"Again!"
Antarcticite called out as they carefully watched as Phosphophyllite dashed across the ice floes, trying again and again to break them apart to no avail. Winter's whispering breeze gently masked the sounds of heels against ice, as well as the ringing of Phos' borrowed blade hitting the surface of the floes. But the wind could not disguise the frustrated cries of the turquoise gem as they echoed through the emptiness of winter. "Aaaaannnntaaarrrrrrccc…" The voice groaned out. Trudging through the snow with sword dragging behind, Phos slowly made their way back over to their mentor, collapsing in the pile of freshly fallen powder in front of the winter gem. "I've been at this all day… Can't you just do it?" Phos whimpered, their voice muffled. Antarcticite only glared down at them as they laid unmoving. "I thought you said you would take on a share of winter's duties?" The green gem grumbled and wiggled themselves deeper down into the snow. In one swift motion, Antarcticite reached down and pulled their mentee to their feet by their collar. "You grew tired of shoveling snow. You grew tired of sawing apart the floes. You asked to try this yourself. Are you really giving up?" Phos grumbled once more, refusing to make eye contact with their superior. "You made it seem so easy though."
"I've had hundreds of years to practice. You've only been going at this for less than a day."
"But if I keep at it, I'm going to fall apart!" Phos cried out, shaking themself out of Antarcticite's hold. It didn't take close inspection for Antarc to see this to be true. Cracks and chips traced all along Phos' face, and signs of such had begin to show creeping along their arms, at least what was not covered by gloves. With a sigh, Antarc relaxed their posture and nodded. "We'll head back for the day to remedy your cracks, but tomorrow I expect you to work even harder to make up for lost time." With a determined smile, Phos nodded, standing up proudly, only for a few chips of their powder to fall from around the cracks that had formed on their arms. Sheathing their own sword, Antarcticite took Phos' in hand, and lead them off back to the school.
"You don't have to be so harsh, you know?" Phos chimed from behind Antarcticite. They had only made half of the trip back to the school, which had previously been silent. "I'm really trying my best here but it's kind of hard when I don't even know what I'm doing wrong. You just tell me to try again and all I do is keep messing up." Their voice trailed out, returning the walk to its previously silent state.
Back at the school, Phos sat solemnly as Antarc dusted powder over their cracks and revealed crystal. Neither said a word as the procedure continued, nor once Antarc had finished and put all the resources back in their respective places. After giving Phos' arms and face a final inspection, Antarc retrieved their sheathed sword from against the wall. "Take time to let the powder set and rest here. I have to finish today's duties. I'll be back just past sunset." Phos nodded as the clicking as Antarc's heels sounded past them, growing quieter. "Hey.. Antarc?" Phos called out, looking up from their feet. But Antarc was already gone.
Snow slowly descended upon the island as the stoic gem marched on back towards the field of screeching beings of ice. Their sword slid from behind them to a readied position as Antarcticite dashed forwards along the ice floes, leaping through the air and twirling to shatter the sinners. After hundreds of years, this dance of ice floe and gem had become second nature to the winter soldier. But for someone like Phos, they understood why it was difficult. Antarc remembered to the days of old when they first met Sensei, when they were first tasked with guarding the frozen season, when they had undershot a jump and fell in a chasm between two towers of ice, only for Sensei to rescue them moments later. After hundreds of years, they had perfected their technique, and thrown away all mistakes.
To see Phos stumble reminded them of their old self, although perhaps in their time they were slightly less careless. In their time of need, Antarcticite had Master Kongo at their side to guide them, but the winter gem knew they could be no master to the young being of Phosphophyllite. Phos was no soldier. Phos did not plan to stay.
Gliding through the air, Antarc's grip on their sword tightened. Phosphophyllite only treated winter as self punishment. They had no interest in returning next year. Training them would be pointless. Phosphophyllite would not return. Antarcticite was sure of this.
