Incendium, Book 1, Chapter 5: Movie Night

'''It was the next day, and everything seemed a bit serene. Opal was still taking a catnap of sorts, Hessonite and Oligoclase had began working on the Light Tracker, and in the moment everything seemed fine. Then someone decided they were bored.'''

''Sunstone was bored out of his mind. Even his room in the temple was boring; Just a sky full of sunshine and a land full of ruins marked with glyphs. Nothing was happening, so he decided to go pester one of his friends.''

'''Sunstone, Apatite, and Charoite met at the heart of the temple, and warped out. They warped to a far out part of town, and so the three began working their way into town… Just the three of them… with nothing to do....'''

SUNSTONE: Alright this is stupid. What are we even supposed to do here?

CHAROITE: Why don’t we go down to the nearest bar and-

SUNSTONE&APATITE: No.

CHAROITE: Aww…

APATITE: Sunstone, it was your idea to come to town, what do you suggest we do?

SUNSTONE: I don’t know, what do humans usually do in human settlements?

CHAROITE: I think they go to a nearby liquor store and-

SUNSTONE: Charoite. No. I don’t want you going off and getting hammered on whatever soporific drinks you get yourself on.

CHAROITE: You two are no fun.

SUNSTONE: Hey, I know, what about a movie?

APATITE: A movie. As in in a theatre.

SUNSTONE: Yea, that’s sort of what it means to go and watch a movie. Isn’t that what people do?

APATITE: Yes, but I am not comfortable with being within suffocating proximity of humans.

SUNSTONE: Holy hell here you are again being a complete stick in the mud.

APATITE: Alright, silence. To the theatre it is. Hopefully it’s a long walk from here.

SUNSTONE: Actually, there’s one right across the street.

Sunstone motioned toward a theatre across the street.

SUNSTONE: I mean talk about a deus ex.

APATITE: Yes, sure, whatever can we just get it over with?

SUNSTONE: Come on Apatite, what’s the rush?

With that, Sunstone and Charoite both walked to the theatre, a hop in their step while Apatite dragged behind, unaware of the shady figures that followed them.

???: So those three are gems you say?

????: Yea, definitely. When I give you the word we all round ‘em up and take them behind the back.

???: Roger.

'''In a matter of minutes the three had already managed to buy food and drinks, as well as get seats for an arbitrarily picked movie. Said film was going to show in 20 minutes, the gems had taken their seats.'''

APATITE: So what movie did you say this was?

SUNSTONE: Not sure. From the description it seems to be about an alien who had an affair with a human and died, leaving their comrades to take care of their only offspring.

APATITE: Sounds… Alright…

''It was then when four shady figures, the same from before entered the room. They wore trench coats and caps to conceal their features. They dispersed, each one going to a different corner of the theatre room. As one passed by, Sunstone immediately recognized the insignia sewn onto his jacket; the symbol of the Facet Knights.''

''In short, humans are rebellious creatures. In a joint effort to ward off gem settlers, they assembled the Facet Knights to “exterminate” gems who “invade” human territory. They mockingly named their faction as a reference to the facets on gems as to further mock the enemy; by pointing out the one thing that sets humans apart from Gems - the gems. Ironically some Gems who claim to “seek peace” with humans will join the faction and turn on their own species.''

The cloak and dagger issues of it all were far too complex to delve into at the moment, and the one thing on Sunstone’s mind was to amscray before things got too hot to handle.

SUNSTONE: Apatite, Charoite, hid your gems.

They did as he asked and cloaked their gems with their clothing.

APATITE: We need to leave now.

SUNSTONE: No, they’re looking for us. There might be more guarding the perimeter. I’ll go and take a look, and I’ll text you guys if something’s up.

APATITE: Be careful.

SUNSTONE: Don’t worry about me.

Sunstone calmly walked out of the room, passed the Knight who guarded it. The Knight then began calmly walking about eight feet away from him, stalking Sunstone in an obvious fashion, as if to say “I got my eye on you.” Sunstone went down the hallway and out the theater exit, but noticed with every door he passed on the way, another Facet Knight would follow behind him in the same fashion, until there was an entire crowd of them following Sunstone out the door. And the moment he was out the door…

BnN7aj2d_pE Sunstone broke into a sprint, and the others followed, drawing guns as well as gem destabilizers.

