Connie hummed a little tune as she leaned on Peridot's shoulder, trying her best at tinkering with a small robot that she had designedbaking with Peri. This device was a welcome distraction from everything that had come into her life, and Peridot was secretly just fine with keeping her in the dark.
She finally turned the last screw and to her delight, the little metal ball rose up on its spindly legs. It toddled around for a few moments, like a baby seeing the world for the first time.
Lapis suddenly swooped down and landed on top of the table, nearly crushing the thing. Connie quickly snatched it off and smiled.
"Lazuli, why must you always make a dramatic entrence? Maybe you should use stairs like the rest of us." Peridot muttered, starting to sweep up spare nuts and bolts. Connie got on the ground to help.
"Ha! Stairs, please! Anywho, here's your purse, adorkable." Lapis smiled, dropping to the ground and handing Connie her little black purse.
"I'm not a dork just for going to a symphony!" Connie laughed, playfully jabbing Lapis in the ribs.
"Totally a dork!" Lapis called out. "Who even likes those snooze fests?"
"Yellow liked them, she said that the music of this Earth planet was so very different from Homeworld's, and yet so alike when it came to classical." Peridot said with a small smile. "Though… she didn't really like to think of our home too much, so she didn't go often."
Well, that's very reasonable, not wanting to think of the place you shattered someone to get away from. Connie thought with slight worry. She then smiled. "Do you like the symphony, Peridot?"
"I must agree with Lapis, Connie. Yellow Diamond loved classical, but I could barely keep my nerve listening to it. It's far too tame." Peridot mumbled out.
Connie grinned. "Maybe you just haven't heard the right song yet."
Suddenly, the door opened and Doug walked in, he looked saddened by something. "Connie, sweetheart, we can't go to the symphony. A surprise meeting came up at work a few minutes ago and it's mandatory for all personal, it'll last way longer than the show, but I just wanted to say I'm sorry."
Connie's smile fell fast and she dropped herself onto the couch. "Oh… ok. That's fine."
Lapis and Peridot looked at Doug with concern, as if asking with there eyes if there was any way around the meeting.
"I'm sorry, again, Connie. I really wish I could hang out with you tonight, pumpkin." Doug muttered.
Peridot looked down at Connie's sad face and then back at Doug. "...I'll take her to the show in your car."
"What?!" Everyone besides Peridot gasped.
"Peri, this is going to be a very sofisticated event where nearly everyone's watching for the smallest mistakes because they're that snooty."
"Hey!" Connie cried in anger.
"Ok, some people, not all." Lapis smiled.
"Oh? A place where they force perfection and simply hate any mistakes, and where I happen to be a wrench in their perfect plans?" Peridot then smirked and gave a short chuckle. "Oh, Lazuli, I've already lived through all that. They won't start a war because of their whining, will they?"
Lapis raised her eyebrows in surprise. She hadn't seen Peridot this smug in a while.
"This is so cool, and so unlike you! Thanks!" Connie gushed in excitement. She happily picked up her purse and skipped to the door, not seeing her father's face of frozen horror.
"Not my baby, you can't!" He suddenly cried.
They glanced at him in surprise and he blushed in embarrassment. "Peridot, it's just… you're… not the best at driving…"
"Me?!" Peridot gasped with a scoff, clearly offended. "Doug, how dare you! Are you saying I can't take care of my precious Connie?!"
"No! No! I'm just saying that I'd feel a lot better if Lapis drove."
Lapis leaned down to Connie and whispered. "He just doesn't want to bring up the fact that Peri's legs are too short to reach the pedals. We got her one of those kiddie cars a long time ago, giving her the ability to drive was a mistake…"
Connie thought it was a reasonable solution.
Peridot begrudgingly grabbed the keys but Lapis stopped her quickly. "Um, you need to change just a bit to blend in."
A few minutes later and they had stopped at the Big Doughnut for snacks and refreshments.
Despite Peridot's at first denial, Connie and Lapis had force on a green dress shirt and some jeans of Connie's on her. The small gem had to admit when twirling in the mirror, she looked rather nice.
"Okay, we have some good snacks, and now for some good beverages!" Connie smiled, opening the small fridge and peering in.
"Ooh! I love this kind!" Lapis gushed, grabbing out a blueberry-flavored soda labeled, 'Rising Tide' She immediately started to drink it.
Connie picked out an apple juice just before Peridot snatched it away.
"Ahem, I would like to drink as well, Connie!" Peridot announced with a smile.
"Y-You would?" Connie asked in surprise, grabbing herself one as well.
