Earth Bound

Goodbye is the Hardest

Inside the hangar there stood a modest ship near the large bay doors. Its sleek body was cool tones of gray and blue. While it was an impressive sight, it was an outdated starship compared to Homeworld's current fleet. A few amethyst and jasper guards crowded around Bixbite, dressed now in a pilot's suit, rather than her flowing dress.

Upon seeing Peri and Onyx enter the hangar she stopped all conversation with the gems and strode over to greet her copilot and commanding officer. "Greetings my gems." Her tone was smooth and somewhere between icy and warm.

Onyx wasn't mentally prepared to deal with her this morning but the green gem by her side prompted her to at least act somewhat civil. She muttered her greetings and left the flowery stuff for Peri.

"Good morning Bixbite." Peri greeted her superior, the life returning to her voice as she did so.

There was a moment of pride that filled Onyx as she stood in silence and watched both a noble and a humble little peridot interact with one another. Even though Lavender had done most of the hard work on raising Peri, there was a little part of her that believed she had a hand in helping raise the gem and teach her things such as associations with nobles. Beyond the concept of her upbringing Onyx couldn't help but feel prideful that the peridot, seemingly weaker than other gems like her, was respected by a noble of the Eleventh Court, it was a high honor that wasn't to be taken lightly.

The conversation had come to a lull as Bixbite directed Peri to the ship. Now it was just she and Onyx, standing alone as the guards had scattered and taken up their posts. Turning to smaller blue gem beside her she tauntingly asked, "What? No bow today?"

There was only so much attitude Onyx was willing to take from this gem on a normal day but this wasn't a normal day, her best friend was leaving within the hour and tensions were beginning to run high. She could feel her emotions getting the best of her so she made an effort to force them down. "Not particularly today Bixbite, I have no need to bear my bow."

Seeing the fiery gem uncomfortably shift under her intense gaze she chuckled. "You amuse me. Both of you do as a matter of fact."

"I'm not here for anyone's amusement and neither is Peri. We're here to work then return home where we belong." Ice flooded her tone as she gave the taller pink gem a scathing glare.

With her hands folded in front of her, her head tilted upwards, shoulders back; Bixbite exuded a look of refined elegance, one that would make the Diamonds proud of her stance. "So I have been informed. Still... is it wrong of me to enjoy watching you shift so uncomfortably under my attentive gaze? You both have gotten it into your minds that you hold some importance but I should like to remind you that I am the guardian of the Eleventh Court, a place of death and destruction. I have sealed the fates of countless gems that have come before you and I have no qualms about ridding Homeworld of a broken peridot and rebellious blue onyx."

It was a fire in Onyx's blood that spurred her to turn sharply to the guardian and bite back, "I hold more importance than you think!"

"Pardon me," Bixbite gasped as though she were truly shocked, her look quickly shifted to a sickening smile, "You are not just a rebellious blue onyx... no... you are in fact something more. Am I not right... commander?" The words made Onyx feel instantly sick. Looking up at Bixbite she saw a smug look on the gem's face. "Tell me that I am lying..."

Onyx knew she couldn't. Somehow this gem had found out about the war, how much she knew about Onyx's past was still a mystery but she knew the part about her position. Fury worked its way into her chest as she forced down all of her fears, "Listen, I'll make this quick and clear. I'm not thrilled about helping you. You're bipolar and quite frankly I don't trust you or your pearl or this mission. I'm doing this for Peri to end her nightmares and to prevent other gems from suffering. So, let me make this simple. If you dare have the audacity to so much as hurt my Peri I will find a way to take you to the courts and I will take immense pleasure in watching your gem be shattered piece by piece and scattered across Homeworld so that you can never ever be whole again. I don't care if you are a noble or the guardian of the Eleventh Court. You hurt her and I will hunt you down and I will personally bring an end to you."