Prologue
It was a calm and beautiful Sunday morning. The sun slowly glided over the horizon letting its bright colors gracefully fade over the farm. A gentle breeze settled over the field. The individual blades of grass softly swayed in the low breeze while a humble redwood barn stood enduring the low winds that gently blew by.
Suddenly, one of the doors creaked open. Out of the door came a short being that walked outside the barn and sat in front of a pool that was a few feet away from the barn entrance. She gazed into the deep still reflection of the water. She peered into her lime green eyes that complimented her lime green skin. A sudden ripple in the water directed her attention to her yellow green hair that was styled above her head in corners. Her hair was styled into two corners that came off the side of her head and one that poked out on top of her head.
She looked down into her hands. She was firmly grasping a rectangular recorder. She stared intently at it before hitting the red button on the side. She cleared her throat.
She spoke gently. " This is Peridot Facet-2F5L Cut-5XG. It's been roughly a year since I have befriended the crystal gems. Yes, roughly one year since I became a traitorous CLOD to the homeworld of the gems, where I was created. Roughly One year since I called yellow diamond a clod to her face."
Peridot sighed before continuing. "It's been awhile since I have recorded an update and a lot has happened since the Steven gave me my first recording box of sounds. My first recorder was rudely destroyed by my roommate Lapis Lazuli but that's a thing of the past. Ever Since my strange encounter with the alien red eye ship from Homeworld, I have been close friends with Lapis and the crystal clo..-er.. Um crystal gems. I keep forgetting that I am a crystal gem now so by calling them clods I am also foolishly calling myself a clod."
Peridot giggled to herself before quickly standing up and continuing. "And I can surely assure you that the great and lovable Peridot is no clod. Yes I may slip up sometimes but if it weren't for my scientific genius in robotics this earth would be nothing other than a giant raging cluster. Impressive I know but not everyone can see it the way we see it. The one they call Garnet informed us two weeks ago that Homeworld is likely to wage a war with us on the grounds of us, the crystal gems, stopping their numerous attempts to destroy the earth. A year ago the Steven allowed me to take refuge in this barn ,and since then I have greatly enhanced the barn into a suitable dwelling, with the help of Lapis of course. Together we have transformed the simple big red barn into a crystal gem mechanical workshop. Of course most of the work goes toward helping the other crystal clods and improving the state of the planet, but that's only because I am already nearly perfect. Meh heh heh, anyway the Steven has invited me and Lapis to the crystal gems' temple to partake in something they call training. It will probably be a waste of my precious time but I politely accepted. I must admit that even I am curious to see what will happen Whe-"
Peridot stopped her monologue at the sound of the barn door opening up even wider. A soft voice filled the air.
"...Peridot?" The voiced asked. Peridot turned to see Lapis standing at the barn doorway. She stood at the doorway and stared Peridot down with her sky blue eyes. She was also a gem from Homeworld just like like Peridot. Lapis was sky blue, just like her eyes and she wore a navy blue crop top with the back out and a navy blue knee length skirt.
"Are you talking to yourself again?" Lapis asked dryly while walking over to peridot, who was now watching the sun come up.
"I wasn't talking to myself." Peridot corrected. "I was setting data on record."
"And why do you need to do that again?" Lapis asked sitting beside Peridot, who was still gazing at the sunrise.
"I-It helps pass the time.." Peridot answered honestly.
"Couldn't you just sleep?" Lapis asked gently laying on her back and crossing her legs.
"I do but gems don't really need to sleep." Peridot replied.
"I find it relaxing." Lapis said staring up into the clouds
"Of course you do." Peridot said sarcastically sitting next to Lapis.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Lapis said picking up on some of the shade Peridot was throwing.
"Oh nothing." peridot said laying beside Lapis on the soft grass.
"That's what I thought shorty." Lapis said playfully with a grin.
"Oh hush up you clod!" Peridot said slightly annoyed. They sat up and stared at the sun, which had already rose during their conversation. Peridot sighed and nestled her head under Lapis' chin.
"Are you ok?" Lapis asked gently wrapping her arms around Peridot.
"Meh, I just feel like today is gonna be slightly more difficult than the preceding days." Peridot said still nestled into Lapis' chest.
"Yeah I can relate." Lapis answered. "Are we still going to the temple to train?"
Peridot groaned. "Uhhh I guess we can pay those clods a visit." She averted her eyes away from Lapis.
"Ooh I see what's going on here." Lapis said putting on a cheeky smile. Peridot blushed a bit.
"W-what are you talking about!?" Peridot questioned nervously. "What's going on?"
"You're afraid your abilities won't hold a candle up to the abilities of the crystal clods who are constantly training." Lapis answered impersonating Peridot.
"I AM NOT!" Peridot said leaping onto her feet. "Those clods don't stand a chance against the great and lovable Peridot!" Lapis smiled standing up with her.
"Don't worry I'll practice with you before we go." Lapis said giving peridot a small kiss on the cheek before returning to the barn and softly closing the door behind her. Peridot stood in front of the pool blushing a hot red while staring at the ground. Peridot walked back to the barn and close the door behind her. She sat next to Lapis, who was watching the latest episode of "Lonely Blade". Neither of them cared for the show at first, but after Steven showed it to them, they quickly became addicted.
