Y/N’s POV: I was hiding in an alley with Wander and Sylvia. I still had that gem in my bag. We were hiding from over a thousand watchdogs. Sylvia stuck her head out to tear down another wanted poster. She then grabbed Wander and hid in a trash can while I hid behind it. “Good grop, this place is crawling with watchdogs!” Said Sylvia. “We’re gonna have to find a sneaky way outta here, and fast!” I added. The gem in my bag shone brighter, as if to agree. Sylvia and I looked forward with horror as we saw Wander tie someone's shoes. Sylvia ran very quickly over to him, grabbed him, and ran back to where we were hiding. “Wander, we are wanted fugitives, we've gotta lay low!” Hissed Sylvia. “Well I don't wanna lay low! When I see someone who's in need, I just gotta help, it gives me this feeling that starts down at my left toe, rises up thorough my gutty works, makes my heart all warm and toasty, forms up past the dangling thing in my mouth-“ Wander said. “Uvula-“ I corrected him. “-and ends at the top of my head, it just feels so good!” Squealed Wander. Just then, a light came down the alley (probably from one of the watchdogs) and I tackled Wander to the ground and kept a hand on his mouth to keep him quiet. Sylvia hid behind two trashcans, and when the light went away, I sighed then felt a sticky, gross, wetness?? on the hand I was holding Wander with. Oh my grop! He LIKKED me! Ew! I pushed him off. “Wander… did you just likk my hand?” I asked him, a serious tone in my voice. Sylvia huffed. “Listen, I know helping people is our thing, but if you wanna help yourself into Lord Hater’s bony hands, you’re really gonna have to measure how important every good deed is! Like keeping yourself and your buddies out of an evil lord’s prison…high priority! Helping some guy tie his shoe… low priority.” Then, a flash of light filled the alley. “There they are!” Shouted a watchdog. We were out of there in a flash! Sylvia and I thought we could cover more ground if we split up, so that’s exactly what we did. She took Wander, I took the half-sentient, still burning hot gem. After a few minutes of running, I realized… I was utterly lost. I looked down at my bag. “Hey, gem, you think you could point towards Wander?” I asked, only half hoping for a response. The gem flickered slightly, almost like it was embarrassed with itself. Suddenly, I saw a tall man in a black robe. “Did I just see your bag… glow?” He asked. I jumped. “No!!” I exclaimed. “Are you sure? I could’ve sworn I saw it glow.” He peered into my bag, then took out the gem without the cloth. He examined it, and gasped. “Where did you find this?” He asked. “Just on a beach on that one planet with the really high mountains.” I said, not wanting to give him too much information. After all, I just met the guy, I’m not gonna tell him where to get magical gems for free. “You’re gonna have to be more specific.” He frowned. “Well, I don’t know what the planet’s called, sooooo….” I responded, a salty tone in my voice. “Doesn’t matter. This is a spirit gem. They’re very rare, and very powerful. I can’t even begin to comprehend why one would allow itself to be carried by you.” The man said. “Oh yeah? What can it do?” I asked, skeptical. It had barely helped us, and I was supposed to believe it was powerful? “It does anything in its power to protect its owner. Normally it only allows itself to be carried by gemsmiths, such as myself, but there is a rare occasion where it shows interest in a… regular person.”
I scowled at the gemsmith. “Now, does this feel hot to the touch to you?” He asked, placing the gem on my hands. It didn’t have its earlier scalding hot feeling to it. “No… no it doesn’t.” I gasped. It had chosen me! “Wonderful!” Exclaimed the gemsmith. “I’m Rudi, by the way.” “I’m Y/N.” I replied. “Now, put this on.” He said. He put a necklace on me, carved from a similar material to the spirit gem. Rudi tapped the gem. Weirdly enough, as the gem glowed brighter, I heard an “ouch! Stop that!” In a high-pitched, feminine voice. “Did you hear that?” Rudi asked. “Y-yeah… can I understand the gem now?” I asked. Rudi smiled. “You betcha!” He pulled down his hood to reveal a crown of gems the same type as mine. “Oh, and don’t tell anyone I was here.” Rudi disappeared, and I was alone with the gem. “Alright, gem, do you know how to get back to Wander and Sylvia?” I asked. “I’d really prefer if you’d stop calling me that. I have a name, you know. It’s Tabitha. Call me Tabitha, or Tabby if you really want to refer to me as a cat.” Responded the gem. “And yes, I do know where they are. Just think of them very clearly in your mind, and you’ll be teleported.” “Thanks, Tabitha!” I smiled. I started thinking about Wander and Sylvia. I then felt myself sitting on something very squishy and slightly smelly. I opened my eyes to see that I was sitting on a trash truck, next to Wander and Sylvia. “So, what happened with you two?” I asked. Sylvia explained what happened with Wander and her, and I explained what happened with Tabitha and I, and the four of us were transported to a planet far away from the watchdogs. I’m not sure what’s next in life, but with my friends, I know I’ll be able to face it head on.
