History Ends With You Chapter 7, a land of the lustrous/宝石の国 fanfic

Chapter 7: Growth

Hunter leaned back, his gaze distant as memories from his childhood resurfaced. He looked at Phos, who waited patiently, ready to document his words. Taking a deep breath, he began.

"When I was a boy, I used to spend a lot of time with my grandmother. She was a gardener. She had this old plot of land near our home, and she would spend hours tending to it, planting seeds, watering them, and caring for them. She always had a green thumb, and I always enjoyed snacking on any fruit she grew," he chuckled softly, a nostalgic look passing over his face.

Phos tilted her head as she listened to him, her eyes bright with curiosity. "Fruit?"

Hunter sighed, a heavy weight settling in his chest as he was reminded once again of how drastically the world had changed. The earth around them was peaceful—the soft rustling of blades of grass, the rhythmic sound of waves hitting the rocks. But it felt wrong, somehow, almost eerie. The absence of towering trees, the silence where once the cries of birds would have filled the air, the lack of fauna, and the barrenness of the land—save for the scattered flowers and the ever-present grass—gnawed at him.

"Yeah," he murmured, shaking his head as if to dislodge the unsettling thoughts. "Trees aren't really a thing anymore, are they?" His voice was tinged with a sorrow that seemed almost foreign in this serene, yet desolate, landscape.

Phos remained silent, her gaze steady as she watched him wrestle with the memories.

"Well, fruit…" Hunter paused, realizing how complex it was to explain something so basic, so intrinsic to life as he had known it, to someone who had never seen a tree, let alone tasted its bounty. He glanced at Phos, who waited patiently, her eyes reflecting a deep eagerness to understand.

"Fruit," he began again, choosing his words carefully, "is something that used to grow on trees—plants that were much taller and sturdier than flowers or grass. These trees would produce these sweet, fleshy things, usually with seeds inside. Different kinds of fruit had different flavors—some were tart, some were juicy, but they were all nourishing. My grandmother grew apples, oranges, berries… things like that."

Phos nodded, her expression thoughtful as she jotted down notes. "So… it was food that grew from the dirt, like the grass and flowers here, but with more substance?"

"Exactly," Hunter said, a faint smile touching his lips. "To my grandmother, though, she told me that fruit was more than just food. It was a connection to the earth, to life. It was a reminder that no matter how bad things got, there was always something sweet waiting for you, something to sustain you." His smile faded slightly as he looked around at the landscape, his mind wandering back to the days before the world had been reduced to this eerie calm. "I didn't really get it at the time."

He chuckled softly, the sound tinged with a mixture of fondness and melancholy.

"My grandmother… she believed in the power of growth, even in the hardest of times," Hunter continued, his voice softening with emotion. "She used to tell me that no matter how bleak things seemed, as long as you had the patience to nurture something, to care for it, life would find a way. She had this one tree—it was old, gnarled, and not much to look at, but every year it produced the most beautiful apples. They were sweet, crisp… the kind that made you forget, even for just a moment, that the world could be a cruel place."

Hunter paused, his hand instinctively moving to his right gauntlet. With a tap, the device projected a soft, blue holographic screen into the air. He swiped through a few images, the air shimmering as vibrant depictions of fruit began to materialize before them—apples, oranges, strawberries, and more, each rendered in stunning detail.

"These are some of the fruits she used to grow," Hunter said, his voice laced with a touch of pride as he showed Phos the images. "This is an apple," he pointed to the glossy red orb on the screen, "and this here is an orange," he continued, indicating a bright, round fruit with a textured rind. "Strawberries," he added, as a cluster of small, heart-shaped berries appeared, their surface dotted with tiny seeds. "Each one had a distinct taste, a different way of nourishing us. They weren't just food; they were experiences, memories."

The digital image of the different fruit made his mouth water slightly, it had been years since he last had anything other than those freeze-dried rations on the ship and missed a fresh apple, or a juicy mango, hell he'd even take a lemon just to feel something.

Hunter watched with a warm smile as Phos leaned in even closer, her gemstone eyes wide with fascination. The vibrant holographic images of the fruits shimmered in the air, casting soft glows that reflected off her crystalline features. She muttered to herself, "They look so… vibrant. So pretty." Her voice was filled with awe, as if the images of these long-lost fruits were the most extraordinary things she had ever seen.

"These things grew from the dirt?" she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.

Hunter chuckled, the sound light and nostalgic. "Yeah, from the dirt," he confirmed, finding her childlike curiosity endearing.