SUNSTONE: How the hell do they have those?

''Sunstone looked up at the parking structure across the street from the theatre. Seven floors, great. He was a gem, they were humans…''

''He took his chances and, running toward the building, jumped toward it, landing himself on the third floor of the parking structure, parkouring up the wall of the structure to the fifth. He jumped inside, and hid behind one of the cars. The Knights chased after. He didn’t have much time, he had to contact for help.''

No response.

''No response came through. Sunstone could hear a distant siren go off. Why did everything have to go so wrong?''

'''Things didn’t automatically go out of whack back at the theatre. Well, they did, but the situation was more controlled than that. It started with the Knight guarding the door leave, then Apatite immediately taking a break for the exit. He didn’t trust Sunstone as far as he could throw him. He was stopped by another Facet Knight across the room, who fired his gun at Apatite, promptly missing. The citizens in the theatre room were frightened, the other Knights provoked. In a matter of time, the four of them ganged up on Apatite and Charoite, guns, destabilizer and all.'''

APATITE: Damn it, we’re caught.

CHAROITE: The movie was boring anyway.

APATITE: Let’s give the audience something better to watch.

And within a few minutes, the show was over.

''The bodies of the Knights were strewn everywhere, one hanging over a seat, another on the floor, one ran away somewhere in the chaos, and the other lay before Apatite’s feet. He took his trident from the body’s torso, and checked his messages. Three from Sunstone, who was at this point practically crying like a baby at his feet.''

APATITE: What a joke. Alright Charoite, let’s go.

''The two exited the room, Apatite pulling the fire switch next to the door. It would be better if all citizens were evacuated when more fighting broke out. The two then went to the parking structure where Sunstone was.''

~End music here~

''Sunstone heard them coming, and soon, they were at his floor. He couldn’t keep hiding forever.''

SUNSTONE: ''These guys wanna play? Challenge accepted.''

''Sunstone used his power over light to bend the light around him, making him invisible. As the Knights filled up the floor, guns at the ready, looking for Sunstone, he planned to make his attack immediately. However, he stopped. Their leader had come. Enormous footsteps emanated from behind a group of Knights, who dispersed to make way for the head-honcho. It was a gem, another defect who had worked with the humans in their rebellious faction.''

''She was an eight-foot tall quartz soldier, her gem on her eye, bearing a cape on her shoulders. A Knight walked up to her, informing her about the runaway gem. “Mystic Quartz”, he referred to her as.''

MYSTIC QUARTZ: Well if he’s not here, then obviously he’s on the next floor! Come on people think!

''The Knight walked away from the exchange, toward the car Sunstone hid behind…. He was looking straight at Sunstone, but didn’t even know due to his cloak. Sunstone easily knocked him out, alerting another one of the Knights. He went down as well, and soon all of them began to back up. One by one, they fell, some of them being shot with arrows from the invisible archer. More back up came, and soon enough, gunfire sounded through the area, wrecking cars, firing at other Knights even, in hopes of hitting Sunstone.''

''While most others were panicking, Mystic Quartz thought out the situation. She traced the path of falling guards, arrows, all to decipher and predict where the next hit would land. She predicted the next one correctly, then the next, then the next.''

''Sunstone decided he would take out the biggest target, and made a plan. He shot a Knight with an arrow, to form a distraction, then jumping onto a pillar, pushing off for more velocity, jumped off the pillar shot himself toward Mystic Quartz.''

''The fancier, the better, he thought, then performing a spinning kick aimed at Mystic Quartz’s gem. She ducked the kick, and grabbed Sunstone by the collar. This caught him off guard, and with all the fear in being caught, accidentally unveiled himself; he was no longer invisible and was now eye to eye with Mystic Quartz. This was bad.''

MYSTIC QUARTZ: What do we have here? A tricky one no doubt. Pathetic.

''Mystic Quartz threw Sunstone to the ground, and summoned her spear. The Knights aimed their guns, but Mystic Quartz called them off. Sunstone, too afraid to speak, stood up, and summoned his bow, an arrow aiming at Mystic Quartz’s gem.''

MYSTIC QUARTZ: This is how it needs to be. No guns, no destabilizers, just me versus you.

More gunfire came from the level below, and a Knight came running up behind Mystic Quartz, rambling about two more gems on the way.

