Here's the next one. Thanks for the reviews.

::Fading Echoes::

Chapter III: Gems are aliens?

Log Date: 2 1 2

This is Peridot, reviewing [highly classified] accounts on Abandoned Colony: 000-1032-939. Appointed: 'Earth'. In light of recent circumstances, details concerning… 'earth' are now accessible for my upcoming assignment. Planet earth, though no longer considered viable, still exhibits an aptitude for Terraforming. Dominant organic species, 'humans', according to records, posed little threat against successive Homeworld colonization. Three Kindergartens were constructed on its fertile surface. Within a span of one millennia, incubation and mass production of gems ensued, made possible by [Era-One] drills—a relic by modern standards.

Less conclusive are details concerning permanent structures. Earlier reports confirm a thousand-year period of initial contact, followed by Rebellion. Newer reports, however, withhold in-depth insights concerning specific events. But one name remains consistent through all accounts: that of a Rose Quartz [complete name and Facet, unknown]. Conflict among gems ultimately led to a failed earth colony—now utilized for incubating fusion experiments. Red-eye probe found no signs of living gems, as expected.

5,000 years later, and the emergence of experiments are imminent, thus my nearing departure to… 'earth'.

Peridot, Facet-5. End Log.

— — —

The miniature screen framed by five hovering digits reverted back to normal.

Peridot leaned forward in her green, hexagonal chair. She pursed her thin lips, reaching up to grasp her chin. Her limb enhancers complied, mechanical fingers circling around her jaw. It was a gentle gesture, a habit, something she found herself doing a lot lately. Behind her white visors, her emerald eyes roamed up and down a massive holo-display. Images and diagrams flickered at her pace. She slid her free hand across a keypad, humming thoughtfully as she sifted through accounts of a very interesting and very abandoned colony.

She'd been at this for days. For months, actually. Her upcoming mission required it. Preparations for her assignment to earth had been tedious at best, exhausting at worst. She was a natural Technician, a certified Kindergartener, and even she thought that the pre-mission workload was a chore. Her days now consisted of studying their current Star Maps, plotting routes of easy arrival and departure, and of course, reading hundreds of years of reports. But this didn't mean she hated it—quite the opposite. One of her greatest passions, aside from engineering machines and conducting experiments, was reading, learning, and logging her findings. Despite the weariness she felt, her interest in this planet had not diminished.

She tapped her chin with a floating finger.

"Earth," she remarked, testing the foreign name. "Such an interesting celestial body. Eight planets in its solar system. Held together by a young, main sequence star. I wonder what it looks like… well, that is, before the cluster's emergence."

Peridot grimaced.

Just the thought of their Gem Geo-weapon, incubating in the earth's mantle, was enough to make her shudder. Still, she wondered. What sort of planet could cause the subsequent pullback of Homeworld forces? Peridot was a young gem, not too young, but young enough that she hadn't been around to witness the Rebellion. For a fact, it was never mentioned or discussed in the open, and for those who were made after its occurrence, a cloud of mystery surrounded this specific event. Even she, with access to so many reports, was lacking vital information concerning the war.

Peridot shrugged and tried to continue reading. In spite of her innate curiosity, her mission was more important. The fusion experiments and the Cluster mattered most. Yellow Diamond would not be disappointed. Seventy-nine of her Flask Robonoids had been prepped, and would, in several weeks, be in route to earth. There, they would repair the unresponsive Galaxy Warp, allowing her to teleport and begin her mission.

Her sharp gaze roamed over a particularly interesting file.

It contained a list of veterans of the war. She hovered her cursor over the file, slid her finger across the green keypad. Upon providing proper authorization, she was granted limited access. Peridot opened the document, and a detailed list of names covered her quantum computer screen. She scrolled through the list, ever curious. All were quartz soldiers.

"Hm?"

Her brows rose when she discovered a single name. His name, mentioned among the ranks. She scrolled upward, zoomed in on this list.

Her features softened. She was surprised. Of course he had participated in the war. She just never bothered to ask. Or perhaps he never wanted to speak about it.

"Onyx." Peridot whispered. She swallowed a lump in her throat. "That… that stupid clod."

Not many things mattered so dearly to her, and likewise, only a few things could elicit an emotional response from her. Peridot loved her job, and she took great pride in her work. She adored serving under Yellow Diamond—the most perfect, most reasonable, most rational being in the universe! She lived to expand the Gem Empire.

