Crystal Sides

Chapter 24: Heart Of Gold

--POV = Roman--

I opened my eyes and found myself in an oddly familiar red room. At first I was confused, but then I realized I must be dreaming. I felt the urge to walk forwards, and complied sleepily. I reached a figure, and glanced up at them. The blood drained from my face. Suddenly, I wasn't sleepy any more.

Standing above me was Moss Agate, her cold eyes as familiar as the green gem on her forehead.

I spoke, as if my dream was commanding me to, "Moss, please. All I'm asking for is a promotion."

Her eyebrows raised, "What do you mean, promotion?"

"I want to be captain of a branch of Golds!" I said the same words I had when this first happened.

Moss stared at me, shocked. Then she laughed, her chuckle rolling around the room.

"A Gold, running a branch of Golds?!" she laughed again, "Don't be silly. Now go back to your duties and don't come to me with jokes again."

"But I'm not joking!" I pleaded, "Please, Moss!"

The green gem turned to me, rage in her eyes, "You think you're really special, Gold? Well? Do you?"

I stepped back a few paces, "It's not that, it's just-"

"-You're no more special than any of your fellow Gold soldiers! You're just a disposable war gem, just like the rest of them. You are just an ordinary Gold."

"No I'm not!" I yelled, my anger breaking. I screwed my eyes closed, waiting for a cold reply.

But none came.

I looked back up at her. But Instead of Moss Agate, a different person stood before me. My mouth was agar as I beheld Virgil, his body so perfect it was hard to believe it was just a dream. He stared at me, his eyes dark.

"You aren't special." Virgil growled, "Not to me."

Tears poured out of my eyes, "Virgil..."

He paused. Looking me up and down.

"I despise you." he turned and walked away.

"No! please!" I fell to my knees, my eyes blurry with tears, sobbing uncontrollably.

I felt someone shaking my body and calling my name. But my heart was too full of sorrow to reply. I didn't matter, nothing I did made a difference, I was alone... alone and the same... just mediocre... everyone hated me... Virgil hated me...

Why, why, why...

"ROMAN!"

I wrenched my eyes open to see Patton staring down at me, his face blurry through my tears.

I sat bolt upright and quickly wiped the tears from my eyes. I then noticed Logan standing in the door frame holding a book, and Virgil leaning on the end of my bed.

Virgil.

I tried not to make eye contact with him, as his dark, disappointed eyes were still so clean in my mind.

"Roman, are you okay?" Patton fussed, "You were crying and screaming in your sleep. You woke the entire house up!"

"You said something about moss," Logan put in, "and promotions, and being special, and..."

He paused and glanced at Patton, who shot him a smile.

"And you said my name too." Virgil finished.

"Dreaming about Virgil, Roman?" Patton teased.

I blushed hard, "It wasn't like that!" I snapped.

"So what were you dreaming about?" Logan asked.

"It's dumb," I glanced away, "It was just a nightmare about when I was on Homeworld."

"Speaking of Homeworld," Virgil said, "You never told us where you came from, Roman."

"Oh, well, it's not very interesting, I..." I started getting hot.

"Come on," Virgil pressed, "I've told you my origin story, it's only fair if you tell me yours."

"These two don't know yours." I pointed out.

"He told us while you had yourself locked in your room." Logan said bitterly.

I glanced away uncomfortably. I'd barely come out of my room for the entire week.

"Come on, Roman, please!" Patton bounced on my mattress.

I hesitated, "Okay, fine."

The others shifted in satisfaction as I began to tell my story.