Boy, didn't this take awhile. Sorry guys, but this last month I finally got an animation program on my computer, so I've dedicated a lot of my time to researching how it works, and practicing a few things on it, since this the field I want to work with. Anyway, enjoy.
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"Carnelian, hold on!"
"Well, we're dead now."
"Get in the bubble!"
"I, I can't hold it anymore!"
"We, I, can't stay together!"
Everything he recalled immediately after that only came in quick blurs, seconds too fast to truly be seen or experienced. All he could really recall was the panic, the screaming, and one or two of the Rubies holding on to him a little tighter than he was comfortable with.
As he groggily forced himself out of his unconsciousness, he suddenly found himself fighting to get off the ground. Ever push felt like he was trying to walk for the first time. The air itself seemed to force him back to the planet's surface no matter how hard he struggled. Turning his head, he was able to catch glimpses and paint a pretty clear picture of what kind of chaos had transpired.
The ship itself was torn to shreds. Barely anything was left in tact of the old hunk of charred metal. Small scraps landed on the boy's body, leaving slight burns scattered throughout his body, creating small tears in his outfit. Groggily, he struggled once again to left a single arm off the ground.
"What was it that Peridot said? The gravity was heavier hear?" He thought out loud. His mom and Pearl explained to him about Gem physiology a long time ago. Each gem was automatically designed to adjust to each planet's atmosphere. Even on an asteroid, they would be planted on the ground like a tree.
But something about his organic half halted that process. Whether it was just a age thing or something he'd wouldn't have, Rhodonite's body never fully adjusted to any planet's gravity. Usually, the gravity was weaker, so he was able to write it off as his floating powers if anybody tried to question it.
"Hey, hey Rhondonite? Are, are you alright? You still completely intact?" The Ruby with the Naval Gem, or Navy in his head, called out from the back of him. Crap, he should probably get up before someone get's suspicious. "Why aren't you up?"
Not taking a second longer, he bit a small part of his lip and used all the strength he had to push himself to his face. He was practically lifting twice his body weight, maybe even more. If his body wasn't so strong and durable, he probably would've been crushed from the pressure the instant they hit the ground.
"I'm find, I'm, whoa, find." Steadying himself, he wobbled as he took each step. It was like having the worst ever all over his body. "Still recovering from that crash landing." Turning his head, he notices they were the only two around. "What happened to everybody?"
"Heh, your bubble kept us altogether about halfway through the crash, then that's when things started to get a little weird. You fell to the ground and moaned in pain for some reason. Jasper made some kind of comment which riled up Carnelian and started a fight. Soon, everyone got in on it, which popped the bubble and got everyone separated. I landed closer to you because I held on to you a lot longer, so here we are."
The picture was pretty easy to paint from there. "Okay, that's not the worst crash landing story I've heard. Definitely one of rougher ones though." He looked at the busted remains of the ship again. "So much for the first joint colonization project."
"No, no, it could still work. A few of the drill injectors still work." Said devices crumbles to pieces. "The ship's not, totally gone." Much of the remaining scrap fall apart, destroying any semblance the vessel had of an actual ship. "And we still have plenty of time before night falls." The sun immediately set, covering the sky with a blanket of darkness. "How did.."
"The planet has two suns, which apparently speeds the daytime to a total of 6 hours."
"Is that really how days work?"
"Heck if I know, I'm vaguely recalling whatever Peridot told us before we left." For the time at least, he was grateful for the sudden nightfall. The lack of lack covered how much he was really struggling to keep himself standing. Although, it met everyone was going to be on their own for a while. "Okay, looks like we're going need cover for now. Light us up a torch and follow me."
Without hesitation, Navy did as she was told and was able to cobble together a stable light source with her flames and a bundle of vines, sticks, and whatever bits of the ship that were flammable. Though through the cover of night, the two were kind of lost. Without Peridot or something with a screen, they couldn't map out the planet's surface or locate areas. For the time being, they had to completely rely on their wits. "You know, the last ship I crashed ended up shattering 4 members of my crew. Me and anyone else left alive were barred from any ships for 3 months."
