Greg stood at the top of Seaglass Estate's hill. The morning wind blew through his hair, making him taste and smell salt. He shook his head.
Nothing was out here. What was he going to be seeing up here? He could barely see an ancient, dead-looking canyon on the horizon. Maybe he should just give up.
But what if there was something else out here? He couldn't see anything past the fields. He turned around. Or wait. The endless grass thinned out to reveal sand way out on the other side. That explained the salty smell.
Greg remembered the stories his father told him. How his friends covered for him so that he could walk up and down beaches.
And where there are beaches, there are caves.
Of course! But where was he going to get to a beach within the next week? He'd have to ask the Gems. Pink Dia— Rose Quartz seemed like she wanted to help.
At even the thought of her, Greg's stomach lightened. She'd actually promised it. She'd said that the humans would be free. How he wished to tell the others, but they were in a complex a hundred miles away.
Greg sat down, digging his hands into the soft earth. He'd never been allowed to rest like this. He'd either been working in the mines, far underground or serving a Gem's every whim.
In a way, he was doing it now. He was asked to look for a new base, and here he was doing it. But she asked politely, Rose Quartz did. She said it was fine if he didn't want to, and Greg usually didn't. But this time he actually wanted to do this. He didn't know whether or not he wanted to do this for Rose Quartz or her new movement. But following through with this would mean a better planet.
And it would get Heliotrope and everyone else gone. He imagined walking into old human ruins and learning all that had been taken away from them. His hands started to tear up the grass. He could see him and Marty taking over the settlement and calling it their own. They'd rebuild all the settlements. They'd reclaim Earth.
His hands started to get cold from the moist soil, so he took them out of it and rubbed them on his pants.
Well, his thoughts prodded, he'd found a base, or at least an idea for one, so he'd better tell the Gems. He ran his way down the hill, now enjoying the feeling of headed back to them. The wind flew through his hair. His feet were almost moving too fast for him to see. He gave a small laugh. He should try running faster. He did, lengthening his stride until he tumbled.
Greg gasped as he fell and rolled. But it didn't hurt. He just kicked up dirt with every rotation. He slowed to a halt at the bottom.
Once he shook the dizziness out of his head he brushed his pants off and stood up. He hoped there were caves by the ocean.
Shaking his head to get the last of the dizziness out, he ran up the steps to Seaglass Estate, knocking on the door.
"Come on, human!" the high-pitched squeak of Peridot called to him. "We know it's you."
Greg nodded and opened the door. There was the Peridot to greet him. "Have you found a good place?"
Shaking his head, he put his hands in his pocket. "Well, no. But I've got an idea."
"An idea," she mirrored, unimpressed. "That's useful."
Greg sighed. "Can I talk to Pink — Rose Quartz?"
"She's upstairs, destroying valuable tech," Peridot said. "A diamond line! Can you imagine wrecking that?"
Greg had no idea what a 'diamond line' was, but he feigned a smile and nodded. "No, I can't."
"Well, look for the wires. That's where she is." Peridot pointed up the stairs. "Go on, tell her your idea."
Greg huffed involuntarily and nodded. He ran up the stairs, glancing at the holes in the wall. A door was held ajar by Pearl, who was stabbing the tip of her spear into the walls and dipping her head in.
He remembered feeling like he was going to die whenever Pearl's spear touched him.
She turned to Greg and he had to close his eyes from a sudden blast of light.
"Sorry about th— Nevermind." Pearl narrowed her eyes at Greg. "Are you looking for Rose?"
Rose? Why would Pearl be calling her that? "I guess so…"
"There aren't any trackers in the wall, Rose!" she called, turning into the direction of the room. "And she's in there." She flicked her head before pushing another hole in the wall.
Greg nodded and went into the room. Rose Quartz was kneeling under the table, her hands feeling around the underside.
"Ah, Greg!" Rose Quartz said. She pulled herself out from under the table, sliding it in the opposite direction as she went. "Have you found a base?"
Greg shook his head again, rubbing his forearms. "No. But I've got an idea?"
Rose sat up and removed a pair of green-tinted goggles from her face. "Well, let's hear it."
She seemed to be in such good spirits, and Greg couldn't help but agree. "Well, how about the seaside?"
Rose Quartz blinked. "Beaches are in plain sight though, if the Diamonds — Blue especially — come searching…"
"No, my father." Greg stopped himself. He really didn't want to tell a Gem that his father was breaking the rules. But would Rose Quartz care? Probably not. "My father went exploring the beach sometimes. He said there were caves everywhere. Maybe we could use them, Miss Rose Quartz."
Rose Quartz nodded, a grin growing at the edge of her full lips. "We'll check it as soon as possible."
Greg stepped back, hitting his back on the wall. "Really? Why so soon?"
"Why not?" Rose asked. "We need to liberate Earth as soon as possible, and we need a base first. How about tonight?"
Greg nodded, not knowing what else to do. "Yes, we can do that. Should we bring Peridot or Ruby?"
Rose shook her head, an enthusiastic grin spreading. "No. Just you and me, how about?"
Greg tried taking a backwards step but his heel only hit the wall. "Er, sure, ma'am!"
"I swear nothing's going to be recording us — What?" There was a clatter as a spear fell to the floor and Pearl stared in. "You can't go —"
"Without you?" Rose Quartz asked. "Well, I can't leave the house to Tiger's Eye and Ruby, can I?"
Pearl shook her head. "Well, I guess not…"
"Then it's settled."
Greg swore he could see Pearl glare venom at him.
"Tonight, meet me at the Estate's stairs. Until then, do what you can to help out. Okay?" Rose's smile was growing.
"Understood, miss Rose Quartz." Greg saluted, crossing his hands but trying not to make the diamond sign.
Rose Quartz put her hand up, like he was silencing him. "I know I asked to be called Rose Quartz, but…" She laughed a bit at herself, wiping sawdust off of her brow. "I think it's best you call me Rose."
AN: Happy Camp Nano! Expect more updates! :)
