Beach City Temple, Emerald's P.O.V.:

I stand there stupefied by this Aquamarine, "Hey Amoura, you okay there buddy?"

'Dad… you there?' The only feeling I felt from him was one of complete confusion.

Aquamarine looked at me in confusion, finally he got a look of realization on his face, "Oh I get it, you've probably seen a lot of Aquamarines over the centuries, huh? Well maybe my real name will jog your memory, Comoediae; you practically drowned in laughter around me!"

My brain kicked into overdrive to figure out who he was. So naturally it took me a few minutes to realize what he had said, "W-w-was that a pun?"

With a roar of laughter, "So you do remember me? That's Bundus Good!"

I finally realized he must be after the runaway Emerald Clan, that's how he knew where Earth was, that's how he knew my dad. I withdrew my weapon and ran at him, to which he responded with a chuckle, "Wow, you're using a staff now? That's awesome man!"

As Emerald neared his target he willed some of the sand to constrict their movement, taking the momentary surprise to take a jab at the Gem located near his opponent's sternum. But with a chuckle, Comoediae bent backwards and grabbed the staff out of Emerald's hand while simultaneously kicking him to the side. Emerald turned himself so he would land on his feet, sliding across the sand. 'This guy is fast, is this what Homeworld is using against us? Are there more of him or is he the only one; if only him why?'

Thoughts raced through Emerald's mind as he wondered who this Gem was. His thoughts ceased when Comoediae spoke up, "You know Amoura, you've kinda lost your edge."

"I'm not Amoura!" Emerald said defiantly.

Realization dawned slowly on Comoediae's face, then a high-pitched squeal erupted out of him, "Well I'll be darned! Amoura's gone and had himself a kid! Say kiddo, where's your parents; it's been several mintues since I last put in a chokehold by Oceanus for my amazing sense of humor."

Emerald just sat there, once again confused; but before any words could be uttered, Amoura's shade appeared with a laugh and enormous smile, "So my friend it is you!"

Comoediae smiled and immediately ran to give his old time friend a hug, but sadly he fell straight through; without a single word he just laughed with Amoura. Afterwards he said, "It's been way too long, don't tell me Oceanus is a shade as well?"

Emerald raised his hands, "Hey guys! If y'all don't mind, I'd like to know what's going on here."

Amoura's face turned serious, as if he remembered he was supposed to be an ancient Sage Shade, and the most famous Sage to boot, "Yes my friend, I'd like to know where you went. All these years I thought you died in that incident."

Comoediae's now usual smile grew sad with a hint of nostalgia, "Well buckle your metaphysical seatbelts guys, this is going to go back in time."

"I swear to Moonstone if you don't stop with your incessant 'jokes' I will end your entire lineage!' Oceanus said while holding Comoediae in a near inescapable choke hole she was most famous for.

Meanwhile Amoura was nearly dying from laughter at his friend's joke, "Come on Ocea, I mean it is quite funny to think of a Peridot fighting a Diamond! Let Como go already."

With labored speech Como spoke, "Yeah, I think I'm drowning a bit."

To this pun Oceanus gripped harder, "Now you're making fun of my clan?"

This was Amoura's moment to step in and quell the fighting, "Ok that's enough Oceanus, you're taking it too far again."

With a huff Oceanus finally let Comoediae go; he didn't get angry, no in fact he took it in stride and rubbed his stomach, "Hey, is anyone hungry?"

Oceanus sighed, "We don't even require to eat, yet you always insist on it! Me and Amoura are saving up to get married ya know?"

"But if I don't eat now my tummy tums will get all watery!" Aqua said, which ended in both him and Amoura laughing crazily.

"You act like such a Gemling." Oceanus said angrily; but try as she might, she too began laughing. Over the years these three had been in numerous clan wars together, all three fighting side by side. But since both her and Amoura were the final two sages they had more responsibility than most so it was nice to have someone ease the troubles of the mantle cast upon the two.

Como stopped laughing and looked at Oceanus who was also laughing, "Ha! Who's the Gemling now?"

Oceanus stopped and blushed a deep shade of blue and shouted at Como, "That doesn't count! I'm just hungry is all." This only caused the other two to laugh harder.

As Como bit into his Crysona he felt his hunger lessen; after he finished the messy meal he looked at his two friends and saw they were chatting, but for some reason they were whispering, "Hey whatcha two talking about?"

