The next day, I walked in to the big doughnut. The door rung as it closed behind me "Hi again!" Sadie said while the male known as Lars was stocking the shelves. "Oh hello, Sadie was it?" I asked. She nodded politely with a slight grin "so what will it be today?". "One of the ones I had yesterday. Bavarian crème was it? Yes I think I'm infatuated with the taste." I said chuckling a little. "Here you go that will be 3 dollars." I handed her the money and grabbed the delicious treat and went outside and ate while looking over the railing onto the morning horizon. "Quite the sight. Its a good thing this planet survived the war." I thought to myself while eating. I finished my doughnut and threw the wrapper in the garbage. "Hey there you are!" said someone behind me. It was Steven barreling towards me with his chubby legs. He had a huge grin on his face, it seems he is happy to see me. "Well, well, well. What are we doing up so early?" I asked with smile while ruffling his hair. "I'm going for breakfast! I usually go to the big doughnut for it."he said excited for his meal. "Really? I just came out of there a minute ago. Hurry up and grab your doughnut ill wait here for you." I said. He lit up and ran inside yelling "be right back!" two minutes later he came out with a jelly filled doughnut already eating some of it and dropping some onto his clothes. I started laughing a little, he did too and for a second we just both sat there laughing. After calming down from the fun Steven asked "Obsidian?". "Yes" I replied waiting for a question of some sorts. "Where are you from?"he asked in sort-of serious tone. "Well like most gems I'm from Home-world. But I left because I didn't like what we were doing to the universe. I flew in space for years until I came here. I crash landed in Europe and started blending in with society. Eventually I came to America looking for a new home, which I lived in for a long time until I heard rumors of you guys. So I came here to see if you were a threat to the planet but obviously I was wrong." I answered with honesty. He looked at me with those huge cute eyes and asked "so your not here to attack us?" I looked at him in the eyes (even though he cant see mine because of the hood I wear) and said "No I assure you I'm not here to hurt you. However in the future if your worried someone is here to hurt you make sure they're good before you start to hang out with them" he smiled at my answer and sat down with a sigh of relief. I ruffled his hair a little, smiling. Then we hear a voice a little raspy and loud "Steven! We're going on a mission in a little bit so lets go home and get ready." "Amethyst! Hi! Yes I'm coming." then he whispered to me "I'll see you later right?". "Yeah ill be in town so don't worry and remember to take the equipment with you. Be safe okay?" I whispered back. We waved at each other as he went with Amethyst. I heard her ask "Who's that?". Steven just shrugged his shoulders and shook his head to indicate that he didn't know. And he was gone so I had to decide what to do with my time. "Maybe I should go on a mission too?" I whispered to myself. I pulled a map out of my gem which is located on my left shoulder. The map contained locations of old temples and other buildings that were made by gems. "Lets look for more dangerous ones to test my skill." I said to myself. "Hmm the Glacial Citadel? Seems to fit just what I need. Alright on wards!" I said to myself as I started to walk to the nearest warp pad that wasn't in Stevens house which was a few miles out of town. I warped to the citadel and was blasted by the cold instantly. I looked up at a giant fortress carved out of ice with two giant doors in the middle. I walked up to the doors and pushed them open to see an empty dark corridor. Grabbing a glow-stick out of my supply pouch I cracked it and held it in my hand and walked in. traps everywhere and its hard to dodge in the dark because it usually ends in me dodging into another trap. Eventually I get to an open room where it lights up and I see colossal corrupted gem looking down on me. "Oh great." I said with much sarcasm. I pulled out my one-handed long-sword ready for battle. My long-sword is like no other in that it looks more rectangular and it has an extra handle on the back for defensive/utility uses. It starts it attack swinging of a chunk of ice around like a club. I parry and back slash it in the stomach then we both back off, we start walking in a circle looking at each other planning what to do next. It strikes first and swings it's club down as hard as it can but I backed up just far enough not to get injured. Then I jump on the club and start running up it dodging attacks from the gem's huge hands. I eventually get to the top on his shoulder and strike the finishing blow but not before he blindsided my with his hand as I killed him. I fell to the ground hard with the sounds of my breaking bones. I sat up and checked my body for injures patting my self all over and found that most of my ribs were broken or cracked, in addition to this my arm was broken as well. I forced myself up and went over to the gem that fell from the giant. I picked it up and shoved it into the pouch on my belt. I walked out slowly because there could be more traps and my injuries hurt horribly. I eventually ended up at the warp pad and went through back to where I came from.

