January 3, 201x. Weather: Snow, light

I arrived at Beach City, Delmarva just after the New Year. That way, I would have a good five months before the tourist rush in the Summer. It's quiet here. Peaceful. Snow's relatively light, so it was easy to pull the RV in. I met Mr. Universe at around 3PM near the lot that he rented to me: an old carwash. He was an interesting fellow, and he definitely didn't look how I imagined him. He was somewhat portly, with a thin combover at the top of his head with hair on the back and sides that looked haphazardly cut. He sported a barely-trimmed beard, and he wore a sweater patterned with cherries. He called himself "cherry man" as he walked unto the lot. I assume that he doesn't know what that actually means. During our negotiations, he gave me some info about the area.

Beach City exists on a small cape that juts into the Atlantic. Rehoboth Bay exists to the north with the open ocean to the south. At the north is the town's main tourist destination, the Boardwalk, with a small amusement park called Funland, though it's only open seasonally. Along the south side sits the town's donut shop. It seems to be popular, so it'd probably be good for gathering information. Along the east side of town is housing and a small crab shack. I'd probably frequent that place. Aside from that and a few stores for provisions, the town doesn't pose too much use aside from its inhabitants. However, the real prize sits at the end of the cape to the east: the Temple. Currently functioning as Mr Universe's residence, this area seems to possess the technology from these mineral-based people. Shouldn't get excited, though. I'm not meeting Nephrite for another few days.

The terms for my stay are thus: I am allowed to park my RV long-term and hook up to the carwash's electricity and water. I am also allowed to modify the RV and carwash to suit my needs, as long as it does not lose its functionality as a carwash. In exchange, I am either to pay a sum for rent or work part-time at the carwash, mostly on maintaining the building, since cars don't really come around in the winter.

January 4, 201x. Weather: Clear

I finally hooked the RV up to the carwash, so I won't have to worry about water or electricity. Since it was old, I had to jury-rig a hose to get water. Mr. Universe didn't mind losing them, though. Spending some time outside let me get used to the city's layout. It's surprisingly small, and the people around here are quite friendly. However, I didn't see any Gems. Not gonna ask about them though. I think I'd come off as too forward if I did. Also got enough food for the month.

January 5, 201x. Weather: Snow, moderate

Meeting Nephrite in two days. Should probably make myself look professional. Can't believe I didn't pack anything more formal than a polo shirt and slacks. Probably look like some middle-aged golfer in those anyhow. Maybe she won't notice. It's cold as hell out there, so I could wear something thick and just say that I can't stand the cold. That'd be a lie. I'd go shirtless in the cold if I could. Don't think I can stand a temperature higher than 80 degrees. Maybe she doesn't care about such frills. Then again, it is a first impression. If I'm holding a professional interview, I should at least look like a legitimate researcher.

January 6, 201x. Weather: Snow, light

And that's how I wasted 80 fucking dollars on a LAB COAT. Yeah, like I'll use that for more than a single year. Guess I could use it for the interview Nephrite in it, but I'd have to give up actual food for the next month. I should probably just return it after the interview. This was a shitty purchase. Not like I'm performing a proper experiment in a 20-year-old RV. Night's quiet. Think the snow's gonna let up tomorrow. Might finally have the opportunity to slope the roof.

January 7, 201x. Weather: Clear, sunny

Met Nephrite around 9 AM. Looked exactly how the pictures looked. Noticed that she made an effort to stand up straight, like her regular stance was involuntary. Maybe I'll tell her she doesn't need to go to that effort. Later, though. Seems awkward to say it now. Interestingly, when I shook her hand, she was warm. Not like that of a mammal, but rather like clutching a lit fluorescent bulb. That is to say, like holding a light in my hands. It didn't feel… right. Hard light definitely doesn't feel like normal matter. She elaborated on some earlier questions about gem anatomy, but she didn't seem to have any answers beyond them being made of hard light. She did mention different gems having varying functions. Most notable for her is that her gem, a green nephrite, functions in place of her eyes, effectively making her a cyclops. Clearly, she has very civilian knowledge of Gem anatomy, similar to how a normal human can't just casually name every bone and muscle in their body. Overall, not many answers beyond what she mentioned online.

