Pearl's Gem Adventures
IIII.
Calculating Time
This chapter is dedicated to:
Jaden
"You shouldn't do things like that, they're living breathing creatures."
"But they're in my way and they're creepy."
That was what Pearl heard when her and Emerald reached the room where all the lost crystal gems were living.
"You too shut up I am trying to meditate!" A male voice called out.
Pearl had a big smile on her face, she was excited to see all her old teammates. Her family. She wishes Amethyst, Garnet, and Steven could be here.
When they got inside the room, all attention was turned on them.
Emerald held out her arms. "Guess who I found-"
"Pearl!" Aquamarine cut off the crystal gem to come hug her old teammate but Pearl managed to step back to get out the way off Aquamarine's crab claws.
"I would let you hug me but..." Pearl trailed off.
Aquamarine looked at her crab claws and chuckled. "Yeah, I have those."
"It's Pearl, everyone!"
Pearl suddenly took notice that she was in a room filled with talking creatures. Topaz the cockatoo, Sapphire the frog, Peridot the peacock who was currently trying to meditate, and Tanzanite the goose, Aquamarine the crab, and of course Emerald the bear.
"Pearl, how did you get here?" Peridot asked, his colorful feathers twitching.
"I don't really know, to be honest." Pearl said.
Topaz flew to Pearl and her eyes were the only recognition that she was smiling. "Pearl, how nice to see you. Where are Amethyst and Garnet?"
"Back home." Pearl said, hoping that is where the question ended; She didn't want them knowing she practically ran away.
"Emerald, you're a bear." Sapphire states.
Emerald looks down at herself surprised. "I am, oh wow." she turns to Pearl. "That happens, sometimes. Usually I'm a bull."
"Is that supposed to be a joke?" Pearl asked.
"Nah, I'm confused. Sometimes I'm a bull then sometimes I'm a bear. Who knows." Emerald shrugs.
"Pearl, why are you here on your own?" Tanzanite pushed Emerald out the way who stuck out her tongue.
"Um..." Pearl stuttered. "How do I get out of here?" she asked loudly, trying to change the subject.
"You didn't answer my-"
Tanzanite was pushed aside by Peridot. "There isn't a way out, we've tried." he laughed and shook his head, "Believe me we tried."
"There's always a way out." Pearl said. Conjuring up a layout of the cave with the quicksand entrance at the top and them in the middle of the layout. She pointed to the quicksand, "That's how I came in."
"That's where we came in too." Peridot said.
"Have you tried to look for any other portals or more quicksand?" Pearl asked.
Sapphire raised her hand. "I found a mud puddle but sadly it wasn't a portal." she looked down dejected.
Pearl tapped her gem in thought. "That's where we should start then."
"What makes you think there is an exit out of here?" Peridot asked.
"Well I've calculated that the caves interior doesn't have as much erosion as it should if it has been here for over six hundred year—which is around the time you all disappeared, if I'm correct—so it appeared almost as the same time you got here which means for it to target you all and me it must be gem powered. So if we can find the gem controlling it we can find a way out." Pearl said, displaying everything on her projection.
They all nodded.
"That makes a lot of sense." Peridot said.
"You always were the smartest, Pearl." Aquamarine said and Pearl's cheeks flushed blue.
As if on cue to ruin the reunion, a large screech was heard in the distance.
"What was that?" Topaz asked, her eyes alert and wide.
"I don't know but we can't stay any longer." Pearl said and stood up. With her layout in front of her, she pointed to her left, "Lets head that way."
With an array of creatures behind Pearl led the way.