Sorry, this is kind of a long one. Enjoy!

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Chapter Nineteen

Hours later, after styling the hair of impatient little girls, folding numerous clothes, having dinner with her family, and settling down for bed, Amethyst finally retrieved the comm from the depths of her drawer.

She sat down on her bed and finished typing out her message, hitting "Send" when she was done. To her surprise, only a few moments passed before her comm let out a soft beep, signaling an incoming message. Electronic text read:

There are no plans.

Amethyst scoffed, hurriedly typing out her reply. No plans? Seriously? None whatsoever?

Unless you wish to come up with any, yes.

Amethyst was slightly confused. Why?

You're smart enough. Try and guess.

The attack is being called off? But why wouldn't you tell anyone sooner?

Attack is the wrong word. And no, it is not being called off. I am just leaving it up to you and the others to fend for each other, for once.

Amethyst stared at her comm for two solid minutes. This was not like Topaz at all. He was the kind of person who always had a plan. But she didn't quite feel confident enough to go to the party tomorrow knowing that there was no backup plan, period, if something went wrong. Amethyst didn't feel... safe. And what would happen if one of them got arrested? Or worse?

For once in her life, Amethyst let her frustration be apparent.

Others? You say “others” as though you are set apart from them. And what will you be doing while the rest of us are getting our hands dirty "fending for each other"? Huh?

After several minutes had passed and no reply came, Amethyst told Topaz: Larima was right.

Topaz sent a tentative: What do you mean?

I mean that she was right. You say you want changes to happen. You say they're going to happen and that you're "working on it"! But you just let other people do your dirty work for you while you sit back and relax in your comfortable tunnel home.

Amethyst tossed her comm to the side in disgust. Then she rummaged through her bedside table until she found her metal pendant, then waved it over her forearm until the Priceless insignia appeared.

She wanted it off of her skin, for the insignia to just go away. She didn't want anything having to do with that... that Topaz.

The Topaz who had saved her in the alley from the Authorities when they were younger, the Topaz who talked of making a change in their society, the Topaz who annoyed her and frustrated her so much and kept giving her mixed signals.

Amethyst wanted to scream.

No, she wanted to keep listing all of the bad aspects of Topaz's character. But then suddenly, her inner conscience kicked in.

She was overreacting. Making a mountain out of a molehill, as her dad would say.

So what if Topaz didn't have a plan? He wasn't perfect, nobody was. She was venting her own fear onto Topaz in the form of insults, which wasn't good. Not good at all.

And then, remembering all the accusatory things she had said to him over the comms made Amethyst's gut sink with guilt and shame. She should apologize. Amethyst should pick up her comm and write out a lengthy apology, saying that she didn't really believe any of those things she had said--

But as she was about to do this, Amethyst's comm beeped, signaling another message from Topaz. She picked up her comm and read:

Look out your window.

Brows furrowed and comm still in hand, Amethyst climbed out of bed and looked out her window.

In the darkness of the alley below her window, there stood Topaz.

Amethyst stared at him through her window, partially hidden by the curtains, for several minutes. Sucking in a breath, she commed him: What are you doing here?

Outside, Topaz held his wrist up near his face and typed out a response. Come outside.

Shaking her head, Amethyst wrote: I don't think so.

Why not?

Because it's the middle of the night and...

Amethyst didn't hit send just yet. She was trying to come up with an excuse. Then a blush bloomed in her cheeks as she realized that she was wearing her dumpy old pajamas. From what she could tell, Topaz was still fully dressed.

Because it's the middle of the night, was what she said in the end.

So?

You didn't answer my question, why are you here?

I don't want to have to carry out an argument over comms, that's why. And also... your points were valid.

I'll take that as a compliment, thank you very much.

Just come down already!

Outside, Topaz waved his arms at her wildly, gesturing for her to come down. Forgetting her Pajamas completely, Amethyst heaved a sigh and thew open her window. There was no way she would make it past her sisters asleep in their rooms, down the stairs, past the living room, past her sleeping parents, and out the back door without getting caught.

So she would have to go out through the window... somehow. Amethyst had read stories when she was younger about princesses getting rescued by handsome princes from their tower windows, and this couldn't be much different, could it?

Except, well, she didn't have hair that was half a mile long. And neither she nor Topaz were royalty. And... she shook the thought away as she pushed her head and shoulders out the window.

Amethyst slowly turned on her window ledge so that she could step one foot out to rest on the gutter, then the other. She was keenly aware of the fact that the whole back of her body was turned towards Topaz, but she shoved away any thoughts of blushing again before they could take hold. Amethyst never blushed. Ever. Why should she start doing it every waking second now?!

Standing with her full weight on the gutter, Amethyst began ever-so-carefully making her way down to the ground, choosing this and that handhold for her feet and hands. All the while, Topaz just watched her.

