Taking a step closer to investigate the duo better, when suddenly the tall one has me by the throat and on the ground. 'Pain.'

"Don't. Move." she spoke simply but, in such a way that I felt it better to comply. After a few seconds of staring by her three eyes, eyes told me that she could bring me more pain if I disobey. I nodded in compliance and she inturn nodded at my submission and moved to the other one.

Kneeling to her side grabing her shoulder and shaking her awake saying something I could barely hear, "Amethyst. Amethyst, wake up." It seemed to work as, what I assume is her friend, began to wake up though appearently groggy.

"Huh, Garnet? What happened?" She asked not having noticed me yet. Garnet-the tall one-started to explain what she could remember.

At this point I zoned them out to self-diagnose the damage done to my body, a neat trick taught to me by a Chinese doctor involing a form of meditation. Starting from the sternum and working my way out.

'Ribs, most on the left side are bruised and one as well on the right. Limbs are surprisingly fine. Head, no immediate injuries, but a moderately painful headache. I also seem to have bitten my touge, thankfully not too bad. I also seem to have collection of splinters.'

"Na toll, it will take hours to get them all out. I hope my coat hasn't suffered much damage, I'm almost out of sewing supplies." Grumbling at the potential work I would have to add to the already long chore list-

*Ahem*

I was snapped out of my self pity by the short one, Amethyst if recall. She was looking at me expectantly as was Garnet, but the visor she now had on made it hard to tell.

"Ja?" I asked intelligently, blinking at them. I'm guessing that they asked me something?

The dread colored, shorter one spoke up, "We asked you your name, dude." The drea..Amethyst speaks with a complete nonchalance as if she and her friend weren't a gigantic brute trying to 'squash' me. I feel slightly offended. But they are still here staring, might as well make conversation and maybe stall for time.

As I started to get up Garnet summoned her weapons, large gauntlets, at the move. Half way to full height I raised my hands in show of peace, she lowered her arms to a more neutral stance but kept her gauntlets. Once standing I started to dust myself, wouldn't do to make a bad impression now would it?

When I was satisfied that I had at least looked presentable, with that done. I, with one arm at my midsection and the other behind my back, bowed. "Mein Name ist Altman Weißenstein, ein Sohn von Bayern. At your request." My mother tongue has shown itself, happens from time to time. Standing straight, I watch their expressions. Garnet showed nothing that I could see, and Amethyst whom looked confused.

"What? Sorry dude, I only speak English." she said, rubbing the back of her head. I was about to translate but was beaten to the punch.

"Altman Weißenstein, he's from Bavaria." Garnet said evenly.

"Oh." Amethyst said nodding then she glared at me, "Why didn't you just say that?" She looked slightly cross. About to respond I was interrupted again.

"That's not important but what is, is him explaining what he is and how he took down Sugilite." She dismissed her weapons in favor of crossing her arms to affix me with her seemingly trademark stoney look. Quite intimidating that one.

Amethyst looked at her friend, "What do you mean 'what he is'? He's human, obviously." she said as if it was the most obvious thing. "But yeah, I'd like to know he took down Sugilite too." She then squinted at me, like she could find some secret clue about me. I let a nervous smile tug at my face, not quite used to such scrutiny.

Garnet spoke again, a rock is more exressive than her and I know a few. "He's not human, at least not completely." she adjusted her visor, "Spill it, what are you?" It really wasn't a question, more like 'tell me or I punch you really hard.

"Quick to hit bone aren't you?" I asked with raised eyebrows. I discreetly put my hands in my trouser pockets. Time to stall, and to feel if I still have a few tricks left.

Putting on a exasperated face of submission, *sigh* "No, I'm only half. Mother was a Gem and Father was human, I knew neither of them. And beating the brute? Well that was luck mixed with a quite a bit of arrogance on the other one's part." 'Yes! I did bring it with this time.' I was relieved that my party favor survived my tussle with Sugilite, but I only have one here. 'I'll just have to wait for an opportunity and make it work.' Keeping my right hand on my party favor and removing my left hand from my pocket.

Amethyst seemed disappointed at that last bit, likely expecting some great battle. And Garnet, she looked unconvinced, probably picked that I wasn't telling the whole story. I make it a point to not give my abilities away. "Satisfied? I would like to back home, finish my choirs, eat some dinner, and make repairs to my wardrobe." Amethyst put her hands on her hip and gave me look.

