Before They Were Kings, Part V: Stone Buddy

3,970 years ago, Ancient Europe

Since the destruction of numerous Sacred Trees 30 years ago, demons have ravaged the world and Demon Wars took place for the umpteenth time. A Second Age of Kids Next Door rose to being and fought the demons, turning the war for the better. But these brave little children weren't the only warriors in this era. There is a story of five children who could control the earth, and they hailed from different regions. One day, these children met and became close friends. They each possessed a different variant of their power, and working together, they became a formidable team.

When these children grew older, they became renowned warriors. Their base was a gigantic tree that grew within a mountain range. A girl of sixteen stood before the great tree, eyes closed as her hands and feet were planted firmly on the ground. She had messy brown hair that was cut short, and she wore green armor that covered her body, except her arms and legs. Large white rings with green emeralds were around her ankles.

Granite could see across the earth for miles. The demons were coming to sap the life from the tree. Granite smiled, feeling pure confidence in her friends. "Sovite, they're coming up the mountains from the north. They're Nejirons posing like moving rocks. Are they silly or what?" She spoke with a childish voice for a 16-year-old girl.

"Silly? They're as dense as rocks." Sovite smirked, his metal earpiece ringing with the message.

"Denser than you!" Granite grinned playfully.

"Not for long!" Sovite stomped the mountain and turned it into a volcano. Lava erupted from the top, and Sovite willed it to flow down over the Nejirons. Sovite was a muscular boy of 18 years, wearing only a gold armor skirt on his red hot body. He had spiky brown hair and a developing beard.

"I feel some coming from underground, four miles southwest of my location!" Granite reported.

"These Ergtoroks make me irk!" Quartzite surfed over the landscape on a sandwave along a sandy trail he had created. Quartzite was seventeen with black hair to his neck, wore dark-purple armor over his chest and pelvic areas, leaving the rest of himself bare except his metal wristbands and ankle bands. He stopped over the indicated area and broke the surrounding land into sand. "I'll stir them into stew and eat them up!" He waved his arms from his solid sand platform and stirred the sand into a whirlpool. The sand squids – Ergtoroks appeared on the surface, trying to cough rocks at him. Quartzite defended as he brought the squids to the center, intent on crushing them.

"GUYS! GUYS, HEEEELP!"

"OUCH!" Granite cupped a hand over her earpiece. "Hornfels, you're our information relayer, we can hear you without the yelling!"

"But they ambushed me from the sky!" Hornfels was ducking as three Kargaroks were biting him. He was a 17-year-old boy with orange hair and a skinny, frail body, wearing silver armor over his chest, pelvis, wrists, and ankles. He perched atop the stone wall around the tree. "WAAAH!" He lost balance and fell over the outside, grabbing a thin stalactite branch that Granite stomped out when she sensed this. "PLEASE HELP ME!" Four Kargaroks began to peck him.

The monster birds screeched when two large stones came and crushed them. "You're welcome." The fifth member said. He wore an average black robe and had brown hair. He was 16 years old and wasn't muscular or skinny.

"Heheh… Thanks, Stone." Hornfels blushed.

"Well, I'm not sensing any more." Granite opened her vibrant green eyes and stood. "It seems we're all done here!"

"I didn't even break a sweat." Sovite sighed.

"Like it's even possible for you to sweat." Hornfels remarked, still hanging on the branch. "Stone, help me get down?"

"Oh, Horny." Stone laughed, stomping a platform up for his friend to land on.

"Please don't call me—HEEEEEY!" The platform dropped down quickly and crashed as Hornfels plopped on his front.

Now for a little backstory: Granite came from a village outside the mountains. She was a peppy girl that loved to embrace nature and take naps outside. Quartzite came from a desert across the ocean and liked to pretend he was a king, using sandbending to construct giant castles. Sovite lived on a volcano island and was addicted to hard core exercise, placing boulders on his back and doing push-ups under a hot, scorching sun. Hornfels was more brains than brawn, and as the first known metalbender in history, his main skill was building machines out of metal. He was the one who invented the small metal pieces that fit in their ears and were sensitive to soundwaves, which he could transmit to further distances using his bending on the earpieces.

