It wasn't until sunrise that Lapis went back inside where she found Amethyst tied to a chair.

"Uh, what's….going on?"

"Pearl's idea of 'time out'." she replied.

"Okaaaayyy."

"And that's where she'll stay until Rose and I return." Pearl said as she with the taller Gem in question, both dressed in business attire.

"From where?"

"We need to go to City Hall for a while, but we'll be back soon enough." Rose answered

"Um, Rose can I ask you something?" Lapis stepped up to her.

"Of course."

"I was on the beach all night yet I'm not one bit tired, why is that?"

"After becoming a gem, your body no longer feels as tired as you use to." Rose said. "Your gem grants many great abilities. Self healing, longevity, and summoning of weapons are just a few examples."

"Wow."

"However in order for these powers to last something must be taken." Rose

"What's that?"

"Let me answer that with a question of my own. Why do you think that beings such as us live and work in a gentleman's club?"

"To hide?"

"To feed." said Rose.

"Feed?"

"In order to keep ourselves alive and our powers at their peak we feed off the admiration of humans. It has no negative effects on them aside from making them tired."

"So just make a show and we feed?"

"Where do you think all the legends of God's and Goddesses came from?" Amethyst cut in.

"They were gems?"

"Yes." Pearl stated. "But since men were seen as the superior gender for the first thousands of years, many of the stories were twisted and exaggerated to a point where they no longer idolized us."

"Figures." Lapis crossed her arms.

"So when they started Idolizing false deities we started revolutions."

"YOU did that?"

"You'd be impressed what could be done six thousand years."

"THAT LONG?!" lapis felt her mind actually pop.

"I still remember how cute baby Moses was when we sent him to the pharaoh's palace." Pearl cood.

"...wow….just…..wow."

"Garnet, Ruby, and Sapphire. Can tell you more. Let's go Pearl or we'll be late."

"Yes Rose."

"Hey Pearl, does the mayor need your John Handcock?" Amethyst laughed

Pearl glared at her before walking out on a huff.

"Are you really six thousand years old Amethyst?"

"Nah, I'm five centuries younger, but I still look good." grinned Amethyst. "Cleopatra ain't got nothin on this fine bod."

"So we'll possibly outlive humanity?" she asked trying to look back at her gem.

"Maybe, oh but a little word of advice if your gem ever gets chipped or cracked go straight to Rose."

"Noted."

"Good, because now that you're a Crystal Gem your gem is your life. If it brakes… well let's just say you'll go all to pieces."

Lapis gulped and nodded her head.

The purple gem turned into a car and escaped her bindings. "Pearl always forgets I can do this."

"So what do I do?"

"Well you can go to Garnet for more gem tips or you can go to Peridot to and fill out the papers."

"Papers?"

"Everyone pulls their weight here. Dancing, stripping, singing, escortingq, tending to the customers, and so on. Just fill out the proper papers of how far your you're willing to go."

"A-Alright." replied Lapis in a little nervousness. "I guess I should do the papers first so I don't have to worry about it later on.

"Kay follow me," the Gem in cat form ran off.

Lapis followed, still uneasy.

They went behind the stage where another door, like the one on Rose's office stood.

Amethyst turned back to normal and turned to Lapis. "Here's a little trick I should mention. You remember your initiation, right?"

"Duh, it was only last night."

"Well there are more rooms than just the one you saw last night. It's a large temple in there and these doors can take you to any of them."

"How?"

"As long as your a Crystal Gem magic is a part of your life now." she closed her eyes and a purple wavy line appeared. It opened to reveal a different office.

"Woah."

"Peri!"

"What!" spoke a girl with green skin, blond hair, and most shocking of all fingers that were just floating we're her palm should be.

"Here's the new girl. She needs her papers filled out."

"Fine, bring her in."

"You go on without me. I gotta get in as much fun as I can before Pearl comes back."

Lapis followed the girl inside as the door shut and disappeared.

"Come on. I'd rather get back to my machines as soon as possible."

The girl opened a drawer and pulled a sheet out.

"Now, What sort of skills do you have?"

"Um….none really."

"Ugh" Peridot rubbed her the bridge of her nose. "Well do you have any experience of a sexual nature."

"No!"

"Do you wear clothes?" groaned the girl.

"Of course."

"Congratulations, you're a stripper."

"What! No I… I'm embarrassed, I mean I don't have the sort of attractive body the others have."

"In that case there is only one other option. You will be a companion for the more squeamish customers."

"Alright." nodded Lapis twiddling her thumbs.

"It's easy, just go around town with them, boost their confidence, and make them feel special. Think you can handle that much?"

