The warp field died away as the two aliens stepped off the pad. The cool New Jersey evening they had left was now replaced by a sweltering, humid pall. Even here underground, the air was thick.

"Ugh, where are we?" Lapis muttered, wiping at her hair. "It's really hot…"

"I am unable to get reception at present," Peridot replied, her hand pad showing an error message. "We must get to the surface, and then I can accurately ascertain where we are. I recommend following this small stream." The Gems plodded along the small underground waterway, following it until it reached the surface.

"Much better," Peridot said to herself. "Calculating… ah. We appear to be in a region known as 'Florida.' It is attached to the southern part of the North American continent. We are currently near a settlement known as… Orlando.'"

"Orlando, huh? Never heard of it."

"Lapis, I'm going to assume you haven't heard of any Earth settlements," Peridot replied.

"Just making conversation…"

"…yes. Well, anyway… Orlando is apparently home to a number of things known as 'amusement parks.'"

"What, like Funland?"

"…Funland."

"Steven told me about it. He said it had rides and stuff. He… said he wanted to take me once."

"Hmmm. Perhaps we should try a… amusement park. However, I have a feeling we will encounter our old nemesis, Tickets Please. He and his minions seem to guard human entertainment and transportation venues."

"We can worry about that tomorrow, Peridot. It's night. Humans tend to close down at night."

"Ah, yes. They require rest, you said."

"Yeah." Lapis glanced up. "Wow. Look at all the stars."

"What?"

"The stars, Peridot. Look up." The engineer obliged, her indifferent expression remaining.

"I am looking up. And?"

"And just enjoy it. It's pretty. Steven told me about the stars… that humans like to see… shapes in them. Pictures and stuff."

"Stuff in the stars."

"Look up… um… what did he call it… oh, yeah, the Big Dipper." Peridot dutifully typed it into her pad and skimmed the resulting entry.

"A large asterism that serves as part of the constellation Ursa Major, or Great Bear… curious."

"Constellations! That's what Steven called them!" Lapis said. "He told me a couple others… maybe we can find them."

"Well… at least there is a partially scientific purpose here," Peridot sighed. "We will look for these constellations… tell me the names?"

"Uh… Orion."

"The Hunter. There," Peridot replied, pointing to the configuration.

"The Cross."

"There."

"Um… Cassiopeia."

"The Queen. She is that line that looks like a squashed W." Peridot paused before typing a few commands into her pad. After a moment, it zoomed into a group of stars just below Cassiopeia, with one in the center of the screen. Lapis frowned.

"Huh… I don't recognize that constellation… what is it?" Peridot looked into her eyes.

"Home," she said quietly. Lapis broke the shared glance to gaze up at the small, twinkling light. She stared at it for a while before slowly sinking into a sitting position. After a moment, Peridot slipped next to her, some of her floating fingers landing on Lapis' hand. The watery Gem twitched a little, but didn't remove her hand. Instead, the two looked quietly at the star for the rest of the night, sharing not a single word until it faded from sight behind the rising sun.


The spell broken by sunrise, Lapis and Peridot wandered into the city proper. While nowhere near the scale of Manhattan, Orlando boasted a handful of skyscrapers and a new legion of tourists to fight against on the street.

"It's curious," Peridot mused. "Humans put so much effort into going to places where they don't live… I wonder why that is."

"Maybe they're just curious. I mean, technically… we're tourists right now, too."

"I am no such thing," Peridot scoffed. "This is a mission of discovery and education."

"Was that before or after you drank five Cokes at the baseball game."

"I merely needed a large sample size!" Peridot snarled, her cheeks a slight green.

"Hey, don't worry about it; I had at least five too…" Lapis smiled. "Anyway, I think we need to go to this… Walt Disney World all these signs are talking about. I guess that's their main hub?"

"Indeed. We should find a means to protect ourselves from Tickets Please before we go, however. Perhaps this… travel agency can help us," Peridot mused, pointing to a small office in a simple building. The two Gems crossed the street and entered the office.

It wasn't all that impressive; the air seemed stale, broken up only by a small fan in the corner. Faded, crumbling pictures of cities and landmarks adorned the walls, and a few shelves stuffed with brochures of far flung destinations sat in the corner. As Lapis paged through the brochures, Peridot strode up to the agent at the desk.

"Good morning, ma'am! How can I help you?" she asked.