Peridot smirked. "Of course! I'm brave and adventrous, I don't care what anyone thinks!"
Lapis bent down to Connie. "So, you got anything you're excited to hear tonight?"
"Yes! Serenade will be performing a solo on the piano and singing, she learned at the age of three! She's really good and is an idol of mine, and I get to see her live! You see, I've only listened to her songs, she's never told her fans her real name or showed her real face. She goes by Serenade. Isn't that just beautiful and mysterious?"
"Hm, you seem to adore this woman." Perish muttered. "There are much better people to idolize than some musician."
Connie smiled. "I idolize you guys and Jasper way more, and you know it!"
"I was…" Peridot shut down the thought at once, about to say, 'I was thinking about your mother.' She was bound to be far more beautiful and mysterious than this human being Connie liked. No human could possibly be as amazing as Yellow Diamond, certainly not as beautiful.
Suddenly, the tinkling of the bell announced a new arrival. Peridot choked on her juice in shock.
Into the Big Doughnut entered a stunningly beautiful human. She was rather tall and wore a long white gown. She had a cute bob that was cut just to frame her face and was set in tiny little ringlets. Her golden hazel eyes made her look like a woman with fire in her. She also looked rather awkward in the store wearing such a nice dress, but she gracefully picked up her skirt and strode up with a look of confidence to the counter to look at the menu, like she didn't care about what anyone would say. And if someone really got on her bad side or she got into a fight, Peridot could tell that dress wouldn't save her attacker. She looked so beautiful, so perfect… The presence this human held, Peridot was surprised to realize it was very much like Yellow Diamond's.
"Should we tell Cinderella the carriage must've missed a turn?" Lapis snorted to Peridot, but the gem said nothing, staring in wonder at the goddess-like woman.
"... She's… She's breath-taking." Peridot whispered.
"I'd say so! She looks great!" Connie cried softly.
"I wonder where she's heading in a gown like that?" Peridot asked, not able to keep her eyes off the woman as she ordered a small pastry. She had felt near the same feeling when first beholding Yellow Diamond.
"Why don't you ask her? I don't think it would be a odd question." Lapis suggested. "I kinda want to know myself."
"... Ask… her….?" Peridot looked like she didn't understand English at all as she tore her eyes away from the woman. "N-No! She most certainly would not want to talk to a lowly person like myself! She doesn't have time for that!"
Connie was surprised. Peridot was never one to degrade herself unless she had done something terribly wrong. Why would she think she didn't deserve to talk to this woman?
"Go on!" Lapis urged her. "You need more practice socializing with people in general, she'd be perfect! Go talk to her!"
"No!" Peridot hissed, blushing harder.
Lapis gave a groan and then shoved Peridot to the woman.
The gem gave a screech in shock and slammed right into the woman's big skirt before falling on her bottom. The woman gave a gasp in surprise, looking almost offended, but Peridot quickly apologized, saying she hadn't seen her. The lady's face still looked rather confused, but she offered a hand to the gem. Peridot blushed even harder, hand trembling as she was helped up.
The woman's hard confused face melted into a gentle laugh when Peridot seemed to bow to her like a soldier would to a princess. She said something softly, then lifted up her skirt and left just as quickly as she had come.
Peridot walked back after a few moments, still in shock.
"Ok, you can attack me now!" Lapis smirked. She closed her eyes and waited for a weak punch but it never came.
"... She touched my hand…"
"Man, you really fell for her." Lapis snorted as they got into the car.
Peridot gave a growl in retaliation, realizing how silly she must've looked in the store, especially in front of that beautiful woman.
Lapis quickly turned on the radio to heavy metal, her personal favorite genre, and started nodding her head to it.
Connie meanwhile couldn't stop thinking about the woman, just like Peridot couldn't. She gave a small cough after a few moments. "She reminded you of Mother, didn't she?"
Lapis nearly forgot to glance back at the road when her head snapped to Peridot's face, which was blushing in embarrassment.
"My dear Connie, don't be so silly! Why would you think that she reminded me of-!"
"She was super tall, first of all. She also had a certain pride in her walk, and a lot of confidence walking in the way she did. Her body's shape is also quite simaler to Mother's, she-"
"Connie, that is enough from you." Peridot said sharply and suddenly, making the girl stop midsentence in surprise. "That woman, that human, she was nothing to pay attention to and I will not have either of you thinking my loyalty and love to Yellow Diamond has swayed whatsoever!"
"We didn't mention that loyalty and love part." Lapis smirked with a laugh. "You really do have a crush on her!"
