*You'll see the multitude of underscores again in this section, for formatting purposes and to represent two characters voicing apart or simultaneously, like last time.
Saturday was finally here, but for Steven it was Connie-day. He had gotten up bright and early, partly because he was restless, and partly to clean up the house before she came over. Granted, most cleaning had been done yesterday, but, with Pearl, of course the floors were to be swept and mopped again, and the couch cushions vacuumed and freshened again, and the kitchen anti-bacterial-wiped down again. And, of course, Steven needed to make his bed.
Steven didn't mind. He wanted to make the house spick and span for Connie. Maybe he wouldn't have mopped or vacuumed or disinfected twice, but he would have pulled out all the stops. Steven knew Connie didn't care, but it was from a sense of pride that he did it.
It'd been about two weeks since Connie was in Beach City and she wanted to see everyone, and they her.
Connie was dropped off at the car wash at 11:30. Steven was there to embrace her. He and Connie walked to his house along the beach to find the Gems waiting on them. Garnet was in the kitchen mixing the freshly-made beans and rice, Pearl was setting the plates (only four) around the coffee table, and Amethyst was doing nothing on the couch.
Amethyst was the first to greet Connie, hugging her. "Giiiirrrrl! It's been a hot minute! How you been?! Yo hair lookin' mo' fine than the summa' time!" Connie's hair was bunched in a hair tie, hanging down in curls.
"Yes," chimed Pearl, "your yellow dress goes amiably with you dark skin and hair." She clasped her hands together. "Altogether, you look very lovely."
"Thank you," said Connie, smiling shyly. "My mom helped me with my hair before she left for the hospital."
Garnet momentarily stopped seasoning the string beans to gaze at Connie through her shades. She blew her a kiss.
When Pearl beckoned Connie to have a seat, asking her about her schooling, Amethyst nudged Steven. She gave him a playful smile, looked at Connie, then back at him. Steven flushed. He couldn't tell if Amethyst winked or just blinked because of the way she wore her hair.
They sat down to a Mexican-inspired meal, including vegetarian burritos, extra lime rice along with spiced green beans. Steven wished Garnet cooked more often. Or ever, for that matter.
"Lunch was very good. Thank you, ma'am. And thank you all for having me."
"You're always welcome, Connie."
Afterward, Steven and Connie went to the lighthouse for a jam session.
"Water lily,
You're so pretty
In the river,
You're the giver,
I'm in love with you, can't you see?"
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _"Piccadilly,
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Not in Philly,
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _'Road to Reading,'
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Whig-gy setting,
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _I learned that in history!"
_ _ _ _ "Water lily,
_ _ _ _ Piccadilly,
_ _ _ _ Roads to rivers,
_ _ _ _ Whigs and givers,
_ _ _ _ The way'll lead back to you and me!"
They played till they got bored. They went to visit Lapis and Peridot.
On their way to the barn, Steven and Connie kicked rocks, found sticks for swords, and balanced on low fences. They talked about the people around Beach City, what's been going on at Connie's school, and movies-the new movies they should go see together. Steven also mentioned Lapis' sudden affinity for Westerns. He said they should have brought water guns to play with Lapis-hunt down that outlaw!-but that he would settle for her No Name getup. Connie said it was just as well, as her parents might not like her getting wet.
"Low-Down" Lapis Lazuli was not a cowboy today. As usual, the true blue Lapis was found lounging in her beach chair watching the world go by. She was startled when she saw children striding up to her, more so by Connie.
"Steven! What are you doing here?"
"Aw," hooted Steven, "we were just thinkin' 'bout chya!"
Lapis investigated Connie. "Carol, was it?"
"Connie, miss Lazuli."
"Right. Sorry..."
Steven sat on the end of Lapis' chair. "You remember Connie, doncha? She was with us when you took the Earth's oceans and tried to drown us."
"Was she?"
"Yeah. We almost died!"
"Well," said Lapis, "you shouldn't have breathed it in."
Steven chuckled, got up and headed into the barn. He looked around, but, dissatisfied, came back outside.
"I really like your azaleas," said Connie, crouching in front Lapis' flower pots. "They look so vibrant and healthy."