But this gem... this quartz soldier, was someone she would never forget.

She still remembered it like it occurred moments ago.

Their mission had been a simple one from the start.

Step one: land on planet. Step two: locate four stranded rubies. Step three: extract them from that hellish potential colony, and then return to Homeworld ready to create a detailed, in-depth report. But somewhere along step two, something went wrong. Something always seemed to go wrong.

Prior to this, he had been assigned—No, he had requested to go. He asked to lead the mission, a highly unconventional mission at that. He had asked Yellow Diamond personally if he could head the effort, and all things considered, Peridot still didn't know why. Worse yet, she didn't know why such a mission was approved.

Before their assignment, she had heard about him, but never met in person. He was personally acquainted with Yellow Diamond. He was a highly ranked warrior, a "gem" among gems. A gem whose default form was more masculine than any other. He was the one that wanted to go and find the stranded Rubies. He requested a mission, and he was granted permission.

She thought it peculiar at first. Why would someone of his status risk their life to save a bunch of… of Rubies? They weren't exactly the highest in the ranks of Homeworld. It wasn't like he was going to save a Sapphire.

Yet, he had still been willing.

Then she was chosen as his pilot, chosen to take him to that planet to rescue five rubies. She could hardly believe it, nor could she decline, and she accepted without fail.

Peridot was not a fearful gem—far from it! But even now, she had to admit, she'd been nervous. Nervous to meet him. She heard much about this being. Caught wind of rumors concerning his character.

However, when she finally met him, any such rumors faded away.

The first thing she noticed was his height. He wasn't very tall. Of course, he was still taller than her, even with her limb enhancers on. But quartz soldiers were supposed to be taller.

That was it, though. He lacked nothing else.

He was still intimidating at first glance. His appearance modifiers fit him well, accenting a near perfect physique. He was adorned in a high-collared black jacket. He radiated such power and ability, and he walked with such purpose and determination. He was experienced—a veteran far older than her.

She expected him to be harsh, brash, hot-headed, and physical, just like a lot of soldiers. He, however, was different.

During their first missions briefing, he had smiled, a genuine twitch of his lips. In the control room, surrounded by the elite, he introduced himself respectfully and waited for her in return.

"P-Peribot… I-I mean Peridot, Facet-2F5L Cut-5XG!"

He had spoken softly. "Nice to meet you, Peridot."

They should have all died on that planet. All seven of them, rubies included. But he had saved them, at the cost of his own life. They'd left him behind. They had to. He told them to.

Peridot continued staring at his name, face twisted in a frown. She was tempted to select it, to find out everything she possibly could about this anomalous gem. When she had returned to Homeworld, and when she reported to her manager, and when the news of their mission inadvertently spread, she had been confronted by a Jasper.

Now, Jaspers was usually aggressive, but she had never seen someone so angry before. Her limb enhancers had nearly been crushed to pieces that day.

She leaned back against her chair and exited the file. She didn't like thinking about that time, and she was glad she hadn't been punished as a result of the mission. Reprimanded, yes. But punished, no. It wasn't entirely her fault to begin with. Just the consequences of limited information about that planet. Despite this fact, the guilt she felt was immense.

Peridot only knew him for a few months, and yet, she owed him her life.

She sighed, glanced at her floating fingers, and then continued her work.

When he was a child, so many years ago, he had witnessed the cruelty and the kindness mankind was capable of.

It was a time before the gems came. A time when man could walk on water, breath fire, raze mountains, and split the skies apart. It was a time when the continents were one and war raged like the flames of a burning forest. It was a time when children could be sent to die in battle—a time when a boy could be shunned simply because he held in submission a beast that could level cities with the utmost ease.

As a child, he witnessed the cold, uncaring nature of people. Back then, all he had wanted was attention, to be accepted, to be noticed. Those heated glares and those harsh words cut deeper than the sharpest of knives. So he dreamed a dream so grand—to become the leader of his village. He longed for acknowledgement, and he forsook his intelligence to play the fool. He became obnoxious, boisterous, the greatest nuisance possible, just so someone would notice him.

But as a he aged, as he matured, he witnessed the warm, caring nature of people. Things became better. He made many friends; he grew stronger; he lost people along the way; he rose from the depths in spite of his circumstance, and he learned that man was not only capable of great evil, but also of great kindness.

