Night had approached and in his slumber Emerald has found that nightmares would find him no matter what era he was in

He awakes to a familiar grove of trees, the lynx appears next to him and glances around with the utmost of caution. Finally, satisfied with the security that the tiny area provided, the creature spoke with a language that Emerald was unfamiliar with, it's voice was not his mother's anymore, but someone else's… someone just as close to his heart.

"Lapis? Is that you? How did you get here, I thought you were still on Homeworld?" The creature did nothing but continue it's strange speech. Emerald tried for hours on end to get it to speak in common, crystallic, anything but the language it was currently using.

Before he could have any semblance of success, his name began echoing, it started off distant, "Emerald," then became closer, "Emerald."

Eventually it thundered, "Emerald! Wake up!"

My eyes shoot open and I find that I have lost my vision, wait no...

I peel my face off of the grainy beachfront and wipe off as much of the wet sand that cakes my front as I can. Pearl arrives by my side shortly after, "Your night terrors are just as bad as they were centuries ago!"

I try in vain to spit any sand still stuck in my mouth, "Sorry dear. I don't even know why it happened."

The glow from the rising sun illuminated Pearl as she shook her head, "It's fine, but we are seriously going to have to do something about them. Anyways, let's get back to the temple. The others and I are going on a mission and need you to watch Steven."

"Why can't I go on the mission? Not that I am opposed to watching my nephew, I'm just curious." I really didn't have a problem with it, if anything I was excited, but I still needed a concrete answer.

Pearl gave me the, 'I'll tell you later,' look that I had become acquainted rather well with over the course of the Rebellion, "I'll tell you later."

Speak of the devil's phrase.

"So... what do you like to do Steven?" getting to know my nephew was not as easy as I thought it'd be, so far every inside joke between me and Rose went right over his head.

He thought for a moment, finally he answered me, "Well, I like watching crying breakfast friends."

"What is that?" I ask, my curiosity piqued.

He stands up and climbs the stairs to his bed, I just take the short route of climbing the shelf behind the couch. Upon reaching our destination he pulls out a thin box that opened to reveal a CD, "Just watch."

After seventy director's cuts episodes, two director's commentaries, and five hours of excruciating confusion, we had finished the first 'season' of Crying Breakfast Friends, "Why would anyone find joy in watching things cry?"

I turned towards my nephew, prompting a quick shrug, "Emotional appeal I guess?"

Emotional appeal? I burst into laughter, it certainly was a good reason as any. As I wipe the tears from my eyes I ruffle Steven's hair, "Ya know, as much as this was interesting. I think I might want to see what else you do for fun. Something, you know, outside?"

He squints at me, "Are you sure that you are prepared? Mentally, physically, and emotionally?"

I nod my head, "Sure, war pretty much makes you calloused in those areas."

Steven jumps up without any warning and, effortlessly, drags me out of the house, "C'mon, I'll show you the town."

The first stop we had made was at some sort of building, it's top decorated with what I assumed was a human confectionery. "Wait until you have a doughnut," he paused, "Wait, do you like to eat?"

I shrugged, "About as much as the next creature who is one-thirds organic."

"Wait, what?" He gave me the oddest look, did the others tell him nothing of me?

I wave it off and promise to explain it to him later, he seems satisfied and leads me inside. Upon entering the building I am met with artificial conditioning.

I know it seems odd that I know all these Earth things despite my origin and time of destabilization, but I only know about these things because of my time in the Homeworld Army. You see, everything that humans require are pretty much the same things that any carbon based life-form requires, so that means I've dealt with the similar tech before from encounters with other carbon based organisms before.

Anywho, back to the confectionery building, Steven hands me a small, looped pastry. I hesitate at first, but the organic part of me forces the food into my mouth. The pastry didn't taste as good as Steven made it out to be, or at least it didn't to me, "Being a Sage is sometimes more of a burden than a boon."

Steven frowned, "What is a Sage?"

I give him a patient smile, "Oh, well a Sage is-

"Hey, who'd you bring in this time Steven?" from behind the counter peered a rather tall human, even by my standards he was tall, and I've seen quite a few biguns in my lifetime.

Steven tries to say something but I intervene. I extend my hand over the glass, "Hello there, my name is Emerald, I am Steven's Uncle."

I watch as he stares at me, then my hand, then back at me; I thought humans would be better conversationalists with all these advancements. He frowns, "And why should I care?"

My patient smile becomes a strained one, "I'm sorry, can you say that again, this time with less disrespect."

"I don't know about the less disrespect part, but I sure can repeat myself."

The blonde female who gave Steven and I our doughnuts tries to calm us down, an admirable action, "Lars, c'mon, do you have to fight with everyone who walks through the door?"

He doesn't even look at her, not an admirable action, "Uh, yeah I do Sadie. Especially when they disrespect me!"

I glower at the kid, the humans I knew were more respectful than this… except one, but nevermind that. "Ok, I see you're one of those people."

He glowers back, "What is that supposed to mean?"

Before I can explain to him the intricacies of his crappy personality, Steven steps between me and the counter, "O-o-o-ok, c'mon Uncle Emerald, there's someone else I wanted you to meet. Bye Sadie, bye Lars, thanks for the doughnuts."

"I still think you should have let me hash it out with that guy." that kid, for some reason, had struck a chord in me. So much so that I was still grumbling about it all the way to wherever Steven was bringing me.

