As soon as Peridot reformed, they stumbled and rather ungracefully faceplanted on the floor. They gasped, opened their eyes, and came face to face with wooden planks.

"Peridot!" Somebody jumped on the green Gem from behind and gave them a giant hug. They were very heavy. "You're okay!"

They mumbled something.

"What did you say?"

Amethyst spoke up. "Dude, you're crushing Peri!"

Steven quickly hopped off. "Oh, sorry!"

"Nya!" Peridot felt themselves being lifted up and placed into a standing position, where they could see they were in the top level of the barn. "What are you clods doing anyway? I thought you were arguing!"

"We got over it." Garnet adjusted their visor.

"Yeah, and then it was really funny because somebody threw you at Garnet!" Amethyst pointed to Peridot. "We were all standing around, then suddenly G's glasses were all broken. Everyone was really freaked but it was hilarious to me!"

Pearl rolled their eyes. "Yes, well, maybe if you took the threat of Aventurine a little more seriously..."

"Threat?" Peridot frowned. "Aventurine did not appear to be a threat when..." They noticed everyone's eyes were now trained on them, and they faltered. "That's just what I presume!"

Garnet looked down at the green Gem. "Peridot, did you talk to Aventurine?"

"...Yes. But I'm not a traitor, I swear! I was just curious."

Amethyst snorted. "Dude, we're over the whole Yellow D thing. Soo, what did she say? Is she some sort of... giant hunk of... ugh, I dunno."

Peridot glared in the purple Gem's direction. "What I was trying to say is that Aventurine is looking for her pearl."

"Her pearl?" Pearl asked pointedly.

"Yeah, the blue one she kept talking about when she narrated those stories. Apparently she's back on Homeworld." They hesitated. "I meant Blue Pearl, not her pearl!"

"No rebels would have survived a return to Homeworld." Garnet stated.

"That's what I told her! But she didn't listen to me."

"Maybe we could try again tomorrow?" Steven suggested. "Then she might listen and not want to go to Homeworld anymore."

"Tomorrow... oh my stars!" Peridot jumped. "Homeworld is coming! What are you clods doing?"

"Wait, Peridot! Garnet said Aventurine was telling the truth: Homeworld isn't going to attack us!" The boy smiled. "So we can work on the drill... and I can work on my Crystal Gem song!"

The green Gem frowned as Steven picked up their ukulele.

"Well," Pearl clasped their hands together. "Now that this is settled, I think I'm going to work on the drill. Peridot, you can join me any time you like."

Amethyst shrugged. "Well, I'm gonna go eat some trash or something. See ya."

Garnet said nothing; they jumped off the railing and landed with a thump. Amethyst and Pearl followed the fusion out of the barn.

The strumming of Steven's ukulele made Peridot turn. "What are you doing?"

"Garnet, Amethyst, Peridot Pearl... and Steven!" They beamed at the green Gem. "It works!"

"What works?"

"My song!"

They frowned. "How can a song 'work'? It's just noise!"

"Well, it's like when it sounds right."

"Sounds right?"

"Like a rhythm." They plucked a string, then began to play something that sounded like a proper tune. "Are there songs back on Homeworld?"

"Of course not, clod! Why would there be?" Peridot sat down heavily. "Homeworld is too formulaic for your Earth traditions."

"Formu-what?"

"You Earthlings are archaic! Everything you do seems pointless... but after everything I've seen I'd never return."

"That's good, right?"

"But Aventurine didn't learn that! As soon as she gets to Homeworld they're going to... maybe they're going to harvest her!"

Steven stopped strumming.

"But – nyah! - why do I care anyway? She betrayed me! If she wants to go back to Homeworld then what do I care!"

"Maybe you're missing Aventurine?"

Peridot gave the boy an odd look. "No, you already explained this concept to me. You talked about 'friends' and 'family'; Aventurine fits into neither of these categories. She assaulted me!"

The boy frowned, and opened their mouth. "Maybe..." They trailed off.

"Maybe what?"

"I dunno." They put their ukulele down and laid on the floor. "Peridot?"

"Yes, Steven?"

"I'm really happy we're all together again."

The green Gem frowned, cautiously reclining back next to the boy. "Aventurine betrayed you. Homeworld is coming tomorrow! What is there to be happy about?"

"I'm sad about Aventurine, but maybe she'll find her friend on Homeworld?"

"Pfft."

"And Garnet said we'll be okay tomorrow."

"How does the fusion-" Peridot remembered Sapphire. "Future vision."

The two remained silent for a couple of minutes, staring up at the dark ceiling. Outside the sun was setting, casting a gentle orange light through the attic. A strangely peaceful atmosphere descended on the two friends.

Then: "Steven, what is 'lethologica'?"

"Umm... I don't know. Do you?"

"I found it whilst searching the internets. Perhaps I should... Nyuh. I appear to have disremembered what I was about to say. See, this is the problem with relaxing: it's too relaxing!"