"Show us your Gem." That was not entirely unexpected, "I can't sense stuff like Garnet can, but I can see just fine." Raising her arms to cross, mimicked her taller friend. If any of my friends knew that I'm being stonewalled by two women, I'd never hear the end of it.

Sighing, I raised my left hand to my eyepatch touching its bottom edge while I slowly took out my right hand out of my pocket..."Hmm, maybe next time."

And tossing the party favor, a liquid flash bomb inside of a small glass vial. Throwing the unasumming thing at their feet and turning away from them of them as well as mad dashing right for the tree line.

I could feel the Flash activate, burning bright as the sun for a few moments giving me precious time to escape.

Even after I reached the treeline I haven't stop running. Even after the pain in my sides became worrying, I kept on running. You're probably wondering why I'm going through all this trouble just to avoid capture? Well the forefront thought is that the last time someone found out I wasn't wholely human, was in nineteen fourty-two. It...wasn't a pleasnt experience. And these are Gems! Who knows what they would do to me, an anomaly to their species. Humans are bad, but are they worse than Gems?

I my present condition, I am forsed to keep to the snowy earth. And knowing that going in a straight line is a stupid idea, I change direction erratically. Finally, after what felt like an eternity I stop and lean against a tree to catch my breath. 'I hope they hadn't been able to give pursuit, I haven't heard any other footsteps following my own.'

I know this forest, this place can be difficult to navigate without any landmarks...

...Wait, what was that noise? "GAH!" Something snaked around my leg pulling me upside down from a tree.

"Aha! Got you!"

"Hmm, you were right."

"What?! How did you find me!?" Looking up, or is it down? I spotted the two Gems, with Amethyst looking smug holding the rope that was wrapped around my leg. And Garnet sitting on a branch near Amethyst, slightly swinging her legs. I don't like them very much.

"We used the trees, keeping instep with you the entire time." I swear I just saw a smirk, blasted wretch.

"Hahaha! And you never thought to look up either, what chumb." She started to swing me in circles, laughing as she did. Dread colored wench.

"Amethyst, tie him up. We're bringing him to the Temple." Garnet jumped to the ground and proceeded to lean against the tree she had just been in with crossed arms, waiting for her comrade.

The spinning suddenly got much faster and the thing I know the ground was coming greet me, but I couldn't move anything to buffer the fall. Closing my eye, waiting for the incoming pain...

"Huh?" It seems that I've been caught, looking back and sure enough, Garnet did it with a single hand. My face went from surprised to a sneer in record time. She then threw me over her shoulder and began walking a direction I think is South.

(\\/) Beach City's Gem Temple beach (\\/)

"Thanks but, I need need to get strong too!" Steven then put on the other set of tires and proceeded to run laps in the sand. While his father, Greg, a middle-aged man with a heavy set figure, and two others watched as he did.

Greg has long light brown hair but has a large bald spot. He sports an even lighter brown colored beard. He has a t-shirt shaped tan line, peach skin color with the tanned areas more reddish. Wearing a white sleeveless shirt and gray sweat shorts and flip-flops.

The other two are Sadie and Lars, friends and co-workers. Lars is a tall, thin teenager with curly, dark orange hair. With dark peach colored skin, and has gauges in each ear-lobe. He has a gray sleeveless shirt, darker gray shorts, and green sneakers. While Sadie seems to be, more or less Lars's opposite, she is short and stout with tied back blonde hair. Sadie has pale skin under a blue gray sleeveless shirt and light pink shorts.

"He really, *huff*, into this, *huff*." Sadie spoke from her seated position on the sand. She took a deep breath, then looked to Lars and Greg, "I think it's time we call it a day guys." Receiving nods of agreement, she began looking for Steven. She found him still running in the track Greg made, also still inside the four tires. "Hey Steven!" The tire stack with legs ground to a halt, "We're gonna gonna go, see you tomorrow coach!" The three walked their own ways to home. But Steven continued to jog after waving them goodbye through the tires.

But after a few minutes, Steven nearly collapsed never having exercised before. "Al-huff-right *huff* time to *huff* to rest." Crawling out of the tires to lay on the soft sand. And after a few minutes getting shakily up to his feet.

Steven walked with dragged feet to the ramp, groaning he walked up to the door. Upon opening it he groaned once he realized that he has to climb to reach the heaven that is his bed. Two minutes and twenty-seven seconds later, Steven made it. He made it to his bed to his haven, his sanctuary where he could sleep away his aches and pains.

(\\/) Altman With Garnet And Pearl (\\/)

"Garnet?"

"Yes, Amethyst?"

"Where are we?"

To be Continued...