Cinnabar remembers Phosphophyllite's promise from long ago, continuing their job as they waited for the other to come back. While patrolling the dark night and around the shore, they come across a somewhat small surprise that they've been waiting for all this time.
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Cinnabar opened their eyes as the moonlight shone into their cave, a small breeze coming in for a few seconds before everything went silent. The gem looked at bright moon before they lifted themselves up, their chest lifting as a heavy sigh lifted up. "Well," Cinnabar stopped to look at the fluttering clipboard on the other side of the cave, "it's time for work." They muttered before they walked out, climbing up the cliff and onto Hollow Cape.

Cinnabar held their breath and sighed once more before they started to walk through the slowly dying grass as they steadily made their way to the coast. When they arrived, they stopped on the sand as they looked out into the ocean that cast the reflection of the moon.

When will they come to take me?

Cinnabar thought to themselves as they started to walk, their chest growing heavy as they did the most useless job.

When will Phosphophyllite come and find me something better to do?

They thought, their eyes welling up as Mercury started to roll down their soft cheeks.

They never fulfilled their promise.

The promise that Phosphophyllite made long ago about finding them a better job.

They only offered them something worse to do before leaving to go to the Moon.

"Liar," Cinnabar muttered as their hand wiped away their mercury tears as they walked along the coast. Oh, how long they waited for the other gem to tell them that they found a job for them— the job that was fun and better than Night patrol. But... Phosphophyllite never offered them the one thing that they've been waiting for, the clipboard for the encyclopedia giving a painful reminder of their lost promise. Cinnabar still waits for them to come back and offer them a better job, but doubts that it'll ever happen— a useless gem deserves a useless job, so how could they get something better?

Cinnabar made their way to Chord Shore, stopping as something shone in the dim light provided by the moon and the light given off by the mercury around them. They held their breath before they took a few steps towards it, only to stop in their tracks and their lips turn into a frown. "What do you want, Phosphophyllite ."

"Ah, you caught me," They replied, moving from their spot as they looked at the other gem before walking towards them.

Cinnabar frowned as they got a good look at the other gem, their red eyes looking at the pearl eye that they now had. "Say, would you wa-"

"No." Cinnabar said firmly, crossing their arms in front of their chest. Phosphophyllite sighed, taking a small step back before they looked at the ground and rubbed the back of their blue head, thinking of something else to say to the other.

Cinnabar stayed where they were and watched the other think for a while before they sighed and started to walk off, sprinting as soon as the other gem followed them. "Cinnabar, wait!" Phosphophyllite yelled as they ran after them, "I think I might've found a job for you!"

"You think?" Cinnabar repeated, stopping in their tracks.

"Yes," The other said, walking up to the other as they looked at them seriously. "I might've found a job for you."

Cinnabar was quiet for a little bit, "Is it better or fun than the one than I have now."

It was now Phosphophyllite's turn to be quiet for a while, sighing before they looked at them with a slight sad look in their eyes. "I... I don't know if it's going to be any fun or better, but you aren't going to be alone anymore.." they replied softly, being quiet for a bit more before they took a small step towards the other. "It's on the moon, and no one else is smarter than you are. And we need your help there.."

"But don't you have Yellow Diamond and Padparadscha with you?" Cinnabar questioned.

"Yea, we do," the other said softly, "but... they both admitted that you're more smarter than the both of them combined- but they might be an exaggeration?" They guessed as they shrugged when Cinnabar raised their eyebrow.

Cinnabar sighed as they looked at the other gem for a while before they walked away from the other once again.

"Cinnabar, wait!" Phosphophyllite called out again, walking after the other before they ran to be in front of them again. "Cinnabar... please come and help us out, we really do need you. You really are smarter than all of the other gems that we have already..."

Cinnavag scoffed at the others plead before they took a small step back, "You don't need a useless gem like me..."

"W... What do you mean by that?"

"I'm a mistake!" Cinnabar yelled at the other as Mercury started to fill their eyes again as they cried. "I can do nothing but kill the life around me, that's my use in life.. none of the gems even bother to talk to me— a useless gem deserves a useless job, I don't deserve anything better."

"Cinnabar," Phosphophyllite said softly, looking at the other gem sadly before a gentle smile grew on their lips and they took small steps towards the other. "You aren't a mistake, you are anything but that." They whispered softly with a small smile, reaching their hand up to wipe away the mercury that was on their face and ignored the gold alloy falling off of their hand.

"No!" Cinnabar yelled as they turned around and wiped their tears off themselves, "I don't want to hurt you!"

Phosphophyllite looked down at the alloy on the dark ground before they shrugged and looked at the other softly. "You're not going to hurt me, it'll grow back sooner or later."

"I... see," Cinnabar muttered quietly as they kept their eyes looking at the ground and not looking at the other gem. The blue hair gem smiled at the other softly at the other before they went over to their side, standing in front of them once more.

"Cinnabar," Phosphophyllite said softly, looking at the other gem sadly before a gentle smile grew on their lips and they took small steps towards the other. "You aren't a mistake, you are anything but that." They whispered softly with a small smile, reaching their hand up to wipe away the mercury that was on their face and ignored the gold alloy falling off of their hand.

"No!" Cinnabar yelled as they turned around and wiped their tears off themselves, "I don't want to hurt you!"

Phosphophyllite looked down at the alloy on the dark ground before they shrugged and looked at the other softly. "You're not going to hurt me, it'll grow back sooner or later."

"I... see," Cinnabar muttered quietly as they kept their eyes looking at the ground and not looking at the other gem. The blue hair gem smiled at the other softly at the other before they went over to their side, standing in front of them once more.

"Cinnabar," Phosphophyllite said with a small smile on their lips, "you aren't a mistake. And I promise you— you're not going to be cast aside like you are here. If the Lunarians are able to get Padparadscha to move again, then they'll find a better job for you. So please Cinnabar, come with me." They said softly, extending their hand for the other to grab.

Cinnabar listened to all of their words, Mercury filling their eyes as they started to cry again. Those were the words they've been dying to hear all along.

They looked down at the others golden alloy hand for a while, hesitating for a few minutes before they reached out and grabbed the soft, but malleable hand. "Take me to the moon and put me to good use."

"I will," Phosphophyllite whispered softly, holding the others hand tightly. Their other hand cupped the others mercury-covered cheek before they leaned in and planted a gentle kiss on their forehead, pulling away and smiled at them gently. "Let's go to the moon, Cinnabar."

Cinnabar was quiet for a while while their cheeks reddened when the others lips met their forehead, their red eyes looking at the ground. Phosphophyllite giggled at the others embarrassed look before they turned together and walked away from Chord Shore together.

Their fingers were intertwined as they walked side by side, their footprints following them in the sand.

Phosphophyllite kept their promise...