Steven Universe [OneShot] – Obligatory Peridot Beach Episode
Tumblr Prompt: I wish you would write a fic where peridot goes to beach city with steven and they have fun, meet lars, sadie, walk by the seashore...
[I took some liberties with this, as the prompt itself is a little vague, so hopefully you like this]
"Steven, wait for me!"
"Peridot, you've walked through sand before, why exactly are you slowing down?" Steven called from down the beach. Peridot was struggling to walk through the sand, although Steven had no clue as to why. As she stumbled and tripped her way closer to where Steven was, the reason behind the struggle became apparent. Peridot was wearing sandals, or at least, attempting to walk in sandals. They didn't quite fit her feet, and she was having a hard time keeping them on while walking on the loose sand.
"Curses, why must this area be filled with loose white granules that act as a free-flowing liquid-slash-solid mixture?"
"What? Oh, you mean the sand? I mean, that's why it's called 'the beach,' Peridot. Beaches are supposed to have sand, after all."
"Nyaaaargh! Forget it! I'll just use my own two feet!" she screamed, kicking off the sandals. The force of the kicks knocked some sand into the wind, which just so happened to be blowing directly towards Peridot's face.
"Bleh! Blargh! Whyyyyyy?"
Steven started chuckling, and then set about brushing sand off Peridot's face.
"You crack me up, Peri!"
"I do not! I don't crack anybody up in a way that would cause them bodily harm! That would violate the nonviolent ways of the Crystal Gems!"
"Wha? I'm talking about jokes, Peridot," Steven said, thoroughly confused. Peridot was hilarious in her own way, but when she takes things too seriously, it sort of kills the joke in the process.
"*sigh* Just forget it, Steven. Anyways, what is the meaning of our endeavor today?"
"Um, we're going to the beach. Y'know, have fun, play games, share experiences. Fun!" said Steven, spreading his arms out. Peridot stared at him.
"Fun?"
"Oooooh! 'F' is for friends who-"
"No! Stop singing that infernal song! This is the fifth time this week that you've referenced that show and I will not go through another 48 hours of that idiotic sponge!"
"S-Sorry . . ." said Steven, putting his ukulele away.
"Haha, what're you dorks up to?" called out a condescending voice.
"Lars! Sadie! Yay, friends!" yelled Steven, running towards them.
"I'm not your friend, you twit!" Lars said, dodging Steven's tackle-hug. Sadie picked up Steven and gave him a hug.
"Hey Steven. Who's your little friend?" she asked. Peridot flinched at the word 'little.'
"This is Peridot. She's the newest member of the Crystal Gems and our newest friend!" Steven said, putting an arm around Peridot. She started grumbling and making incoherent noises under her breath, which Steven ignored.
"Is . . . she doing okay?" Sadie said, looking confused. "She looks like she's about to blow a fuse."
"Uh oh! Deep breaths Peridot, deep breaths. You know what happened the last time you got really angry."
"What, did she start crying to her mommy?" sneered Lars.
"No, she threw my TV out the window. Pearl had to go fix it and now my TV gets reception from TV stations all over the US."
"Oh. Well then, as long as it's fixed, no worries," said Sadie. She walked closer to Peridot and held out her hand.
"Nice to meet you, Peridot. I'm Sadie. I work at the Big Donut over there," she said, pointing at the shop across the way. Peridot perked up at the word 'Big.'
"What exactly are these 'dough - nuts' of which you speak of?" Peridot asked her. "Are you referring to the circular object with dark matter and colorful stripes on top of that building?"
"Um, yes? It's a pastry. You've never had a donut before?" Sadie asked. Steven smiled. At least Peridot was interacting with humans in ways other than pushing them off of the roof.
"Gems do not require sustenance in order to function, unlike humans, and can survive through millennia without the need for 'food' or 'drink,' as you humans put it. Although our physical forms are equipped to handle such functions, I've always deemed it detrimental towards the success rate of my missions."
"Hey, the only people who say they don't like it-"
"-have never tasted it!" yelled Steven, ecstatic.
"Hey, Steven, you watch Spong-"
"NO! ENOUGH WITH THAT INFERNAL SHOW!" Peridot yelled. Lars yelped and fell over. Sadie was busy laughing with Steven over the reference to notice Peridot fuming at her.
"Oh, man, I'm glad that we bumped into you guys, Steven. Looks like this day will be pretty interesting. Care to join us?" Sadie asked.
"What?" Lars yelled. He stood up, brushing himself off. "Sadie, we were supposed to hang out today."
"Oh, come on, Lars. The more the merrier, am I right?"
"Yeah!" Steven said, giving Sadie a joyous high-five. Lars and Peridot both started grumbling under their breath, and begrudgingly followed behind Sadie and Steven as they walked along the shoreline.
The four of them explored the beach for most of the morning. Steven was collecting shells, with Peridot peering over his shoulder and inquiring about the various shells. Lars was busy tossing rocks at birds, with Sadie scolding him every time a rock sailed too close to the seagulls.
