Return (SVep)

Story
The last few months have been pretty... They've been pretty busy. I'm enjoying Pink Spinel's presence in the Faction, she even came up with a name! First, Angelite said we should be called the Drop Out Squad but Pink thought about it a while longer. I can't wait to introduce Star Ruby to the JUSTICE LEAGUE. I'm kidding, we've named ourselves Dream Defenders considering where Jriev derive from.

And another thing, I didn't realize Jriev became from happy dreams. We thought is was extreme emotion but it's not. We can even explain that since humans dream happy dreams so often, they often resent themselves, wondering why their lives can't be just like their dreams, a wonderland, a miracle, a paradise.

Regardless of how far we've come, the Pastel Gems are pushing to keep their existence everlasting. They've allowed a new member in to replace Pink Spinel, a gem also not of the lighter hue. I doubt this one will last all that long either. Angelite doesn't seem to think so either. We'd better get going if we intend to continue our own existence.

Moonstone wakes up early. She does every morning. Pink Spinel doesn't like sleeping, instead, she makes sure that all the Defenders are resting peacefully without anything else coming in.

It was midnight. For the most part, it was a quiet night that not many were awake for in Sapporo. The pink gem continued watching from the rooftop, constantly looking around at the city. Thinking back, Sapporo really isn't all that different from Tokyo or Kyoto.

Most nights were quiet, painfully slow and eerily dead but tonight would not be that night. Something inside Pink Spinel knew that someone else was with her, causing her to pull out her chigiriki and readying it just in case she needed to. Another look around the area proved there to be nothing in her line of sight. Of course, the cautious side of Pink Spinel forced her to look around even more.

Still, there was nothing. On the horizon, however, on the rooftop of a diagonal apartment complex, stood a tall gem dressed in white. This was the same gem Pink Spinel saw in her alternate reality, the same one Moonstone seems to be afraid of. The two merely stared at each other: the white gem stood there, menacingly, while Pink Spinel watched her closely, tightening her grip on the chain of her weapon.

Before she knew it, if she even did, the white gem was gone. Reality seemed to have waved in front of the pink gem as the other disappeared.

A deep, and sorrowful howl resonated through the night just as Pink Spinel snapped to her senses once again. One wolf became three, three became a chorus. Looking around, the pink Guardian realized the red beads making themselves known in the night as the moon waved farewell over the last of the horizon. Soon, the night sky would be only stars.

But, even then, the sun quickly followed, yawning into the already light blue sky. Pink Spinel only just noticed Lepidocrocite standing by the stairwell entrance. "You've been standing there for hours, completely still. What's up, Pinkie?"

"I..."

The events of the night ran through her mind again. A whole five hours just went by in then minutes.

"Have you heard of Time Manipulation in gems?"

Lepi gasped, grabbing Pink Spinel and pulling her closer to the doorway. "We can't let anyone know. You need to tell Moonstone and Angelite immediately."

The two made their way from the gloomy roof into the warm and welcoming kitchen. A small group of vegetables danced their way into a pot on the stove, Purple Magic Aura Quartz was on the other side of the counter into the kitchen, waving a single finger to some Prelude by Bach. "You're wasting them!" Sunshine yelled from the living room where she lay on the back of the sofa, her loose hair falling over the seat and onto the floor.

"I can do as I like! Besides, Moonstone isn't up yet, she usually makes breakfast for us."

"Why can't it be pancakes? Wai-- you're not even using your own power!"

Lepi giggled before taking Pink Spinel away once again. "Good morning, you two!"

"Ugh," Sunshine groaned while Purple waved.

Into the dark hallway went the pair of gems, listening closely as they went by Crocoite's room where Japanese TV Game shows could be heard. "Morning stuff, this part's usually the best."

Then, finally came Moonstone's room. Lepidocrocite knocked a few times on the white door. "It's us!" The creme walls were inviting. Something Pink Spinel couldn't say about the other side of the larger-than-usual apartment. Finally, the white door opened, calling in the pair of gems. "Oh, good, she is here!"

Angelite was laying face down on Moonstone's bed. She groaned loudly as the door closed behind Pink Spinel. "You could wake an army with that slam. Do continue to annoy me."

"She's had a long night, a white gem appeared before her," Moonstone muttered, her face also down but on a desk. "The same one visited us last night."

"You already know, that's great! Pink Spinel had an encounter with her!"

Angelite seemed concerned, reluctantly turning over onto her back and groaning a bit. "Well, I didn't know that part."

"She did the time travel thing!"

"She's an Opal," Moonstone spoke, raising herself off the desk and standing. "Only their Opals can use Time Manipulation. It trumps Destiny Manipulation if we aren't careful. It's subtle, too."

Pink Spinel was then confused, interrupting as the white gem paused. "The world waved before me, like looking into a glass lake."

The concern for the situation only grew. "It's just your ability. It's being put to use at long last... I don't mean that as sarcastic as it may seem. Cliche timing things, you know. Anyway, you seem to be able to pick up when another gem uses their ability."

"Don't get ahead of yourself, she could just be able to counter time travel by itself," Moonstone muttered, picking up a manila folder from her desk. She turned to Lepi and Pink Spinel at the door. "Excuse me, I need to talk to the twins now."

"Yes, ma'am," Lepi whispered. It was against her usual mood to seem this glum all of a sudden. "Let's get going, Purple's breakfast should be ready for us about now."

Pink Spinel glanced at Angelite, who was now leaning over the desk, her hand slowly reaching toward a framed photo on the corner of the desk. If there was anything about Moonstone's room that seemed odd, it was that photograph. It was so out of place and blank... Or so Pink Spinel thought.

"Pink Spinel, we're going out. Something has happened in Sendai," Rhodonite muttered. "Taaffeite and Prasiolite are already there."

"I-- okay."