The house shook. And Peridot screamed.
The small green gem fell off of her seat, landing squarely on her back. A rumbling roar permeated the air as the slightly taller purple quartz exploded with laughter.
"I come here for a visit and- Well, something is clearly happening?" Peridot yelped, still attempting to remain calm as she scrambled back onto the arm of the couch.
"Thats just Ame," The hybrid boy, Steven, said, a small giggle still catching at the back of his throat.
"Yep! Just me," Amethyst joking, still unable to contain her laughter. The gem looked up from the floor where she had fallen after laughing. She had been bouncing in the form of a human ball, seeming attempting to release some excitement.
"So, uh, back to what you were saying. You're going to a show?" Steven asked, his laughter replaced with genuine curiosity.
"A'yup! A rock show!" Amethyst said with excitement, sitting up from her position on the floor, "Greg's taking me!"
"Have the earth rocks come alive to perform with mee-morp?" Peridot added, clearly perplexed.
"Nah, nah. Rock is a human genre of, uh, mee-morp. They sing it!" Steven explain, smiling at the confused gem.
"So humans have mee-morp too! Intriguing,"
"Yeah! And a show is a place where humans gather at night and listen to people sing! It's just all cool humans, all night." Amethyst said, making a motion with one hand as she said 'cool.'
"Lazuli has described herself as 'cool.' It seems like a desireable thing for humans to be?" Peridot stated, though her statement sounded more like a question.
"Lapis ain't cool unless she gone to a show." Amethyst laughed.
"Are these 'shows' a right of passage?"
"Yeah, you go to a show, you cool. Just how Earth rolls, P."
Peridot almost fell off her perch once again as a door swung open.
"And here's my ride." Amethyst said, standing up and stretching her back.
"Heya, sorry Ame. I promised some friends to play cards tonight. Forgot I had that planned." The adult human known as Greg apologized, scratching his neck.
"Awwwww, Gregoooooo! You gave up our show for CARDS?" Amethyst shouted, not exactly angry.
"Yeah, sorry Ame. But I gotta adult. Y'know, cards and taxes and stuff. See ya, I guess," and like that, the door was slammed closed.
A groan echoed throughout the home.
"There go your plans, huh?" Steven said, disappointment even in his voice.
"Ugh, yeah. Guess I'll have to wait another night to be cool," Amethyst groaned.
"Why must you go with the human to this 'show?' Us gems can transport very efficiently," Peridot added in, laying down on the couch arm.
"Shows are no fun without frens, Peridoot,"
Peridot flinched at the new nickname, "Well, there are many other gems here. Together you could simply warp to the loca-"
Amethyst jumped to her feet.
"Yes!" her excitement died in a moment, "And none of them would want to go with me,"
"This show seems.. fun." Peridot looked at Steven, wondering if she got the word right, "I would enjoy going to such a place."
"Then you'll have to blend in,"
…...
Peridot, Amethyst, and Steven stood in the corner of the convenience store known as the "Big Donut."
The green gem was dressed out in a messily hemmed denim jacket over her uniform, as well as black leggings ended by furry boots.
Despite Amethyst's protests, the young Steven had insisted on getting refreshments. And, here they were, waiting for the boy to pick out drinks.
Peridot toned out the boy for the most part, only picking out a few words here and there. She was mostly paying attention to a woman who had just walked into the quaint little shop.
She was taller than the gem, wearing a jacket very similar to hers. Her hair was familiar, short and deep blue. If she didn't know better, Peridot would've said Lapis had just walked in.
"Ooooo, Wondernerds got a crushhhhh," Amethyst intoned, sticking her tongue out at the short green gem.
"Hogbath! Her form is simply interesting to me," Peridot responded, not taking her eyes off the girl.
"Prove it! Go talk to her," Amethyst smirked.
Peridot snootily lifted her chin.
