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.
Peridot: Keep your secrets all you want, Cel. I'm not letting anyone else deal with his crap alone.
Celestial: ...Come on. We have class.
Peridot: Not just why the Herbs put that hit on Mom, but why then. Why they're doing it at all, and what this ritual really is. I feel like...it feels like, if it happens? We're all doomed anyway.
Celestial: We're okay, Per. We're okay.
Celestial: ...fudge. What do I do now?
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Later...
Celestial: Peri, hold up.
Peridot: Cel if you're going to tell me to back down again--
Celestial: no, that's not. Can we talk? Please?
Peridot: ....*sigh* Yeah. I...yeah.
Celestial: ...I'm sorry. I've been treating you like a little kid. You deserve better than that.
Peridot: Why have you?
Peridot: We've all had the same lessons, and you know I can handle myself.
Celestial: in a fair fight, yeah, but these kinds of people...fair fights aren't their style. I don't want you to get hurt because you didn't see the trap before it sprung.
Peridot: You really think it'll come to that?
Celestial: I don't want to take the risk. Not with you.
Peridot: Cel...I really don't think people like this are going to care about me poking around.
Celestial: They care, when anyone starts asking questions. Reporters, nosy teenage sleuths...believe me, they care.
Celestial: ...but, you were right. I am scared. I'm terrified.
Peridot: Of what?
Celestial: ...a lot of things. BUt...most of all? Losing you.
Celestial: You're my best friend. I don't want anything to happen to you, and this mess we're digging into, it just...it gets more and more dangerous and we may not have a way back out soon.
Peridot: Cel...*sigh* I get it, I do, but I can't stop now. I need to know why.
Celestial: I know, but...you know there are others who can do this, right? Hunters? Mom, and your Ma? We don't have to do this. They can fight this battle for us.
Peridot: I...
Peridot: ...I can't. I can't explain why but this feels like it's my responsibility, not theirs.
Celestial: ...our responsibility.
Celestial: ...Because as much as I say tell our parents, I feel the same way. That we have to do this. It's...kinda spooky, isn't it.
Peridot: Heh, more than a little.
Celestial: I almost wonder if that alternate reality your Grampop thinks this is are yelling over our shoulders or something.
Peridot: Ha...yeah, I wouldn't doubt that. So...what do we do about it?
Celestial: Well, if the Herbs did it, I doubt there's gonna be much we can do to them...but maybe if we dig up the police report it'll have something we can use.
Peridot: But that means getting access to the files rooms...which means...
Peridot: ...getting into the station as an employee, not a civilian. Which there is no way I can do that with Parsley yelling in his dad's ear about me. Great.
Celestial: hey, hold on, I'll probably be interning at the station next year. I can get it! ...Probably.
Peridot: Two chances are better than one. *sigh* Great....not to mention this feeling of running out of time...
Celestial: Feeling of...oh, no, not you too!
Peridot: Too? Cel?
Celestial: ...remember you said it felt like we'd done all this before? Like the worst case of deja vu ever?
Peridot: Oh don't tell me--
Celestial: *sigh* Yeah.
Celestial: And it's only been getting stronger, this feeling that time's running out. Like...if we don't stop this ritual or whatever, everything's doomed.
Peridot: Don't you see? That's why we have to keep going. That's why we can't stop now. We have to fix this--we have to make it right!
Celestial: And we will! but we have to play it smart. We won't do anyone any good by getting taken out now, so...I need you to promise me something.
Peridot: What?
Celestial: Whatever happens, whatever this comes to, promise me you won't give up.
Peridot: Give up? Why would I? Weren't we just arguing about my not giving up being a bad thing?
Celestial: We are, but this--this is different. Whatever happens, to me or to any of the others, promise that you will not give up.
Peridot: ...Cel you're scaring me.
Celestial: I know. I'm sorry, I just. I need you to promise. Please?
Peridot: I...okay, I promise. But nothing's going to happen to you! or to the others--we'll stop it first!
Celestial: ...no one can make that promise, Per.
Celestial: We can try, but...if this is as bad as we both think it's going to be? There's no way we can keep that promise.
Peridot: Cel...I don't want to lose you, either. I...
