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Neptunite adjusts their skirt again. I think we switch into summer uniforms soon. Did Beryl ever consider our comfort with these? They sigh. Someone brushes against Nepti’s hair, and they whip towards the assailant, but it’s just Sensei.
“Nepti.” He interrupts, “How has your day been?”
Composed, Neptunite responds: “...Fine, the weather’s been nice lately.” Since when was Sensei so stealthy?
“Ah. I am glad to hear you are well.”
A minute passes, but despite all the commotion across the pond, it’s hard to ignore him.
“I have a favor to ask of you Neptunite.” he resumes. “Please, come by yourself to the convalescent center tonight. I will be waiting.”
Huh? Sensei swivels in his sandals, ...No point in asking about it now. This time, Neptunite glares at his back until he disappears up the stairs. But that’s so strange. Why would he want to meet with me specifically, alone? Nepti scratches their nails. If there were some kind of issue, surely he’d call a meeting after the patrols return this evening, or ask someone notoriously competent like Euclase, or Bortz, or Zircon… Should I let Benito know?
--
The breeze is mild and the sun rejuvenating. Nepti and Benito, their long-time partner, scan the gradient sky.
Benito steps in another puddle. The splash stirs the bugs on a nearby log, clouds of them taking flight. The lookout pair watch as the critters lazily search for a new, safe object to settle on. To Neptunite’s disappointment, they decide that a certain dark, shiny rock would make a great resting place.
“They seem to like you, Nepti!” Benito teases, stifling a giggle at their partner’s new hairdo.
“Yes they do. The feeling is not mutual.”
Neptunite vigorously shakes their head and insects shoot in all directions.
“Heh.” Benito exhales at their partner’s discontent, and a bug smacks them right between the eyes.
“Ow!”, Benito whines, “Be more careful!”
“Sorry.” Nepti deadpans. It’s just a bug.
The two of them walk over to the log. Benito takes a seat and stretches, cracking a shoulder.
“So,” Beni inquires, “Phos, Sphene and I are gonna play cards tonight, wanna join us?”
“I have something else to do tonight, sorry.” Nepti replies. They hadn’t stopped thinking about what Kongo said.
Benito perks up, attempting to read Nepti’s stony expression. “Ooh, how intriguing! Is it related to your, uh... condition, acting up?”
Beni’s concern is nice, but, “No, It’s different. I can’t say what.” Sensei would want me to keep this a secret .
Politely, Benito reins in their eagerness, “Well, alright. If you ever want to play with us though, just ask, yeah? You always blow us out of the water.” Benito returns to diligently watching the sky. That’s not because I’m good at cards though.
How long has it been since I fought them, anyways? Nepti muses, Not since last year, at least. Maybe they’re waiting for me to lose my edge. They smirk at no one. Who really knows, though.
--
Eventually, the sun sets. The lookout teams return home, Benito and Neptunite as the final two. The pond’s jellyfish glow a soft cream, and the familiar scent of warm summer grass fades in the cool air. The tired pair rest at the medical bench, hair shining in the day’s last rays.
Breaking the casual silence their jog back carried, “Good night Nepti.” Benito smiles.
“G‘night, Beni.” Finally, some solitude .
Benito waves goodbye and heads off towards the others, but pauses, “Wish me luck for cards, alright?”.
Nepti skeptically raises an eyebrow. “You’ll need it.”
“You know what?” Beni retorts, “You’ll see, I’ll win this time even if luck isn’t on my side! Hmph.” The blue gem, flustered, marches away, clacking footfalls fade as they leave to meet their nice friends. Benito always plays worse when they try hard.
Neptunite collapses at the pond’s edge. They remove their shoes, placing them at the brink, and dip a foot in. The circular ripples, distorting the rainbow stripes of jellyfish under the surface, it looks so fragile. A moon’s reflection rests on the surface, a fake jelly. Neptunite drops expertly into the water. Sinking deeper, the gem feels the weight of the world lessen. As they sit cross-legged on the silt, thoughts find themselves.
...
It’s so… calm down here. I wish that I could stay here, like this, forever. I wouldn’t have to deal with the other’s problems, and they wouldn’t need to work for me either.
I’d also be safe from the lunarians, for what that’s worth. Nobody has been attacked underwater, right?