Even now, so many millennia later, his experiences still held true.

Naruto looked at her, this blond-haired, dark-eyed girl. He didn't know her. She didn't know him. And yet, here she was, helping him—even when he hadn't asked. There was determination in her gaze, a fire that he was surprised to see. Her arms were around him. She was strong. Not just physically. Mentally as well. She led him away from the rain. Relief coursed through his being when he no longer felt the water's icy touch. Then they were descending a flight of stairs.

There was door, and she suddenly froze.

Sadie hardly believe what she was doing. Her heart pounded like the beating of a drum. Her cheeks burned. Trepidation rippled through her body. Fear, uncertainty. Reality came crashing down with the weight of a striking hammer. Was she really about to do this? Her mind was reeling. What would her mother think?

Sadie froze.

Honestly, she could never truly predict how her mother would react to this—or any—situation for that matter. Knowing her playful and overenthusiastic nature, her mother could react in a number of vastly differing ways.

In short, anything could happen.

Just as doubt began to surge, it dissolved away once she glanced at the person in her care.

He looked young. Barely older than her. His features were mature, but he was still filled with youth, face scrunched up in agony. There was no blood on him, despite the severity of his injuries. His strange attire was torn to shreds, ripped at nearly every angle. She carefully draped her arm around him, and he wrapped his powerful arm around her shoulder. She moved slowly, nearly slipping on the wet, muddy ground.

Naruto looked calm, but she was not. She lingered at the door, reaching out with a shaking hand. Indecision was her state of mind, but when she saw his eyes again, she had no choice but to continue onward.

She opened the door, led him through another empty room.

"Thanks," Naruto repeated. Water dripped down his face, trailing across his exotic whiskers.

She nodded numbly, unsure of what to say.

So he continued.

"I'm Naruto."

"Sadie," she whispered.

"Nice to... meet you," he managed. The injuries were far worse than he imagined. First, his dangerous, uncontrolled hurtle to earth, then fighting gems while weakened, cracking his gem, and then falling through a portal at unbelievable speeds. He was amazed that he hadn't been poofed away yet. But such was the durability of a warrior like him. Blunt force trauma of this level wouldn't cause him to retreat into his gem. A clean stab through the chest would do the trick, though.

She took him to another room, remarkably, without taking a rest. Once through the last door, Naruto was hit by a wave of light. He squinted. A small lamp illuminated her massive living space. The area was clean, despite its impressive size. He noticed wallpapers, a shelf filled with books, a multi-colored carpet, and a black television set. He also saw bundles of stuffed animals piled into a small mountain.

The sight made him smile, and he was struck with a sudden realization: Sadie was really young. She must have been, judging by her youthful appearance. She was perhaps seventeen, or eighteen years of age.

Did he really want to involve her in his problems?

"You don't have to do this," he warned gently.

"I-I want to."

Naruto looked skeptical. "You don't sound too sure."

She actually laughed, a light soothing sound.

"What are we ever sure of?"

His eyes widened a fraction, and he felt his lips twitching in a small smile.

Naruto was wet, soaking wet. He didn't shiver, though, as the bodies of gems could withstand even the worst of punishments. They could survive without air, without food, without water. Survive in a vacuum. Survive at any level of gravity. Some could even plunge into magma and emerge unscathed.

The feeling of wetness still annoyed him though.

Sadie noticed his discomfort and grabbed a towel. She helped Naruto wiped the rain from his hair, and to a certain extent, his clothes.

There was some movement above them. Sadie cringed, and she heard what sounded like creaking floors, someone walking above them, moving through the house. There was one more flight of stairs in her room. This one led upstairs to their kitchen. Beneath the closed door, she saw the lights were on. This meant a certain someone was awake, perhaps startled by the sudden noise.

"It's my mom," she whispered, glancing nervously at Naruto. He still leaned against her, eyes dim with exhaustion. It was then that Sadie noticed the crack on his gemstone. As small as it was, it was deep and noticeable.

"Your mom, huh?" he asked quietly, suddenly thinking about Kushina.

"She's supposed to be asleep." She mumbled.

"Will she be alright with this?"

"That's the thing." Sadie grimaced. "I'm not really sure."

