What up, people! Solora Goldsun here and jumping into the realm of SU fanfiction for the first time. I've been a huge SU fan for the past couple months. My favorite character currently is Peridot, so this most recent episode has me pretty hyped. Anyway, on Tumblr, there's a thing going on called the Pearlidot Bomb, which goes on from September 29th to October 6th and has prompts for each day. I decided to try typing a fic a day and making them all a series of connected, progressing oneshots. Hope you enjoy them!
Pearl knew that taking Peridot with them on a mission would be a disaster. She could see countless scenarios in her mind's eye that ended with the annoying Gem's escape and/or betrayal. Unfortunately, this recent fusion experiment attack was too big to spare anyone to stay behind and guard her.
Before departure, each of the Crystal Gems briefed Peridot with a series of threats concerning what would happen if she tried anything funny (except for Steven, who patted her shoulder and told her that he'd keep her safe). They then got on the warp pad and warped to the cornfield where Peridot's ship had been found.
The place was completely overrun with hulking, moaning, shambling monsters. Pearl felt a shiver run through her at the sight of them. There was just an overwhelming wrongness that filled her whenever she saw or even heard about one.
Peridot bit her lip as she hid behind Steven. Normally, she would feel capable of handling these creatures, but without her limb enhancers… She clenched her small, useless hands in frustration before running after Steven, who was drawing his shield and charging one of the nearer experiments.
Pearl spun around, jabbing her spear into one of the monstrosities, ignoring the sickening noise it made. "Stay close, Steven!" she called over her shoulder.
When she didn't get a response, she chanced a look and felt her heart drop. Steven and Peridot were surrounded on all sides by fusion experiments, all of which were pounding on Steven's bubble. Garnet was trying to fight her way over there.
Reluctantly, Pearl turned back to her own collection of enemies, hoping to the stars that Garnet would get to Steven before his bubble was burst. She focused intently on the experiments, lashing out as they came close, not even stopping to look when she beat each one, sending their shards clattering to the ground.
Meanwhile, Peridot felt her knees shaking under the onslaught of mutants. There were so many emerging. Why were there so many?! She had known that their presence was a sign that the Cluster was maturing, but this was insane!
The bubble shook and she felt herself grow tense. She instinctively moved to raise her arm, only to remember that her enhancers were gone. As the bubble began to break, she crouched down and picked up the only thing resembling a weapon she could find: a strange, green and yellow pod that seemed to have come from the surrounding plants.
Not entirely knowing why, she moved in a position to block Steven's back just as the bubble burst.
Pearl heard a shout followed by a dull clunk. Then, Garnet's fists could be heard making contact with the mutants. As she finally defeated the last experiment in her vicinity, she spun around to see if Steven was okay.
Garnet was beating off a final three experiments. Steven, meanwhile, was crouched on the ground. As Pearl drew close, she saw that he was desperately licking his hand and pressing it to Peridot's forehead.
The small Gem was lying on her back, twitching slightly. Her visor was completely obscured with static and she kept spewing random, backwards nonsense. Steven looked close to tears. He withdrew his hand to reveal a large crack running through Peridot's gem.
"Th-There was one that c-came at me from behind," Steven sniffled. "P-Peridot tried throwing corn at it t-to get it away!"
Pearl stared down at Peridot. The crack was large, but it wasn't widening. "Don't worry, Steven," she said. "I'll take her to Rose's fountain. Think you and the others can handle any stragglers?"
Steven hurriedly wiped his face and nodded. "We'll get them all!"
Pearl smiled proudly at his determined expression. "Good." Leaning down, she lifted Peridot in her arms and ran to the warp pad.
When they got off, the crack spread a little further and the static in Peridot's visor turned into a series of binary codes. Pearl quickened her pace, running down the path. Without ceremony, she approached the fountain, set Peridot down on the edge, and started splashing the water onto her gem, which took on a familiar glow as it mended itself.
