Lapis had left the bathroom hours ago. While Pearl and Peridot had their heart-to-heart, Lapis walked outside and saw Steven catching his forty winks on the loft. She found it weird how even in his sleep he seemed to be optimistic, the calm he exuded was so infectious she was tempted to lie down next to him and join him in his slumber.
She was so fixated on him, she did not notice Garnet was sitting on the sofa gathering her thoughts.
"Hello Lapis."
"Wha-!" Lapis exclaimed "Oh, Garnet… Hey. Um, what are you up to?"
"Nothing much. I can see you are doing exceptionally well."
"Thanks? I guess it's all the time here on Earth…"
"The funeral is on your mind."
Lapis's sighed in relief, hoping to discuss the topic with someone that was not going to explode plumbing or enter a soliloquy in another Gem's honor. "Yes. Pearl told us a lot, but I feel so much pressure to get this done right. Rose meant so much to all of you, after all."
"She did."
"What did she mean to you specifically?" Lapis asked taking a seat next to the perma-fusion.
"Rose was the first one who accepted me for who I was. When I first fused, the Homeworld Gems called me a disgrace and shunned me away but not her. Rose was fascinated by the concept of two different Gems fusing, never splitting, and so she took me in. She's the reason I am who I am." Her normally rigid voice cracked with emotion upon replaying the scene in her mind. Lapis sat there in stunned silence.
"I'm sure you and Peridot will make something wonderful. Don't put too much pressure on yourselves."
"Heh… thanks. Hearing your story and Pearl's makes me realize something. I've had the same revelation thanks to Steven. He showed me I didn't have to be a prisoner to Homeworld or Jasper and I could be something else. He accepted me for who I was then caused me to turn around and accept Peridot. Now I am actually happy… For so long I thought I was meant to miserable but he…" She was cut off by Garnet placing a hand on her shoulder and flashing a rare smile.
Unlike Pearl and Peridot their chat ended quickly. Lapis spent a few minutes doting over Steven, having had some personal experience with sleep herself, made sure to fluff his pillows and properly tuck him in. She was amazed how even in his sleep the boy managed to project positivity from every ounce of him.
After making sure he was all snug and cozy Lapis walked back to the bathroom to retrieve her barn-mate until Garnet made one last statement.
"We are sorry."
"What?"
"About the entire mirror mess. I know we have never officially apologized to you for it so I would like to make it clear we did not mean for you be trapped here."
"Oh! Well… thank you. And don't worry about it too much. In the end, I think it all turned out for the best."
With that said, she was pumped to begin the project. Peridot was sitting on the bathtub, her eyes focused only on Pearl who had drawn her spear and was still recreating battles. They even began drawing old battle maps on the floor with toothpaste which the latter Gem had no problems cleaning up later.
"Ahem. Sorry to interrupt your show but we need to get to work."
"What? Oh, that's right!" exclaimed Pearl "You two should get started. The funeral is only a day away now. Are you sure you can complete it by then?" she worried as she began scrubbing the floor with a nearby towel.
"Fear not, fellow Crystal Gem! Now that we have an in-depth understanding of your history and the legacy of Rose Quartz, we can complete this tribute to her posthaste!"
"When did you become such a sap?" asked Lapis before the two scurried off back to the warp pad. They were back at the barn as the moon was beginning to dip over the horizon and immediately began to work. They had similar ideas for materials, but they soon discovered their concepts clashed.
After they found an old car chassis which Peridot stripped down and mold into the basic shape of a coffin, she began taking all the remaining parts and twisting them into model weapons, etching the faces of the many fallen warriors Pearl had described and creating metal roses.
Lapis was less than pleased. "What is all this for? We just need to smooth this out, maybe add some flourishes and be done with it."
"Has your brain been liquefied?" Peridot scoffed "All of this is needed to show the complex journey Rose underwent and the masses she inspired. Her humungous legacy deserves an elegant tribute fitting all she accomplished!"
"Sure… if you want this thing to never get done. Besides, at her core Rose was about a simple belief that all Gems should be free to choose their own destiny. We need a quiet, understated piece that focuses more on the beauty of the planet like some watercolor paintings of her and Earth. That's all it needs."
"And what will Steven and the Crystal Gems say when your understated piece inadequately reflects the Gem they love so much? Pearl spent hours telling me all about how Rose changed the world and everyone around her!"
"Garnet told me that in five minutes! The point is that Rose may have been puzzling at times, but she had an undying love and a more simplistic piece will represent that."
It was not long until the two temps were arguing at full volume threatening to use water or metal weaponry to prove her respective point. It was only a day before the funeral but still one Gem was unaccounted for. What has she been doing this whole time?