Fish Stew Pizza - Present Day
The gentle tinkling of the shop bell announced the arrival of Connie and Steven at Fish Stew Pizza. The morning sun shone brightly through the shop's front window, giving the restaurant a warm, welcoming feeling. Pausing for a moment, they waved to Pearl, who was seated in the back reading a newspaper.
Pearl looked up from the paper, waving back at them in greeting, then pointed at the menu on the wall. "Order yourselves something nice to eat! My treat!"
"Thanks, Pearl!" replied Connie. A moment later, she turned with Steven to review the menu.
A few minutes and two slices of delicious pizza later, the two children were seated at Pearl's table. She had put her newspaper aside and, to their surprise, had a half-finished glass of soda in front of her.
Steven watched in awe as Pearl lifted the bubbly liquid to her lips and took a sip. "Um, Pearl? I thought you hated eating food?"
Pearl set the glass down and let out a satisfied sigh. "You're right, I normally do dislike eating food. I used to hate the idea of it completely, but eventually I learned to like it after working with Deedee all those years ago. Lately, after this stuff with your mother happened, I've started drinking it on occasion, just to relax."
"I get that," replied Connie. "My Mom sometimes drinks decaf in the evening after work."
Pearl took another swig of the soda, finally draining the glass. "Now, then. Connie, Steven, thank you for coming today. Are you ready to begin today's stories?"
"Am I ever, Ma'am!" Connie grinned. Flipping open up her laptop, she placed her fingers on the keyboard, ready to type.
Steven pulled a notepad from his pocket and thumbed through some pages until he found his own starting point. He leaned in a little closer to Connie so he could better see what she was typing.
"I'm ready! First question: Who was Deedee and when did you start drinking soda?"
Pearl looked confusedly at him, then at Connie. "I thought you were doing the interview?"
"He's thinking of going to school with me later this year, so I'm teaching him the basics of taking notes and asking questions."
"Very good double use of the time, Connie." Pearl smiled proudly. Her prized student was taking on new avenues of learning and development. "Also, Steven, that's two questions, not one."
She began her story by gesturing to the shop around her. "This is where my adventures started. It wasn't always a pizza parlor. Back in 1938, this was Deedee's Soda Shop. I would come in here a few days a week to tell stories of our Gem adventures and occasionally help Deedee Fryman with the shop."
It was at this moment that Ronaldo—a regular customer at the parlor for its free wifi, despite his family's professional rivalry with the Pizzas—made his presence known.
"Hold up a sec!" he nearly shouted, blond hair bouncing with his excitement. With a loud screeching noise, he hurriedly scooted his chair and table across the floor towards them. "If you guys are going to be discussing Beach City history and the supernatural involvement of Gems, then I need it for my blog!"
Pearl rolled her eyes in annoyance, but made no attempt to shoo him away. It would only encourage him further, and there was a small chance his blog would come in handy in the future.
"As I was saying, here…" she jabbed a finger on the surface of the table, "...right here is where I listened to human media and learned about the growing unrest in the world. Here is where I realized that I had to interfere to protect the people and city I'd come to care for."
Pearl paused a moment to collect her thoughts as Connie and Ronaldo furiously typed away at their keyboards.
"It was a week after the excursion to Tibet, and I was hosting a storytelling session here. That afternoon was cold, and the crowd in attendance was larger than normal. Business was good."
February 10th, 1938
"After the mountain spirit recovered its form, it started tearing around the temple courtyard with reckless abandon. There were a whole section of soldiers just trying to grab hold of it, and they were being thrown around like tin toys." Pearl chuckled as she finished her story. "It was quite funny actually, watching their futile efforts in trying to catch the little monster. The thing was about as fast and slippery as a greased hog."
She was seated by the display window with an array of tables and chairs arranged in a loose semicircle, allowing the customers to listen to her tales properly. The table next to her held a scribbled-over notepad and a big mug of cherry soda.
"So what happened to the Gem after it flew off?" asked a young girl.
"I don't really know. The last we saw it was when it took off into the mountains. We'll probably leave it alone, now that it can't cause much trouble while stuck in that form."
A man in the back stood up to be seen above the crowd. "How about the Germans? Did they return to the temple?"
"Rose checked again a few days ago, and the monks reported that the Germans had packed up camp. It appears that they all went home." Glancing up at the clock on the wall, she noticed that it was getting close to her quitting time. She clapped her hands together. "Okay, folks, that's a wrap for today. I need to be heading home."
With storytime over, the crowd gradually began to disperse to their own devices. A few filtered out the door, but many stayed to order drinks and chat with their friends. Some were heard discussing her most recent story, but none paid her much attention now that she was done.
Taking one last sip from her soda, she jotted down a few notes in her story log, then gathered her belongings. She had just reached the restaurant's bar, intending to talk with Deedee, when the door was flung open with a sharp thud.
Into the shop marched several young men, sharply dressed in stylish black uniforms. Each wore a red armband on their left arms, an all-too-familiar symbol etched in the center. Pearl watched intently as they began to hand out flyers from the stacks they held to the store's customers, speaking with them in low tones.
"Hello, Madam!" Pearl turned to find one of them standing next to her, hand extended to offer a flyer. "I'm Adelbert. Please take one. We're holding meetings of the American Bund society this weekend, and your presence would be greatly appreciated! We will be talking about how Germany and America can benefit each other!"
Pearl took it, giving the contents a quick scan. There were flags emblazoned on the front side, and it proudly declared in bold font the same words the Bund member had been saying. Then she flipped the paper over, and her eyes narrowed. There was propaganda in front of her, toxic lies and evil rhetoric. She had seen the like a hundred times before.
"No thank you." Pearl thrust the paper back to Adelbert, almost shoving him into a table in the process. "I've seen what your kind does to nations. I've seen what kind of trouble your group is stirring up. It'll only end in war, death, destruction!"