Phos, still mesmerized, began to draw the images she saw, carefully sketching the contours of the fruits into her notebook. Her movements were delicate, almost reverent, as if she were capturing something precious—an echo of a world she had never known. Hunter couldn't help but feel a strange sense of pride, knowing that these memories, these pieces of the past, were now being preserved differently, through her art.

As Phos continued to sketch, Hunter's gaze softened, and he found himself lost in thought. He hadn't expected to feel this way—this quiet sense of contentment—sharing something so personal with someone who couldn't truly understand what it had been like. And yet, seeing Phos's genuine interest, her determination to capture these fragments of a forgotten world, made him feel… lighter, somehow. Like maybe, just maybe, there was still something of value left in the remnants of his memories.

Phos smiled, her delicate features glowing with warmth. "So, tell me more, Hunter. Tell me about the trees that grew these fruits, about the gardens, the forests… I want to know everything."

Hunter took a deep breath, feeling the familiar pull of his memories. But this time, it wasn't a burden. It was an invitation—a chance to share, to connect, to keep the past alive in a world that had moved on without it. And so, he began to speak, his voice steady and filled with purpose, as he told Phos about the world that once was—a world of trees and birdsong, of gardens and forests.

Hunter took another deep breath, letting his gaze settle on the horizon, where the golden hues of the setting sun painted the sky. Phos remained beside him, her attention fully on him, her notebook still open, waiting for more details to fill its pages. But instead of diving deeper into his memories, Hunter decided to take a different path, at least for now.

"I promised you a story," Hunter said, his voice softer than before, the weight of the past still lingering in his tone. "But… maybe that can wait a little longer." He glanced at Phos and offered a small, apologetic smile. There was a quiet vulnerability in his expression, something he hadn't let show often. "I think I'd rather help you with your encyclopedia first. It's something… tangible. And I could use a distraction."

Phos blinked in surprise, clearly caught off guard by his shift in direction, but her response was as gentle as ever. She nodded, her gemstone eyes shimmering with understanding. "That's okay, Hunter, you can tell me later, that's a promise." She smiled as she closed her notebook for the moment, the pages already filled with fragments of Earth's past. But her curiosity hadn't dimmed in the slightest—if anything, it burned brighter, an eager spark that lit up her face. "I think your memories are already helping with the encyclopedia. Everything you've told me about your world—it's like filling in the missing pieces of a puzzle I didn't even know existed."

Hunter's smile grew a little at that, a quiet acknowledgment of the importance of his knowledge, even in a world so vastly different from the one he had left behind. For so long, he had felt like a relic, a man out of time with nothing to contribute. But here, with Phos's open curiosity and willingness to learn, he found purpose in sharing what he knew. It wasn't the same as rebuilding, but it was a start.

Swiping through the holographic display on his gauntlet, he pulled up more images from the archives stored in his ship's memory banks—snapshots of Earth's lush past, the life that had once thrived across the planet. As the holograms flickered to life, the familiar shapes of towering trees, fields of wildflowers, and vibrant fruits materialized in front of them, painting a picture of a world long gone. Each image was rendered in stunning clarity: the broad leaves of oak trees, the delicate petals of wildflowers, bananas hanging in clusters, and the rich purples and reds of grapes.

Phos's eyes widened, her breath catching as the images danced before her. It was clear she had never seen anything like it. Her insatiable curiosity was almost palpable, her gaze moving from one image to the next as if trying to take it all in at once. "It's… incredible," she murmured, almost to herself. "I can't believe all this existed. How could it all come from the same world we're standing on?"

Hunter's voice was gentle as he responded, a touch of sadness threading through his words. "It's hard to believe now, isn't it? But this was Earth. A place full of life and variety, where everything had its place in a delicate balance. And while it's gone, at least in this form… I can help preserve it, even if it's only in memory." He took a deep breath and tapped his gauntlet again, letting the holograms shift to display more images of the plants and ecosystems that once made Earth a vibrant, living place.

"Let's focus on this for now," he said, settling into the task. "You'll need to understand how the different plant life worked together—the ecosystems, the cycles of growth and decay, how everything depended on something else to survive. It's something no one here really understands anymore. And while it's lost… at least I can help document it."

Phos nodded eagerly, her curiosity seemingly endless. "This is incredible. I didn't realize how much life there was before. It's hard to even imagine a place like that." Her fingers hovered over her notebook again, ready to capture more of what Hunter had to offer.

Just as she was about to ask another question, her eyes lit up as she recalled something he had mentioned earlier. "Oh! What are birds? You mentioned birdsong earlier, so they must sing, right?"

