A green speck in the eternal void, that is what Emerald is. Or more specifically, that is Emerald within the confines of his gem as he gathers the energy to reform. That tiny speck of green draws in flakes of light from the surrounding void. As it does it grows in size, every five or six adding another piece to the puzzle that is Emerald.

The first appendage to grow is a head, then his eyes which he uses to stare past his comfy prison and stare at the ensemble of worried friends, 'What is going on?'

"What do you think?" Amoura materializes by his son, who now had an entire upper torso, "Why son, you've done something that has set so many different things into motion."

Emerald rolled his eyes, 'Dad, could you be a little less mysterious and tell me what exactly I've done?'

Amoura shook his head, "Sorry son, your mother made me promise not to say anything."

'Wait,' Emerald's form had fully revived when he faced his father, 'What do you mean mother made you promise?' Amoura said nothing and since the reformation process had begun Emerald couldn't force any information out of his father.

Upon reforming I found that my head lied heavily upon Pearl's shoulders. I gave a few ragged breaths before laughing, "Honey, I'm home." I looked around the room and saw nobody laughing, that was normal. What wasn't was Pearl not chastising me for making light of me being poofed, for whatever reason I was I cannot say. "Alright, who died this time?"

Garnet looked to Pearl and back to me while withdrawing a pair of energy nullifying cuffs, Pearl shook her head and looked me in the eyes, "Nobody is dead, no… Emerald, somebody was born."

Now here is where stories will differ, Pearl will tell you that at this moment my mouth flapped closed and open like a fish and I would not stop stuttering and falling on my words, whereas I remember handling it with just the occasional stutter and with as much confidence as one can have during such a situation. "W-What? Who… I don't even see another Gem anywhere around here."

Pearl shook her head and reached behind her and when she turned back around I spied a pillow with a yellow gem lying within the middle of it. 'This is impossible,' I thought to myself as I stared down at the stone, and as I did I finally began to take notice of an odd sensation tingling on my left shoulder. My hand moves accordingly and I soon find myself groping empty air where my Father's gem was once embedded into me. Now, it would seem like a blessing to have such an oddity removed, because I most certainly was not meant to be born with two gems, but I found it a burden. "So… this," I motion towards the pillow-ridden gem, "We…"

Pearl nodded slowly, "Yes… this is Yellow Topaz…"

At this moment so many different emotions flooded me, so in order to keep sanity a prevalent characteristic of mine I focused on only one, "So, this is our child eh? Ha! This is great!" I cast my arms around my beloved and let loose a string of soft laughs, "It is a little odd how it's our fusion, but hey, it could be worse; the normal process requires me to be gone, but I'm still here!"

I released Pearl from the hug and smiled even as she gave me a look of extreme confusion. I bet she had expected me to act differently, but no, I might as well take this like I did every other extremely weird experience: with a smile. She shook her head, probably because she had finally made sense of my behavior and what I was saying, "Yes, you're right. We are parents, oh my the universe must be running out of proper parents if you can be considered parent material."

I pointed a finger at her, "Hey, I resent that statement. I raised my little sister for the better part of a century, to say nothing of the little ones I had watched while in the care of the Moonstone monks."

Pearl rolled her eyes, "Yeah, I'm definitely keeping it close to me at all times."

"What did I…" I begin to trail off as a second bout realization hits me. "I'm a father…"

Steven nervously chuckles, "Pearl just said that."

"That's not what I mean!" I holler, "I am in no way, shape or form, a suitable father!"

"Uhh, but you just said you raised, like, a million kids green bean." Amethyst said.

"No, I watched many a small amount of gemlings at the Moonstone Monastery with the aid of the monks, and with my younger sister I had only to bring her with me everywhere I went." Did they not understand the difference between someone else's child versus your own? "That's different, this is my child!"

I started hyperventilating, my idea of choosing only one emotion to feel was failing me, "I can't be a father, I'm a terrible role-model."

"Emerald."

I run my fingers through my hair, "What if I lose it, what if I accidentally shatter it? Oh dear Moonstone how did I get my-" pain explodes throughout my cheek where Pearl strikes me.

Pearl shakes her head in blatant disappointment, "Sheesh Emerald, you're going to be fine. I mean Greg raised Steven and he came out fine, you can't be much worse."

Greg throws a look at my wife, "Hey! I resent that statement."

Pearl waved a free hand in dismissal, "I meant nothing by it. You have got to admit, you didn't think yourself the parenting type either Greg."

He thought for a moment and I could see him trying to think of an argument, but realization that Pearl was right soon spread across his face, "Yeah, you've kinda got a point there." he turns to face me with a knowing smile, "Look, when I had Steven I was terrified; just as you are right now. You're right, it's not like watching someone else's kid or watching family, this is your child. If you want my advice, get ready for plenty of mistakes, it's only natural, Just don't give up, and don't let people tell you how to raise it."

Pearl relaxed, "Wow, I'm surprised you didn't use your signature phrase. You know, the one about hot-dogs?"

Garnet shifted her weight from foot to foot, "Porkchops."