Peridot shuddered, her visor suddenly clearing. It took a moment for her eyes to focus and she could feel an odd sensation inside, as if her projection was rearranging itself in a favorable manner. She looked around wildly. Where was Steven?
When she turned her head to see only Pearl nearby, she yelped and fell back into the fountain. "I swear I didn't run! I thought that a projectile would stun it! Don't harvest me, please!"
"Calm down," Pearl said, holding up her hands in a placating gesture. "I'm not going to hurt you."
As she looked at the trembling Gem, she felt a twinge of guilt. Steven hadn't been kidding when he had described how terrified Peridot was of them. She had harbored only annoyance toward their new guest before. Now, gazing down at the stranded Gem who was looking back at her as if she was some merciless enemy warlord, she felt a strong surge of pity.
"Here," she held out a hand, trying to make her expression as non-threatening as possible. Slowly, as if expecting Pearl to bite, Peridot reached out and grasped her wrist, allowing herself to be pulled out.
Peridot shook the water from her hair, keeping a wary eye on Pearl as she did so. She turned to look at the fountain and blinked in surprise as she saw the giant statue there, along with the four smaller ones. They were holding flowers in their hands and the water was coming from their eyes. They looked similar to the picture hanging in Steven's living room.
"So, the stories of her healing powers were true," she mused aloud.
"Yes." Pearl nodded, smiling sadly at the statues. She didn't feel inclined to say much else to Peridot concerning Rose.
Peridot shot a suspicious glare in Pearl's direction. "Why did you bring me here? Why heal me?"
"Why protect Steven with ears of corn?" Pearl retorted, folding her arms.
"It was the only thing I could reach." Peridot mirrored Pearl's pose, adopting the same stubborn frown.
"That's not what I mean, and you know it." Pearl forced her expression to soften before continuing. "You put yourself at risk to protect him. Does this mean you finally decided to help us?"
Peridot snorted. "As if I'd turn traitor for the sake of you megaclods! I just didn't see the point in allowing the Steven to be injured, that's all!" She turned her head to the side, feeling her face heating up slightly.
Pearl silently examined the tight frown on Peridot's face and the slight twitching of her eyes as she stared fixedly at the ground. "You care about Steven," she realized.
"Pfft! Don't be ridiculous. He's simply the only one of you warmongers who doesn't want to crush me into the ground. I need to keep him alive for my own sake." Peridot was silent for a few seconds before she hesitantly looked toward Pearl. "Um… He wasn't injured, was he?"
Pearl felt a smile come to her face. "No, he's fine." She unfolded her arms. "He was really worried about you, though. He'll be happy to see that you're okay."
Peridot blinked in surprise. "You're implying that he has developed an attachment to me. Why?"
"That's just the way he is. He sees hope for you, just like he did for Lapis." Pearl turned toward the path. "After what happened today, I might be inclined to agree with him. Ready to head back?"
Peridot nodded, still trying to comprehend Pearl's words. She hadn't shown any inclination toward friendship, had she? Why would Steven care about her? Were humans just weird like that?
Before following Pearl, she looked toward the giant statue of Rose Quartz and nodded her head in its direction. For some reason, it felt right to do so.
When they arrived at the house, Peridot was almost immediately tackled by Steven, who hugged her tightly while shouting, "PERIDOT'S OKAY!"
"ACK!" Peridot made a strangled, surprised noise as she fell back, almost losing her balance. She gaped at Steven, who was still holding her against him.
"You're touching me. Why are you touching me?" She looked helplessly at Pearl. "Why is he touching me?!"
Pearl felt the corners of her mouth twitch as a laugh threatened to escape. Watching the flustered Gem and listening to Steven's excited babbling, she began to seriously wonder if they had truly found an ally after all.
Typing a fic a day should be a fun exercise for me. I'll see you guys tomorrow! Please review, but don't flame. Flames make the Perikitty cry, and no one wants that.
Peace out!