Would anyone mind? It’s not like we’re short on lookouts nowadays, with six teams. I’m sure Benito would be fine too, they get along well with the others. To just dissolve away… wouldn’t that be great?
---
... Okay, it’s time to meet up with Sensei.
Neptunite’s wet shoes announce themselves to the convalescent center as they shuffle in. The room, being on the fourth floor, is dimly lit with moonlight from the large hatched window. Kongo lifts his head from the fragment drawers.
“Good evening, Nepti. Thank you for coming at this hour. Now, about my request.” He pauses, as if choosing words carefully.
“Not too long ago, I lost something that is important to me. I would appreciate your help in finding it.”
Something valuable to Sensei? Kongo’s face is expressionless as ever. It’s not like him to keep things . “I can help, but why not ask everyone? We could find whatever it is faster that way,” Neptunite reasons.
Sensei walks around the caretaker’s desk, gloved hands exploring its worn surface, and stops on the opposite side.
“If everyone knew I’d lost something, they would become distracted, putting them in a dangerous position for fighting. I chose you to help because your keen observational skills are well suited to this task.” Kongo meets Nepti’s eyes. “Will you assist me?”
Neptunite glances away, toward the glassy ocean outside. I’d like to, but , “Sensei, what did you lose? What should I look for?”
His brows deepen. “I cannot say for certain what it looks like, however it went missing early this spring by the shore of nascency. If you notice anything suspicious on your patrols, especially around there, let me know. Please.”
Why is he being so unclear? “That’s too vague.” Nepti demands, “What does suspicious even look like?”
He pauses again. “Gem fragments and signs of movement.”
What could that mean? A new gem gone missing? No, that doesn’t add up, he would have brought it back immediately… If he doesn’t want me to know, then so be it .
“I’ll inform you if I find anything, Sensei.”
“Thank you, Neptunite.” He concludes.
Returning to their room, Neptunite passes Sphene’s. Excited whispers and a frustrated groan slip into the hall, but their foolery doesn’t distract Nepti now.
--
“Nothing to report today, Sensei.”
Hard afternoon light illuminates the meditation room. The past few days Benito and Nepti patrolled the White Plains, but no clues appeared.
“I understand.”
Nepti huffs under their breath. “This would be much simpler if you could tell me exactly what to look for. I’ve thoroughly searched the northern half of the island, including the Chord Shore. Was it taken by a gem, or the lunarians?”
“I fear it may have been taken by the lunarians.” He addresses, “However, although it is unlikely, there’s a chance-“
The clack of boots on stone pause the conversation as Rutile emerges from the stairwell. Sensei acknowledges them with a nod.
“Neptunite, there you are.” Rutile seems relieved. “You sure are hard to find sometimes. Would you mind checking in later today?”
“Sure. Thank you Rutile.”
“Alright, I’ll be in the infirmary.” The doc flashes their doctor’s smile and descends the stairs.
Sensei resumes: “It is unlikely that a gem has taken what I seek. I’m sorry that I don’t have more information, but your efforts are appreciated.”
Good to know, Sensei. Even though you’re just wasting my time… what could it be?
--
Nepti peeks over the temple curb at an unsuspecting doc. Rutile, meanwhile, is busy reminiscing. Rutile’s face sure looks funny through the sapphire plugs.
…
“...AH! Here for your checkup!?” Rutile blurts at their stalker. “Please lay down on the table there, give me a moment to collect my tools.”
The ceiling has some new cracks this time. Chisel in hand, Rutile leans over and begins their routine: “It’s been a while since you came here. Would you mind describing how you feel, if there are any changes?”
“It’s just like last time. There are moments where I’ll try to move my left arm, and it feels like it’s moving, but it doesn’t.” Nepti crosses their arms, testing their capabilities. “It’s like a phantom arm is moving instead.”
As long as Neptunite could remember, it had been an issue. The older gems say that when Nepti arrived, they were worried because the arm wouldn’t move at all, but it healed eventually. Very strange.
“I’d like to try detaching it and reattaching it, Nepti, if you don’t mind?”
“If you think it will help.”
Ptchink! The surgeon’s chisel works away at their shoulder. In the past they cringed at the chipping feeling, but now they explore the sensation.
