"Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth."
– Gautama Buddha.
I do not own 'Steven Universe.'
Chapter 10
What We May Find in the Darkness
"'Waitress wanted'." Vidalia read aloud as she searched the job catalog. "Yeah, I can do that." using a sharpie, she drew a circle around the help wanted ad.
Seated on a bench, Vidalia looked up and stared out into the ocean. She took a deep breath of that clean, salty air and listened to the wave crash onto the beach. "Here's to a new life."
"Excuse me, are you Vidalia Cross?"
Vidalia turned her head to see a man approach her. He was a stocky young guy wearing a brown aviator jacket with a matching trapper hat. Tan pants were tucked into black boots.
"Yeah, that's me. How can I help you guy dressed like he lives in the mountains by himself?" Vidalia asked.
"First off, I plan to own this look until I'm well into my forties." The man spoke with a thick Jersey accent. "Second, my name is Andy Demayo. I think you know my cousin, Greg."
"Oh, yeah. How it's going?"
"May I sit down with you?" Andy asked.
Vidalia shrugged. "Knock yourself out."
"Thank you." Andy sat down on the bench next to Vidalia. "Miss Cross-"
"Vidalia." she said. "And I know what you want. To answer your question, there's nothing I can tell you that I haven't already told the police. I can't help you find Greg."
"Oh, come on! You were the last person with him before that dope up and vanished!" said Andy. "You've gotta have some memory of what happened to him."
"I was wasted, and Greg got buzzed," Vidalia said. "I just passed out in his van while he went off to do his own thing."
Andy groaned and pinched his brow. "I knew something like this would happen. I told that idiot to stay in College. What the hell was he thinking running off like that?"
"After about a minute of hanging out with you? I might have a guess." Vidalia said.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Andy demanded.
"It means Greg's a really nice guy and I liked hanging out with him. I've known you for like, less than two minutes, and I get the impression that you're kind of a dick."
"I'm taking this from Greg's manager's hooker?" Andy asked.
Vidalia slapped Andy across the face.
"Shut your goddamn mouth." Vidalia hissed.
Andy rubbed his cheek and stared at Vidalia in shock. "...I'm…sorry. That was…that was wrong of me to say."
"Yeah, it was," said Vidalia.
"But, please, you gotta have something," Andy begged. "Anything."
"I don't know where he is," said Vidalia. "Nor do I have any idea on where he might be."
"I can't find him, and neither can the cops," said Andy. "Greg used to disappear all the time, but this is different. It's almost like he vanished off the face of the Earth."
Vidalia sighed. "I wish I had more for you, but I don't. And besides,"
Vidalia placed a hand on her belly.
"I have my own problems to deal with at the moment."
Andy's eyes shot wide open. "...I…I didn't know. I am so sorry. If I had known, I wouldn't have bothered you with this."
"It's fine, man," said Vidalia.
"Uh…please don't take this the wrong way, but...it's not Greg's, is it?"
Vidalia laughed. "If he had stuck around? Who knows, it could've been. It was actually Marty's last gift to me before the cops sent him away."
Andy took off his hat and ran a hand through his hair. "I just wish I knew where he was."
"Ah, come on. I'm sure Greg's fine," said Vidalia. "How much trouble can that guy possibly get into?"
"She sent her Fire Agate down there to kill Greg?!"
"Yes, my Diamond," Jasper replied to the holoscreen projected by Amber's square glasses. "As well as a Topaz fusion of two."
"I think the Fire Agate is kinda obsessed with Greg," said Amber. "She seems really eager to kill him."
On the holoscreen, Pink Diamond's eyes glowed an angry shade of magenta.
"But the human managed to evade her." Jasper quickly put in. "Amber and I are making our way to the abandoned Homeworld Ice Quarry where Fire Agate informed me of Greg's last known location. That was where he was able to escape and lose Fire Agate."
"And you took her word for it?" Pink Diamond asked skeptically.
"I know her." Jasper simply said.
Pink Diamond narrowed her eyes. "Is the Fire Agate and Topaz fusion still down there with you?"
"I did not engage them when we met. We went our separate ways to search the Ice Quarry's vicinity." said Jasper. "But she did inform me of a Peridot that was sent to terminate the human back in Blue Diamond's Polonium Mine."
Pink Diamond raised her eyebrows. "A Peridot, you said?"
"Fire Agate said that the Peridot was still looking for Greg." Amber elaborated. "She apparently failed to kill him with the fall of the polonium processor, made to look like an accident, and she's now searching the Underground hoping to find Greg-"
"and finish the job." Pink Diamond gritted her teeth. "Head to the abandoned Ice Quarry and look for Greg. There's a team of Rubies led by an Aquamarine searching for Greg as well, sent by Blue Diamond. Don't worry, they're our allies in the search."
Jasper saluted. "Yes, my Diamond."
"And as for the Peridot that's down there," something almost sinister shone in Pink Diamond's eyes. "Your primary target is Greg, of course. But if you find the Peridot, I want you to poof her, I want her gem bubbled, and I want her sent directly to me for…questioning."
The extremely rare but incredibly chilling tone in Pink Diamond's voice made Amber and even Jasper shudder.
"Y-yes, my Diamond." Jasper replied.
Pink Diamond nodded before ending the transmission.
As the light faded from Amber's glasses, she seemed to freeze with terror.
"...Wow." Amber said. "I haven't heard scary-Pink Diamond in a while. Angry-Pink Diamond is common enough, but scary-Pink Diamond? It's been a minute."
"How attached to this human has Pink Diamond become?" Jasper asked.
"Very." said Amber. "We all have really, me and the Gems at the Garden. But Pink seems to have really grown fond of Greg. Ever since he showed up, Pink has just been so much happier. Not that she was never happy, but once we introduced Greg into our Court, Pink has been…her gem is more polished these days."
"Huh." Jasper marched off into the Underground and Amber followed. "In that case, if we end up finding that Peridot, I think I might almost feel bad for her when Pink Diamond get's a hold of her."
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Are we there yet?"
"Dangit, human! Do you want me to turn this group around? Because I will turn this group around!"
"But then we will lose precious time, and give Fire Agate a better chance of locating us." Larimar pointed out.
"Yeah, well…shut up!" Peridot cried. "We will arrive at our destination when I say we will arrive at our destination! As I have previously indicated, our set course to Pink Diamond's Off-color Factory must be carefully randomized as well as prudently accounted for time. The purpose of our unconventional method of travel is to keep the Gems hunting us from determining any set course of their own, making tracking us far more difficult, in addition to making good time on our journey, despite the handicap of randomized path choice."
"I understand how severe the situation is, Peridot." Greg said. "I'm just…nervous. Talking helps with that. Singing does an even better job."