Under the instruction of Regigigas, Minish were sent around the world to find these kids and bring them to the Tree of Beginning. It was at the tree they met their fifth member, Stone, who was a quiet boy that liked to carve statues. He was apparently an orphan taken in by the Earth God, Regigigas, and while he helped his fellow earthbenders in battle, he always felt kind of distanced.

The five earthbenders regrouped with Granite as they headed toward the tree. "That was fun, so much fun!" Granite skipped like a happy rabbit. "A thousand monsters and we crushed them all!"

"They need to remember who this planet belongs to, right Horny Boy?!" Sovite punched Hornfels and made him spin unstably.

"OW! All I know is I'm getting armored shoes. You guys are lucky not to step on any sharp rocks."

"We do step on them, they just turn to dust." Quartzite remarked with hands folded behind his head.

"But don't worry, Horns, we still like ya." Sovite said. "You're our lovable dork!"

"A pleasure." Hornfels replied in sarcasm. "Just keep me as far from the action as you can."

When they entered the Tree of Beginning, the local Minish in the flower forest made sure to clear away from their path. The Minish were as big as ants to the gigantic humans, but they felt no fear in the presence of their guardians. The humans approached a crystal platform where the Minish King stood. He had a white beard and unbudded yellow flower crown. "Granite, Quartzite, Sovite, Hornfels, and Stone… you have defended our home once more from the savage creatures. The Minish will be forever indebted to you: the Five Children of Earth." King Gonsho said. His small voice was heard thanks to their earpieces.

"Awe, you don't have to do anything for us." Granite grinned, bending forward to show the king her shiny white teeth. "We're happy to protect you cute little things!"

"I am delighted. . . Lady Granite. . ." The king felt his gaze fall upon the top of Granite's chest area, which was unarmored.

"Granite, you know lots of male Minish like human women, right?" Hornfels said, pulling his leader back with an awkward expression. "Same with female Minish. They're climbing Sovite right now."

Sovite looked down in shock to see Minish climbing his legs. "Oh, he's so waaaarrrm!"

"Please, let me live on you!"

"Ahem, anyway, moving on." Gonsho coughed. "We hope you will continue to defend our home. The Tree of Beginning is among the most sacred of sanctuaries, home to Earth God Regigigas."

"Speaking of Regigigas, wouldn't he do a better job protecting this place himself?" Quartzite asked. "Why rely on us to do it?"

"I suppose we have kept you uninformed long enough. Five Children… it is time you learned this tree's most important secret. Come with me."

King Gonsho led them down a flight of winding stairs, Minish guards at his side. They rode fireflies to light the darkness. "How long have we been walking for, an hour?" Hornfels sighed in exhaust. "Why didn't you let us rest before bringing us down here?"

"I suppose if you wanted to, you could have earthbent these stairs to carry you down faster." Gonsho replied.

"So why didn't we?!"

"One should always enter a new location cautiously."

Eventually, they arrived at the bottom of the stairs, entering a shrine lit by glowing green crystals. There was a huge sealed door with a symbol of a diamond, and four pedestals before it. There were footprints in front of each pedestal and a diamond-shaped hole on top of them, both colored the same of four respective colors: green, yellow, red, and gray. "God Regigigas… you are here, I see." The king said.

On the right of the shrine was the God of Earth himself: a massive robot with six beeping colored lights, bushes on his shoulders and feet, gold rings around his wrists and base of his arms, and a gold center with smaller lights. "I have designed this door to only open by the powers of Earth, Sand, Lava, and Metal. Will the respective children take your places on the pedestal."

Granite planted her small feet in the prints before her pedestal, Quartzite took the yellow one, Sovite the red one, and Hornfels the gray. Stone looked confused. "Why isn't there one for me?"

"When the seal is removed, you may use your power to open the door."

"Sounds like a job you could do, but… okay." Stone half-interestedly walked up to the door and put his hand to it.

