I won. I thought it was over. I died a natural death after the sum of it all, what I can't deny to expect, was for Being X to confront me once more; however when he confronted me as I lay in my bed and breathing my last passing breath, he spouted how he washed his hands of me and our little spat. I'd say deal instead of spat, but I never signed anything or agreed to his little test against me and surviving in this second life of mine. With the infuriating tone I've known to associate Being X with, he said something about throwing my soul to the winds of luck for someone else to deal with.
I don't know if Being X was being literal, hyperbolic, or simply throwing a hissy fit with me winning his little test against me, but all I remember next was pitch black and the feeling of floating after I let out my last breath of life. Unlike the time between my first and second life, in what felt like an instantaneous moment from being hit by a train, and waking up as a baby girl in my second life, the time spent till my third life felt long and short' it was a surreal experience when you don't feel any part of your body, I was simply consciousness drifting in the dark to who knows where. I couldn't see anything, I simply felt weightless and felt myself drifting.
Not knowing how long I would spend my time in nothing, as nothing, or at the very least, a supposed soul wandering in some vast space of nothing of sorts, I tried to look around, or what equated to the equivalent of looking around as a disembodied soul. The moment I saw the mere speck of light, I tried my hardest to maneuver myself towards the source of light. Whatever I was doing to move my disembodied soul to the source of light, it worked; perhaps I was simply willing my soul to swim to the light, all I knew, I wanted to escape the vast expanse of darkness and be free of being a disembodied soul.
I did not want to stick around and experience the boundless nothing that surrounded me.
The closer I 'swam' to the sort of light, the more color I could see; the most prominent color that was visible was yellow, and not just yellow itself, I was 'swimming' towards a spectrum of yellow. I kept maneuvering my disembodied soul towards the yellow light, and the closer I was, the more prominent I saw the sight of yellow electrical volts spinning within a vortex. Before I knew it, I felt the feeling of being pulled towards the yellow light with yellow lightning bounding around it and dancing outwards into the vast expanse of nothingness.
What I didn't expect next…then again…who can in my situation…I found myself feeling cramped and feeling life returning to me. I felt an overwhelming amount of life return to me, as if a large swathe of life energy was thrust upon me, and invigorated my mind to an inimaginable level. I felt small, then I felt my body form, followed by my limbs and head. Like I said before, it was a surreal experience, and I'll never forget the moment I finally burst out from my confines, in a rather explosive manner…to say the least.
As I…guess the right word is…ejected, myself from out of my confines, my body felt like it could dance a thousand hours without end, I felt the boundless energy at my fingertips; all around me, as my vision came back to me, I witnessed the fertile ground on whatever alien planet I was on become dead. It was later I found out that every gem pretty much drains the life energy in their given location and spot to energize their new life so to speak. I suppose the nigh immortality and power has to come from somewhere for a gem, but for me, I witnessed I was the only one in sight with an enormous amount of dead life around me. I may not be the biggest life conservationist, but surely there needs to be a less…violent and deadly way for a gem to be made…
As I stumbled a bit forward, and did my best to contain the unbridled power that I beheld at my fingertips, for goodness sake, I swore I saw small yellow sparks light up between my fingertips; While I took every step forward cautiously, and tried my best to get reacquainted with the feeling of having youthful legs once more, I didn't focus in front of me until it was too late and fell face first into a massive hand.
The next words I heard were 'perfect' and 'easy now'. My hearing was still a bit off, seeing as how I had just come back from the dead, and getting used to having a body again. As I sat on my knees within the massive hand that began to pick me up, I looked up with a no doubt speechless face. Right before me was a massive woman, she was Yellow in different shades of the color, I couldn't help but gape at what was before me.
Apparently the woman took my staring as a compliment, seeing as how I found out later that most gems after their emergence, look up to their diamond's with reverence. She must have mistook my staring as being in awe. At least I had that going for me, as first impressions…who else couldn't help but stare up at a massive woman for the first time?
An early passage from commander Citrine's private diary.
Planet D39u23ch4ff of StarSector Y3110w
Within a spherical hexagonal sphere observatory atop a tall cylindrical spire, all in the matte color of shades of yellow, small gem-like drone video-cameras were flying around until an opening at the top slid open, allowing them to fly out and tend to their programmed duties outside of the observatory. Sitting within a large facet carved chair, was Yellow Diamond, typing away at her personal terminal that was connected to the nearby Kindergarten in the works nearby.