Celestial: I know.
Celestial: And hey--if I have my way, we'll be together for a very, very long time. I just want to know you'll be okay if I'm not here.
Peridot: Of course I won't be!
Peridot: I mean, I'll live but--you're my best friend, Cel, and I...I love you...please don't leave.
Celestial: Silly...you're my best friend, too. You couldn't get rid of me if you tried.
Later....
Peridot: Ma? Mom?
Fern: Over here!
Fern: Your Mom had to go for a work thing. How was school?
Peridot: Fine. Um...can we talk?
Fern: Sure! What's up?
Peridot: Well...
Peridot: You and Mom...when did you know you loved each other romantically?
Fern: Well...it wasn't this one moment we knew kind of thing, really. It was a gradual thing.
Fern: We were friends for a long time, then best friends, then neither of us could see life without the other there. It wasn't this...one second it all clicked sort of thing. Why do you ask?
Peridot: I....can't see life without Cel in it now, but I don't know if it's romantic or not.
Fern: Hm, that's a harder call to make. All our teasing aside, do you love him?
Peridot: With all my heart.
Fern: And...when you see romance in movies or books, can you see the two of you like that?
Peridot: ...yeah. I can. Easily.
Peridot: And...I like that image, too.
Fern: Then there you go. You like him romantically and you should tell him.
Peridot: ...and if he doesn't like me the same way?
Fern: Then you know that and can move on. I wouldn't worry about losing his friendship, though. You two are thick as thieves!
Peridot: ...thieves, huh?
Fern: ...wrong choice of words there, sorry. Your Mom told me what you think's going on.
Peridot: ...I want to be wrong, Ma, I really do, but...he's hiding something. A lot of things. I don't know what to think.
Fern: It's a lot. And I have to ask, how would Cel know about a ritual even we don't know what's for?
Peridot: his Mom or Dad told him? *sigh* I dunno, Ma, I just...I can't shake it.
Peridot: I can't shake this feeling that I shouldn't trust him, that it burned me before, but also that I love him so much...Ugh it doesn't make sense!
Fern: Life rarely makes sense, baby. You just have to trust your instincts.
Peridot: And if those instincts are telling me two opposite things? What then?
Fern: ...Well, I don't know. Dig a little deeper and figure out which is your gut and which is your head running off with the bakery.
Peridot: ...what if they're both true.
Fern: Hm?
Peridot: What do you know about alternate realities?
Fern: Um. What?
Peridot: It's something Grampop said about...about the dreams. That they could be real, just from a reality that's different from this one, where different choices were made and...well, I'm starting to think he's right. That stuff that happened there is starting to leak into here and. Maybe feelings, too.
Fern: That's...that would explain a lot of things, actually.
Fern: but I don't know much of anything about the idea...just what I've seen in sci-fi movies and stuff. Huh...it would explain...
Peridot: Explain what? This two-sided feeling?
Fern: That and...well, that. It's still your instinct, just from a different life. That's why it feels so natural to you--it's you having that thought anyway.
Fern: But the thing you have to remember is, that is--or maybe was--a different life. What matters now is this one, and in this one you love him. Let that be enough.
Peridot: I want to, it just...I dunno, Ma. I know I'm not making any sense...
Fern: No, kiddo, you're making plenty of sense. But what matters is what you do going forward. Do you love Cel more than you mistrust him?
Peridot: ...yeah. I really do.
Fern: Then act on that. The rest will sort itself out somehow.
Fern: And, about your dreams?
Peridot: Yeah?
Fern: Try not to dwell on them. You'll forget to live in the here and now.
Peridot: Heh...I won't.
That night...
Frosted: I don't want to hear it!
Celestial: Dad--
Frosted: No. We're not stopping now. We've come too far to stop now.
Celestial: But what is Herb dragging us into? Putting out hits on people? That's not a light thing to do!
Celestial: If he pulls us in too far to back out, what then? We go down with him!
Frosted: Herb isn't going down. We almost have everything we need to complete the ritual. Once it's finished, he'll never go down.
Celestial: ...at what cost? That--thing on the tablet...nothing's worth summoning that monster.
Frosted: Clearly Herb thinks differently.