They began to move again, this time walking up the last flight of stairs. Her mom was bound to find out. There was no hiding from her. At first, she had considered leaving him in her room, but the idea was absurd. Barbara always rushed down to the basement, enthusiastic, ready to share with Sadie everything that happened at her work. Sometimes her mother would come home with a new stuffed animal, or a new set of clothes, eager to make her try it on. So keeping an entire person hidden was not an option, nor was it something she herself was comfortable with.

"I don't want to cause you any trouble, Sadie," Naruto said.

Her brows furrowed. She looked both anxious and determined at the same time. He admired that. She really was serious about helping him. He hadn't met someone like this in a very long time.

Sadie bit her lip. "Don't worry. Let me do the talking. I'll convince her… somehow."

So she opened the last door, and they were in a different room. It was the dining area, complete with a wooden table, a set of chairs, and another door. The kitchen was dark and empty, and she led him to the living room couch. The lights were on. Sadie peeked in. She saw her mother already up, looking out a window, peering into their backyard, whispering something under her breath.

"Sadie," called her mother, from the living room. "You're up?"

"Y-Yeah mom!" she stammered. Her arm tightened around the gem in her care.

"Don't you have work?"

Sadie didn't answer. She glanced at Naruto. He gave her a weak smile. She nodded once and then entered the living room.

"Did you hear that noise?" Barbara asked as she turned away from the window. "It kind of sounded like…like…"

Her mother froze, eyes traveling from the window, then to Sadie, and then finally, to Naruto. Barbara's eyes grew wide, her mouth opening and closing wordlessly. She was dressed in a teal nightgown, one that matched her postal uniform. Her hair was blonde and short, falling just above her neck.

"Mom." Sadie swallowed.

"Sadie."

"M-Mom?"

"Who's that?"

Barbara's voice was softer than usual, disbelieving. She pointed weakly at the male Sadie was supporting.

Not immediately answering the question, she took him to their couch. The moment he felt his back against the soft chair, Naruto marveled. It had been so long since he laid on a something so gentle, even longer since he had slept. For a period of time he did not count, he had been adrift in the vacuum of space, cooped up in his modified escape pod. He did not sleep through the entire ordeal, nor did he shut his eyes. He had to be awake, aware, as he aligned the redesigned craft on a rigid path to earth. Escape pods weren't meant to travel such distances, and it was a miracle he had survived such a trip. All thanks to Peridot, the prideful, yet lovable Technician.

"Mom, he needs help," Sadie said.

Naruto silently observed both of them. They were certainly related. In fact, Sadie almost looked like an exact copy of her mother. He didn't step in. It wasn't his place. He'd let her try to convince her mother.

"Needs help?" Barbara exclaimed. "Sadie, who is this? What happened? Why does he look like he got hit by a train?"

"It was far worse than… that," he whispered from his place on the couch, voice louder than he'd intended.

"Far worse?" Her mother nearly screeched. "Alright, what's going on?"

Sadie stood between him and her mother, almost protectively. Naruto smiled in slightly. Despite the state of his body, he was certain he could easily defend himself from any possible onslaught normal people could produce. Still, the gesture was endearing, and he knew for a fact that Sadie was a good person.

Sadie clenched her fists.

"I found him, mom. Outside. That… that noise you heard? That was him. I don't know how, but he ended up smashed against the side of our house, and I know I should have called you, but I couldn't leave him out there."

"What's a kid doing smashed against our house?"

Naruto's brows furrowed at being called a kid. He was easily millennia older than them, but he held his tongue. Instead he focused on channeling chakra to his injured arms.

"I-I don't know," Sadie admitted.

Barbara sighed deeply, rubbing her temples. This was giving her a headache.

"We don't know who he is-"

"His name is Naruto."

"Yeah, Naruto. Sadie, I'll just call an ambulance—take him to a hospital."

"That won't work…"

Barbara cocked a brow. "Why not?"

Naruto remained motionless on the couch, staring up at the ceiling. His eyes were distant. "I don't need medical attention. Only time."

"He's a gem!" The blonde girl blurted out.

Sadie's mom looked utterly confused, crossing her arms beneath her chest. She tapped her foot, and then she seemed to realize something.

"You mean… like the ones who hang around Greg's boy?"

"She means Steven," Sadie elaborated, and Naruto nodded slowly.

Who was this Steven they kept mentioning? His name didn't sound like that of a gem. So why was he living with gems? Why had Sadie called them his family?