"My colleague and I are interested in securing a means to go to your… Walt Disney World."

"Ah, WDW… a popular destination! Helped make Orlando the most visited city in America a few years back… what are you interested in doing?"

"We wish to see why people go to these parks."

"Ah, all-inclusive, of course! We have a few packages here…" The young woman paged through a well-worn folder on her desk. While she waited for the human to finish, Peridot's eyes wandered over the desk. Nothing particularly useful… primitive writing implements; an even more primitive computer; a glass of water; a jar of…

"Do you actually plan to consume all these?" Peridot asked, pointing at the large jar full of M&Ms. "I have learned these can be harmful in large quantities."

"Oh, no, no, of course not!" the agent smiled. "They're for a contest."

"A contest."

"Yes. Anyone who guesses the correct number gets an all-expenses paid trip to the destination of their choice, when they want it. Of course, no one's come close!" Peridot frowned thoughtfully, picked up the jar, and stared at it for a moment.

"18,752." The agent's face went slack.

"I… beg your pardon?"

"18,752 M&Ms. Is that not correct? I am accounting for the… rock inside."

"I… I… er, where would you like to go, ma'am?" the agent asked meekly. "You've just won the contest. I can recommend some places… Prague is lovely this time of year."

"Walt Disney World will be sufficient."

"Um, of course… when would you like to go?"

"Now would be expedient."

"I… um… yes, we should have an opening at the Caribbean Beach Resort… yes, there it is… how long would you like to stay?"

"A week will likely be more than sufficient," Peridot replied. The agent nodded, typing a few commands into her computer. Minutes later, she handed the travel package to the nonchalant Gem.

"Congratulations, ma'am… I hope you and your friend enjoy it."

"I'm sure it will be most informative," Peridot nodded. "We will require transportation…"

"Yes, yes, I have a cab on the way now…"

"Excellent. Lapis…?"

"Yeah?" the petite Gem asked, looking up from a Yellowstone Park brochure.

"I have secured us access to the Walt Disney World. Transportation is en route. It will meet us outside."

"Oh, good!" Lapis said. "Hey, let's try this place next…" she added, handing Peridot the brochure. After they were out of earshot, the agent placed a phone call.

"…hey, Jack? Whitney. A walk-in just won the M&M contest. How? You are not gonna believe me if I told you."


"…and here we are, ladies," the porter said as he opened the door for them. "I trust the room is acceptable?"

"Oh, it looks great, thank you…" Lapis said, drinking in the robust water theme.

"Yes, this will be more than acceptable, thank you," Peridot replied.

"Excellent. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"No, you have done enough, thank you." The porter nodded, and remained at the doorway. He watched the two figures begin to play with the room's fittings for a moment before clearing his throat.

"You may need to seek medical attention," Peridot said without looking up. The porter scowled before closing the door.

"I think he wanted something," Lapis said, idly turning the alarm clock over in her hands.

"We have nothing to give him that he would want or anything we should give him. This is a primitive society, Lapis, no matter what you may think of that particular member of it."

"You know, Peridot… if we're stuck here for the foreseeable future, we should try not to hate it so much… it'd probably be better."

"Hmmm. Perhaps. Ah ha! A communications portal!" the engineer grinned, approaching the TV. "Perhaps we can find the means to secure more information with it." Peridot stared at it. "It's not working."

"I think you need to press the buttons. On the bottom."

"Ugh, this technology is so archaic…" Peridot groaned, pressing the button. She was greeted by a black and white image of a strange black and white creature, emitting musical sounds in tune with spinning a large wooden wheel. "What in… what are you, creature!?" Peridot snapped.

"Um… that's a cartoon, Lapis…"

"And what species is that?"

"Yeah, um, it can't talk, see?" She clicked another button.

"…in the future. In Europe, talks continued between Brussels and Washington about the upcoming trade summit between the United States and European Union, as economic ministers…"

"Oracle! Tell me the secrets of this place!" Peridot demanded.

"Hey, I got an idea, let's try the amusement park now," Lapis said gently, shutting off the TV.


After arriving by shuttle bus, Lapis and Peridot stood in the main "street" of the Magic Kingdom, looking up at the majestic spires of Cinderella's Castle. It was difficult to keep out of the constant flow of traffic as well as maintain Lapis' breathing room. However, with some creative shifting, they managed to stand against the flow. A few visitors gave the small figures wayward glances, but assumed they were just costumed characters for the latest Pixar movie and continued on their way through the park.