"Four Children, channel your chis into the pedestals." Gonsho instructed.

The four others put both hands over the glowing holes and focused their power. The combined powers of Granite's earth, Quartzite's sand, Sovite's lava, and Hornfels' metal all met at one core. The diamond on the door glowed, and Stone exhausted a great amount of power in pushing it open. They all entered the chamber. Dozens of colorful crystals lined the surrounding walls—Nature Crystals that each possessed a form of nature. In the very center was a spire of solid blue gem. It grew from a shining pink crystal that appeared to have a heart inside.

"This stone is none other than the Heart of the World." Gonsho confirmed. "Every planet has its own Heart that is heavily concentrated with a certain chi that covers the whole world. Our Planet Earth is one that's composed of ALL chis, making this a very sacred place."

"Is that why the demons want to destroy this place?" Granite asked.

"I fear that is why… but there is another secret even they do not know. The knowledge of this secret could very well shake the universe. So, before we divulge it unto you… will you swear to secrecy?"

"Suuuure!" Granite sang. "I can keep a secret! Can you guys?"

"I guess so." Hornfels said with a casual grin.

"Yeah, I'm game." Sovite shrugged.

"Me too." said Quartzite.

"…" Stone was silent for a moment. "If this is really so important, why didn't you ask us before we actually entered this room?"

". . ." Gonsho felt a tad sheepish. "That would have been a logical approach. Oh, I trust you regardless. Up this way."

Still riding their fireflies, the king and his guards flew up a stairway that spiraled up along the walls, the teens having to duck Nature Crystals on their ascent. "Ouch!" Hornfels bumped his head on a blue one. "Ack, so cold!"

"You're such a stick." Sovite touched the boy's head to warm it up with his chi.

The stairs ended at the top of the tall spire, where a large pink diamond rested in the center. Inside was a child-size creature made of stone, wearing a pink diamond on its head. Granite was first to approach the creature, utmost curiosity overcoming her. She put her hand to the diamond. "I feel a powerful energy inside this thing… but what is it?"

"The date in my memory files was approximately 4,978,400 years ago." Regigigas spoke. "I met a spirit of a woman with pink hair. She entrusted me with an egg and said it must be protected at all costs. The creature hatched from the egg possessed Earth Chi more powerful than mine. It knew what power it possessed and sealed itself inside this Diamond Cocoon."

"You five are aware that Mew lives in the tree." Gonsho said. "And you know what Mew is. Perhaps you can guess what this creature is…"

Hornfels gasped. "It… Is it really?"

"Indeed. Although there were only eight created by Arceus… Regigigas received this egg after his destruction. This being speaks to our sages with telepathy. She will only awaken by the powers of Five Children of Earth."

"So that means… us?" Granite asked.

"No. She does not want to awaken now. But perhaps your descendants will have the honor. Still, this deity is another reason we must protect the Tree of Beginning. And we must keep her secret from the outside. If too many people know there is another Firstborn in the universe, there will be unrest. Do not discuss what you've seen in here. Even most of my citizens do not know what lies beneath the tree."

"We understand." Hornfels said. The others nodded. "But I have to ask… is it really safe for Mew to live here in this case? I mean, two Firstborn in the same area…"

"Mew does not often stay. When he leaves, he disguises himself. Furthermore, this chamber will not open without the power of your Earth Chis. Now, let us leave. You may earthbend the stairs to carry you up this time."

"Sigh, thank you!" Hornfels expressed.

Stone stared at the Diamond Cocoon, feeling the power radiating from it. The power felt… familiar somehow.

Hot spring

"I love it when the sun appears after we destroy an army of demons!" Granite stripped herself naked and enjoyed the warming, cleansing heat of the spring. They were in a part of the Tree of Beginning where sunlight shone in, and flowers surrounded them. "It's nice to kick back and chill with the bros!"

Hornfels, Sovite, and Quartzite shared the spring with her. "I guess there aren't many female warriors out there." Hornfels said with a blush. In these ancient times, gender boundaries didn't exist.

"Yeah, all those girls are missing out! So, any of you boys wanna wash me?" She smirked.

