A/N:
I have been consumed by shipping! It's like I have an armada now! Ahem. But shipping doesn't have anything to do with this story. Well... unless you ship any of my oc's. I personally ship Lonsdaleite and Graphite, but I'm sure that's really obvious by how I write them. Especially in this chapter... Anywhos, really great episodes recently. Absolutely.
Remember to sit back and relax, R&R. ENJOY!
The gems were gathered out in the fighting pit once more. Lazulite and Zircon said they had something quite important to teach. Something that would aid their survival. Obsidian was no longer with the group, having disappeared into the depths of the arena for quite some time. Most likely complaining to the gladiators who belonged to other patrons. It wasn't proper but it was always how she vented. Something that could get her in a lot of trouble if anyone snitched.
Graphite had come along as well, even though she was not intended to fight. She wanted to see their training. The little gem had nothing else to do; her data log had not arrived yet, and since gems didn't sleep, she needed to fill her time with something. She wanted to go through the records of past battles in this arena, but had not been granted access to them yet. It was quite annoying.
"Alright, pebbles, listen up!" Zircon announced. Everyone stood at attention. She looked briefly looked over the group, closing her eyes as her gem shone. She crossed her left hand over towards the glowing gemstone, a large object appearing within her grip. As it had finished forming, she brought the object down to her side, making sure everyone saw exactly what it was. The object was a large club-like weapon, spiked with shards which matched the colors of its creator. "Fights here are rarely hand to hand."
Lazulite followed up, pulling a deep blue katana from her own gemstone. "Most gems do not use this. If they function properly, what's the point? They can go their entire existences without ever needing or knowing how. You, however…"
"Need to learn this skill, and quickly." Zircon finished, slamming the head of her weapon into the floor by her side, leaving a large crack in its wake.
Lazulite let her weapon dissipate, taking on a more relaxed stance before sitting on the arena floor. "For me, summoning a weapon is a matter of tranquility, accepting the state of the world around me. Obsidian likes to get worked up, and Zircon," she explained, looking up at her companion. "Is compelled by pride. Find what works for you." She stated, looking over the new gems once more, many of them quite worried or confused.
Lonsdaleite held a neutral expression, though she was quite intrigued by this. Graphite decided to back away by this point. Fighting wasn't her style, and she would rather be one of those gems who went without needing to summon one of these weapons. This earned the smaller gem a worried look from her companion. I'm fine, she mouthed to the tall gem, receiving a smile from the other that only they would know.
The tall gem tried to focus back on their lesson, but something seemed off. She was no longer in the arena, instead she was in the crater that she and Graphite emerged from. What sort of trickery was this? She looked and looked, but was alone.
"Well, what an interesting mindscape." The voice of Lazulite sounded from within this plane.
Lonsdaleite looked around, searching for the location of the foreign gem's voice. When the blue gem suddenly appeared before her, Lonsdaleite couldn't help but let out a gasp of surprise. "What are you doing?"
"Easing the process." Lazulite explained with a shrug.
"What?"
"If you paid attention to my lecture, most gems don't know how to summon their weapons, or that they even can." Lazulite stated. "Forgive me for all this mind jumping, but you can't win with strength alone."
Lonsdaleite pursed her lips, proceeding to cross her arms as well. She'd really just rather have this gem out of her mind. But that brought up the question, what was going on outside?
"Don't worry about that," Lazulite said, knowing exactly what Lon was thinking. "We're in no sort of danger and Zircon answering some common questions while I'm doing this. You won't be the only gem."
As this was explained, Lon let out a thoughtful hum. Very well then. "And how exactly do you plan to help?"
Lazulite let out a nervous smile after that question, accompanied by equally nervous laughter. "Yes, well, in order to help you find your weapon, this is going to get… invasive."
An eyebrow was raised from the carbon gem. "What?" She didn't want anyone poking around that far in her mind.
"Hey, I promise you that this is going to work." The blue gem raised her hands up in defense. "It's worked in the past. And whatever happens here, stays between us." Lazulite explained, taking a few steps forward to the taller gem.
Lonsdaleite could tell from the expressions that the blue gem carried that she was telling the truth. The carbon gem's eyes darted off to their landscape, or mindscape as Lazulite called it. She never noticed how empty this crater was. She took a deep sigh, facing the blue gem once more, finally conceding. "Okay."
"Good." Lazulite clapped. "Now then," She darted off around the mindscape looking for something. "This is where you formed, I assume? Very interesting. Not many gems consider their birthplaces a place of comfort." She remarked, earning a rather confused look from the gem whose mind she was invading.
"I've been in many gems' minds, and yours is definitely one of the more interesting ones." She remarked, looking back excitedly.
The carbon gem walked over to the other. "Really?"
Lazulite nodded. "Quite." She then hummed, taking a closer look at their surroundings, kneeling down to the ground. This was when she took notice of the dust which coated her boots. "So… what do you think of Graphite?"
Her composure faltered. There was the key word which could undo her adamant resolve. The name of the gem whom she emerged with. Lonsdaleite tried to play this break off. "What of her?"
"Nothing. But you do seem very defensive of her." The fighter jabbed.
"So!"
The fighter started to giggle. "I mean, what if she were to fight? I hope you'd be able to protect her."
"She will not fight!" Lonsdaleite yelled in deafening fashion throughout the mindscape.
"Lon?"
She froze. That voice. "Graphite?" She looked at the little gem which appeared by Lazulite's side.
The blue gem flashed a sinister smile, stroking the little gem's face with her right hand. "I wonder how close you two really are. I'd heard of how long you two were kept in those cells, and from what I've noticed, she's always clinging by your side. Zircon even told me how worried she was about you when they were up there with Zara." One of her hands stopped at the back of Graphite's neck, where her gemstone was located. "So, can you protect her?" She squeezed.
Everything had become nothing. The plane no longer existed as she was brought back to the real world. Her gemstone shone bright with crystalline, small, axe-like weapons appearing within her right hand, then left. With all the fury she felt at that moment, she hurled one of them at the gem who invaded her mind with incredible speed.
"That's enough." The attack was intercepted by Zircon, though the force was enough to completely dissipate her morning-star.
Lonsdaleite panted, rage still burning within. But she was pulled back when Graphite's voice called out. "Lon? Lon?"
She let the other francisca dissolve, and walked away.
Zircon glanced over to Lazulite. "You seemed to have hit a vein there."
The deeper blue gem shrugged. "She knows though. She won't break down like this in the future."
"Yes, well, not many gems take well to having their minds invaded." The zircon commented.
Lazulite sat down in another cross-legged pattern, preparing herself for the next unfortunate victim. "Whatever works."
A/N:
I'm sure gems wouldn't say "hit a nerve", and the closest geological term I can think of to compare would be a vein, which are specific types of mineral deposits, so... whatever works. My goodness, I just realized how much I say that. So that makes me a lot more like Lazulite I suppose XD
Speaking of Lazulite, that's one of her abilities we see here. Lazulite gemstones are known to enhance psychic ability, so like Steven, she can mind jump. She can't mind control, but she can enter the minds of both gems and organic beings. Not that we'll see her do that with any organics in this story though :P
And isn't that cute how Lon can summon her weapon by thinking about protecting Graphite. Aw! I told you I ship them. This isn't a romance story though. Adventure! That's why I label it as such.
So, I hope you all enjoyed! Remember to leave a review, follow, favorite. All that awesome stuff.
And this is your Squishy who is probably getting sick right now, wishing you all amazing days!
