Chapter Sixteen: Secret Buddies
Azurite pressed his hand against the stone slab in the wall of the cliff to the side of the Temple.
Steven was outside with Peridot when he saw light coming from where Azurite was.
The slab had a hand-shaped indent in it.
As it scanned Azurite's hand, the wall near it faded away, revealing a natural cave.
The floor was real stone, large patches of grass here and there.
There were vines which extended down the entrance of the cave.
In the back, there was a huge waterfall, the sounds of crashing water soothing those who entered.
Steven and Peridot peeked inside, watching Azurite rummage through a mini fridge and sitting at the small table with ham.
He took a slice, bit out a hole, and made his face seem as if he was about to kiss someone, but instead he stuck his lips into the hole.
Azurite snickered.
Steven couldn't blame him. It was actually kind of fun doing that.
After he ate that slice, he took another, biting out three holes, two about the same size and one slightly more oval-shaped.
He stuck it to his face and started walking out of the cave like a zombie, arms stretched out in front of him.
Steven looked over to Peridot and mouthed.
"Hide!"
"Where?"
He pointed at a small crevice in the cliff big enough to fit both of them.
They scrambled inside.
Azurite sniffed the air.
"Steven, I know you're here. You know I can smell you, right?"
Steven held his breath, as if that would help.
They could faintly hear Azurite as he walked around – which is confusing, because since he's on sand, his walking sounds quieter, giving the illusion that he's far away.
He peeked into the hole.
Steven squealed, running out while Peridot followed far behind.
"Steven! Wait! I can't run as fast!"
He ran into Azurite's cave with her, activating a string that closed it.
Azurite slowed down.
"Steven, whatever you do, don't freak out. And don't touch that
bubble! It's highly dangerous!"
He looked at the dark-blue bubble.
Inside there was a huge white obelisk.
There was a black gemstone on one of the sides.
Steven considered popping the bubble.
He would have if Azurite didn't warn him.
"Don't do it. We'll all be shattered!"
Upon inspecting the cave, he found that there were light blue crystals everywhere.
How hadn't he noticed them?
In the pond that the waterfall created, there was a giant crystal, green and blue.
Something clicked in Steven's mind.
This was where Kyanite was separated into Malachite and Azurite.
After Azurite entered the cave, he sighed.
"Thanks for not popping the bubble."
Peridot seemed disturbed.
"I sense danger from that gem. We need to burn it or crush it."
Azurite nodded. "That's what I was going to do."
Whatever was in that bubble was best kept away from the world.