What should have been a simple life in the desert sand and stars becomes anything but. Haunted by dreams of a life of violence, and seeking answers as to why, Peridot and her friends find themselves caught in an ancient battle between Light and Dark...and find that the cost of being a soldier is higher than they might have ever thought.
???: That doesn't matter. What matters is you drop this...curiosity. For your own sake.
Citrine: Basil sent you, didn't he.
Citrine: Was that a threat?
Citrine: You tell your boss he can't scare me. I will find the truth about this, and I will stop him if it--
Virtue: HEY!
Virtue: Miserable sons of--Citrine!
Virtue: Oh, Watcher. Hey, Citrine, can you hear me?
Virtue: Citrine! *sigh* This just got more complicated...hang in there.
Virtue: Hang in there...
The next morning...
???: You tell me, Miss Crystal. Do we have an understanding?
Citrine: Oh, we have an understanding.
Citrine: Gah!
???: Wrong answer.
Peridot: Mom!
Fern: That's one heck of a shiner, babe. How's the head?
Calcite: Have you gotten a call back from Virtue yet?
Nova: No. He said it might take a while, though...
Peridot: Mom--
Saffron: Whoa whoa whoa! Easy, kiddo, your Mom's okay. She'll be just fine, I promise. Can you hang tight?
Peridot: What happened?!
Saffron: Oh, kiddo...
Saffron: Okay, you know how your Mom is a reporter, right? How she has to ask lots of questions?
Peridot: Y-yeah?
Saffron: Well, some of the questions she's been asking have made some people mad, and they hurt her to try and scare her off her case.
Peridot: What?! Who would do that?!
Saffron: Someone with something to hide.
Calcite: And whose name rhymes with--
Nova: Cal!
Saffron: But your Mom is okay. And if you can keep calm, you can see her right now. D'you think you can do that?
Peridot: ...uh-huh.
Saffron: Alright then. Come on.
Citrine: Well there's only one of you now, but. Ow.
Fern: I bet.
Fern: We can work on that...
Basil: No matter. There's still time. Still...plenty of time to figure out another way.
Basil: You shall be freed, Master Obscuro. I gave my oath to you, and I will keep it.
Peridot: ...not again...why is it always those dreams?
Peridot: Ten years...you think they'd stop by now...
Nova: Well it is. *chuckle* Honestly, Peri, as your grandfather part of my job is to help you out when things are too hard, and when I can't I worry. It's just how I am.
Citrine: ...you were right. I'm sorry.
Fern: There's a saying in the Realm. When you encounter enemies, keep going. It usually means you're on the right track.
Citrine: Heh...sound wisdom.
Fern: Just...next time, call me first?
Peridot: Mom?
Citrine: Hi, honey. Oh, Peri...you don't have to be worried, baby. I've got a a very hard head.
Peridot: But you're hurt...
Citrine: I am. But I'll be okay. It honestly looks worse than it is.
Peridot: Well it looks really really bad! ...why did someone want to hurt you, Mom?
Citrine: That's. Hm...
Fern: It's complicated, honey. Some people keep secrets by any means necessary.
Citrine: And that does include beating people up sometimes.
Peridot: But who?!
Citrine: You let me worry about that, kiddo.
Peridot: But I want to help! You'll let me, won't you?
Citrine: Maybe when you're older. Right now what helps the most is you staying safe. Leave the trouble to your Ma and me, okay?
Peridot: ...okay fine.
Fern: *laugh* That doesn't sound very convincing, Per-bear.
Citrine: Can you promise to stay out of trouble until you're at least eighteen?
Peridot: Uh...no?
Fern: *laugh*
Citrine: RIght, what was I asking. *laughing sigh* Okay, can you promise to not dig into my cases until then?
Citrine: Leave them, and the trouble, to me until then?
Peridot: ...okay, I can do that. But can you promise to be careful, too?
Citrine: Of course I can.
Fern: Your Mom and I are gonna be working this thing together from now on, too. We'll look out for one another.
Peridot: Oh, that's...*sigh* That's great. I'm glad.
Citrine: You really don't have to worry, sweetie. We'll be fine.
