EIGHTEEN

I'll be honest here; I have no idea what I'm doing as I charged towards the cloud, somehow avoiding the arrows and spears being thrown towards me.

Leaping up onto the cloud, I found myself not swinging my sword wildly at any Lunarian I see; instead, I was weaving in between the few remaining ones, tricking them to fire upon themselves, knocking them out.

Reaching the large Lunarian, I ran towards the two jaws.

Wait, what? I can't stop!

The jaws noticed me and came after me.

I felt myself change direction at the last moment, narrowly missing the sharp blue spikes.

At the last second, I charged towards the stems connecting the jaws just as they lunged forward again.

Hearing two snaps, I looked back.

I had just duped the jaws into severing themselves.

Woah, how did I do that?

Noticing darkness, I realized I was being enveloped by a black veil-like dome, they must be trying to trap me.

I figured the only way to get out safely is to completely destroy the large Lunarian.

"Let's go!" I felt myself shout, "Lunarian SCUM!"

I charged towards the large one...

... and was promptly grabbed by someone.

"Hold on!" the voice of a familiar black diamond-class gem shouted.

"Huh, Bort?"

Bort leapt up, bringing me out of the closing black dome.

A sudden explosion and accompanying massive veil of smoke engulfed the Lunarian cloud. No doubt that's something only of Sensei's caliber.

Bort landed on the ground, next to Sensei. Yellow Diamond was standing with Phos, the latter still sitting on the ground. Turning around, I noticed the presence of Dia and Zicon, both of them picking up the parts of the two Amethyst sisters.

Bort paced angrily towards Phos.

"You..."

They pointed the tip of their sword at the peppermint gem.

"Explain yourself!"

"Bort!" I rushed forward, pushing the sword away from Phos. "What are you doing?"

"This runt here did absolutely nothing!" was the reply shouted for me as Bort turned her attention towards me.

"It's Phos' first time facing the Lunarians in combat, cut them some slack!"

"What slack?! This runt wants to go to combat, yet they've done nothing when it was time for action!"

"Haven't you been scared once?! Not even your first encounter with the Lunarians?!" I snapped back, a second too late before I noticed I was getting too agitated.+

My anger was replaced with slight fear, anticipating an attack from Bort.

Bort, though, had gone silent.

The black gem looked at me in surprise.

For a few moments, I noticed genuine softness in her eyes.

That went off as soon as it appeared, and Bort's expression went back to usual.

She strode off, back towards the school.

Looking at her moving off, I turned around. Everyone was looking at me with shocked expressions. Well, except Sensei, he's as deadpan as usual.

"D-did I say something wrong?"

Silence.

"E-ehh? Guys?"

I'm slightly panicking now.

Yellow Diamond suddenly broke into a fit of laughter, easing the tension around for all of us.

"I-it's nothing," the eldest gem around said before fully stopping her laughter. "You didn't say anything wrong, don't worry."

"But... Bort..."

"It's all fine. Like all of us, they started off rough too," Yellow reassured, smiling. "It's been this way, nothing will change that."

"Ah..."

Feeling less tense, I offered my hand to Phos. Accepting it, Phos got up with help from me.

"You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," was the reply from the peppermint gem. "I was so scared..."

"It's nothing to worry about," I reassured.

-----------------------

"Apply the glue there, not too much."

"Like this, doc?" I asked as I used the wooden stick and applied the glue.

"Not bad. A bit too much, though, but it's nothing bad. We don't want the glue to come out," Rutile explained.

"No prob. So I'll reattach, uh, 33's right leg now?"

"Yeah, that'll be it for them. It's fortunate they didn't splinter into too many smaller pieces, or this would take much longer."

At the same time I reattached 33's leg, Rutile placed back 84's head.

The two sister gems came round at the same time and sat up simultaneously. Stepping aside, Red Beryl began to tie up 33's hair.

Both Amethyst gems looked at Phos in front, kowtowing to both of them.

I didn't approve of her doing that, but Phos insisted. I respected her wishes.

I looked at the peppermint gem, slightly worried.

"I was so scared..." Phos began. "I couldn't even move."

"Sorry."

That apology came from the two sisters.

Surprised, Phos looked up.

"We got careless," 33 began.

"We were too preoccupied trying to set an example for you," 84 continued, Red Beryl now moving over to that gem and fixing their hair.

"We must have really frightened you," 33 followed up.

A greed, long-haired gem slid out hurriedly behind Phos. "Wait!"

"Alexandrite?" Both sisters simultaneously asked.

Alexandrite stepped forward, a notebook in her left hand.

"I heard you saw some new type of Lunarian!"

"Mmh, Alex," both sisters replied together.