Amoura gave Oceanus a pleading look and she fought it for a while but eventually gave into his begging look; with a big smile he looked at Como, "Well me and Oceanus are planning on applying for a child after the Clan Summit, which hopefully the Jasper Clan doesn't try to trick us again… wait I'm getting off topic, when our Emerald-"

"Or Lapis Lazulite!" Oceanus defiantly argued

"Yes, or a Lazulite; anyway, whenever our Gem is made we have agreed to make you the God-Father."

For the first time in years Como was speechless, "F-For real?"

Amoura gave a nod and Oceanus gave a thumbs up with a sort of agitated look, "But I swear on Father Meteor if their first words are puns I will kill you."

To that Como smiled and replied, "Not a promise; you didn't have me make a contract about it."

Oceanus picked up the table they were sitting at and yelled, "I told you we should've gotten the contract out!"

Amoura grabbed Como and sped him out of the pavilion, but Oceanus still gave chase, the table being waved around like a circular hammer.

Amoura was behind Oceanus, having lost ground after helping Comoediae run, "Oceanus it's fine! I doubt it would even matter if he doesn't say any puns around them!"

With the sunset of Homeworld hitting the horizon it casted a dark and crimson glow around the trio; each of them with smiles on their faces, happy they could act like kids despite all of their responsibilities. Sadly though the Sunset also held another Crimson tone that would continue into that night. But none of them knew what was going to happen; though for now the universe was content with letting the trio be happy...

Later that night:

"Hey I'm home guys!" Como walked in and shifted to his casual clothes not noticing the tension in the air, nor the shining dust in it. The only thing that made him cry out was when he noticed red rubellite shards spanning the ground. The shards of his adopted brother and sister are who the shards belonged to, he just knew it. The sound of hard steps and malicious laughter filled the air; turning around Como saw his older brother Draco Testa, an Obsidian of the strangest hue purple

Draco Testa gave a genuine smile with a malicious undertone added to it, "Welcome home Comoediae, how do you like the new decor? I think it just shatters the imagination."

For the first time in his entire existence Como didn't laugh, "W-Why? Testa why did you do this?"

"Reason Gemlings like you can't understand is why I did this; power is why I did this!" with a cackle Testa drew his weapon, a wicked axe, and began waving it around, proving once and for all to his little brother how much of a maniac his older brother had become, one who had used to welcome him home with hugs and compliments on his jokes. The sight of this made Como freeze up; watching the blade of the axe latch itself in slow motion inside of his gem, cracking and cleaving it in many pieces.

"After that I remained conscious of everything going on around me, I know he even tried to destroy my shards but they didn't crack any further; he seemed to have gotten bored afterwards and left. After that everything is fuzzy; all I can remember is a fiery figure's smile and next thing I know I'm in the future. I don't know how long it took but I eventually learned how to warp through time, so I practiced all of my skills, never knowing why I still existed. Though like I said, it's been a minute since then so why bother?" I could feel myself tearing up after the story; and when Como gave a warm hearted smile I began crying.

With a concerned look he blurted out, "Oh no, there I go again making someone cry. Please stop, your crying will 'tear' me in half"

I chuckle a bit and nod my head, "No, no it's not your fault. I just get really emotional is all, I really should keep that in check."

Como laughed and looked at Amoura, "He really is your spitting image! Though he seems to be more emotional than you, almost like Oceanus."

Amoura gave a good laugh, "If you think he's anything like her then wait 'till you meet Lapis!"

As we stand there laughing I hear the sounds of guns being loaded. Turning around I saw three human soldiers, their guns trained on Comoediae, "Emerald Sir, we heard the sound and came as fast as we could."

Nervously smiling I shook my hands, "No, no it's quite alright soldiers. He is a friendly not an enemy."

Luckily the soldiers seemed satisfied with my word and one handed me a data pad, one of many advancements Peridot had managed along with other scientists. When I read it I sighed, "Tell her I'm on my way." With a crisp salute the soldiers went on their way in a swift jog back to the temple. For a second I wondered how they would get to my caller, but then I remembered how all communicators came with a recording of the crystal whistle chime.

When I turned around I heard Dad ask, "Was it a case of Speaking of the Devil?"

"Well Como if you wanna see my sister come with me." I say without waiting for an answer, knowing that he'll follow me.