The day they told Sensei they could handle winter on their own was both one of their proudest and one of their worst days. Antarc had grown serious over the years, only wanting to please Sensei and make him proud. If Sensei could spend the winter season resting, he would not have to worry about Antarcticite. Over the years, Antarc had learned to be alone.
But the presence of Phosphophyllite resonated with them, reminded them of their days of working with Sensei, their days of having some form of a partner. Antarc would be lying if they said they didn't miss it a little.
Snow continued to fall as the sun began to set, signaling that the time to return had come. Just as they had for many winters before, Antarcticite marched back through the snow in the quietness of their lonesome. When they returned, they found their temporary partner resting where they had left them, head slumped against the wall in a position that was surely uncomfortable, and possibly damaging. They sighed, walking to the drawer below the many shelves to retrieve a pair of long gloves, swapping them for their shorter pair. Carefully, Antarcticite took the resting gem in their arms and carried them to their chambers, laying them in their bed.
Phos shifted in their sleep, subconsciously adjusting to their relocation. For a short while, Antarcticite watched over the resting gem, a small smile creeping on their face. But the smile faded into their usual expression with the young gem's stirring, who had rolled to their side with their eyes half lidded. "Antarc?" They whispered. The elder gem adjusted their posture as they stared down. "Get some rest, Phosphophyllite. We had much work to do tomorrow. Snow will pile up overnight." Phos grumbled at the thought of shoveling more before they nodded, closing their eyes and drifting back to off sleep.
After they did so, Antarctcite left their room, the same small smile beginning to show once more. They knew Phosphophyllite would not stay. But that didn't mean they didn't have to make their time with a partner last.
Phos awoke to the sight they had last seen before they returned to their slumber, Antarcticite standing over them with their cold stare. "Get up," they said. "The snow has settled. We have work to do." With a yawn and a stretch, the young gem rose from their bed and looked outside. "Another gloomy day." They yawned once more. "How do you do this every winter, Antarc?"
"It's… All I've ever known." The winter gem's tone was solemn and forelorn. Their gaze drifted to the gray skies outside, lightly sighing as they did so. "It doesn't bother me."
"Then, it doesn't bother me either!" Antarc jolted in shock at their pupil's words, a small gasp accompanying their shift in focus. Phos stood staring with a determined smile.
Time from then on seemed to move faster. The long days of training Phos in the ways of winter duties seemed to fly by. Each failure of Phos' was met with both praise and constructive criticism from their superior. Not once did a complaint or whine escape the lips of Phosphophyllite. Each time Antarc would glance over to them to assure that they were in no danger and were performing correctly, they couldn't help but smile. The heavy frozen air of winter had begun to lift.
And soon the sun began to set once more. The pair walked back towards the school, having made far more significant progress today than the day before. Phos' silence was nowhere to be seen. Their bright and chipper attitude shone through, having taken notice of Antarcticite's almost encouraging words throughout the course of the day, while still taking note of their failures. Antarc tried to take in every word. Conversation was never something Antarcticite was accustomed to, so keeping up with their more talkative counterpart was a bit of a struggle, but what they did catch, they reveled in. That was until Phos stopped walking to turn and face their mentor, expression softened and gentle.
"Hey, Antarc? I… I know I make a lot of mistakes but, I promise, by next winter I'll be much better and more helpful!"
Antarc froze and stared at the gem before them, using the moment to take in every word. After a second of silence, they nodded. "I'm sure you will."
Days passed after Phosphophyllite's promise of return. While never once did Antarc fully display it, they were joyful to have found a partner, and to have connected with one so contrasting to themself, bringing color to the monotone season. And while they continued to be critical of Phos without holding any thought back, they truly were happy.
As they glided through the air midday during their dance with the floes, they thought of the possibilities the future would bring. The thought of the strength that would come in a pair, both fighting to protect their fellow gems. But all thoughts disappeared as they touched down on ice, and a loud splash came from the direction of their partner.
Slowly, Phos began to sink. And as they did, all thoughts that Antarc had of the chance of Phosphophyllite staying did as well.