Hunter chuckled softly, shaking his head with a fond smile. "We'll get to birds, I promise," he said, his tone light but patient. "But let's take things one step at a time. We should start with the plant life before diving into the animals." He gestured to the images floating before them. "The plants were the foundation. Without them, nothing else could survive."

Phos nodded, but her eagerness was unmistakable. "Alright, plant life first. So, these trees… what were they like? I've never seen anything grow so tall or strong before." She studied the image of a massive oak tree, her eyes tracing the intricate lines of its bark, the sprawling branches that stretched toward the sky, it was so different from the blades of grass and flowers across the landscape, yet so similar.

"Trees were the backbone of Earth's ecosystems," Hunter began, his voice taking on the tone of someone who had once taught these things with pride. "They provided food, shelter, and oxygen. They were homes to countless species, from the smallest insects to larger animals like birds and mammals. Their roots stabilized the soil, their leaves absorbed sunlight, and their fruit—like the apples and oranges I showed you—helped sustain life. They were essential to everything."

Phos's hand moved quickly, sketching the trees with a precision and care that made Hunter smile. It was clear she was absorbing everything he said, and that made him feel like what he had to offer still mattered. These trees, this knowledge—it wasn't just his past. It was something that could help him, help preserve what he could, something that could live on through her efforts.

As the sun began to rise higher in the sky, casting a warm, golden glow across the landscape, Hunter and Phos continued to explore the world that once was. Together, they sifted through his memories, cataloging the plants, the fruits, the flowers. Every image, every word, was another piece of a puzzle that had been lost to time but could be reborn in the pages of Phos's encyclopedia.

For the first time in a long while, Hunter felt like he was building something—something that wasn't just about survival or mourning what had been lost. He was helping create a way for the future to understand the past, to learn from it, and to carry its lessons forward.

And though the stories of his own life still lingered at the edge of his thoughts, waiting to be told, he knew they could come later. For now, there was work to be done, and the weight of his memories felt just a little lighter as they transformed into something new—something that could help, something that could endure.

"Alright," Hunter said, his voice steadier now as he guided Phos through the holographic images. "Let's keep going. There's a lot more to show you, and we've only just scratched the surface."

/-/

Phos and Hunter had spent most of the day immersed in the task of filling out her encyclopedia. Together, they meticulously documented both the current species that thrived in this new world—vastly different from the life Hunter had once known—and those from Hunter's past, now long extinct. Each entry was a window into a forgotten world, carefully preserved through Hunter's memories and Phos's precise illustrations. She had even created a dedicated section for the flora and fauna from Hunter's time, ensuring that these forgotten species had their own place within the pages.

They captured everything from the towering oaks and pines that once dominated the forests to the fragile balance of ecosystems that had sustained life for millennia. Hunter described the deep roots of trees that held the soil together, how the forests breathed in harmony with the wind and rain, and how creatures, great and small, relied on these environments. Phos, in turn, brought these descriptions to life on the page, her hand steady as she sketched the life forms that now only existed in Hunter's memories.

As they worked, Phos could sense a shift in Hunter. The act of preserving these species—giving them a voice in the present, despite their absence—seemed to offer him solace, a small but significant sense of purpose. Though the past had scarred him, the encyclopedia gave him a reason to look ahead, even if only by holding onto the threads of what had been.

Still, Phos couldn't deny that there was one section of the encyclopedia she hoped to fill above all—the one about Hunter himself. The species from his time were important, but it was Hunter, the last human, who truly fascinated her. His life, his story—what he had witnessed and survived—was the key to understanding the world that had been. Yet she knew that this would be the hardest part to document. His past was a heavy burden, and while she had seen glimpses of it, Phos understood that Hunter wasn't ready to share it all. Not yet.

As Phos gently closed the encyclopedia, tucking away her sketches and notes between the pages, she couldn't help but smile. There was still so much left to do, but she didn't mind. They had time, and Hunter was beginning to heal, piece by piece.

After a while, Hunter excused himself, saying he needed to visit the crash site where Phos had first found him. It was a place that still held many of his belongings, relics of his mission, and perhaps a few pieces of himself that he wasn't ready to part with just yet. Phos had considered going with him, but there was something else she needed to do first. She wanted to thank Sensei for helping her with Hunter.