Conversation in the soda shop had halted as patrons and Bund members alike stopped what they were doing to watch the exchange.
At first Adelbert just stared blankly at Pearl, before he recovered himself and began to laugh. "My dear lovely lady, your ignorance is obvious! We preach only what is true! Our two nations have much in common. With the rise of the Third Reich, we can ensure the greatness of..."
"Greatness of what, exactly? I've traveled enough of the world and have been keeping track of this Nazi party of yours, too…" Pearl suddenly slapped a hand against her forehead. Her gem was feeling warm to the touch. If she didn't calm herself down, it would start glowing.
Aldebert seized at the opening, "Nonsense! As a proud, sovereign nation we have a right to rebuild ourselves. But we learned very well from the lessons of the last war. This time, Europe and the world at large can prosper with us. With this mutual support, conflict won't be of necessity."
"I've listened to the words of your leader on the radio and read the news from around the world." Her gem really was threatening to blaze up. "I know exactly what your group is all about and what that 'prosperity for all' really means. This is the kind of prosperity that only benefits those that kneel at your feet, while those who defy you are slaughtered."
"I guess we'll have to see, won't we?" Adelbert shrugged. He'd obviously written off ever convincing her. "Follow me, my fellow Bund! There is much to do and the day is young yet."
With the show apparently over, the Bund group followed their leader out the door to continue their propaganda mission.
Suddenly very tired, Pearl slumped into a barstool and laid her head in her hands. The gemstone was white-hot under her fingers. The argument had been brief, but that wave of anger which had almost engulfed her was unlike anything she'd felt for a long time. A very, very long time. She struggled to remember a time where she had been angrier.
Only in the blackest of her memories could she recall a greater rage, when the Diamonds had struck the final, destructive blow in the Gem War, condemning countless millions of gems to live an eternity in mangled, misshapen forms, minds twisted beyond anything but animalian rage.
Looking across the bar, she stared at her reflection in the large mirror. The gem looking back was rattled.
"Care for some more peach pie and soda?" asked Deedee as she walked over. She had been observing the argument from near the cash register at the far end of the room. In her hands, she already held a plate and a glass. "On the house. Thanks for seeing off those jerks."
"You read my mind.," replied Pearl. "And you're welcome." Taking a bite of the sweet pastry and a sip of the soda, she felt the uneasiness start to melt away. "I guess this is why the humans call this comfort food," she mumbled between mouthfuls of desert.
Instead of returning to her duties, Deedee continued to linger near Pearl. Her hands were gripping the folds of her apron tightly.
Pearl laid down her fork. "Something on your mind?"
"Is what you were saying true? That there'll be a war if this Nazi thing continues?" asked Deedee timidly. "My uncle didn't come back from Belleau Wood, and my brother has two sons nearing eighteen."
Pearl understood her concern all too well. Back during the war, she had seen newly-formed Gems smashed to pieces, sometimes just a matter of days after emerging from the cold depths of the earth. They never got the chance to experience a life beyond the purpose coded into them, never were given the chance to appreciate the beautiful, unpredictable land for which they had sacrificed everything.
Human lives were even more finite, sustained by fragile organic matter, horribly vulnerable to every nasty weapon that their minds could conceive of. The tragedy of lost youth all the more concerning for them. But in a way she could understand and relate to it; there were some things worth such a sacrifice. It was just such a shame that time and again the sacrifice was the burden of youth rather than old who had already experienced long lives.
Perl considered her answer carefully. She wanted to be truthful, but also didn't want to alarm her young friend. "I've seen a lot of things over the eons, especially human conflict. I've seen many times what the ambitions of these agitators, these men filled with hate, have led to. Sadly, it often brings brutal warfare."
Deedee visibly sagged, but Pearl pressed on with her speech. "But I have also seen some of the kindest and gentlest sides of humanity, even when things were at their darkest. I've seen enemies show each other mercy, and total strangers protecting each other from the ravages of tyranny, and much more. If the worst does happen and a war breaks out, you can be sure that those who fight won't be alone. The world will not end. Your nation is a strong nation, and it will weather the storm.
This seemed to have had the desired effect. Deedee had brightened somewhat. "Thank you, Pearl. Same time next week?" she asked as she returned to tending the counter.
"You bet." Pushing away her empty plate, Pearl scooped her things up and headed for the door.
Across the boardwalk, just inside the penny arcade, Adelbert and a few of the other Bund members noted Pearl's departure with keen interest. Who was this odd woman, to stand up to them and claim war and destruction would follow the rise of the Third Reich? Their mission demanded that they investigate all potential threats or allies, and this was no exception.
Keeping their distance and employing the tailing instructions they'd learned at the academy, they followed the odd woman as she made her way through town. Once or twice she had turned around suddenly, as if she had sensed them, but each time she resumed her walk as normal, though at a slightly faster pace. Eventually, her journey ended at a tall cliff at the end of the town peninsula.
The group paused in awe just to admire the massive stone statue built right into the face of the cliff. However, Aldebert wasn't distracted for long and decided to leave the others behind to continue the hunt.
But when he rounded the corner, his target had vanished from view. All he could see was a long, deep cave hewn into the center of the statue. Craning his neck, he could make out a large pedestal midway down, which appeared to be made from some sort of crystal, and a steel door at the far end.
Adelbert smiled to himself at their discovery. The visit to this small town had suddenly become very interesting. Swinging on his heel, he started back towards the others. A mental shopping list was starting to take shape in his mind.
A few days later
"HEY, PEARL!"
"Gah!" Pearl exclaimed, launching herself straight up. She crashed into the ceiling with a painful thud before falling back down. She landed on her feet, teetering slightly before she could regain her balance. After catching her breath, she glared at Amethyst, who had surfaced from the pool next to where she had been meditating.
"Pearl!" Amethyst shouted again. "Come with me! Garnet's been having visions that someone's gonna try and break into the temple. Rose has a plan to catch them."