"I'm detecting steel… concrete… fiberglass… this is hardly a marble structure," Peridot snorted.

"I think it's the image that counts. So, which ride should we do first?" Lapis asked, handing her the map. "We have so many to choose from…"

"Yes, we do. Hmmm. Perhaps we should try the ride labeled 'It's a Small World.' It may tell us more about Earth and its peoples."

"That seems fair. Let's do that. It sounds nice and peaceful."


"OH STARS ABOVE! IT'S EATING MY BRAIN!" Peridot screamed, clutching at where her ears would be.

"Dorito Lady made a funny!" one of the boys in the ride giggled.

"Don't point at the lady, Oliver," his mother hissed. "She's not well."

Lapis groaned and sank into her seat, cheeks blazing.


"All right, so, maybe we shouldn't have done that ride…" Lapis sighed after shaking Peridot back to her senses.

"It wouldn't stop… it wouldn't stop…"

"It's over now. It's all better," Lapis said, patting Peridot on the back.

"Humans are devious creatures… they will torture themselves, their own kind, for amusement! What manner of sadism is this?!"

"Look, there's gotta be something else we can ride instead… how about… um… Space Mountain? Maybe that will cheer us up? Space? Right?"

"I suppose so…" Peridot shuddered. "Just… no more singing."


"Is that what humans think space is like? What nonsense! No wonder they're still on Earth!"

"Peridot…"

"Such foolishness… how did they ever manage to split the atom or what limited space flight they have…?"

"Peridot…"

"This is a race of unbelievable ignorance and—"

"PERIDOT!" The engineer shut up and looked at her companion, shocked.

"I get it. You're upset. I'm upset too. But… look. We're stuck here. This is home now, whether we like it or not. We have to accept that if we're ever going to try to live. Finding every little thing to complain about and hold against this planet is going to drive you crazy. And if not you… it's going to drive me crazy." Peridot looked at the ground, blushing slightly. Lapis bit her lip. "Look, I didn't mean it that way, I just…"

"No, you're correct, Lapis… I just… I have a hard time expressing myself, and knowing when not too. And I just feel so tense from all the work I have to do…"

"…which you no longer have to do…"

"Yes, true… but, Lapis, it's all I've known. Now it's… boredom. I'm… bored." Her green cheeks blazed hotter.

"Aw, I know how you must feel," Lapis said, guiding her to a bench. "But, you have to look at it from another angle… think of this as a new project… a project where you're gathering information for something."

"For Yellow Diamond?"

"Ack! No. Garnet might be listening. That is the last thing we want right now, those guys thinking we're plotting to reactivate Kindergarten. Peridot, try not to think in terms of your job about this. We both know you were miserable. You weren't exactly… subtle with your complaining. I was locked up, and I could tell you weren't happy."

"I… was not, no. As I said… I have trouble knowing when to and when not to express myself."

"I'm aware. And maybe we can work on that. Personally… I don't want to hate Earth anymore. I've had enough hate for my life. Hate for my prisons. Hate for my captors. Hate for myself…"

"Yourself?"

"That I wasn't strong enough to escape. That I wasn't strong enough to resist."

"Lapis, that is nonsense. Blaming yourself is not the most effective means of dealing with what happened to you. It is inappropriate and inaccurate. Would you blame prey for being eaten?"

"I guess…"

"No. It is."

"I know, but… thousands of years and that's all you have… it does something to you."

"And as I said in the New York warp vessel… you are no longer in the mirror. It will not harm you again. You are whole and free. Embrace it as you urge me to embrace humans." Lapis nodded thoughtfully, staring off into space. She smiled a little.

"I'm glad you decided to come with me, Peridot." Peridot paused.

"I am… glad you invited me," she replied. Lapis saw something she almost didn't believe at that moment; the smallest of smiles creasing Peridot's face.

"C'mon. Let's try some more things before the park closes."


"So… what'd you think, Peridot?"

"It was… entertaining, I suppose."

"Yeah, I enjoyed the rides in the second part of the day more than I did in the beginning. At least when they didn't feel completely artificial."

"Agreed. I… suppose it is time for rest? Shall we attempt sleeping?"

"Sure. It sounds like good a time as any. If I were human, I'd be exhausted."

