GOOD EVENING EVERYONE! Nick Write here bringing you the 21st chapter of The Gem of Time! Yeah, I know it's been a few weeks, but I've been kind of busy. So don't worry about it, I'm back, and we should be on schedule if I don't decide to be lazy, which I can't make any promises if I am. At least I update more than my girlfriend. AHEM. Anyways, that's besides the point. I hope all of you enjoy the chapter. READ ON!
When Link's feet touched the ground, his triforce immediately began to glow brightly. He frowned, and Lapis landed beside him.
" It's a good thing I didn't bring Minerva. I had a feeling it was him."
Lapis looked up to him, a worried look on her face." You don't mean."
Link nodded." Gannondorf's back, and I have reason to believe that Steven is heading right towards him."
Lapis began to internally panic. They had to save him! Link placed his hand on her should, and gave her a small, reassuring grin. When she visibly calmed down, Link internally sighed. He was worried as well, but they couldn't let it get to him. He smiled at his glowing hand.
" It's pretty convenient that I have a built in Triforce tracker. Otherwise, this probably wouldn't be good."
Lapis nodded." Yeah. Now, let's hurry, we have to get Steven."
Link nodded in agreement, but when Lapis tried to fly, her wings fizzled out, and she collapsed onto the ground. She was breathing heavily, a confused look on her face. Link knelt down beside her.
" Woah, are you okay?"
Lapis looked up groggily." This..has never happened. I've flown much farther distances and been fine. What's going on?"
Link stood up, and closed his eyes. The wind gently blew through the air, and suddenly it stopped. Link opened his eyes, a clear frown on his face.
" There's a slight interference in the air. Not dissimilar to a gem disableizer. Gannondorf most likely has something set up with the diamonds."
Lapis ran a hand through her hair. This was bad. How were they going to get to him quickly now? She attempted to stand, but her legs wouldn't work. Link steadied her, and picked her up gently, holding her across his shoulders. She limply hung there, feeling terribly useless.
" I'm sorry."
Link grinned." Don't worry about it. You're as light as a feather. Right now, just try to recover, and I'm going to find some way to get to where we need to be."
Lapis nodded, and Link began to walk.
Steven and his father admired the big city. They had just finished sightseeing, and the appeal of the city had yet to wear off. But now, they had buisiness to attend to. Steven had asked one of the locals about the location, and luckily, they had given them directions. Even more lucky, their destination was on a mountain close to the city. Of course, afterwards the man they had asked looked like he was about to attened their funerals. But that didn't deter Steven any. Greg a little, but not Steven. He needed to know. So they set off. On the way, Greg looked to his son.
" Steven, are you sure it was a great idea to come here alone?"
Steven grinned towards his dad." I didn't come here alone. I've got you here, yeah?"
Greg gave his son a nervous look." Now, you know what I meant. Why not get Link or one of the others to come with us."
Steven gave his dad a pleading look." This is something I needed to do Dad. Please, just give this to me."
Greg sighed.' Why do I have to be such a pushover in times like this.' " Okay Steven. But remember, if we encounter something dangerous, we run."
Steven nodded." Of course."
The two walked in silence the rest of the way, Greg silently worrying about his son, and Steven himself wondering just what could be waiting for him at the palinquin. Soon, the two had reached their destination. The towering palinquin was covered in old vines and flowers, similarly to how he saw it in Buddy's Journal, as well as his dream. Both he and his father snuck over, hiding in a bush, and looking over. There was a tall blue figure in a hood, silently sobbing, a light blue pearl standing at her side, and a tall, but not nearly as tall as the hooded figure, man with green skin and firery orange hair. He was set on one knee.
" Yes, O Radiant Blue Diamond. To loose a loved one so close is tru-"
" Allow me to grieve in peace, demon. Go make sure the electro-magnetic dome is fully functioning. If what you said about Crystal Gems coming here, I want them defenseless, so I can crush them with my own hands. For what they did to Pink."
Steven's heart skipped a beat at the mention of the Crystal Gems. The man looked slightly irritated, but rose, and bowed nontheless.
" Of course. I'll return shortly."
Blue Diamond didn't say a word, and the man left in the other direction. Steven's own eyes began to pour tears, as the hulking diamond sobbed as well. Startled, Greg backed into a bush, and made a rustling noise. They both froze on the spot, as Blue Diamond's calm and chilling voice rang out.
" Pearl. Did you hear that?"
The pearl nodded." Yes, My Diamond. Do you wish for me to investigate?"
Blue Diamond nodded, and Blue Pearl walked over, but before she could reach the two of them, Greg panicked, and rose from the bush. Through gritted teeth, Steven asked him what he was doing. Greg simply held a hand up to him, and winked. He turned back to the gems.
" Yo."
Blue Pearl looked back to her Diamond." It's a native."
Blue Diamond sighed, her cautious attitude immediately changing back to melancholy." It's amazing how such a puny and soft creature can survive in the conditions of the planet. Live where even a Diamond couldn't. Pitiful, isn't it? This was her planet, you know. Her only colony. And it got her killed."
Greg frowned. It was a complete 180 from what she had said about the gems. He held a sort of understanding though. She was mourning the death of a loved one. Greg walked over, and looked at the decrepit palinquin.
" I get it you know."
Blue Diamond turned and gave Greg a questioning look, and the human continued.
" What it's like to loose a loved one? You don't want to forget, and you shouldn't. But you also shouldn't dwell. It's not what they would want. I know from experience."
Blue Diamond's eyes widened in surprise, before returning to the melancholy state they were in before. She turned back to the palinquin.
" It's amazing. How this puny creature can understand the feelings of a diamond. Even to give advice. I can see why she was so interested in you."
