Templeschool

31. Back In Action

AN: Text that is italicized and underlined is a flashback/memory.

It had been a little over a week since Priyanka's and Connie's visit. Twoie had recovered from his sickness, but he was still benched from the two missions that occurred during that time. Part of the reason they waited so long after was because of the mysterious bruises Steven had told them about. Twoie laughed their concern off, saying it must've been from the fight and when he collapsed. When the bruises disappeared a couple of days later, they begrudgingly agreed that he was healthy enough to be on the team again.

Twoie took a deep breath of fresh air as he lounged on a blanket covering the ground. Their group had moved back to the barn in preparation for dealing with the Cluster. The young man had to admit, being able to get out again and enjoy the nature around him was nice. It was peaceful. So peaceful, that Steven had fallen asleep beside him while relaxing. Everyone was outside of the barn, enjoying the nice day. Twoie smiled as Peridot waved her arms around while gesturing to the chalkboard by the barn door. The main purpose of the meeting was to discuss their plan to drill the Cluster. But Twoie couldn't focus today. There was a feeling of dread in the back of his mind. The idea that something was about to happen. The young man had learned to trust this instinct of his; it saved his life a couple of times. "Guys?"

Peridot paused her story. The others all turned to face him with curious looks. "Yo, Twoie. What's up? You okay?" Amethyst furrowed her brows a bit in concern. Before Twoie could answer her, Steven woke with a startled gasp. At the same time, a rumble shook the earth beneath them.

"Did you feel that?" Peridot looked around her wildly. Amethyst flicked her gaze from Peridot to Twoie to Steven, and then back to Peridot. "Feel what, Peri?" The technician started pacing in front of the chalkboard.

"The ground shook! This could be the start of the emergence of the Cluster!" She hopped onto a cardboard box that was next to the board and pointed at one of her text boxes. "Stage 1: Slight tremors every quarter-hour. Stage 2: Full-scale earthquakes." Everyone looked at her with wide eyes as she continued. "Stage 3: The earth is destroyed!" She rotated the board so that everyone could see the drawing she made of the earth in shattered pieces. "We're running out of time. We need to drill right now!"

Steven stood up. "No, it's Malachite!" The others gasped while Twoie nodded his head.

He could see Steven looking at him as though wanting his future self to confirm his statement. "Steven is right. This tremor right now is from Malachite. You astral-projected to Mask Island?" At his younger brother's nod, Twoie continued. "Then it's definitely Malachite. However, Peridot is also correct." Everyone stared at him in fear. "In my version, the Cluster emerges right after the gems beat Malachite. Peridot and I went to deal with the Cluster by ourselves."

Pearl grabbed Twoie by the shoulders and got in his face. "You and Peridot went without us? How did you survive? Are you okay? Are you mentally scarred? Are you physically scarred?" Twoie felt dizzy as Pearl shook him hard with each question.

Amethyst placed her hand on Pearl's arm and stopped her. "Ya gotta stop, P. You're gonna make him so dizzy he'll vomit." Pearl blushed as she halted her actions.

She realized that Twoie looked dazed once she let go of his shoulders. "I'm so sorry, Twoie! I didn't mean to shake you that hard. Are you still dizzy? You should sit down." Twoie slurred out "yes" while he waited for the world to stop spinning.

Garnet walked over and picked him up, tucking him under her arm. "Lapis Lazuli is losing control. Soon Jasper will overpower her, and Malachite will be loose."