MYSTIC QUARTZ: What is it?

KNIGHT: There are two mo-

''The Knight’s sentence stopped there. He fell to his knees, then face down on the ground. Sticking out of his back was a trident, the owner of it coming up from behind.''

APATITE: Finally found you. I brought Charoite too.

CHAROITE: Yo.

MYSTIC QUARTZ: Okay, now who are these clowns?

SUNSTONE: Don’t worry about them, your fight’s with me.

MYSTIC QUARTZ: Boys, round them up.

APATITE: Charoite, play with our little guest here, I gotta go and help Sunstone.

CHAROITE: I’m all down with that.

APATITE: Okay.

''The Knights came up behind Sunstone, who tried his best to fend them off. Apatite ran to help, taking his trident.''

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''Apatite and Sunstone stared down the Facet Knights, Mystic Quartz sized up Charoite. He was nothing.''

''Mystic Quartz charged Charoite at full speed and slammed him into wall, wrestling with him hand to hand. Sunstone and Apatite began their assault, Apatite taking the Knights head on, dodging their destabilizers and fending them off with his trident. Sunstone turned invisible using the same spell as before, and released an onslaught of arrows, striking the enemy down.''

''Meanwhile, Mystic Quartz bore down on Charoite with full force, thinking she had won. That was her mistake. See, people commonly look down at Charoite, seeing him only as one with a lack of ability, rather than an elite like the other twelve. However in truth, he has the most physical ability of all the twelve, a hidden potential he decided only now he would unlock.''

''His eyes went red, and he began to tap into his true strength, growing in size to match that of Mystic Quartz herself. She looked Charoite in his now seemingly demented face, and lost all confidence. Charoite kicked her in the stomach, making her move back a little. She stumbled away from Charoite to give him about five feet of space. Charoite summoned his clubs, Mystic Quartz her spears, double weilding them against her opponent.''

''It was at this point the Knights, between Sunstone’s arrows and Apatite’s pure perseverance, had decided they could not win. Those who only bore guns had long since retreated, however those with destabilizers as well kept up the fight, until there were only ten standing. Apatite stomped on the ground, causing a shockwave that knocked the remaining Knights off balance. Sunstone struck them down with arrows, and they were defeated.''

''Charoite had Mystic Quartz against the building wall. Charoite went in for a finishing punch, when Mystic Quartz took the advantage and stabbed him in the ribs with her spear. It went straight through his chest and out his back.''

MYSTIC QUARTZ: AHA! Game’s over bucko.

CHAROITE: Heheh….

Charoite ripped the spear out, and threw it on the floor.

MYSTIC QUARTZ: How aren’t you dead? Wh-What the hell are you made out of?

CHAROITE: Oh, nothing special to be worried about.

''Charoite took Mystic Quartz up by the collar, and summoned his club. He slammed it right into Mystic Quartz’s gem, the impact powerful enough to have her go blasting through the wall, out of the building. As she fell to the concrete, her gem burst, her physical form combusting into rainbow of dust. Charoite went back to normal, falling to his knees. Sunstone and Apatite came running to.''

~End Music~

SUNSTONE: Aww, he’s all tuckered out.

APATITE: Sunstone, we should leave.

SUNSTONE: Yeah, this escalated way too quickly.

''Apatite helped up Charoite, and Sunstone looked outside. The police had come to “save the day”.''

SUNSTONE: Cops, let’s go.

Sunstone used his ability once more to cloak them all in invisibility, they all then making their escape from the town.

'''It didn’t take long for news of Sunstone’s escapades to go around. Black Opal, Zircon, Moonstone, and Nephrite sat at the meeting table, watching holographic feed of a news station talking about how “a group of supposed gems attacked authority at a theater and resisted arrest.”'''

''”The extremists was chased into a parking garage by authorities where they seem to have somehow escaped under the noses of the heavily armed guard. We are receiving word that the parking structure will be closed until a full search of the place has been conducted. The individuals are armed and dangerous, witnesses say…..”''

It was then that Sunstone and Apatite warped in, Charoite hung from Apatite’s shoulder.

SUNSTONE: Alright Apatite, just set Charoite in his room and….. Oh, heheh, hi Opa-

BLACK OPAL: Sunstone... where the hell have you been?

SUNSTONE: Uhh....

BLACK OPAL: You have some explaining to do.