Phos walked with a lightness in her step as she made her way to the central courtyard, where Kongo often spent his time meditating in the tranquil quiet of the late afternoon. The sun bathed the school grounds in a golden light, and the gentle breeze stirred the tall grass as she passed. She felt a warmth inside, a sense of purpose that had grown stronger after her time with Hunter. There was something she needed to do—something that had been on her mind as she and Hunter had worked on the encyclopedia.

As she rounded the corner, she spotted Kongo sitting in his usual spot, eyes closed, his face calm and serene as he sat in silent contemplation. Phos hesitated for a moment, not wanting to disturb his meditation, but her gratitude for his guidance outweighed her hesitation.

"Sensei?" she called softly, stepping closer.

Kongo opened his eyes slowly, his expression as tranquil as ever. His gaze met hers, and for a brief moment, there was something in it—something she couldn't quite place. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by the familiar calm that had always reassured her.

"Phosphophyllite," he greeted her in his deep, measured voice. "What brings you here?"

Phos smiled as she approached, her hands folded behind her back. "I just wanted to thank you, Sensei. For trusting me with Hunter… for helping me understand him better. I think… he's starting to open up, little by little. And that's because of the advice you gave me."

Kongo nodded, his expression unchanged, though there was a flicker of something in his gaze as she mentioned Hunter's name. "You have done well, Phosphophyllite. It is good that he has found some purpose."

There was a slight pause in his words, a subtle shift in his tone—just enough that Phos tilted her head in mild curiosity. But she quickly brushed it aside, her excitement too bright to notice the undercurrent. "He's still holding back," she continued, "but I think we're making progress. He even smiled today."

Kongo nodded, his face showing a quiet but distant acknowledgment. "You have done well, Phosphophyllite. Hunter needed someone who could offer him a sense of purpose, even if he doesn't fully realize it yet."

"Is Hunter… adapting well?" Kongo asked now, his voice neutral, though his gaze sharpened ever so slightly as he awaited Phos's answer.

Phos nodded eagerly. "He's doing much better! We've been working together on the encyclopedia, and I think it's really helping him. He's still holding back some things, but I can tell he's starting to trust me more. He even smiled today." She beamed, clearly proud of the progress she had made with Hunter.

Kongo's expression remained unreadable, though there was a subtle tightening in his jaw. "Good," he said simply, his voice betraying no emotion.

Phos, oblivious to the shift, continued. "I know it's not easy for him, especially after everything he's been through. I can't imagine what it must be like to be the last of his kind. But I want to help him, Sensei. I want to understand him."

Kongo's gaze softened slightly, but his silence stretched longer than Phos expected. She filled it with a hopeful tone. "He talks about the world he lost, about the plants and animals that used to be, and it's like he's coming back to life a little, too. I'm sure with time, he'll tell me more. I can feel it."

Kongo's eyes flickered for a moment, a storm of unspoken thoughts passing through them before he quickly composed himself. "Be careful, Phosphophyllite," he said quietly, his tone cool. "Humans carry with them the weight of their history."

Kongo's gaze lingered on her, his eyes thoughtful but distant, as though he were looking at something beyond the present. "Humans are complex beings. Their nature is… difficult to understand, even for those who knew them well." He said, his voice quieter now.

Phos blinked, taken aback by the sudden seriousness in Kongo's words. She didn't fully understand what Kongo meant, but she trusted him, as she always had. Phos nodded slowly, though a faint unease settled in her chest. She had always listened to Kongo's wisdom, his words carried weight, but she didn't fully grasp what he meant. "I'll be careful," she promised, sensing that there was more behind his words than he was letting on.

The quiet calm of the courtyard seemed to shift slightly, the warm breeze not quite as comforting as before.

For a brief moment, Kongo's expression tightened, almost imperceptibly, but his calm returned as quickly as it had faltered. "You have a kind heart, Phosphophyllite," he said, his voice gentle once more. "That is both your strength and your challenge."

Phos smiled, though a flicker of doubt remained. "Thank you, Sensei. I do my best."

She gave him a slight bow and turned to leave, her thoughts lingering on their conversation. The air felt different now, heavier somehow, though she couldn't quite explain why. She had always trusted Sensei's guidance, but something in his words today made her a bit uneasy. He had never spoken much about humans before—not in any detail—but now, with Hunter here, it felt like there was more beneath the surface, something he wasn't saying outright.

As Phos walked through the school, intent on meeting up with Hunter, her mind wandered, replaying Kongo's words. She didn't fully understand the caution in his voice, but she had to believe that her instincts about Hunter were right.