"Must be that Bund group again," grumbled Pearl. "They were plastering the town with propaganda leaflets the other day and stirring up trouble at the soda shop."
"Probably." replied Amethyst, uninterested. "Anyway, let's go! This is going to be great!" Grabbing Pearl's hand, she started eagerly pulling the older Gem towards the temple's door.
"Okay, where are we warping to?" asked Pearl when they had reached the warp pad in the entrance cave. Garnet and Rose were already there, discussing the upcoming intervention.
Rose shook her head and grinned. "Ah, not this time! If we're being watched, I don't want them seeing the pad activate. Follow me up to the lighthouse."
Finally sure the group of odd women had left the cave, Adelbert and his group slunk up the beach towards the cave entrance. Once they were inside, they posted a lookout by the cliffside, then set to work on the metal door that the odd woman had vanished into.
"Blast! What is this thing made of?" exclaimed Adelbert one sweaty and frustrating hour later. Beside him, his companion set down the welding torch, examining the strange door set in the belly of the giant statue.
"Not even a scratch!" remarked the lookout, who had glanced in for a moment before resuming his post out on the sand.
"Nothing we know about, that's for sure," replied the Bund man with the torch. They had been working away at the door with sledgehammers, crowbars, and even the highest-temperature metal cutting torch that they could buy, all to no effect.
The plan had been simple: observe the strange door embedded in the hill. When all was quiet and nobody was home, the group would find a way through and see what technology or information they could glean from within. Surely, there would be something there that their masters back in Germany could use.
The strange woman's peculiar disappearance through the door earlier and the town's hushed whispers about the odd happenings around the area had only piqued the group's curiosity. But now, as they couldn't even dent the front door, that plan was deteriorating fast.
They had just begun their next attempt when Aldebert heard the soft rumpling of fabric, accompanied by the sound of several objects landing behind them. Turning towards the noise, Adelbert found himself confronted by four women.
He immediately recognized the odd one from the soda shop, standing with her fists balled. Beside her was an inhumanly huge woman in a long pale dress, a black with a square afro and a short girl with purple skin. All four were tensed up, ready for a fight.
"What do you think you're doing?" shouted Rose right into Adelbert's stunned face. "This is sacred ground you're defiling! What lies beyond those doors is not for the likes of you! Explain yourselves at once!"
Aldebert held firm in the face of Rose's fury, staring for a moment as his eyes once again slid over the people who stood before him. The little purple one was giving him a disturbing grin filled with merry malice, as if itching to harass him and his men.
"We are here on the authority of Fritz Julius Kuhn and Herr Hitler." Aldebert drew himself to his fullest height, puffing out his chest. "It is our duty to investigate, document, and return to the Fatherland anything that can boost the nation's rise. And if you think you can stop us—"
The hardened horns of a purple billy goat slammed into his stomach, driving the air from his lungs, staggering backwards. Aldebert doubled over in pain, clutching at the point of impact as he gasped for breath all the while glaring at the creature that had hit him.
For a brief moment no one moved or spoke. all eyes were on the goat that stood where only a moment ago Amethyst had been. "Baa! Get away from our home, jerks! Baa!"
"Amethyst!" snapped Pearl. "This isn't helping!" But Amethyst again reared back to ram another Bund member, who let out an undignified yelp and barely managed to roll out of the way. Bleating loudly, she broke into a run after a third Bund member.
"Stop!" Rose commanded.
As suddenly she had begun, Amethyst skidded to a halt. With a sigh, she returned to her normal form.
Rose leaned down to her, lowering her voice to a mutter. "Into the temple with you. We'll talk later." Amethyst's smile vanished at the seriousness of Rose's voice, turning away, she dutifully headed towards the gem door.
Returning her attention to Adelbert and his group, Rose resumed her speech. "This is a sacred place and you are not welcome here. Leave at once and do not return. We'll know if you start planning another attempt, and next time you won't be let off so easily."
"We go where we choose! We will not accede to your commands!"
"Now!" bellowed Rose. In a flash of light, Garnet's gauntlets formed at her fists. She took a long, deliberate step forward. Pearl drew her spear and pointed it at the nearest Bund member.
Scowling and not willing to risk an escalation with adversaries they probably couldn't directly defeat, Adelbert and the team began to gather their equipment.
"This isn't over. You haven't seen the last of us. We will find out what's behind that door!" hollered Aldebert as they headed towards the cave entrance. Soon, they were beyond the hill, heading back to town.
Pearl dangled her feet in a pool, a spotless sword sitting on her lap. Her eyes clamped shut as she tried to drown out Rose's heated argument with Amethyst. Despite the vastness of the temple, she could hear them going at it.
Even if she were in another dimension, she suspected that the voices would still be attempting to drill their way into her head. Not that the scolding Amethyst was currently getting was unwarranted. Her actions had put everyone in danger. Now, that Bund group had undeniable proof of gem activity around the town.
The evidence of Gem activity was quite commonly known among the humans, with all the leftover structures and corrupted gems leading to legends of monsters and spirits. However, the actual knowledge about the Gems was still mostly limited to the people of Beach City and some close friends like Chodak. But after the encounters with the Germans in Tibet and now here, in their hometown, word would soon be spreading.
But what to do? Rose still insisted they should be staying out of human affairs. The recent efforts to interact with humans had been restricted to the local townsfolk, not with anyone in a position of power or authority. But with the deteriorating situation, maybe she needed to reconsider that policy.
In the end, Pearl returned to her swords once more. She had blades to clean and hours to pass in meditation.
July 4th, 1938
Bursts of light erupted into the night sky, showering Beach City with glittering sparkles in a dozen different colors. The crowd gathered on the sand whooped and cheered in approval at the show, and another barrage of green screamed into the air to gladden them yet again.