"No. Singing." Peridot commanded.
Greg sighed as he looked around at the dreary Underground Peridot was leading him and Larimar through. "...It's light and chaos up above. Darkness and nothing down below…I could totally put that into a song."
"I said no singing!"
Greg rolled her eyes. His stomach then growled loudly.
"What the heck was that?" Larimar asked.
"Do you have parasite inside of you?" Peridot asked. "Disgusting!"
"Easy, guys. I'm just really hungry." Greg explained. "Hang on."
He pulled his backpack off and reached in to grab his little bag of sustenance salts. Greg held up small ziplock bag that Amber had used to store the sustenance salts.
There were only two left.
His stomach growled hungrily again. Not able to take it, he took one of the two salts out and tossed it into his mouth. Once the salt reached his stomach, Greg no longer felt the pain of hunger. He put the last remaining salt back in the pack and slung it back over his shoulder.
"If I ever get back to Earth, I will never complain about the food at restaurants." Greg stated. "I don't care if it's at a high school cafeteria, I won't say a single negative thing about the food."
"Hey…do you hear that?" Larimar asked.
"Hear what?" Greg asked.
"Listen." Larimar pointed. "It's coming from up ahead I think."
Greg and Peridot stayed quiet to try to hear what Larimar was hearing. They heard it, echoing through the Undergound. It sounded like a whispering voice, if you concentrated hard enough.
"I think there's somebody up ahead." Greg said.
"Then we should go the other way." said Peridot.
"You really think it's another Gem looking for me?" Greg asked.
"It's not a risk we should take." Peridot replied. "We must take every precaution."
"What if it's a lost off-color trying to get to the Factory?" Greg asked.
"And what if it's Fire Agate?" Peridot countered.
"Listen to the voice." Larimar said. "It sounds…disorientated."
"We should check it out," said Greg. "Could be someone we can help."
"I agree." said Larimar. "If we do not, no one else will."
Peridot groaned in defeat. "There is a low possibly of me being capable of persuading you to do otherwise, so let us quickly search for the source of the whispers."
Greg nodded and the three of them proceeded to find the source of the whispers. It led them to the entrance of a cave big enough for a family of grizzly bears to find comfortable. The whispers were definitely coming from inside.
"...All alone…hissssss…my Diamond…hissssss…where am I…hissssss…why am I here…hissssss…"
Peridot and Larimar glanced at each other nervously.
"...Okay…perhaps we should just go, as Peridot suggested." said Larimar.
"Look, I thought that was hella creepy too, I won't lie." Greg admitted. "But listen past the creepy. She sounds…lost."
"Greg, let's just go." Peridot begged. "Whoever, whatever, is in there, it is not worth the risk."
Greg continued to stare into the cave, listening to that creepy whisper.
"I'm going in." Greg announced before he stepped into the cave.
"Wait! No!" Peridot cried. "Grrrrrrrr…I thought organic creatures were supposed to run away from potential dangers?"
Larimar laughed. "Humans. They're all mad, even the sane ones. I couldn't even understand their language and it was one of the first things I was able to figure out about them."
Larimar followed Greg into the cave. Peridot just stood there, staring after them in confusion.
"Is anybody sane anymore or just me?" Peridot asked before she followed her companions into the cave.
The inside of the cave was cold. Nowhere as cold as the Ice Quarry was, but it still gave Greg goosebumps. The cave was a straight path. It would've been pitch black inside the cave if not for the jagged cracks in the high ceiling. The light of Homeworld shone into the cave, illuminating enough for Greg to see where he was going.
"Huh. This tunnel must have been excavated many millenia ago. For what purpose, I cannot say." Peridot said. "It's been long abandoned. Most likely incomplete, leading to a dead end."
"One way in, one way out?" Greg asked.
"Affirmative." Peridot narrowed her eyes at Greg. "This would be an exceptionally bad time for Fire Agate to find us."
"We'll be out soon, don't worry." said Greg.
"Oh, I'll worry." Peridot promised. "And I will continue to worry."
The whispers grew louder as the three of them went deeper into the cave, echoing throughout the tunnel.
"...Hissssss…where must I go…hissssss…what is my mission now…hissssss…I see nothing but darkness…hissssss…"
Greg looked over at the cave wall and saw something that further unnerved him. Five straight lines had been cut into the wall, like something with really sharp claws had slashed at the stone wall. There were several more lining the walls.
Greg gulped. "Maybe this wasn't such a hot idea." he whispered.
"That has to be the smartest thing I've ever heard you say." Peridot whispered back.
Despite the fear, Greg continued on. The three of them eventually reached the end of the cave. The entire back of the cave was covered with more slash marks. Huddled against the back of the cave, arms around her legs, rocking back and forth, was a Gem.
"Hisssss…shatter the Gems…hissssss…yes my Diamond…hissssss…where are you my Diamond…hissssss…all alone…hissssss…"
Greg finally decided that this was a bad idea. Staring at the Gem, he felt a similar sense one might feel when coming across a king cobra by mistake. It was hard to get a lot of detail with the Gem crouched the way she was with her head buried in her arms. She was mostly green, like a forest, contrary to Peridot's lime color. Her wild hair was as black as night, hanging down to her upper back. Other than that, Greg couldn't make out a lot of detail.
Greg looked back at Peridot and Larimar. They both apparently recognized her. They were both frozen with fear, staring at the Gem with incredibly frightened faces.
'We. Should. Leave.' Peridot mouthed. Larimar nodded in agreement.
Greg looked back at the Gem they had found in the cave. He took a single step backwards.
He accidently kicked a small rock as he did, which made a faint sound in the echoing cave.
The Gem immediately shot up and lunged at Greg. He barley had enough time to yelp and leap of the way as she came down on him.
On the ground, Greg panicked as he madly scooted away from the crazed Gem. He was given enough time to get a good look at her as she stood at full height. Easily six feet tall, the Gem was built like a leopard. Lithe and muscular, like an Olympic gymnast. Above the waist, her black and green outfit was like Reptile's original outfit from Mortal Kombat, except smaller, with no scale design. The moss green uniform complimented her forest green skin. Below the belt, she simply wore black leggings that covered her feet as well. Her green face was pretty, but fierce. She hissed, bearing abnormally large canines.
Greg trembled as the gem brought her hands up. Ever seen Lady Deathstrike from the Marvel comics? That's what her freakishly long fingers were like. Five claws on each hand, looking sharp enough to cut through steel.
Greg waited for the Gem to turn toward him and resume her attack, but to his confusion, she just started slashing at the air around her, as if swatting flies. She hissed angrily as her wild swings hit nothing.