Citrine: Now, how was camp?
Peridot: What? You wanna hear about that now?!
Citrine: Sure I do. I could use some happy news right about now.
Peridot: Oh. Okay, sure. Um...it was kinda boring, actually.
Citrine: Oh?
Peridot: Yeah, the weather got kinda rough so we were stuck inside doing crafts and plays and it wasn't like it was supposed to be. We barely got into the woods at all. Cel and Parsley almost got into a fight a few times, too.
Citrine: Well there's a shock. *sigh* I'm sorry, kiddo. It was supposed to be a lot more fun than that.
Peridot: Nah, that's okay. We can have fun here, and Parsley won't get in the way either.
Fern: That's one way to put it. *laugh* Okay, kiddo. I bet your friends are waiting for you.
Peridot; Uh-huh. Love you, Mom.
Citrine: I love you too, baby. Be good for your Gramps while we're out, okay?
Peridot: Yep. I promise.
Peridot: I'm glad you're okay.
Citrine: Me too, kiddo. Me too.
Saffron: Race you home!
Peridot: Gram!!
Citrine: So, we're going to work this case together? What happened to let the Hunters handle it?
Fern: Well...
Fern: I did call Vita after you left. The truth is, everyone's busy right now. Apparently Basil's not the only who could be trying this.
Citrine: Meaning they don't have enough manpower. Ha.
Citrine: All that secrecy's biting them in the butts, isn't it.
Fern: Oh, you bet it is. I bet things change going forward. But, for now, it's just us. Just...promise me you won't go into this alone anymore?
Citrine: I promise. Wherever this takes us, we're in it together.
Fern: Together. *sigh* You scared me, sunshine.
Citrine: I scared myself, too. Guess my fighting got a little rusty, huh?
Fern: We can work on that.
Later...
Edelweiss: I don't get it...who would attack a reporter?
Dawn: Somebody who doesn't want them reporting?
Scarlet: Auntie's gonna be okay, right? Ren wouldn't tell me, they were so mad on the phone with Auntie Penny.
Peridot: Yeah, Mom's gonna be okay. Gram said she got her bell rung, but she'll be okay.
Raven: D'you know what she was looking into? Why anyone would attack her for this...case or whatever?
Peridot: No. They don't talk to me about Mom's cases.
Celestial: Nothing at all?
Peridot: Nothing. ...Well, I did overhear them both talking about robberies? Jewelry stores, mostly.
Cinnamon: Jewelry? Why take that?
Royal Cola: Is pretty? Sparkly things very nice.
Royal Cola: Worth lots sometimes, too.
Edelweiss: There is that. ...Peri, did your Mom mention working with my Dad?
Peridot: Yeah, why?
Edelweiss: ....
Others: Edie?
Edelweiss: I think they're working on the same thing.
Dawn: Mr. Virtue and Miss Citrine working the same case? Yikes. That can't be good.
Celestial: It's not. Dad's supposed to be on that case, too, but I haven't heard him doing anything about it. Something's up with that.
Peridot: I thought your Dad was an officer, not a detective.
Celestial: S'posed to be.
Candle: Okay, I'm lost. What's it mean if El's dad and Peri's Mom and Cel's dad are all on the same case?
Celestial: It means that it's a big case, one that's got the cops and private investigators looking into at the same time. Big cases mean big money and big problems.
Peridot: And big danger.
Celestial: Yeah, but why? What's so important about a bunch of jewelry stores?
Peridot: Um...I think Ma said they sold raw crystals, too?
Cinnamon: Sometimes used in computers. Electronics.
Royal Cola: Spaceships too. Transfer power, narrow light.
Royal Cola: Construction? No. Buy those cheap.
Cinnamon: Say what kinds?
Peridot: No.
Edelweiss: Sometimes crystals are used in magic rituals, too.
Dawn: Magic rituals? That stuff's only in books, Edie.
Scarlet: No it's not! Magic's real and it can be dangerous, too. That's why the Hunters exist!
Candle: Hunters and vampires and magic and ugh. This is too big.
Raven: Hang on a second! What if that's it!