Pearl sat with Deedee at the top of the Beach City lighthouse. Amethyst was curled up by their side, bottle of Coors in hand as they all watched the distant display. The nation that had seemed to grow so quickly around their temple was celebrating its birthday.
That night, Rose had chosen to be down below with the mayor's group and some of the town's new arrivals; Always the socialite, that one, Pearl mused.
As promised, Adelbert's crew had tried a few more times to get into the temple. Garnet's future vision had been working overtime as of late to help ensure the Bund didn't get a chance to observe them, and they had begun using the warp pad more often to intercept corrupted Gems as far from the temple as possible.
"What do you think of today's news?" asked Deedee during a brief pause in the pyrotechnics. The conversations at the soda shop lately were mostly about the increasingly grim news on the radio and in the papers. The world appeared to be falling apart at the seams. Japan was plunging hundreds of thousands of troops deeper into the Chinese heartland. Elsewhere, Germany and Italy were growing in influence after the Anschluss of Austria, and the hateful rhetoric against Jews and other "inferior races" was only ramping up day by day.
"It's not looking good, Deedee. I was really hoping that things would start to cool down with these appeasement policies, but I fear it's just emboldening them."
"I thought as much. I wonder if that new hero Superman could help us? Too bad he ain't real."
With the crash of thunder, a rocket came over the horizon. The sky flared red, and for a single moment, everything before Pearl was washed in color. The sea was burning crimson, the sand was bathed in blood. Then the light faded, and the audience burst into applause.
Pearl let out a deep breath, but her eyes remained fixed towards the skies. For that one fleeting second, it really did seem as if the whole world was afire.
October 30th, 1938
The War of the Worlds was broadcasting that night over the radio, and once again Pearl was surprised at how much enjoyment she had gotten out of listening to the story. She had stayed late at the soda shop, to help Deedee make a few minor repairs after hours.
"Kinda ironic, don't you think?" Deedee remarked, laying down her paintbrush. She had been working on a row of chairs. "A fictional alien invasion of earth by Martians! I wonder what Mr. Welles would think if he learned that there actually was an alien invasion of Earth, but it happened a very long time ago?"
Pearl finished wiring the last of the new lighting and flipped the switch. The newly-installed bar lights flickered into life. "I think he already has some idea of what happened back then. He's well traveled, and from the description of those tripod robots, I'd wager that he's seen some ancient Gem starships."
"You think so? And there really are crashed spaceships still here on earth?"
"Yep. They had saucer-shaped hulls and three landing legs, just like what Welles has been describing, and his aliens sound like some corrupted gems we chased back in Africa."
"Wow, I wonder if that radio broadcast is why everyone's so jumpy tonight?" Deedee pointed out the window.
Pearl looked outside. Small groups of humans had materialized on what had just been a quiet boardwalk. Flashlight beams played around, illuminating a frantic scramble. A few humans were holding an assortment of firearms, ranging from revolvers to shotguns, and even a couple of rifles. The rest were pushing carts piled high with what appeared to be survival supplies.
"I guess they must think it's real." Pearl chuckled a little. "They've never heard such a story on the radio before, and it does sound like an actual news broadcast. I'm sure that having actual aliens around doesn't help matters."
The two returned to their work, but again Pearl was wondering if this was yet another omen of things to come. War was on the news, war was on entertainment radio, and town was so jumpy with the stories out of Asia and Europe that they would even believe that aliens from Mars were invading.
~~~
It was well into the night when Pearl arrived back at the temple, feeling drained but pleased. The day's remodeling work with Deedee was finally over. The winter evening was chilly, and a cold breeze was coming in off the Atlantic. Mercifully, it wasn't snowing.
She would've been home earlier, had she not spent the time to ensure that Deedee made it home safely. After explaining how fragile humans were, she felt that she owed her friend that. Deedee had been a bit annoyed at her insistence, especially the emphasis on her frailty, but had acquiesced in the end.
As Pearl rounded the side of the cliff face, she was surprised to find a laser-light cannon blocking her path, its barrel pointed east, up towards the Moon. Strange, but maybe Rose had stumbled across an old artifact. Why she chose to be careless enough to leave such a powerful weapon out in the open was beyond her.
Glancing across the beach, she noted that the Bund's usual spying position was occupied. Apparently, it was Aldebert's turn tonight, and it was he who was peeking out from behind the rock. She found it amusing that they thought they could conceal themselves behind such an obvious hiding spot. Then again, they might not have cared if they were seen.
It wasn't as if she or Rose would hurt them; if she spotted the Bund men doing something overt, she would only try to chase them off. She was a bit surprised that Aldebert hadn't yet made a grab for some of the items strewn about, but then he was a cautious adversary and was probably biding his time.
Distracted by the spy, she nearly stumbled when her foot made contact with a hard object, almost invisible in the shadows. Pearl knelt to inspect it. An ammunition can, full to the brim with energy crystal grenades. There was a whole row of similar boxes on the ground. Now she was worried. Quickening her pace, she rounded the corner and nearly ran into Amethyst hauling another box of weaponry.
"Hey, watch it! Dangerous cargo!"
"Amethyst, wait! What's going on!" Pearl shouted after her, but Amethyst didn't hear the question. She shouldered past her in a dead sprint back to the cave for more supplies.
The Gem Door chimed loudly, revealing Rose and Garnet. Between them was another light cannon, which they immediately began pushing towards the cave entrance.
"Pearl!" Rose called out. "There you are! Quickly, prepare for battle! The homeworld invasion has begun!" She motioned for Pearl to pick up one of the laser blasters leaning against the wall. "You're going to need more than your spear for this one!"
Pearl galanced at the aforementioned blaster but made no attempt to pick it up. "Rose? What are you on about? Did Garnet see something with her future vision?"
Garnet shook her head. Whatever she was thinking was hidden behind her visor. "Just go with it, Pearl." With a grunt of strength, she started to manhandle the cannon down the cavern on her own.
