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.
cw: this section contains death leading to possession, and violence from a parent towards their child.
Citrine: ....Peri...
Peridot: That's what Cel said. That there's nine parts to the key they need to open the door and let Obscuro out. And we're a part of that key!
Citrine: Peridot we--
Peridot: We are, aren't we?! This family--and eight others! Nine shards!
Citrine: When the nine shards are reunited, look to desert warmth...
Peridot: Mom!
Citrine: This whole time...
Peridot: You knew this whole time? Why didn't you say something before?!
Citrine: ...because I thought I could keep you safe. I thought it could be avoided.
Peridot: Well it can't! It's happening now and we've only got two days to stop it somehow! We could have had more time if you'd told me the truth before!
Citrine: If I'd told you the truth?
Peridot: Yes! If you'd told me what I was a part of--I didn't ask to be born into this, you know! But I was, and I'm in the middle of it!
Citrine: And if you'd stayed out of it, done what we asked and stayed away from Basil--
Peridot: He would still be doing this! Mom, don't you get it?! We've been so busy dodging each other that we haven't dodged the actual problem! Basil's going through with this in two days!
Citrine: You don't know that!
Peridot: Yes I do! I know that, and I know that his wife put the hit on you, and I know that Parsley knows about both of those things and--I know a lot, Mom! I just need you to trust me!
Citrine: I...*heavy sigh* Watcher, Peri, I do, I just...
Peridot: I know. You're scared. I'm scared, too. Please...can we figure this out?
Citrine: How do you even know any of this, baby? I was so careful to keep my files out of your reach...
Peridot: After your attack, the others and me, we were gonna look into why someone would attack a reporter together. Cel, he...'cause of his Dad he's got more reach into this kind of thing and...well...
Peridot: I...might have joined an underground fight ring for a little?
Citrine: Peridot Spring!
Peridot: I'm fine, I'm fine! It was fights in exchange for info and I got it. Fennel hired a hit because you got too close, and...
Peridot: These last few years? Frosted's been on Basil's payroll. He's been having Cel commit the robberies for him.
Citrine: ....oh, that rat. Does Caly know?
Peridot: No. Cel said Frosted would have used it against her in custody hearings...somehow. And by the time he wouldn't be able to...
Citrine: It'd be too late because Cel was already in it. Watcher....*sigh* Well, that puts things in perspective.
Citrine: What else did you learn?
Peridot: According to Cel there was a tablet in the Museo that shows the Belomisians trying to summon Obscuro but failing because they didn't have people from nine Watcher-blessed bloodlines. ...They're us, aren't they.
Citrine: Us, and your friends. Cel too, I'd bet. You kids have always been so close...like you knew each other before.
Peridot: I...think we did. Somehow. Those dreams I've been having? We've all been having them, and Grampop...when I told him, he said he was sure they were visions from an alternate reality.
Citrine: *soft gasp* Another life...
Peridot: You know about that?
Citrine: ...before you were born, a Seeress told your Ma and I that she'd had a vision of you. From what Fern explained, that...makes it a prophecy.
Peridot: Oh. Great.
Peridot: Do you know what it said?
Citrine: Delphine wasn't very clear about it--she said it was...two visions overlaid on top of each other. In one, you lived a happy life in the Springs. In the other, you were a...a Guardian.
Peridot: ...why does that sound so familiar...
Citrine: She...also said that it might have been another life, and...putting the pieces together...the deja vu you had as a kid, the dreams, how close you kids are...I know how crazy this must sound, but...Peri...I think you lived through this before.
Peridot: ...and...I remember parts of it, too. Like...how Obscuro is bad news, and the ritual is worse and...knowing the others.
Peridot: ....having to watch them all die.
Citrine: Peridot...
Peridot: But why...why us? Why do we remember but none of you do? Even just bits and pieces--you and Ma have never said...
Citrine: We don't.
Peridot: So when you put it all together...
Citrine: Basil and Frosted are trying to summon Obscuro, and...as Guardians, in that other life, you kids would have tried to stop them.
Peridot: And we failed. And it's happening again. Mom...
Peridot: ...Mom, I need help.
Citrine: I know. Let me go wake up your Ma. This is...this is out of my hands, sweetheart.
Peridot: I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner.
Citrine: And I should have trusted you before this. But we both have a better idea of what's going on now, sweetie. We can still fix this.
Peridot: You think so?
Basil: What do you mean, you couldn't get her?!
