Don't Mine At Night

Save File 8 - There's A Reason You Don't Mine At Night

     "No news is good news." Onyx kept muttering as she searched high and low. She angered more chickens than she could shake a stick at. Worry filled her heart and anger filled her mind. Why did Peri have to be so stubborn? Why did she have to run off? Why did Peri have to act like she was invincible?

Something odd caught her attention. Turning back there was a tall, green, blocky creature, coming at her. It wasn't Peri. "Hi, my friend is missing. About my height, a little shorter perhaps, yellow hair, blue eyes, heart shaped gemstone on her chest, purple shirt and blue shorts. Have you seen her?"

The creature didn't respond and only hesitated for a second before continuing to approach.

"Hello? Please, I'm just looking for my friend. She went to get wood and hasn't come back. I just want to make sure she's ok."

As the creature came within arms reach it started flashing white and making a hissing noise.

"What are you-?" Acting on instinct Onyx staggered back. She found her way between two trees, stopping the monster, which then proceeded to blow up. "What!?" She practically screamed as she fell back. Luckily she wasn't hurt. If anything, just a bit shaken up.

"Peri!?" Scrambling to her feet she took off running again. After a few minutes of aimless searching in the dark she stopped. Looking around, listening to the still of the night, she growled in frustration and grabbed her head. "This isn't how it's supposed to be! Any of it! You're lost! I'm lost! I just want to go home!" She sank to her knees and gave up. "I just want to go home..."

"Nyx?"

Her head shot up at the sound of a very familiar voice. "Peri?"

"Onyx what are you doing? I heard this weird noise, and then you were mumbling... oh, and this awful scream!"

"I will neither confirm nor deny that I did or did not scream back there."

"Are you alright?"

"Do you care?"

Hearing the ice in Onyx's tone Peri stopped what she was doing, came over to the gem, and knelt in front of her. "Onyx... of course I care. I always care."

"Didn't feel like it earlier," Onyx muttered.

Peri gently lifted Onyx's head but kept her hands on the gem's jaw. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine."

"Promise?"

The word promise always struck a certain chord with Onyx. At least, it had since a bit before Lavender had been shattered. The gem made her promise to always protect Peri. At first she didn't think much about it, but after Lavender was gone, when the real dangers started popping up for Peri, Onyx often heard Lavender's sweet voice pleading that Peri be kept safe no matter what.

With a softer gaze, she smiled at the gem. "I promise."

Peri hesitated for a brief moment. Her hands trembled slightly. Without warning, she kissed Onyx's cheek then stood up and walked back to the tree she was trying to get wood from as if nothing had ever happened.

The first and pretty much only thing Onyx could do was stammer softly to herself. Peri rarely ever did that. She never understood what prompted the gem to randomly, and rarely, kiss her on the cheek, but she wasn't complaining. Suddenly she felt warm. Joy filled her heart and lit up her world.

After sitting on her knees for a long moment, savoring the moment, and the feeling of the kiss, Onyx pushed herself up and found a tree a little ways away from Peri. After collecting a few wood blocks she found her confidence again. Maybe it was time to talk to Peri and explain herself. She had been worried about this strange world and their safety. She mentally had about fifteen different conversations with herself about how things could go.

Peri kept to herself. There wasn't a need for words. She'd kissed Onyx on a whim. It wasn't bad. In fact, she rather enjoyed it. Something somewhere deep in her heart said it felt right. That she enjoyed the mischievous action. As she worked on demolishing some trees she wondered if Onyx had felt the same way. Though she figured the gem thought she was just being silly. Most everyone else saw her that way. Why would Onyx be any different?

Suddenly there was a hiss. Onyx felt a horrible pit in the bottom of her stomach once more. As she turned there it stood, just a few inches behind Peri, one of those giant green monsters. The world suddenly seemed to move in slow motion. Any scrap of words got stuck in her throat. Her mind raced a million miles per hour. There was no way she could reach her in time but she had to try.

"Peri!" She yelled. And with all of the effort she could, her heart pounding, head spinning, she took off at a dead sprint.