"Since when did violence solve anything?" He asks with a no-nonsense tone.

I reply with, in an equally no-nonsense tone, "It won us the Rebellion."

"Well, in any case, we're here!" I look up to see what appears to be some building used for the cleaning of human vehicles.

"Yo Stewball, who've you got witcha?"

My vision turns towards the entrance of the car wash and I spy a human who appears to be the same, or near the same, height as Pearl, though he has a rather pudgy build. Steven strides over to him, "His name is Emerald. He says he knew Mom."

Steven's Father strolls up to me and I can tell from the length of his hair that he must have been one heck of a looker in his youth. He extends a hand, "My name's Greg, Steven's Father."

I rest a clenched fist over my heart, "Emerald Sageson. How are you?"

Greg looks to his son who shrugs. So not only was I not discussed, but neither was my signature salute. He retracts his hand, "So, how did you know Rose again?"

I scratch my chin, "Where to start, where to start... well do you want the long story or the short one?"

Greg chuckled nervously, "The short version please."

I nod my head, I preferred the short version as well, "Well, I considered her my sister. I fought with her in the Rebellion, I was her tenth recruit, if my memory is right. My betrothed, Pearl, was the first."

Greg shakes his head, "Wait, the Rose being your sister part I understand. But Pearl being engaged to you, that's where I'm confused. I thought she had a thing for Rose."

I smile, "Eh, I'm sure she did at some point. Rose was very charismatic, I wouldn't find it too hard to believe that she did." Greg gave me a look of utter confusion, guess I'd have to explain further, "Well, look at it this way: I was dead in all meanings but the actuality of it. So even if she did, I bear no ill will."

He finally nods his head, "Ok, I think I gotcha... so you're a Gem I take it?" I couldn't help it, I burst into a fit of laughter, "What's so funny?"

I finally wrangle in my laughs for the second time today, "Sorry, it's just the abruptness of the question. Yes, to answer your question, I am a Gem. I know it's rather odd, but I pretty much have no standards for comedy."

He shook his hands, "No, no, no you're fine. It was just confusing was all. The other Gems weren't ever really like you, you're kinda… I don't even know how to describe it. Maybe Amethyst could come close?"

Oh yeah, there was an Amethyst among the Crystal Gems now. I cross my armz, "Hey, that's rather rude. Emeralds are nothing like those lowly Amethyst soldiers!"

Once again Greg nervously chuckled, "I'm... sorry?"

"You had better be! I mean," I let the smile creep to my face, "Nah, I'm just pulling your leg, Greg." Both he and Steven sighed in relief, I didn't think of myself as one to be taken so seriously. I step closer to Greg and decide to give him something, a symbol very dear to me, "You know, I met countless humans over the course of the Rebellion. Some had romantic feelings for Rose just as you did, but none of them had succeeded in courting her. The very fact you did, the very fact she was willing to give up her form for to have a child with you, says something about who you are Greg."

I reach deep into my coat pocket and probe for the little ball in question, finally my fingers latch onto it, "Here, I'd like for you to have this."

I place the silicate marble into his hand and close his fingers around them, after a few seconds pass he opens them to find the marble has become a flower, "W-what?"

I chuckle slightly, "It is the symbol of my clan; Vishi, or Silicate Flower. They're given to those any Emerald warrior considers worthy to count themselves amongst our ranks."

I give one to Steven as well, remembering that I had done the same for his Mother when she had taken in my clan, "Now, I know neither of you have proved yourselves in combat, but unorthodox times tend to warp the rules."

I stare at their faces, happy in the fact they were in wonder about the Vishi. They were the ultimate gift I could bestow upon anyone. Greg looked at me and I could see a tear in his eye, for a moment I thought I had done something wrong.

That thought was set aside when he thanked me, "I… I am glad to have met you Emerald. Maybe we can swap stories about Rose one day?"

"Yeah, I'd like that. Perhaps I can also tell you stories of the Rebellion."

"Yeah, that'd be cool with me." he confirms with a nod.

I look at Steven and up at the afternoon sun, "Well I believe that is all the time I have. Greg, I assume that you are watching Steven?"

"Yeah, we were going to work on the van and marathon some old movies." he pauses, contemplating something.

I already guessed it, with a wave of my hand I decline, "As much as I'd love to, trust me I really would love to see more of humanity's current technology, I am afraid there are other matters to attend to."

Steven moaned, obviously crestfallen, "Aww, c'mon Uncle Emerald."

Greg wagged a finger, "Hey Stew, if he has things to do then let him."

I did have important things to do, like trying to dissect my latest dream. But one look at my nephew made me reconsider, "I mean… they aren't that important."

Steven's eyes lit up, Greg's eyes questioned me, "Are you sure?"

I make my way to the front of his vehicle and lift the hood to reveal the engine, "Yeah, I mean, all I was going to do was discern the meaning behind my dream," I pause, the part I needed to get a basis on the vehicle wasn't here, "So… where is your photonic catalyst-conversion device?"

Greg started laughing, but when he caught me staring he stopped, "Oh, you weren't joking. You have worked on a car before, right?"

I slowly shake my head, "Light Skiffs, Transport Skiffs, and Cruiser Drills are my areas of expertise."

He scratched his head sheepishly, "Ohh boy… Steven, get the Marshmallows ready; it's going to be a long night…"