Watching and Listening - An Empires SMP AU

Slowly figuring it out

           "Have you seen hermit Gem, Gem?" Grian asked. "Nope, sorry," Gem said. "Me neither," Scott said, although Jimena could hear a hint of a smile in his voice. He's lying. Hermit Gem was just giving him flying lessons. Wait, why did it take me so long to figure out the flying lessons were because Scott's pretending to be Princess Gem? Jimena wrinkled her nose in embarrassment, although there was no one to see it. 

           She shot a glance back at Gem and Scott. I wonder if she knows Scott's pretending to be her. And that the other Gem is helping him. Maybe I should tell her. Without even meaning to, Jimena found herself walking toward the princess. "Hi," Jimena said awkwardly. Gem studied her critically and immediately tried to mask it. 

           "Yes? How can I help you?" Gem asked. "Can I talk to you about something important? In private?" Jimena glanced at Scott, who appeared to be busy selecting a frilly pink dress from the clothes rack, although she got the feeling that he was secretly eavesdropping on their conversation. Gem nodded and they went to the backroom, out of seeing and hearing range of the others. 

           "So? What is it you're trying to tell me?" Gem asked, once they had privacy. Jimena opened her mouth to talk but then shut it when she realized something. It hadn't bothered her earlier because she'd gotten used to it and for the past hour or so she'd been surrounded by hermits, but now Jimena could easily feel the sensation that she felt whenever she was near something that wasn't supposed to be in this world. And it was coming from Princess Gem. 

           Why would it be coming from Princess Gem? She's from this world, isn't she? Jimena paused, remembering eavesdropping on the hermits with her. I didn't feel this then. Maybe it was masked by the other hermits. Or maybe... Jimena remembered how Gem had acted differently then. Suspiciously different. That wasn't Gem at all, was it? It must've been Scott pretending to be her. How long has he been doing that? 

           Then Jimena realized that Gem was still waiting for an answer. "I saw Scott pretend to be you," She blurted. Fear flashed across Princess Gem's face before the hid it under a mask of shock. But not before Jimena caught it and started to wonder about it. "Scott's pretending to be me?" She asked, sounding surprised, but Jimena realized she was faking it. She already knows about this. Why does she already know about this? 

           "I saw hermit Gem giving him flying lessons and then Scott said something about a potion wearing off and then he sort of shapeshifted," Jimena said, watching Gem's expression carefully. But Gem seemed to have noticed that because her expression seemed impassive and controlled. "Oh, I guess Scott's using the shapeshifting potions we got from Shelby," Gem said. "Shapeshifting potions?" Jimena asked. "Yeah, they make you turn into someone else for a little while. He said he wanted to prank someone. I guess this was part of a prank," Gem said, laughing. 

           "Then why was hermit Gem giving him flying lessons?" Jimena asked before she could stop herself. Gem paused while she tried to think of an answer. To Jimena, the silence seemed a little too long to be real. "I don't really know much about the other me," Gem said at last. "But I heard something about her using her magic to shapeshift. She gave herself butterfly wings and pranked somebody, unless this this just a rumor. I guess she wanted to make sure Scott didn't crash while he flew with my wings. I make it look easier than it actually is, you know." 

           Scott said that to hermit Gem, Jimena thought. The coincidence seemed too strange. As if Gem had realized that too, she acquired a look on her face that seemed like she wanted to take back what she'd just said. But it was only there a second before she chased it away with an impatient smile. "Can I go back to choosing costumes now?" She asked sweetly. Jimena distractedly nodded and Gem left the girl to brood on her thoughts alone. 

           She's used to lying, was Jimena's first thought after she left. I don't think I can trust anything she says. But what's she lying about? What's she hiding? She tried to figure it out herself and ended up just getting a headache. Confused, she went back into the main room to get the purple bear costume she wanted. 

           Thankfully, no one else had claimed it in her absence. Scott had for some reason bought the frilly pink dress he was looking at earlier, as well as a shepherd's crook an a funny-looking fancy bonnet. Jimena remembered the outfit from the list Grian had given her. Apparently Scott wanted to dress up as the shepherdess. Gem decided to be the cowgirl. 

           After that, Sausage reminded everyone that it was all on the house so everyone left, chatting happily about their costumes. Jimena said good-bye and flew back to Cogsmeade before False got worried about her absence. As she flew, she wondered about Gem and Scott and what they could possibly be up to. 

           It was a problem that plagued her even as she went to bed and tried to fall asleep. Only she was kept awake by her confused thoughts running around her mind, trying to figure out what was going on. Finally Jimena silenced them by repeating to herself over and over again that maybe some questions would never have answers. She had a couple about Qiron that she wanted to ask him but was pretty sure he wouldn't ever answer. 

           When Jimena slipped into a dream that night, for once it was a normal dream. Or at least semi-normal. She didn't dream about the void for once. Jimena dreamt of Cogsmeade's iron farm and all the parts that made it up. As she watched, one by one the gears and cogs and screws fell out of it. Jimena grabbed the falling pieces and tried to put them back in but the flying zeppelin was gone, replaced instead by Scott pretending to be Gem as he flew around with butterfly wings. 

           Jimena shouted at him, asking what was going on, but Scott said nothing and became hermit Gem, who reached out and cast her familiar green magic at her. She was in her head. Jimena flew back, away from the magic, but then she saw another Gem blocking her path. And another Gem, when she turned away. And another Gem. There were Gems everywhere. No, not everywhere, there was only one Gem. Only one. 

           Feeling even more confused even though she knew this was a dream, Jimena thought that she preferred the void dream more than this. At least the sort of understood the void. Qiron... Jimena found herself saying. Calling. Qiron...

           And then the dream dissolved and Jimena found herself once again in the dark void. Qiron was there too, and he looked surprised at Jimena's presence. <You called me,> He said. I what? Jimena asked. <You called me,> Qiron repeated. He waved his hand at the void. <You finally started the conversation instead of waiting for me to talk to you. I was wondering when you would figure out how to contact me.>

           I don't even know what I did, Jimena admitted. Qiron sighed. <It's progress, at least.> How did I do that? Call you? I didn't know I could do that. I just thought you read my mind. <I don't just read your mind. We can talk to each other telepathically.> Qiron said. Wait, I can do that? Jimena marveled. <Yes,> Came Qiron's short and simple answer that packed so much. How do I do that? Why am I able to do that? 

           <You can do that because you're like me. Powerful.> Qiron answered, which wasn't really a helpful answer. What do you mean, I'm like you? Jimena asked, looking up at him. She realized that they both had similar wings, but that didn't seem to count in this context. What are you, anyway? What are you that makes you have the right to be mysterious and powerful? Qiron laughed. <Me? I'm a Watcher.>