By morning, Steven was feeling slightly better. His stomach had settled but he still had a fever.
During the day, Steven had migrated from his room to the couch. He sat in between Lapis and Peridot, drinking water and eating salty crackers.
Peridot glanced at Garnet and tapped her foot anxiously. She wasn't looking forward to telling the Crystal Gems that she had been lying and she dreaded the thought of casting off Homeworld. She dreaded today.
Her stomach felt hollow and she waited. The two other gems finally exited their rooms and Peridot straightened her back. She took a deep, unesscary breath.
"I have something to say," Peridot stated. She felt the Crystal Gems look at her. She put up her cold front and felt her shoulders tense.
"I have been lying to you over the past few days. Everything I told you about Homeworld was a lie. Homeworld doesn't have a massavie army nor contracts with other galaxy gems. They were fetious lies, " Peridot confessed. She saw Amethyst's anger, Pearl's frustration, and Garnet's fury.
"Why?" Pearl demanded with an angry but wobbly voice.
"I did it so I could gain your trust and later betray you," Peridot stated. She began to tap her foot again but kept her stone cold deamonr.
Garnet summoned her gauntlets and the two other gems followed suit. Pearl and Amethyst stood ready to attack at Garnet's lead.
Peridot looked up at Garnet. She saw her green face reflected in Garnet's glasses.
"I want to join the Crystal Gems," Peridot said, with an unwavering voice. On the inside, her heart was pounding.
"No," Garnet said, stiocally. Peridot looked harder at the tall gem. Convincing Garnet would be hard.
"Yellow Diamond is planning to reactivate Kindergarten. She wants to find Rose Quartz and elimante her. During the rebellion, Yellow Diamond was humilated by her defeat and henceforth swore to destroy everything Rose Quartz held dear to her. Earth. Humans. Her army. It was my job to reboot Kindergarten and start a new infantry," Peridot explained, truthfully.
"Stop the lies," Pearl commanded, pointing her spear towards Peridot. Pearl's thin legs were shaking and she looked paler then usual.
"These aren't lies," Peridot said, giving a stern look to Pearl. Peridot then turned her gaze towards Garnet. The two starred at one another through their eye wear.
Garnet straightened herself from her fighting position but her gauntlets remained out.
"What made you suddenly want to tell the truth?" Garnet asked, unconvinced of Peridot's performance.
"Lapis," Peridot anwsered. Garnet looked at the blue gem who sat beside Steven.
"She convinced me that the Crystal Gem's ways are better then Homeworld's. I then agreed to join the Crystal Gems because Homeworld does...disagreeable things," Peridot stated.
"What's wrong with Homeworld?" Steven asked as he wiped his nose on the back of his hand.
"I'll tell the whole truth about everything once you untie me and return my technology," Peridot said, stoically.
"We can't trust you," Pearl sqwacked.
"How would we even know you're telling the truth?" Amethyst growled.
"Once you free me, I'll show you," Peridot promised.
"Never!" Pearl shouted. Her legs were now shaking so badly that she looked as if she would collapse. She tightly gripped her spear.
"Trust her," Lapis said. She was looking at the gems. Pearl opened her mouth to yell but Garnet held up her hand.
Garnet looked at Peridot and then at Steven. The small boy starred back.
Garnet walked to Peridot. She removed Amethyst's whip and stood back.
"Amethyst get her fingers," Garnet said. She kept her eyes on Peridot and kept her gauntlets out.
Amethyst nodded, entering the Temple and returning shortly with the pink bubble. Peridot's fingers floated in the bubble, suspended.
Garnet took the bubble from Amethyst and popped the bubble. She set the fingers in Peridot's lap and once again stood back.
The green fingers hovered to Peridot's hand and found their place. Peridot stood up from the couch and rubbed her sore neck.
She brought up her communication device and Garnet took a step forward as a warning. The communication device was working at top maintenance now that it had time to regenerate.
Peridot looked at Garnet with an unamused expression.
"I'm going to call Homeworld," Peridot stated and she didn't allow Garnet to respond as she began to talk.
"Connect to main Homeworld port 001," Peridot commanded and the screen hummed to life as it connected to Homeworld.
A gem appeared on the screen with spiky hair and an intimidating glare. Garnet and Pearl recognized the gem. It was Yellow Diamond.
"I got reports that the ship has crashed. What happened?" The women demanded, venom in her voice. Peridot gave a glare to the woman as best she could.
"That information is unattainable because I am joining the Crystal Gems," Peridot said with fake confidence. She quickly swiped the screen away. The call clicked dead.
Peridot felt her mental walls collapse and she felt herself slump to her knees. Her mind was panicking with fear. That was it. She had offically detached herself from Homeworld and signed her death certificate.
Peridot's body began to shake when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Lapis crouched in front of her.
Peridot felt her cheeks wet with tears and she pulled away embarrassed. She glared at Lapis and stood up immediately. She exited the house, flustered.
"Peridot!" Steven called for her but she continued walking down the stairs and onto the beach. Silence swallowed the house and Pearl looked at Garnet.
"Should we go after her?" Pearl asked. Garnet shook her head.
"She has no where to go," Garnet replied.
End. Chapter Five coming soon.