"Sadie… why not just take him to Greg's kid?"

Naruto looked over at Barbara, pinning her with a sharp gaze. It wasn't intentionally meant to frighten her, but she flinched slightly.

"I don't want this town getting destroyed."

There was a seriousness in his voice that made Barbara's eyes widen. Sadie looked surprised herself, and she knew he wasn't joking. She didn't know what Naruto was capable of, but she knew what the gems could do.

There was tension in the air. Naruto could tell this wasn't entirely his fault. From his place on the couch, he knew that they loved each other, as mother and daughter should, but there was something far deeper, something that subtly strained their relationship. For all the time he had been alive, he had become good at reading people—both gem and human alike—and he perceived something about Barbara. She was too overbearing, too controlling of her daughter's life. And Sadie was shy, and she didn't always have the confidence to stand her ground. Except in this case, when someone was in need.

Even though this wasn't all because of him, he didn't like being one of the reasons for any conflict. So he bottled up his pain and rose from the couch, shakily rising to his feet. He had to be careful. Any more damage to his body and he might just poof. Even though it only happened once, he didn't like the feeling. It left him defenseless. Left him exposed.

Sadie was at his side in an instant, but he shook his head, denying her helping hand.

"Sorry about the trouble I've caused. It wasn't my intention to disturb your sleep." He turned to Sadie, giving her a small, grateful smile. "Thanks Sadie."

Sadie clenched her fists.

She didn't like it, and she didn't like the fact that her mother would turn away someone who clearly was not a threat. And as he turned to their door, she heard her mother sigh.

"Wait."

Naruto paused, gazed at her. Barbara was taken aback by his appearance. He looked around Sadie's age. His blue eyes were dull with exhaustion and something else. He seemed older somehow, looked like a boy living in the body of a man.

Their world was a confusing place, filled with magical occurrences and people. They tried their best not to get involved, but she still knew to help someone who needed it.

Barbara stepped back. "I don't know what's going on, and maybe I won't ever know." She rubbed her short hair. "Dang, I must be getting old. All this magical stuff. It's all confusing. But, uh, you can stay—you should stay."

He must have been exhausted.

The moment he laid down again, his eyes closed, and his breathing evened out. His face relaxed, and Sadie took this opportunity to observe him from a distance. His dark hair was stunning, tinted silver by the light of their house. He had whiskered cheeks. He wore a tattered black outfit that displayed much of his chest. Yellow diamonds dotted various sections of his clothes. Though cracked, his gemstone was dark and structured. She was almost tempted to reach out and touch it, to feel its surface beneath her skin. To find out what it was exactly. A real precious stone? Or perhaps an emblem worn by those who called themselves 'gems'.

Barbara stood next her. She placed a cup of water on a table near Naruto. Sadie looked at her curiously.

"Maybe he'll be thirsty?"

Sadie shrugged. Maybe. Gems were strange people, and she would be lying if she claimed to know everything about them.

"He looks about your age, yeah?" Barbara asked. "Kinda looks like he hasn't slept in years, either."

The blonde teen nodded slowly. "He's badly hurt, but there's no blood. I wonder what happened to him."

"I don't understand any of this stuff," her mom grumbled, stifling a yawn. "Greg would know, the crazy bastard."

Another yawn.

"I think you should sleep, mom," Sadie suggested. "You have work earlier than me."

Her mother hesitated, glancing suspiciously at the resting gem on their couch. Sadie had laid a blanket on him, just in case he was cold. Even though he slept, it seemed like he was still very much aware of his surroundings. Ready to protect himself if the need arose.

"Mom, he's asleep. He could barely walk. I don't think he'll be moving around for a while," Sadie reassured. "I'll be fine."

Barbara struggled with the idea, grumbled to herself, and then she stood up. "We'll figure this out in the morning." She placed a gentle palm Sadie's forearm. "Get some sleep, and call me if anything happens."

"Don't worry mom. I'll sleep here tonight."

Her mother retreated to her room across a hall, and as a precaution, Barbara left her door wide open, so if anything occurred, she could spring into action.

Sadie glared at a clock. Almost 12 o'clock. She had work in the morning. Tomorrow was Sunday, and work at the Big Donut began at seven-thirty. Maybe she should take the day off.

Definitely not.

Lars could never hope to handle the store on his own.

