Proving Herself

The Most Important Weapon is Your Mind

"The most important weapon is your mind. Because of your small size you can't overpower your enemy you have to outsmart them. Now the first thing you have to remember is always be aware of your surroundings. Since you can't produce a weapon you have to look for potential weapons on hand. Anything and everything can become a weapon in the right hands. Otherwise you'd have to run around with a sword everywhere like that weirdo Connie. Do you understand Peridot?" asked Sensei Dan.

"Affirmative," said Peridot.

They were in the dojo after a long session. It was late at night and it was closing time. As Dan shut the door Peridot changed back into her street clothes. She took care to put her hoodie up to hide the shaved head that Amethyst and Lapis gave her as a sick joke.

When she came back home she locked herself in the bathroom once again forgetting about the room she shared with Amethyst. Crawling back to her corner she fell into a deep sleep.

It was the knocking on the bathroom door that woke Peridot up. Thinking it was Steven she called out and said she would be right out. Instead when she left, there was Pearl waiting for her. Since Peridot's lecture on clothes and fashion Pearl had grown out her hair. It now reached her waist. The pale gem smiled apologetically at the technician.

"Where's Steven?" blurted out Peridot.

Pearl began, "Steven and Garnet are still out after taking Lapis and Amethyst out to Antarctica as punishment for their actions towards you. They'll be gone for a while. Look I'm sorry I've been so hard on you but its only because I'm worried about you. You're so weak and"

"Stop it. I am so sick of hearing that. It seems no matter what I do it isn't enough. Meanwhile Lapis can wave her water hand, treat everybody except Steven like dirt and it's all good. It's not fair."

"You're right it isn't fair, Peridot. Well it ends right here. Look I broke into Garnet's room and stole her flask of jalla. How about you and I brew ourselves a cup?"

Peridot glanced out at the clock, "Oh dirt clods I'm late for school."

"Don't bother I called the school said you were sick."

"With what?"

"A head cold."

The two gems started laughing. Pearl smiled and scooped out some jalla in Garnet's jar and placed it into the coffee percolator. When the jalla was done Pearl poured them both a cup of brew. The taste was strange but Pearl had never drank jalla before. Pearls never did. As she drank it she started to feel funny.

"Pearl," said Peridot as she sat unsteadily on the stool. "I don't think that was Jalla."

The last thing Pearl remembered was Peridot falling off the stool. When Pearl came to she found that she herself was bald and that Peridot still unconscious had Pearl's hair badly glued on. When she looked round she discovered the house in shambles. Before she could fix things up she heard the warp gate activate.

"Peridot, Pearl you've been at my things," accused Garnet. The sound woke Peridot up.

"Guhh Garnet shut up. You're hurting my head. And what the hells were you doing hiding a class 3 sedative in your room?" moaned Peridot.

"I was hiding it from Amethyst."

"Well this is my sedative now. After all I am a kindergarten technician," said Peridot. She clasped the flask to her body and fell back asleep right on the floor. Pearl had also fallen asleep on the floor again.

"Steven pick Peridot up and place her in your bed," ordered Garnet.

"Aw but it's up a flight of stairs and what about Pearl?" complained Steven.

"My future vision says that Peridot will be spending a lot of time in your bed. Better get used to it. I'll deal with Pearl," said Garnet.

It was the next morning when Garnet decided to wake up Pearl.

"Hello wakey, wakey Pearl," shouted Garnet.

Pearl groggily got up she was in her room. Garnet loomed over her, waist deep in water.

"What do you want?" Pearl said sleepily.

"Get up Pearl, we have a busy day ahead of us," ordered Garnet.

The cube headed gem continued, "First we are going to the hair dresser to get you and Peridot wigs. Then we are going to the hardware store. After that we'll put up sound proof walls around Steven's room."

"Doesn't Peridot have work and school?" said Pearl.

"She won't go to work or school until we get her a decent wig," replied Garnet.

A hardware store was unlikely proving ground but that was how it turned out for Peridot. As Garnet was talking intently with the store attendant Peridot saw something move out of the corner of her eye.

"Garnet, something's here Garnet," said Peridot as she tugged on Garnet's leggings.

"Not now Peridot. Now exactly what sort of material would I need to soundproof a room. Steven's becoming a teenager," said Garnet.

"Oh starting to play the stereo too loud is he?" smiled the elderly owner.

Now the thing had come into view. It was about Peridot's size with large sharp teeth. Its pelt was black and white. Peridot didn't know this but the thing looked and smelled like a skunk. As the customers ran away in a panic Garnet pulled down her shades.

"It's Onyx, somebody has a sense of humor," said Garnet. "Gems capture and bubble the gem monster."

Pearl screamed out as battle cry as she ran towards the thing with her spear ready. The thing dodged and sprayed her with a noxious mist. Pearl coughing fell to the ground. Sensing an opening the skunk monster leapt at Pearl. In the last minute Pearl dodged but not before skunk monster grabbed her wig and started shaking it like a rat.

"Noo," howled a now bald Pearl.

"I'll save you," declared Steven only to get a face full of skunk spray.

The boy staggered away, "So stinky," he gasped before collapsing.

That left Garnet and Peridot the thing circled around the two gems. Peridot clutched Garnet's leg.

"Do something," pleaded Peridot.