"Yeah."

"Good now if you don't mind I have research to conduct." her fingers suddenly turned into screens.

Despite her shock, she maintained her composure "When do I start?"

"Must I explain everything?"

"Hey! I'm new here!"

"Right, my mistake." her fingers returned to their original position and she moved from the desk. "Follow me."

Lapis got up and followed her. They approached the wall and the door reappeared with a V shape and opened to a what looked like a beach house.

"This is where the companions and escorts wait until they are called. There's a Phone that you are not be on for too long. When it rings, someone from downstairs will inform you that a client is here."

And with that, the girl left Lapis alone.

"Cozy." Lapis remarked looking around. "Wonder we're the others are."

"Out." said a voice from the upper area. She looked up and saw a tall woman with white hair. "Hello, I'm Opal."

"Oh. Hello, I'm Lapis."

"I know." she walked down the steps. "Sorry about Peridot, she more wound up than her little tinker toys."

"I heard that!" she shouted through the door.

"What's up with her… you know." lapis wiggled her fingers.

"Oh. Those are just fake ones." Opal leaned in. "She's actually a dwarf in big shoes, or limb enhancers as she calls them."

"Really?" Lapis giggled at the thought of a diminutive Peridot.

"Trust me, it gets funnier when you call her cute." smiled Opal.

They laughed as the phone started ringing.

"Hold on." Opal went over to the phone "Hello?"

"Opal we have a customer in need of a companion."

"Lapis, your up!" Opal called over.

"Right now?"

"Yes."

"Am I going to have to… sleep with them?"

"Not unless you want to."

Lapis sighed while feeling a wave of unease.

"Uh, can you help me with the door? I still don't get all this magic stuff.

"Sure thing." Opal smiled as they approached the door. "It's actually quite simple really. Just stand in front of the door and think of a previous room you've been in."

Lapis followed her instructions and thought of backstage. Her gem glowed and a blue line spiraled along the door. It opened and Lapis saw the room from before.

"That was your door." said Opal

"Wow."

"Now get going. Your prince awaits."

'Or ogre.' thought Lapis as she walked through the doorway.

"Just go to the front desk near the entrance on the left."

"Thanks." She looked to the ground making her way to her destination.

"Ah good you're here." spoke sapphire sitting at the desk.

"Someone needs a companion I heard."

"Yes, meet our resident fisherman, Yellowtail and his wife Vedalia."

Lapis turned to see a man in raincoat with a large beard and a woman whose head resembled an onion.

"This… isn't going to get weird, is it?" Lapis asked.

The fisherman shook his head and spoke in what sounded like gibberish.

Lapis looked confused.

"He said it's nothing like that." Vedalia spoke. "We need someone to keep our son Sour Cream company."

"Oh! Your son."

"Yes," the woman sighed. "He's grounded for staying out all night at a party, and as punishment he's going fishing with Yellowtail."

'Do they think I'm a babysitter?' thought Lapis.

"Just keep him company for the day and you won't have much trouble."

"Will do." nodded Lapis.

Yellowtail made a hand gesture for her to follow him as he went to the door.

Lapis nodded and followed the couple.

They walked along the beach when Vedalia looked back. "I'm guessing your new."

"Uh, yes." lapis answered. "But how did you-"

"You think I haven't been in there before?" She smirked.

Lapis blushed.

"Yeah, me and Amethyst go way back. I was going through an awkward phase, so I decided to see where I stood sexually. That's when I met her, and after fooling around we became friends, with benefits."

"Wow." Lapis blushed hearing that.

"Yeah, we got into a lot of trouble, but I was still attracted to guys and wanted to explore some more. In short I'm bi."

"Yeesh."

"Yellowtail, why don't you go get the boat ready while we get some girl time."

He nodded before leaving them be.

"So, how's it feel so far, being almost immortal."

"You know about the crystal gems?" Lapis asked in surprise.

"Me and Amethyst were real close." Vedalia leaned in. "Real close."

"I'm starting to feel a little uncomfortable."

"I'm just teasing." chuckled Vedalia. "Come on I'll introduce you to Sour Cream."

They walked inside where a teenager was sitting on the couch with headphones.

Vidalia groaned and pulled them off his head.

"What was that for?" asked her son with a frown.

"Are you forgetting that you're still grounded?"

"I thought music was fine." he whined

"The only music you will be listening to are the sounds of the ocean while fishing with your dad."

"Great." he groaned.

"And Lapis here is going to keep you company while also keeping an eye on you."

Sour Cream turned to the girl.

"Uh, hi." She waved to him.

"Yo."

