Stories: Leader for a Day

Plot
After'' the gemstones' recent adventure in the Temple of Gloom, Diana Diamond falls sick due to a contagious disease and has to be bedridden for a week. In the meantime, the gemstones agree to take over Diana's leadership role for one day each. How will this agreement work out for the six of them?''

Cast

 * Red Ruby
 * Gary Garnet
 * Toby Topaz
 * Emma Emerald
 * Sean Sapphire
 * Amelia Amethyst
 * Diana Diamond

DAY ZERO
The gemstones, led by Diana Diamond, set off on an expedition to the Temple of Gloom.

Sean Sapphire: We're out hunting for buried treasure! I can't wait!

Gary Garnet: Sean, this is not the ocean. And it's technically not buried treasure we're going after.

Sean Sapphire: Whatever, Gary!

Toby Topaz: Yes, yes! Exploring the unknown! It's fun!

Red Ruby: And, it's gonna be a BLAST!

Emma Emerald: Guys, I know you're all excited, but can you pull yourselves together?

Toby Topaz: Yes, of course, Emma! *pulls himself*

Emma Emerald: No, it's a metaphor!

Toby Topaz: Uh...

Gary Garnet: She means to control your emotions.

Toby Topaz: Got it! So...what's a metaphor?

Gary Garnet and Emma Emerald facepalm themselves.

Gary Garnet: Moving on to the more important stuff! Diana, are we there yet?

Diana Diamond: Well, almost. So far, Amelia's tracking spell is right on track with the map.

Amelia Amethyst: Don't worry, guys! Everything's a-okay!

Sean Sapphire: What are we looking for anyway, if it's not buried treasure?

Diana Diamond: Actually, you're right in a sense. The Command Crystal is a rare treasure buried within the Temple of Gloom.

Sean Sapphire: So what does it do?

Diana Diamond: The one who possesses it gets to be a leader. Whatever he or she says, the others must adhere to that person or they will suffer an irresistible electric shock.

Everyone else: Cool!

Diana Diamond: But its effects wear off after 24 hours and the crystal will only work again when possessed by a different person. And the same person can no longer use it afterwards.

Red Ruby: Wait, so if I possess it today, it won't work for me ever again?

Diana Diamond: Yup.

The gemstones continue walking until eventually, they arrive at the Temple of Gloom, or whatever seems like it.

Amelia Amethyst: Ha! Told you!

Diana Diamond: Huh, it's much smaller than I thought.

Red Ruby: That must be the Temple of Gloom Kyoji was talking about! He mentioned that it has an automatically opening gate to those who wish to enter!

Diana Diamond: Red, wait!

Red Ruby charges towards the entrance and slams into the gate.

Diana Diamond: Are you okay?

Red Ruby: I think Kyoji was lying to us!

Diana Diamond: No, he's not. That's not the temple, that's just a wax model!

Red Ruby sees a wax model of the Temple of Gloom in front of him.

Red Ruby: Oh.

Gary Garnet: Look who just ran right into a wax model! Ha ha ha ha!

Red Ruby: Pssh...whatever.

Amelia Amethyst: *deactivates her spell* I guess I might have to re-work on that tracker spell when I get back.

Diana Diamond: Alright, we'll just have to look for the temple again. Okay, everyone? We...where's Toby?

Sean Sapphire: I thought he was right behind me.

Diana Diamond: Where could he be?

???: Over here!

The gemstones turn around to spot Toby Topaz, who has found the real Temple of Gloom.

Emma Emerald: Nice work, Toby!

Toby Topaz: *blushing* Thanks, Emma. That means a lot...

Amelia Amethyst: Wait, how did he...?

Red Ruby: Yes, you've found it! Finally!

Diana Diamond: Now hang on a second, Red...

Red Ruby: Sorry, Diana, but I must test for the automatically opening gate feature Kyoji told me about!

Red Ruby runs to the Temple of Gloom.

Gary Garnet: What a dope. What's so exciting about automatically opening gates anyway?

Red Ruby: I heard that!

''The gates of the Temple of Gloom open as soon as Red Ruby was near them. ''

Red Ruby: Ha ha ha! It worked, it worked! Who's the dope now, Gary?

Red Ruby crashes into a wall.

Gary Garnet: You are!

Diana Diamond: Wow, second bump of the day. Not a good sign.

Red Ruby: Alright, that's it! GET OVER HERE!

While Red Ruby and Gary Garnet get into a physical fight, the other gemstones explore the Temple of Gloom.