“Sorry if this seems rude,” Rutile begins, still deeply focused, “but I’m very thankful you possess a... hardness and brittle structure. This... be impossible... Bort...”
...
Neptunite wakes up, shrugs, and notices their arm on the side table. Why is it over there? Oh right . Despite obviously being amputated, they can still sense something. Extending their ghost arm into a sunbeam, they swear they can feel warmth.
--
That morning, Benito and Neptunite were assigned to the Forest of Lilacs, a sparsely wooded area stretching from coast to coast, ripe with sedge and powder flowers.
“What do you think we’ll be like once we’re as old as Yellow?” Beni ponders, fiddling with an especially large powder seed.
“What makes you wonder?” Nepti asks from their bush.
“I dunno.” Benito leans back, “Do you think the other gems will still think you’re all mysterious?” They shoot their partner a playful grin.
Nepti responds with a disappointed glare. When you put it like that...
While plucking seeds, Benito continues, “If we live to that age, all the younger gems will look up to us. Isn’t that scary! Would you still want to be partners with me, after all that time? Personally, I think we make a good pair.”
Neptunite conceals their flushed face in the shrubbery, pretending to reach for a deep powder berry. “...I haven’t thought about that,” they mumble.
The bush provides comfortable privacy. Do I want to stay with Benito forever? That’s a big commitment. A soft breeze rustles the papery leaves. But I think I like them. There are no better options, anyways.
As Nepti emerges from the bush, one of the leaves glints brightly. Glints? Squinting into the foliage, they reach for the shiny leaf. It’s small and hard, glistening, orange sliver of… something? Zircon! That’s what it is! If Zircon’s here, that means the lunarians-
Neptunite turns to the sky, a feeling of dread hollowing their insides, but there aren’t any lunarian ships. Returning to the piece of Zircon, wasn’t Zircon assigned to the south shore today? Nepti’s apprehension abates, when another glint snags their attention. This one is dark and glassy. Is this a piece of me? No, it’s too dark, looks more like Obsidian. Obsidian rarely goes far from the temple, suspicious . Neptunite crawls back into the thicket.
Although it’s dim, the dirt is clearly disturbed. There are a few other shards: a hunk of Diamond and Amethyst filings.
“This must be what Sensei is looking for.” They feel excited at the discovery.
There are scrape marks and broken branches leading out the other side. They follow the path out, and put their keen senses to use. Whatever left the shards wound their way through the grass, eventually thinning into the tall, sharp kind that grows in the sand. The sandy trail is plain as day, and goes… straight into the ocean. Neptunite shields the sun from their eyes, peering into the glistening ocean. Maybe the culprit is still nearby…
With a deafening smash, Neptunite’s raised shoulder explodes, and they’re shoved into the tide. Panicked, they scramble to get up, see a lunarian ship unveiled high above them, and barely roll in time to evade a follow-up arrow. There’s no time to grab their broken arm as a volley of arrows darkens the sky. Sprinting inland, the shattering hail lands at Nepti’s heels.
“BENITOOOO!”
There’s another volley. Neptunite dodges right. Then another, too short this time. Some time passes, and the rhythm falls off, so Nepti catches their breath. The lunarian ship is a dot back at the shore, unmoving. That’s where my arm is. They wince. It’s too late now. Too risky to go back .
“Nepti!” Benito crests the hill. “There are lunarians! WHAT HAPPENED!?”
Neptunite feels calm in resignation. “They shot me at the shore,” they explain, “We can’t go back.”
“I don’t care!” Benito snaps, "We have to try! Let’s GO!” Benito is fierce, something Nepti hasn't seen before.
They yank Nepti’s collar, and the pair runs toward the coast, but doubt and fear hamper Nepti’s stride. “This is dangerous, what if we lose more than what’s already lost!?”
“JUST… STOP TALKING!” Benito shouts, “Save your breath for fighting the lunarians!”
The two of them reach the shore just as the vessel’s staircase retracts, lunarians with bowls gripping the central pillar. Neptunite is right. The neverending bolts deny any chance to jump onto the fleeing ship. In desperation, Benito launches themself through the hail, but they’re intercepted by a hidden arrow. How can I be such a failure? Despair wells in Benito’s chest. As they plummet, their consciousness gives way to the blue of the sea.