But behind her, Kongo watched her leave, his gaze lingering long after she had gone. His expression remained unreadable, but within his mind, memories stirred—memories of the world before, of humanity's complicated legacy. The gems had never known humans, not the way he had. He had chosen to protect them from that part of history, keeping it at a distance.

And now, one human remained—an anomaly in a world that no longer belonged to them.

He had trusted Phos seeing as he had no real reason to forbid her from seeing the human, her kind, and determined and curious nature wouldn't let her. But even so, there was a part of him that could not ignore the past, a part of him that felt a quiet, growing discomfort with Hunter's presence. Kongo did not show it, not to Phos, not to anyone. But deep down, beneath the calm exterior, the conflict remained.

Phos, unaware of the quiet tension in Kongo's heart, continued on her way, her focus already shifting back to Hunter. There was still so much work to be done, and so many stories left to tell. And though she couldn't see it yet, the threads of the past were weaving their way into the present, in ways even she could not fully understand.

As Phos made her way through the school, her mind set on checking up on Hunter, a familiar voice called out, stopping her in her tracks.

"And where are you going, Phosphophyllite?"

Phos turned around to see Bort standing a few steps behind her, arms crossed, an expression of mild annoyance etched across her face. As always, Diamond was right beside her, a gentle smile softening the sharpness of Bort's tone. The contrast between them was striking—Bort's no-nonsense attitude always felt like a cold gust of wind, while Diamond's warmth seemed to radiate like sunlight.

Phos blinked, her thoughts momentarily scattered by the sudden confrontation. "Oh, uh…" She hesitated, feeling the weight of Bort's piercing gaze. "I was just—"

"Slacking off again, I'm guessing," Bort cut in, raising an eyebrow. Her tone carried that familiar sharpness, but there was a tinge of exasperation underneath as if she had expected nothing less.

Phos opened her mouth to protest, but Bort's stern expression held her in place for a moment too long. The words seemed to get stuck, and Phos found herself fumbling for an excuse, even though she knew she had been working hard all day.

Diamond, ever the mediator, chuckled softly and placed a hand on Bort's arm. "Now, Bort, let's not jump to conclusions," she said in her soothing voice, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Phos has probably been busy, right?"

Phos quickly nodded, seizing the opportunity. "Yeah, Hunter's been helping me with the encyclopedia! We've been working all day—documenting plants, animals, you name it. It's not slacking off, I swear."

Bort's eyes remained sharp, her gaze unyielding as she assessed Phos's explanation. The silence between them stretched for a tense moment, the breeze rustling the nearby grasses as if to fill the space left by unspoken thoughts. Finally, Bort spoke, her voice steady but carrying an edge of skepticism that cut through the air.

"Tch, I suppose you're right," she conceded, though her tone didn't soften. "If he's helping you focus on actually working, then I suppose I can't fault you."

Phos exhaled, relieved to have gotten through that part of the conversation without further confrontation. But just as she was about to speak, Bort's gaze sharpened even more, her next words stopping Phos in her tracks once again.

"But I don't trust him," Bort said bluntly, her voice unwavering. She crossed her arms over her chest, her expression hard. "This human—Hunter—he's different. I don't know what he's after, but I can't help but think there's something we're not seeing. Something he's not telling us."

Phos blinked, taken aback by the sudden shift in the conversation. She opened her mouth to protest, but Bort's words left her speechless for a moment. She hadn't expected this. Sure, she knew Bort could be cautious and protective, but there was a certain weight to her tone—a distrust that went deeper than her usual caution.

Diamond, sensing the growing tension, stepped in as she always did, her voice soft and reassuring. "Bort, I'm sure Hunter's just… adjusting," she said, placing a gentle hand on Bort's arm again. "It must be hard for him, being the last of his kind. He's probably just trying to find his place."

Bort's eyes flicked toward Diamond, but her stance remained rigid. "Maybe," she replied coolly. "Or maybe he's hiding something. You said it yourself—he's the last of his kind. We know nothing about him or what he's capable of."

Phos felt a tightness in her chest at Bort's words. "He's been through a lot," she said, her voice quieter but firm. "I don't think he's here to hurt anyone. He's just trying to make sense of everything, like the rest of us."

Bort's gaze remained hard as she looked back at Phos. "Maybe. But you're too trusting, Phos. Always have been. And it worries me that you're getting too close to him."

Phos flinched at the accusation, a mix of frustration and confusion bubbling up inside her. "I'm not getting too close," she protested, her voice more defensive than she intended. "I'm just trying to help him. Sensei gave me this task, and I'm doing what he asked. So I'm just doing my job"

"Tch, I suppose you're right," she conceded, though her tone didn't soften. "If he's helping you focus on actually working, then I suppose I can't fault you."