"It's all over town and the radio!" Rose explained breathlessly. "My human contacts are telling me that even the American army is starting to mobilize. The newsmen are reporting descriptions of Gem tripods landing everywhere, and several cities are already destroyed!"
Much to Rose's surprise, Pearl exploded into hysterics. She sank to her knees with a high-pitched chuckle, tears starting to flow from her eyes.
"Pearl? What's so funny?" Rose asked, genuinely taken aback. This was not the response she had expected when their entire existence and way of life was about to be forcibly changed.
Wiping tears from her eyes, Pearl managed to push herself upright. After a brief struggle to resume normal speech, she began her explanation: "Rose, Homeworld is not invading Earth. What the humans are reacting to is just a very convincing radio performance by one of the local stations. It's all fiction! It just sounds real because the author seems to have seen the remnants of a few old Gem structures and technology leftover from our war."
"Toldya, Rose." Garnet's voice said from the mouth of the cave, with just a hint of smugness. She stood, arms folded, next to the now-emplaced light cannon, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
Rose's cheeks blushed bright red. A deep laugh rumbled out from her chest, reverberating off the narrow walls of the cavern. Pearl couldn't help herself, sinking to the floor again in convulsions. They were held in hearty laughter for a few more minutes, until Rose managed to pull herself together.
"Oh, Pearl, my old friend! I'm glad that this is nothing but a lark. Oh, what a relief!" said Rose. She engulfed Pearl in a bear hug, which was eagerly returned.
"Does this mean we have to haul all that heavy stuff back into the temple?" grumbled Amethyst. Garnet was close behind, already carrying one of the heavy boxes of bombs.
"Yes," replied Rose, "but this time, there's no rush and we have some extra help."
"Actually, I have some business to attend to outside first," Pearl said. "I'll help move stuff back in a few minutes." Not waiting for a response, she turned and walked rapidly towards the cave entrance.
~~~
Observation duty was a miserable task for any soldier, especially on a winter night made even colder by the frigid ocean breeze. His hands were slowly numbing, despite the multiple layers of gloves and jackets that he'd wrapped himself in earlier. He was still shivering, a good sign, but in another couple hours he would have to return to the warmth of the hotel or risk freezing to death.
So it was with great happiness that at around early evening, the activity at the rock temple had switched from idle routine to bustling activity. While the strange women went about moving various equipment around their temple, he was busy taking notes and snapping photos. Soon the cold wind was forgotten. His hands, now full of energy, were scribbling notes as fast as he had during his days at the academy.
Worryingly, some of the items being moved around appeared to be vague approximations of artillery guns and ammunition cans, which briefly made him wonder if some sort of attack was about to begin. After some more observation, it became clear that the equipment was being placed in a defensive layout behind cover, with the barrels pointed to the sky. Now he was worried. What were they about to defend themselves against that required such heavy equipment to fight?
Once or twice, he considered making a grab for some of the smaller items, but each time he was thwarted when one of the cave residents re-appeared on another errand. But those artifacts represented such a tempting prize that he continued to watch for another opening.
Eventually his patience paid off when all the activity suddenly stopped, leading to a long period of quiet. Whatever was going on over there had suddenly stopped, without any explanation.
Getting to his feet, he loosened his coat and crouched into a runner's starting position. He didn't know why things had gone silent, but he wasn't going to waste this chance to make off with one of the boxes.
"Boo!" shouted someone from directly behind him. A hand on his back gave him a light shove.
Already primed to sprint, Aldebert was far off-balance. He went facedown into the cold sand, landing with a jarring thud. He lay on the ground for a moment, at first hearing nothing, then the hysterical laughter of his assailant rent the chilly air.
Drawing himself up to a kneeling position, he turned his head. His mysterious assailant was the strange, angular woman from the cafe. Aldebert dusted himself off, glowering at her with all the dignity he could summon. "Why are you accosting me? This area is not part of your sacred temple area. I should file assault charges."
Pearl finally got her laughter under control, but couldn't suppress her grin. "Sorry, Aldebert. I've been itching for a chance to do that for weeks, and this opportunity was too good to pass up."
Aldebert allowed himself a small smile. Even he had to admit that it was a good joke. But there was still business at hand, and he had to maintain his composure. "Even so, what is going on at your temple? It looks like your group is preparing for war over there."
"Nothing to worry about. Ask your fellow Bund members about the radio show this evening when you get home. Rose thought it was real and got a little carried away in needless preparations."
Aldebert glanced back at the temple. The others were outside again. Instead of continuing their arrangements for an attack, they appeared to be packing up this time. "Alright, I suppose I'll believe you for now, but I won't be departing this spot so quickly. I'm sure you can understand my curiosity at the activities taking place."
The strong gusts of the freezing sea air began to pick up, making Aldebert shiver involuntarily. His adrenaline was starting to ebb away, and he was starting to feel the cold again. A brief flash of light at the corner of his eye briefly illuminated the surrounding sands.
"Stay away from my camera!" he snapped. "Those flashbulbs are expensive!"
But as he wheeled around, his anger instantly changed to confused surprise. His camera was nowhere in sight. Pearl instead had a thermos in her hands. "What? Where were you keeping that? You have no coat, pouch, or pockets!"
Pearl smiled warmly. "It's hot chocolate. I prepared it for someone else, but I figured that you need it more. Now, drink and warm yourself up. It wouldn't do for you to turn into a human icicle on our beach."
Aldebert took the proffered thermos, unscrewed the lid, and sniffed the contents. Smelling nothing suspicious, he took a cautious sip.
"Keep the thermos. My gift. I need to get back to the Temple. Oh, and by the way, don't bother stealing anything. None of it would work for you, and we have ways of knowing if you try." Without further ado, Pearl swung on her heel and started back home.
"Good evening, then!" Aldebert called after her retreating back. "Be seeing you around!"