Amethyst tried not to entertain the thought of what he might do should she lose her balance and fall. Sweep her up in his arms bridal-style? Whisper comforting words into her ear?

Yuck. Amethyst, where do you keep getting these ridiculous notions of yours? she scolded herself. First princes and princesses and now... this? She told herself to focus on climbing.

Nearing the last few feet until the ground, Amethyst couldn't find any more hand or footholes, so she decided to jump. She landed on her feet with a plop on the pavement next to Topaz. She wobbled for a minute to catch her balance, then turned to look at him.

"I'm here now," she told Topaz, trying to seem irritated.

"So I see," was his reply.

"And... ?" Amethyst wasn't sure at all what to do now.

Topaz glanced over his shoulder, scanning the alleyway. "Come with me," he told her, gesturing at her to follow him.

Shoving down the little voice inside her that said this probably wasn't a good idea, Amethyst turned to follow him without a word, saving her questions for later. He led her down the alley, squeezing into small spaces between Waste Compartments and dodging the wild creatures who roamed those parts freely.

Topaz didn't say anything as they, or rather, she, stumbled along in the dark, which made Amethyst slightly nervous. Was he taking her all this way from home just to explode and yell at her for saying all those things over the comms where no one would be able to hear them?

Finally, the anticipation was too much. She stopped in front of a particularly smelly Waste Compartment and told Topaz, "Just wait a second."

He turned. "Huh?"

"Where are you taking me? Whatever you want to say to me could be said in the alley by my house, you don't have to drag me out here in the middle of nowhere." Amethyst said.

Topaz seemed to pause, then sighed. "Alright."

Amethyst stared at him. "'Alright' what? You're not making any sense."

"Alright, I'm sorry," he told her.

Amethyst furrowed her brows. "For what?"

"For dragging you out here in the middle of nowhere instead of having a conversation in the alley by your house."

She snapped her jaw shut, trying not to gape. Since when did Topaz ever... apologize? "I guess it doesn't matter much, now that we're already here. But, so," Amethyst looked him squarely in the eye, then said slowly, "what is it that we need to talk about that can't be said over the comms?"

Topaz held her gaze. "As I said over the comms, you made valid points in your argument." He cleared his throat.

"Yes?" prompted Amethyst.

"And I wanted to... clear things up, I guess. If we both walked away from that conversation without ever saying another word to each other, things would be awkward, to say the least. We're supposed to be active members of the Priceless, and we can't work together freely without putting aside our differences. And also... did you really believe everything you said? Everything about me not living up to my word when it comes to trying to make changes in our society?" Topaz asked her.

Shoving down any earlier plans of telling him just the exact opposite, Amethyst chewed on her lip and said, "Yes? Though to be fair, I was... angry with you."

"Angry?"

"Yes, angry. Very angry"

"Why?"

"Because you said in such a matter-of-fact way that there were going to be no plans for the party tomorrow. And besides being angry," Amethyst swallowed, not sure why she was saying all this. "I was also... scared?" Then, more decisively, "I am scared."

Topaz looked genuinely surprised. "Scared?"

"Scared that it was only my second real 'mission', and you were just tossing us out there to-- to fend for each other, like you said. I don't feel ready. I don't feel ready at all. But I could have told you that without blowing up in your face and saying all those rude things to you, Topaz." His name sounded foreign on her tongue. Amethyst wasn't used to saying his name out loud, but she rather liked the sound of it.

He looked at her hard again, his blue eyes glinting off of the splintered shadows of the alley. Amethyst forced herself to concentrate on the conversation at hand instead of staring at Topaz's surprisingly handsome face in the dark. Then another silly thought swelled up inside her and she squelched it down.

"It's alright to be scared. To be scared is human. Though, to be honest, I am scared too."

Amethyst did double-take for probably the third time that night. Topaz? Scared? But before she could say anything, he started talking again.

"In a sense. That's most likely the wrong word. I'm more nervous than scared, I think."

Amethyst found herself nodding her head. She was nervous as well. Nervous because, like she had said, the party would only be her second "mission". And also nervous about what might happen if she or the other Priceless members were caught at the party where her parents and sisters could see her in plain view.

"If it makes you nervous, then why haven't you come up with a plan? A solid, well-thought-out plan should give you a sense of security, right?" Or, it at least it would give Amethyst a sense of security.

Topaz sighed again. "Honestly, I just couldn't come up with one. Everything we do, every one of my plans, are so predictable to the Authorities. But even if I did have a plan, it's not like this is the only time I've felt nervous. Each time I send the Priceless out on a raid or some other thing, which isn't often, I feel helpless knowing that at any given moment, one of them could be caught and arrested. It's never happened yet, fortunately, but it's inevitable."

He looked so vulnerable after saying that. Amethyst wasn't sure how to reply. But in the end, she told him, "Everyone is aware of the risks when they joined the Priceless, I'm sure of it. So even if they do get caught or arrested or worse, you can't blame yourself."

