The Arrival
Pearl though she wouldn't admit it was asleep when Amethyst came barging into her room shouting. She was exhausted after battling Rose's plants to get healing water from her fountain and was hoping for a little downtime. That was not to be as Amethyst was running around and babbling nonsense.
"Calm down Amethyst you're not making any sense. Now can you start all over again?" asked Pearl.
"I said that we're in big trouble. Some gem kid just rode in on a giant robinoid," said Amethyst as calmly as she could.
"You must be mistaken gems don't have children."
"Whatever! Right now, there's a small green Peridot clone riding on a huge robiniod in the Beach house."
Pearl still groggy, pulled out her spear, "I'm going to see for myself."
The sight before her woke her up. Sure enough there was a small green gem standing on the kitchen counters making a mess. The little gem was bald and naked except for a diaper. She pulled out stuff from the kitchen cabinets. Her robinoid was off to the side sitting still.
Amethyst looked in confusion for a while and then pulled her whip out. Pearl signaled her to stop. The pale gem knew exactly what to do. After raising and taking care of Steven for six years she knew exactly what to do. The former servant strode right into the kitchen.
"You there get off the counters right this instant young lady," said Pearl in her most authoritarian voice.
The little gem scrambled down and stood in front of Pearl. The pale gem saw many things that Amethyst didn't. The little gem was the size of a 6-year-old. She was dirty with scabby knees. The little gem was indeed a Peridot with a large triangular gem set into her forehead. She looked up at Pearl.
"I'm hungry can I have some light buns?" said the little invader. Then she peed right through her diaper.
"You're going to get a bath first. Look at you. You're a mess," said Pearl smiling.
She then took the little Peridot's hand and marched her right into the bathroom.
"Why are you taking me to a think chamber?" asked the little Peridot.
"You'll see," replied Pearl.
As Pearl filled up the bathtub she stripped the little gem down. The diaper was filthy. One the bathtub was full Pearl put in some bubble bath and then the gem child. Pearl started scrubbing away.
"Look at you so dirty," scolded Pearl. "How long have you been playing in the warp stream?"
"I wasn't playing I was running away," pouted the little child.
"Oh and why did you want to run away from home little one?" asked Pearl. By this time, she was scrubbing Spunky's scalp. Pearl could see some stubble growing.
"They had sold me to a shipping yard and were going to chop off my limbs and give me robot parts," said the little gem.
"Now my next question is very important. Who are you?"
"I'm Peridot Facet 2F6, 6 -they call me Spunky."
Pearl asked a couple of more questions as she scrubbed Spunky clean. Then she pulled Spunky out of the bathtub and drained it. As she toweled Spunky dry, Pearl could see her little eyes drooping.
"Amethyst, see if you can get a pair of Steven's old pajamas from his room, will you?"
Once Spunky was dressed, Pearl seated Spunky at the breakfast counter. Then it was time to make something to eat. Pearl searched the cupboards for something to make quickly. There wasn't much, some soup and canned vegetables. There was no reason to shop for food once Steven and Greg left. Then she saw some pancake mix.
Little Spunky kicked her legs as her new manager prepared her something to eat. She could see that the older gem was using some large heating device to make some sort of cakes in a pan. Then the pale gem placed in front of Spunky the cakes and some weird metallic tool. Spunky started to eat.
"No, use this to eat," scolded Pearl. "Like this." The older gem cut a piece with a fork and fed it to Spunky.
The little gem tried her best but still she managed to make quite a mess. Good thing Amethyst had already eaten all the syrup. Pearl gave the little gem a wipe down. Then she heard the warp pad flash. Bismuth was back with a huge barrel full of gem substrate.
"All right let's get some healing magic started," Bismuth's face fell. "Er, Pearl who's this?" Bismuth pointed to the small green gem holding Pearl's hand.
"I'm Spunky," declared the young Peridot.
Pearl smiled down at the youngster, "As she said this is Spunky. Spunky rode in on one of the robinoids."
"I'm running away. They were going to give me yucky robot parts and make me work in a shipping yard," pouted Spunky.
"And so she'll be staying with us for a little while until we decide what's best for her. Now that's done. How about we try healing some corrupted Nephrites and taking care of our robinoid situation?" said Pearl.
"Can I help?" asked Spunky.
"You are going to go to bed. Amethyst read her a story and show her how how's done will you?"
Amethyst grumbled as she took Spunky's hand. She led Spunky up to a small room. Inside was big cushion covered in blankets. Amethyst plunked Spunky on the cushion and wrapped in the blankets. She looked at Spunky for a while looking slightly angry.