"Excellent. I will take the bed on the left. What do humans do upon sleeping?"

"They say 'good night,' Peridot."

"Ah. Well, good night, Lapis," Peridot said as she walked over to the bed. Lapis stretched out on her own bed, nestling her head on the pillow. She closed her eyes, folding her hands over her chest. A muffled grunt brought her attention to her fellow Gem. She saw a large, pointed lump sitting underneath the blankets. Lapis started laughing.

"I fail to see why this is funny or restful."

"You're doing it wrong! You just… lie down with your head sticking out and on the pillow. The, uh, soft thing at the top. That's what Steven does."

"Oh, I see," Peridot replied. Sheepishly, the engineer's head emerged and lay on the pillow. "Is… this correct?" Lapis winked, giving her colleague the thumbs up. Peridot frowned.

"It means 'yes.'"

"Oh, good. Well… good night, Lapis."

"Good night, Peridot." Lapis reached over and shut the light, plunging the room into darkness. She heard a slight yelp from her right. "What, what is it?" Lapis asked.

"It's, er… it's… um… too dark and quiet," Peridot mumbled.

"It's what?"

"It's too dark. I don't like it when things are that dark. I'm used to some sort of lighting. I don't think I've ever been in total darkness before… and the same with noise. I'm used to humming or something in the background… I've found it relaxing."

"…oh…" Lapis frowned thoughtfully. "Hmmm. Well… maybe we could leave the TV on for a while… let's see if that will give enough light and noise." The Gem turned on the TV with the remote, switching around a few channels. "How's that?"

"Much better," Peridot said quietly, visibly relaxing. Lapis smiled and put down the remote.

"You're welcome."

"Or, er, yes… thank you… I was just confused by what I was seeing… the rather agitated man on the screen knocking repeatedly while saying the same name…"


"I still do not quite understand the yell of 'Bazinga.' Is it a mating call that humans use?"

"I'm really not an expert on human behavior, Peridot," Lapis shrugged. The two walked on through the Animal Kingdom, regarding the assortment of life on either side of them. "I'm surprised about the variety of life on this planet, though. I kinda thought humans dominated and that was it."

"Indeed. It is… curious. Do humans collect animals to merely look at them for entertainment purposes?"

"I guess? Steven never mentioned this kind of place to me…" Lapis frowned, looking at the animals.

"Is something the matter?" Peridot asked.

"I… I don't like this. The animals all imprisoned and locked up. It's too…"

"…personal?"

"Yes." The two aliens fell quiet.

"Peridot, I want to see flora and fauna without human corruption. I want to see Earth's natural beauty. No more concrete, no more steel, no more… Ay-Cee as they call it. I want to see how the world really is, without humans in the way. I think that's why I've been so tense at Walt Disney World."

"I can appreciate that," Peridot replied. "Tell me… what was that place you wanted to go to again? The one you found in the office?"

"Yellowstone."

"Perhaps… we should go to Yellowstone?"

"I'd like that," Lapis said softly.

"Yes… let us go to this… Yellowstone instead. I too need a break from human constructions. Shall we head to the warp portal?"

"Yes… yes we shall," Lapis grinned. Peridot smiled… a brighter smile than yesterday's… and input the codes into her hand pad.


"Yellowstone? Yellowstone!? Are they trying to set off the supervolcano and kill all life on Earth?"

"Pearl, please…"

"Garnet, I knew this was a bad idea! Just… letting them wander off…" Pearl moaned, crumpling the open newspaper in her hands. Her larger companion tugged it back to hide her face.

"And what exact harm has been done so far?" the lead Gem asked, adjusting her Mickey Mouse ears.

"I… I…"

"Exactly, Pearl. I just wanted to check up on them. See how they were doing. Make sure everything was okay."

"Relax, P, she's got this," Amethyst chided, inhaling a large wad of cotton candy. She barely grabbed Steven, who was trying to sneak away. "Uh uh, little man, you heard Garnet… observation only unless they're doing something wrong or in trouble."

"I miss Lapis. And I wanna spend time with Peridot," the boy sighed.

"I know, Steven. Let them have their time for now. They need it."

"What do you think, Garnet?" Steven asked. "Are they doing okay?" Garnet said nothing at first… then that huge smile spread across her face. The same one that appeared when he and Connie had fused into Stevonnie.

"I like what I see, Steven. I like what I see."