Peridot and Larimar, clinging to each other in fear. Stared at the Gem in confusion as well. They met Greg's questioning glance and shrugged at him.
Greg looked back at the Gem, trying to look her in the eyes hidden behind her black bangs. That's when he saw it. It was hard to see, but her green, round Gem was where her right eye should have been. And it was cracked. The crack didn't stop at the gem, it reached over her actual eye. Her one eye was white as milk and pupiless.
"She's blind." Greg muttered. Saying it aloud proved to be a mistake, since the Gem went straight for the sound his voice, hissing with rage. Greg rolled out of the way before he could get sliced. The Gem left a deep slash mark where Greg had been a moment ago.
Out of the way, Greg remained silent as the Gem looked around, listening for any movement. He looked over at Peridot and Larimar. Quietly, Peridot raised her arm and tapped her wrist.
'My destabilizer.' Greg thought. The Gem was blind. He had the advantage, even if he was terrified of the very thought of having to come any closer to the Gem. He raised his arm and looked at his wirst, where the weapon lay hidden under the jacket sleeve.
Greg looked back up at the Gem slashly wildy at the air. She looked and sounded angry, yeah, but underneath that, Greg heard desperation and even fear. She had been down in this cave for God knew how long, unable to see, perhaps unable to even think straight, depending on her damaged her gem was.
'...I have a better idea. It is, in no way, a smart idea, but it just might work.' Very carefully, Greg took the backpack off and placed it in front of him on the ground. He then grabbed the nearest rock and tossed it to the other side of the cave. Immediately, the Gem hissed and went slashing at the source of the sound. While she was distracted, Greg, as carefully and quickly as he could, slowly unzipped the backpack.
The Gem was still searching, her hissing had become angrier and more threatening, her pearly white canines flashing menacingly as she hunted for the anything that made a sound.
'Please tell me there's another one in here. Please tell me Amber packed more than one of those things in here.' Greg begged to himself as he silently dug through the contents of the Amber backpack. To his delight, he found what he was looking for and pulled it out.
Excited, a small sound managed to escape Greg's lips. The Gem spun towards the sound and rushed at Greg. She pounced, but Greg was able to frantically crabwalk out of the way. The Gem sliced the backpack into pieces. The contents of the backpack spilled out, many of which had been sliced along with the backpack.
Greg tried to silently crawl away, but the Gem sniffed the air and followed after Greg's scent, backing him against the wall. Terrified, Greg pressed himself against the cave wall as the Gem came closer. She raised her claw, ready to deliver a killing strike.
Larimar whistled.
The Gem turned her head to the sound.
'God, give me strength.'
Greg shot up off the ground and slammed the second vial of Pink Diamond's tears directly into the Gem's face. Instead of getting sliced up like a tomato, like Greg feared would happen, the Gem realed back and let out a frightened and angry howl. The pieces of broken vial fell to the ground while the liquid that had been inside splashed onto her upper face area.
After she was done freaking out, Greg watched as the Gem stood up straight as the tears healed her gem. Beneath her bangs, the crack in her gem healed, as well as the nasty scar that ran over her other eye. By the looks of it, the tears did the trick of calming her down as well as restoring the Gem's sight. With one of her long fingers, the Gem fixed her bangs so only her gem remained hidden behind her hair. The look on her face was one of astoundment and wonder as she experienced vision for the first time in forever, beholding all that was around her.
The Gem's single-eyed gaze landed on Peridot and Larimar. Larimar bravely stepped forward and brandished her claws, a fierce expression on her face.
The Gem simply raised a single claw and flexed her fingers.
Larimar gulped and raised her palms in surrender, taking position behind Peridot.
The forest-green Gem's lip quirked in amusement. She lowered her claw and both of her hands shrunk, fingers shrinking down to normal size. Although they were still clawed like a vampire's hands, they were now of normal size.
Then in a blink of an eye, she rushed up to Greg and placed her hand up on the wall right next to his head. Greg yelped in fear as the Gem's face became only inches away from his own. Greg made eye contact with the Gem and immediately regretted it. She only had one eye, her gem hidden behind her bangs. But now that it was healed, her green eye seemed to swirl like it was filled a moving green mist. Remember the snake from the Jungle Book? That was the feeling Greg was getting from the Gem's eye. It was the only thing that gave Greg the nerve to even speak.
Greg gulped. "Uh…he-hello." he said. "It's…uh…nice to…meet you."
The Gem, while keeping eye contact, inhaled deeply through her nose, giving Greg a good sniff.
"Wow, you do not care one bit for personal space." Greg commented nervously.
"...You are…organic." If female snakes could talk, that's what she sounded like. She didn't sound necessarily evil. Fire Agate sounded evil. This Gem just sounded…scary.
Greg nodded, eyes still wide with fright. "That is…that is correct. I am often mistaken for a Quartz." he laughed anxiously. "I mean, an off-color Quartz, obviously. I don't look impressive enough to pass for anything else."
The Gem made a serpentine, predatory growling sound as she studied Greg. The growl didn't sound threatening, but curious. Nevertheless, it made Greg shudder. She brought her pointed finger up and tapped Greg's forehead with her claw.
"Ow." said Greg.
Although her finger had shrunk down, it was still sharp. A small tap left the tip of her claw red with Greg's blood. She brought her finger to her mouth and stuck out her tongue, which Greg half-expected to be forked. She licked the blood off her finger and her eye went wide.
"...A human." the Gem titled her head. "You're a human."
"Correct." said Greg. "I am praying to holy hell you're cool with that."
The Gem just softly hissed, like a snake would normally do when tasting the air.
Greg awkwardly cleared his throat, staying perfectly still. "Okay, look. I think we might've gotten off on the wrong foot. Let me introduce myself." Greg put on a smile. "My name is Gregory Universe. But, you can call me Greg." he nodded his head towards his two Gem friends. "Over there is Peridot and Larimar. Friends of mine."
Larimar waved at her and Peridot took a nervous step backwards.
"We heard you whispering to yourself all creepy-like and thought you needed help." Greg continued. "By the looks of it, we were right."
"...You…healed me." The Gem's face came a little closer. "Why?"
Greg gulped. "You needed help. So we helped," he replied. "I introduced myself. So, how about you introduce yourself? Who are you? What are you doing here?"
"Greg," said Peridot, clearly afraid. "That's a Maw Sit Sit."
"A what?" Greg asked. "Is…is that your name? Maw Sit Sit?"
The Gem nodded. "Us Maw Sit Sit's were made during the Rebellion on Earth. We were made to be hunters. Predators. Killers."
"Terminators," said Peridot. "Honestly, it's a wonder Yellow Diamond didn't send one after you with Fire Agate, Greg."