"I will!" Quartzite's hand splashed up.

"I'm going if you guys get physical." Hornfels said, deciding to turn around. "Why didn't Stone wanna join us?"

"Maybe he can't swim." Sovite replied casually.

"The water isn't that deep. And besides, Quartzite's the only one that can swim."

"Well, you could probably float."

Stone had returned to his quarters near the top of the tree. His room was a gallery of gray stone sculptures. They resembled gods like Dialga and the Lake Trio, one was of Fairy Princess Mavis, and a smaller statue depicted an earlier Minish King. Stone's hand was planted against a rectangular block taller than him, using Seismic Sense to see every square inch on this stone. His chi flowing through, Stone singled out a peculiar area of space within the stone. He slapped the stone and broke away the area outside, and what remained shaped like Granite, sporting her happy grin.

"Another beautiful piece of art." Regigigas said from the entrance. "There is a high probability Granite will enjoy what you've created."

"Yes, she may." Stone replied emotionlessly.

"Your performance in battle was excellent. You deserve recreation. Will you not join your comrades?"

"I don't feel deserving. Although I fight on the same ground as my comrades… I am not the same."

"That is an irrelevant factor. Do you then not view these Minish the same as any human?"

"I am not certain…" Stone turned to face the robot god. "Do these Minish wear a mask like mine?" He gripped the skin under his neck and pulled it off. His head was round and bare, dark-gray, and made of stone. "Do we come from the same planet?" He used the heel of his left foot to scrape off the peach-colored paint on the right foot, exposing its true color. "Tell me again where I'm from."

"It is understood that your origins lie in what we gods call the First Dimension. When Supreme God Arceus destroyed said dimension, he constructed me with the memory and data of the dimension. Perhaps he suspected denizens from that world will find a way here. You are a member of the Ores, a race of beings composed of stone who possessed the original Earth Chi. Your cousins were the Gems, a race of supernatural beings who possessed the original magic. I believe you sensed what I had sensed: the one under the tree possesses energy similar to the Gems. While it is true your species is unknown to this universe, you possess a heart and soul regardless. I can guarantee strong assurance your comrades will find this knowledge irrelevant and think of you as they always have."

"Is it really so simple? I'm a foreign contaminate, as you imply. The First Dimension was a world of chaos… that is why Arceus destroyed it. The fact that I could be here, and that… creature underneath the tree. Exactly how much control do you gods have?"

"I do not recall referring to you as a 'foreign contaminate.' Analysis: it is a conclusion you came to on your own accord. You are accurate in your implication that there is still much we gods do not know… but perhaps it is wise to learn from mortals like yourself. Your Earth Chi is foreign to me, Stone. Although I am still analyzing… I have reached a conclusion it is not the only in this universe."

"What do you mean?"

"I have sensed curious chis in various areas. When I journeyed to these areas… I had discovered these were Natural Chis in the form of seven cubes, and two pyramids. According to my artificial memory, they are composed of a material from the First Dimension called Permanite. I have tried, but I could not break the stones. Furthermore, they possessed writing that I could not decipher. Permanite was native to Planet Ore, and was known as the Unbreakable Stone. The Permanent Stone. The only beings that could prove otherwise were its people."

"In other words… my chi has the capability to break the Unbreakable Stone?"

"Perhaps… but we have determined these stones will play a critical role for a prophecy in the far future. I would advise against the action. …I will return to my resting chamber. Do carry on, my son." The god's quaking steps faded as he left.

"So, that's what you really look like!" a girl's voice said. Stone gasped and looked around for the source, but saw only his statues. "Down here." He then looked toward the feet of Granite's statue. There was a red-eyed Minish with a pink flower cap and white leaf dress. "I hope you don't mind, but I'm a real big fan of your work. These idols of gods and legendary figures are detailed down to the core. But I guess in reality, an artist is what he creates! Can I take a picture?" She held up a Picto Box and snapped Stone's likeness.

"Do I know you, perhaps?" Stone inquired.