"Uhh..." Alex muttered, slightly creeped out.

"The infirmary is no place to shout, Alex," Rutile reminded.

"Look at you, all worked up over Lunarians again, Alex," Red Beryl continued, done with 84's hair.

"It's Lexi!" Alex pouted, pointing a finger forward and shifting it towards everyone in the room. "How many times do I have to tell you?!"

"Alex," I puzzled, "who's Lexi?"

The green Lunarian-crazy gem facepalmed.

"Never mind... Anyway, I heard its blades were made from Sapphire!" Alex (or Lexi for that matter) shouted, walking over to 84. "Tell me everything you can!"

"Um..." 84 tried to recall.

"C'mon! Think!"

"It all happened so fast, and we were so close that we-"

"Ugh, c'mon! Oh! Dan!"

"E-eeeh?"

"Tell me everything you can! You also fought, yes?"

"Well, yeah..."

"C'mon, tell me!"

"Uh... they're like, say, two sets of two plank-like things," I tried to explain, using my hands to show Alex, "then in between each set there are spikes made from, uh, that gem, Sapphire?"

"Good!" Alex answered, fervently scribbling down on her notebook. "Anything more?"

"Well, they have these wire-like things connecting to that big Lunarian, they can turn well, they're flexible, they..."

Looking up, I noticed that Alex has stopped and is staring at me.

In fact, everyone is staring at me. Including Phos, who has stood up.

"Eheh, what did I say?"

"Dan," Rutile asked, "what is a wire?"

Oh, drat. How do I cover up this one?

"Eheh, wire? D-did I say that? What is it anyway?"

Rutile just looked at me suspiciously.

"A-anyway," I quickly moved on, "it's like, some poles that are flexible. That's all! Ehehe..."

"I see..." Alex replied, finishing up. "Anything else?"

"Oh hey, what about Phos?" 33 suggested.

"Phos?" Red Beryl quizzed.

"Phos should have seen the whole thing-" 84 explained before noticing something missing.

Not something, someone.

"Huh?" 33 noticed too.

"Well, I gotta go," I quickly said, running off.

---------------------

I ran across the grasslands, the overcast night sky above me.

I have a hunch about where Phos has gone to.

Still, this atmosphere...

It feels...

... familiar.

I got off the bus and ran as quickly as I can, the overcast sky above me.

"What do you mean Jane has passed on? Don't joke with me! Where is she?!"

I paid no attention to the drizzle that has started.

I paid no attention to the rain that had escalated into a downpour.

All I want to do is to see for myself.

Everything doesn't matter.

I wanted to know that I was right. That the old lady was just kidding.

I need to see for myself.

But...

... the crowd at the void deck that I could see from here...

Please, Jane.

Please don't leave me.

Oh, that... I thought as I ran.

But nothing was falling from the sky.

---------------------------------

Yep, I was right.

There Phos was, crouching down in the grass, watching Cinnabar down at the beach.

I got down and crawled towards the peppermint gem.

"Hey," I began, making Phos jump a little. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. Are you alright?"

"Yeah..."

"..."

The both of us watched Cinnabar do her rounds.

"It's not your fault, you know," I began.

"Huh?"

"Everyone freezes in their first time facing danger, this isn't something out of the ordinary."

The peppermint gem sighed. "I know, but I could have done something. Like you, you actually went to attack the Lunarians while I just sat there."

A few moments of silence.

"You're not even a year old and you're amazing. I really wish that I could be like you. Even if it's just a bit..."

"You really don't want to be me." I looked down.

"Huh?"

"I've been bullied for the past three years before I came over. It's not just snide comments, it's being beaten up, having everyone hate me and being framed and nobody believing me. It's being punished for the smallest actions, being picked on any and all flaws that I have, being punished in front of everyone without having anyone defending me. Trust me, you don't want to be me."

"Dan..."

I felt Phos hug me.1

"Is that why you're so quiet around? Are you afraid that someday everybody here will start to hate you too?"

"A bit..."

Phos giggled and put her hands on my shoulders.

"Silly, nobody here hates each other down here. We will all accept you, don't worry about a thing. If you have any problems, ask for help. Even me, I promise! Oh..."

Phos looked down.

"Here I am again, making promises I can't keep..."

"No," I replied, "have faith in yourself. You are great the way you are, you're already doing your best to keep your promise to Cinnabar, that's good! Just keep going, eventually we'll find a fun job for Cinn. Both of us."

Phos stared at me in surprise, taking in whatever I've said.

The peppermint gem then burst into a smile.

"Thank you, Dan!" she exclaimed while pouncing onto me.

"Woah!"

