"So, why are you a guy?"
A week had passed since Diamond had returned. It turned out that all those years of wandering around had made him a nice bit of a fortune. After the Vietnam conflict, he'd come back to America to start a non profit company dedicated to helping anyone in need. Putting nearly all of his wealth into the company, he'd supported injured veterans and their families, homeless people and burned out hippies. Within several years, he'd been awarded several humanitarian awards as well as the Nobel Peace award. Donations poured in from a thousand different sources, and every penny of it went to helping people. By the 1990's, Diamonds For The Helpless had branched out worldwide, and the President of the United States had allocated a budget to them of $500 million dollars annually to never be cut by Congress.
As the new millennium hit, Diamond stepped down as chairman and left the company. He knew it would be in good hands, so he began to wander again. He bought a car and travelled around the Americas, helping where he could and doing as he'd always done. Fifteen years and three cars later, he finally used most of the last of his money. He'd been in Keystone heading north when he literally stumbled upon Garnet and Amethyst, which led to his finding the temple. A few phone calls had his storage-held belongings on the way to his new home.
Now he and Steven sat watching Crying Breakfast Friends (which he really didn't understand despite his knowledge of humans), when the boy had turned to him and asked the question.
"Wow, random much," he chuckled.
"All the other Gems I've met have been girls," Steven went on. "Why aren't you?"
"Easy answer, I wanted to be one so I became one," Diamond replied. "Deeper answer, I wanted to be different. When Pearl and I were young and just learning how to be Gems, I noticed the same thing you did. So, I let Pearl beat me during a practice fight, dove on her sword, and remade myself."
"Just like that? No complex back story with a troubled dillema leading to a sudden brash action that forced you to take the shape you inhabit today, forever altering your view of life and the world around you?"
"Gods, no," the Gem laughed. "What do you think this is, a kids cartoon? Although, Pearl is still miffed that I 'let' her win."
"Fair enough." The show ended and Steven stretched his arms over his head. "So. Wanna go check out Beach City? We could ride Lion."
"As cool a cat as he is," Diamond said with a grin, "I prefer to ride something with a little more... horsepower."
SUPER COOL TRANSITION
Beach City had seen its fair share of bizarre and special things. Few, however, could top the sight of an exotic Italian sports car cruising through town. While people stared, often longingly or jealously, at the ocean blue beauty, the sight of Steven Universe leaning out the window hooting as it powered down the mostly empty roads definitely made quite a few heads turn.
"Alright, Steven," Diamond said, pulling the boy back into the seat. "Put your seatbelt back on. You've done enough grandstanding."
"Y'know, I never would have expected a Gem to ride around in a car this flashy."
Diamond laughed. "I may be a true knight, but that doesn't mean I don't deserve to reward myself every so often." He punctuated his sentence by stepping on the gas hard, the acceleration pushing Steven a bit deeper into the seat as the V12 engine behind them gave a throaty roar and pushed them faster down the road.
Their showboating done with, they parked near the boardwalk and made their way on foot to the donut store. Sadie greeted them with her usual enthusiasm.
"Heya Steven! What can I getcha?"
"The usual, of course," Steven smoothly replied, then turned to Diamond. "This is the best donut store in Beach City."
"By virtue of being the only donut store in Beach City," Sadie quipped as she retrieved two donuts and slid them into a bag. "So who's your friend?"
"Sadie!"
Everyone turned to see Lars standing in the doorway, breathing hard.
"Lars? Are you alright?"
"Never mind that," Lars replied jogging over to the counter. "I just saw the most awesome car driving through town! It was a Farerrio! And it was blue! And it made an awesome VRUUUUMMMMMM!" Sadie just smiled nicely. She'd never seen this side of her partner/crush before.
"Wow," Diamond said offhandedly. "Sounds like a nice machine."
"Nice?" Lars turned and glared at the stranger. "The coolest vehicle to come to our city ever and you call it nice?"
"Like cars, do ya," the Gem asked with a smile, and Steven couldn't help but giggle a bit. He'd seen a similar routine already when Diamond had been introduced to his dad and music had been mentioned, thus unveiling for the world Diamond's love of rock and cementing a place in Greg Universe's heart.
"This wasn't just a car," Lars retorted. "This was Italian engineering at it's finest! Six hundred and sixty horsepower, zero to sixty in three point four seconds, eight miles to the gallon in town and twelve on the open road. Named for the founder of Farerrio himself! Very few can hold a candle to the Ezra!"
