Peridot was genuinely enjoying her time at the temple. Granted the first few weeks were difficult. She spent a majority of the first days moping and wallowing in despair in the bathroom while Pumpkin ran around the temple lapping at attention from the temple residents. Peridot hadn't wanted to go out at all. She came up with bitter thoughts of never wanting to leave the temple until she was brittle and time had wasted away into oblivion. She missed everything that was gone. The comforting shelter of the barn, the beautiful landscape, the crops she and Lapis worked hard on to grow, the meep-morps and various activities she'd come up with to enjoy living on the barn. Of course she missed Lapis too. Her company, their friendship, trust, and shared sense of unfamiliarity with this beautiful planet, but Peridot couldn't convince her to stay no matter how mucg she believed in each other to work together and protect their new home.
Sometime after the disasterous attempt of regardening the kindergarden Steven and Amethyst suggested to Peridot to get out more, for her own sake and well being, Garnet and Pearl both supported this idea. At first Peridot was terrified of the thought of exploring the world, particularly the city and its society alone but the others reassured Peridot would have friends at her side to experience the new things Earth can provide.
Amethyst had taking to being that friend. As much as Steven cares about Peridot he had a plethora of other things to do, Peridot liked both Garnet and Pearl but Peridot admittedly doesn't take nearly as much enjoyment around them alone, not to mention Pearl had begun texting some mystery friend with her new cellular phone and had begun to get easily distracted, and Garnet had taking to trying random behavior for a time and then taking care of her new cat. Sometimes the two would sit in unbearable (for Peridot) silence and watch their respective pets play together. Naturally Amethyst had become the best candidate for Peridot to spend time with. Peridot considered her to be the best gem for a reason, that opinion hadn't changed.
Amethyst was outgoing.
"Hey Peri! We should check this out." Amethyst said handing Peridot a flyer.
"Wrestling?" Peridot questioned looking at the flyer. Amethyst smiled.
"I used to be the champ of the ring!" Amethyst boasted, "Now I'm retired, but the show's still fun to watch."
"It's a show?" This had peaked Peridot's interest.
"Yeah. It's a live show. We basically get to see people beat the snot out of each other and winner either gets a prize or a champion title." And interest was dropped.
"It sounds barberic." Said Peridot.
"Well, don't knock it till you try it."
So the two went out to watch strange costumed people wrestling. Steven wasn't allowed to attend, the scheduled show was past his curfew.
Wrestling was an experience, to say the least. The arena was a small square shaped stage, "Nye-heh-heh, and you called it a ring. It's clearly a square Amethyst."
"You're a square." Amethyst shot back.
"Am not!" Peridot said tracing the sides of her hair with her hands for emphasis while bitterly thinking of an old rival, a square-haired, gem-eyed Homeworld Peridot from the Zeta Kindergarden. Amethyst just snickered. The wrestling match began with the familiar Funland employee addressing the audience and stirring hype for the crowd.
"He has more than one job?" Peridot asked.
"Poor guy looks like he hasn't slept in months." Amethyst chuckled. The evening's fighters were announced and presented in flashy or simple costumes and over the top elaborate entrances with flying streamers, fog, or sparkles blocking their view and loud music playing. The fighters would take the time to pose and indulge the crowds of fans watching.
"Not a very effective strategy." Peridot muttered. Amethyst turned from her cheering to look at Peridot.
"What 'da you mean?" Amethyst asked.
"Well you said they were going to be engaging in combat against each other. Shouldn't they be taking the time to prep instead of dancing around for the crowd?" Amethyst smiled and sighed.
"It's just for show Peri. It's to make the event more entertaining and fun. In fact, you'll have a lot more fun if you cheer. Raise your arms up." Peridot followed Amethyst's example. "And pick a wrestler you want to cheer for.- Woo! Go Concrete Heat!" Peridot thought about imitating Amethyst and instead thought about making up her own cheer and as a joke, chose to root for the other guy.
"Yeah! Billy Bank Assets for the win!" Amethyst turned to Peridot slowly.
"Oh, it's on."