"All right squirt here's how it's going to be. I'm going to read you a story and then you're going to close your eyes and lie still. Got it?" said Amethyst.
Spunky shook her head. Amethyst pulled out some sort of strange tablet and started reading from it. The story was about three duckies whatever that was. Spunky didn't know what half the words were or even what they were doing. She missed her crèche mates, she missed her old managers. Spunky's eyes felt heavy and she closed them while Amethyst droned on with her story. Before Spunky knew it, she was asleep.
Once Spunky was asleep Amethyst crept out of the room. "Alright the little monster's asleep. Let's get down to business."
"Not so fast," said Bismuth. "I want to know what we are going to do with her?"
"Well take care of her, obviously. We can't send her back," said Pearl.
"Are you crazy?" shouted Amethyst. Pearl shushed. Amethyst continued in a softer voice, "Spunky's like some gem kid. And she has people looking for her."
Bismuth sighed, "Which is why we can't send her back. She'd tell where she's been. And we don't know how to care for a child. We're in quite a pickle."
"Actually Amethyst and I know how to take care of a child. We were raising Rose's son, Steven for nine years," said Pearl brightly. "Besides we have a whole planet full of child care experts."
"Ah not to burst your bubble but Spunky isn't like Steven. And we don't know what a Peridot needs," said Amethyst.
"But we do know someone who does. Amethyst why don't you call Peridot will you?" said Pearl lightly just before she and Bismuth entered the temple.
Amethyst sat herself down on the couch she was not looking forward to this. After a couple of rings Peridot answered the phone. Through the phone Amethyst could hear the breakfast rush. Biting the bullet Amethyst began to talk.
"Hey we've got a situation here!" shouted Amethyst.
"Nice to hear from you too. I'm sorry Steven's at the grill cooking. He's not available right now," replied Peridot.
"It doesn't matter it's your expertise that we want. Your robinoids started coming in and on one of them was a little Peridot. She calls herself Spunky and she's run away from home. It's all messed up. The little gremlin is all hyper and we don't know what to do."
For a while Amethyst heard silence and then Peridot started laughing. "I'd like to see Pearl's face when her orderly little world fell apart." Peridot started laughing again.
"Seriously not funny. As for Pearl, she kinda likes this. She's being all broody and mothering the little monster."
"First things first did she have any limb enhancers?"
"Nope all she was wearing was a little pair of diapers."
"That changes everything. Now listen very carefully Amethyst what you have is a newborn or very close to it. She will be hyper and very curious. Spunky needs to be supervised and kept amused at all times. Due to her naturally high intelligence and social nature she will need educational materials and surrogates."
"What?"
"Toys give her toys and dolls! Also, Spunky will need a regular routine of meals and bedtimes."
"What's wrong with a light chamber?"
"You expect a small child to lie still for 2 hours and Amethyst you're going to love this. You need to toilet train her."
"Oh great, not only do we have to deal with a flood of robinoids but some kid as well? When can you can down and help us?"
"Look Steven and I will be busy all day. You don't need my help, robiniods are idiot proof. Oh, and Amethyst whatever you do don't let Spunky into the temple."
The green gem hung up. Amethyst sighed great, more good news. Pearl and Bismuth had already gone into her room to treat Centipeedle and her crew who were sleeping off a feast of robinoids. Amethyst looked around. The place was a mess even by her standards. Spunky had pulled out stuff from the cupboards, Centipeedle's spit had eaten holes into Beach House and Pearl hadn't bothered to clean up from feeding Spunky.
Then Amethyst did something she never expected to do in her life. She started cleaning up.
Amethyst had finished putting away all cans and stuff back into the kitchen cabinets, when Pearl and a group of semi healed Nephrites entered along with Bismuth. Behind them followed a small group of robinoids.
"Hey put those robinoids back. I just cleaned up," shouted Amethyst.
"You actually did," said Pearl in amazement.
Centipeedle and her crew meanwhile were surveying the Beach House and the damage done to it. They chittered amongst themselves as if deciding what to do. Pearl could swear that she could even make out a few words. That meant having a conversation was now possible.
They started to work. Each gem took a small group of robinoids. Sitting in their own corner they tried giving the robinoids commands as they wandered around the house. The noise started to wake up Spunky. The little gem stumbled out of Steven's old room.
"I can't sleep," said Spunky as she rubbed her eyes.
"Well how about you find some toys and play quietly," said Pearl. "Now Bismuth you had some experience, Spunky don't play in there."