"I am. Hello shopping network I'd like to buy 100 litres of tomato juice," called Garnet on the cellphone.

The thing charged at the pair jaws wide open. Peridot squeaked, separating herself from Garnet. The thing followed. Peridot backed slowly away until she bumped into a wall. The green gems eyes darted quickly round looking for some sort of weapon. Potting soil, seeds, trowels or why or all places was she cornered in the gardening section? As the thing crept up slowly Peridot looked down. Wait a second her hoodie had "Jalla" stains on it.

Emboldened the young gem pulled off her hoodie and charged at the skunk monster. As Peridot grappled with the monster the thing twisted and thrashed. It desperately clawed at her but Peridot did not let go as she forced the hoodie down its jaws. When that was done she clamped the jaws shut forcing the corrupted gem to swallow the hoodie. Its struggles became feebler and feebler until it rolled its eyes and collapsed. Peridot finished the onyx off by stabbing it with a trowel causing it to poof.

"You're a real hero now Peridot," said Garnet as she slapped Peridot's bare shoulder. "But next time keep your clothes on."

Peridot looked down and saw that her jumpsuit was in tatters. She left out an eep as she tried to cover herself.

"You're a fully-fledged Crystal Gem," cried Steven as he hugged her.

Later after the owner gave Peridot a large T-shirt to wear, the Crystal Gems walked home triumphant but stinking.

"Let's go get some ice cream," cried Steven.

"No let's all get a bath first," said Garnet firmly.

Peridot's First Patient

There were several breaches in the temple security mostly due to the state of Amethyst's room. Not only were there huge piles of junk but there were holes in the walls allowing any human in and puddles that allowed said human to reach any part in the temple. Top it all off you had a noisy human like Ronaldo Fryman snooping around.

"I just think we should seriously go in and clear out Amethyst's room," said Peridot.

The gems minus Lapis and Amethyst were sitting round the kitchen table. Peridot's hair was starting to grow in again covering her skull with blond fuzz. Garnet looked down and smiled.

"Still haven't forgiven Amethyst have you?" teased Garnet.

"What I want is a change in her behavior not a meaningless apology," replied Peridot. "Besides this is not punishment but dealing with a serious problem."

"Don't you think you're overreacting?" asked Steven.

As if on cue Ronaldo Fryman ran out the temple door screaming. His clothes and hair were burnt with acid in several places. Right on his heels was a small corrupted gem slavering acid. Panicked Ronaldo cowered behind Steven.

"Save me Steven," Roanldo pleaded.

"You were saying?" Peridot said smugly.

"What were you doing in the temple?" shouted Pearl.

Ronaldo looked as the monster ran round, destroying the house with its acid spit. None of the gems seemed to notice or care.

"Er shouldn't you something about that?" asked the human boy.

"I'll fix this," said Steven.

The young hybrid pulled out a bag of potato chips from the cupboard and proceeded to feed it to the monster. Wait why was Steven friendly with that thing? Ronaldo shrank as he felt the stares of the other gems.

"Well my Dad threw me out and I was looking for something to sell," said Ronaldo sheepishly.

"How did you get in," Garnet said menacingly.

"Well there was this hole in the wall and went I went inside I saw these magic puddles. In one of them was a room filled with jewels. So I ah took one and it became this," Ronaldo was beginning to sweat.

"This is ridiculous. I'm calling social services," said Pearl.

"Not until we deal with Centipeedle," stated Garnet.

"I believe I can help, just let me warp to the beta kindergarten. Steven I need your chips," said Peridot.

"Peridot are you sure?" said Steven.

"I am a medical technician let me handle this," with that Peridot waved a bag of chips.

The corrupted gem followed her onto the warp pad. The pair wooshed away. Leaving Garnet and the others behind.

"Steven, you stay behind and make Ronaldo some soup. Pearl and I will clean up Amethyst's room," ordered Garnet.

"I'm not cleaning that up," said Garnet.

Garnet pulled off her glasses and stared at the mess. They were in Amethyst room. Garnet rarely any reason to be in there but when she did like chasing the slinker she had other things on her mind. Now looking at the stinking piles of refuse she could see Pearl was right to nag Amethyst.

"Well I'm not cleaning that on my own so unless you have another suggestion," implied Pearl.

"Actually I do."

Pearl cringed in fear as Garnet waved a live flamethrower around the room. In all the thousands of year Pearl had known Garnet she had never seen this side of her personality. The cube headed gem cackled wildly as she set piles after piles of garbage on fire. When she was done the tall fusion wiped the sweat of her brow.

"Best internet purchase ever. I really needed to let out some steam," said Garnet.

"Garnet it will take days for this to burn out," squeaked Pearl.

"Don't spoil my fun Pearl."

A few days later Steven was returning from the big donut when he heard voices inside the beach house.

"Thank you doctor, you've done so much to help me," said an unfamiliar voice.

As Steven opened the door he saw Peridot and Centipeedle sitting on the couch.

"Steven I have someone who wants to see you," said Peridot. "Meet the new improved Emerald."

With a flourish Peridot pointed to Centipeedle. Its jaws drooled acid as before. In fact, Centipeedle looked exactly the same as it raced up to Steven.

"Um Peridot Centipeedle's hasn't changed at all," said Steven.

"Oh yes I have Steven and its Emerald now," countered the corrupted gem.

Emerald stood up proudly, "I'm lucid."