Journey for the Gem

Journey for the Gem- Chapter 11

*** OPAL'S THOUGHTS

Opal gaped open-mouthed at Kim, not even feeling the least bit embarrassed or ashamed to meet other people besides the other RIGHNS without brushing her hair or even brushing her teeth. "Y-you were t-the-the o-one w-who did t-the immortal s-s-spell?" stuttered Opal, trying hard to breathe. Kim nodded uncomprehendingly, staring at Opal like a hard algebra problem.

"Neither you nor she is a hard algebra problem, Opal; she's here to help, not hurt you and your little friends," said the voice of Nut that had been bugging Opal the past few days. "Do you know-?" began Jasper. "That you have pimples on your butt?!" Ruby suggested enthusiastically. "Yeah, I did know that long before you asked," Ruby said, answering her own question and continuing. "So, do you know where this cave is?"

"I do not. But I do know what is in the cave. I have been instructed solemnly to not tell anyone. I also know somebody that will lead you to this ston-cave" Kim turned pale as she began to say stone instead of cave. Then something clicked.

"Hey! This stone, does it happen to be the ManyGems stone?" Opal asked, already knowing the answer. Kim turned an even paler shade of white-ish green. It was her turn to stutter now.

"H-how did y-you know that?" she goggled.

"I've got my ways," announced Opal slyly.

Kim looked positively like an airless fish the way her mouth opened and closed queerly. She vanished in a puff of smoke into the floor. The others rounded on Opal immediately, and their faces were so comical that Opal had to laugh. "WHAT IS THE MANYGEMS STONE?!" they all chorused together.

"It's a gem that Kim wished for when she did that spell. It made the founder immortal if they found it, and, well, it was made of many gems.

It was made of jasper, opal, ruby, jade, and onyx.

There are people sent out to look for it every year, but none of them has returned alive yet. I don't really know why, but I intend to find out. Anyway, do you all think we should go on this sagacious exploit?" Opal said all in one breath.

"Again, who says 'sagacious exploit'?" wondered Ruby absentmindedly. "I'm in," said Jade confidently. "Me too, sign me up!" "Why should we not go? I'm in; but first can we stop and get lunch?" were the replies.

Opal nodded, smiling a little bit for the first time. "I've heard from my uncle who was also a magician that the ManyGems stone has guards and was booby-trapped in a secret cave in..." Opal trailed off, something hitting her like a cast-off boomerang.

"In...? Where? Can you explain more thoroughly, Opal Nut?" snapped Ruby crossly. Opal suddenly felt the urge to throttle Ruby Ra until she turned as white as Kim. Opal felt something like butterflies and alarms quivering in her stomach, but she managed to smother an exasperated look to Ruby and maybe a fist to her throat.

"Come on, it's easy!" exclaimed Opal. "All you have to do is put two and two together."

"Ooh! It's thirty-two!"

"OK, not two and two together. But after I explain, you will explain to me why you are so dumb."

Ruby didn't pipe up with her usual "you-are-the-dumb-one-Opal-Nut" theory, and Opal looked up to find Ruby glaring at her dangerously.

"Just. Get. On. With. Your. Little. Story," Ruby seethed.

"Okay, so my magician uncle said that some important gem was out in Las Vegas. I didn't think twice about it, thinking that he said "gym" as in workout center instead of stone. But he hinted that it was "very many pieces of color:" and "a fine, separate piece of art."