Quiet, slow days passed in Beach City.
No action, no real events ever made headlines; neighbors went about their daily business while people did their best to cheerfully accept the monotonous air of the humble little town. Summer days were the city's asset-its saving grace- the only thing that really brought in the tourists from miles away to escape the equally uneventful lives that they led in the countryside, leading them to the city's main attraction: an untainted sea. Other than such drifters, the town only consisted of older generations, and a few young teenagers who, despite their stereotype, caused little ruckus. But regardless of the mundane scenery, the town's residents did enjoy the leisurely pace-it allowed them to focus more on themselves, their children- they grew with more tolerance, more acceptance to the strange- since strange is the only news worthy thing that occurs here. Thus the small city's alien inhabitants that had settled themselves at the face of the cliff were regarded with, well- indifference; save a few conspiracy driven individuals- well- one at least.
So there was no real uproar when two new faces appeared in the town's streets one sunny day, despite it being more of an adventure than either of the two had hoped for.
In spite of the recent disagreement, a certain green gem had kept to herself inside the house of Beach City's alien family. While nothing new, she seemed even more determined on working, or better yet- more determined on distracting herself.
The interior of the Temple was filled with a tenseness that only surfaced when the two combatants, Lapis and Peridot, had come into one another's space; usually when Lapis ventured inside the abode to collect her small friend for another adventure. Bitter words were etched into murmurs by the blue gem, who still held an icy glare towards Peridot whenever stillness would consume the air, almost hoping that the pressure would somehow crumple her form; but the technician never returned such sentiments, practically ignoring her entire existence while she focused on what laid in front of her. Peridot would not reciprocate Lapis's behaviors- since to her they were just some silly tactics to get on her nerves. While she would like to believe that they really didn't affect her, even her patience was wearing thin whenever the water nymph would lean up against the entry way, agitating a high-pitched creak from the screen door repeatedly with a slight pressing of her back onto the weak links, curling her fingers around the netting and pulling it up, lightly.
Eyes resting on her back, the water nymph's face would be expressionless, but a low grunt would indicate her dissatisfaction with the results- the green gem would not budge. Lapis knew that the noise was irritating, but that was what she wanted-to irritate the alien for her offensive remarks; to make known to Peridot that while she did apologize, she didn't do so for the reason that the blue gem had wanted. Peace was by far the least of her concerns-she was living in a peaceful place. Why must she get along with her begrudging captor for the sake of tranquility? Especially when she was insulted about something close to her heart. However, in the face of all her anger at Peridot's attitude toward her home, Lapis could never bring herself to enunciate her feelings openly. Maybe it was the gem's uncaring exterior, but it was also her unwillingness to fight that caused her such chagrin; she did not enjoy battling or the idea of it, but something in her core wanted the arrogant mechanic to snap and give her a reason to vent all of her frustrations in a single, well aimed blow that would finally wipe the contempt from her face, replacing it with uncertainty. She wanted to demolish that pompousness in her stance, erase that smug look that wormed its way into the the blue gem's mind, setting her nerves aflame as it snagged on her anger-revitalizing her wrath. Nevertheless, she was met with the view of the green gem's back, the tension remained-unlit by no spark.
Peridot was being tested, and she knew that; Lapis was acting like an spoiled child, bent on revenge if not given what she wanted. It was something of a mystery to her, but she figured eventually that the water gem was still vexed about what she had said that one evening. Infuriating really, how could she hold such a grudge for such a reason? She had never expected her to be so puerile, going so far as to purposefully annoy her into-what? Submission? There was no point in it either. No matter how much Lapis galled her, she would not apologize for a second time; the water nymph could engender every kind of ploy or antic possible, but the technician would not play her games. Didn't she have something better to do than annoy her? What was the goal?
She didn't understand, and she didn't want to try. Angry or not Peridot had to stuff her exasperation back down her throat before she said something incriminating, or worse...defeating. Even though her neck tingled with an unpleasant feeling as her tongue pressed between her teeth from the sound, there was nothing she could do but muffle her displeasure. If she revealed her discomfort- the water gem would only intensify her gaze, as well as the noise. Despite the nuisance, the gem did keep the other, more exuberant boy distracted-so she often had the house to herself. At least in the eyes of the green gem, she took the lesser of two evils-dealing with the quartz gem would require a different set of challenges. Handling Steven would be way worse then handling Lapis, since at least Lapis would disappear afterwards; this made the repairs go faster. As far as she was concerned, Lapis was going to act as childish as possible; if Peridot was to be distracted by every little thing, she would never get her work done.
