"So have you decided yet?" Moonstone shook a curled up Gaspeite and shouted like a child on Christmas morning.
"GAH!" Gaspeite let out a startled yell.
"Have you?" Moonstone asked.
"Have I what? What happened?" Gaspeite answered groggily, sitting up.
"Do you really need a recap?" Rhodonite was off in the corner bouncing a rock off the walls impatiently. The Sun was shining just barely into the temple, which gave her a shadowy look.
"Alright, alright I got it." Gaspeite stood up and cracked her back. "Let's see," She began to pace. "If I join you, then it's a fifty-fifty win for me, and you...but if I don't join you, I can just kill you and get my money. But...your cause is pretty convincing...urgh! This is really difficult you know, you coulda just let me sleep."
"Nah, we couldn't have," Rhodonite said, catching the rock in one hand.
"You know what? Alright, I'll join you. There, we're all happy...and you can get your girlfriend away from me now, Cluster." Gaspeite said, walking away from Moonstone.
"Yay!" Moonstone shouted without restraint.
"Great...and she's not my girlfriend, okay?" Rhodonite snapped at Gaspeite.
The three sat in silence for a few seconds before Rhodonite asked a question...it seems that it was a morning for interrogation.
"Do you know anything else about the Diamonds' plan?" She asked.
"Nope, they really kept me out of loop...just the way I like it. I do know their strategies with these things, though, and at some point, White and Yellow Diamond are going to write a letter of their own...with some help." Gaspeite replied, cracking her knuckles.
"Help?" Moonstone tilted her head slightly.
"Oh come on, you've been here long enough to know who the greatest writer on Homeworld is, right?" Gaspeite scoffed.
"Oh! Now I remember, White Diamond brings in this one green Gem!" Moonstone snapped her fingers in realization.
"Yes...Maw Sit Sit." Gaspeite overemphasized the S's so that they sounded like the hiss of a snake. "She's been around for quite a while, writing propaganda and pretty much every other document for the Diamonds since the previous Gem War. She's also a great politician herself, and she's wicked with daggers. I mean, she can juggle them and throw them and really boggle your mind with her dexterity."
"How would you know?" Rhodonite asked.
"Let's just say I've had a run-in or two with her...during my training days," Gaspeite said, her expression growing dull and irritable.
"Training? For what? Killing? Stealing?" Rhodonite asked another question, which seemed to push the knife deeper in Gaspeite's wounds.
"Rho..." Moonstone whispered through gritted teeth.
"No, training for what I was actually supposed to do," Gaspeite replied.
Rhodonite tilted her head as though waiting for more.
"Peridot training! Okay! You caught me, I'm probably the most defective Peridot to ever emerge. Wrong appearance, wrong attitude, and you shoulda seen what I did to that crazy box." Gaspeite snapped.
"What did you do to the box? I've tried the box, it's not that hard." Rhodonite said.
"Not that hard...pfft...not that hard! Let me guess, you did it right the first time! Instead of getting it to levitate, I did something that had never been done before...I got it to talk. There was something with my hands...I forget...but I gave the box sentience and it went haywire. I got kicked out of my job, that simple. I'm surprised the Diamonds cared enough to hire me back as a mercenary." Gaspeite began to pace again.
"But when did you see Maw Sit Sit?" Rhodonite asked.
"Rho!" Moonstone shouted scoldingly.
"No, it's alright. This is actually the cool part. After I did that weird thing to the box, I ran off in anxiety, knowing I'd surely be punished or something. I sprinted through the halls, but instead of bumping into some mindless Quartz or something I stumbled into Maw Sit Sit. Man, that girl looks so uptight all the time. I managed to knock the tightly clutched paperwork out of her hands, but of course, she knew who I was...and my sly remark certainly didn't help my case either..." Gaspeite explained.
"Oh, Gold...what did you say to her?" Moonstone asked.
"I made a rather...rude guess on what those papers were...I think my words were, 'What's that? Some fuse fiction on a certain Diamond you're acquainted with?" Gaspeite replied.
Rhodonite face-palmed.
"Hey! That's not even the worst thing I've said to someone! Anyway, she set her papers down and summoned two cleavers that glowed neon green...and dang, she twirled them around and sliced me up good...I have no idea what it was, probably was more advanced than a fusion of human swordplay and ju-jitsu...but it poofed me, even cracked my Gem just a touch, which is probably why my powers of animation aren't as reliable as they once were." Gaspeite finished her story.
