Land of the Blades

7. Methamorphosis

—Everyone knows where to go, so let's dismiss today's assembly —Jade said, until he noticed me raising my hand—, yes, Phos, do you want to add something?

—I would like to request an escort mission.

—An escort mission? Didn't you say you would be working diligently and not goofing around in the fields again?

—I'm not going to goof around! It is for research, RESEARCH!

—What is going on now? —Shirou spoke as he approached, being followed by Morga and Goshe. They seemed to become really good buddies since they had started patrolling together. Bort had actually requested that Shirou should be transferred to his team, or any other team, but Jade insisted that they were already strong enough with him and Dia, and the only other gem without a partner was me.

—Phos want to go out and avoid doing his work again.

—I already told you, it is for research! Part of my job as Sensei's assistant is to elaborate an encyclopedia of all of our knowledge, and to do so, I need to do research.

—Well, did you finish with the data we have on the library already?

I cringed.

—Well, I can't say I have finished it, but...

—And what happened to that interview you were doing to the gems about their daily lives, is it finished? —Euc said, with a smile that pierced me strongly that Jade's mean look.

—It's... halfway done, I just need to...

—What about Alex's Lunarian's profile, did you at least check it out?

—I GOT IT! I GOT IT ALREADY! —I screamed raising my arms—, I just need some fresh air, I can have my nose on the books all the time!

Jade sighed, with a barely noticeable smile on his face.

—Fine, I'll allow it, but go along with Shirou and his team. We haven't had Lunarian activity on a while, so they might appear soon. Goshe, if anything happens, leave the fight to Shirou and Morga, and bring Phos back home, got it?

—Understood.

I thanked Jade and went on my way, making a small remark to Morga about how it was now "Shirou's team". As they were patrolling, I didn't laze around as Jade was expecting, I was really intended on doing some research outside, but my mind was in other matters, and Shirou noticed.

—Is there a problem? You seem to be daydreaming.

—No, it's nothing, I'm just... —I sighed—, well to be honest, I haven't been able to do my job properly since a few months ago, and it is not because of mental exhaustion. Not entirely, at least.

—Then, what is it about?

—Well, there is this Lustrous who—

—Phos! Shirou-san! —the voice of Dia interrupted me, as he came down from a small hill near us. Bort appeared from the other side of the hill, chasing after Dia and chastising him for going ahead without him. He then turned to Shirou now that he was in the mood and started chastising him as well.

—You both are of the same kind, using weird techniques that are dangerous to yourself, it is just far too reckless.

He went on and on about it, so much that by the time we noticed Dia wasn't around us anymore, he had already gone out of our sight.

—GAH! This is all you fault for distracting me! —Bort claimed—, help me search for him, it is too dangerous to leave him alone!

Bort went on his way and we divided into two groups, Morge and Goshe to the south, and me and Shirou to the north. We were the ones that found him, facing a Lunarian on his own. Shirou was already preparing his arrow, but I stopped him. Dia was moving so gracefully I was just entranced, he was turning the arrows of the Lunarians back to them with a swing of his sword and a twirl of his body; it seemed more like he was dancing than anything. There was a very peculiar sound, however, a reverb not entirely unlike that of when the amethyst twins crashed their heads together. Then, unexpectedly, most of his arm went flying without being even touched by an arrow, and it hit me right it the chest. I only avoided being cracked by the impact because Shirou had managed to catch the sword that it still hold, absorbing almost all the force it had.