"I'm starting to guess the surprise, Steven." Said Lapis as she continued to walk towards the boat. Her eyes peeking through her water wings.
"I told you to close your eyes!" Said Steven as he continued to push her forward.
"Sorry!" said Lapis as she giggled and closed her eyes.
"Surprise!" said Greg and Steven as Lapis opens her eyes. Showing her the large yacht in the water.
"Hm." Said Lapis, her lips pushed together.
"We bought a boat!" said Steven.
"Uh, correction." Said Greg. "We rented a boat. I may be rich, but buying a boat would be going a bit overboard.
"Why must you make puns!" asked Tristan as he emerged from the boat. Wearing shorts and a tank top. "They're like, the worst kind of jokes you can make!"
"Uh, why is he here?" asked Lapis.
"What's wrong?" Asked Tristan with a devilish grin. "Can't stand monsters?" Lapis opened her mouth in protest but Tristan walked away before she could! "Tell me when we're going, I'll be reading my book."
"I'm not sure I can go." Said Lapis frowning slightly.
"Oh come on! Please!" said Steven. "Look, I know you've spent a really long time underwater fused with Jasper. But you're not Malachite anymore! You're Lapis! And water's a part of you. You can't let one bad experience take that away from you!"
"It was more than one." Said Lapis looking away. "And water isn't the only problem…" Lapis stared at the water.
"Just give it a chance. I promise we'll make this the most fun you've ever had." Said Steven.
"Steven, I… Don't deserve this." Said Lapis
"Yes you do!" shouted Tristan from the boat.
"Yeah, what Tristan said!" said Steven. "Look, we even named her Li'l Lappy!" Lapis looked over at Greg as he gave thumbs up. Not noticing the paper peeling away. Revealing the boats real name. The S.S Misery.
Lapis snorted a laugh. "Okay, I'll give a chance. But, just once." Lapis picked up Steven, flying him over to the boat. Making him giggle and laugh.
"You three ready to set sail?" asked Greg from the speaker.
"Aye, aye." Said Steven.
"Yes." Said Lapis.
"Sure." Said Tristan plugging head phones in and picking up him book.
Greg honks the horn. "Full speed ahe- Whoa!" Screamed Greg as he tore a chunk of wood from the docks. "Ah, geez, you think anyone will notice?" Lapis looked over at Tristan. He looked so relaxed! A book, a drink, and some headphones. Tristan looked up, and smiled at Lapis, before turning his attention back to his large book.
"What was that about?" muttered Lapis a Tristan took a sip of his drink.
Tristan read his book, chill-pop playing in the background. It was relaxing, not traumatizing and covered in blood. Just something simple. With the waves in his peripheral vision, it was so nice. Tristan saw a shadow come over him, blocking the sun. He looked up to see Lapis staring at him. He chuckled and went back to his book, noticing Steven as well as they both sat in the other lounge chairs. Steven was sun tanning and Lapis was, well, trying. Staring out at the sea and occasionally glancing at Tristan. Catching each other's eyes every now and then. It was odd. Not only was she uneasy by him and the ocean. There was something, else. Like she felt something, like she knew about something bad that we didn't know. Like the cluster with Peridot. But it seemed, personal. He understood though, he'd been prying into lives for a while now. And if someone didn't want you to know something, you either go for it or leave it alone. And with Lapis, Tristan decided to back off. Besides, "I'm terrified of her." Muttered Tristan, draining the last of his drink.
"Fishing eh?" said Tristan. As he walked up to Greg. "Any fun?" asked Tristan, looking over the side.
"Yeah, when you can catch any fish." Said Greg looking back towards the water. "I just started, so it'll be awhile before any fish feel like biting."
"Dad! Dad!" Screamed Steven as he ran up to Tristan and Greg.
"Hey you two!" said Greg, turning around. "Finally get enough of that horn?"
"What are you doing?" asked Lapis.
"Fishing." Said Tristan. Lapis quickly glared at him before turning her attention back over to Greg.
"Yeah, we're catching fish." Said Greg as he threw his hook into the water.
"Oh, I can help with that!" said Lapis, taking a step back and breathing she raised her arm and lifted a large sphere of water out of the water.
"What the!" Said Greg.
"Nice." Said Tristan, giving Lapis a thumbs up. She just scowled at him, making him grin.