Parsley: I tried! I followed her home but then when she left Celestial was behind her the whole way! I couldn't get past him!
Parsley: And they stayed in that cave for hours before he took her home! I didn't have a chance!
Basil: I told you to get her! You should have gone through him if you had to!
Basil: Why can't you ever follow orders?! I told you to this one thing and you couldn't even do that!
Parsley: F-father, we still have time! The Thunder Moon won't rise for another two days--I can try again tomorrow!
Basil: No, you can't! You don't understand: this was your one chance!
Parsley: Why?! She has to come in to work tomorrow--I can just grab her at the door or the bathroom or--or something! I can jsut--try again!
Basil: No. You were given one chance and you squandered it. Someone else will take over now.
Parsley: Great! Just tell them to wait a day and I'll handle it! You'll see, I can do this!
Parsley: ...wait...what was that sound?
Basil: You won't be doing anything anymore.
Parsley: ...did the air conditioning come on? Why did it get so cold...
Parsley: ...Father, what...
Basil: I didn't want this. But you leave me no choice.
Parsley: Father...help...me...
Celestial: Do you have any idea how many lives this thing has ruined?! How many he will ruin if he gets out?! Lady Lucera keeps that door locked for a reason! It's not going to spare you just because you helped it!
Frosted: Stupid boy! You let your guard down!
Frosted: never let your guard down--
Frosted: --until your opponent is down!
Frosted: *heavy breathing* Clearly...i have to do everything myself. Stay here.
Frosted: You'll see your precious girlfriend soon enough.
The next morning...
Peridot: ...what the--CEL!!
Peridot: What happened?! Come on--come on you have to get up! Cel please--
Calcite: She's gone for your Mom. Come on--let's get you inside.
Celestial: ...we'll be okay.
Peridot: ...yeah, okay, fine, I get how telling them we'd all been having the same dreams would have helped but--they could have started by trusting us!
Obscuro: Yes...he will do quite nicely. My thanks, Basil.
Basil: Of course...Master.
Across town...
Frosted: ...you cannot be serious.
Obscuro: Have I ever joked?
Frosted: ...that's what makes this worse. What was he thinking?!
Frosted: There you are. You took your time, didn't you.
Celestial: I was at home. In bed. What do you want now?
Celestial: because if this is another job--
Frosted: No. I need you to lure that Crystal girl you're sweet on out of the city tomorrow. We need her for the ritual.
Celestial: No.
Frosted: *aggravated sigh* Celestial, I know you're fond of her--
Celestial: I said no. I'm not doing that. I'm not doing this anymore. And if you had half a lick of sense, you wouldn't either. You think working for this--Shade is a good idea?!
Obscuro: Oh? When have ever done anything to harm either of you?
Celestial: *low growl* Dad, come with me. We can talk to Mom, we can fix this--
Frosted: They will kill us both for this!
Celestial: gah--who, the Hunters?! They won't! They're not like that! Mom and Miss Fern wouldn't let them!
Frosted: You don't know them like I do, boy!
Frosted: They wanted to kill you when you were born because I'm not a Hunter! People like that don't have a right to have so much power over the rest of us!
Celestial: Dad that was almost twenty years ago! Things change! And this--this isn't any better!
Obscuro: Lady--oh, I see now. I see now! Clever, sister...Frosted, deal with your own house. I have mine to settle.
Celestial: Don't you get it?! That thing will destroy everything unless we stop it! So get out of your own head and help me!
Celestial: There's still time to fix this, we can--*choked gasp*
Frosted: Clearly your mother's had too much time to tell you stories!
Celestial: *coughing, choking*
Frosted: I didn't want this to happen. But this is the only way to deal with the Hunters and make sure they can't hurt anyone ever again.
Celestial: *coughing* You'll...kill Peri..
Frosted: There'll be other girls you'll fall for.
Frosted: Life will go on and you--GAH!
Celestial: I won't let you touch her!
Celestial: Argh!!!
Frosted: Did I teach you nothing?!
Peridot: Celestial! Oh, Watcher, Cel--
Celestial: No--no, leave me--
Peridot: Cel it's me! It's Peri!
Peridot: GRAMPOP! GRANDAD! HELP!
Calcite/Nova: Peri?!
Calcite: --!!! What happened?!
Peridot: I don't know! I can't--whoa--he's too heavy! I can't get him up!
Peridot: Cel, baby, wake up! Come on!
Celestial: *groan*
Peridot: Cel!
