#toxinnabar

The invasive artificial multi-colored lights and busy thrum of the Hive made it nearly impossible for Lapis to rest at night.  They have not yet adjusted to the excessive luxurious lifestyles people lead inside the bustling concrete landscape in the low light.  Back home, when the moon came out; one stayed in their quarters, slept, and waited for a new day (out of sight from Lunarian eyes).  Basically, none of the gems were capable of any strength in the darkness, Lapis included.  There were only a couple oddball gems who braved a lightless existence.

Cinnabar, the gem cursed with mercury poison, was one of them.  Admittedly, it was difficult for Lapis to imagine or comprehend that Cinnabar has managed to remain in one piece as long as he has.  He only had a hardness level of two and yet their enemies never 'took a liking' to the gem.  Truthfully, Lapis could not say anything on the matter.  It was too difficult and tedious to make use of someone with such a seemingly meaningless existence.  The path of a loner was not something Lapis could make use of, so they disregarded the other gem rather early on.  It was not an action out of malice, of course.  Mere self-interest.

But finding Cinnabar in the same captive situation they were in was a completely different story.  There was strength in numbers when it came to facing off against the unknown (every war strategy book they ever read told them so).  And as they stared at him, arms folded across their chest, Lapis wondered if their sibling would cooperate with their whims.

"Cinnabar, do you think it is wise to try to go back home?"