"Wait, your Gem has been cracked all this time? Why haven't you taken it to a healer?" Moonstone approached Gaspeite and examined the dusty and dirty green Gem on her shoulder, which had a decent-sized chip in the middle.
"Can't afford it, besides, one look at me and I'm sealed away for my crimes...or worse, experimented because of my un-Peridotly powers." Gaspeite shooed Moonstone away from her Gem.
"At least, you have something to fight for, right? You can fight because of what they did to you!" Rhodonite added.
"I'm sure these next newcomers will think that way, but it's not good to fight for revenge. We should be fighting because this never should've happened, not because it did happen." Gaspeite crossed her arms and turned away, almost ashamed she said something so sentimental.
"Is that why you joined us?" Moonstone asked.
Gaspeite bared her teeth. "No! Wait...I don't know! People aren't gonna stay long if you interrogate them, you know! Anyway, I'm not gonna be much use to ya if we don't go to the InterGalactic Black Market."
"Why do we need to go there?" Rhodonite raised her voice and stood up.
"Did you hear nothing I just said? My Gem is cracked, therefore, I'm defenseless. No weapon, no powers and the Diamonds took my gun. I need to get a new one or I'm just dead flesh to you, and dead flesh doesn't get money or satisfaction...which are basically one in the same. I'm driving, so ya'll are gonna have to sit behind me." Gaspeite began to walk out the door into the Sun. Moonstone and Rhodonite followed.
"Are we just going to listen to her?" Rhodonite whispered to Moonstone.
"Well, we did ask her all those questions. Let's give her this one, and I'll talk to her when we get back, knowing you need some help with sensitivity." Moonstone whispered back.
"Some help?" Rhodonite whisper-argued. "Well, I guess you're right." It turned to a low growl. "But she needs some help too."
"Exactly, which is why I'll help you both. By the time we're through, you'll both be great friends, and you'll know how to make more friends with your new skills of sensitivity and tact!" Moonstone smiled.
"Oh boy..." Rhodonite grumbled.
Gaspeite hopped onto the speeder outside the temple. "Alright, pile on ladies! And don't hold my waist, Cluster...you can do that to your girlfriend, but not me."
"Why...you little.." Rhodonite growled before Moonstone placed a hand on her tense shoulder.
"You can sit behind me! No problem!" Moonstone flashed a big grin at Gaspeite.
Gaspeite smirked. "Mm. Well, chop, chop."
Moonstone and Rhodonite got on the speeder, and Gaspeite began their drive through the city to the Black Market...
The Black Market was surprisingly more crowded than the actual market...and it was more than just Gems. Aliens from all over the galaxy were gathered here, and there were many types of vendors. However, there seemed to be a monochromatic color code there of black and purple shop decorations. After parking their speeder, the three Gems met in a huddle before dispersing into the crowds.
"I have some money from my last...commission... to buy the newest pistol model. You guys can look around, and I'll find at least one of you." Gaspeite said.
"Commission...I guess con artist does have the word 'artist' in it..." Rhodonite muttered.
Gaspeite shot a glare at Rhodonite. "Preferably Moonstone."
"Alrighty then!" Moonstone let out a nervous chuckle. "We'll see you!" Moonstone began to walk towards the market. "Come on, Rhodonite!"
"Try anything funny and I'll poof you." Rhodonite grabbed Gaspeite by the shirt and growled.
"Oh please, we should really be worrying about you, Cluster. Try not to kill anyone while Moonstone and I aren't looking." Gaspeite pulled Rhodonite's hand away and walked off.
"Rhodonite! Let's go!" Moonstone called from the crowd. Rhodonite ran after her until she was by her side.
"Are we even going to buy anything, or are we just looking?" Rhodonite asked slowing to Moonstone's walking speed.
"Don't try to change the subject, I know what you did back there," Moonstone said coldly.
"Wha-What?" Rhodonite asked breathily.
"You want to be like Rose Quartz, yet you don't even trust your first follower. Violence is not going to get her respect, it merely proves everyone's theories of you. Control begins with freedom, then you know their character and what to expect, it also starts with trust. If Gaspeite decides to betray or use us, then that's her choice. Not giving her that choice or giving her fear of that choice is a dictatorship, which is exactly how my sisters rule, and I will not support someone who will just tear the Homeworld people apart a few years after saving them. Do you understand?" Moonstone replied, her eyes focused on the path ahead, not even turning to look at Rhodonite.
Rhodonite was stunned, she had never heard Moonstone say anything like this, but she knew she was right, so she decided not to argue. "Yes."
"Good. Now, I want you to reflect, but don't let it ruin your time, alright?" Moonstone smiled.
