to untangle the twisted thoughts into something manageable.
That was what came now.
And, when she thought about it, stripped down to it's barest elements, neither of them had really been the problem.
She was ready to blame circumstance.
And if that was all that had mattered, then she could've happily gone back to hermitcraft right now, and enjoy her time until the next game.
Pretend there would be no next game.
Pray that there would be no next game.
But if she knew Scott, and she did, probaby better than anyone, she knew that post game clarity would be hitting him hard right now.
He'd blame himself for everything.
She'd told him, time and time again that this was his fault.
He hadn't cared in the heat of the moment.
But now he would, and she wouldn't be there to comfort him, to tell him it would be alright, that she didn't believe that anymore.
She didn't know where his home server was.
It wasn't hermitcraft, that was all she knew.
So she wouldn't see him, wouldn't be able to tell him she still loved and cared about him, not until the next game.
And that thought broke her heart.
Perhaps more than any horror she'd endured in these fucked up games so far.
It was unfair.
The way they were all pulled together only to be pushed apart again.
Some more than others.
Her and Scott... it was almost like they'd been too good last season.
And now they were paying the price.
She'd fought the respawn for as long as she could.It was coming now though.
Sneaking up on her.
Maybe X had forced it. She honestly wouldn't put it past him.
Or maybe her body had just grown tired of sitting curled up in this inbetween space, screaming at nothing and no one.
She'd have to go back now.
Pretend to celebrate the win she hadn't wanted, pretend not to miss the person she'd spent the whole season hating.
She felt her heart tighten again, and she so badly wanted to believe that Scott had felt it too.
That he'd be waiting to yell at her for the pain she was causing.