"I suppose you're right. Guess I'll have to give you a ride in it someday." Diamond twirled the keyring on his finger, the Farerrio pegasus emblem clearly visible on one of the keys. Lars' jaw dropped, causing Steven to bubble over with laughter. Diamond, for his part, merely smirked as he headed for the door. "Come on, Steven. There lots more city to see!"
"Bye Sadie, bye Lars," Steven said as he followed Diamond out. As the door closed, Sadie could no longer contain herself and fell over laughing. Lars simply stared out the door at the retreating forms, his brain completely fried.
Wavy transition lines, man!
Steven and Diamond wandered all over town, steven pointing out places and things at random, linking them with a short anecdote. Diamond looked about contentedly, truly interested in the stories the boy told him. At the arcade, Diamond won a medium sized walrus doll in a crane game, which he gifted to Steven as "payment for escort duties rendered as befitting a noble and valiant knight." Steven took the doll with great reverence, then was instantly distracted by the next stop on their trip.
They returned home sometime later, the entirety of the city canvassed. Pearl awaited them on the deck.
"Steven," she said reproachfully. "You missed practice today."
"Sorry, Pearl," Steven replied. "We kinda lost track of time."
"My fault, Pearls," Diamond said. "He was showing me the town and we got lost in it, chronologically speaking."
Pearl looked the two of them over the way a teacher would look at rambunctious pupils, then sighed. "Well, I suppose one missed lesson isn't going to set you back too far. Just don't let it happen again."
"I won't," the boy replied. "Is Connie still here?"
"In the kitchen." Steven grinned and ran past her. Diamond stood beside Pearl and watched him run in shouting his friend's name.
"He's a good kid. Reminds me a lot of Rose. When he can stay focused, that is."
"He does get distracted at times," Pearl agreed. "But he's got a big heart and tries to do the right thing."
"Heh. A little knight, indeed."
...what? Expected something interesting? I'm just cutting to inside.
Sheesh they can't all be cool.
"He has a sports car," Connie asked.
"An Italian sports car," Steven clarified.
"Wow... That's cool right?"
"I dunno, but it was fun to ride in. And i think it broke Lars' mind. What did I miss today?"
"Nothing major," Connie replied, taking a sip of juice. "Really it was just a review to be sure I hadn't forgotten anything with our week off."
"I wish you could have come with us, Connie. It was so much fun when he stepped on the gas and we went faster! I felt like I was on a really fast rollercoaster."
The teleport pad lit up and Garnet and Amethyst appeared. "We would have had her if not for her crazy helicopter fingers," the purple Gem was saying.
"Next time, I'll have to throw you higher," Garnet said as they stepped off the pad.
"Ran into Peridot, I assume," Pearl asked as she and Diamond came inside.
"Almost caught her," the red Gem replied with a nod. "We need to find a way to counteract that flying trick she has."
"We tried throwing me, but Peridot just dodged," Amethyst said with a huff.
"Where was she,"Diamond asked. Garnet went over to the captured escape pod and pressed a few buttons. A map appeared and she pointed at it.
"Here, in England near an old ruin."
"Didn't look like much either," Amethyst said. "Just some big stone slabs stacked in a circle."
"I wonder what she wanted there," Pearl said, looking at the map thoughtfully.
"Whatever it was, she didn't get it," Garnet said with a bit of satisfaction.
"Then she'll be back," Pearl said with a nod, then looked at Garnet and Amethyst. "You two should rest. You look tired."
"Pearl and I can go back and watch for her," Diamond said.
"Oooh! Can we come with?"
Diamond looked down at Steven and Connie, who both looked back with puppy dog eyes. He looked at the other Gems for an answer.
"It should be alright," Garnet said with a nod. "Steven's dealt with Peridot before."
"And I suppose now is as good a time as any for Connie to start field training," Pearl said in agreement.
"But stay close to each other and us."
"We will," both kids replied in unison.
The pad they landed on was dirty beyond belief. It was night time, so their eyes took a moment to adjust. Diamond stepped off the pad and looked around.
"Stonehinge," he said. "Ancient druid site of worship, or so it's believed. No one knows why they built it."
"We should spread out a bit," Pearl said. "Steven, Connie, you two scout around the perimeter. Stay together." Then two kid knights nodded and rushed off. "I hope they'll be alright."
"Have a little faith, Pearls. They'll be fine. They're knights."
"Knights in training," she corrected. "As much skill and experience as they have, they're still only kids."
"Maybe. Kids can surprise you sometimes," her brother said with a smirk.