--
“...almost enough to construct a new one. We can pray that more compatible material will come soon.”
Benito sees the sky. The sunlight is delicious, so they reach out for some more. Their powder must have washed off, because there’s a face staring back in their hand.
“That’s fine.” It’s Nepti’s voice.
Turning over, Benito notices their partner lounging on the wall, talking with Rutile. Rutile looks concerned.
“Oh, Benito. You’re awake.” Rutile comments.
Trying to get a better look, Benito rolls over, but the fragments torn from their side crunch unpleasantly. So, they lay still as Nepti walks over.
Grimacing, Benito apologizes, “I’m sorry. If only I… nevermind.” There’s nothing more my useless self could’ve done.
“What are you sorry for?” Neptunite, cold as ever.
“Your arm! What… what are we going to do? You can’t fight like that.” Benito can’t stand Nepti’s scrutiny, so they focus on scrunching the tablecloth.
“That’s true. Sensei forbid lookout duty until my arm is good.”
It’s gonna be boring. No patrolling for the next… who knows how many years. It could be decades, maybe centuries, before something compatible arrives. And if I can’t patrol, then neither can Beni...
Neptunite casts their head down, suddenly feeling foolish and shameful.
That was… so selfish. How could I let them take it!? Now Benito is stuck here too... I should have tried too. I should have jumped instead.
They look up meekly at their partner. Light bounces deep inside Benito, and they can see how fragile they are.
“I’m sorry,” a knot of apprehension in their throat, “it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have given up back there. For… for you.”
“Just promise you’ll stand up for yourself, okay Nepti?”
Benito seems to have relaxed, exploring the clouds. “Other people rely on you, y’know? Your memories are important, I don’t know why you would give them up so easily.”
--
Sitting around the temple is boring and lonely. Can’t even talk to Benito, they’re sleeping in recovery.
It’s strange, not knowing what you can’t remember . In the library, the books are neatly lined on their shelves in alphabetical order, some titles familiar, most not.
“You need something?”
Ghost Quartz, undetectable as usual.
“Nothing in particular. I’m not sure what to do right now.” Nepti responds. They stroke the leaf of a droopy potted plant, trying to recall its name.
“Why don’t you help me file Beryl’s fashion diaries? I’ve been putting that off for a while, but,” Ghost lays a hand on Nepti’s shoulder, smirking, “it would be fun with company.”
It’s evening by the time they finish skimming and shelving the diaries.
“Nepti, come look.”
Ghost holds open a page of “Nepu-chi’s Costume Ideas! 3rd Edition”. On it, a Nepti doodle wears an outfit so spiky it puts sea urchins to shame, and strikes a menacing pose.
“Thank goodness Beryl never made that costume for you.” remarks Ghost.
“No kidding.” Nepti smiles.
The two friends reshelf a few more borrowed books, and then it’s sundown.
“Thanks for the help Nepti. Come again sometime.”
“Maybe I will.” Neptunite waves goodbye, and Ghost bids the jellyfish sweet dreams.
There’s something I should do before going to bed.
--
“Sensei.”
The lights are out, but Sensei motions them to come in. “Neptunite. I am sorry for what happened to you. What brings you at this hour?”
“Before I was attacked yesterday, I found a clue to your missing… item.” They gesture with what’s left of their arm.
“Go on.” he says, leaning forward.
“Well, I first noticed something sparkle out in the Lilac Forest…”
“...and the markings led into the ocean. That’s when the lunarians took me by surprise.”
Kongo is solemn. “Thank you for the report, Nepti. I apologize that my task caused your loss. Please, get some rest. From now on, I will address the issue myself.”
--
Benito is recovering slowly, and the temple is quiet.
--
Hesitantly, Neptunite peeks into Alexi’s room. There are papers everywhere, even the bed looks like an archive.
“Neptunite?” Alexandrite, incredulous, forges a path through the reports. “Come in, what are you looking for?”
“I was wondering, um, what you do here.” Neptunite’s face is red, they’ve never talked to Alex before.
“Oh?! Do you want to hear about my research?” Alex is very eager. “Well, recently I …” They ramble endlessly.