However, she did mention where most of the Gems spend their time. Most of them recently took up residence in a settlement west of Beach City called Little Homeworld, assumably named after a larger Gem planet. She offered to take me there, since it's quite a bit further inland. I could probably receive a more in-depth answer there.

Interview went well. Can't say the lab coat would have made a difference in impression. In fact, the interview was oddly informal. Really sets a mood when the first thing your interviewee says is a request for the bag of chips on the counter. Then again, giving her the chips was probably good enough in terms of first impressions. Downside: I'm down one bag of vinegar Chaaaaps, and I had to go to the effort of returning a lab coat. Couldn't even get a refund.

January 8, 201x. Weather: Clear, sunny

Another sunny day. Lucky. Weather's been really gloomy the week before I came, so it's nice to see something other than clouds and snow. I was really confused when Nephrite first said that she was taking me to Little Homeworld, but instead took me east, along the coast. I was taken to Mr. Universe's residence: a beach house with a terrace built off the top floor. Above the house sat what looked to be a futuristic, crystalline-glass dome, built as a cantilever off the roof. It was surprising to see that the route cut straight through someone's home, but upon entering, it's clear that this wasn't originally a home. This is most apparent by the giant, Mesopotamia-era goddess statue looming above the house. Can't believe I didn't notice that when I first arrived. Guess it was hidden really well by the bluff above it. Inside of the house was quaint. Homey. Luxuriously spacious to an Emp-City guy like me, but pretty standard to an American suburbian. At the back of the house was a stone hall with a crystalline floor pad in the center and a door-like structure in the back. I assume it's part of that giant statue I saw outside. Nephrite guided me unto the pad, which I assume is some sort of transportation system, and turned it on by touching it. Her eye seemed to spark when it turned on. Guess I should mention that. Lights of various shades of white and blue surrounded us as I felt myself being lifted off the ground. Seconds later, the stream flew off, as I found myself outdoors on solid ground. A similar-looking pad sat under my feet. It's clear that those pads were Gem-operated teleporters. Nephrite could have told me that earlier. Stood on it for a solid minute afterwards, trying to operate it. Speaking of which, those things aren't good for the easily nauseated. Damn thing gave me a splitting headache and almost made me throw up in the stream. Not a good feeling.

Little Homeworld looked to be a uniquely-built college town. The buildings around look like children's building blocks, except metallic. Gems wandered everywhere, looks ranging from humanoid to alien. There was an outdoor amphitheater that looked to be holding some kind of art lecture. Don't know why they'd be out here in the winter, though. A Gem running the show there told me that Little Homeworld is primarily meant to act as both a Gem settlement on Earth as well as a school for Gems to learn how to integrate into human society. Building functions were differentiated by color, denoting either residential or educational functions. What looked to be a massive horizontal turbine sat atop the tallest building there. Should have asked someone about that. I was told that I could ask questions to the lecturers there, though I shouldn't expect scientific answers. Also, some of the lecturers were humans who knew as little as I did. Guess I shouldn't expect too much out of this place.

Nephrite offered to guide me to the various warps, as well as send me to Little Homeworld and back during my stay. Told her that I'd decide on that in a few days. I think I'll just drive to Little Homeworld on my next visit to avoid the nausea.

January 9, 201x. Weather: Clear, cloudy

Woke up at 11AM with what felt like a hangover. Guess the warp pad took a lot out of me. Also slept weird, so one of my eyes were swollen shut. How fun. Can't think right now. I'll just stay in and recover. Also gotta figure out how to deal with the goddamn headache.

3 PM. Slept an extra three hours after writing this fucking treatise of a paragraph. Still nothing to report for today, since I figured that I shouldn't go into things too quickly. I have at least six months here, so might as well enjoy it.

Potential names for sickness:

-Teleportation sickness

-Warp bends

-Warping headrush

-Transport headrush

-Travel sickness, instant variation

-Warping sickness

-Warpsick

-Warp-induced nausea

-The Wurp

8 PM, still in bed. Had one meal and a big old dose of that "wake-up juice" that I saw on TV a few years back. Tasted foul. Washed out my mouth with durian juice. Regret.

Author's Note:

First chapter. Great. Still stuck on how I should format this. Send a review if you got any ideas.