December 1st, 1938
Pearl strolled along the boardwalk, heading back to the Temple after a trip to the local library to review a few history notes before the next afternoon's story session at Deedee's shop.
The glow of the Christmas lights which bedecked the town buildings cast a lovely, welcoming glow on the snow-covered ground. The weather had calmed considerably as of late, allowing more people to be out shopping or socializing. Pearl's spirits always felt lighter at this point of the year. The life-affirming holiday was a time when most people were showing extra kindness to each other, rather than the usual indifference.
She was so busy enjoying the holiday lights and sights of the town that she almost missed Aldebert waving to her across the frontage road. He was standing next to a large cargo van with a few other of his men as they loaded equipment into the vehicle.
"How goes it, Adelbert?" asked Pearl, after picking her way across the busy street. "Have you thought of any new ways to get into the Temple this week?"
The Bund's spying had become so routine that a kind of detente had formed between them and the Gems. The Bund would attempt to spy on activity at the temple, and the Gems would simply shoo them away when needed. There was no need for any real hostility or malice between the opposing groups. Animosity would only be a waste of time and energy.
"It goes fine today, Pearl." Aldebert greeted. "I was about to walk to your temple to deliver a message to Rose, but it would be much more convenient if you did me a favor and just relayed it for me."
"Sure," replied Pearl. Reaching into her pocket, she came out with her notepad and a pencil. "Ready when you are."
Aldebert cleared his throat. "Speaking honestly, I think we're going to call it quits. The team wants to go home for Christmas, and your group has been frustratingly successful in keeping your secrets. At this point, we believe there is no further value in spending time watching the temple."
Pearl flattered her adversary with a genuine smile. "Well, you were good opponents. I'll honestly miss our little games of cat and mouse. Will another group be taking over for you?"
There was a loud thump from the trunk of the cargo van. "Ready to go, boss!" called one of the other Bund men.
Aldebert shook his head, "You are aware that I cannot comment about ongoing projects. Anyway, I need to get going. Thank you for relaying the message. Enjoy the holidays, Pearl."
Aldebert extended his hand towards her. To his surprise, she took it and gave him a firm shake. "You're welcome, and a merry Christmas to you, too."
Aldebert released Pearl's hand and climbed up into the driver's cab of the van. A few metallic thuds and clunks issued from the engine as the ignition engaged, then the vehicle rumbled to life with a low idle. There was another clank of the gears being shifted, then the van slowly began to roll away down the main street.
Using the speed granted to her by her gem powers, Pearl followed the truck to the edge of town, just to be sure. Only once she was certain that it wasn't turning around did she break off. Soon, she was on her way back to the temple.
Walking up the rocky steps, she was surprised to find Garnet standing guard duty at the entrance to the cavern.
"Is something going to happen tonight?" asked Pearl, quickly scanning the area around the temple for trouble. It was possible that another group of spies had already taken up station, but they must have been using new tactics. The beach along the front of the cave was empty. No one was behind those rocks.
"Hello, Pearl." Garnet said. There was something about her tone that arrested Pearl. Only the eons that she had known Garnet allowed her to hear the hint of worry in the normally-cool voice.
Garnet's hand reached up, pulling away her visor with a sigh. Her eyes, red, blue, and violet alike, were filled with sadness. "You won't have to wonder much longer. Choose your words properly when the time comes, and know you'll always have a home here."
For a moment, Pearl was transfixed by her friend's statement. Unable to speak, she stared at Garnet, waiting for an explanation, just a few more words to shine some clarity on that cryptic proclamation of hers. But one more glance at Garnet, and she knew that her lips were now sealed.
Pearl brushed past, and the gem door chimed open to admit her. She didn't know it yet, but the rest of the dark hours yielded no time to meditate. The only thing that would be running through her mind that night were Garnet's words.
December 18th, 1938
GERMAN SCIENTISTS SPLIT ATOM, the newspaper headline shouted in large black typeface.
Hardly believing her eyes, Pearl hastened to purchase a copy. She had been sitting on a bench outside Deedee's shop, enjoying the Christmas lights gradually flickering on as the last rays of the sun faded into the twilight. The mix of greens, reds, and blues bathed the soft snowdrifts in a cheerful mix of colors. But her mood had taken a sharp turn when the vending cabinet next to the bench had been restocked.
Following an experiment which took place on the afternoon of Saturday the 17th, (nighttime of the same day in the United States time), German chemists Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann claim that they managed to" separate the nucleus of a uranium atom into two equal parts through the bombardment of neutrons." The experiment was held at the laboratories of the Kaiser Wilhelm Society for Chemistry in Berlin, where…(continued on Page 4)
Rifling through the newspaper, Pearl carefully read through the rest of the item twice, to ensure that there was no mistake. The article was short on details, but what it contained confirmed her fears. It had finally happened. Humanity had just figured out the crucial first step in harnessing the atom. They were now close, tantalizingly close, to unlocking this immense power. From here, it would only be a matter of a few short years.
There were two roads that this knowledge could follow. The first path held peace and prosperity for the human race. Capable of generating near-unlimited energy, they would enter a golden age of technology, perhaps even beginning their first great strides towards the advancements of Homeworld. In just a few centuries, they could have the very stars within their grasp.
With a global war brewing, it was the second possibility which seemed the far likelier. Humanity had at its fingertips an unimaginably destructive force, and control over it would soon fall to maniacs and tyrants. Recklessly unleashed, the devastation would be complete. Not just humans would be affected, but everything else which existed on the planet. Even after the endless rain of fire had run its course, the land and sea would be poisoned beyond any capacity to support life.
Shoving the newspaper into her gem, Pearl stood up from the bench, pacing the boardwalk agitatedly, not caring where her feet took her. At some point, she reached the end of the promenade. Beyond was only frozen sand and rocks. Far from the crowds, she turned to look back on the sleepy little tourist town.