Peridot: That's--what, you think whoever's stealing this stuff is doing it to use in a ritual or something?
Celestial: Could be. Have to be a big one, though. Dad's been grumbling that they hit over a hundred places already.
Edelweiss: That's a really, really big ritual. Not good.
Scarlet: Way, way too big. Like, city level big!
Candle: Well that doesn't matter because someone else will stop it!
Scarlet: If they were gonna the robberies would have stopped by now, Candle!
Candle: Still not our problem!
Raven: yeah, you just keep sticking your head in the sand. *sigh*
Peridot: ...but what can we do about it? We're just a bunch of kids.
Celestial: We won't be kids forever. And...I know some of the people Dad talks to. I bet I can talk to them, get some answers.
Cinnamon: Father works with criminals. Dangerous to talk to them.
Royal Cola: Too dangerous! Not do it.
Celestial: Might be the only way.
Royal Cola: No! Must be other way!
Edelweiss: Ze's right, Cel. Dad made me promise to not get involved with this one. He's only done that in really, really bad cases.
Royal Cola: See?
Edelweiss: ...granted, he did say at least until I was sixteen, so.
Dawn: Ugh, you're all missing the point! Why do we have to do anything? Why can't we just leave this to the grownups?
Dawn: That's their job!
Scarlet: Dawn...they may not know what's going on! If there's something we can do to help, we gotta do it.
Celestial: And I don't think there's anything they can do, anyway. How many of our parents know anything about magic?
Peridot: Ma knows a little...but everything else is from stories.
Cinnamon: Bah. Used to be Sixamites only in stories, too.
Raven: And vampires, too. And we're all here anyway. Not to mention those dreams we're still having--maybe we're supposed to do something about this.
Dawn: Ugh...fine, how do you figure?
Scarlet: Well, there's the nine of us brought together. That has to be for something, right?
Dawn: Can't it just be a coincidence?
Edelweiss/Royal Cola: No such thing.
Royal Cola: Answer exists somewhere. Need more data, more parts, before finding.
Peridot: but where do we get those?
Celestial: I can do some digging in Dad's stuff...but this may take a while.
Raven: Let's just hope we have a while. I'm getting a bad feeling about all this.
Later...
*knock on door*
Basil: Come in.
Basil: Ah, Frosted. Is the matter dealt with?
Frosted: The men themselves, yes. But Citrine Crystal's recovering at home. She wasn't taken out.
Basil: Well now. That is a shame. No matter. What matters now is that she won't make that same mistake again. You'll just have to find some other way to get rid of her.
Frosted: Sir. Your...patron. He can't...
Frosted: If he's so powerful, why not do this himself?
Basil: A fair question. His powers simply don't reach this far, Frosted. We are his instruments here.
Basil: We are his tools to use as he needs, and when the time comes and he returns to his rightful place, we shall be rewarded. Do you understand?
Frosted: Of course. How do you want Citrine eliminated?
Basil: You're a smart man, Frosted. Be creative. ...Tell me, your boy...what is his name again?
Frosted: ...Celestial.
Basil: Yes, yes. He's about Parsley's age, which makes him about the same age as the Crystal brat, yes?
Frosted: Yes sir.
Basil: Good, good. Have him make friends with her and use her to get to her mother. It's quite a simple plan, really...
Celestial: They're already friends, sir. And he's...very protective of her. He wouldn't fall for it.
Basil: Ah, Frosted. That sounds like a personal problem. You'd best find a solution, before you become a problem that also needs dealing with. Are we clear?
Frosted: ....yes, sir.
Basil: Good. Dismissed.
*door opens, closes*
Basil: Well now. Parsley left out that little detail. How unlike him.
Basil: Surely...*shudder*
???: You underestimate them.
Basil: Master...how...wonderful to see you again.
???: Hmph. Do not underestimate a chosen line, Basil. The prophecy draws nearer to completion by the day. Underestimating them will lead to your downfall.
Basil: Nonsense. They're hardly worth the effort, Master, I can assure you! Mixed berries are such a--
???: Again, you underestimate someone based on appearance alone. How little things have changed over the centuries...no matter. Bring the shards to me, Basil. Do not let your biases distract you from that goal.