Nova: Peri, move--
Calcite: We've got him--go get his mother!
Peridot: O-okay!
Calcite: Stay with us, son. We've got you.
Celestial: ...mm...Peri?
Calypso: Who did this? Celestial, who did this to you?!
Fern: I've called the clinic, they'll be waiting for us when we get there.
Celestial: No...no clinic...
Calpyso: Cel, you have a concussion. You need a doctor.
Celestial: No...not yet...Mom...
Calypso: I'm here, baby, I'm right here.
Fern: Don't try and move, Cel. I called a cab--we'll get you some help.
Calypso: What happened, sweetheart? You were safe in bed when I went to sleep, did you--
Celestial: ...Dad called, he..*cough* Mom, he...
Peridot: Cel, you need to tell her.
Celestial: ...he's working with a Shade...of Obscuro.
Calypso/Fern: He what!?
Calpyso: Oh...that idiot he...oh Cel...he did this to you, didn't he. He...
Celestial: 'm sorry...I tried to stop him before, he...
Fern: The robberies. Citrine said you were forced to do it. The Shade?
Celestial: Summoning ritual...for Obscuro.
Calpyso: That miserable--I'll kill him. I'll kill him!
Fern: I need to call Vita and others. Peri, stay with Cel. The cab'll be here soon.
Peridot: ...what happened?
Celestial: I was so stupid...Dad texted after I left last night...he said we needed to talk.
Celestial: There was a shade with him...he said...he said I needed to take you to them. I said no.
Peridot: And the Shade attacked you?
Celestial: No...I said we could...talk to Mom...make this work somehow...Dad flipped. He yelled. I yelled. A lot.
Peridot: And one thing led to another...
Peridot: And your Dad attacked you. Rung your bell real good, too.
Celestial: had worse. ...Per, listen...they...they'll come after you next.
Peridot: Oooh, let them try.
Peridot: I'll knock your Dad to freaking Komorebi for this!
Celestial: ...not him that worries me...fudging headache...
Celestial: Ugh...
Peridot: ...I told Mom everything last night. We spent the whole night putting it together, her and me and Ma. There's...only one way to stop the ritual. We have to find it and break the circle.
Celestial: Sounds about right.
Peridot: Where are even supposed to look? Ma said a ritual that big needs a place with magic--and there's none in the city! Where can we find one in two days--a day and a half now!
Peridot; How are we supposed to find it in time?
Celestial: Hey. We will. Trust me.
Celestial: There aren't many places to look...need a lot of magic. Glimmerbrook, old Wineburg...
Peridot: That's so big, though...the mountains and the cliffs...you could get lost for weeks up there...
Celestial: Per. We'll find it. It'll be okay. And...*sigh* We don't need to just yet.
Peridot: But...it's so soon now...
Celestial: He messes up now, we get another year. Another Thunder Moon has to happen first.
Celestial: We just need to wait him out.
Peridot: ...I don't think we can, Cel. Things are falling into place so quickly now...we're running out of time.
Celestial: ....I know.
Celestial: We're gonna make it. Just have to hold on.
Peridot: ...I'm scared, Cel.
Celestial: Me too.
Peridot: I have to warn the others...how am I supposed to explain this to them...
Celestial: Tell 'em the truth. They...they probably already know part of it. The dreams.
Peridot: *tired sigh* ...and those, too. Watcher...why us?
Celestial: Had to be us. Someone else would have gotten it wrong.
Peridot: Don't quote Cinnamon, dork...*sniff*
Celestial: Hey...come here.
Later...
Peridot: You too?! Gah....why didn't they tell us any sooner, Edie? We could have changed this, stopped it somehow...
Peridot: but we're in the middle of it now and we need too--
???: Crystal.
Peridot: Hang on--what, Parsley?
Parsley?: You need to come with me.
Peridot: ...Edie, I'll call you back. No, no, I'll call you.
Parsley?: Come with me. Now.
Peridot: What, didn't your Mother ever teach you to say please?
Parsley?: you--come, now!
Peridot: No. Fudge you, Parsley--this is why no one likes you, you know that? You don't even have basic decency!
Parsley?: Who needs it for people like you?
Peridot: Well, clearly you do, since I'm not going anywhere with you today. Or ever.
Parsley?: You...utter fool. Do you have any idea what you toy with?
Peridot: Or, better yet, go find a nice bucket of ice to stick your ego in and leave me alone.
Parsley?: ...You talk too much.
That evening....
Parsley?: Crystal!
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