Sadie sighed, but held strongly to her decision. She had chosen to help him. She wasn't going to start regretting that now. She'd watch out for him all night if she had to. So she got her laptop from her room and began surfing the web, while occasionally glancing his way. Just in case he needed something.

"Hinata…"

Sadie paused, looked over at him. Naruto's breathing was a bit harsher now, but he still appeared to be sleeping peacefully, mumbling things in his slumber.

"Lapis..."

Another one.

She heard more names after that. Names of gemstones, and strange, foreign sounding names. Must have been some dream.

Her eyes returned to her screen, and after some time, she grew bored.

By the time she turned her gaze on Naruto again, she noticed something.

The majority of his bruises were gone. Steam seemed to emanate from his wounds. The scratches had faded into oblivion, and his skin looked healthy and undamaged.

Naruto slowly opened his eyes. The living room was lit. He stirred against the couch. He felt a blanket draped upon his body, intended to keep him warm. He blinked, then glanced to his left.

He saw Sadie on another couch next to him. Her eyes were closed, her head resting against the back of the seat. A laptop was securely on her lap. She must have fallen asleep. He smiled faintly once he realized she had placed the blanket on him, even though he didn't need it.

Naruto sat up slowly, carefully. He gritted his teeth, and then he inspected the state of his body. No more bruise and scratches. The gash that the Pearl had given him was gone. His clothes were still torn apart, and he made a mental note to fix them later. He could move now, but he knew his ribs and his arms would need more time to heal.

So he quietly rose from the couch. Good, he could stand on two feet. He could walk around too. The damage the Amethyst's whip had cause to his ankle was gone.

The masculine gem grabbed the blanket Sadie had given him, laid it on her, and she unconsciously snuggled into the soft, purple fabric. Naruto clenched his fist, then began walking. He made for their door, slowly opened it, and went outside.

He was hit by a wave of fresh air. He sighed, looking up. The clouds were now clear, and rain no longer fell. A beautiful full moon shined down from the heavens above, and he stood mesmerized by it.

"Infinite Tsukuyomi," he said silently, remembering that dreadful technique, that blood-red spiral of rock that burned down on the world below.

He caught sight of the roof of Sadie's house. Naruto focused. Then he began to rise, lifted from the ground by a gentle gale of wind.

Once close enough, he stepped onto the roof. There he took a seat. He leaned back and continued to gaze at the stars and moon and clouds. He relaxed. Though pain still radiated down his body, he clasped his hands behind the back of his head.

It didn't take long. A few minutes later he heard the door beneath him open. Sadie emerged from the house, wrapped in her purple blanket. She looked confused, head turning in every direction possible, trying to locate him.

He gave a tiny laugh at the sight.

Before she could give up, he spoke.

"Up here."

Her head snapped upward, and her eyes widened.

"Hey," he called absently, sitting up.

"Hi," she replied, clutching the blanket tightly. "I thought you left."

"Still here." He spoke softly, silently.

Then Naruto stretched out his left hand, the least damaged one.

Sadie gasped.

She suddenly felt the air around her move, swirling faster and faster. It was controlled, deliberate. A miniature tornado formed beneath her feet, and she was raised from the ground, higher and higher, until she was also on the roof.

"Whoa," she breathed. "That was cool."

"You're not surprised," he observed.

"A little bit," Sadie said, shrugging as she took a seat beside him. "We see a bunch of weird stuff in this town."

Naruto tilted his head. "That so?"

She nodded, clutched the blanket closer.

Naruto remained silent. He beheld the sky above them. The moon. The stars. One would think he would be sick of space, after all the time he had spent looking for earth, but no, its majesty never waned. Not one bit. It even looked better from a distance.

"Thank you, Sadie, for helping me," he repeated again. "I know I've said this many times. It's just—I haven't seen humans in a long time, and the first one I see is so kind."

"Don't mention it," she returned, face burning, not used to such attention. "I… I couldn't leave you out there. No one would. I'm surprised that you trusted me so easily."

Naruto looked amused. "I'm the one who should be surprised. You took me in, even though we've never met before. That was some risk."

He was right, in a way. They had both taken a risk.

"You're right, but what's life without risks?" she asked, blowing a strand of hair from her face.

"A boring one, that's for sure." He managed a small laugh.

Sadie looked concerned. "Are you okay?"