“...though, according to Euclase, those ones only show up 12 percent of the time in winter…” ...Nepti can hear the evening patrols returning.
“...and if there’s a huge lunarian, the really big kind, then- you there?”
Embarrassed, Alexi notices that Nepti’s dozing, so they drape a blanket, waking the light sleeper.
“Oops!”
--
The next day, Jade and Neptunite help Benito to the edge of the pond. For a while the partners sit at the brink, watching lily pads drift about.
--
Outside Nepti’s window, the plains are abloom with heather, swathed in blue moonlight.
I suppose I can find some job to do until my arm gets fixed. But what will Benito do when they recover? Stupid. Stupid…
There’s a faint scratching sound.
… Hm? That sounds like it’s downstairs. Neptunite leaves their balcony and descends the stairs.
...
It’s like the scary stories Pink Fluorite told, of the gem who went into the sea on a dare, and didn’t come back for centuries; A crystal torso, half its head sheared off, gropes at the stone floor. With a tooth-grinding scrape, it sees prey and throws itself forward. Nepti tucks behind cover, but can’t keep their eyes off of the nightmare before them. If this were a real nightmare, my legs wouldn’t move. It’s reassurance enough for them to hold their ground.
The monster again shoots forward, but its arm cracks violently, dark fragments clatter across the stone. It wobbles, all of its limbs gone. Is it stuck? It’s stuck. I- I should get Sensei. The steps fly beneath Nepti’s feet, every second a chance for it to get away.
--
Kongo and Nepti round the corner where the creature was. It’s still there.
“Sensei, do you know what that thing is?” He’s just... staring.
“Sensei?”
It feels wrong to interrupt, but Neptunite jabs at his robes anyways. Sensei still doesn’t notice, but he drifts toward the corpse. He’s not worried, it’s like he’s trying not to startle it?
Sensei rests his bare hand on the crystal’s skull. First a drop, a trickle, then a stream of mellow light pours out of the rock. It pools further and further out, around Sensei’s robes, and Neptunite’s feet.
“May your next life be better,” he whispers.
All Neptunite can do is stare in wonder. The warm light stops flowing, and dissolves into nothing particular.
“I’m sorry for keeping you in the dark.” Sensei faces Neptunite, but his head is down. “I will explain.”
“You gems aren’t all born the same. I sculpt you the same at birth, but some are naturally different. It would be difficult to maintain equality if you knew this, so I place the leftover material in a special box, hidden at the chord shore. However, it seems that the inclusions were compatible and recently took life.” He points toward the abomination. “This brings us to the issue of your arm, do you recognize this material?”
Sensei picks up the broken arm which had fallen nearby. It’s dark, but not black like Bortz. It can’t be...
“How did that get here? The lunarians took it away, I saw it myself!” Could Sensei have taken it back from the moon? But that would mean-
“Not all gems are born the same,” he continues, “Neptunite, you had an extra arm.”
It explains everything, why they’d always felt strange, why there were times they’d nearly been taken in battle because their body wouldn’t respond. They feel resentment when Sensei looks up.
Neptunite’s voice shakes in anger. “So you knew about it this whole time?”
“Knowing the cause is worthless. When you were injured, I did not wish to raise your hopes until we found the replacement.”
Their face burns.
“Do you forgive me?” Sensei bows.
...But they can’t hate him.
“I’m… I’m not sure yet.”
“Then will you help me collect these fragments while you decide?”
--
The night grows old as they gather the remains; they quickly collect the large and medium-sized fragments, but there are grains everywhere. Sensei returns with several bowls to sort the pieces, and dawn finally peeks into the temple when exhaustion catches Neptunite. They lay back into Sensei’s robes.
“Back when you touched that gem, and light came out of it. What happened?”
Sensei, continuing to shift fragments, responds: “It was suffering greatly. Its different inclusions could not form a personality, so I released them. I doubt any sense of identity still resides in these fragments, but we can still use them for repairs. Your arm should be simple to replace.”
Well, he may be an idiot, but… I’d rather trust him than be alone. Neptunite holds the broken hand with their own. Life can go back to how it was before. Benito will be happy.
“Sensei, I forgive you.” They feel relieved.
--
“Rutile, can you attach this to me?” Neptunite shakes the limp arm at the doc.