Diana Diamond: Spectacular!

Amelia Amethyst: Simply amazing!

Emma Emerald: Looks like the owner of this temple loves his flowers. They're still kinda beautiful despite the temple's name.

Toby Topaz: This reminds me of our previous adventures with Kyoji and his girlfriend whose name I kinda forgot. Uh...Starco?

Everyone else: Starcade!

Toby Topaz: Right, right. Starco was the ship name of Star Butterfly and her boyfriend. Oh, silly me.

Sean Sapphire: You mean "forgetful me"?

Toby Topaz: Geez, you don't have to rub it in.

Diana Diamond: Alright, if we're done looking around, let's move on to find the treasure.

Sean Sapphire: Treasure!

Diana Diamond: *sees Red Ruby and Gary Garnet still fighting* Will the two of you stop fighting?

Red Ruby: Wait, I have to teach this guy some manners!

Gary Garnet: Yeah, me too!

Diana Diamond creates two lassoes and tosses one each to Red Ruby and Gary Garnet.

Diana Diamond: Those lessons can be delayed. In the meantime, let's search for the Command Crystal and get out of here.

Red Ruby: Boy, oh boy! When I get my hands on it...

The gemstones walk down a descending spiraling staircase in the temple, and discover the Commanding Crystal being surrounded by glowing floral bulbs.

Gary Garnet: Are those...floral bulbs?

Emma Emerald: I don't think so.

Amelia Amethyst: Hang on, I've seen one of those before. They are abundant in Atro City!

Gary Garnet: So are they floral bulbs?

Amelia Amethyst: No, they're not. They are venom flytraps, with bites like poisonous bear-traps!

Toby Topaz: I don't like the sound of that!

Diana Diamond: Maybe I'll go grab that crystal. You guys cover me, alright?

Everyone else: Got it!

Red Ruby: I find this synchronization cringeworthy!

''Diana Diamond silently creeps past the floral bulbs and grabs the Command Crystal. However, as soon as the crystal goes to her hands, the floral bulbs open and reveal the venom flytraps inside.''

Toby Topaz: It's the flytraps!

Sean Sapphire: Diana, get out of there!

Diana Diamond: I'm coming!

''Diana Diamond runs and dodges the venom flytraps' strikes. Just when she can reach the gemstones, a venom flytrap grabs her by the leg and sinks its teeth into it.''

Diana Diamond: OW!!!

Amelia Amethyst: Oh no, the flytrap's got Diana!

Emma Emerald: We have to help her! Everybody, pull!

''The other gemstones run to help pull Diana Diamond. However, the venom flytrap proves to be much stronger. ''

Gary Garnet: Wait a minute! I have a brilliant idea!

Red Ruby: Screw your ideas! They never work, nor they are brilliant!

Gary Garnet: What about yours, huh? I wonder if you even had brilliant ideas in your whole life.

Sean Sapphire: *gasps* Savage!

Emma Emerald: STOP FIGHTING! Gary, just tell us what it is!

Gary Garnet: Diana, you possess the Command Crystal! You can free yourself!

Diana Diamond: You're right! I can do this! *to the venom flytraps, with a royal accent* Attention, my savage servants! I am your leader now, and I order you to let me go!

The venom flytraps show off their defiance, and suffer irresistible electric shocks before freeing Diana Diamond.

Diana Diamond: That was a close one. Phew, thanks.

Gary Garnet: No problem.

The gemstones run out of the Temple of Gloom.

Red Ruby: YES!

Toby Topaz: Wait, where's Diana?

The gemstones spot Diana Diamond limping towards them.

Emma Emerald: Diana, thank goodness you made it out!

Sean Sapphire: You were limping! Are you okay?

Diana Diamond: *weakly* I don't know, something's wrong with my body.

Amelia Amethyst: Oh no! I remember something!

Gary Garnet: What is it?

Amelia Amethyst: Diana was bitten in the leg by that venom flytrap!

Gary Garnet: I assume that's a bad thing, right?

Amelia Amethyst: Worse. Diana is infected, and she is too weak. Her body will deteriorate in a rapid pace. If we don't treat her in time, she will die!

Emma Emerald: Good heavens!

Toby Topaz: We have to tell Kyoji!

Red Ruby: Well, I suppose that's the only thing we can do now.

The gemstones race to Kyoji's house in Icicle Isle, with Red Ruby and Sean Sapphire carrying Diana Diamond.

(W.I.P.)