"John? JOHN!"

John awoke with a start. He could still see the dust settling, and his ears were ringing. It was kind of dark and he realized that he had fallen down in the mines. He sat up slowly, rubbing the back of his neck, he ached all over and his clothes were cover in dirt and dust. His hands were black with the stuff, but in his right hand, remembered that he finally found one.

Sylvia, his sister had gotten down carefully and pulled him into his arms.

"You're okay!" she yelled.

"I got it!" John yelled, holding up the diamond.

Sylvia pulled away.

"I've been looking for this forever!" he said.

"Will you forget about the diamond for a second? We've gotta get you out of here. Is anything broken?"

"I don't think so…"

"Okay, then…"

Sylvia pulled one of her brother's arms around her shoulders and they walked out of the mines as quickly and carefully as possible. After that, they made their way back to Echo Village and went into the clinic. Sylvia was stuck in the waiting room while the doctor took a look at him. In the meantime, she was holding the diamond he found. She had actually never seen a real one before, so she would admit it was an unbelievable sight, but she already knew why John wanted it so bad. Michelle had asking a lot of requests of him lately…

Finally, after what seemed like forever, Klaus finally came out to meet with Sylvia.

"Dr. Klaus!" she said.

"You're brother is fine, other than a few scraps…" he said. "I already sat him down and gave him a lecture on his carelessness. He's in one of the beds. Now I need to go upstairs and write the report."

Sylvia made her way past the blinds and saw John in one of the beds. His boots were on the floor and his jacket was set aside. His face was patched up and his hands and parts of his feet were wrapped in bandages.

"John, does anything hurt?" she said.

"A little…" he said. "But, the doctor gave me some medicine."

"Oh, that's good…"

"Do you still have the diamond?"

Sylvia rolled her eyes. "Of course I do…" she said. "But… wouldn't you want to save this, John? I mean, we might need for something important."

"Michelle is important!" said John.

"John, I really don't think you should give it to her…" said Sylvia. "Do you realize what you went through to get this? You could've died!"

"What do you mean? Why don't you want me to give it to her?"

"I just… she's… been asking a lot from you… Food, items, now jewelry?! Doesn't that seem at all suspicious?"

John glared at his sister.

"What do you know about Michelle? She's sweet and kind and never demands anything!" John yelled. "She always asks politely and even says it's okay if I can't get something for her. We've been on a few dates and she's never been mean to me!"

"John-"

"Give me the diamond and leave me alone!" he snapped.

"Fine."

Sylvia left the diamond on the bed and left. John held it tightly in his hand as he fell asleep. Those words she said wouldn't leave his mind, though. Michelle wouldn't be using him like that… would he?

The next day, John was released from the clinic, so he went to Michelle's house. A few clouds were in the sky, but the village was mostly quiet. He tapped on the door and the rapid footsteps told him she was home.

"Oh, John!" she exclaimed. "I heard what happened at the mines! I was so worried!" She threw herself forward and hugged him. He hugged her back and for the moment, his worries he had since last night just vanished. "Come in! Come in!" She grabbed his hand and guided him inside. "I was just practicing for my next show and need another person's eyes for an opinion. Will you watch me?"

"Of course!" said John. "But before you do, I have a little surprise for you." He reached into his pocket and got out the diamond. "Ta da!"

Michelle's eyes lit up at the sight of it.

"By the Harvest Goddess! It's beautiful, John! Thank-you! Thank-you!" She hugged him once as tightly as she could. "Now I can do that magic trick I've always wanted to try. You wanna watch?"

"Yeah! Sure!" said John.

John stuck around to watch Michelle practice the entire morning. It was like a private show just for John. Afterward, he decided to go back to farm and try to make up with his sister, so he stepped out. The wind was picking up and then he realized that he was still holding one of Michelle's tools, so he stepped back inside.

He set the prop on the table, only to hear Michelle giggling to herself. Beyond the kitchen was her room.

"Looks like he is very useful, after all," she said, running her fingers on the beautiful gemstone. "All I have to do is ask sweetly and he gets me anything I want. What should I get next?" Out of all the jewels she yearned for only one thing. "Ah! A pink diamond! It's perfect!"

John backed away slowly, making sure to head out the door quietly. He started walking, but wasn't sure he was going. Honestly, he didn't care. The words of both Michelle's and his sister's began to sink in.

Sylvia was right. Why couldn't he see it sooner…? He walked over to the plaza and sat in the bench for what seemed like hours, just thinking. Then the rain began to fall. Michelle had lied to him. He was smitten for her, did anything to win her love, but in the end, he saw that it was just a game to her. She had him wrapped around her pink-nail polished finger.

He almost died in the mines for her...

Even when the rain began to fall harder, John remained where he was. His heart sank at every thought Michelle. The cold outside meant nothing to him, even as he saw Neil and Rod rushing to close up shop to bring the animals somewhere dry. He stood and headed into the wilderness… towards the mines…

Sylvia walked into tailoring store. It was empty at the moment, but Yuri was working on an order.

"...Welcome," Yuri said, in her usual soft tone.

Sylvia looked around the shop, but found nothing.

"Um… Is there… something specific you're… interested in?" said Yuri.

"Yeah, my brother," said Sylvia. "I know he comes in here with Michelle sometimes to pick out clothes. Have you seen him?"

"...No," said Yuri. "Sorry. Why don't you know where he is?"

"He was suppose to come back from the clinic today, but he hasn't come back to the house yet," said Sylvia. "We had a fight last night…" She walked over to the counter and placed her hands on it gently. "It's my fault. I told him all these things about Michelle and…"

"What… things?" said Yuri.

