One: Pearl
Peridot had only finished collecting all the materials and equipment, which, based on her research, she would need for the production of fertilizer, and was about to start, when Pearl appeared.
"Amethyst and Steven told me about your plan," she said, brisk and straight-to-the-point. "Nitrogen-based fertilizers are explosive, and I thought some assistance may be appreciated to minimize that risk."
Peridot bristled. "Are you suggesting that I might be sub-optimal in my safety precautions?"
"... No..." Pearl said, twisting her hands together. "I simply know that you have a... tendency to get carried away, and since your new garden is being planted just above the Temple, I thought it would best if..."
She trailed off.
Peridot scowled, still not appreciating the insinuation. However, Pearl did have a point. Peridot had no desire to cause accidental harm to Steven and the other Crystal Gems. And while she was quite confident that she could perform relatively simple organic chemistry unassisted, she would, admittedly, not mind a little company.
"Very well," Peridot said at last, pulling welding goggles over her protective vision-sphere visor.
Pearl proved to be an accomplished chemist. At this point, it should not have surprised Peridot, yet on some small level, it did.
Peridot shook her head, and made no comment on it.
They worked quickly and efficiently, with little conversation not directly related to the task at hand. Peridot didn't mind. It reminded her a bit of producing meep-morps with Lapis.
That thought caused her some pain, so she quickly turned to another comparison: group work with other Peridots on Homeworld. Those times when everyone had knownexactly what their tasks were, and exactly how to perform it, and so there had been no need to discuss it aloud. They had simply gotten to work, a perfectly optimized system, no place for doubt or confusion—
Peridot turned from those thoughts too.
It was not long before they were finished. Peridot and Pearl surveyed the sizeable volume of ammonia they had produced with pride.
"Yes! This is exactly what this garden needs!" Peridot said, looking at the empty bed of soil she had prepared next to the defunct lighthouse. "Much more efficient than collected 'manure'..."
Pearl's face creased with disgust. "Ugh, yes. I understand the practicality of using fecal matter, but I could never stand using the stuff myself..."
"You have experience gardening?" Peridot asked.
Pearl smiled. "I've lived on this planet for thousands of years. Of course I do. It was one of Rose's favourite pastimes. I liked to help her out."
There was a fizzing feeling of excitement building in Peridot's core. An experienced gardener! Perhaps she could give some advice! Amethyst and Steven had always been very helpful, of course, but neither of them were particularly knowledgeable on the topics botany or agriculture, and Lapis—
Well. Never mind Lapis.
Pearl laughed when Peridot asked, and said she'd hardly consider herself an expert. But she still listened attentively as Peridot showed her a diagram of where she had planned the various crops to be planted, and made suggestions about which species would do better next to each other. She also had suggestions on the aesthetic virtues of the color combinations of flowers, which Peridot had not previously considered. It was an extremely useful discussion.
Pearl was a very useful Gem.
No, Peridot thought. That was not the correct phrasing. Pearl was more than her utility.
"I'm sorry," Peridot said, abruptly.
Pearl looked up from the seeds she was examining. "Pardon?"
Peridot shook her head. It would be too difficult to explain her thought processes. Too many times, when she tried, things would just come out wrong.
She did not want that. So she took her time, carefully organizing the words in her head. At length, she said, "I would like to apologize for ways I treated you in the past. I did not provide any at the time, but I see now that some of my actions towards you were... incorrect."
Pearl stared at her, brow furrowed in confusion... and then her expression relaxed, a small smile appearing on her lips.
"Ah, well." She waved a hand. "Thank you, Peridot. I appreciate it. But don't worry. I know how difficult overcoming certain Homeworld ideas can be."
There seemed to be nothing to say to that, so Peridot simply nodded, relieved.
They did a little more work on the garden, still in that same focused silence from before. Peridot distributed the fertilizer and Pearl watered the crops which were already planted. Once she was done, she announced that she would need to return to the Temple to do Steven's laundry. Peridot could have continued working, and would have enjoyed that. But based on her studies in reciprocity, she thought it may be advisable to 'return the favour' Pearl had given.
Pearl accepted, and they walked down the hill to the beach together.
"Wow, thanks," Peridot said in a quiet voice, "for assisting me."
"I know you didn't really need it," Pearl admitted. "I just... thought you might like some company."
Peridot glanced at her sidelong, and then glanced down at the ground, watching her own feet.
"I know what it's like." Pearl's voice was very soft. "When someone you care about... leaves."
"You are talking about Steven's 'mother', Rose Quartz?" Peridot inquired, seeking only to ensure clarity before the conversation continued forward.
Pearl sighed. "Yes."
Peridot nodded. In her time among the Crystal Gems, she had noticed that there was a degree of tension surrounding the transformation the rebels' previous leader had undergone. Peridot did not fully understand it. While she had never met Rose Quartz, and therefore had no basis of comparison, she thought that Steven seemed like more than an adequate trade.
She suspected that it would not be a good thing to say as much. Instead, she asked, in an even quieter voice, "... does it get easier?"
Pearl stopped. Stared out at the ocean. Waited quite some time before answering.
"Yes," she said. "Sometimes it... gets harder, too. But overall— Yes."
Peridot nodded. It was as satisfactory an answer as she was likely to get.
oOo
Author's Note: My Secret Santa gift for FourFaces! You had a lot of interesting prompts, and I challenged myself to try and hit as many different character dynamics you requested as possible. I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope you have an awesome 2018!