"What!? Me? Have a fancy to that sill-" Peridot was interrupted by Connie's gasp.
"Peridot! It's her! It's the woman, look out your window!"
Peridot gave a small screech in shock, whipping her head to the woman.
She rode in the backseat of a black car, a chuffer seemed to be driving her somewhere. The woman saw Peridot and looked suprised to see her once again.
"What do I do?! She's looking at me!" Peridot cried in agony. "How am I supposed to respond?! Should I scream hi to her, tell her I also like it when other people do things for me because they know I'm better?"
"No!" Lapis immediately cried, nearly swerving. "Just, uh, smile at her!"
Peridot gritted her teeth and forced the biggest possible smile on her face, which was terrifying.
The woman showed no fear or disgust though, she gave a noiseless laugh behind her window. It seemed to be a good laugh, not trying to make fun of the gem. The car then drove off just as Lapis had to stop for a red light.
Peridot stared after the car with sadness. What if that woman actually… liked her?
Connie hurriedly thought of something. "A well-dressed woman like that, perhaps she's off to see Serenade too!"
"I don't know," Lapis mumbled with a shrug. "She's probably going to some rich person party or something. Maybe she just stopped at the Big Doughnut to get a snack while traveling to some other town."
Peridot felt her blush intensify at the thought that she might lose the woman. After all, chasing one just like her was what got her to the amazing life she had today… She then narrowed her eyes.
Lapis gave a scream in shock when Peridot suddenly shoved her knee down on the gas and they bolted off. "Peri! What are you doing?! Let go!"
But Peridot didn't let go, her lip pouted in determination to find the woman.
"Oh my gosh, Peridot, stop! The light was red! We just broke the law!" Connie whined in worry, eyes wide. "My dad's gonna be so mad! Peridot, stop!"
"No! The great Peridot stops for no one, not even you!" Peridot screeched in victory, feeling so incredibly alive at the thrill of breaking rules.
Peridot suddenly made an incredibly sharp turn, not really knowing how dangerous it could be, and to her excitement, she saw the car with the woman inside. "There she is!"
Lapis has given up trying to get her leg free when she noticed how happy Peridot looked. The gem hadn't looked that happy in days. Her joy was short lived though as blue and red lights filled the dondi as well as a blaring siren. Peridot then crawled onto Lapis' lap, taking over steering.
"Connie, what do I to make them stop?" Peridot growled to the girl, not panicked but rather annoyed.
"Y-you pull over and show them your license!"
"My what?"
"Oh no!" Connie moaned in fear, suddenly remembering all the Crystal Temps besides her weren't used to dealing with their citizenship, because they had none! They were aliens!
Peridot suddenly cranked up the heavy metal music and drove faster in a burst of rebellion.
"Peridot, you're such a bada-"
The car screeched over Lapis' words. In the span of a few minutes, she flew past the mystery woman, made at least 4 very sharp turns, and then finally, finally was able to drive the car off the road beside a billboard reading: "Ocean Town, No Longer on FIRE"
Lapis quickly realized they were out of gas.
They watched the police drive right past them. However, in their wake, the three tickets stuck in the cupholder suddenly blew out the window. Connie gave a cry in horror, grasping desperately, but the tickets soon hit a tree branch, halting thier path and falling straight into a puddle.
Connie gaped in shock.
There was a long moment of silence before Lapis finally spoke up. "Um… Connie, are you-"
"Great! That's just perfect!" Connie suddenly yelled in anger, making them both jump in surprise. "That was so reckless, you could've been put in jail, or they could've gotten our plates, I could've died if we hit something at that speed by the force of motion! And even though I did survive, I won't get to see Serenade! Dad and I waited for months!
"Connie… I'm so sorry." Peridot whispered. "I know you despise anyone who breaks the law, and understand if you hate me at the moment. I just… I just wanted this one night to show you that I could gather with humans, talk with them, show you that I was an excellent mother for taking you to something you enjoy, you… I," She glanced at Lapis and sighed. "We really wanted you to just get back to your normal old self after learning about the shattering, we wanted you to… trust in us again. I've been scared that you aren't telling us things that we need to know."
Connie's glare weakened. She was hiding things, like how Skinny had tried to kill her, that book from the library, the reason why she really loved the Serenade, which was that she had secrets, but not harmful ones like everyone else. "I'm telling you everything, promise." Connie muttered, her fingers crossed behind her back.