But to Peridot's misfortune, the cycle of quiet tension had transformed into something much worse than she had expected.
After a week had gone by, the pod was almost completely mended; needing only one more part before it would be restored to previous function. Feeling pride surge through her, Peridot stood back to examine the complex machine, scanning each and every part of the smooth metal with doting affection. The image of the green gem transpired and reflected from the metal, a Cheshire grin painting the surface as her floating hand reached back to pick up the last piece. The digits searched the floor for the circuit, sweeping from left to right; with nothing grasped, she turned her head to look back, only to find nothing there but an empty floor. Frantically, she turned her whole body around while sending her digits out to part the clutter around the coffee table and couch, but her desperate scans of the living quarters produced nothing. That piece is what will turn on the pod- without it, the foreign anomaly would remain grounded, and for the most part useless. She held still for a moment, and calmed herself, furrowing her brow as she pondered her predicament.
Pearl might have a couple of spare parts, but what were the chances that any of them would be compatible? Besides, the gem was not currently here; no one was home except for the technician." They could be gone for a few days...I can't just stand around here and wait...I need that circuit to continue..." Ceasing her search, she brushed the dirt form her thighs and crossed her arms in contemplative manner. The reasoning seemed valid- the more time she wasted, the longer she would stay on this hopeless planet.
However, there was yet another dilemma.
There was only one place that she knew of that might possibly have a replacement- the Beach City Music Store.
The circumstances did not please her, as it meant that she had to leave the safety of the house, and see more of the varmint that infested earth-humans. But, considering her situation, the green gem had no other options. It was the only place in town that sold anything that Peridot could use for the circuit, albeit she would have to get creative to figure out how to make a stand-in piece, but it was better to have something rather than nothing. Though humans were not a species that she wished to deal with, her whole being has gone into this endeavor- she must finish it at all costs; even if she has to cooperate with such lowly creatures as them. " All for a better cause, I suppose." Now of all times was the best to go, since it was the late afternoon and everyone was closing up for the evening.
Looking towards the screen door, there were four hours of daylight left from what she recollected about earth's planetary movements, affirming it with a hurried gaze towards the digital clock that sat atop Steven's nightstand. If she wanted to go, she had to go now.
Cautiously, she set a foot outside and peered at the cliff side that shortened the further it went, and scaled the stairs with less zeal than when she started. Step by step, she made it across the sand until she met the edge of the cliff face, only just happening to glance over at the blue form that sat before the waves. Startled by her appearance, Peridot had force her composure back as faintly remembered that she had company here. Her gut wrenched with alarm, gathering that the inane gem had not seen her yet, but concentrated on the rhythmic sway of the waves; for all she knew, the waves were mimicking her scenic state. Peridot took in the view of her for a little longer than she should have, overtaken by a strange sensation to study the water nymph further, allowing her body to ease from her initial trepidation.
Lapis did not seem to give off any feeling of scorn or disdain that usually rested on her blue face, nor did her form hold its rigid posture as it normally would. Her shoulders and back curled forward, arms wrapped around her legs as if to protect them from the swell of water at her feet; always reaching up, but never quite touching her. Eyes resting on the water, she wore a serene expression that quelled Peridot's inner voices and left a quiet that she wasn't used too, but somehow appreciated. Sitting on the sand, Lapis did not look like the immature, fierce gem that she had come to know-but instead instilled a calm that Peridot sensed whenever she listened to the steady clicks of the engines on her space ship, of the consistent tinks of the computers and clinks of gears as they banged against one another. To anyone else, the noise would be deafening, but it wasn't the sounds that Peridot found herself drawn too- it was the uniform rhythm, the regularity of the pace that made everything around it seem predictable, comforting; just as how the waves were following the same, unchanging pattern. Waves worked like machines- their movements to similar to distinguish one from the other.
And surprisingly, Lapis fell into this limpid cycle of melody; unwittingly the green gem felt her own body relax, a half smile forming as her heart proclaimed quietly," She is..."
But with the assertion that her heart was about to make, it sent the technician back out from her reverie and into reality. Her frown returned, and position straightened as she recollected herself. There was no time to waste, especially on something so...