"I've participated in online shipping wars. Don't assume I can't handle wrestle cheers!" Throughout the match the two cheered as hard as they could competing their cheers against each other and laughing together. Peridot didn't really care who actually won the match, that didn't stop her from enjoying her time with Amethyst that evening. After the match the two hadn't exactly gone straight home. Instead they took a walk on the empty beach pier where Amethyst was munching on a puff of pink sugar coated cotton and Amethyst introduced Peridot to the beauties of bubblegum she'd gotten for her at a near by liquor store. It was convenient for Peridot who can't digest food and wouldn't feel guilty about spitting it out once the gum loses its flavor. Amethyst was sure to get Peridot an assortment of flavors to try and see what Peridot liked. As they walked the two talked.
"If you didn't like the match, it's okay you can tell me." Said Amethyst. Peridot grumbled a little trying to put her thoughts of the match together.
"I suppose I didn't take a lot of interest from watching the wrestling match." Peridot admitted. "But don't get me wrong, maybe if I understood the rules of the game I'd probably like it more."
"I could teach you the rules and moves of pro-wrestling if you want to understand it more. But I won't make you come watch sweaty dorks beat each other up if you don't want to. I just want to help you get out and have fun more." Amethyst said.
"I am having fun." Peridot said. "And I did have fun with you at the match too."
"How could you have fun, if you didn't care about what you were watching?" Amethyst asked.
"It wasn't the match that helped me have fun." Peridot said. Amethyst looked over at Peridot beside her and gave a gentle smile.
Amethyst was playful.
If anyone claimed to know Amethyst and didn't describe her as playful, then Peridot would say they didn't know Amethyst at all. It started with Amethyst bursting through the door of the house and abruptly thrusting a plastic toy gun at Peridot.
"Dude, you gotta back me up! They're after me!"
"Who is?"
Steven and Connie barged in and Amethyst quickly dragged Peridot to hide behind the counter with her.
"Amethyst, you have to come out. You know Pearl will get mad if we play paintball in the house." Steven called. Peridot opened her mouth about to question the situation, but Amethyst placed a finger over her lips and shook her head with a grin. She smirked and made a zipping gesture at her mouth Peridot understood as silence. Amethyst gestured for Peridot to follow her crawling away from the counter and behind Steven's and Connie's backs. When the children turned the two gems would quickly hide behind furniture. Amethyst holding back snickers indicated to Peridot this was most definitely a game. When the two kids moved around again and the two gems crawled around nearly behind them Peridot had to bite her bottom lip to keep from snickering at the two clueless children as the two attempted to sneak through the screen door. There cover was blown when Pumpkin spotted Peridot and Amethyst and charged barking at the two gems with joy. The two kids turned around as Amethyst jumped taking Peridot with her.
"Run! Run! Run!" With that Amethyst threw the door open and ran out with Peridot following behind her.
"Hey! Get back here!" Steven and Connie shouted. One of the two shot a paint ball that flew between the two gems running through the sand. Peridot yelped in surprise.
"That was a warning shot!" Yelled Connie.
"We're not going to let her get away with that are we Peri?" Amethyst joked.
"Absolutely not! Eat this clod!" Peridot shouted aiming her paint ball gun at Connie. Steven and Amethyst both gave fake over the top warrior cries and charged to each other as Connie and Peridot chased each other around trying to get each other from a distance. Amethyst and Peridot eventually found a hiding spot under the stairs of the house forming a base and trying to get a paint ball shot at the kids who were missing terribly thanks to the shield of their base. Steven and Connie grew bold and charged head in to their base shooting as many paintballs as they can.
"Gah!" Amethyst gave a melodramatic cry grabbing onto Peri's shoulder and throwing her head back with the back of her hand thrown on her forehead and moaned overexageratedly, "I have been hit! Peridot, avenge me!" Amethyst flopped to the ground in a heap with a yellow splatter on her torso. In a real situation Peridot would be worried and scared considering the fact a real second war between Homeworld and Earth wasn't too far from reality at the moment but Amethyst's performance was so over the top and funny Peridot couldn't help but break out of the illusion of the game and laugh at Amethyst's display along with the kids. Peridot was promptly thrown off her feet by Amethyst's leg and her arm wrapped around Peridot's shoulders while Amethyst's other hand noogied her hair. "This is what you get for laughing at your fallen comrade." Amethyst snarled playfully.