"We are a rare Gem now, the majority of us were shattered during the Rebellion." Maw Sit Sit hissed angrily. "My unit was sent by Yellow Diamond to hunt down and kill the great Rose Quartz, leader of the Crystal Gems. We failed. They were expecting us. I was the only one who escaped with her life. And as punishment for my failure,"
Maw Sit Sit's claws cut into the wall next to Greg's head. "I was sentenced to death upon my return to Homeworld." She sounded angry and hurt. "I escaped, but barely. Left scarred and blind in the Underground, I have remained here for…I no longer know."
Peridot seemed to become a little less frightened. "She…she rejected you as well?" she asked softly.
Maw Sit Sit's gaze landed on Peridot and the Yellow Diamond emblem on her uniform. "...The Diamonds care only for themselves," she said. "The rest of us simply do not matter."
Peridot hung her head.
"Uh, Maw Sit Sit, you said?" Greg asked. "First off, can I give you a nickname or something? It feels weird to have to call you Ma."
"Nick…name?" Maw Sit Sit asked.
"Yeah, like, something else to call you other than your real name," Greg explained. "Like calling me Greg instead of Gregory. Hmm, let's see…Maw Sit Sit is really hard to work with…could just call you 'M'… Nah, that's just lazy…"
Maw Sit Sit just stared at Greg.
"Gee, this is a tough one," Greg said. "It'd be easier if I knew you a little better. The only history we have is you attacking me like some kind of wild, green, freakin' jaguar-"
Greg's eyes widened and he smiled. "Hey, there we go! How would you like being called Jaguar?"
"...What is a…jaguar?"
"Back on Earth, it's a big, incredibly deadly cat," said Greg. "An apex predator. It's the kind of animal you do not want to poke with a stick. Really cool-looking, though. Even if it's a really ferocious animal."
Maw Sit Sit smiled, and Greg got a good look at her teeth. In addition to her large canines, her teeth looked like a steel trap, capable of biting through metal wire or one of Greg's bones. This did nothing to ease Greg's nerves.
"Jaguar," she said, testing the word out. "...I like this title. I give you permission to call me this."
"Awesome," said Greg.
"Now you will answer my questions," said Jaguar. "What is a human doing here, of all places?"
"It's a long story," said Greg. "I work for Pink Diamond. Yellow Diamond wasn't cool with that, so she tried to kill me using Peridot over there. One thing led to another, and now I'm trying to reach Pink Diamond's Off-color Factory before Yellow Diamond's Fire Agate finds me and kills me."
Jaguar tilted her head, almost looking impressed. "Your skill at survival is commendable."
"Honestly? I think it's been mostly luck so far." Greg admitted.
"And once you get to Pink Diamond's…Off-color Factory, as you call, then what?"
Greg shrugged. "I go back to Pink Diamond, Peridot and Larimar stay at the Factory, and Pink Diamond never lets me out of her sight again." Greg smiled bashfully. "We're…kind of close."
"You used the tears of Pink Diamond to heal me, yes?" Jaguar asked. "Why would you do this?"
"I already told you. You needed help, so I helped," said Greg.
"Then you prove yourself an idiot."
Peridot coughed into her fist.
"Look, I already know I'm not the smartest guy," said Greg. "But if it means doing the right thing? Yeah, I'll die for it."
Jaguar finally moved her hand away, although she stayed uncomfortably close to Greg. "...It seems I owe you a debt, human."
"If you want to repay me, then please, help us get to the Factory." Greg pointed at Peridot. "She knows how to get there. One word from me, and Pink Diamond can give you a place at the Factory. You don't have to be alone anymore."
Jaguar studied Greg for while. She hissed casually and blinked her eye.
"...I was part of a unit once," she said. "...They are dead now."
Jaguar suddenly jumped up onto the cave wall and climbed up to the top like some kind of demon. She vanished through the cracks in the ceiling.
Greg, Larimar, and Peridot stared up at where the Maw Sit Sit had vanished.
"...Well, seeing as how none of us are dead, I confirm this mission to be successful," said Peridot.
Greg sighed. "No one deserves to be alone like that," he muttered.
"And no one deserves to be cast out and betrayed by someone they once worshiped," Peridot said. "It's a cold world, Greg. You know that just as well as I do."
Greg, not being able to argue with that, made his way out of the cave. Peridot and Larimar followed after him.
The three of them exited the cave and Peridot continued to guide the group to the Factory. For the next hour, the trio remained mostly quiet. Greg seemed a little down, and it had a sort of effect on the whole group. Peridot led the group down a path with a lot of slopes and hills, making it fairly difficult to travel the terrain.
"I am curious, Greg." Peridot finally said.
"About what?" Greg asked.
"Why is helping and befriending others so imperative to you?" she asked. "I understand you have an affable nature, and many are fond of you for it. But I suspect there is more to it than you let on."
Greg sighed and rolled his hand. "A few years after my mom died and I was sent to live with my aunt and uncle, a new kid came to my school. Michael was his name."
Peridot and Larimar blinked, not knowing what a school was.
"The kid was a bully. Big and mean, always looking to pick a fight." Greg continued. "For whatever reason, he targeted me the most. He was so awful, he made me afraid to even go to school most days."
"Did you kill him?" Peridot asked. "I would have killed him."
"No, Peridot. I did not kill him," said Greg. "One day, after a few months of having to put up with him, he just…stopped. He didn't even say mean things to me anymore. It was like he suddenly forgot I even existed. One day, we both got detention together and I asked him why he stopped bullying me. Turns out, Michael found out that I was an orphan who lost his parents. And as it would happen, he was one too, living with a foster family."
Geg smiled. "After that, Michael and I actually became friends. He was like a big brother to me for a while, just like my cousin Andy was. He wasn't a bad kid, he was just…well…damaged."
"Huh," said Larimar. "What happened to this Michael?"
"He stopped being a bully when we became friends, and I was proud of him." Greg let out a deep breath. "But one day, this other kid who was as big as Michael came up to me and pushed me into the mud, ready to do worse. Michael went berserk and attacked that kid. He almost killed him. He was sent to juvenile hall after that. The big guy was just trying to protect me, and they sent him away for it. I never saw him again."
Peridot stared up at Greg. "...And…this is why you are always willing to help those in need?"
"Michael's friendship taught me that a truly evil person is, in actuality, one of the rarest things in the world. That most of the time, all that's required to turn a person's life around is a single person to step forward and offer their friendship." Greg chuckled warmly. "Michael was the first, but not the last, bully I befriended. Granted, it didn't work with all of them, and the black eyes I got proved it. But I always went for it. I always gave it a chance. When people need help, you do what you can to help them. That's not always the case, but it should be."