"Lapis, you and Sour Cream head for the docks. Yellowtails gotta be ready to go by now."

Sour Cream stood up before he and Lapis walked to the docks.

"You're one of those girls from the nightclub, aren't you?"

"What gave it away?"

"The weird skin, and the rock on your back." he replied.

'Duh.' thought Lapis who felt embarrassed. "So do you know about the Gems?"

"Well I know they're nice to look at. How do you get them to stick to your skin?"

"Uh, a special adhesive." Lapis lied quickly. 'Guess he's in the dark.'

"Makes sense." He shrugged.

"So, I take it you don't like fishing with your dad?"

"Step-dad, and no I hate fishing."

"Why though?"

"I want to be a DJ, you can't rap or spin tracks in a leaky boat."

"Well have you tried talking it with him?"

"Tried and failed."

Soon they reached the boat.

Yellowtail handed him a fishing rod before going to the controls.

"Oh joy." groaned Sour Cream.

"Just muscle through it." Lapis said.

Sour Cream casted a line into the water. "This is so boring."

"You just started."

"It's too quiet. Nothing out here gets my rave on."

"Try listening to the sound of the waves." Lapis suggested. "Sometimes you gotta just gotta sit back, relax, and let everything go."

Sour Cream sighed and sat down.

"Now relax, and abandon all your troubles, let go of everything and listen."

Sour Cream closed his eyes and tried listening. Soon he heard many sounds the lapping of the ocean, the seagulls squawking, even Yellowtail reeling his line.

"You hear all the sounds now?"

"Yeah." said Sour Cream.

"Good, now put them in your own type of beat."

Sour Cream tried thinking of anything that clicked in his head. Then he heard it. The melody of the sounds around him.

"I think I'm getting something."

Click click, splash, squawk

Click click, splash, squawk

Click click, squawk, squawk, splash

He patted his hand on his lap.

Click click, Squawk, click click,

squawk, squawk, splash, click click.

Lapis watched him slowly move his head. "Now you're getting it."

Yellowtail put his fishing to the side pulling up a chair to relax for a nap.

He slowly started to rock his head faster with a smile. "Yeah, this I can rave to." he stood back up and started dancing.

Lapis smiled and saw his line twitching.

"Sour Cream!" she pointed to his line.

He turned and saw the line a was being pulled over the edge. "Oh geez!"

He ran and grabbed it at the last second and tried pulling on it. However, whatever it was proved to be very strong as it tugged on the line, pulling the boy forward.

Lapis ran forward and grabbed him from behind as she tried to keep him on the boat. "I got you!"

The two gave all they had to reel it in.

"It must be huge." Sour Cream grunted.

"Just let go."

"What?"

"We need to tire it out! Give it some slack!"

Sour Cream tried to let back a little on the line.

"Now yank!"

Sour Cream gritted his teeth and started pulling. "It's a fighter!"

They repeated the process until fish hopped out of the water giving the two a good look at it. It was a large looking catfish that flopped around. It was half sour creams height and as wide as their waists.

The two looked with wide eyes as it fell back into the drink.

"Did you see the size of that thing!" Lapis gawked.

"Yeah!"

In their moment of shock, sour cream was almost pulled off the boat. "Lapis! Help me!

She scrambled to try and grab him.

The commotion woke Yellowtail from his nap and turned to see his step-son about to fall overboard. He ran over and helped Lapis to try and pull him back up.

"Everyone on the count of three, pull!" Lapis spoke. "One!"

Yellowtail held up two fingers.

"THREE!" Sour Cream tugged with them. Lapis tapped into a reserve of strength she didn't even know she had pulling the fish straight into the air.

Yellowtail stumbled back and found said fish landing on top of him.

"Ohmygosh! Yellowtail, are you alright?"

Said fisherman gave a thumbs up.

The blue gem sighed with relief

"Lapis." sour cream spoke up

"Yes?"

He smiled. "Thanks."

"No problem." She smiled back then felt her gem pulsing. "What was that?"

"What was what?" Sour Cream spoke up.

"Uh, nothing I just think we should do something about jumbo here."

Yellowtail made gestures that suggested frying it.

"Yeah, but first I wanna apologize." Sour Cream looked to Yellowtail. "I know I've been giving you grief for a while and it wasn't cool of me."

Yellowtail made some garbled sounds with a smile.

"Translation please?" asked Lapis.

"He understands and after seeing me nearly fall in the drink realised that forcing what he thinks is best won't always work. He's willing to let me try my DJ idea out."

"Well that's good."

Yellowtail spoke more gibberish and went back to the wheel.

"He said that we've had enough excitement for one day and that we should head home."

"Sounds good to me."