Amethyst was daring.
Peridot learned Amethyst is always willing to try new things. Peridot and Amethyst were strolling around town in search of something to do when Peridot caught sight of a flyer with bold letters saying, Join Now! Peridot nabbed the flyer off the wall it was taped to.
"Join what now?" Amethyst leaned over Peridot's shoulder. "improve club? What does it mean by improve? Improve life? Improve a certain skill?"
"It reads improv dude." Amethyst said.
"That doesn't clear things up at all."
"It's an acting club, see." Amethyst pointed at a section of the flyer for Peridot to read.
"We are currently searching for new members to join our improv club led by local mailman, Jamie. You're acting skills and quick thinking are both welcomed. Improv is a form of live theater in which we create an improvised scene by suggestion of the audience or our own inspiration. If you love acting, being funny, or even dramatic please join us at the Beach City Laugh Guards." The address of the location was at the bottom of the page.
"Ugh, the pun at the end." Amethyst cringed.
"It looks interesting." Said Peridot.
"Seriously?" Asked Amethyst.
"Yes, I think it suits my skills perfectly. I've watched a lot of television, so I know a thing or two about acting, I'm obviously a quick thinker, and according to you and Steven I qualify as funny."
Amethyst chuckled. "True. If you really want to join you should go for it. I'll even come watch you perform."
"Actually," Peridot paused, "I was hoping you'd join me. It could be fun with someone else who's funny, and judging by our paintball game with Connie and Steven you have excellent entertaining acting skills an audience will enjoy." Amethyst gave a wide nervous smile. "And I simply don't wan to do it alone." Amethyst smile turned soft.
"Kay! We should go and audition."
"Really? That easy? I didn't have to convince you? Have you done this before?"
"Nope, but I'm willing to give it a try."
"Okay, lets go!" Cheered Peridot.
The two gens made their way to the address for improv auditions where Jamie and other improve members were sitting at a parking lot with a bunch of chairs surrounding them with Jamie about to lose his nerves waiting for more potential auditions.
"Yo Jamie!" Amethyst called. Jamie turned to see Amethyst surprised.
"Amethyst? What brings you here?" Jamie asked.
"We saw your flyer. My friend, Peridot and I wanted to audition. Still got room for two more improvers?"
"Of course! Feel free to take the stage you two." Jamie gestured to the empty space upfront.
"What stage?" Peridot whispered.
"C'mon, lets go." Amethyst said.
"You two know how improv works right?" Jamie asked.
"Of course we do, we read your flyer. Bring on the suggestions!" Peridot said. The group started blurting out random words Peridot had trouble keeping up with, until Barb shouted, "Camping!"
"Camping?" Peridot repeated.
"You want to perform a camping scene?" Jamie asked. Peridot's excitement peaked.
"Yes! What do you say Amethyst?"
"Sure, lets do it." Amethyst agreed. Peridot straightened up to get into character.
"I Percy, have just arrived to my first day of camp and just heard about todays three legged race. But I don't have a partner."
"Aw, they're copying Camp Pining Hearts, I haven't seen that show since I was Sadie's age." Barb reminisced.
"It's not exactly improv, but it's something." Jamie said.
"Hey, dude I'll be your partner!" Amethyst said running up beside Peridot.
"Wow thanks! Allow me to properly introduce myself. I'm Percy, and you are?"
"Uhm…" Amethyst leaned over to whisper to Peridot, "What was the name of that other character?"
"Pierre." Peridit whispered. Amethyst blinked thinking of the redheaded chick with the scarf. Steven watched the show when he was 10 and Amethyst never really paid attention to it so she had little recollection of the characters, and wasn't about to question Peridot on her recent viewing of the show.
"The name's Pierre. Don't wear it out." Amethyst said pointing finger guns at Peridot.