"May I ask you a question, Greg?" Larimar asked.
"Yeah, go ahead," Greg replied.
"Is your creed of companionship what earned your friendship with Pink Diamond?"
"What? No. Well, sort of. We became friends soon after we met. We enjoy each other's company and we like hanging out with each other. Our friendship happened pretty organically." Greg blushed. "We…sort of click."
"Click?"
"Nevermind."
"Very well then," said Larimar. "Do you plan to make an attempt at friendship with a Gem like Fire Agate?"
Greg grimaced. "Ahhhhhhhh…well, she literally wants to kill me. But even so…Everyone deserves at least one chance. Even someone like Fire Agate."
"That is foolish," said Peridot.
"Maybe," said Greg. "It's called hope, Peridot. In the deck of cards of emotions and feelings, hope is the joker. Used right, it'll trump anything." Greg blinked. "I gotta write that down. I can totally turn that into a song."
"I didn't actually understand all of that," said Peridot.
"Oh, right. You don't get Earth references." Greg remembered. "What I'm trying to say is: it's important to have hope, especially when it comes to people."
"Do you believe there is hope for the Maw Sit Sit you designated as Jaguar?" Peridot asked.
"Hey, she didn't kill me. That counts for something," said Greg.
"There it is!"
Greg, Peridot, and Larimar turned their heads to look up at one of the hills. Standing on top of it, was a Ruby soldier.
"Oh no," said Greg.
"I found it!" the Ruby exclaimed. She turned around and waved her arms, showing off the gem in her bicep. "I found it! I found it! Over here! Over here!"
"Run," said Peridot.
The three of them ran away without another word, as fast as their legs could carry them.
"Hey! Where you going?!" the Ruby shouted. "Get back here!"
The escaping trio slid down a long and steep slope. Once they hit level ground, they continued to run.
"Where'd it go?" Greg heard another Ruby ask.
"Down there, Captain! It had two Gems with it!"
"After it, everyone! Don't let it get away!"
"Run faster! Run faster!" Larimar cried. "We must run faster!"
The three of them ran into deeper terrain, attempting to escape from the Rubies. They took every twist and turn they could, hoping the get the Rubies off their scent. Greg ended up slipping and falling down a long and steep slope that went down pretty far. Peridot and Larimar hopped down onto the slope and slid down after Greg.
Greg reached level ground and rolled to a stop. Peridot and Larimar slid down and reached either side of him, helping him up and taking off deeper into the Underground with him, not wasting any time. They ran until they found themselves in a long trench. Way up high, the lights of Homeworld just barely gave enough illumination to allow them to see where they were going. Ahead of them, further into the trench, going on for miles, a scrapyard of some kind had formed. Old and abandoned pieces of machinery, equipment, and other items lay in the lifeless dirt.
"We might be able to find a good hiding place here," said Greg. "Wait a moment to give those Gems the slip."
Greg, Peridot, and Larimar suddenly become encased in a strange blue light.
"Wha-what's happening?!" Greg cried. "I…I can't move!"
"Good." said a childish, British voice. "Chasing you was incredibly irksome."
A small, blue, water-winged girl, holding some kind of magic wand in her gloved hand, flew in front of Greg and his two Gem friends. The blue light that was holding the trio in place was emitting from the wand in the small Gem's hand. Geg took note of the tear-shaped gem under her eye.
"Ya know, back on Earth, the teardrop thing you got going on is a common prison thing," Greg said. "Often used as the brand of a murderer."
"Aquamarine isn't the type to do any killing herself." One of the Rubies came up into Greg's line of vision next to the blue Gem. She wore overalls and a baby blue visor, her gem in her chest. "A coward like her sends others to do the killing herself."
"Quiet, you!" Aquamarine ordered.
"The Captain's right. You are a coward at the core." Another Ruby came into view, this one with a gem instead of a left eye. Her one eye studied Greg skeptically. "So this is the human, huh? It…doesn't really look like much."
"Heh. It really does look like a Quartz." Greg recognized the Ruby with the gem in her arm, the one who had spotted them, as she walked up in front of the trio. "An off-color one, anyway. I wonder if it can fight."
Greg heard giggling and watched as a high-spirited Ruby with her gem in her naval made her way in front of Greg. "This one's a big softy, look at it. I doubt it would put up a fight." The Ruby blushed. "Oh, uh. No offense, human."
"Uh, none taken, I guess," said Greg.
"This is a human?" One more Ruby came into Greg's line of vision. This one seemed the most timid of the five, with her gem in her leg. She looked up at Greg with a curious look on her face. "It looks…like a Gem. I didn't know they looked like Gems."
"Humans and Gems are different in a lot of ways," said Greg. "But we also have much in common."
"Oh, shut it, human," Aquamarine ordered. "You know, I've been chasing you around this dreary Underground for far too long for my liking! Now, listen up, cuz I'm fed up with this idiot chase! You're gonna…why are you laughing?"
Greg stifled his giggles. "I'm…I'm sorry. It's just…you are one of the most adorable Gems I have seen thus far during my time on Homeworld, even with the prison tattoo gem."
The Rubies all giggled while Aquamarine narrowed her eyes.
"What?" she asked through gritted teeth.
"Yeah, I mean, look at you." Greg laughed a little louder this time. "The…the accent, the outfit, the fact that you're only like, three feet tall. You are insanely cute."
"Don't call me cute!" Aquamarine yelled. "I am an Aquamarine of Blue Diamond's Court. I am one of her prized Gems and I will not be mocked by–stop laughing!"
"I…I can't help it." Greg managed to say through his laughter. "You look like the mascot for a brand of blueberry cereal!"
"What the cosmos does that even mean?!"
"Do you, like, fly around and do tricks for Blue Diamond?" Greg asked. "Maybe spin around a big ribbon, put on a show with a flock of other Aquamarines?"
The Rubies all laughed and the Aquamarine shook with rage. "If you keep this up, human, I'll splatter you against the wall!"
"Big words coming from such a small Gem," said Larimar. "You stand before Pink Diamond's prized human. You hurt a hair on his head, and you'll suffer the wrath of Pink Diamond."
"...I am aware," Aquamarine growled. "The human comes with us. The Peridot dies, and you, Larimar, can crawl back in whatever hole you popped out of."
"What?! Why do I have to die?!" Peridot shouted.
"We know the damage done to Blue Diamond's Polonium Mine was your doing, Peridot," said Aquamarine. "And for that, you will shatter."
"Hey! Leave her alone!" Greg shouted. "I'm the one who did the damage, not Peridot. It was my destabilizer that sent the processor falling down."
