Wulfenite: Cosmic Rejuvenation

Chapter 1: The Beginning

"It's dark..."
"Don't worry, this won't take long. And remember, your name is Madeira. You were made on the Ultranite asteroid belt. You have no memory of this talk. You are someone else now." A voice said. "Oh! And you're assigned to Jasper!" Another voice said. "Right. Jasper is your caretaker. Now then, it's time to go, -$-?%$!@&."

"Gah!" Madeira exclaimed as she sat upright in her seat. She was still in class. She felt dozens of eyes looking at her, two of which belonged to the sour faced teacher. "Madeira, I might pardon you disturbing my class if you answer the next question correctly." The teacher said. Her name was Emerald. She was a teacher at the Homeworld school for the unfamiliar. One of the many schools for gems who recently emerged, so that they can learn the basics of life, like rules, duties, the anthem and so on. "So tell me, when was Homeworld freed from tyranny by our leader Ultranite, which led to the founding of Neo Homeworld?" Emerald asked. "...When we restarted the year count, right? So... in the year zero?" Madeira answered. "Very good. Now, class is almost at an end, so everyone salute the flag of Neo Homeworld and leave. I will see you all here tomorrow at eight. Don't be late." Emerald said. Madeira was approached by her friend Amethyst, who she called Amy. After school, gems were supposed to contribute to Homeworld's growth to avoid serving prison time or worse. "Come on, Maddie! If we get to work early, we might go home early!" Amy stated; "We have so much schoolwork to do and we'll get more done if we work together!" "I have like, no motivation to do any work today." Madeira replied. "Same here, but we all know what happens when you don't do your work. Same goes for schoolwork. If we don't pass all of our classes, we will be shattered for not being useful to Neo Homeworld!" Amy said panicky. "Calm down, we are great students. We have the highest chance of succes. I fear for Carnelian and Amber, though." Right after Madeira spoke that sentence, Amber approached the two gems: "Ah, don't worry. If I don't make it in school, I'll become an explorer! I will go out into the universe and explore the galaxies beyond!" Madeira and Amy looked at the enthusiastic Amber with a dumbfounded look. "Anyway, I've gotta bounce. Don't wanna be late for work. I'll catch you two at your house after, Maddie?" Amber said. Madeira nodded and Amber gave a smile as she turned around, off to work. "Good to know she has future plans. Even if they're... illegal." Amy laughed at Madeira's comment. "Well, I think going home early is out of the question. Let's make sure we're not late." Amy said. Madeira nodded and they both left for work. Madeira took a left and Amy took a right. They waved each other goodbye as they went their separate ways. Neo Homeworld was looking beautiful. Lots of slick buildings with hovering lights, with sirens on every post, in case of an emergency. The old ships of the Diamonds, from which Ultranite controlled her Neo Homeworld, were polished and sprayed purple, to suit Ultranite's gem color. Madeira loved life here, but she didn't really like the rules. If you break even one rule on Neo Homeworld, you will have to stand trial and you will most likely be shattered. You always had to be wary. Life was strict, but also beautiful on Neo Homeworld.

"I don't want to do this boring work!" Madeira groaned as she fell on her back. She and Amy got back from work and were now doing their homework. "I know it's tedious, but if we want to live, we need to ace the next test. We literally have to study for our lives." Amy responded. "But I already know the respective gem functions. I wish we could skip all this boring work and get to the combat training!" "You prefer physical activity over studying?" "You don't?" "Nah, I prefer studying. It's easier and less exhausting." "Ugh, why couldn't I just be a ruby? They don't have to go to school!" "They are also less valuable. The two of us are way more evolved." Madeira rolled her eyes and looked back in her book. "Girls, your idiot friend is here!" Jasper yelled from downstairs. "Send her up, please!" Madeira yelled. Amber appeared in the doorway: "Wazzup, girls?!" Madeira and Amy looked at Amber, who was covered in cuts. "We'd like to ask the same question." Amy reacted. "Yeah, where did you get this damaged?!" Madeira asked. "Let's just say, I got fired." Amber giggled. Madeira and Amy looked at each other, shaking their heads in unison. "So, you're gonna get shattered, right?" Amy asked. "Nah, I'll be gone before that happens. Homeworld's Force of Order is already looking for me, though. I thought I'd come around to say goodbye before I leave this place." "Don't you have to stand trial? Like all the others did?" Amy asked. "Oh right. I have my trial tomorrow, I forgot. Well then, I'll escape during my trial. Will you guys be there? You can even invite Jasper if you want." Amber said. "Of course. You're our friend." Madeira said. "Citrine and Ruby were also our friends and we didn't attend their trial." "Yeah, but we had a test the next day and they were the seventieth and seventy-first of our friends who had to stand trial. As morbid as it sounds, thousands of gems get shattered every day here. Eventually, it just loses value. We can't mourn every day of our lives." Madeira said. Amy nodded in agreement. "I guess you're right. Okay then, see you guys tomorrow!" Amber said as she left the room. "Anyway, do you have the answer for question thirteen? Because I thought Ultranite never got poofed." "Nah, she got poofed once when she fought against her evil brother Wulfenite. He eventually died at her hands, though. That's also the answer to the next question." Amy explained. Madeira looked back at her notebook and wrote it all down. And so the two of them did their homework for the class they wouldn't attend the next day.