Chapter 12: Captured.
"Garnet wait for us!" Everyone yelled.
Branch after branch slapped Garnet in her face, as she fell through the forest. Then, there were no branches to slow her fall, she plummeted 30 feet to were she thought she was going to hit the ground. Suddenly, Garnets war horse catches her on her back, while Citrine's horse catches the other falling gems.
"Wait, when did you guys get horses?!" the brothers asked.
"Turquoise," Amethyst said with a smile.
"We need to keep moving," Garnet suggested.
She held out her cousin to Green, who brought her to her own horse. The gems lazily rode away from the temple.
"Soo... Now what?" Red Alex asked while steering Citrine's horse.
"We need to get Citrine home," Garnet explained.
"Yeah okay," the boys agreed.
"Mossy...is that you?" Citrine asked while she weakly placed her hand on Green's cheek.
"Sorry babe, I ain't the one, " He replied smiling.
"Dang that dizzy powder is still working on her? Thought she'd be better by now," Red pondered.
"I mean, Obsidian did try to kill her," Amethyst explained. "True,"
"Is Mossy okay?" Citrine asked.
The Alexandrite brothers exchanged uneasy looks, and glanced at Garnet for answers. She shook her head no, telling them to lie.
"He's doing just fine, now you need to rest," Alexandrite lied.
Citrine smiled and closed her eyes, and nuzzled closer to Green.
"We don't have to go home yet Garnet, we have plenty of water and Nightshade to fix her up here," Amethyst explained.
Suddenly the forest grew quite.
"Better not be any off that jaguar's friends, I'm so ready for round two," Amethyst challenged.
"We don't have to worry about that, " Garnet explained.
Wait, Red, where's your brother and Citrine!?" Amethyst panicked.
Red turn around to see them gone.
"Where's Garnet?" Red asked.
"I dunno!? Were is everyone going!?" Amethyst said as she shook her head in confusion.
She looked up again, to find Red and the horse gone.
"Oh no..." Amethyst whispered as she clung to Garnet's horse.
She felt a pair of dirty hands come over mouth and dragged her off the horse. The small purple gem attempted to fight her attackers, but she was no match for their numbers. Blindfolded, and tied up, Amethyst was dragged off by her captors.
"Let us go!"she heard Garnet order.
"Not until you meet the chief," a warrior retorted.
"Garnet, let's just end these guys," Green Alex suggested.
"The oath! We can't harm them!" Garnet reasoned.
The gems were taken against their will to the village square. The chief walked out, with a robe made of feathers and a crown of bones.
"How dare you trespass in my temple, and tread on my lands! The angry cheif questioned.
"I was called to the temple to receive the power of-" Garnet tried to explain.
"Wait, are you the champion? "
"Yes, you can see for yourself, "
The chief leaned down over the red gem, and removed her glasses. Once he saw her extra eye, he fell on one knee.
"My apologies champion, the warriors did not know. Untie her and her friends you idiots!" the Chief ordered.
The warriors who captured the gems quickly untied them and built all of them a throne made of flowers.
"Well, this is much better," the Alex brothers said. "Please, your majesty, tell us what would make your stay more comfortable," the chief offered.
"Well as you can see, my cousin is severely injured, can you get us a pool of some kind? And you can just call me Garnet,"
The chief took off in different directions ordering his villagers to build a pool. Some kids walked up to Amethyst, and started pulling on her arms.
"Your hair is so long," the kids complemented.
Amethyst gave Garnet a devious smile, and took off with the kids. Garnet leaned back in her throne. A gem could gem use to this.
"Garnet, were are we?" Citrine asked.
It was sunset, and the yellow gem was finally functioning almost normally.
"We're still in the jungle Citrine, just relax,"
"What are you wearing, what's that in your hair?"
"Oh, the villagers kinda gave it to me, and the girls here are really into flowers and braiding, "
Garnet leaned against the wall with a long red dress, with a brown grass belt. Her hair had black braids cascading over the top of her afro, with red flowers weaved into them. Where's Amethyst?"