"Huh, I thought Amethyst was going to be Paulette." Mr. Smiley said.
"Eh, she seems more like Pierre." Barb shrugged.
"Maybe we should practice for today's event." Peridot said.
"Alright, I'll tie our ankles together." Amethyst and Peridot brought their legs together and Amethyst's gem glowed to summon a whip from her gem. Peridot blushed blue having a slight idea of fusion at the sight of Amethyst's glowing gem. Amethyst bent down to tie the whip around their ankles. Peridot had momentary flashbacks of the number of times Amethyst wrapped her whip around her back when they were enemies. Peridot recalled brief instances of pain, but as the whip tied around their ankles, it didn't hurt at all.
"You ready?" Amethyst asked.
"Yes, Pierre." The two lifted their legs together attempting to run making it almost three steps before the two tripped and fell in a jumbled heap with the whip disappearing.
"Cut." Jamie said.
"Cut what?" Peridot asked. The two gems got up to look at Jamie.
"Hey you guys, that wasn't half bad." Jamie said. "For the record, you don't have to use real props. But we'll note things and work on technique at our first class this Thursday ok?"
"Wait. Are you saying we passed your trial?" Peridot asked.
"Uh, yeah. Welcome to improv!" Jamie cheered as the others clapped from their seats.
"That was a great performance you two!" Barb cheered.
"Yes! We got in improv!" Peridot jumped and cheered while Amethyst laughed.
Jamie pulled out a box so the group can collect their sweaters and pick up calendars with the class and performance schedule.
"Cool! We get our own appearance modifiers!" Peridot held up her new sweater in front of her as they walked back to the temple.
"Why don't you try it on?" Amethyst suggested. Peridot looked through the holes on the garment trying to figure out which way her head goes through. After several humiliating attempts and denying Amethyst's help Peridot figured it out, but unknowingly had it backwards.
"How do I look? Peridot asked. Amethyst giggled.
"Kind of cute. Do you have a tablet with you. I can take a picture."
"Oh, good idea. Peridot handed her tablet to Amethyst to take a picture of her in the new sweater. Amethyst showed Peridot the tablet.
"See you look great."
"The color kind of clashes with my color scheme, but I agree with you. Try yours on so I can take a picture of you." Amethyst slid the sweater on with ease and struck a pose for the photo. When Peridot snapped the photo Amethyst felt her long hair was out of place in the picture.
"You mind putting it on selfie mode please?"
"O h sure." Peridot held the tablet in front of Amethyst unaware she had accidentally clicked on the recording button. Amethyst looked at herself on the screen and began tying her hair up in a ponytail.
"Much better! How do I look?" Peridot observed Amethyst's new look.
"Your wearing your hair up." Peridot stated the obvious.
"Yeah, I've been trying it out lately." Amethyst smiled. Peridot smiled back.
"You look nice. Very uhm… aesthetically pleasing." Peridot's cheeks dusted blue again. Amethyst's cheeks darkened and she looked away, before turning back smiling again.
"Hey lets take a selfie with our new sweaters!" Amethyst got beside Peridot and turned the tablet to them. Peridot nearly panicked quickly switching off the recording device before Amethyst noticed. The two took their picture with their faces close to each other giving big grins at the camera. The two continued walking home as the two began talking about improv and looking through the schedule.
"Jamie says he'll be teaching us more later. But I think we excelled at our performance." Peridot boasted.
"Yeah, me too. I liked playing Pierre, it was cool."
"He is very cool." Peridot said. "He and Percy make the ultimate pair in Camp Pining Hearts. They're like fusion, without the fusion."
Amethyst chuckled. "Pierre's a he? I thought I was being that one girl who follows Percy around everywhere."
"Oh, that's Paulette. She's scum and a total waste of the show's airing time. She's dull faced with no personality. She's like that one girl from those terrible human flesh drinker movies everyone hates."
"You mean vampires?" Amethyst laughed.
"Whatever. But you could never be anything like Paulette, you're too interesting and fun to be around."
