Work Text:
Keta
n. an image that inexplicably leaps back into your mind from the distant past.
The dust on the moon shimmers and gleams. Its a like a sea of shimmering sand. Phosphophyllite sits on the top of one of the spiraling towers, absently staring beyond the plains. Their eyes seem lost, the pearl in one eye twinkling from time to time.
“There’s something wrong. I don’t like this.”
Lapis Lazuli plays with their hair as Phos speaks. Their voice is shaky, echoing through their dream where they stood with Lapis many times before. Phos clenches their fists in an attempt to calm themselves.
“The Lunarians…they turned Antarcticite and the others into dust…Lapis how can you be so calm?”
Lapis stops playing with their hair and folds their arms. “Isn’t it better to cooperate a bit to gather information? Besides, we can save the others back on Earth.”
“But betraying Sensei? Lapis why would they want the Flesh too if they simply wanted to leave the moon?” Phos argues.
Why wouldn’t Lapis just see how wrong all this was?
“Which is why we need more information.” Lapis replies simply, “If we gain the trust of the Lunarians, they’ll tell us more about the world before. Then we’ll know more about Sensei. Isn’t that what you were after?”
Phos shakes their head. “I don’t want to know anymore. I don’t want to know after what they did to Antarcticite.” Gold and alloy spills from their eyes and they try to wipe it away. “I thought I could bring them back…”
“We can- the Lunarians may have a way.”
“They did the same to your body! Don’t you realize that they don’t care about what happens to us?” Phos throws their arms in the air in frustration. “Lapis, we can’t endanger the others.”
For a while there is silence. The clouds roll and the waves crash against the rocks. Lapis stands before Phos, their eyes closed as if they’re in deep thought. It calmed Phos a bit- maybe Lapis was considering to change their plan.
An image of Antarcticite smiling flashes in Phos’ mind. Phos shudders as the memory changes to the Prince of the Lunarians letting the dust fall from his hands as if it were nothing. As if Antarcticite was nothing more than an object to be destroyed. As if all the gems were nothing but materials for their selfish experiments.
We grounded them into powder. This is our last resort to break Adamant-sensei.
The image breaks into tiny shards. The realization had hit Phos before that they won’t ever be able to piece Antarcticite back together. That they would never be able to return back the favors Antarcticite did for them. They would never be beside Antarcticite during the winters again. Never to hear their voice again.
The thoughts pierce through Phos’ mind and they wrap their arms around themselves. Not only Antarcticite, but everyone else who was taken. They would never return.
“So…please Lapis, let’s leave. Don’t take the Lunarians’ side.” Phos takes a step towards Lapis and reaches out to them. “Let’s return to Sensei, to Cairngorm and…and everyone else…let’s protect them.”
“I am protecting them.” Lapis replies, and a wave of gold and alloy envelopes Phos.
“Lapis?” Phos asks in surprise as the alloys pin them back, slowly creeping up to their body.
“You’ll only get in the way for now. We cannot let your emotions get the best of us.” Lapis spreads their arms wide and smiles. The image of the Earth appears behind them. “Don’t you understand Phos? We need to do this. Betraying Sensei will only save the rest of us.”
Phos tries to scream and fight. But the alloys and the gold pulls them back and wraps around their mouth, gagging them .
Lapis places a finger on their lips as the gold and alloy slowly starts to block Phos’ vision. “Be a good gem and stay quiet for now. Please don’t mind me taking over this body for a while.”
Phos watches as Lapis disappears from their vision. An image appears, Phos’ memory, of Antarcticite, smiling at them for the last time before the Lunarians pierce through their head. Their clear shards scatter in the air in slow motion and are replaced with colorful shards- resembling those of Diamond, Cairngorm, Amethsyt, Cinnabar and the other gems.
No! Phos screams but it is too late. They cannot move. The shards burst to dust and Phos can only watch helplessly. They are useless once more.
The alloys cover their eyes and the world goes dark.
I’m sorry. They say to the darkness. They hear Lapis reply to the Lunarians.
“I’ll bring you as many gems from the Earth.”
The Prince’s voice echoes through, “Then it’s a deal.”
Phos struggles once more before it’s too late. But they cannot see and they cannot move. A helpless and useless gem ever since they were born, and now they couldn’t even take control of their own body.
I’m sorry.