The seconds stretched into minutes as she took in all she saw, the lively boardwalk crammed with unknowing civilians going about their lives, the buildings twinkling with holiday lights, the excited screams and rumble of machinery from Beach City Funland. They would all be gone, reduced to toxic ash and scattered by the harsh winds. If they were lucky. Anyone who lived through the blast and firestorm would envy those who died in the first few moments.
The minutes began to blur. Then the view began to blur as well, slowly sliding away into darkness.
"Pearl!" shouted a voice she hadn't heard in five thousand years. "Pearl! We have to get to cover now! The Diamonds, they've got a new weapon! We have to go now!"
She saw the stark panic on the face of Topaz, one of her lieutenants, as she ran towards the shelter of a crashed ship. Soon more Gems from both sides of the war came into view. Some were also trying to find refuge. Others had thrown themselves to their knees, rambling prayers to any deity who would listen.
Still more held spears, swords, or axes, but not to fight. They were turning their weapons to themselves and on each other in a desperate attempt to escape what was coming. One by one, they began to disintegrate into clouds, their gems clattering to the dirt.
And yet, in the chaos, all knew in their own way that they were doomed.
Pearl tried to move. She had to take action, had to make her choice out of the three presented to her. Her feet were firmly frozen in place. She tried to shout, but her voice was silent. And then Rose grabbed her, pulling her behind a familiar pink shield.
Far above, a new star appeared in the black sky, far brighter than any sun or nova. Its deathly pale gleam washed away everything it touched. The light had only lasted a moment, but that was all it needed. From behind the shield, Pearl shut her eyes tight and whispered her own quiet prayer for salvation.
When her eyes opened again, she gasped in shock at what surrounded her. She was standing in a hellscape of a land set ablaze by the heat of a thousand suns. All around her lay the charred bodies of mutilated humans accompanied by the stench of burned flesh filling the air. In the distance, the rubble of what was once Beach City was engulfed in towering flames.
Another bright flash filled the sky, this time directly over her head. She raised her hands in a pitiful attempt of defense, but it was no use. She felt her body begin to burn, the fire starting at her feet, then slowly creeping its way up her body. Pain unlike anything she could ever imagine washed over her.
Her world shook. Suddenly, the pain was gone and she wasn't on fire anymore either. Again her world trembled, this time more firmly.
"Pearl!" Amethyst's voice echoed in her head. "Snap out of it!"
She was floating above the carnage now, looking down at a ruined landscape of the dead.
Slap! The firm sting of a hand meeting her face brought Pearl back to the present, but she was no longer standing at the end of the boardwalk, gazing upon the town. The sky was bright, and the clouds above were pink. She was in Rose's room, though she didn't know how.
"Pearl? Are you okay now?" Rose's broad face floated over her, set in deep worry. "Amethyst found you outside the temple. You were having a flashback just now, a bad one."
Pearl was on her knees, still shaken by the horrible visions. "I've been better." she replied softly.
Gathering her strength she forced herself to stand up and face Rose. For a long moment, Pearl just gazed at her, committing the image to memory, every hair, every wrinkle, every dimple. It was a face she wanted to make certain that she remembered correctly.
"Are you sure you're fine now?" asked Rose softly. "Is there something you need to talk to us about?"
In that instant, Pearl knew it was time. She had been deliberating for weeks now, but the newspaper earlier, the visions, and the thousand thoughts that had been turning in her head all led to this.
Choose your words properly when the time comes, and know you'll always have a home here.
A weight she didn't realize she had been carrying was suddenly lifted from her shoulders. Renewed energy and resolve flowed through her, granting her the strength she needed to continue. The time had come to speak her mind to her beloved.
"I think we should intervene with the humans, Rose. The coming war must be stopped."
Rose's eyes widened, momentarily taken aback by the statement. Pearl was strong-willed, but it was quite unlike her ancient friend to speak out so boldly directly to her. Especially when she was espousing an idea that ran contrary to one of Crystal Gems' core beliefs, set out after the great war. But after so many eons in her company and the trials they'd faced together her trust in Pearl was absolute. Her friend deserved a chance to make her case.
Rose kept her voice even. "Please explain why we should intervene this time."
"Because this war will be far more widespread and destructive to this world on scale unmatched by any previous human conflict. The world will burn in a fire not seen since the Gem War." Pearl was surprised at herself for how easily the words were coming to her, for improvising a speech was not something she was accustomed to. But the dice were cast and there was no turning back now.
Rose's response was swift, with the practiced ease of someone who had participated in this debate many times before. "I think you're underestimating humanity. This is nothing new. Remember Rome's wars with Carthage? Or the great plague that wiped out most of Europe? How about the Mongol hordes and Xerxes the Persian? We haven't even mentioned the multiple natural disasters that should have ended their race."
She paused for effect, letting her words sink in. "Humanity endured. Sometimes, they even grew stronger after each tragedy. They are simple people; they learn by hardship. In the end, they always survive. Why interfere now?"
Pearl wasn't about to give up so easily. "In each of those examples, the destruction was limited in scope. Even if the Romans had fallen, or if the bubonic plague had gone on, there were other civilizations in the world that would have continued to prosper.
"But, the humans have now unlocked flight, and their other means for transportation are also getting more advanced. They can bridge long distances at high speed. Their weapons only grow more efficient and destructive, and their communications are speeding up vastly. This time, no part of the planet will be left in peace."
"Again, how is this time any different? We've been tempted before, but we've always held back. The humans eventually figure themselves out. Let me ask you one more time. Why should we interfere?"
"Haven't you been reading the news? This war isn't just about power and resources anymore. They're talking of exterminating entire classes of people. We will be dealing with massive erosion of societal advances. Small wars are already in progress all over the world, and the major powers are only encouraging the conflicts."
Rose was finally left with nothing to say, and she allowed Pearl to carry on with her justifications.