"So are you. Hey, I'm glad we did this together. This was fun."
"You will continue to do improv with me?"
"Yeah totally!"
Peridot felt she needed to bring up something.
"Amethyst. About when we were performing…" Amethyst tilted her head to the side.
"What is it?"
"I thought about some things…" Peridot felt embarrassed. Unwilling to admit the sight of Amethyst's glowing gem prompted her to think about fusion she mentioned something else, "When our ankles were tied… uhm…" Peridot rubbed the back of her hair glancing away. Amethyst's eyes widened.
"I'm so sorry! That didn't trigger any bad memories did it?" Peridot didn't wan't to make Amethyst feel guilty.
"Honesty, it did. But I didn't feel hurt by it so it's fine." Peridot tried to get to her point.
No it's not! You should've told me. I wouldn't have done it."
"I know. But it was trying to run together that had me thinking… about fusion." Amethyst was taken a back eyes blinking at Peridot.
"Fusion?"
"I was thinking if that's how a fusion feels like, with two gems trying to walk or run in one body." Amethyst smiled with a light snort.
"That depends on who your asking. Most of my fusions have always been pretty unstable.
"Opal used to be pretty scatterbrained back when Pearl and I could barely get along. She's a lot more relaxed now though. Smokey might have some confidence issues because of me and Steven. And ol' Sugilite, yeesh! She's out of control. Alexandrite's probably my most stable fusion now that I think about it. Every fusion feels weird, but Garnet says we have to work through them while letting our fusions be themselves. As for the feeling. Garnet says we're not two gems in one body. So I'm gonna have to go with no. Fusion's not like a rope around our legs. It can sure feel that way sometimes though."
"Hm. I wonder what we'll feel if we fused." Peridot wondered aloud. Amethyst gulped and blushed with her eyes shining with stars.
"You wanna fuse with me!?" She yelped. Peridot jumped back surprised and humiliated.
"Nyah! I didn't mean to say that outloud!"
The walk back home went from relaxing and upbeat to a horrifically awkward struggle with the two gems actively avoiding looking at each other's eyes and gems.
Peridot looked happy.
Peridot was spending time with Pumpkin on the sandy beach in front of the temple during sunset. It had been a while since Peridot had dedicated enough time to spend with Pumpkin properly and decided after every improv class and performance the two would go out onto the beach to play. Peridot would throw sticks and run around with Pumpkin and attempt to teach her tricks on command. Pumpkin already knew a plethora of entertaining tricks but would hardly do them if commanded.
"Come here Pumpkin!" Peridot shouted calling her away from the water. Pumpkin ran over to her excitedly jumping around lapping at her owner's attention. Peridot knelt down petting Pumpkin as the little creature barked in joy wagging it's vine tail in excitement. Pumpkin jumped up causing Peridot to sway to the side where she caught a glimpse of the window to the house. She was surprised to be able to see Amethyst watching from the window. Amethyst had her elbow resting on the sill and her palm supporting her head.
Amethyst was able to see Peridot had gradually gotten happier within the last few weeks. She was going out more, having fun, trying new things, even gradually getting back into her old interests. Amethyst felt happy for her. When she looked out the window at the sound of barking and laughter, she only meant for a quick look. she was surprised to see Peridot happily playing around and goofing off with her pet. Amethyst couldn't help but adore the sight a little and began to watch a little longer while resting her head and arms on the windowsill giving a fond smile at the two. Amethyst didn't notice when her back straightened up a little and her hand reached uo to support her face as she watched Peridot having a good time.
Peridot didn't understand why Amethyst was watching her the way she was, but never the less gave a grin and waved at her. Amethyst stepped back looking startled and surprised from the window.
Amethyst felt a little embarrassed Peridot caught her watching, but still gave her usual nervous smile whenever Peridot complimented her and gave a silent wave back before turning and walking away from the window.
Peridot's grin remained on her face as she watched Amethyst's retreating form leave the window.
Things have been different, yet vaguely familiar.
A/N:
Thanks for reading. Hope you leave a review and feel free to PM me prompts.
Sincerely,
*SS8*