Chapter Two
"Phew! Season three is officially done! Again." Peridot pressed the rewind button as soon as the last episode's credits began to roll. "And I just now remember that I also have to rewind season four!"
Lapis chuckled, "I told you."
"I know, I know! But hey, while we're waiting on this tape to rewind, why don't we go ahead and take a small break?"
The blue gem shrugged her shoulders. "Sure. What did you have in mind?"
Peridot thought hard, putting her hand up to hold her chin. "Hmm. How about we take a little stroll around the forest?"
"Umm..." Lapis' smile went away. "I don't know. I thought the whole point of take a break was to do... nothing."
"But we we're already doing nothing."
"Nah-uh, we were watching TV."
"Grrr..." Peridot frustratingly rustled her hair. "I know that! But wouldn't it be nice if we walked around in some Earth nature? Plus, Lazuli, you never leave the barn. It would be good for you to see something different for once! Just trust me." Peridot held out her hand, hoping Lazuli would take it and fly them down to the ground.
Instead, the look on Lapis' face was emotionless. If Peridot had to guess her emotion, she would of thought that Lapis was angry.
"The last time I wanted to see a new place, I was caught in a war and taken prisoner."
"Well, yeah, but you were alone then! You have me with you now..."
Lapis' expression turned to shock at the green gem's words. She does have a point. Plus, it's not like she'd be going to a different planet. It was just a simple walk in the woods. What harm could be done there?
Lapis sighed, "Okay, okay. Let's go." A small smile grew on her lips as her wings sprouted once more. She lifted Peridot up and flew to the ground, where they both commenced on their journey.
As they reached the edge of the forest, Peridot noticed that there was already a path for them. "Look how perfect this is!"
A light smile played on Lapis' lips. "Yup."
They began walking down the path, leaves from the trees provided shade from the sun, but rays of light managed to get through and shine down, making this a perfect afternoon walk. Lapis had a bored expression on her face as she walked while Peridot was nervously sweating. Peridot could honestly say she has never gone on a 'stroll' before, let alone with Lazuli. What should she talk about? Should she talk about anything? Peridot sighed quietly and dropped her head a bit. Heck, they LIVE together and they barely talk. Peridot had a feeling that Lazuli still didn't fully trust her, even though she somehow managed to convince her to come out on a walk.
Eventually, the gems came across what looked like the bottom of a cliff. The side of the cliff was covered in moss and vines. "Whoah..." Peridot muttered, looking up. The top of the cliff was obscured by the trees, but she did notice something strange. On the cliffside, Peridot noticed a section where the moss and vines were parted to reveal what was underneath. Instead of rock, like she was expecting, it was smooth metal.
"Do you see that?" Peridot asked, still peering up at the spot.
"What?" Lapis replied, looking up to see what the shorter gem was gazing at.
"It looks like... metal!"
"Metal...?" Lapis gasped and took a step back, the color draining from her face. "Why would anything metal be here?!"
"No idea... but let's find out!" Peridot lifted her arms toward the metal spot, closed her eyes, and started to concentrate. The metal piece started to wobbe slightly, but didn't give, almost as if it were attached to something.
"Peridot, stop. You don't know what that is."
Peridot stopped using her powers and turned to Lapis, ready to argue. But when she saw the blue gem's distressed face, her own face softened.
"Look, Lazuli," Peridot spread her arms wide at her sides, palms open, and shook them a bit. "There's no one around but us!" With that, Peridot balled her right hand into a fist and slammed it backwards, connecting with hard metal as a loud BANG sounded. Immediately afterward, whirring noises came from behind her. Peridot's expression dropped as she spun around just in time to see a giant, diamond shaped door open, revealing the dark insides of the mysterious metallc object.
As the door was opening, Peridot had backed up to stand next to Lapis. Both of their eyes were wide and their muscles were tensed.
Little light that was seeping through the trees dimly lit the inside of the structure. Peridot took a cautious step forward, prepared for anything that might jump out at them.
After what seemed like forever, the dust settles. Peridot breathed a sigh of relief, stood up straight, and turned back to Lapis. "See? Just us!"
"Okay, sure," Lapis mumbled, looking at the ground. "But there is no way I am going in there." She finished, pointing at the huge entrance.
Peridot played ping pong with her eyes; looking from Lapis, to the door, and back to Lapis again.
"What?" Peridot squeaked. "You're telling me you don't want to explore old gem tech? This stuff has been here for ages! It's probably been here since before I was created!"
"Yeah, but I was technically here before it was, so it's not really that old to me."
Peridot pursed her lips. Lazuli had a point.
"W-well, you've never seen the inside of one of these bad boys... right?" Peridot nervously poked the tips of her index fingers together.
"Well..." Lapis' eyes shifted to the side. "No... I just have a bad feeling about it."
"Look, Lazuli," the shirt green gem walked up to Lapis and, very gently, reached out to hold her hand; Peridot's thumb gingerly caressing the other's. "It will be okay. Like I said, you're not alone anymore. You have me here to protect you now."
That sent a jolt of electricity down Lapis' spine, and a blush sprad across her cheeks. "Mmm..."
"And it shouldn't be too bad in there! I mean, this stuff's probably been obsolete for centuries."
"Mmm..." Lapis looked down at Peridot. The small green gem had stars in her eyes. Lapis sighed as her muscles relaxed. "Okay, fi-"
Just then, a long, metallic arm reached out from the depths of the wreckage and wrapped around Lapis. The two gems didn't even have time to fully process this before the arm started to retract, taking Lapis with it at am alarming speed into the darkness.
"PERIDOOOOOOOOOOT!" Lapis screamed after their hands were snatched away from each other, her voice echoing from inside the wreckage.
"LAZULIIII!" Peridot called after her, but she could no longer see nor hear her companion.
Thank you for reading chapter two! Don't forget to review!
I rhymed.