Aquamarine raised an eyebrow. "You would defend the Gem who attempted to kill you?"
"She is my friend," Greg stated.
The statement took Peridot by surprise, momentarily depriving her of the ability to speak.
"How precious," said Aquamarine. "But, orders are orders. Captain, if you please."
The Ruby Captain summoned a knife from out of her Gem and stepped towards Peridot. The green Gem began to panic and freak out.
"No!" Greg tried and failed to fight against Aquamarine's hold. "Stay away from her!"
Aquamarine shook her head and tsked. "You really do fit in with Pink Diamond's Court. So overly sympathetic. No wonder Pink Diamond likes you."
The Ruby Captain stepped up to Peridot and raised her knife. Peridot stared at the tip of the blade in pure fear.
"But sympathy…is for the weak." Aquamarine grinned. "Shatter her."
"NO!" Greg cried.
A green blur knocked Aquamarine out of the air.
The sudden action put an end to the tractor beam holding Greg and his companions in place. The sudden loss of the Aquamarine's field surprised the Ruby Captain long enough for Greg to take advantage of the situation. He grabbed the wrist of the Ruby's knife hand and extended his wrist destabilizer, holding it under her chin.
"Don't," said Greg. "I don't wanna hurt you, but I will if you try to hurt one of my friends again."
The Captain stared at the hand holding onto her wrist, then she look into Greg's eyes. "...I admire your moxie, human." said the Captain. "But take a look around. You're outnumbered."
The other four Rubies drew their knives and advanced toward Greg and his Gems. Peridot shook with fear while Larimar brandished her claws.
A loud, terrifying hiss froze everyone in place.
Everyone looked over to see Aquamarine trembling in fear and horror. Who could blame her? She was being held in the grip of a freakishly long-fingered claw. The other green, long-fingered claw had a pointed finger resting on her teardrop gem. The wand was laying on the ground next to her foot.
"Hissssss. Aquamarines." the Maw Sit Sit said distastefully. "Useless little scamps. Pretending to be Lapis Lazulis." She raised her foot and crushed the wand into dust.
"Jaguar!" Greg exclaimed.
Jaguar grinned, showing off her canines. "Hello, Greg. I still owe you that debt." her gaze settled on the Ruby whose throat Greg's destabilizer hovered over. "Captain. You will do as the human commands, or I will shatter the Aquamarine."
"You think I care?" The Captain asked.
"I think you care about the report you'll have to give to Blue Diamond," said Jaguar. "Also, once I kill the Aquamarine, I'll go straight for you and your squadron."
This seemed to scare the Rubies. The Captain looked at Greg and narrowed her eyes.
"Alright, fine." The Captain let the knife drop from her hand. "Gotta hand it to ya, human, you have a talent for making powerful friends."
"Look, Captain, I don't want anyone to get hurt." Greg retracted his destabilizer and backed away. "I don't want my friends to get hurt, and I doubt you want your crew to get hurt. But we obviously need to come to an understanding."
"Yeah, please help me understand your weird way of showing gratitude." said the Captain. "Blue Diamond sends us to find you and get you out of here, and in return, you run away from us and have your Maw Sit Sit attack our navigator? What the heck? Is this a human thing that I'm just not familiar with?"
"Wait, hold on…You guys aren't here to kill me?" Greg asked.
"Of course not." said the Ruby with the gem in her naval. "Pink Diamond misses you terribly. She begged Blue Diamond to send some Gems to help find you, so here we are."
"Seriously? You're here to help?" Greg asked. "If that's the case, couldn't you have mentioned that earlier?!"
"You ran." the Ruby with the gem in her bicep said.
"Uh, yeah, all things considered, it made more sense at the time than sticking around to see what you guys were up to," Greg argued.
"Greg," said Larimar. "Perhaps you should be more thankful to them, as they are here to save your life."
"I-Indeed." Aquamarine stammered. "Now if you would kindly call off your Maw Sit Sit, we may discuss this more professionally."
Greg took a deep breath. "Okay, look. I am extremely grateful you found us. Really, I am." Greg turned to the Ruby Captain and, after a little trouble with his hands, gem saluted the tiny leader. "It is nice to meet you, Captain. You have my thanks for this rescue."
"We have been tracking you for quite some time now. You have proven difficult to find." The Captain crossed her arms. "Consider me impressed by your survival skills."
"Ha!" said Peridot. "I'm the only reason he's made it this far."
"You are also the reason it…he…is down here in the first place." said the Captain.
"I forgave her for that." Greg quickly put it. "Listen, the three of us have been through a lot. We're just trying to get to Pink Diamond's Factory and leave all of it behind us. Now that you're here, you can help us get there, right?"
"I won't go anywhere near that off-color dump!" Aquamarine shouted. She remained quiet when Jaguar tightened her hold on her.
"What Aquamarine is trying to say is," the Captain began. "Our mission is to bring you to Blue Diamond. And that's it, I'm afraid."
"Okay, that's fine," said Greg. "Just drop these two off at the Factory for me, would you?"
"That's not part of the mission." the one-eyed Ruby said. "Also, due to her crimes against both Blue Diamond and Pink Diamond, she has been sentenced to shatter."
"Seriously? Pink Diamond was cool with that?" said Greg.
"Pink Diamond wanted to get her hands on her first." said one-eye. "Our Diamond just wants her dead."
Peridot gulped loudly.
"You are to come with us." the Captain said. "We will escort you back to Blue Diamond so that you may give her your report on the polonium processor's fall, and then you will be sent back to Pink Diamond."
"What about them?" Greg asked, pointing at Peridot and Larimar.
"As I said, the Peridot is to be shattered. The Larimar is of no concern to us and may do as she pleases."
"No," said Greg. "I will not abandon them. I'm getting these two to the Factory, and that's that."
"As one captain to another, I respect your dedication to your team," said the Ruby Captain.
"Hey, if anyone's the captain, it's me!" said Peridot. "I'm the one who's been guiding this team to the Factory!"
"They won't listen to it," said Aquamarine. "Believe me, I've been trying to make the same argument."
"But the answer is no." the Captain finished.
"Captain, I'm begging you," said Greg. "Help me get these two to the Factory. They're my friends. I can't just leave them to die. I'll walk right up to Blue Diamond and accept full responsibility for it. I'll take the heat, I promise. Just get these two to safety, that's all I'm asking."
The Ruby with the Gem in her belly sniffed and wiped away a tear. "That is…just beautiful," she said. "We still have to kill her, of course, but I'm going to feel so bad about it now."
"The Factory isn't that much farther from our current location," said Peridot nervously. "If we make good time, we can arrive at the Factory in an acceptable amount of time."
"That's not our mission." said the Captain.