Yellow had a small satisfied smile on her face as she placed a few more inputs into the keyboard on her terminal, and finished the personal project of hers that had been incubating within the nearby cliffside of the kindergarten. "And…done." She clapped her hands together to mark her project finished, and stood up from her chair to exit out of her observatory. As she made her way to the exit portal that led directly down and next to the kindergarten, she passed by her personal Pearl. "Come Pearl." She simply instructed as she stood within the teleporter.
With her hands folded behind her back, Yellow Pearl preened at being addressed and stood on her tiptoes. "Yes, my diamond!" she responded back, before hurrying to catch up and stand behind her diamond and wait for the teleporter to take them down to the nearby kindergarten.
Without another word, the both of them teleported in a shimmering light, before ending up just outside the edge of the kindergarten, where the land was being sucked dry by kindergarten for the express purpose of creating Yellow diamond's personal pet project. A means to lighten her load of managing her colonies and armadas. Within the face of the nearby cliffside in sight, Yellow Diamond and her Pearl bore witness to yellow static dancing along the cliffside walls, and converge to a single point where Yellow Diamond had been incubating her personal 'Citrine' gem.
Unlike most other gems, Yellow used her own essence to create her new 'Citrine', she wanted to create the best Citrine gem, and what better method than to use her own essence? As Yellow Diamond stood just outside the range of the thunderous spark being emitted from the earthen cliff face where her new gem was about to emerge, she smiled with confidence as she witnessed a crack form, signifying her Citrine gem was finally emerging from her long incubation.
Nearby, Yellow Pearl was unsure of herself, she wanted to say something, but it would have been out of line for her to ask if everything was going to her diamond's plan. The emerging gem was letting off an enormous amount of energy, she had her dataslate out to measure the data, nothing was abnormal so far…that is to say, within her diamond's set parameters that she predetermined that'd be used and released from the emergence of the new Citrine gem.
Yellow Pearl's musings were soon interrupted as the new gem emerged in an explosive yellow static eruption; Yellow Pearl was grateful that they were out of range of the explosion, but her worries were soon founded when her diamond began marching off towards her new Citrine gem with a delighted smile. She wanted to tell her Diamond to be careful, but then she reminded herself who she was serving.
Back with Yellow Diamond, she grew satisfied with herself of a job well done, "Perfect!" she said as she bent a knee and brought her hand down to the stumbling Citrine gem of hers, she watched with mirth as her personally made gem plopped face first into the palm of her hand; "Easy now." Yellow Diamond calmly said to her pet project of a gem, and lifted her hand up while standing back up.
Lifting her personal Citrine of hers to eye level, Yellow diamond cracked a proud smile as her Citrine gem groggily looked up at her with a look of awe in her face. "Well now, You shaped up quite well to my specifications." She mused as her Citrine's body occasionally let off residual yellow static. "Hmm…energy output is good." Yellow mused with a smirk as she noted her personally made gem's body was calming down from its emergence. "Yes. You'll do just fine!" She remarked with a small chuckle as her Citrine gem looked back at her with curious expression.
AN; So, a little bit of a beginning interlude to suit ya'lls interests…right?
Omake 1
A coffee shop in Beach City Part 3
Coffee shop
It was another early morning for Beach city, and within a certain new coffee shop that was now offering a variety of chocolate bars, Tanya was smiling a satisfied expression as she sat off to the side in one of the sofa chairs for customers to sit in; in her grasp was a fresh piping hot cup of coffee that she nursed in her hands while she gazed out the clear view windows of her shop. She was fortunate enough to get access to the internet early on in her stay on earth, and arrange herself to begin investing in stocks with the money she earned by working for the nearby arcade that was in dire need of managing for a man called Harold smiley.
Not sure how the man got his name to be smiley, but who is she to judge, she's an eternal living gem with her Tanya name in leet speak for crying out loud.
It took a year, but she managed to earn enough between the two to invest in opening a coffee shop that soon sold chocolate as well. With Orange Pearl assisting in helping her manage the shop, Tanya could finally bask in a well earned break from her many dozens of centuries of working as Yellow Diamond's right hand gem.