As we rolled on the ground laughing, a single white drop of something settled down on us.

Then more came.

"Eh?"

Getting off me, Phos looked up as I sat up.

"Snow..."

"Yes, Dan. Snow."

"I've never seen real snow before," I commented, reaching my hand out to let a single snowflake land on it.

It felt cold.

"Winter is here," Phos muttered. "Hibernating will be starting soon."

"Yeah, the insects and others can't find food out here in the snow."

"No, Dan. Us."

"Eh?"

---------------------------

It's been pretty busy so far.

As the snow built up, all of us prepared for hibernation. While Red Beryl prepared to give everyone their winter clothes (which are the pyjamas we'd be using), everyone else was busy covering a section of the hall with white cloth. That's where we're going to be sleeping in.

So, what am I doing now? I'm just resting and watching the others while sitting beside Phos, who covered herself under a single blanket.

I'm interested in watching Jade giving Goshe instructions.

"Pull it to the right!"

"Like this?"

"More to the left."

"Like this then?"

"Further right!"

"O-okay, now?"

"A little higher. Wait, no, lower!"

"Ehh?!"

"Hup... woah!" Euclase went as she tripped and landed both the stack of pillows she was carrying and herself onto Jade.

"Woah!"

"Oh! I'm so sorry!"

"It's okay."

As the bustle went on, I sat back and relaxed myself.

"I've never hibernated before."

"I don't feel like hibernating this year," was the reply from Phos.

"Eh? Why?"

"I don't feel tired, actually."

I sighed. "Same here, probably."

"Phos?" Rutile called out from behind, carrying pillows.

"Yup?"

"I thought as much. I asked Cinnabar to hibernate here with us, but it was no use," the doctor said. "Ah, Dan. I've got enough powder for your whole body now, come with me later, alright?"

I nodded.

"We could at least share this bedding, though, if you don't mind," Rutile asked Phos as they crouched down.

"Huh?!" Phos began to rush towards the doctor as the latter quickly stood up. "Of all things! Anything but that!"

"Ah! Creepy!" Rutile muttered as the still-under-the-blanket peppermint gem chased her. "FIne, I'll go myself!"

Euclase grabbed the blanket off Phos, which probably stopped the chase.

"You know..." Phos diverted, "do I really need to hibernate?"

"What?" The doctor seemed surprised.

"It's just," Phos explained while she got up and I followed suit, "I'm not even the slightest bit tired this year."

"You, the first to sleep and the last to get up every year? Do you need a checkup?"

"Maybe you might've messed up with my leg surgery, you quack."

Rutile immediately raised a pair of scissors menacingly.

"It's a joke!" Phos cried out anxiously, her two hands in front of her.

"The light quality here is poor in the winter," the doctor said, putting away the scissors. "Just staying awake would be exhausting. Through the whole of winter, there are only around ten sunny days on average."

"When the sun does come out," Euc added on, "it almost guarantees the Lunarians will show up. But that makes them easy to predict, so we just leave all of winter up to Sensei and Antarcticite."

Who's Antarcticite? What kind of gem even is antarcticite? I pondered.

"I'm just about as hard, so how come I don't get to do that?" Phos asked. "Not fair."

"Antarcticite has a more unique makeup than you do," Rutile explained. "Though normally in a completely liquefied state, Antarcticite's body crystallizes when the temperature drops. So, colder temperatures just make that body... um... stronger, simply put."

"Interesting..." I muttered.

"Right, before time runs out. Dan, come with me. Going to put on the powder now."

------------

"Uuuuuu..." I blushed as Rutile applied the powder on my crotch. Over the area where it used to be my, uh, you know.

"Sensitive too, are you?"

"Y-yeah..."

"It's normal. Sensei always said this is the remnants of an ancestral species to us."

I decided to prod further. "What ancestral species?"

"Well, Sensei never said anything, we didn't ask him either."

The powder brush went over that area again, prompting me to yelp and shut my legs as a reflex.

"Spread out, I'm not done yet."

"S-sorry," I replied, doing what the doctor told me to do.

"Oh, that's right," Rutile recalled as they finished up, going on to my torso and away from my crotch, making me relax. "Phos mentioned something about 'humans', that could be it."

"Maybe."

"They would make an interesting topic to discuss, if the others will like to. After winter first, though."

-----------------------

Yeah, now it's about time to sleep.

All the preparations are done, and all of us are wearing the white pyjamas Red Beryl painstakingly designed, made and put on for us. Each of us actually have different designs, which shows the immense effort and detail the resident tailor put in for everyone. I'm not sure where the red gem got their inspiration for mine in particular, but it's more or less a completely-white variant of Katsumi's kimono.

