Prodigal Gem ch. 5

I OWN AND REGRET NOTHING!

Since they'd all agreed to not tell even each other where they hid their journals, Pearl had to lead them to it.

It was far off the Warp Grid Network so they had to walk. It took them days. And Pearl got more and more frantic as her monitor reported her levels of security going down. Pearl had set up over 1000 different security levels. By the time they'd gotten there, there were only 3 left.

The temple Pearl had built was at the bottom of an active volcano...which was filled with lava sharks...that all in turn had laser beams strapped to their heads.

Amethyst looked at it all with disbelief. "Yikes, Pearl. Overkill much?"

Pearl glared at all the dead sharks that floated in the lava. "There Stanley's journals! There's no such thing as overkill! If anything, this proves that I didn't go far enough! Besides I still did better than you!"

Amethyst glared. "At least I was subtle! How much attention did you draw to yourself when you built this monstrosity!?"

"Enough!" Snapped Garnet. "We need to get to the Journal!"

Quickly they ran into the artificial temple; they reached the inner sanctum...Just as Dipper grabs the journal.

"Dipper stop!" Shouted Garnet. Dipper did nothing, he simply kept his back to them.

"Dipper, why are you doing all this?" Asked Garnet desperately.

Dipper turned to them. And the Gems were shocked at the glare of anger he sent at them.

"What do you care? You'd never believe me anyway."

Before the Gems can respond to that, Dipper Suddenly chants a strange spell that shakes the room.

Garnet and Amethyst are flung around, but Pearl(familiar with the dimensions of the room) is able to hold on.

She jumps at Dipper, spear at ready. Dipper also Jumps at her, sword at ready.

Suddenly, they weren't there anymore. Suddenly, they were in a happier, better place.

A younger Dipper was happily running into a just as happy Pearl's arms-

Both Dipper and Pearl had this flashback at the same time. But for one difference-

STAB!

It made Pearl hesitate, but not Dipper.

Pearl wept at the sight of the sword piercing her. "Dipper...Why?" She asked uncomprehendingly.

Despite all that's happened...Dipper did feel guilty.

He sighed. "Why couldn't you have just let me be myself?" He asked back.

Pearl couldn't answer, she'd already reverted to a Gem.

Dipper hastily ran out of the building before the gems could fully recover...But not before Garnet caught a glimpse of his face...flowing with tears...

…...
TO BE CONTINUED?