After the episode ended, Peridot and Lapis walked outside the barn and stood 5 feet across from each other. Peridot and Lapis looked directly at each other. There was an intense awkward silence.
"So….what now?" Peridot asked.
"I dunno." Lapis answered with a shrug. "Maybe you can lift something with your metal powers."
"LIKE THE BARN." Peridot yelled excitedly.
"No no I meant like the…" Lapis began before Peridot started grunted in an attempt to lift the barn. Peridot lifted her hands up at the barn and continued to grunt and mumble under her breath.
After a while of Peridot's struggling, Lapis spoke up.
"Peridot maybe you should try something else." Peridot let out a heavy exhale in disappointment.
"Like what?" She asked letting her arms fall to her sides.
"I dunno…" Lapis answered. "The tractor?" Peridot turned to the tractor and laughed. She raised her hands up and began to concentrate once again. She gritted her teeth in annoyance. Sweat rolled down her face and fell down to the soft brown soil.
"FUCKING MOVE ALREADY!" Peridot shouted fiercely. The tractor then turned over on its side. Peridot's arms fell to her sides and she panted heavily. Lapis looked confusedly at the overturned tractor and then looked at Peridot who was still panting heavily.
"Ummm what does fuck mean?" Lapis asked Peridot.
"Ehh I don't know." Peridot said finally catching her breath. "I heard Amethyst say it a while back when the pearl cleaned up her room."
"But what does it mean?" Lapis asked walking over to the overturned tractor.
"Who knows I'll ask the goodle later." Peridot said walking over to the lake.
"You mean google?" Lapis corrected.
"Whatever." Peridot said in annoyance. She sat down and brought her knees up to her chest. She let out another exasperated sigh. Lapis gently placed an arm around Peridot's small shoulders.
"Don't worry shorty." Lapis comforted. "Everything will be just fine. Nothing can be greater than the great Peridot right?" Lapis' tone was playful but Peridot began to slouch.
"You know what Lapis? I don't think I'm so great." Peridot said honestly. "I mean I call myself great all the time, but I don't really mean it. I've had my powers for months ,but I'm not flying around or anything. As a matter fact, it took everything I had just to push the stupid tractor over!"
"Aww Peri you've got it al-" Lapis started but Peridot cut her off.
"And now we're going to go train with the rest of the crystal gems, who do nothing but train! Lapis, I don't think I'm gonna be a match for them. I know I won't be! I-I just feel like I'm a useless waste of space without my limb enhancers."
Lapis looked down at Peridot who was wiping her eyes and sniffing. She began to giggle.
"You know what Peridot?" Lapis asked laying down on her back beside Peridot.
"What's that?" Peridot asked unenthusiastically.
"I NEVER thought I'd get to say this but you're wrong." Lapis giggled.
"I don't see what's so funny about me being wrong." Peridot said, crossing her arms tightly.
"You're Dead wrong." Lapis continued. "Peridot, it doesn't matter if you're not as strong as the other crystal gems. If anything, you've proven that you don't need "strength" to make a difference. Look at what you've done to the barn. You saved the earth! And thanks to you and Steven, I finally see the earth for what it is. I can't express how grateful I am to you."
Peridot laid down beside Lapis. She smiled lightly with a blush.
"Thanks Lapis." Peridot said softly snuggling extra close to Lapis.
"Don't worry about it." Lapis said. "Its training so we can all improve. If anyone says anything different they can answer to me." Lapis lightly punched her fist into her palm in an attempt to look tough but it ultimately just made them both laugh.
"We should probably get going." Peridot said sitting up,
"Alright, all aboard." Lapis said standing up and kneeling beside peridot. Her gem glowed brightly before two water wings sprouted out at the same time. She wiggle her butt to show peridot she was ready but Peridot cracked a cheeky smirk.
"Sorry Lapis, but we aren't gonna need your water wings today." Peridot said confidently.
"What?" Lapis asked retracting her wings and turning to face Peridot. "How else are we gonna get to the temple? We gonna walk?"
"No no we're not gonna walk!" Peridot exclaimed. "We're gonna warp Lapis!" Peridot ran excitedly back to the barn. She went in and left the doors wide open. Lapis heard her rustling around in the barn before she came back out with shiny chrome remote she hadn't seen before.
"A while back the crystal gems let me in on the remains of our old ship. Heheheh, it took me a while but I was able to find the basic components of a warp pad and link it to the warp pad at the temple I've made some minor adjustments since then and this baby can take us all the way to beach city in the blink of an eye."
Peridot said excitedly before pushing the big red button in the center of the remote. Just in front of the barn, the soft dirt found itself pushed to aside as a lime green pad rose from the ground.
"Are you ready?" Peridot asked Lapis before hopping on to the warp pad.
"I guess I am." Lapis said before stepping on.
"Alright." Peridot said with a huge grin. "Let's wa-.. Wait just a second." Peridot hopped off of the pad, ran inside the barn and set her remote down on top if the television. Then she ran over to the kitchen table and got her "cool gem" shades before running back outside to the warp pad. She hopped back on top of the warp and put her shades one.
"Ok..Let's Warp!" Peridot said enthusiastically. The pad began a low hum before a bright lime green light encased Lapis and Peridot before shooting across the sky.