Bort's gaze remained hard as she looked back at Phos. "Maybe. But you're too trusting, Phos. Always have been. And it worries me that you're getting too close to him."

Bort's eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn't respond immediately. Instead, she watched Phos for a long moment, her gaze calculating. Finally, she let out a soft sigh, though it did little to ease the tension in the air. "Just be careful, Phos," she said quietly, her tone almost a warning. "Don't let your sympathy blind you to what might be right in front of you."

Phos stood there, caught between wanting to defend Hunter and not wanting to escalate the conversation further. She clenched her fists, biting back the urge to argue. Bort wasn't wrong to be cautious—she understood that. But Phos couldn't shake the feeling that Hunter deserved more trust than Bort was willing to give.

Diamond, ever the peacemaker, broke the silence once more with a soft, reassuring smile. "I think Phos will manage just fine, Bort. Let's give her the benefit of the doubt."

Bort exhaled sharply, clearly not fully convinced, but she gave a curt nod. "Fine," she said, her voice clipped. "But don't say I didn't warn you if something goes wrong."

Diamond, sensing the tension thickening in the air between Phos and Bort, stepped forward with her usual calming presence, determined to diffuse the situation. Her soft smile remained, though there was a touch of nervousness as she tried to ease the sharp edges that had formed during the conversation.

"So, um, Phos," Diamond began, her voice gentle but clear, "where are you headed? You seemed like you were in a hurry."

Phos, grateful for the shift in focus, relaxed slightly and nodded. "I was going to check up on Hunter," she explained, her tone lighter now that the conversation had turned away from Bort's pointed accusations. "We decided that we were finished filling up the encyclopedia for now, and he said he had to check up on a few things where I had found him. Where he had um crashed."

Diamond's smile brightened as she sensed the shift in Phos's tone, the tension from Bort's sharp words slowly dissolving. Her calming presence worked wonders, as always.

"Oh, I see," Diamond said, her voice warm and encouraging. "That makes sense. You've been working on the encyclopedia for a while now, haven't you? I'm glad to hear it's going well."

Phos hesitated for a moment, glancing between Diamond and Bort. "Yeah… he said there are things there he needs to check on. We've been working hard on the encyclopedia, but he said that he really had to get to fixing his ship at some point so he went off.

Bort, who had been silent until now, crossed her arms, her brow furrowing slightly. "I hope you're not letting him wander off unsupervised." Her tone was sharp, though not as biting as it had been moments earlier. "You can't just trust someone who hasn't been here long enough to earn it."

Phos opened her mouth to respond, but Diamond spoke up first, her voice calm but firm. "Bort, Phos has been spending a lot of time with Hunter. She's got a good sense of how he's doing. Don't you think we can trust her judgment?"

Bort's gaze flicked to Diamond, then back to Phos, her expression softening—if only slightly. "It's not Phos's judgment I'm worried about. It's his intentions."

Phos, growing more confident now that Diamond had backed her up, shook her head. "He's not doing anything wrong, Bort. He's just trying to figure things out. And besides, didn't you say he was alright last time?"

Bort scoffed "I said he was useful, sure, he helped out with the Lunarians, but that doesn't mean I trust him"

Diamond, sensing the tensions rising again, tried to keep the peace. "How about we come with you, Phos? That way we can help and keep an eye on him."

Bort's eyes narrowed slightly, but she nodded begrudgingly. "Fine. But if he steps out of line, we're stepping in. Got it?"

Phos nodded eagerly, grateful for the compromise. "Got it. Let's go then!"

As they made their way toward Hunter's location, the atmosphere was tense but not hostile. Phos led the way with a determined stride, while Diamond and Bort followed, their minds racing with different thoughts. Bort remained vigilant, her eyes scanning the surroundings as if expecting trouble at any moment. Diamond walked beside her, her calm demeanor serving as a buffer between Bort's distrust and Phos's optimism.

A/N

Finally, I was honestly wracking my head about this because I wanted to make it feel natural with Hunter opening up and accepting this a little bit, but truly not being over it. I think I did an ok job, as for Phos going crazy over fruit, I have no idea what Kongo taught the Gems, I'm mostly guessing he taught them what was relevant at the time and trees and fruits wouldn't really matter since they would never see them and all that. But now thats done now we can focus on fun times and nothing else...for a while. Anyway hope you guys enjoyed this, should be Hell walker next after this, catch you later ciao