"Hm hm, no… I'm just a fan of art. My name's Diana. I'm an earthbender, too. I guess I'm pretty skilled, but I'm probably not on par with your level. As a matter of fact… I know this might sound embarrassing, but could I feel your head?"

"Erm… I suppose." Stone allowed Diana onto his pinky finger and lifted her up to his bald head.

She jumped on the round top and rubbed her hands against it. "So smooth… so perfect! It's not enough to say you were born with talent, you were born as a masterpiece. Do you mind if I interview you? Have you always been into art, do you have an inspiration, do you admire these people in some way? (Oops, you didn't answer the first one first.)" ^^;

"I don't quite have the energy for a discussion."

"Yeah, I guess you just got back from a battle. But I want to spend time with you, though! Do you want to go for a walk outside? I don't really get out much."

"Considering all the monsters, why would you want to?"

"Well, I want to see more of the world! This tree gets really boring, even if it's humongous. So let's go for a walk!"

"Very well. I need to paint my feet again first." Stone said as he put his mask back on, with Diana jumping off his head.

Outside

"Wouldn't you rather ride on my shoulder?" Stone asked as Diana was scampering in the grass by his left. The fluffy clouds cast shadows drifting along the earth.

"Oh, you don't need my .5 milligrams of weight. This makes good exercise!"

"How old did you say you were?"

"Twenty-and-a-half years. Now it's my turn to ask a question, if you're made of stone, can you physically feel anything?"

"As odd as it is, I can. I feel the grass, I feel the wind… though perhaps flesh beings have greater sensitivity than I."

"I don't see why you need to hide the secret from your friends. If it was shameful to say you aren't human, then it should be shameful to be a Minish or a Nimbi. We may look different, but we all live on the same planet and we're all connected."

"Maybe for the rest of you, but I'm from a universe that was consumed in chaos. I feel like my existence here is a danger on its own."

"But what bad thing ever happened because of you? Our home is safe thanks to you and your friends."

"I really can't determine why I feel this way. It's just an unsettling feeling in my chest."

"Maybe you just feel lonely because there are no other Ores that you know about. I guess when you're one of a kind, it's hard to feel like you're part of the group."

"Perhaps that is the case. But if there are no other Ores, I have no one to call family besides my comrades. The sadness I feel is a fault of my own that I must overcome."

"I wish I could make you feel better, but I'm not sure how to help."

"Regigigas speaks of various pieces of Permanite that exist in the universe. If there is any possible answer to my dilemma… it would be to find one of these stones. Maybe I could ask Regigigas to bring me to one."

"You should ask your friends to come with you, too. A family is still a family. They would love to help you."

"I couldn't ask them to go out of their way to come. Besides, somebody needs to protect-"

"Just WHERE are you GOING?" Granite shouted as a rock wall sprouted up in Stone's way. He turned to find his four friends several feet behind him.

"You've been following me?"

"I felt you walking away from the tree. Why didn't you invite us, Stone, we were up for a walk!"

"She just bolted after you and we figured we'd follow." Hornfels said sheepishly. "You looked like you were talking to someone. Or was it thinking aloud?"

"Hello!" Diana sprouted a tiny rock platform up for them all to see. "I'm Diana! It's a pleasure to meet all of you!"

"Is she your girlfriend?" Quartzite smirked.

"No, just a real big fan!" Diana beamed. "Or little fan. Do you want me to leave, Stone?"

"No, it's quite all right. Actually… I may as well tell you four something. Let's go back to the tree."

Tree of Beginning

"Oooooo!" Quartzite softly rubbed Stone's bald head. "So smooth!"

"Please stop that."

"So you were a rock person all along, huh?" Granite asked. "I thought you felt weird when I touch you."

"Surprised you didn't notice, Granny." Sovite said.

"You really do feel different." Hornfels said while rubbing Stone's hand. "And you have parts inside you that serve as organs. Odd…"

"I want to ask Regigigas to take me to one of the Permanites he spoke of. And if possible… I want to keep it with me. As a relic of my people…"

"If that's the case, we'll come with you." Granite smiled. "I'm sure Regigigas can protect the tree from a few demons."