"Fine. Only for evidence, though,"
The green gem stiffly waddled over to the blue haired woman. She awkwardly stuck out one hand, just in front of the girl's hands. Steven had taught it that it was called a 'hand shake.' It was a human symbol of friendly truce.
The mystery woman smiled and took her hand, shaking it slightly. Without saying anything, the lady picked out a bottle of water and payed for it at the front counter.
And, like that, Peridot's new acquaintance was off.
"Hey! Peri! Come on!" Amethyst yelled from across the room. Peridot stumbled in surprise and ran over to her friends, sweat dripping off her geometric mop of hair.
"Hey! Ya dead?" the quartz joked as they exited the building. Greg's old station wagon was outside, standing as well park as Peridot could make it.
They piled in, laughing and teasing the younger gem.
The green-haired kindergartener sat in the drivers seat, with Amethyst in the passengers seat. Steven sat in the back, reading what he had told Peridot was a 'comic book.'
Peridot messed with a few buttons and the car roared to life. Its lights shined on the old road, illuminating every crack and cranny.
The car lurched forwards, swerving randomly for a few seconds, before deciding on a smooth path. They veered out of the boardwalk and started down a busy highway.
"Perinerd! Look!" Amethyst yelled, pointing out the window.
Peridot dared take a glance, and what greeted her was the sight of that blue-haired girl, riding a two-wheeled human automobile.
She made an inhuman noise of excitement and sped up. Soon, both vehicles swerved onto a mostly empty side road.
The old car sped up once more, now clearly at a speed of over 90 MPH. Peridot could hardly control the video.
"You douche! The cops are on us!" Amethyst screeched. She hardly ever cussed like that.
Red and blue lights illuminated the car's back.
"I don't care," Peridot grumbled. Something had clearly awoken in her mind. Something about Lapis.
For days the gems hadn't spoken. They had had an argument about the mirror, and homeworld, and some other things. Now the blue gem was gone, having flown to diam- who knows where. After a few sunrises, the green technician had been overwhelmed with the loneliness. She had visited the others, not expecting to get wrapped up in this mess.
Her booted foot hit the gas pedal, making an earsplitting metal-on-metal noise. The car leaped through stoplight after stoplight.
Peridot looked behind herself, seeing the black and white car getting nearer. Her grip on the machine was slipping. Badly.
"Brace yourselves!" she yelled, spinning the wheel to the left. And then she took her hands off the wheel.
The station wagon lurched off the road, rolling down a seemingly never-ending ditch. Yells chorused the mobile as it finally landed on the dusty ground.
Amethyst was first to emerge from the rubble, her whip clearly drawn. Steven emerged next, his book still intact.
But Peridot wasn't there.
The police car roared away over the side road, believing to still be on their tail.
A head popped up from the top of the ditch. The first thing they recognized was the telltale blue hair.
"Jesus! Are you three alright?" She fretted, skidding down the side of the slope.
"Us two, yea. Our driver though..." Amethyst mumbled, her voice breaking as she mentioned Peridot.
The lady immediately gripped the top piece of the rubble, which seemed to be a remnant of the roof. Amethyst joined in, hauling out the bigger pieces for the human.
At last, they uncovered a limp green body, curled into a fetus position. Amethyst and Bluehair picked her up and laid her next to the wreckage.
After what felt like hours, the body stirred. Peridot rolled over and sat up, not entirely sure of what was happening.
"Thank god! Come on! Get up!" Bluehair yelled, helping the green gem to her feet.
"Y-yea... Thanks... Lazuli.." Peridot mumbled, leaning on the girl for support.
When she had regained stability, Bluehair asked; "You guys heading down to the show too?"
Peridot nodded briskly, "How did you know?"
"Well, no one uses these roads if they ain't goin down to the party spot. It's not far. Can't offer you a ride, sadly. Sometimes I wish I had a car, huh?"
Peridot nodded as if she understood.
"Thank you. I'm Peridot."
Bluehair chuckled.
"Lazuli."