"What?" I shake my head clear of distractions and toss a smile at Greg, "Thank you. I think… I think I'm prepared for this now, or at least as much as one can be."

I relaxed and went to pick up the gem, in hindsight it is probably a good thing I did because just as I was about to reach it, it began to glow. The room filled with gasps as it began to float into the air, it's mannequin-esque figure rather small in size. Seven seconds total, that's how long it took for the form to develop and send it careening back to the pillow.

"Emerald!" Pearl commands with fear in her voice.

"Right!" I catch the gemling's body in my arms, and the relaxed demeanor I had mere seconds ago now melts as I hear it begin to wail, its tiny voice frail and feminine, "It's a female preset…"

I hand her over to Pearl so she could see her for herself. She gasps and I look in fear at our child to see why, but I spot nothing odd. When I question Pearl on it she smiles, "It's just… she doesn't look like what Yellow Topaz did."

That prompts me to study my daughter again, and upon doing so I find my betrothed to be right. From what Garnet told us, Yellow Topaz had my long hair and Pearl's eyes, and Yellow Topaz's outfit was more like mine, though her face was more like Pearl's. However, this gemling had short hair, a face like mine, and a more formal garb like Pearl.

My eyes meet Pearl's, "So… should we still call her Yellow Topaz?"

"That is the type of gem she has, so she is still a Yellow Topaz." Pearl says with a nod.

Since I can't think of anything else to do, I decide I might as well come up with a name for our daughter. I relayed this to Pearl and she asked me what I had in mind. I kicked my mind into overdrive to think of a name, finally one struck me, "Ocasio."

Pearl smiled, "Opportunity, I like it."

I scratched Ocasio's chin and chuckled when she grabbed my finger, "I mean, Earth was a new opportunity for many Gems. She was born on Earth… so, yeah, are we agreed on this?"

Pearl nodded without a second thought, "Yes, it's a fine name.

I turn towards the others, they're all craning their necks in order to get a better glimpse of Ocasio. "Alright, no crowding. Give her some space for Meteor's sake, I will decide who gets to hold her first." I look at each of them and judge thoroughly, in the end I think it should be Amethyst. She was the only other Gem, other than Steven, who was made on Earth. I took Ocasio from Pearl and gently transferred her into Amethyst's arms, "Please be careful, I know you usually have things under control and all but you've never handled a gemling."

She scoffs but that bravado is proven to be false by the nervous expression on her face, "I've got this green bean. I've held burritos before and this is basically the same!"

"Amethyst, while I appreciate your confidence, I do not like your comparison between a foodstuff and my daughter," Pearl said, aggravation dripping in her tone.

Amethyst ignores her in favor of focusing on not dropping my daughter. Eventually she grows comfortable with her, "Aww, hey there lil' Ocie. I'm Amethyst."

I grab my daughter from Amethyst and look towards Greg, "Wanna give it a shot?"

He looked at me as if I asked him to kill her, "No!," he shakes his head, "Sorry, I've had some bad experiences with holding babies that weren't Steven."

"Steven?" much to my surprise he also declines.

"I just don't feel comfortable doing it right now."

Fair enough, it was dark out which meant it was possibly a bit after Steven's normal sleep schedule. So I turned to the last person, but I found she had disappeared and was replaced by a Sapphire and a Ruby. I bowed in mock reverence and made a hasty sweeping motion with one arm, "Your Clarity, to what do I owe the honor of you and your mighty guard's visit."

Sapphire waltzed up to me casually, Ruby close behind her. Their acting was a bit rusty, but they were managing. "I have foreseen the creation of a life," I bent down and handed her Ocasio and she set to work tickling my daughter under her chin, "A very adorable life."

Ruby tapped Sapphire, a hint to let her hold Ocasio. Sapphire almost didn't let Ocasio go, but she regained her senses and let Ruby hold her. Now I'll give Ruby some credit, she could be very hot headed and rash at times, which was a reason she needed Sapphire, but as she held Ocasio in her arms I could see the old soldier turn extremely calm. "Hey there Ocasio, I'm Ruby. Can you say Ruby?" now, most parents would probably object to someone else trying to get their infant to say their first words when it's said parent's right to do so, but I'll take whatever help I can get.

Ocasio gave a good effort, but ultimately just ended up blowing a raspberry. I take Ocasio back from the crestfallen Rubellite, "Hey, it was worth a shot." Ruby nods her head. Moments later Garnet reappears and I let her hold Ocasio for the allotted time.

After that all is left is figuring out where Ocasio will sleep, Pearl didn't think leaving her in Steven's home was a good idea and I certainly didn't like the idea of Ocasio staying in our room without some sort of buffer between her and that water fountain death trap of Pearl's.

Luckily, Greg came through with a solution, "I think Vidalia may still have a crib. Stay here, I'll go see. Amethyst you come too, she liked you more."

"Good thinking Greg." After he and Amethyst run out the door I turn towards Pearl, "What is a crib?"

Garnet and Steven snickered, Pearl shook her head in disappointment, "It is official, Ocasio is not leaving my side."