Naruto nodded once, then exhaled. "Yeah, I'm fine. My body's still in the process of healing." All of his external injures were gone. That was good, at least.

There was another moment of silence, and Sadie glanced at him, a question forming in her mind.

"Hey, um, what do you mean you haven't 'seen humans in a long time'?"

Naruto rose a brow. What an interesting question to ask. He saw no reason to withhold such information. He was in her debt, after all.

"I came from there," he answered. He directed her gaze to a purple galaxy, glinting brightly in the night sky. Homeworld's galaxy. The Domain of the Diamond Authority. "I've been on earth before, though. Long ago."

His answer was a shock.

"Gems are aliens?" Her eyes widened.

"Most of us, yes." Technically, he and the Amethyst weren't 'aliens', since their original home was earth, and the fact that he had once been human. Naruto didn't move. But he was still a bit surprised she wasn't aware of this fact. "So what exactly did you think we were?"

Sadie shrugged, amazed that she was taking this in so calmly. "Everybody just assumes you guys are strange people with weird magical powers. Now, the alien thing makes a lot more sense."

Naruto focused his gaze on all the world around. He eyed the buildings and hills and grass.

"I miss this place," he whispered.

His eyes shone with longing, and Sadie asked, "When were you last here?"

"Five thousand years ago."

His words must have shocked her again.

Sadie remained quiet, completely taken by surprise. He looked so young though.

"Oh boy, this is crazy. I can't believe I'm talking to an alien on my roof. I need to sleep." She said it jokingly.

Naruto laughed softly. Then he became thoughtful, pinning her with those hard blue eyes.

"Do you want me to leave?"

Sadie paused, cheeks reddening in embarrassment. "No. Don't. Sorry. I-I mean… it's up to you."

"Up to me, huh?" Her statement resonated within him. For so long, despite his rank on Homeworld, he had been following orders. The complete autonomy earth provided was beyond refreshing.

"Where are you going to go?" asked Sadie. She didn't truly know why she was asking him this, but she felt compelled to.

"I don't know."

"You can stay here." She fidgeted, suddenly nervous. "If you want. It's just me and my mom. There's plenty of space. The town is pretty great too."

"You don't know that much about me, Sadie," he spoke calmly, glancing at his hands. Two spheres of glowing blue energy suddenly formed above both palms, spinning wildly, then dissipated. "I've done a lot of things. Things I'm not very proud of. I came to earth hoping to amend some of my actions. I don't want you, or your mother, or this town, involved with… someone like me."

There was no self-pity in his voice. Only a harsh truth. It took him nearly five thousand years to fully regain his human memories. In that span of time, he had been on countless missions he now regretted, struggling with Homeworld ideals and the ideals he had learned as Naruto Uzumaki.

"You don't seem like a bad person," she said simply, mesmerized by the resengans he had recently created. "And the people in Beach City? They won't care about your past. I don't. My mom won't, eventually."

"There's a lot more to it than that." He sighed. An image of those three gems flashed in his mind.

"It's Steven's family that did this to you..."

Again with this Steven. But Naruto internally applauded her perceptiveness.

"Not entirely," he explained. "But yeah… I met them."

"Met them…" she knew he wasn't telling her everything.

Naruto looked over at Sadie and smiled. "Don't worry about it. That's my own mess. I'll handle it when it needs to be handled." He looked upward. "For now, I'll stick around. For a few days at most. Until I'm fully recovered."

"You'll think about staying?" she asked curiously.

"Maybe," he conceded. "Just maybe."

Sadie smiled, then stifled a yawn.

He smirked. "Go get some sleep."

"Alright, mom," Sadie murmured both sleepily and jokingly.

Naruto wrapped her in a small bubble of air, and carefully floated her down below. The wind actually felt nice. Almost alive, she thought. Through drowsy eyes, Sadie saw this blue-eyed gem lean back against the roof, where he continued to gaze at the stars.

An enigma, he was.

What a strange day indeed.

AN: It was interesting writing Peridot. She's literally my favorite gem. So a bit of her past with Onyx is revealed. And yes, five of those Rubies were from "Hit the Diamond".

Naruto's not fully healed yet, and it seems like he's gonna have to get his gemstone fixed. Hmm, I wonder how that'll happen?

Naruto's weapon will be revealed when he needs to use it.

Thank you for your time!