"That's a, uh, pretty fancy way of fishing." Said Greg nervously.
"That's cause Lapis is super strong!" Said Steven.
"Yeah, well. I appreciate the gesture, but I think I'd be safer if we stuck with the old fashion way." Said Greg, obviously nervous.
"Oh uh, sure." Said Lapis, disappointed. Shooting the water back into the sea. Making Steven and Greg gasp as the boat violently rocked.
Tristan frowned. He felt, odd. "I need to make sure my book didn't fall into the ocean." He left, unsure of why he felt so uncomfortable. Almost like someone was watching him, no, someone was watching him. No, them. Tristan looked everywhere, he knew no one else was on the boat. He'd already checked before anyone else got onto the boat. So where! It was driving him crazy. Nothing up above, and he couldn't see under the water. He didn't dare check, he couldn't fight while flailing for oxygen.
"Find your book?" Asked Lapis, landing next to him.
"Yeah." Said Tristan, staring at a shadow far away. "Can you…can you feel that?"
"Feel what?" asked Lapis grinning. "What's wrong? Afraid monsters?"
"Can't you tell! Someone's watching us." Said Tristan. "And I have a good idea as to where they are."
Lapis didn't like the way he was acting. He was tense, serious, and his eyes had a wild calm to them. But then again, she didn't like him, period. "You're acting like a complete paranoid idiot."
"Stop acting like a child and find the threat!" Said Tristan.
"Who're you to give me orders?" screamed Lapis.
Tristan scoffed. "It fucking sucks not being a superior." Tristan glared at Lapis. "Sucks even more when you can't just end them." Lapis was speechless as Tristan walked away. "Don't blame me when we all get shattered. Just die knowing that it was, and always will be your fault."
"It's happening again." Muttered Tristan "I got a taste of power and I got drunk again. But then again, she's acting like a fucking spoiled child." Tristan made sure Steven wasn't around and pulled a bottle of hard liquor out of a pile of towels. "I pray that you work wonders." Tristan felt the boat jerk and his bottle smashed against the floor. "Son of a bitch! Lapis!" Tristan walked over to the other side of the boat. "You did that on…who's that?" Tristan saw the large orange gem stare at him in confusion. Tristan watched everyone paralyzed with fear, and grew cautious. "You must be very, very dangerous if Lapis is afraid of you. So if you don't mind me asking, who the hell are? And why the fuck are you soaking wet?"
"Leave human." Said Jasper turning around. "You're no match for a quartz solider."
"I'd like to disagree." Said Tristan grabbing Jasper by her hair and tossing her into the water. "I can't even remember how many quartz's I've shattered."
"Watch out!" Screamed Lapis. "You've made Jasper angrier!"
"Jasper!" said Tristan, feeling Jasper's shadow come over him. Tristan summoned his sabre faster than he'd ever before and clashed against her war helmet. His arm's felt numb from the unexpected strike, and he was more excited than he was when he fought against Jade. This was the gem that Peridot said he never stood a chance against, and to be honest he agreed. Tristan jumped back charged again, summoning a swarm of petals behind Jasper as he clashed against her helmet again. Using his hand on the back of the blade to push against Japer's monster strength, and the petals attacked her from behind. Making her grunt in frustration and annoyance. "Son of a bitch!" Said Tristan as he was sent flying into the boat by Jasper.
"Fun, but weak." Said Jasper as she turned back to Lapis. "Fuse with me! And I won't take no for an answer. We were great! Powerful! I want to feel that way again."
Tristan felt sick, sick that he wasn't even able to injury Jasper a little bit. Just amuse her, entertain her, annoy her. Tristan stood up, his knees felt weak and his arms were heavy. It wasn't the crash into the boat that hurt, it was Jasper's punch. Tristan had a hard time seeing, and there was a constant ringing in his ears. He walked out of his little homemade coffin only to see Jasper on her knees in front of Lapis. What was she trying to do? It only got worse when Tristan realized that Steven was on the floor, hurt. And unlike a week ago, this wasn't an illusion. Tristan's vision went red, it was hard to see. Hard to breathe, and hard to think with so much rage. With so much blood lust. Tristan was in front of Jasper. When had he moved? He didn't even remember doing anything. He saw himself knee Jasper and kick her back. But he hadn't done that! What was happening? He saw himself summon, unsummon, and resummon his sabre while punching, kneeing, and kicking Jasper. How was this happening? He could feel himself drift away, feel himself become non-existent. And the only thing stopping that was his stubbornness, and his iron will. Tristan finally felt himself move, and this time he was really back. No red vision bullshit, no automatic movement. Just himself back in control, and his sabre in his leg.