Tanya took in the sight of her beachfront coffee shop establishment, and relished the sight in contentment; off to the side, she could hear Orange Pearl finishing up in readying the front counter for their customers. Tanya took a small sip from her coffee and sighed in delight, she should finish her coffee soon and turn the open/closed sign around on the door to begin the day. Just as she was about to get up however, she noticed the gem fusion that called herself garnet waltz calmly over and wait by the closed door.
Raising her eyebrow up in intrigue, she was about to get the door when her pearl excused herself and insisted on opening the establishment while she stayed and finished her coffee that she brewed personally for her. She let her pearl have this one, she did after all want to finish her hot cup of coffee before it chilled too much.
Within earshot, she could somewhat hear the two gems talk to each other as Orange Pearl allowed Garnet to walk in and chat, she distinctly heard the word fusion between the two; she hoped Orange Pearl didn't blab about the first time they accidentally fused when she tried putting alcohol into one of her brews, in both of their inebriated states, they both were a whirlwind of emotions.
The only thing she remembered during the fusion, was a blurry memory, and the feeling of someone finally helping her cope with all her memories; then afterwards, she found herself lying her head on her Pearl's lap and combing her fingers through her hair. Pearl didn't say anything afterwards, but every now and then, she insisted that she didn't have to dwell on her memories alone anymore, as she had her to share her despair of having three different lives.
Tanya, if there was one thing she felt, was complete; Someone understood how she felt, and Tanya didn't know how to cope with that.
"So." Garnet began to say as she walked over and cut her out of her thoughts, before sitting across from her on a sofa chair. She smiled warmly at her, "What's this I hear the fearsome Citrine Commander fusing with a Pearl?" she asked with a knowing smile.
Tanya spat and coughed her coffee out, as she had just lifted her cup up to drink from it. "What!?" Tanya squawked in disbelief and glared diminutively at Orange Pearl. "Pearl! I told you to keep it a secret!" she chastised her.
Garnet smiled with mirth, "Oh, she didn't say anything." The early morning sun rays bounced off Garnet's visor, "I was curious if anything ever happened between you two, and she insisted I ask you first." Garnet lifted her visor up and looked at Tanya with her three eyes, "But you implied something did happen, so…how was your first time?" she teased Tanya.
While Orange Pearl fidgeted in place while bringing up her hands to cover her glowing orange cheeks with an embarrassed happy smile, Tanya glowered at the fusion that had the annoying ability to see different branches of potential futures. She probably foresaw this if she asked the right question. With a grumble out from her lips, Tanya leaned over the coffee table between them and took a paper towel out from the dispensary that was there to wipe her mouth up. "I-i-it's complicated, it was weird, okay?" she grumbled with an embarrassed expression, now that the cat was out of the bag due to her faux pas.
Garnet simply chuckled warmly at Tanya's response, "Oh relax, you don't have to explain too much. I was just curious." she remarked.
Omake 2
Message Received part 2
The Barn
As the sun broke over the expanse of the ocean of Beach City in the background, the crystal gems along with Steven and Peridot were waiting outside the barn; at the very least though, Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl were waiting with various expressions, while Steven was sitting atop a bale of hay that sat up against the barn. The gem hybrid was snoozing away the early morning while periodically snapping himself awake, as it was still early in the morning. Peridot on the other hand could be seen pacing back and forth in front of the barn doors with a nervous expression, all the all wringing her hands together to cope with her anxiety.
Garnet was standing at the moment with her arms crossed, her visor obfuscating her eyes, Pearl stood beside her in the meanwhile with her elbow resting in her other palm as she tapped her feet in patience; outwardly, Pearl looked calm, but inside a whirlwind of emotions was swirling on the topic of a certain visitor, or visitors depending on a certain gem when she finally arrived. Amethyst on the other hand sat behind them on a different bale of hay that laid up against the barn as well. She had her arms behind her head while kicking her foot in a lackadaisical manner off from her stance of laying atop the bale of hay.
All present company were awaiting for a certain Gem to arrive and aid them in doing something about the cluster beneath the crust of the Earth; Garnet had insisted they await at the barn, as that was where she foresaw most of her visions of Citrine arriving at, in the break of early morning. Just as Amethyst hopped up off the bale of hale and opened her mouth to protest her impatience, Garnet calmly turned her head and looked directly at her with a cool facade. "Easy now, she should be arriving any minute now." she calmly states to her fellow crystal gem.