Speaking of which, while all of us were busy with the preparations, Katsumi took the time to "borrow" some wood from Sphene's corner and board up my room's windows. She told me it's to prevent the room from being too cold for her while I was hibernating with the others.

"It's just like an igloo, you know. Don't worry, I'll keep the room clean, when you come back you can bet it'll be cleaner than you left it!"

She shot me a smile and a thumbs-up.

Anyway, back to now. I'll be sleeping next to Phos, the peppermint gem was more than happy to have me beside them.

"Now then, Sensei..." Jade began.

"Goodnight," all of us finished.

"Goodnight."

After we all lay down, the outside lights from the jellyfish faded away.

"Sweet dreams," was the final thing Sensei said before leaving.

This will be a unique experience, I thought as I closed my eyes.

Nope. Not tired at all.

I felt someone poke my left arm.

"Psst, Dan."

Opening my eyes, I looked at Phos, now sitting up just beside me.

"Huh?"

"Ehh, are you seriously tired? I was hoping you'd be up and running too..." Phos muttered while pouting.

"Nope, not tired," was my reply.

The peppermint gem's face immediately brightened. "Great! Shh, get up quietly, follow me!"

-----------------------

"Shh, don't let Antarc or Sensei spot us," Phos whispered as we tiptoed across the hall. We've changed out to our regular uniform and left our pyjamas on a bench.

"Got it."

Getting closer, I can see two figures ahead. One's certainly Sensei.

The other, though...

Phos quietly pulled me behind one of the pillars.

"Good morning," and unfamiliar voice went.

"Good morning. Antarcticite," was the reply from Sensei as he turned around in the distance.

Motioning to me, we quietly walked on the other side of the pillars while Sensei and the other gem conversed with each other.

"How is your condition?" Sensei began.

"Flawless as always, of course."

"Working alone every year must be lonesome. My apologies."

"N-not at all."

Phos and I reached the closest possible pillar between the two without them seeing us before peeking out.

"It's not like I'm lonely or anything, but..."

So this is Antarcticite...

Short white hair, completely white uniform, black high heels that fully cover her feet. No socks, a large sword that resembles a long, oversized machete still in its sheath and attached to their left side via belt. Short black gloves.

"Our yearly tradition..." Antarcticite continued, "may I?"

Sensei opened his arms, and Antarcticite immediately went over to hug him. In response, Sensei placed his hand on the ice gem's head.

I just had to slip while moving a bit more outwards behind Phos.

Noticing me about to fall, the peppermint gem grabbed onto my arm, but slipped as well.

"Woah!"

The both of us hit the floor with a thud, me facing upwards while Phos had her face downwards.

A loud scream echoed throughout the whole school.

"Wh-Wh... Why are yous still awake, Phosphophyllite?!" was the first thing Antarcticite shouted in embarrassment as both Phos and I got up. "And who," she turned her attention towards me, "is this?!"

"Ah, you see..." Phos explained, "we just couldn't fall asleep, so..."

Antarc just continued staring at her.

"Would it be okay if we... just stay awake?" Phos asked Sensei. "Heheh..."

"Hmm." Sensei pondered for a while.

"Very well. This year you will work as a trio."

"Sweet!" was Phos' reaction.

"Sensei!" was Antarc's as she looked at Sensei in disagreement.

"Pardon my saying so, but I must object!" she went on as Phos began swaying in joy. "Not with this useless dolt!"

Antarc pointed at Phos.

"So what was this whole 'tradition' you were on-" Phos tried to ask before the ice gem turned around and put both hands on the peppermint gem's shoulders and stared into her eyes.

"... about?"

Silence.

"Never mind."

"So," Antarc released her grip on Phos and looked at me, "who is this?"

"Uh..."

"This is Danburite," Sensei introduced me to the ice gem. "They were born just earlier this year, before winter came."

"I see. Hello, my name is Antarcticite. Nice to meet you."

"N-nice to m-meet you too..." I nervously stammered.

"Hmm. What's your hardness?"

"S-seven and a half."

"Impressive."

"But I-I'm brittle! Not good for combat!" I tried to explain, in case Antarc got the wrong idea.

"You say that, but you slaughtered those Lunarians not long ago..." Phos chimed in.

"That's a... a fluke! I'll probably not be able to do it again!"

Phos chuckled. "Don't worry Antarc, my junior here is just really timid and unconfident! In reality they're really capable, but it's up to me to help them get better!"

"With you as a senior, I wonder how things will turn out..." Antarc sweatdropped.+

"Hey, not nice! I'm no longer the youngest around here, so I'll need to guide on the current youngest one! Right, Dan?"

"R-right..."