"Thanks."
Steven added, "Lapis can grow anything! She's really good with plants and vegetables and stuff!" Then, starry-eyed, he said, "Maybe next harvest, Connie can join us! It'd be fun!"
Connie jumped up, "Only if it's ok with miss Lazuli."
Lapis eyed Connie up and down. "Just Lapis. And, I guess it's ok."
Four thumbs went sky-high. None of them were blue.
"Oh, Lapis," said Steven, "do you, uh, know if Peridot's in the silo?"
Languidly, she shook her head. "I haven't seen her in, like... a week?"
"But, I was just here a few days ago."
"...Is that a trick question?"
"N-no, I... never mind." Steven tittered.
Steven and Connie went down to Peridot's silo, rappin-and-a-tappin' on her chamber door. They called her name to the heavens, and listened so intently they swore they could hear the twitching nose of a mouse. It was then that Connie noticed the silo's front door was unlocked; the plug lock for the door was sticking out like a golf tee.
Inside was hollow and quiet. No electricity buzzing, no welders sparking, and no Key Lime pies cursing. There was just the junk that Peridot had put there.
Leaving the silo, Steven and Connie speculated where Peridot had gone. There was the chance that they could've passed her on their way to the barn, with Peridot going to the beach house. (It happened only once before, when Peridot had "respectfully requested" usage of Steven's microwave. When Steven got home and said ok, she chucked it into a little red wagon with some other of his things with her metal powers and he never saw it again.)
Connie suggested she might be shoplifting the local electronics store, and all Steven could imagine was Peridot fussing with the manager on how terrible the customer service was for not letting her simply take what she wanted.
Coincidentally, E4 (Entertaining Electronics Expo and Etc.) was happening on the west coast, and maybe Peridot needed a good laugh.
Steven and Connie asked if Lapis knew of any other of Peridot's hidey-holes, but she didn't.
Peridot was the apotheosis of "creature of habit." There was no way of saying when her day began because she didn't sleep, but she kept herself to a strict schedule round the clock. 5 am, watch the sunrise while surfing the web. 7 am, keep surfing the web. 10 am, compile new information. 11 am, stare into the pasture, undisturbed (high priority). 12 pm, study nature (whether it be plant, animal, or human; it was acceptable to do this with others, i.e., with Steven, et al). 3 pm, watch TV shows with Lapis (save for the past week, Peridot would not do so without her, even if they hated each other). 5 pm was her free period. 5:01 pm, record her thoughts. 6:01 pm, work. Steven could never stay up late enough to figure out what Peridot did after that. At 5 am sharp, Peridot would do it all over again. Only the apocalypse would cause Peridot to deviate from this schedule. Or, maybe E4. Maybe.
It was getting on into the afternoon, so Steven and Connie said goodbye to Lapis-who hadn't moved from her chair at all-and headed back to the beach house.
They found Pearl rewashing the dishes. She hummed a melodic greeting to them. It made them smile.
They asked Pearl if she had seen Peridot at all.
"I haven't seen her since we played baseball against those horrendous Rubies. Are you sure she wasn't watching that show she obsesses over by herself somewhere?"
"We checked everywhere, ma'am."
"Well, maybe she... built a new spaceship from that old airplane and flew back to Homeworld." Pearl chuckled to herself. Then she flapped her free hand, and with a smirk, said, "O-oh! No! Maybe her consciousness, as almighty as it is, finally reached a point of enlightenment where she simply became one with the universe and vanished into a being of supreme evolution without form!" She doubled over at that, cackling and slamming her fist on the counter. Steven didn't really understand her joke, but he thought Pearl was hilarious.
Wiping tears from her eyes, Pearl wished Steven and Connie safe travels and for Connie to visit again soon. Connie took up her violin and she and Steven were on their way to the car wash.
On the way there, Steven, since this moment was likely their last to be alone together for the evening, and since he was reminded of how special and unique Connie was to him and made him feel, asked Connie, "Do you ever think about the future?"
"Sometimes," she replied. "Why? What's on your mind?"
"U-uh..."
Connie smirked. "'Uh?'"