"As am I!" Peridot smiled. She also crossed her fingers in guilt. She then took off her dress shirt and jeans with a sigh. "It was useless of me to try to be normal, my stubbornness and pride nearly got you killed, for the 74th time…. I'm sorry I ruined your night, Connie."
The girl gave a small smile. "Well… you didn't ruin the whole night. I'm glad I got to see the rebellious and carefree side of you, I've never seen that much of it. And you met that beautiful woman, I've never seen you that determined for someone's attention. It's nice that you can move on through some things."
Peridot blushed hard. "Well… um…"
Suddenly, a sharp knock filled their ears. Lapis glanced out the window to see a menacing-looking security guard from seemingly nowhere.
Lapis rolled down the window nervously. "Can I help you?"
"Nearby there is a symptomy playing, a person saw you on the side of the road and grew worried that you were broke down."
"Well, we-" Lapis tried but he kept going.
"Because of this, and saying you three were their acquaintances, they said you are allowed to come in and watch the show, in first class seats as well, giving you something to do. Once the show is over, we will have your vehicle fixed, all paid by them."
The three stared in utter shock.
"But… who?" Connie asked softly. She thought of anyone who could possibly know them and do all these nice things.
About a hour later, Connie watched in delight as the sythomy finished. She clapped happily when suddenly, a person walked on stage and she gasped in shock.
The woman was like a ghost, a beautiful spirit, almost unreal. Her entire face veiled by an elegant sheet, her face couldn't be seen. It was her, Serenade, the one no one had seen the face of. But what the three gems were surprised about was who the woman really was, the dress! It was the mystery woman!
She took a gentle breath, and started to sing.
Her voice was haunting, as she sang the sweet melody.
"Why… would I want to be here? When it's always her I always see here! With her gone I'm free to do what I love to do! So, tell me… why I can't feeling… blue?" Serenade sang softly, holding her microphone close and tight to her chest.
Peridot stared in awe, remembering how her Diamond used to sing. The song was like one Yellow had often hummed when pregnant with Connie, and one Peridot used to hum to the girl when tucking her in. It wasn't exactly it, it was in a different key and had different pauses, but it was nice to hear words put to a song like it. She wondered who Serenade was singing about.
"Why did I stand here smiling, when afterwards I'd soon be, crying? Now it's over and we're through? So, why can't I stop feeling blue?
I tried for many years, to keep her by my side.
I tried so many years, to never truly cry.
I was captivated yet captive, all at the same time!
I should've never listened! When she told me part of my heart would be missing!
Oh, of course, I… loved her, and I'm always thinking of her.
But it was a lie so what can I do? Won't someone tell me… why I can't help feeling, why I can't help feeling, why can't I help feeling blue?
I can barely stand to be here with it all!... Here with it all…
Drowning in all of her words,
I need to keep running, get away from the world… Get away from the world….
Still, here I stand, older and wiser, but still with no plan!
Oh, of course, I… loved her, and I'm always thinking of her…. I wonder if she ever loved me too?" Serenade belted the last word out, high and strong. "... and I wish, she could also be feeling, though I know it's not appealing, I wish she could be feeling… sad without me, too-ooh, too-ooh, too-ooh-ooh…."
Peridot was in tears at the end, and was the loudest person in the crowd, whistling and cheering for the woman. Through she couldn't see her face, Peridot prayed it made her smile.
After the show, Connie, Lapis and Peridot filed out along with the rest of the crowd to go see the star of the show. The line was long, and when they finally reached her, they didn't really know what to say.
"Um… thank you." Connie whispered with a blush. "T-Thank you for the tickets, Serenade! I love your music!"
The women only nodded in response. She then looked to Peridot and bent down, giving her a slip of paper. The songstress then showed them away suddenly, and went on to greet another guest.
"That was rude." Lapis muttered, but Connie and Peridot were staring in awe at the paper.
"I got a code." Peridot whispered.
"She wants you to call her! You got her number, you got the Serenade's-!" Connie was soon mumbling when Peridot covered her mouth.
"My Serenade certain would certainly not want to us to announce this! That's why she shooed is off!" Peridot hissed. She then smiled with a huge blush. "... She wants to speak again…"
Sorry this took so long, I've been really, really busy at school lately! But yes, this woman is Peridot's Mystery Girl, and she did sing her own version of What's the Use of Feeling Blue. And about the lyrics, don't worry, they aren't reflecting a toxic relationship in my life, it was meant to develop Serenade's character. Anywho, I'm sorry that there isn't a cover image this time, I just really wanted to get it out there! I don't think the covers matter too much to you guys, so I'm sure it's fine.