Basil: Of course not.
Years later...
*alarm buzzes*
Peridot: Mmph...
*alarm switches to radio*
Radio: Goooooooood morning, Sugar Springs! It's another balmy day today, with highs reaching up to the triple digits in the highlands! Remember your fluids, people!
Radio: in other words--
*radio clicks off*
Peridot: Don't become a prune.
Peridot: *yawn* Morning, Grampop.
Nova: Morning, kiddo. Sleep well?
Peridot: Eh, no different than ever.
Nova: Peri...
Nova: You know, if you ever want to talk about those dreams of yours, my ears are open.
Peridot: I know, Grampop, I just...I can't really describe them? It's like...they're more flashes of images I don't get than dreams.
Nova: Hey, that's something. What do you see?
Peridot: ...a manor, beneath a sky with no sun. Magic in the air, people fighting and...
Peridot: Darkness.
Nova: Like, midnight darkness? Or...
Peridot: Like all the light in all the worlds went out kind of dark.
Nova: ...okay you know what, I'm not going to question why you look so tired anymore, kiddo. Dreams like that'd drive anybody to eyebags.
Peridot: Pfft, yeah. *sigh* I just...
Peridot: I dunno, Grampop. I've had these things for years and I still haven't made sense of them!
Nova: And your friends don't know anything? Have you talked to them about it?
Peridot: Oh, sure! But nobody recognizes a thing about them either.
Peridot: Do you...?
Nova: The sky with no sun is a little familar, but why you'd be dreaming of the Magical Realm for this long...*sigh* I have no idea, kiddo. Would sprinkles in your pancakes help?
Peridot: *laugh* They always do.
Peridot: But seriously, Grampop, I'm fine. You don't have to worry just because of a few bad dreams!
Nova: If you've been having them for years they're more than a few bad dreams, kiddo.
Peridot: Well...I mean when you put it that way, yeah, but...really, it's okay. What's a little less sleep in highschool?
Nova: A sleep deficit in college and grad school, that's what.
Peridot: Grampop!
Peridot: And when you worry you stress bake.
Nova: Teeeechnically I also stress compose but I can't really feed you with piano music, so.
Peridot: *laugh* So pancakes it it. Oh, Grampop...*sigh* Thanks.
Nova: I haven't even made those pancakes yet, kiddo, don't thank me until I have!
Peridot: Not just for the pancakes, though! For everything.
Citrine: Alright now I'm worrying. It's too early to be so maudlin, sweetie.
Peridot: Ah--morning, Mom. I'm fine, just. More dreams, you know?
Citrine: Still? *sigh* Recognize anything this time?
Peridot: Grampop says that it could be the Magical Realm? I have no idea why I'd be dreaming of it, though.
Nova: ...maybe something's drawing you there?
Peridot: But what? I don't have magic, I'm not going to be a Hunter--
Citrine: thank the Watcher for that
Peridot: --and Ma's retired! What could be drawing me to a place I don't want to go to?
Citrine: I don't know, sweetheart. Ask your Ma when she gets up, I guess...I chose not to look into that place after Scarlet came home.
Peridot: Ugh, maybe. Or maybe I just ignore the curse word out of these dreams and go on with my life?
Calcite: Running away from things won't make them go away, kiddo.
Peridot: *squeak* Grandad don't sneak up on me!
Citrine: Speaking from experience?
Nova: Some!
Calcite: But seriously, Per-bear, you've been having these dream...images since you were what, eight?
Peridot: Six. Didn't make sense then, either.
Citrine: Definitely magic.
Nova: Citrine you don't think--
Citrine: Could be.
Calcite: Uh-oh.
Peridot: What uh-oh?
Citrine: Nope it is too early in the morning to talk about that.
Calcite: Citrine...not talking about the skeleton in the closet doesn't make him stop dancing.
Citrine: He can dance a jig it's too early.
Peridot: ...what are you two talking about?
Calcite: Oh, just something that's been hounding the family since loooooong before you were born.
Peridot: Uh. Okay? Do we have a crazy uncle I'm not aware of?
Nova: Ha...if only it was that.
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