Rhodonite grinned back. "Aye." She turned her head to see a booth with a sign in a random alien language, however, Moonstone and Rhodonite decided to approach it. It seemingly had a counter made of scrap metal, and the vendor had the scaly face of an aquatic creature. The vendor looked female, and she had scruffy, long purple hair and iridescent jade scales. She was wearing a blue dress with an oil-stained white apron. Her hands and face also were covered in oil. Behind her and surrounding the kiosk was an assortment of droids.
"Oh! It's an artificial intelligence shop!" Moonstone smiled at the sign.
"You bet! What kind of services do you need?" The fish lady behind the counter flashed a grin.
While Moonstone and the vendor struck up a friendly conversation, Rhodonite played around the droids surrounding the shop. She tapped an Astromech unit, only to have it beep and chirrup at her angrily.
"Aye, you woke it up! Don't try anything, you might break one!" The fish lady shouted.
"Ah, don't worry! I've dealt with plenty of these in my day." Rhodonite moved away from the Astromech to a cyborg-like droid. Its robotic eyes were closed, and all lights on it were off. Rhodonite tapped the panel on its chest a few times before it suddenly erupted into a burst of blinking lights and loud beeping noises. The eyes on the robot opened quickly and it moved its head slowly back and forth as the mouth moved like a ventriloquist doll.
"H-Hooow M-m-may I H-help y-y-y..." It stuttered as it short-circuited, shortly after, the head blew off of the robot's shoulders and flew into the air like a small rocket, eventually crashing through the canopy of the shop across the street, destroying a few of the antique vases there.
The fish lady shot an annoyed look at Rhodonite as she scratched under one of the fins on her face. "That was a work in progress. Who knew it would be a bad idea to leave it in front of the shop."
Moonstone let out an exasperated sigh. "Sorry, ma'am. We'll be on our way." She put a few Universal credits on the counter.
"Lovely talking to you, though, Miss!" The fish lady said, waving at Moonstone just as they were walking away.
"Next time, don't touch anything." Moonstone gave a light punch on Rhodonite's arm.
Rhodonite managed to giggle. "Okay."
And BONUS SCENE because I can't turn down inspiration:
Many nights were spent where Rhodonite would wrap around a curled up Moonstone, but of course, they didn't think much of it...at least not until Gaspeite showed up.
"What I would kill for a camera right now..." Gaspeite whispered, grinning like the Chesire cat as she laid on her belly in front of the sleeping Gems. "They're so peaceful...It would be a shame if someone were to wake them up..."
Gaspeite's grin managed to get bigger.
"THE DIAMONDS ARE COMING!" Gaspeite shouted in Rhodonite's ear.
"OH GOLD THEY FOUND US! MOONSTONE GET UP, I WON'T LET THEM KILL YOU!" Rhodonite jumped up faster than you could say "noodles" and drew her tomahawk.
Gaspeite rolled onto her back like a dead waterbug and kicked her legs back and forth, guffawing loudly, even snorting occasionally.
Moonstone sat up and pulled Rhodonite down to her level. "It's fine, Gaspeite just pulled a prank on us, no one is coming."
Gaspeite snorted. "And I got you guys so good! Though I have to admit, you did look pretty cute snuggling together. I almost didn't want to ruin it."
"Snuggling?" Moonstone looked at Rhodonite, who's cheeks were cherry red.
"It's called keeping warm! I wouldn't want her to freeze!" Rhodonite shouted in defense.
"Right..." Gaspeite and Moonstone said at the same time in suspicion.
Oh, brother...
It seems as though Moonstone has her work cut out for her. Rho and Gaspeite will probably fight like Natsu and Grey *ahem* Cats and Dogs for a while. Poor Moonie.
For character development purposes, this chapter is really a compilation of random sketches featuring the three Gems. Enjoy! This sort of shows different sides of our original protagonists. Moonstone's reluctance and knowledge of living through the centuries with the Diamonds, as well as her motherly nature combine to create her monolog and her attitude in these sketches. Rhodonite shows a bit of a childish side in this one, almost like she is stooping to the lows of Gaspeite just to challenge her.
I also apologize for taking so long! Writing has been slow for me, the stress of well, life, has been putting me in such an awful block that eventually evolved into a hovering anxiety that struck me whenever I wrote...but I am hoping that it's gone and I can get back to doing what I love! I have also noticed a bunch of people following and favoriting...which is great! I absolutely love the support and it makes my day! Thank you so much!
Reviews are encouraged!