Topaz looked at her with a grim smile on his face. "I do know that. It's just... the whole mindset of everything. When you lay out everything plain and bare like you just did, it's easy to think that way. But when it all actually comes down to it..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but Amethyst knew what he would have said. That he would still feel responsible and blame himself. Amethyst knew that the combination of anger, frustration, and guilt made a person do reckless things. She silently vowed to intervene if something like that would ever happen.

"I... understand what you're saying," Amethyst said to him, after a few minutes.

"Well I'm glad," he said dryly. "Not many people seem to. Understand me, that is."

Amethyst peered at him. "You could make it a bit easier, you know. If you didn't keep to yourself so much and opened up a bit more to the people around you. It makes it easier to instill trust."

Looking at her quizzically, Topaz asked, "Do you trust me, Amethyst?"

She had to think hard for a moment before answering, choosing her words carefully. "There are different types of trust, I think. For instance, the, uh,” Amethyst paused, racking her brain for words that could possibly describe what she was trying to tell him. “The bond of trust I have with my sisters is different than anything that I would have with a comrade or friend. But now, after we've... talked a bit more, I think that I could trust you. Just not..." She struggled for the right words.

"Just not yet," Topaz finished or her, and she had to nod her head in agreement. "I see," was all he said after that.

Amethyst wracked her mind for something to say in the awkward silence that followed, but coming up with conversation topics was never and will never be her strong point. So instead, she made to glance at a fake watch on her wrist and then looked up at the sky, saying, "It's getting really late. I'd better go." She looked at Topaz, trying to kind of ask with her eyes if there was anything else he wanted to discuss. He didn't seem to get her message, but told her, "Yes, you're probably right."

Then he too glanced up at the sky and then asked her, "Do you need help getting home?"

"Um, yeah, actually. I have no clue where we are right now at all. But only if you don't mind!" she added hastily.

Topaz gave a small grin. "It's no problem. I brought you out here, anyway, so it's only fair that I bring you back."

So they set off in what Amethyst hoped was the direction of her house. The alleyways and backroads were like a winding maze that never made sense in her mind. Left here, right there, left again... or was it right? It was all so confusing. And, honestly, Amethyst was very grateful that Topaz had offered to bring her back, or else she knew for sure that she would end up lost somewhere far, far from home.

Before Amethyst knew it, they were rounding the corner and up ahead lay her home. She turned to face Topaz, hoping he wouldn't do his infamous disappearing act again before she could thank him. He seemed contented to stay put for a few minutes, however, which was fortunate.

"Thank you, Topaz."

He seemed startled. "For what? You were the one who listened to me as I... ranted about everything and anything under the sun," he told her.

"Well, thank you for bringing me home. And for ranting. I don't know why, but you seem more... human now. More relatable." Amethyst gave him a little punch in the shoulder, then spun on her heel quickly to hide the blush that blossomed in her cheeks once again.

"Goodnight," he called after her softly.

Throwing what she hoped was a coy smile over her shoulder, Amethyst said, "'Bye." But she only took one more step before she remembered something. Turning around again, she said, "Topaz, wait!"

He stopped and looked at her questioningly.

"So, what about the party?" she asked him. "Do you plan to just keep going with your... plan of no plan at all?"

Topaz seemed to think hard for a long moment. He rummaged around in his pocket, most likely out of nervousness or habit, and pulled out a sheet of paper. Amethyst could see that it was written on even though she couldn't read the words, but Topaz's face lit up a bit as he scanned it. He told her, gesturing to the paper, "This was my first rough draft of a plan, one I had discarded as too… too... I don't know what. I had tossed it aside just the same. But I think it will actually work rather well, if we’re lucky. Here, look," He walked over to her and held out the paper for her to see, guiding her beneath the glow of the nearby streetlight so the writing was visible.

All that Amethyst could see was a jumble of messy handwriting scattered across the page. Trying not to sound rude, she asked, "Um, what does it say?"

"Oh, right, you probably can't read that. I have bad handwriting, sorry," said Topaz, looking almost bashful. Using his pointer finger as a guide, Topaz outlined for her as clearly as he could what Amethyst realized could be a good plan.

A good plan indeed. Maybe not the most extraordinary or game-changing plan ever, but one that would function well just the same. Now they only had to wait 'til the party...

Wait, you finished? You finished! OH MY GOSH IM SO HAPPY FOR YOU AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

And I'm looking forward to the party, mwah aha! And here comes my rant about characters slash not really a rant but a bunch of words stuck together because I can't word right now and digi writing is difficult when you're trying to convey emotion and typing with one hand on a tiny keyboard on your phone and lets just stop.

I love you Amethyst for actually being smart and forgiving him like NO BOOK CGASCYER EVER DOES and it makes me hurt inside when you're like just give them a chance they're communicating through a comm you can't even tell what expression is on his face so just give him a chance please. And I smell Topathyst...