"Huh, so how long ago was that?" Rhodonite asked curiously.
"3 months ago." Again, Rhondonite was really glad it was night now, or she would've clearly seen the sudden dejection on his face. "In fact, today's my first real mission back. Quite the coincidence, right?"
"So exactly what is it that you usually do?" Rhodonite changed the subject. He made sure to always think the best about people, but the Ruby was kind of making it difficult.
"My team and I usually do small stuff. Simple observation and standard retrieval missions, nothing more difficult than that. Sometimes we're called just to lift stuff the smarter Gems don't want to." She replied rather happily. "But this, this is kind of.." She made a explosion expression with her hands. "..beyond what I do. Asked by the Diamonds themselves, starting up a new colony with other Quartz's? That's, that's.."
"New and exciting?" He tried to complete.
"I was actually going to say scary. I mean, doesn't it bother you? This whole things is something we've never down before, at least, not in this way."
"Well, maybe a little, but I'm always up for doing something different. You don't know what you're capable of until you try it." Navy went a little quiet after she heard that. "Ah, Ruby?"
"Is that how you became Blue Diamond's favorite?" Navy asked genuinely with a small blush. The boy would've joked about how it was like she never heard any kind of encouragement before, before realizing that it was probably the case. Outside of the closest people in his life, Homeworld wasn't really into the whole 'touchy-feely' stuff. "So that stuff you said to Jasper, about the whole Pearl thing, you really meant all of it?"
"Of course I did. I was practically rai.., I mean, I've been around a lot of Gems most wouldn't give a second thought about. I've seen a lot of stuff they can do. If you're able to do something that'll help a lot of people, then you should be able to do it, no matter who you are."
"You're a very strange gem, aren't you?"
"Hey, there's advantages to being made on Earth. If a great soldier like Jasper can come from there, then that potential can be found in anybody."
"Maybe. But Maybe Jasper isn't the Quartz we should be following." Navy leaned in closer as she whispered to herself, making sure Rhodonite didn't hear what she said.
It wouldn't have mattered anyway, as they two were distracted by a noise that sounded like sobbing. Unless the planet's lifeforms suddenly evolved without homeworld's notice, then one of their crew members was nearby.
It was fairly easy to find the source, even with the night sky covering everything. The crying was being projected pretty loudly, mostly because it came from a cave. Throwing caution to the wind, the two headed inside, and as they did, the figure was quickly identified.
"Topaz?" It was Topaz, but her form was different. She was fairly shorter. Still larger then either of the two, but a bit off. The only other major difference they could find was her gem. There was only one on the left side of her head. The other was completely gone. "You defused."
"S-s-s-orry, I, I, we haven't been introduced. I, I-I'm Topaz." She stammered out, unable to fight off the tears. "When your bubble popped, the turbulence took us by surprise, causing me to split from Topaz. We tried, I tried to hold on and be strong, but I let go and now she's.."
"Wait, wait, wait, she's not gone, she's just lost, just like us, just like everyone else." Rhodonite did his best to reassure, wiping away a few tears. "I still stand by what I told you guys. You're bond with Topaz wouldn't be so strong if you two weren't strong also. Can you do that for me?" A somber smile managed to wedge itself across the yellow Gem's face. "We'll get you two back together, I promise."
Not too long ago..
"Uggh, who decided to take the express way?" Carnelian muttered with a daze as she pulled herself together. Her head somehow managed to get lodged between two thick roots planted on the ground. She struggled against the ground, trying her hardest to pull away.
"Wait, what am I doing?" Common sense setting in, she shrunk her own head and passed through easily. "Ha, nothings going to keep this Quartz down."
"Of course. I get stuck with the Runt." A familiar raspy voice came from behind her, and Carnelian rolled her eyes, instantly knowing who it was.
"Of course Jasper, You're the one stuck with me."
She hoped Rhodonite was fairing better.
Next time: Squabble between Quartzes