Greg didn't really appreciate being called a "puny creature," but he didn't say anything, mostly in fear of angering her, and being crushed. So, Blue Diamond continued. She leaned down to Greg, moving her cowl out of her face in order to look at him better.
" You don't even know that soon you'll be destroyed. Perhaps I can preserve one last peice of her legacy."
She suddenly wrapped her long, slender fingers around Greg's torso. He let out yelp, and Steven jumped from behind the bush.
" DAD!"
All three of them turned to the boy, surprised, but Greg looked scared.
" Steven! Get out of here!"
Steven ignored him, and pointed towards Blue Diamond.
" Give my dad back!"
Blue Diamond seemed surprised." Another native?"
Suddenly a bright ball of energy came from out of nowhere, flying right at Steven. On instinct, he brought his shield out, disapating the attack.
" No." A voice said." He's a Crystal Gem."
Steven spun around, and noticed the man from before, a maliscious grin on his face. His eyes, a dull yellow. Steven's heart jumped at the sight of his eyes. A man with evil eyes. The man seemed to notice this, and grinned wider.
" Why, is the mighty Rose Quartz scared?"
Blue Diamond's eyes widened at this mention, and she whirled to face the man.
" What are you saying demon? I'll have you crushed."
The man held his hands up." I don't jest. The sight before you is the oh so Mighty Rose Quartz. Just look at the shield."
Blue Diamond looked at the shield, and Steven willed it to disappear, still in fear. The enormous gem frowned.
" That is the very shield that Rose Quartz wielded. But why is she in this form?"
Greg squirmed in Blue Diamond's hand." He's not Rose! He's my son!"
The man grinned." Show us the gem, boy. Unless you want the old man to go early?"
Steven looked at his dad, and slowly pulled up his shirt, revealing the pink gem embedded in his belly button. Blue Diamond cringed in disgust.
" Pearl, seiz him. We are to make a visit to the Zoo to drop this human off, and then we'll take Rose Quartz back to Homeworld to be put on trial."
The pearl nodded, and moved forward, but before she could grab the boy, she stopped in her tracks. Steven looked at her confused, before lookeing up to her face. Her hair was gently parted, revealing an arrow sticking straight out of her eye. Steven resisted the urge not to puke, and the gem poofed. Steven voluntarily grabbed the gem, and bubbled it, sending it to the temple. The arrow fell harmlessly to the ground, and Steven looked in the direction of where it was shot. Link hopped out of his cover, Master Sword in hand, as well as his shield, and Lapis flew over to the boy. She picked him up, and began to carry him away. Blue Diamond raised her arm, and her ship revealed itself. She got in her palinquin, which hadn't been far away, and rose into it, taking Greg with her. Steven pointed and shouted.
" Lapis! My dad!"
Lapis turned, and attempted to fly after them, but was blocked by a large man. He landed a strong blow on her back, and there was a sickening crack heard. Her wings fizzled out, and they plummeted to the ground.
Minutes earlier with Link
Link ran at Gannondorf, catching the Demon King off guard, and gave him a strong slash with the Master Sword in hand. He hissed in pain, and looked at the Hero of Time.
" I don't have time for you right now Hero. Begone!"
He sent a powerful magic blast at Link, but Link remembered his previous fight with him, and knocked it back. It hit Gannondorf, but he did not go down. Steven yelled out to his dad, and the Evil King grinned. Leaving Link behind, he flew up, and punched Lapis directly onto her gem. Her wings fizzled out, and she and Steven began a free fall towards the ground. Link leapt out, and grabbed Lapis, preventing her from hitting the ground, and Steven controlled his decent, and floated gently down, landing a few seconds after Link caught Lapis. He had a panicked look on his face.
" They got Dad, and Lapis is hurt really bad! What are we going to do?!"
Link grabbed him by the shoulders." Hey! Don't you have healing powers!? Help me out real quick. I'm not sure if my magic alone is strong enough to restore this much damage."
Steven shook himself out of the panic, and licked his hand, slapping the healing saliva directly onto Lapis' gem, while Link whispered over it. Soon, the crack that had covered the entire gem, was now only a small little nick. Steven breathed on her gem, and rubbed it off, giving the blue gem a brilliant shine. Lapis grogglily rose.
" Did we get him."
Link frowned." No, unfortunatlely. And they got away with Greg."
Lapis ran a hand through her hair." What are we going to do? Gannondorf knows where we are now, and they have Greg."
Link stared at the Master Sword." Gannondorf always knew where we were. As for Greg, we're going to the gems."
Lapis would've had a heart attack if she had her own physical heart." You mean a man that dangerous just knew where we were?!"
Steven gave Lapis a curious look." I thought you weren't sure."
Lapis looked down to Steven." Link told me stories, and the man was smart enough to bring an electromagnetic amplifier. He could kill us all."
Steven's eyes widened. The man hadn't seemed that menacing at all. Just like a suck up. Link habbed the Master Sword into the ground.
" But he won't. I won't let him."
He looked at Steven and Lapis.
" We're going back to the Temple, and we're getting the rest of the gems."
Steven rose an eyebrow." And then?"
Link grinned." And then we get your dad back."
AAAAAAAAAAAAAND THAT'S A WRAP FOLKS! Whoo, I was not expecting to finish this tonight. So technically, I'm early! Of course, I'm posting this tomorrow on Monday, but this gives me a few extra days to hopefully pump out the fourth chapter of Hero of the New Age, and then finally continue on with Great Fairy Tail. So this is exciting. Well, like I said before, I hope you enjoyed. Leave a review, they're always welcome, and follow the story if you're interested in what comes next! And as always...
See You On The Flip-Side~Nick Write