"She's outside showing off to the human kids,"
"Figures, but Garnet we have a war to finish, we can't stay forever,"
"Citrine don't worry I have everything under control, we'll leave as soon as you're ready,"
"Was I really beaten that bad?"
"You thought Green Alex was Mossy,"
Citrine began to blush and lover her head.
"Oh...I don't remember that," Garnet started to giggle under her breath.
"You should hear what the villagers call you,"
"What do they call me Garnet? "
"The blessed one,"
"Why do they call me that?"
"Well, I guess you picked up a lot of nightshade before we left, we used all of it on you, turned your body white,"
Citrine looked down to see Garnet wasn't lying. Her hair was suspended in wind just like Moonstone's, but she didn't ride on a cloud of mist. Her skin ,eyes and clothes were all milky white, except for her gems. "How long have I been sitting in here!?" Citrine panicked.
"Since yesterday morning,"
"Will I be stuck like this?!"
Garnet shrugged.
Citrine started to panicking, she may be like this forever.
"Garnet can we please go home now?"
"We leave tomorrow morning, in the meantime, you need to get out the pool,"
Citrine stepped out of the pool, and into the village square. The moment everyone saw her, they instantly crowded around her.
"Oh blessed one, what do you need? Would you like a dress?" they asked. crowding her. When Citrine finally got breathing space, she was wearing a white high-low dress with a golden flower belt. They also braided in yellow and white flowers in her hair.
"Hey Citrine, glad to see your up," Amethyst said while children danced around her.
The purple gem wore a short purple dress, with a black belt. Her hair had purple and yellow flowers, with her purple hair braided into an updo.
"I see you've been busy," Citrine observed.
"Yeah these little rascals have been on me since I got here,".
Citrine smiled and turned to Garnet.
"Where the boys at?" Amethyst asked. "They ran off to show the warriors their weapons or something, "Garnet responded.
"Does it feel weird not wearing your glasses?"
"I just started wearing them Citrine, it doesn't feel that weird,"
mmm...
The gems all packed up and ready to go, climbed on their horses.
"We'll miss you Amethyst!" one of th kids called out.
A small tear fell down her cheek as she waved goodbye to the children.
"You guys should take care of the wolves in there, almost killed us!" the Alex brothers called out.
The chief chuckled.
"They're the guardians of the keeper, you know how many thieves break into the temple everyday? We can't be there guarding all the time, so the gem wolves do the work,"
The brothers nodded.
"Makes sense,"
"We really need to get going Garnet," Citrine persisted.
She still looked as white as snow, and looked no where close to her usual yellow.
"Thank you all for your hospitality, but we really need to get going, may lady Moon and father Sun shower their blessings on you," Garnet concluded.
The villagers waved goodbye, for it was their last time seeing the gems.
"So Garnet, why are you letting the Alex brothers tag along with us?" Citrine questioned.
"They're good friends, and they saved your life about 4 times yesterday,"
"Dang... I don't remember anything, " Citrine said while scratching her head.
The rest of the gems around her snickered, which caused her to blush.
"What are you going to tell Sunstone when Obsidian isn't with you?," Amethyst asked.
"I guess the truth, tell him he fell off a ledge into lava," Green concluded.
"I guess there's no way else we could tell it," Red agreed.
Finally the Lunar gems reached the warp pad back home.
"Well, I guess this is goodbye," Garnet meekly said.
The boys grabbed Garnet, and pulled her into a hug.
"Stay strong you two,"
"We will," the Alex's said in unison.
Then they both gave Garnet a quick peck on the cheek causing her to blush.
Green walked over to Citrine and placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Good luck Citrine. And a word of advice, be wary of who you trust," Green warned.
The gem nodded.
With that, the boys took off to the trees.
"Let's go home now," Garnet concluded.
"Yeah, let's go,".