Sunset. After a long day's effort of building the new and improved drill, the Crystal Gems and Peridot have decided to call it a day. It will be dark soon, they're making fast progress, and Steven needs his rest. Amethyst had wandered off several hours ago, and Garnet has taken Steven to bed. Peridot can be seen alone, lounging on a bale of hay.
[[Log Date: 718.
It has been 6 planetary rotations or "days" since my miscalculation had resulted in the destruction of our first drill machine. I have since repaired my standing with the Amethyst, and the Steven had somehow tricked me into confessing my mistake to the rest of the Crystal Gems... The Pearl was strangely accepting of my ineptitude and did not reprimand me, and thankfully, she did not begin spontaneous singing... The Permafusion, on the other hand, gave an annoying verbal sound of disapproval and adjusted her visor before leaving... I don't understand her at all. All I know is that she annoys me to no end!
Peridot. Facet 5. End log.]]
Peridot put the tape recorder down and fell onto her back with a sigh. The drill was almost complete. Tomorrow would be the last day of work. The day after would be testing. After that... Peridot groaned with frustration as she covered her eyes with her forearm.
"You're being oddly tame this evening, Peridot." Said a familiar voice. Peridot set her arm down at her side and looked up at Pearl.
"Yeah... I suppose so." Peridot said with a sigh.
"You suppose so? That doesn't really sound like you." Pearl said with a a hint of concern.
"What can I say? I have alot on my mind. Not that you'd understand!" Peridot said with disgruntled annoyance.
"Now that sounds more like Peridot." Pearl grinned. "Well, I'm going to tidy up a bit then I'm heading back to the temple. Try not to stay out too late."
Pearl began to walk back to the barn. The Crystal Gems have been more lenient with Peridot's roaming since she had saved Amethyst from the runaway drill head. Maybe they had finally begun to start to trust Peridot? She doubted that. She had nowhere to go, and the Crystal Gems knew that.
"Hey, Pearl." Peridot said as she sat back up and turned to face Pearl.
"Hm?" Pearl stopped mid step and turned her head back. "Yes?"
"Has my efforts been... Satisfactory?" Peridot asked, concern beginning to leak into her voice.
"Where is this coming from all of a sudden?"
Peridot groaned. "Just answer the question!... P-lease." Please was a new word that Steven had taught her. She hoped that she had used it right and that Steven wasn't lying about its meaning.
"Oh, very well... Lets see." Pearl said as she rested her index finger on her chin and gave it some thought. "Well. You're brash, rude, and throw temper tantrums over the smallest of details. You have a lack proper grammar, and you have a tendency to skip small steps that leads to larger mistakes."
"Thank you for such a scathing review." Peridot groaned and fell back, missing the hey and hitting the ground with a thud.
"I wasn't finished yet." Pearl said with a smile and minor annoyance. "While all that I've stated is true, you also possess an admirable work ethic as well as a remarkable technical prowess and a desire to learn. It's clear that you want to learn and understand, and not just about the task at hand but about everything. It'll take time, but you're showing notable progress."
Peridot couldn't help but smile. She's never actually been given a positive work report before. She's gotten adequate reports, but never any that contained compliments. She felt... Accomplished. "Pearl. Thank you."
"You're welcome, Peridot. Now, would you mind if I asked why you wanted to know my thoughts on your progress?"
"I was just curious! That's all!... I wanted to know what" Peridot groaned. "What my superior tells her superior. Simple chain of command stuff."
"You're worried about what Garnet thinks of you?"
"Well yeah! All she ever does is glare at me through those tinted visors and make fracken comments at my expense!"
"Peridot! Watch your language!"
"Why should I!?" Peridot was getting angry now. She jumped back up onto her feet and stomped. Here comes another temper tantrum. "It's always her having free reign makes me uncomfortable and you need a chaperon and you're just mad cause you're single! What is her fracken deal!"
"Peridot." Pearl got real serious real fast. "I don't think I'm the one you should be asking."
Pearl turned around and headed for the barn. She was right, and Peridot knew it. She had to confront Garnet at some point, and she had to do it soon. The drill was reaching the final stages of completion, then they go after the Cluster. Peridot knew the consequences of allying with the Crystal Gems to stop the Cluster. To save her own life, she committed treason against Homeworld. But that wasn't what was bothering her right now.
Peridot laid back down on the hay pile and looked at the twilight sky and sighed. "The drill is almost complete... When this is over... I'll no longer be of any use to the Crystal Gems. I'll be sent back to the bubble dungeon or worse." A small tears trickled from the corner of her eyes, followed by more.