Celestial: Dad...you know the stories. Is this worth it? Really?
Frosted: That's not for us to decide.
Celestial: No, but--we can still decide to say no! It doesn't have to come to this! We can get out, tell Mom--she won't hurt us for stopping this now!
Celestial: There's still a chance to stop this!
Frosted: Your mother answers to the Council, Celestial, and they would do us in for this. No, we can't turn back. So I need to know you are on board, or...
Celestial: ....or what?
Frosted: Or you become a problem to Herb. And my job is to get rid of problems he's dealing with.
Frosted: Do you understand?
Celestial: ...you would get rid of me. For stopping you. For telling Mom.
Frosted: You were always a smart boy. You'll do what's right.
Celestial: ....
Celestial: Fine. I'll be back in a few hours. But you're letting me go to the Formal for this, you hear me?
Frosted: Just go. Now!
Some time later...
Celestial: He said he'd let me stay here...
Parsley: Hey, I'm just the messenger. Not my fault you made yourself so...invaluable. Heh.
Celestial: And you can't do it this one time?
Parsley: Me? Go steal some enchanted relic? Pfft, don't be stupid. I can't be seen doing that! You're expendable, Peak, I'm not.
Parsley: Of course, if you want to stay here and have a dance with your girl...I'd be happy to tell Dad you were shirking your duties.
Celestial: You leave Peri out of this, Herb. I warned you already!
Parsley: *laugh* That's just talk!
Parsley: Not to mention for someone who claims to like her so much, you're sure abandoning her a lot!
Celestial: ....
Parsley: Watcher you're something else, Peak. Wasting all this time and energy on a pretty face. Hah! I can't wait until Dad makes everything better.
Celestial: ....better for who.
Parsley: Well, for some of us, I guess. You'd probably get to stay since you look the part, but...eh, who knows.
Celestial: ...he won't do it, you know. Make the world the way your father wants. He's playing with things he doesn't understand.
Celestial: He's going to get us all killed trying to control this thing.
Parsley: Who said anything about trying? There's nothing my father can't control. You'd better get moving, yeah?
Celestial: ....
Parsley: And not a word about this to anyone, Peak, or...
Celestial: Yeah, yeah. I heard you the first time.
Peridot: There you are! I thought you'd left.
Celestial: no, but I have to. Something's come up.
Celestial: ...I can't tell you that.
Peridot: Oh, so it's one of those six things, huh? Your secrets are going to get you killed, you know.
Celestial: Nah.
Celestial: I've got you looking after me, remember?
Peridot: Well I can't do that if you won't tell me what's going on...
Celestial: Someday, maybe. ...Hey. One last dance before I go?
Peridot: ...I'm real mad at you. Do you know that?
Celestial: I don't blame you. I wouldn't blame you if you hated me for keeping all these secrets.
Peridot: ...hate is a strong, strong word for this. I just...
Celestial: You just?
Peridot: I want to trust you, Cel, I really do. I just don't feel like I should sometimes.
Celestial: You've got good instincts. ...May I have this dance?
Peridot: ...you may.
Peridot: Why aren't you mad that I don't know if I trust you anymore?
Celestial: Because I wouldn't trust me, either. I get it, Per, I really do.
Peridot: Then why won't you tell me what's going on?! Why can't we clear this up?!
Celestial: It's too risky. The more involved you get, the more danger you're in. I can't live with myself if I put you in that much danger.
Peridot: You--
Celestial: I know you can handle yourself. I still don't want to chance it. Would you chance it with me if you were in my shoes?
Peridot: I'd tell you what was going on, at least.
Celestial: Like I said, good instincts. *sigh* Watcher, Peri...someday, this'll all make sense, I swear. Just...right now, I can't.
Peridot: ...do you even want to?
Peridot: or have you got so used to keeping secrets that you don't know how to talk about it at all?
Celestial: That's--
Peridot: Got you there, didn't I?
Celestial: *chuckle* you did. But you've always been smarter than me, so I'm not surprised.
Peridot: Flattery will get you nowhere.
Celestial: Is it flattery if it's true?
Peridot: ....that I don't know. Don't change the subject.
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