"Five Children, there's a creature approaching the tree!" A Minish came flying in using Wing Pikmin.

"Is it a demon?!" Hornfels exclaimed.

"I don't know what it is, but it was huge and purple!"

Granite touched the ground and closed her eyes. "I do feel something coming. Let's go see what it is!"

The beast crossing the field was a purple-skinned humanoid wearing black and gold armor and a same-colored helmet. He had a large chin and big, thick hands, and his blue eyes glimmered like the moon as he stared at the great tree. "Is this the Tree of Beginning Medusa spoke of? The place where the Heart of this World rests?" The titan opened his left hand, which was holding a tiny green glowing stone. "Very well. I will bring this planet to ruin and regain my Infinity Stones!"

The bottom of the surrounding wall opened as the Five Children of Earth charged out. "Hey ugly, we got a rule called no trespassing!" Sovite shouted. "Who the heck are you?"

"I am Thanos, you impudent worms! You have nerve to speak to me in such a tongue. Now stand aside or feel the power of my Soul Stone!"

"The only power WE'RE feeling is the power of us defeating your so-called… POWER!" Granite retorted.

"Leave the trash-talk to me, sweet cheeks." Sovite fist-palmed. "Let's kick his ass!" He stomped the ground and sent a river of lava toward Thanos, but the titan jumped forth to slam his fist on the ground in their center, blowing the five benders apart. Thanos tried to enter the tree's barrier, but Hornfels threw a sword and used metalbending to bend it around his neck, trying to pull Thanos back. Granite then caught the titan in a rock trap, but Thanos broke free and grabbed a chunk of the trap to throw at Hornfels.

Quartzite jumped in the way and used sandbending to break the rock, then broke the ground around Thanos in attempt to sink the titan. Thanos raised the Soul Stone as it flashed, separating his own soul from his body. Thanos' spirit flew inside Quartzite's body, the boy screaming and struggling as he broke a sand pit toward his teammates. Thanos returned to his body and escaped his own trap, running to punch the distraught sandbender away. Sovite turned his sand pit into lava and threw it at Thanos, burning the titan only slightly as Thanos ran to punch him.

Sovite sprouted a large lava hand to lock with Thanos' left fist, but the pain from the molten rock didn't falter his strength. Hornfels jumped on Thanos' head and attempted to crush it with the gold of his helmet, so Thanos grabbed the scrawny boy in his right hand and threw him at Sovite, disabling the lava hand. Thanos was then pelted in the head by both normal boulders and spherical gray stones, cast by Granite and Stone. Thanos aimed the Soul Stone and caught them in a state of hypnosis.

A gray stone shaped like an oval crashed on Earth. Found by Regigigas, the stone steadily crumbled and became a humanoid baby. "Foreign contaminate…" Stone's voice said as he painted his skin peach and forged a flesh-like mask with hair. "Stone, why don't you play Kickrock with us??" Granite asked him pushily. "Heheh… Thanks, Stone." Hornfels blushed.

"I DIDN'T MEAN TO!" Granite screamed from her vision. "I thought that pie was for anyone! Window pie is too tasty to pass up!"

"What adorable memories." Thanos smirked at Stone's memories. "A simple stone finds comfort in the company of humans. And yet, you saw yourself as vermin that didn't belong. Let everyone see you for what you are: a mindless rock." The stone transformed Stone back into an ovular egg.

A large pink crystal shot up from the ground and stabbed Thanos' hand, dropping the Soul Stone. "The only mindless one here is YOU!" Diana stated, riding the crystal.

"Diana!" Now free of the spell, Granite chucked boulders at Thanos' face. Diana pulled the crystal out of his hand and used it to fly. Thanos jumped toward the Soul Stone, only to fall on his front when Sovite wrapped lava whips around his ankles. Quartzite used a sandwave to bring the Soul Stone over to him.

"I'm changing Stone back!" Quartzite declared as he grabbed the gem- "AAAAAHH!" A tremendous surge of power overcame Quartzite upon contact with the stone.