“Excuse me.” Rutile, busy organizing the cabinet, turns around. “Wha- where did you get that!?”
“I came with a spare.”
--
The resin squelches as Rutile lathers the broken arm’s end.
“So, Nepti, you’re saying that Sensei found it, lying around.”
“Yes.”
“And where did he find it?”
“Top secret information.”
Rutile sighs. “Well, I wish he would go there more often, it would make my life easier.”
...
Rutile checks the arm with Nepti's stump. “Alright, I’ve sculpted this so it should match your wound. Are you ready to attach it?”
Neptunite nods.
The arm clicks in with ease, but strange visions appear... They feel bewildered, blind, like they’re trapped in stone. . .
“Are you alright? You passed out for a second there.” It’s Rutile’s voice, leaning over.
“I think so.” What was that about? “Thank you, Rutile.” Neptunite musters a smile at their reliable doctor.
--
“Nepti, your arm got fixed!? That’s fantastic!”, Benito exclaims. They sit up, beaming with freshly applied powder. “The doc says I’m almost ready, I can’t wait until we start patrolling again. I’ve missed being out on the plains with you, y’know?”
It’s about time I stand up for Benito, they rely on me after all.
“Me too.”
Neptunite steps next to them, but it’s hard; They’re not used to being close to people, even their partner. They sit down, so close that their shoulders touch, and it takes willpower not to tuck them in. Nepti exhales, not realizing they were holding breath. I must seem so weird right now. Well, Beni thinks that anyways. The funny thought gives Nepti just enough courage to put a comforting hand on Beni’s leg.
“Nep… ti?”
Whew, we’re here now.
In each others’ company, Nepti finds that even mundane things like sitting are enjoyable. There’s nowhere they’d rather be.
--
The air is warm indoors, and there are faint shouts and laughter of gems playing in the summer heat.
It sure is nice out. I’d love to be back out there.
“Hey! What are you doing, moping around all the time.”
Melon and Hemi must’ve been on their way to the others, but instead flank Neptunite. Wow, I let these two kids sneak up on me? My senses must be getting dull.
“Right now ?” Neptunite gives them their signature let-me-be glare, but their heart isn’t in it.
“When else?” Replies Hemimorphite.
Melon pipes up, “Come on, let’s go play while the light’s still nice!”
“Alright, then.” It’s been a while since I’ve had fun with everyone, I suppose.
Yellow Diamond, bright as the sun, waves to the newcomers. “Melon! Hemi! Nepti! I heard about your injury, I’m glad you’re okay.”
The Amethyst twins have been practicing a new acrobatics routine (not a secret to Nepti), and today’s their first performance. Their midair flourishes, choreographed swordplay, and impossibly fast flips leave the gems in awe, a sea of cheering follows. It’s hard not to feel excited with the crowd.
Things calm down a little, and Red Beryl gathers a few gems to give a lesson on the fine art of grass weaving.
“Look at mine!” exclaims Melon.
“How cute, I love the little flowers.” Obsidian comments, inspecting the bracelet in Melon’s palm.
“How did I do, Red Beryl?” Zircon inquires.
Red Beryl leans over and Zircon displays their wrist. “Well… it’s very fine craftsmanship, but it’s a little boring, don’tcha think?”
“Okay, I’ll work on that.” replies Zircon, very determined.
“What about this?” The voice comes from Neptunite’s direction, and it turns out that they were talking.
Beryl scuttles over. “Ooh! I love it, love it love it! I’ve never thought about leaving the strands open like that! You have a knack for this Nepti, why don’t you become my fashion apprentice, huh?”
“Pretty!”, Melon agrees.
Nepti fidgets, unused to the attention. But you know what? It’s about time someone else decides what we wear.
“Alright Beryl.” Nepti can feel the thrill of confidence rising in their chest, “But you should watch out, in case the apprentice becomes the master.”
Beryl’s incredulous, and a chorus of “wow”-s and “did you hear that”-s erupts. “Well then, Nepti, you have a deal.”
--
That evening, Neptunite wiggles their hair goodnight to Benito, earning a chuckle, before returning to rest themselves. What an exhausting day.
Finally, some solitude.
Celebratory sketch, woohoo