Lapis watched a red eyed Tristan fight Jasper. But it wasn't like before, this time he fought like a gem. Like a real warrior. It was going great, but something felt odd about him. He expressed no emotions. No need or want, just battle. But then he stopped, and it wasn't just Jasper that was confused. It was everyone else. Why did he stop, why now? He was doing so well! Tristan made a sudden movement and pierced himself with his sabre. The blade going all the way through his leg. His eyes were back to normal and he was panting hard. As if he had struggled to stab himself.
Tristan felt Jasper strike him in the face, and he was pretty sure his jaw was shattered. But he was already numb, his limp body skidded over to Lapis's feet. Tristan looked over at Lapis. His eye's still a wild calm as his eye's closed shut.
His lungs filled with water as Tristan woke up. Tristan sat up in Rose's fountain, still in his clothes from a few hours ago. Just a bit tattered up and soaking wet. "You're awake!" Screamed Steven as he jumped onto Tristan, making him fall back into the water.
"Holy shit!" Said Tristan surprised, grabbing Steven and placing him outside of the fountain. "Be careful, you could've drowned me."
"I'm sorry, I really am. But I'm just so happy that you're okay." Said Steven with a smile on his face. "Lapis and I were really worried about you."
"Excuse me, but please tell me you didn't just say Lapis." Said Tristan.
"Who else?" said Steven. "We flew over to the beach house and warped here as fast as we could. See, Lapis is over there!" Tristan looked over Steven's shoulder. Seeing nobody there."
"Nice try." Said Tristan getting up. "Lapis isn't even here. But thanks for trying to make me feel better."
"What!" said Steven turning around. "But I swear, she was right there when you woke up!" He was pointing towards the warp pad.
"I guess she just really didn't want to see me than, if she left that quickly." Said Tristan as he proceeded to get on the warp pad.
"But it's true!" Said Steven. "She was worried sick!"
"No, she wouldn't be." Said Tristan as they warped back to the beach house. "Nobody would."
Tristan felt eyes on him as he walked all the way up to the lighthouse. But it wasn't menacing, like on the boat. It was almost as if they were trying to make sure he was safe. And it pissed him off. Tristan reached the light house and opened the door, looking back into the sky. Only to see nothing but a tiny blue dot, getting farther away at incredible speeds. "Wow." Said Tristan as he walked inside to Keith. "She really doesn't like me, does she?"
Lapis watched as Tristan made his way up to his home. It didn't feel natural, he didn't move his head but she feel his cold eyes looking for something. He was a terrifying man, and a greater ally. She was glad he wasn't her enemy, but at the same time she wished he was so that she had an excuse to hit him for being such an asshat. But that was what made Tristan himself wasn't it? Lapis flew away towards the barn. "I can't be late, I told Peridot I'd join her for this episode of camp pining hearts!"
"You bastard!" screamed Keith. "You took my liquor!"
"Shut up." Said Tristan, shoving a granola bar into his face. "You can buy ten, even twenty crates of that liquor if you wanted."
"I can't understand you! Your mouth is full of granola." Complained Keith.
Tristan sighed. "Just use the money from the organization's account."
"Then they will know where we are." Said Keith. "And unlike you, I'd like to be forty for another ten years."
"Well tell them to bring it." Said Tristan. "Just give me a few months, and I can make them scamper in fear."
"I don't think you can take down another organization in a few months." Said Keith. "You don't have the kind of inside information had with ours."
"No, it would take years." Said Tristan. "Just give me a few months to train, then I'll crush them with brute strength."
"You cocky today, aren't you?" Said Keith, walking upstairs.
"Of course I am." Said Tristan summoning a small swarm of Crimson petals and staring at them. "I just got a taste of Beryl's power, and now I'm drunker than before." Tristan watched as the blood crystalized into individual shattered gem shards. "It'll be awhile before the effects were off too. And the best part is, I'll never experience a hangover."