"Well, it's my mission," said Greg. "So it seems we're at an impasse."
The Captain narrowed her eyes. "What do you propose then?"
Your mission is to ensure my safe return to Blue Diamond. Alive and well, correct?"
"Your survival is imperative to the mission, yes." the Captain replied.
"Help me and my friends get to the Factory. Keep us safe, as is your mission." Greg suggested. "Once we get to the Factory, the three of us, including Peridot, will be at the mercy of Pink Diamond. I'm kept alive, Peridot is Pink Diamond's to do with as she pleases, Larimar gets introduced into the Factory, everyone wins."
"Except for us," said the Captain. "Blue Diamond sent us personally and gave us the mission herself. She isn't going to appreciate the change in plans."
"That's the more…difficult factor of the deal," said Greg. "Don't report to your Diamond that you found me or Peridot. Instead, just get the three of us to the Factory, and we'll pretend that we just got there on our own. We won't even mention you."
"You want us to lie to our Diamond?" The Captain asked. "That's treason!"
"It's not lying, it's…forgetting to mention it," said Greg.
"Let's just assume, for one crazy second, I agree to that." said the Captain. "We would be going against our Diamond's direct orders. And even if we do get you to the Factory, the risk doesn't end there. Why should I believe that you won't say anything about this? Why should I believe that the Peridot or Larimar won't either?"
"Larimar just wants a place at the Factory and Peridot just wants to live," said Greg. "They won't want to risk losing that by snitching on you guys."
"You're an idiot, human!" Aquamarine. "I will not endanger my reputation by performing such an absurd task!"
"Be silent." Jaguar hissed.
"And then there's her." said the Captain. "She'll never agree to this."
"Then we have Jaguar hang on to her until we get to the Factory," said Greg.
"Why do you call her that?" the Ruby Captain asked.
"It's the name of a feared apex predator back on my planet."
"Oh. Good name for her then." The Captain looked over at Aquamarine. "So we have Jaguar, as you call her, hang on to Aquamarine. What's to keep her from blabbing about us helping you out once we get back to Blue Diamond?"
"It'll be you and your crew's word against hers. Five against one," said Greg. "Not to mention the fact that Aquamarine isn't going to want everyone to know that she was bested by a human."
Aquamarine narrowed her eyes and looked away, gritting her teeth.
"Hmm." Ruby folded her hands behind her back. "Alright. It's risky, but yeah, your proposition could work."
"Captain!" Aquamarine shouted. "I order you to-"
Quicker than Greg could blink, the Captain picked her knife back up and threw it at Aquamarine. The blue Gem had enough time to look shocked before she was poofed. Jaguar caught the knife and the gem in her hands before they could fall to the ground.
"Nice throw," said Jaguar. "But throw a knife at me again, and you'll regret it."
"...Does…does this mean you agree to help me?" Greg asked.
"One more thing before I make my final decision." said the Captain. "We're here to save you. Why would you further risk your life for the sake of the Gem who tried to kill you? And, why should I put me and my squadron at risk by helping you?"
"Captain…I'm just trying to do the right thing here," said Greg.
"What do you benefit from saving the Peridot and Larimar?" the Captain asked.
"Nothing, aside from knowing that my friends are safe." safe Greg.
The Captain sighed. "What you're proposing…it's really risky, human. Especially for us."
"I have hope," Greg said. "You should too, friend."
The Captain stared at Greg for a long time. She looked over at Jaguar, who bared her teeth at her. The Ruby then looked over at her squadron, who awaited orders from their leader.
"...Very well." said the Captain. "I agree to your terms."
Greg sighed in relief. "Thank you," he said.
"Keep in mind, I agree to your terms mostly because I am well aware of how dangerous Maw Sit Sits are." the Captain said. "For your sake, I hope she doesn't decide to ditch you."
"Do not fear, Greg," said Jaguar. "I had nothing else going on, and I have decided that I like you. I am yours to command until you release me."
"Awesome!" said Greg. "Now, since we're going to be traveling together, is it cool if I give all names?"
The Rubies all blinked and looked at each other. "You…want to give us new names? Like how you call the Maw Sit Sit 'Jaguar'?" the Captain asked.
"Yeah, of course. You're all named Ruby, that's just going to get annoying," said Greg. "Can I give you guys nicknames?"
The Rubies all looked at each other and shrugged. "Uh…sure?" said the Captain.
"Sweet. Now, let's see here." Greg rubbed his chin and stared at the Ruby group thoughtfully. "Hmm, this is a tough one…doesn't help that there's five of you and you all look alike…"
Greg snapped his fingers. "Got it! I'll nickname you guys by the location of your gems."
"Aw, what?" the Captain complained. "You named the Maw Sit Sit after an Earth apex predator."
"It was a very accurate designation." Jaguar purred.
Greg looked at the one with her gem in her leg. "I'll call you Leggy."
Leggy smiled like a clueless child.
Greg looked at the Ruby with her Gem in her naval. "You'll be called Navy. It sounds better than 'belly' or 'stomachy'."
Navy giggled behind her hand.
Greg looked at the fierce-looking Ruby with her gem in her arm. "I'll call you Army."
"Yeah!" Army shouted, flexing her arms. "I am an army! Fear me!"
Greg looked at the Ruby with only one eye, her gem where the other one should be. "You'll be…Eyeball, I guess."
Eyeball just growled at Greg.
Greg turned to the Captain. "And you'll be chest… boob-no, that's worse… I'll just call you Doc."
"Doc?" the Captain asked.
"It's a…title of leadership," Greg said. "given to those with the wisdom and solidity to be the leader of a group." 'Namely, a group of dwarves, like you guys.' he thought to himself.
Doc nodded, seeming pleased. "I accept the title of Doc," she announced. "Now, let's be on our way. We should make good time if we travel through this old scrapyard."
"Old is an understatement." Peridot stepped towards the scrapyard. "Some of this stuff looks incredibly outdated. Oh my goodness, look at that!"
Peridot ran off to the scrapyard.
"You're fine with her just running off like that?" Doc asked.
"Yeah, we should probably make sure she doesn't hurt herself." Greg and Larimar went after Peridot, and Jaguar followed behind them.
Doc made to go after them, but Eyeball came up and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Captain, are we really doing this?" Eyeball asked. "You understand this goes against our mission to bring the human back to Blue Diamond."
"From I hear, the human possesses some kind of mind control ability. It's probably how it got the Maw Sit Sit to obey it." Doc said. "It's better if we just go along with its demands and help it out. And besides, its intentions are noble."
"You might be right, but I'm still not sure about this," said Eyeball.