I caught a ride to the beach city and went to a general store to get basic medical supplies. I sat down at a bench on the boardwalk and started to take off my coat and shirt but careful not to take off my hood, after that I put a back brace and splinted my arm after I set it back in place. As I was putting on the brace I noticed some one watching me. It was Sadie the clerk at the bog doughnut "Hi..." she said as she looked at my injuries. "Hello Sadie" I said with smile as I slipped on the brace. "How bad is it? Where else are you hurt?" she said worriedly walking towards me. "I'm not gonna sugar coat it, its pretty bad I'm going to be injured for a week or two." I replied as I tried to stand but fell back on to the bench. "Maybe that mission was a bad idea." I thought to myself. "Here let me help wrap your arm." she said grabbing the medical wrap and splint from me and started to wrap it tight. When she finished she then asked "where are you going to go? There aren't ant hotels around in town." ."I didn't think about that. But it doesn't matter because I don't have to rest although I would heal faster if I did." I replied in some thought. "Well I'm not going to let you sit out in the night. You can come with me to my house. I live with my mother but she'll let you stay until you feel better." she told me already making up her mind without letting me say anything. She helped me up and she walked me to her house, when we opened the door her mother sitting on the couch watching some soap-opera turned toward us about to say something to Sadie but stopped when she saw me. "Who's that?" Sadie's mother asked. "His name is Obsidian and he needs a place to stay for a while because he's injured and he get home in his condition." Sadie replied looking at her mother with pleading eyes. When Sadie mentioned I was injured her mother jumped up and came to check on me, motioning me to lay down on the couch . I removed my coat, shirt, and brace without removing my hood to show my injuries to her mother. They both gasped at the broken bones in my body, I didn't look at it but it was very painful. "Well there's not much I can do about it, you'll probably have to rest here for a while." she inspecting me. Then she went to the kitchen to get me a drink they call "Tea". She gave it to me and I drank it, I slowly became sleepy and eventually fell asleep.

The next day I woke up on the couch. It was morning and it was bright out "what beautiful day out. Its just my luck to get hurt on a day like this" I said to my self chuckling but stopped because it hurt. The door opened and Sadie came through but she wasn't alone. Steven was there with her asking about how I was and if he could see me. "If you want to know I'm right here." I said siting up. "Obsidian!" Steven said as run up to me and hugged as hard as he could. "Ow."I whispered in pain looking at the ceiling with tears coming to my eyes. "Steven stop your hurting him!" she yelled looking at me in worry. "Oh, sorry." he said jumping off of me. "I just thought I'd see you at the big doughnut and I asked Sadie where you were and she said you got hurt doing something and said you were here so I came." he explained. "Don't be so worried I'll be fine soon enough. I just got in a fight with a giant corrupted gem and he got a lucky shot." I assured him. Then he asked "wait. what gem?"and I face palmed with my non-broken hand. "Tell me, tell me, tell me!" he asked excitedly completely forgetting his worry. "Well I decided waiting around for you wasn't the best idea so I decided to do something with my down time and went to a gem temple in the north called the Glacial Citadel. There I dealt with countless traps left and right until eventually i found an open room that lit up as I entered. Then looking down on me was a giant gem with a huge ice club in his hand. I pulled my sword named The Pretender

