Citrine Goldstone: Sword of Ice (#1)

Chapter Three (#3); Kurt's Magazine Gift Store

CITRUS SURPRISINGLY FOUND HER ANSWER IN SCIENCE CLASS. Her teacher had mentioned Kurt’s. Well, Kurt’s Magazine Gift Store was its full name, but everyone called Kurt’s. Kurt’s used this science solution to make something called Invisibility Slime. It was clear and when you put it in your hands, it turned you clear too. And Kurt’s store happened to have the word magazine in the name. And Drapes just happened to be a magazine.

“Citrus?” Mr. Dakota called. Citrus hadn’t been raising her hand, but she hadn’t realized that her head was down. That was a clear sign to teachers that someone wasn’t paying attention.

“Could you repeat the question?” Citrus asked, staring right into Mr. Dakota’s eyes. The rest of the class seemed to disappear, leaving just Mr. Dakota and Citrus.

“Humph. I’d have thought you would have paid attention what with Kurt’s and all,” Mr. Dakota tsked, asking another student to answer his question. Citrus’ heart raced. Did Mr. Dakota know about the note? No. Maybe he just thought that Kurt’s was Citrus’ favorite store. She did pay attention more whenever Kurt’s was mentioned. It was fascinating, the science mixtures and solutions they had in Kurt’s.

***.

After school, Citrus grabbed her homework that she had placed in her locker. She was just heading out the door when she bumped into her friends, Pearl and Topaz. Pearl was a girl who was small for her age. She was older than Citrus though, 13. Pearl had almost transparent eyes. It was impossible to tell the color. But they were most likely white. Pearl had light blonde hair, almost white. And then there was Topaz. He was tall for his age, looming over Pearl and Citrus. He was muscular and had a light voice that made everyone assume he was joking. Topaz had yellow-orange eyes and constantly messy dirty-blonde hair.

“Are you mad at us?” Pearl asked, her voice quivering. Pearl was also very shy. Citrus checked her watch. It was 3:15. She had about 2 hours left until the mysterious note-giver expected her.

“No! Why would you think that?” Citrus asked, trying to think through her options.

“You’ve been avoiding us lately,” Topaz responded. Citrus thought through the last few days and realized with a start that it was true.

“Well… I’ve been busy.” And then Pearl asked the most heart-stopping whispered question ever.

“You got the note, right? The one about going to Drapes? Topaz and I got it too.”

“Yeah. You’re coming, right?” Citrus asked, not really wanting to go alone, though the note had warned her to.

“Where? Drapes isn’t an actual place!” Topaz protested. Citrus realized that her friends hadn’t figured it out. By now, the whole school was outside chatting with their friends. Citrus pushed past her friends and into the crowd. Pearl and Topaz followed.

“We have to go to Kurt’s,” Citrus responded.

“Not together. The note said alone,” Pearl added. Topaz nodded.

“We’ll meet you there!” And then Pearl and Topaz pushed past the crowd and headed for their houses, which both of them were close to the school.

***

At precisely 4:50, Citrus told her parents that she was going out shopping. Her parents agreed and returned to their science experiments. Kurt’s, which Citrus had been to before, was 5 minutes away by bike. If Citrus then waited outside for 2 minutes, and walked inside, she wouldn’t be early or late. At the exact second it turned 4:57, the door swung open and Pearl and Topaz rounded the corner.

“You’re here,” said the lady. She was taller than Topaz, about a head taller. She had curly chocolate brown hair, which, as she guided them inside Kurt’s, she had to keep pushing out of her hair. It was near impossible to tell if her eyes were gray or foggy blue, they seemed to keep switching. Finally, the lady met a door in the back corner which read, Authorized Personnel Only. The lady swung it open, and inside, Citrus found a sort of secret base. It was gigantic for such a small door. There were a couple adults near the base of a staircase. They were studying a computer intently.

“Who… Who are you exactly?” Pearl asked, with obvious fascination. The lady turned, her dress swishing.

“You have to swear an oath of silence first.”

“How can we do that without knowing your name?” Topaz questioned, tilting his head.

“Just repeat after me,” The lady replied, obvious annoyance seeping into her voice. After the oath, the lady again pushed her hair out of her face.

“I am Gemstone Sophia. This is the secret agency, Diamondbacks. A Gemstone is an adult. A Gem, such as you three, are children. And our Diamond is the leader.”

“Thank you, Sophia,” came a cold voice behind Gemstone Sophia. Sophia turned pale and stepped to the side, muttering something incoherent. Citrus, Pearl, and Topaz gasped. It was Mr. Dakota!

“Yes, yes. No need for long introductions. I am Diamond Kurt and you three have been chosen as our newest Gems.” Citrus had never seen Mr. Dakota angry, and this wasn’t anger. But his face was cold and expressionless and if he couldn’t care less.

“Dad, maybe try being nicer to the new ones? Oh hi! I’m Gem Selenite Dakota. You may call me Gem Selena.” There was a cheerful voice and a girl seemed to materialize next to her father. She had the same midnight black hair, the same dark skin, and the same light freckles (which seemed to be the only light or bright on their bodies). The only difference between them was eye color and gender. Diamond Kurt had ice cold eyes and Gem Selena had happy but dark blue eyes. Selena was also wearing a simple black dress, probably why she blended in with the shadows. Diamond Kurt scoffed.

“They need instant training. Can I trust you, Sophia?” Sophia straightened.

“Yes, sir. Gem Selena, it’s best if you come. Your dad has business,” Sophia said with a sudden respectful and official voice.

“What about our parents? And school!” Citrus exclaimed. Diamond Kurt rolled his eyes and handed Citrus, Pearl, and Topaz a note. It talked about how they would be given an assignment to head to Kurt’s everyday after school for Science class.

“And should we ever need you for school, I have told the principal to tell you every teacher that you all have a very energetic system that is contagious. Should you not be allowed to go to the bathroom whenever asked, you would faint, causing an outbreak. The teachers should allow to take your merry little time in the ‘bathroom’.” Diamond Kurt then waved his hand in a shooing motion, as if he were tired of everyone’s presence.

“Come now,” Gemstone Sophia cooed in a sympathetic tone, “We have training.”