"I… Michelle's been asking John for a lot of things," said Sylvia. "He got hurt trying to find that diamond."

Yuri gasped softly, gripping the fabrics that she was holding.

"And so… I thought that… maybe Michelle was just… using him to get things?" Sylvia managed to get out. She knew she and Michelle were really good friends. "Sorry, I know it's kind of stupid to believe that… She's energetic and everyone would love to be her friend."

Yuri couldn't keep working. Her hands shivered, and she would never dare to sew with an unsteady hand. Sylvia was a little surprised to see her glaring. Yuri was never one to get mad.

"You're… You're not… wrong," she then admitted.

"Wh… What?" said Sylvia.

"She… She comes in here… to talk about him all the… time…" Yuri tried to keep her voice to a whisper, fearing that someone would come in. It would be even worse if it turned out to be Michelle. "I didn't want to say anything, because I was afraid it would hurt John's feelings, but she thinks she's doing nothing wrong. That it's his fault for being so gullible and in the end, all that matters is that he loves her." Tears began to well up in her eyes. "But… that's not what a relationship is at all… is it? I'm sorry, Syl." Her tears came out and fell on the fabric on the counter.

"It's okay," said Sylvia. She knew how fragile Yuri's feelings could be. "Thank-you for telling me this. Just try to act like we never had this conversation just for a little while."

Yuri nodded, wiping away her tears. Sylvia's right eye was twitching as she walked out of the shop. Her hands were balled up into fists. She stormed through the rain, going from shop to shop and door to door asking about John. Once she heard that he had gone towards the mine, her anger turned to fear. She rushed up the forest trail as quickly as she could.

"John!" she called, as she neared the mine. "JOHN!"

Sylvia heard nothing as she entered the cave. She walked around and found John, but he wasn't doing anything. He was just sitting in the middle of the area.

"Ah, there you are!"

John didn't seem to respond to her presence.

"John?"

"You were right…" he said. "You told me and I didn't want to listen…"

Sylvia walked over to him and sat down. In his right hand was a diamond. A pink one.

"I yelled at you! I made you leave! You were right and I'm sorry!" The grip on that pink diamond only grew stronger. "I'm so, so sorry."

Sylvia put her arms around him, pulling him close. He was holding the diamond tightly, but he held his sister tighter. His tears finally escaped.

"I'm just glad I found you and you're safe," she said. "Please… just come home."

It was quiet night back home. John's clothes were a mess when she found him, but she demanded he change into something else before he caught a cold. After that, he was just quiet on the couch with a blanket wrapped around him. The TV wasn't even on and he wouldn't say a word unless Sylvia talked to him.

There was a knock on the door. Sylvia decided to open it and it was Michelle.

"What you doing here?" she said, a clear glare was on her face.

"I'm here to see John?" said Michelle.

"Well, you're not-"

"I invited her," John then said from the living room. Sylvia said not another word and let Michelle walk into the house.

"Hey, John!" Michelle said, rushing over to the living room. "What did you call me over f-"

The second she entered the living room, her eyes sparkled at the sight of that pink diamond sitting on the table. "Oh my goddess! John! It's beautiful! It's-"

It was only after she examined the diamond's beauty did she even look at John. He was in a blanket, looking to floor, her smile and bubbliness not even drawing his attention.

"John? What's the matter?"

"Do you like it?" he said.

"Of course," said Michelle.

"Then it's yours," he said, raising his head. "I hope you like it…" Finally his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes narrow. "Because that's all you're getting from me."

Michelle gasped.

"Wait, what?"

"We're done here," he said. "I'm… breaking up with you!"

"John!"

"I said I'm breaking up with you!" he shouted, as he stood up. "Keep the diamond. Let it remind you of the lies you made. You don't love me! You never have!"

"N-No!" said Michelle. "I did… I do love you! I…" She set her hands down to her sides. "I just… I thought since we are in a relationship… I could reap all the benefits…"

"So that's it, then?" said John. "Is that what a relationship is to you?! Just BENEFITS?! I ALMOST DIED GETTING YOU THAT OTHER DIAMOND!"

Michelle took several steps back at that. He had never seen John so angry. John had never heard himself yell like that. He sank back into the couch, his head, hanging low, trembling at the sound of his own voice. Michelle knew that somehow, someway, he had found out what Michelle's true intentions were, and he had been awakened from her spell.

"I… I think you should go…"

"W-Wait!" said Michelle. "Please!"

"I really think you need to go," said John.

"No please! It isn't supposed to be this way!"

"What, wasn't?"

"You're not suppose…" Michelle started tearing up. "You're not suppose to break up with me!"

"...Then how come I am?" said John.

"John, no… I…"

"Go," John said, looking away.

"Please! I love you!"

Sylvia walked into the room. Her footsteps brought a moment of quiet.

"He said leave!"

Michelle backed away. The tears in her eyes escaped and she made her way towards the door. Once Sylvia opened it, though, she grabbed her by the shirt.

"Stay away from my brother!" she hissed. And she shoved her outside before shutting the door.

Michelle stared at the pink diamond. She thought be happy with it, but she wasn't. The mere sight of it was making her heart sink, and a single tear fell on it. She got what she wanted… but at what cost?

Last Month's One-shot:

An Octarian Obligation - Splatoon

Other stories:

Skyward Bound - Legend of Zelda

Splatoon: A Fresh Spark

Broken Worlds - Steven Universe