Spunky scrambled out of the oven. She scurried up to Pearl and looked over her shoulder.
"What are you doing?" asked the little gem.
"Look we're trying to control these robinoids and make them do what we want," said Pearl sharply.
"Can I help?" said Spunky.
"No look just leave us alone it's adult time now," said Pearl as she pushed Spunky out of the living room.
Spunky scurried into the bathroom. Pearl could hear the water running and some splashing.
"Spunky get out of there," ordered Pearl. "Amethyst clean up that mess will you?"
Amethyst grumbled as she went into the washroom. Pearl could hear Amethyst swearing.
"Mind your language Amethyst. We have a child in the house," chided Pearl.
"That's it I'm going to my room," said Amethyst.
Once Amethyst was gone Pearl turned to Bismuth, "So can you get the robinoids to do anything useful?" asked Pearl.
"No but I managed to get them to do something," said Bismuth. "Robinoids stop." The robinoids stopped for a little while.
"Is this a toy?" Spunky held up a hairdryer.
Pearl snatched the hairdryer away, "No! and where did you get this?"
"From the think chamber."
"You really shouldn't be taking anything out from there. Now er Nephrites can you try something?"
Spunky ran off somewhere else. Pearl was having a hard time concentrating.
The Nephrite captain squeaked something that sounded like a yes.
"Is this a toy?" Spunky's hands were covered in dish soap.
"No and don't play with anything from the kitchen!"
"What's a kitchen?"
Pearl pointed impatiently to the kitchen, "That there! Look go up to you room and play there. Now Captain try your best."
The Nephrite captain shrieked something. The call reverberated throughout the house and the temple. The robinoids stopped wandering and ran up to the Nephrite. Then the gems heard a rumbling noise and Amethyst came running out of her room.
"It's a robinoid tsunami!" the purple gem cried.
Behind came waves and waves of robinoids of all sizes. They burst out of the door and swarmed everywhere. The Crystal gems tried shouting commands even using their weapons but it was all too much too soon. Just as it looked like things were at their worst. Spunky stepped out of Steven's room.
"Robinoids, general order cease and desist," shouted the little gem. She was still in her pajamas.
The robinoids stopped. They turned to face the gem child. The Crystal Gems stared at the little green girl in shock.
"Flask robinoids exit the domicile and form a perimeter 100 nings around. Await orders."
Before the amazed gems' eyes the largest robinoids left the Beach house. The smaller ones still waited.
"Industrial plug robinoids scan the domicile and effect repairs. Training robinoid stay."
The small robinoids shot out green laser beams as they scanned the Beach house with their sensors. Then they squirted out a strange silvery liquid that glittered and glowed as it worked. Some of the robinoids returned inside the temple but one small robinoid stayed still. Unlike the other robinoids this one was white and fuzzy. Little Spunky climbed down the stairs and picked it up. As she hugged it to her body the thing squeaked.
"I'm hungry can I have some panned cakes again?" said Spunky.
After Pearl made some pancakes for Spunky. The older gems surrounded the little gem as she stabbed a piece of pancake with a fork and started chewing it.
"So Spunky how did you know how to do that with the robinoids?" asked Pearl. The adult gems stared down at the little gem as she ate.
"It what you learn in the crèche. Everybody knows how to make robinoids to do what they want unless they're really old," replied Spunky.
"Hey, little friend. I would like to take the big robinoids to the farm and get them to build some structures. Can you teach me how to do that?" asked Bismuth.
"Okay."
Once Spunky had finished her meal, Pearl took the young gem up to Steven's room. The pale gem found some of Steven's old clothes and changed Spunky. Pearl stepped back to look at her handywork.
"Don't you look cute," said Pearl.
The young Peridot was so small that she was swimming in Steven's old clothes. They hung loosely off her body.
"It's too big," said Spunky.
"Well until you form your own clothes, this will have to do," said Pearl. "Are you ready to go to the farm?"
Once they were out of the room. Pearl handed Spunky to Bismuth. The huge gem put on her friendliest smile as she carried Spunky to the warp pad. With a quick flash. Spunky found herself in a new world.
Staring right into her face was a strange four-legged monster with a big mane of hair and a gem for its nose. Spunky laughed as the striped thing sniffed her. Bismuth set her down.
The area was covered with a soft green carpeting. Strange brown towers with multi colored flakes dotted the landscape. Around her robinoids with gems inside them stared at her. Spunky screamed in excitement as she ran off the warp pad.
"Don't forget I need your help in controlling the robinoids," shouted Bismuth. But Spunky was having too much fun to hear her.