"All we need to do is get the human and those Gems to the Factory. After that, they're all Pink Diamond's problem. If anything, that would be Blue Diamond's preference. Now come on, let's make find that human so we can leave."
Among the many things to find in the scrapyard, Greg and Larimar found Peridot examining a half-buried, metal disk the size of a tennis court.
"What the hell?" Greg said. "Is that…what I think it is?"
"It's a spacecraft," said Larimar. "They flew these things back during the Rebellion. I've never seen one like this before. It looks…even older."
"A freaking flying saucer," said Greg. "Oh my God."
"This craft was not flown during the Rebellion," said Peridot, she looked like a kid seeing a Christmas tree for the first time. "This…this vehicle dates back far before the Rebellion."
"What, you're saying you found the Model T of spaceships?" Greg asked. "An original classic?"
"Affirmative," Peridot said. "It's been out of commission for longer than even Pink Diamond has been alive. Perhaps even Blue Diamond."
"Hey, real quick, do you Gems still use flying saucers?" Greg asked. "Namely, does Pink Diamond?"
"I…believe she is the only Diamond who still uses this style of spacecraft, yes," said Peridot.
"Is it possible that Pink Diamond sent Gems to fly these things around Earth say, in the past seventy to eighty years or so?"
Peridot blinked. "Perhaps, given she sends her Gems to collect Earth paraphernalia every decade."
"Okay, then," said Greg. "That would…explain a few things."
"This presence of this spacecraft provides evidence that this scrapyard is ancient, containing relics from Era 1 and before that even," Peridot said excitedly. "Imagine what else can be found in this place!"
"Peridot, I know you're excited, but we have to get moving," Greg said. "We can't stay here for very long."
"What's that!" Peridot took off towards another wonder.
Greg sighed. "Larimar?"
"Yeah, I got her." Larimar went after Peridot.
"Something wrong, human?" The Rubies walked up to Greg, Doc in front of the group.
"Peridot's just a little excited," said Greg. "Lot of old tech in this place."
Jaguar appeared by Greg's side. She looked at the spacecraft buried in the ground.
"This is old," Jaguar said. "Very old."
"Help me find Peridot, would ya, Jaguar?" said Greg. "We need to get going."
"Agreed." Jaguar and Greg went to go look for Peridot. They found her at the base of a large, rectangular black stone the size of a semi-truck trailer. Slanted to the side and sunk into the ground. It was an old mural, depicting White Diamond herself.
Greg walked up and stared up at the ancient mural. "...So you're God on this world, huh?" he muttered.
Peridot wasn't actually paying the mural any mind. Instead, she dug around the bits of metal and craft that surrounded the large stone mural.
"Ugh, look at these things. This must be where they used to toss out all the shoddy works and crafts." Peridot pulled a sword out of the pile of scraps and carvings. "Take this weapon for example. It is forged from an inferior metal." she ran her thumb across the Yellow Diamond emblem on the crossguard. "And this Yellow Diamond emblem is the wrong color of yellow."
Peridot tossed the weapon aside. She would've taken off Greg's ear if he hadn't dodged in time. "Maybe we can find something to salvage here." Greg offered. "I've always been into dumpster diving. It's amazing what people throw away."
"And this shield." Peridot dug up a shield made of a midnight blue metal. A depiction of Blue Diamond was emblazoned on the face of the shield.
"They got the image all wrong," said Peridot. "The hair is incorrect, Blue Diamond's nose shouldn't be that long, and her eyes are too big. Not to mention that whatever clod made this used a metal that one should not use to craft a shield of any kind."
Jaguar came up and plucked the shield out of Peridot's hands. The taller green Gem flicked her wrist and tossed the shield in the air. With one swipe of her claws, not even extended, she sliced the shield into four pieces.
"To be fair, I have done that to the most well-crafted of shields," said Jaguar. "But yes, it was particularly easy to slice through that one."
"Peridot, we gotta get going," Greg said. "We can scrounge around for whatever might be useful, but then we gotta go."
"Alright, fine," said Peridot. "But as historically appealing and interesting as these relics are, I doubt we'll find anything of use here."
"Then let's grab the Rubies and get going." Greg turned around to return to Doc and the others, but stubbed his toe on something.
"OW!" Greg grabbed his foot and hopped around on one foot. "Ow, ow, ow! What the hell was that?! Ow!"
"Greg, are you okay?" Larimar asked.
Greg breathed through his teeth and slowly put his foot back down. "Yeah…Yeah, I'm all good."
Peridot walked up and examined what Greg had stubbed his toe on. A small, metal triangle was jutting out of the dirt. It looked like the corner of something.
"Ooooooo, I wonder what that is?" Peridot said.
"It's painful, that's what it is," said Greg.
"I wanna dig it up," said Peridot.
"Peridot, we don't have ti-"
"Come on, just let me dig this one last thing up, and then we may proceed to the Factory." Peridot looked up at Greg with watery, begging eyes. "...Please?"
Greg rolled his eyes. "Oh, alright. Jaguar, Larimar, could ya help Peridot out so we can hurry up and get out of here?"
"Hold this." Jaguar handed Greg Aquamarine's gem before extending her claws and walking up to the buried object. Larimar approached the object as well. Together, the two of them began digging out whatever stubbed Greg's toe.
"What's going on here?" Doc and the others approached the four of them. "We should be making our way to the Factory."
"Just let Peridot dig this thing up, and then we'll go," said Greg. "This junkyard is like a playground for her."
"What are they digging up?" Leggy asked.
"Ya got me," said Greg. "I think Peridot is only interested in it because it caused me physical pain."
"Although that may have been a minor factor in the equation, that is not true," Peridot said as she helped dig. "It is so deeply buried in the ground, it stands to reason that whatever is buried here has been in the ground for a very long time, perhaps far before the Rebellion on Earth. And I wanna see it!"
Greg sighed and took a seat on a nearby slab of stone, watching as the three Gems dug. Eventually, they managed to dig the object out of the ground. It took a while to dig it out since the big piece of metal was about the size of a queen-sized bed. It was a dark sheet of metal bearing the emblem of the Great Diamond Authority on it.
"It looks like it might be the shuttle door to a spacecraft," said Peridot. "I was hoping it would be something more exciting, but okay."
"Well, it makes sense that it got thrown into a scrapyard," said Doc. "Look. They got Pink Diamond's color wrong."
Doc was right. The Great Diamond Authority emblem was a diamond made of four joined diamonds. The diamond on the top was white, the diamond on the right was yellow, the diamond on the left was blue,
And the diamond at the bottom was red.
"There's only one thing to me he said,
Do my biddin' 'till the river's red."
Lyrics to 'God Will Cut You Down', by Robin Loxley and Jay Hawke.