"The final straw was this evening. Did you see the papers? I'm sure Garnet did." Pearl's voice was rising in pitch with her frustration at Rose's unmoving stance. For once in her life, she didn't care how Rose felt. This was too important, and she had to keep trying. She would pour in all her energy, if that was what it took to move the mountain.
"For stars' sake, they're about to figure out atomic weapons! Atomics!. Sure, they aren't as powerful as the rebellion-era Shooting Star systems, but it's still mass destruction in a convenient car-sized box! Combine that with the rapid innovation of war and the building violence, and the humans might actually wipe themselves out this time around!
"In the event humanity doesn't destroy themselves, what happens if the Germans or the Communists win? What becomes of the people of Beach City and their families? What becomes of us if an oppressive government takes over? It will be just like living under Homeworld again. We already fought one rebellion to free this planet from tyranny. Are we really going to stand by and let human despots destroy all that we have fought to achieve? The current government has its problems, but at least its citizens are mostly free and its agents don't disturb us much. I fear to see how much that will change if the National Socialists grab hold."
And still Rose simply gazed onward, wordless, as still and silent as the great statue of Obsidian that they stood in right now. An internal battle of thoughts raged in her head.
"Say something, damn it!" shrieked Pearl, finally losing her composure.
Rose looked long and hard at Pearl. The minutes ticked by slowly, and Pearl was beginning to wonder if she had finally crossed some unspoken line or pushed the wrong button. Then, at long last, she spoke:
"Pearl, I can see that you feel very strongly about the future of humanity. I see the love you've developed for this young race, and the fire in your eyes and words tells me that you won't let this go until something is done."
"What would you do, Rose? What will you do to protect this world that we've worked for so long to keep safe?"
"Pearl, I release you from your oaths." Rose closed her eyes. It was clear that every word pained her. "You are free to participate in the war that is inevitably coming. But there is a catch…"
"What is it, my Rose?" Dread began to fill Pearl.
"You must fight this war as a human. No Gem weaponry, no warp-pads, no wailing stones. You must engage in combat, travel, and communicate as humans do. You must not advertise yourself as a member of the Crystal Gems, nor present yourself as a Gem. In effect, you will be human and you have to accept all that entails."
This was not how Pearl had expected this conversation to turn out. "Why? The lack of my Gem weapons and technology will be a tremendous hindrance. I won't be able to prevent the war, or bring it to a quick end!"
It was Garnet who spoke in Rose's stead. "You know how powerful your spear is. You could wipe out an army or turn the tide of any war simply by fighting as a Gem. Rose has granted you the freedom to interfere, but you must remember that this is a human war. and they must resolve it themselves."
"But the war will kill millions unless I can prevent it!"
"If you were to sway the course of the future so drastically, then the result of humanity's new path could well be darker than what you have described. If they don't learn from the devastation now, when they still can, then a far worse conflict may follow and bring about the destruction you fear."
Pearl looked at the ground in defeat; neither would be convinced any further. But with the concessions they had made, at least she could do something about the world's problems, no matter how small.
"I accept. l'll gather what basic supplies I need and depart in the morning."
"Very well," Rose said. "Should you be unable to complete your quest, know that we will always be right here, waiting for you to return home to us. I can't bear to lose another member of my family. Stay safe out there, old friend."
Despite the sadness in her eyes, Pearl gave them a large smile. Garnet threw her arms open, and she accepted the deep embrace. Rose enveloped both of them, clasping Pearl to her warm clutches tightly.
"Thank you," Pearl murmured, allowing herself a moment to bask in the affection of her friends for one last time. Gently giving Rose's back a fond squeeze, she slipped from the embrace and made her way back to the door to begin her preparations.
Hello, dear readers!
Have you given Rodsantos's WWII + Avatar crossover story "Operation Eclipse" a read yet? No? Why not? You've now read 3 chapters of the story that he's helped revitalize, so you know he's got talent.
Rodsantos and I worked together to almost fully re-write this chapter, cleaning up the grammar, flow, and story narration in the process. It's a much better read than in its previous form from September 2016.
We are slowly re-doing some of the oldest chapters of this story, so the next chapter will still probably have lots of grammar and narration problems. It will eventually get retouched like this one was.
I hope that you enjoyed reading this chapter and that the next one remains equally enjoyable.
Best wishes,
Pinhead.
History Notes
* During the 1930s, the combination of the Great Depression and the memory of their tragic losses in World War I contributed to American public opinion and policy slanting toward isolationism. Franklin Roosevelt, on the other hand, had been pushing for more international participation.
* The German-American Bund was the US branch of the Nazi party from 1936 to 1941. It was formed after the "Friends of New Germany" society, founded earlier in 1933, was disbanded. The Bund elected a German-born American citizen named Fritz Julius Kuhn as its leader.
* The War of the Worlds was a fictional national news broadcast by Orson Welles describing an invasion of martians to earth. The descriptions of battle, destruction, and the government response to the crises was so real that legend states that it started a mass panic in the nation.
* Nuclear fission of heavy elements was discovered in late 1938 and sparked the research that eventually led to nuclear weapons and energy. As mentioned, Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassman were responsible for the project, but the third mind behind the experiment, Austrian physicist Lise Meitner, was in exile in Holland on account of being Jewish.
* Coffee shops we know today were not common in the 1930s, but Soda Pop shops were.
Mini timeline of events:
* March 12th: Nazi Germany annexes Austria in the infamous Anschluss.
* June 30th: Superman first appears in DC Comics' Action Comics Series, Issue #1.
* July 14th :Benito Mussolini publishes an anti-Jewish/African manifesto.
* September 21st: Winston Churchill condemns Hitler's annexation of Czechoslovakia.
* October 10th: Germany completes annexation of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland, allowed by the appeasement policy enacted by the Western Allies, who decided to let Germany take a little land in exchange for peace.
Read more via "This Day in History", National Geographic, and your local library!