"Quartz!" Sovite rushed over and grabbed the stone as well, enduring the unbearable pain and successfully helping to throw it away. Thanos broke free of the lava and jumped to Granite and Stone, punching the former away and crushing Stone's egg.

"STONE!!" Granite cried.

"A mere pebble to the power of Thanos!" The Mad Titan grinned with malice. "His fate will be that of your miserable planet!"

The titan was immediately punched a great distance away by a three-fingered hand. Thanos recovered to find the one responsible was Regigigas. Although the robot's expression wasn't clear, his eyes blinked with vengeance. Thanos charged at the god, and both locked fists with each other. "What type of machine dares to oppose Thanos?!"

"I am no mere machine, Mortal. I am the God of Earth. The Earth's children are my children… and those who crush my children will know a fate worse than death." Regigigas charged lasers in his lights and pinned Thanos to the ground with their force.

"AAAAH!" The base of Thanos' left arm was impaled by a giant clear diamond. Diana was perched on it, feeling only spite for the titan. "Death would be too merciful for you."

"Hm hm hm." Thanos laughed. "The great Thanos has felt worse pain than this."

"You may reinstate your claims after approximately one day in Underworld Prison." Regigigas said. "If you claim to have been sent by Medusa… I conjecture you are one of the Thirteen."

"Regigigas, we have to save Stone!" Granite cried over their friend's shattered body. "Can you use that Soul thingy?!"

Regigigas approached the Soul Stone and picked it up. He aimed it at the dark-gray rubble in attempt to cast its power, but nothing happened. "Unable to register a response. Attempting to determine the anomaly."

"The stone won't listen to you because you're not from its world." A man's voice said. A person with brown hair and a large beard, wearing a same-colored robe approached them.

"Where did you come from?" Sovite questioned.

The man reached under his robe and withdrew an 8-ball flashing an array of colors. "The Octogan desires the Soul Stone. I must follow its demands." He aimed the ball at the green stone, slowly drawing it in. The Soul Stone sunk into the Octogan's pupil.

"NO!" Thanos yelled. "Return the Soul Stone to me at-!"

The Octogan flashed and caused the titan to freeze. "See to it he is imprisoned." The stranger said before vanishing in another flash.

"He's gone…" Granite spoke with remorse. She fell to her knees, crying over the remains of her friend. "Stone…"

"We barely got to know him at all." Hornfels said.

"It's not too late for him." Diana calmly approached the gray rubble.

"What do you mean?" Granite asked.

"Wait… you were bending that diamond." Sovite realized. "That's impossible… even Regigigas can't bend diamonds."

"I exhausted a large portion of this mortal form's chi in doing so." Diana said. "I fear I can't inhabit it for much longer."

"'This mortal form'?" Quartzite repeated. "Are you…"

Diana closed her eyes and put her hand to a piece of Stone. Stone… can you hear me?

Diana… is that… you?…

Stone… I have a secret to tell you as well. The true Diana… perished during childbirth. I sensed that she was not long, so I sent my soul to inhabit her deceased body and allow it to grow and mature. I did it so… I could walk among the Mortal World.

The Mortal World? But that means you're…

Yes, I am. I always believed death upon birth was a horrible fate… so I keep the parents from sadness and discouragement by taking the place of their child's soul. And until my true body is freed by your friends' descendants, I will continue to watch them in this manner. Stone… I can do the same for you as well.

What do you mean?

I will allow you to be reincarnated as a human. You will possess the chi that you had in this form. Your friends may not find you for some time, and your memory may grow foggy over the ages… but I am certain you will reunite with their descendants. I hope to see you again one day.

Reborn as a human… Yes. If I could be born again… I would have my own family. I could be… happy.

Yes… you could. And from now on, you will not be just "Stone"… you will be Stonebuddy!

Stonebuddy?

"Stone" is such a bland name. It needs more personality! A name like Stonebuddy is sure to attract friends.

Well, alright then… I will be Stonebuddy. Farewell, Diana.

Farewell, Stonebuddy. See you in the next life!