"Steven, what exactly is this?" Peridot asked, holding up something gray. Steven looked up from the sand castle he was building.
"Oh! Peridot, you found an oyster! Here, let me see!"
Steven took the shell and gently opened it. Inside was a beautiful white orb, which started sparkling in the sun.
"Oh. My. Gosh. What a beautiful little pearl! Good job, Mr. Oyster!"
"Steven?" Peridot said slowly.
"Yeah?"
"Which Gem did this Pearl belong to? Was it a high-ranking Quartz or does this Pearl belong to someone of a middle-class status? Why was the Pearl stored inside this bivalve mollusk? What's the-"
"Peridot, Peridot! Slow down, I can't answer all your questions at once."
"I apologize. Please explain, Steven."
"This is a human-world pearl. It's not made on Homeworld or anything, they're made inside oysters."
"Earth produces Pearls naturally? This is unheard of," she said, staring at the tiny sphere in Steven's palm. She gingerly poked the pearl several times, as if willing it to move on its own.
"The Pearl isn't regenerating, Steven. Was it decommissioned?"
"Peridot, these pearls aren't the same Gems as you are. They're used in jewelry like necklaces and stuff, and the good ones are like, super expensive, or at least that's what my dad told me."
"So they're accessories, and the higher the quality, the higher the monetary value? Sounds like Homeworld to me," said Peridot. "They are pretty though, for such a tiny sphere."
Steven tipped the pearl into Peridot's open palm. She looked at it for a few seconds, and then closed her fingers around it gently, smiling.
"Whatcha thinking about, 'Dot?" Steven asked.
"Something. I'll be right back," Peridot said, walking down to the shoreline, and crouching at the water's edge. Steven stared at her figure, framed in the light from the sun and the sparkling reflections from the water, and smiled. He topped off his sand castle with a flag made from several leaves and a stick, and then began digging out a moat for his castle.
It was several hours later that Steven, now thoroughly tanned, looked up from his creation to find Peridot standing over him.
"Hey there, Peridot. What have you been up to?"
"Please follow me, Steven," Peridot requested. Steven stood up and followed Peridot. She walked over to where Sadie and Lars had set up a blanket and umbrella. Sadie looked up as Peridot and Steven drew nearer.
"Oh, hey you two! Done playing?" Sadie asked. Lars lifted his sunglasses, scoffed, and then went back to attempting to tan himself.
"Ahem. I have something that I'd like to . . . um . . . give to all of you," Peridot clumsily recited. Clearly she had been working up some courage for this.
From behind her back, Peridot produced three necklaces, each with a large round pearl affixed to it.
"Oh, Peridot, they're beautiful!" Steven said, hands on his cheeks and staring in wonder.
"Wow, they sure are! Where did you get the pearls from, Peridot?" Sadie asked.
"Oh no, have you been searching the beach all day for oysters with pearls in them?" Steven asked, placing his new necklace over his head.
". . . affirmative," Peridot said, her cheeks a slightly darker shade of green.
"Gee, thanks," said Lars. Sadie elbowed him in the side.
"Oof! I mean, t-thanks!" he said, putting the necklace on as well. He then noticed Sadie gesturing for him to put on her necklace for her.
"What? It's not like your fingers are broken. You can do it yourself," he said, crossing his arms. Sadie groaned, and then socked him in the shoulder. While they started bickering, Peridot pulled Steven aside and whispered in his ear,
"Steven, are those two the real-life equivalents of Percy and Pierre?"
"Wha?"
At the end of the day, Sadie and Lars parted ways with Steven and Peridot. Sadie hugged Peridot, something that the Gem wasn't used to. Lars held up a fist in an attempt to fistbump, but Peridot held up her own fists in a defensive pose, so Lars just rolled his eyes and tapped his fist against Peridot's. As they trudged up the hill to the Temple, Steven recounted his endeavors with his sand castle to Peridot, who seemed to be only half-listening.
Pearl was there to greet them at the door.
"So, how was your day at the beach, you two?"
"It was awesome! I made a sand castle, we met Lars and Sadie, and then-"
"Um, here!" Peridot yelled suddenly. She shoved something into Pearl's hands, and then quickly scurried inside. Pearl and Steven looked at what Peridot had left behind.
It was the pearl from the first oyster that Peridot had found. She had fashioned it into another necklace as well, along with a seashell that Peridot had clumsily carved the letter 'P' into with a rock.
"Why did Peridot give me an Earth-pearl? I mean, I'm flattered, it's very pretty, but isn't it a bit redundant to give a Gem a gemstone of the same name?"
"I think it's her way of showing she cares, Pearl."
"I certainly hope so. At least this isn't an actual Gem warrior, otherwise I'd feel very uncomfortable wearing this around my neck," she said, pulling the string over her head. The pearl sparkled in the moonlight.
"Well, looks like this was a pretty satisfying beach day, don't you think, Pearl?"
"I wasn't there."
"Agreed, it was an amazing day! Hope tomorrow will be an even better day!"
"No, Steven. Who are you even talking to?"
"Dunno."