User:Nextoy/Rogue Gems/1

Short, dry grass is scattered across the plains with a breeze blowing across it and towards windmills in the distance. Twin suns beat down onto this temperate world, each one yellow and violet in color.

Looking into the sky the stars reminded Lapis of a Topaz and Amethyst, respectively. She already missed Home, and yet barely a month had passed since her assignment began. Her long, blue dress blew behind her in the wind as she gazed along its path to her compatriot.

The overcooked, and thus dwarfed, Agate stood in marvel of the sleek windmills in the distance. Her large, fluffy hair hassling her as the wind blew it into her face.

The two might have looked odd next to each other. Agate was bulky, wearing what would seem like a leotard and leggings of her signature yellow with copper bands over every joint. Lapis was slender, with a long dress that loosely covered most of her body and was easily blown side to side with the wind without revealing too much of the girl underneath.

“Hey Lapis, what's up with these?” Agate asked, her otherwise rough voice filled with innocent curiosity as she pointed to the windmills.

“Ah, yes. Windmills. Some worlds use them to gain power from the wind.” Lapis answered, looking over only briefly before continuing to stare into the clouds.

“You mean they do cool things with this stuff that keeps throwing my hair into my eyes?” Agate asked, fretting over her blond hair. The white and copper highlights normally meshed together quite well, but today they could almost be seen individually when the wind blew against her face.

“Yes. Though us Gems are self sufficient, most creatures are not. In fact, I wonder if they use their power directly or indirectly?” Lapis explained, chuckling to herself about the question at the end.

“Directly? What?” Agate asked, her brows furrowed in a confused expression. Lapis had forgotten how young the gem was for a moment.

Lapis then turned on her toes to fully face Agate, feeling a full explanation would be worth putting herself at the mercy of the wind. Though her hair was far shorter than Agate’s, her bangs were more prominent as all of her hair was evenly cut to chin length. It didn’t help that her dress had been at the mercy of the wind, but only up to her shins had been exposed thus far.

“Let me use an example. A direct use of power would be like you conjuring forth the metal already within your body, while an indirect use would be using the metal nearby.” She explained, holding her left hand up yo keep her hair from falling onto her face. Her gem, resting in the palm of that same hand, listened slightly in the sunlight.

Agate stood there, arms crossed in thought, for a moment before snapping her fingers. With a proud “aha!” she walked up to their pod and used her power over metal to transfer part of it through her body onto the ground next to her; creating a ring of what might look like cooled slag to most at her feet.

“So like this, right Lapis?” She asked, brimming with pride over what she had done.

“...yes Agate.” Lapis answered, her hand now covering her face instead of stopping her hair from doing the same.

This was fairly typical of Agate, being only just recently made she hadn't adapted to any society. Given their positions, Lapis worried they might never return to a society for her to adapt to.

“Y’know what I think?” Agate asked as she rushed forward and stood next to Lapis as the twin suns were starting to dip below the horizon.

“What's that, Agate?” Lapis answered with a question of her own, already nervous about whatever the overcooked gem had in mind.

“This would be a great place for a picnic!” She pointed out, going up on her toes so that the two were at eye level with each other.

“Yes Agate.” Lapis agreed in a slight drone. Another wild idea, but at least this one they had time to pursue.

“Like with pies and… food… stuffs, y’know?” Agate added on, her face brimming with excitement.

“Of course Agate.” Lapis agreed, her voice strained as she leaned away a little bit.

“I know we don't need to eat,” Agate having stressed ‘need’ for emphasis, “but should we have one anyways?”

“Mind doing me a favor first, Agate?” Lapis asked, looking to the oversized puppy that she was currently in charge of.

“Uh… What's that?” Agate asked, a bit worried by Lapis’s dry tone.

“I’m losing circulation in my arm.” She pointed out, moving her arm a bit as Agate immediately looked down and sprung away from her friend, scratching her head. “Thank you.”

“Yeah, sorry, I got a bit excited…” Lapis had noted early on how easily excitable the puppy was, “But this place is so beautiful! Better than the kindergarten or being stuck in a pod all day.” She pointed out, though it did come out in a whiny tone.

“We can't stay here forever, Agate. The people here don't deserve having to take part in our struggle, no matter how good or bad they may be.” Lapis explained, idly grasping her arm as she looked towards the ground.

The wind had died down a bit, so her dress only gently swayed back and forth as Lapis watched it. Agate was happy for this as it meant she could fix her long, fluffy hair.

“Yeah, well, those guys are just bullies. I dunno why you’re so worried about them.” Agate pointed out, her hands resting on the back of her head.

“I’m still one of them, even if they don't recognize it.” Lapis pointed out, her voice having grown soft from sorrow and regret.

“Nah. They’re a buncha clods, and you’re super nice ‘n’ stuff.” Agate spoke her mind in a way Lapis was jealous of, especially with the way she emphasized her words.

Agate would never last at Home as she is now, Lapis thought to herself. It was a sad thought, but a true one. Being smart and rational was at times a curse for her.

“You’re thinking too narrowly, Agate.” Lapis hissed at her, “Everyone’s a little different. Judging a large group by only a select few is both unfair and, in this case, quite arrogant of you.” She explained, a glare aimed at Agate as her bangs started to fall over her eyes.

“Sorry Lapis…” Agate apologized, sitting down and plucking a piece of grass to play with it. Lapis smiled a bit as a thought formed in her head.

“You can make it up to me by using your power to turn our pod into a shelter, okay?” She asked, leaning forward and gently rustling Agate’s hair.

Agate looked up and smiled back as she immediately got to work, Lapis turning around and gazing at the double sunset.

Maybe… This won't be so bad after all... Lapis thought to herself, having decided to stay on this planet for a time. It would make Agate happy, and both of them needed a break from running.

“Finished Lapis!” Agate called out after a few moments, an igloo-like dome having been formed where the pod - and the metal ring she had formed earlier - once stood.

“Alright Agate, I’ll be right there!” Lapis called back as she walked over to the newly formed shelter as the sunset finally came to a close behind her and night had begun.