It would be best to tell the blue gem of her excursion, since she was still under surveillance. If the Crystal Gems return to find her missing, it might cause a more difficult plight later. Lapis could at least exclaim that she had simply went on a trip and would return later. Cautiously, she approached the gem with purpose, stopping a few feet away from her, noticing her hesitation return. She had almost forgotten the unpredictability of the gem.
At her advance, Lapis stiffened and her derision echoed in the turmoil of the surf.
" Lazuli. Im going to go into the urban municipality to search for a circuit. I shall return before sundown. " Peridot announced daringly.
Given no response, the green alien started to tread towards the city, but was stopped when the blue gem asserted," I'm coming too."
" What?! Since when?" A shrill voice replied with astonishment. Lapis had already stood up and began to walk ahead of Peridot, seeming to have no apathetic reaction to her statements. " We still don't trust you. So Im going to." She replied with affirmation, and would not be deterred by the green gem's cries of anguish.
Her light steps glided on the sand, contradictory to the clumsy sinking step of her companion, who snarled at the increasing distance. " Lazuli! Lazuli you are accelerating too quickly-LAZULI!" In response, Lapis quickened her stride to just about a run, regarding Peridot with a curious look; once she realized that she had decided on chasing her, the water gem uncovered a mischievous grin that overtook her entire face, filling her up with raw ebullience that made her more determined to win in this unsought race. With the gem ignoring her bouts of anger, the technician resorted to an awkward, side-step run that aimed to bypass the middle ground in between her legs as she attempted to reach the blue gem. Of all the things that irked her, she would never have expected to be so accepting of the water nymph's antics, but it might have been her preoccupation with the light sand below her- there had been enough wet granules in her mismatched foot to significantly slow her pace. Peridot did not pause, and Lapis did not reduce her speed as they both crossed the cliff-side to the entrance of the city, which had been all but deserted when both the gems had reached it. The two hadn't run very much, but were both breathing heavily by the time of their arrival- Peridot more so than Lapis.
" You-tch-should have-waited-" An stifled pant escaped the visor-ed gem, none to happy with the setting sun or her former informant. A blue hand grasped at the mechanic's wrist, clearly much to small to wrap its fingers completely around the broad dark metal of Peridot's hands,and hastily pulled her forward without much consideration for her recovery- almost causing the gem to lose her balance. Insistently, Lapis tugged at her, a small bit of impishness remained in her expression- which had returned to a more impassive glance as she faced the technician. When their eyes met however, Peridot was left with more doubt than she had formerly.
The tingling in her arm where Lapis's hand had held her spread to her neck and face, a strange sensation that she had never noticed, nor felt so strongly. Frightening as it was, the other emotions that followed were even more disquieting- she couldn't understand why she felt a sudden flash of heat engulf her face, or why suddenly the gem that stood in front of her had become something that seemed to take up all of the space in her mind, rather than her previous objective. The abrupt feeling made the green gem more conscious of her heart, which thumped a little more loudly against the inner cavity than expected, and refused to rest despite the gem's orders. She could not force the emotion away, nor did it cease on its own-intensifying the longer she stared; similar to a palpitation she felt when she heard her leader's name, but entirely different. Unfamiliar, but not completely painful. Peridot could not decide why such strange things were occurring, nor the reasoning behind the water nymph's equally unnerving gaze, with her face holding a more tinted blue than she recalled ever seeing on Lapis.
Uncertain, but wishful, Peridot had hoped that somehow her visors had shielded the growing warmth in her cheeks from the water gem's eyes- and to combat the unusual reaction, she adverted her gaze to the road on her left, pulling her wrist roughly out of Lapis's hand, who seemed to have expected the action and loosened her fingers. She let the arm fall to her side, and grumbled a few words before beginning to head towards the city. Just as she had suspected, the feeling began to disperse as she walked, her prior determination making a reappearance, to find her missing part.
The blue gem however was caught in a momentary trance as she thought about coldness in her hand, studying it with a somewhat conflicted dread, as confused as her companion at the occurrence of equally strange feelings- though more bothered by why she felt them.
Unsatisfied, she turned around to look out at the disappearing form, and trotted in pursuit.
Ahh i decided i would cut this chapter into two parts so i could fill it up with more fluff. Hope you enjoy! I shall update weekly.