out of my gem and got ready for battle." "why is it called The Pretender?" he interrupted. "I don't really know myself because, well I didn't name it. Someone I knew once said it just pretended to be a normal sword, So she called it The Pretender and it stuck ever since. I can show you if you want." I asked him before I go on with my story. He nodded slowly with his huge eyes."Step back okay? I only have one good hand and I don't want any accidents." I told him standing up slowly. I concentrated for a moment putting my right hand on my left shoulder where my gem was. Then I slowly pulled my weapon until it was free and held it up to show Steven. He looked at it with awe and ran around me saying "Its so cool!" but it turned to sadness as I heard him say "Wish I could summon my weapon." I sat on the couch and patted the seat next to me for him to sit down. "Whats wrong?" I asked him when he sat down."I cant summon my weapon but everyone else can. I feel useless when we go on missions." he replied looking down at his shoes. Guilt formed in my mind and finally I gave in to it. "You know when I get healed I can help you with your training." I said to him. "Really? Oh thank you so much!" he said beaming with happiness. "Anyway back to the story..." I finished telling him of the fight I had and how I ended up here. "And it dropped this." I said holding out a bright sky-blue gem for Steven to see. He grabbed slowly from my hands and studied it for a minute. "What are you going to do with this?" he asked me. "I don't know I'll have to store it some where..." I replied thinking. "Umm I could put it in the temple for you." he suggested. "Great idea but how without getting caught? The best way to do it is to just sneak it in when no one else is around. Can you do that?" I said looking at him in the eyes. "I could just bubble it and transport it back." he suggested. "No we cant because they will sense it enter the temple. But I want you to remember one thing." I said in a serious tone. "What is it?" he asked a little puzzled. "If you do get caught don't lie to them about the gem and where you got it okay? I don't want to have any misunderstandings and if they want to talk to me. I don't think I'm going anywhere soon." I said to him. "Yes sir!" he said to me and saluted like he was a soldier. "Alright go on lets get this over with." I said to motioning him to leave. Okay bye see you tomorrow!" he said walking out the door. "Fingers crossed I guess." I whispered to myself.

Steven's point of view

"Alright I gotta do this right." Steven walked up the stairs to his home and went inside. It was empty, nobody was home at all. " this will be easy." he whispered to himself as he tip toed his way through past the kitchen. Suddenly "SURPRISE!"the crystal gems jumped out as a joke but Steven jumped launching the gem Obsidian gave him in the air right into Garnet's hands. "Hmm" Is all she said as she examined it thoroughly. Then she backed her head in surprise and bubbled it away. She then looked down at him and said "Explain this now."

He explained the situation to garnet and the others because Obsidian told him not to lie to them. After he was done Amethyst said "Is that the guy you were talking to the other day?" Steven nodded looking at the floor. "Wait what guy? Why wasn't I told about this?" Pearl asked kind of angry now. "Because you over react to everything and especially if Steven meets someone." Amethyst said back. "Stop now you two. Don't you see we have a bigger problem with this Obsidian guy?" Garnet yelled.
"No he isn't a problem he just wanted to see if we were bad guys be realized we weren't so he didn't attack. He got that gem for us and severely injured in the process, we should be thanking him." Steven explained in an attempt to defend Obsidian. "Do you know where he is and where he got this gem?" Garnet asked with an inquisitive gaze. He said the gem came from a place called the Glacial Citadel. Steven explained but when he said the name of the place Pearl jumped up. "But that place is super dangerous! It held tons of traps and at the end was a giant corrupted gem with monstrous strength." "And he said if you want to talk to him he's at Sadie's house resting because of his wounds." He said looking at the ground. "But I have to ask do you guys know about a sword known as The Pretender?" Steven asked trying to learn more about Obsidian. "It was a blade that a man named Obsid..." Garnet tried to answer but trailed off. "Its that Obsidian! We have to be careful when we go it could be dangerous." Garnet told the others then she looked at Steven. " take us to him."

I guess steven kept his promise to Obsidian but at what cost?Remember if you have some advice or some criticism about the story please don't hesitate to comment. Thanks in advance and see ya next time.

-Joe