Amethyst grumbled and hunched over with an annoyed look on her face, "I hate it when you do that." she mumbled, with a dirty look sent at Garnet, who in particular simply smirked in mild amusement.
Meanwhile, Steven snored himself awake with a few sputtering words and fell off his impromptu bed. "Woah!" he exclaimed as he fell onto his back in surprise. As Steven blinked his weary eyes awake, he looked over to Peridot with a ponderous expression. "Hey Peridot, any reason Citrine would come so early in the morning?" he asked her while picking himself up off the ground and brushing himself off.
Peridot stopped pacing and perked up at Steven's question, "Oh" she remarked as she twiddled her fingers in a nervous habit, she brought her hand back and rubbed her neck as she began to explain. "Commander Citrine tends to be very punctual, and she often times takes every minute seriously within her schedule." Peridot shrugged to herself with an amused smile.
"Oh." Steven remarked with an intrigued look, "You seem to know her quite well." he observed.
Peridot puffed out her chest and planted her fist on her hips with pride, "I'll have you know, she was there during my emergence…" she happily discussed with Steven, before correcting herself, with an embarrassed expression. "Well, me and a thousand other era 2 peridots…but the sentiment is still the same…" she mumbled shyly during the last part.
Steven tilted his head in confusion, "What?" he questioned her.
"Well…" Peridot began to explain with a downcast look to the side, "On homeworld, era 2 gems are looked down upon heavily." with a depreciated look in her eyes, peridot spoke with a sardonic tone. "Compared to cabochan cuts, we era 2 gems might as well be lower than pebbles in the hierarchy of the caste system." she explained with a hurt look in her eyes while rubbing her arm in idleness.
With a look of realization in his eyes, Steven gave Peridot a sympathetic look. "Sheesh. I didn't think it was that bad on homeworld." he remarked.
With the Crystal gem's attention caught by Peridot's explanation, she continued to explain to Steven on who Citrine is as a gem commander. "But that's beside the point!" she spoke excitedly with her fist clenched up in excitement, "Commander Citrine, now there's a commanding gem you'd want to serve under, especially since she's Yellow diamond's personally made Citrine gem."
"During the remaining gestation and emergence of every gem on homeworld had to offer from its resources, Commander Citrine was there to see to it that every one of us came out perfect!" Peridot gushed as she explained her outlook toward her Citrine commander. With her eyes closed in blissful happiness, she nodded to herself with satisfaction, "In her own words, 'Someone needs to be there when you gems come into existence."
Peridot opened her eyes and smiled at Steven, "You can't tell me that those are not the words of a compassionate leader." she challenged Steven with a proud look on her face.
"Wow." Steven said as he tried to offer a look of understanding, "That's…quite the commander." he mused.
Off in the background, Pearl in particular had a different look on her face as she looked away with an angered look, "That's not how I remember her." she muttered with her arms still crossed, until Garnet placed her hand on her shoulder. "Easy now." The fusion consoled her, while Pearl looked up at Garnet in confusion.
Garnet looked up to the sky where a shining dot was glowing brighter. "The war is over, and things change over time." she calmly said with a knowing smile.
Pearl, who was still confused at what Garnet could foresee, furrowed her brow. "Just what are you seeing that you won't divulge." she insisted from Garnet.
"Trust me." Garnet said with a small smile, "It's better that you understand for yourself once you get to know how far things have changed with her." she explained as an orange hand ship finally emerged through the atmosphere from space and flew over the ocean until it was directly above the barn and past it to land within an empty pasture.
"Finally!" Amethyst bemoaned as she threw her hands up in irritation as the gang began making their way to where the hand ship landed, "Any longer and I swear I'd crack from boredom."
Steven in the meanwhile as he walked alongside Peridot, continued to speak with her. "Hey!" he remarked with an excited look, "maybe we can ask if Citrine has any spare limb enhancers for you!"
Peridot fidgeted her fingers with a shy look on her cheeks, "I don't know, it feels kinda refreshing now that I've gone so long without them, and commander Citrine always said we era 2 gems look better without them"
"But don't you need them for stuff to do?" Steven asked Peridot, who scoffed with an amused smile. "Oh please, they're enhancers, not an integral part of us…or at least, that's what Commander Citrine has always told us."
Steven smiled in response as they were soon on approach to Citrine's Orange Hand Ship. "She's actually sounding like an alright gem to me, the more you talk about her."