"Well... you know... sometimes I think about everyone in Beach City and, thinking about my dad, how he's lost contact with a lot of people he knew, and I wonder where they might go, in the future, I mean, and if I'll ever see or hear from them again." Steven breathed. (At least he told a truth.)
"Wow, yeah. I guess that is something that everyone goes through."
Steven added, "And other times I'll also wonder if my actions that caused Homeworld Gems to come to Earth again will ruin the lives of anyone here."
"Oh. That's hefty," said Connie. "I've actually had that same thought when thinking about you. Must be scary."
Steven chuckled it away.
"Whenever I think about the future, it's usually: what job will I have? What school will I go to? Will all this stuff that I'm learning now be of any use to me, take me anywhere, do anything for me? But, I guess learning a lot is kind of the point when you don't know what you wanna do when you grow up."
(Steven's never thought about any of that.)
Connie continued, "But, I've found a real appreciation for magical destiny stuff. It's exciting! And whatever happens, I hope I can keep that a part of my life. As long as... I mean, I won't be a burden." She flushed.
Steven intimated, "We'll always be here for you."
When Connie and Steven arrived at the car wash, Greg was waiting for them with ice-cold juice boxes. Steven didn't realize how thirsty he was! And that made him feel bad because he didn't think to get Connie anything.
He'd remember for next time.
Everyone then hopped into Greg's van-Steven giving Connie the front seat-and headed for the highway.
"Oh, dad!"
"Yeah, Schtewball?"
"You haven't seen Peridot recently, have you?"
Greg scratched his head. "Can't say I have. Last I saw her was when we cleared out the barn for her to live there. Why?"
"We couldn't find her anywhere today." Steven counted on his fingers. "She wasn't at the barn, her silo, the light house, the Temple, and now, I guess, she's not even in town. It's really weird for her."
As his dad thought, Connie motioned him to come closer. Her eyes were wide.
Steven craned his neck from his spot between the two front seats, and she whispered into his ear, "What if Peridot went back to Topaz?"
Steven touched his lips, then ended up cupping his face in both hands. "Oh gosh... Oh gosh!... OH GOSH! I didn't even think of that! Dad!"
Greg exclaimed, "What?! What didn't you think about?!"
He grabbed his dad's arm. "It's Peridot! We have to turn around! She's in trouble!"
"What do you mean, she's in trouble?! What happened to her?!"
"I think she might be with Topaz!"
"You mean at that canyon?"
"Steven," panted Connie, "I didn't mean to make you worry like this!"
"She could get hurt," said Steven, "and none of us are there to help her!"
"Alright," Greg stressed, "let's just calm down. You're gonna give me a heart attack one of these days." He breathed. "Now, what's this about Peridot and Topaz?"
Steven replied, carefully, "They used to know each other back on Homeworld. And now, I think Peridot went to find her."
"Why would she do that now?"
"Be-because she misses her." Steven cast his eyes down. "But, they always fight when they're together, and... I'm just worried about her! We gotta go back!"
"You mean physically fight?" said Greg. "Are you sure Peridot's there with her?"
"Maybe? I dunno! But we have to go make sure! To save her!"
Steven watched his dad's face wrinkle up. "Ok, ok," he said. "So, we can't find Peridot, but we don't know for sure if she's with Topaz, right?"
"Right, but-"
"But, Steven, I know," he said calmly, "you're concerned for her. But, we don't know if she's there or not. What we do know right now is that we have to take Connie home to her parents. That's what's important right now." Greg glanced at Steven, then back to the road. "It's good to think of other people, but you might be worrying over nothing."
Steven sank to the floor of the van, getting off of his knees and sitting on his bottom. "Sorry," he said.
"There's nothing to be sorry about," said Connie.
"That's right," said Greg. "And how about this? If anyone still doesn't know where Peridot is by tomorrow, then you can go look for her in that... canyon. But, please take the Gems with you. Better yet, have them go without you."
"I can't do that. I have to be there."
Greg sighed, "I know. A father can dream, can't he?" Pulling onto the highway, he added, "Who knows? Maybe Peridot went for a stroll someplace."
Steven said tacitly, "Or, vanished into the universe."
...