Citizen Gem

Catch and Release

"Uh... "Peridot, stunned, remains silent for approximately 5 uncomfortable seconds- yes... okay... be clear. I don't want tricks, traitor.

"Peridot... keep calm..." she pauses so Peridot can listen carefully. "14 years have passed since we came to earth."

Peridot, who in all her long experience as an intergalactic being had never heard a similar statement, responds with confidence and arrogance.

"That, is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard... Why would I miss 10 years? Do you seriously think I'd stay on a floating rock that isn't my home, which is full of annoying organic life and time bomb inside it? Deep underground there is a geo-weapon ready to break this planet to pieces from the core, a weapon that I watch over and secure in the name of my beloved, glorious Yellow Diamond. No ... I would never stay here, in fact I would seek any way to get off this dirty planet. Which reminds me... I have to go! Now... traitor, do you know where The Steven is? ?, that gem hybrid abomination, where is it?."

"I Don't know"

"Don't hide it, I know you know where it is! I caught you on the ship sending a message to earth, an unauthorized message."

"Unauthorized? You let me test the communicator."

"I wanted to make sure the communicator was working! Ok? "

"Yeah...sure" Lapis lets out a small smile... "I seriously don't know where he is, besides you're talking about something that happened 10 years ago.

"it was not 14 years ago?"

"We're friends! You shouldn't have to act like that with me."

"Friend of a Crystal Gem? they are cabochon... You were CB7... CB8... CB... what...? I don't know and I don't care... do you think you know more than me to say that I've lost 10 years?"

"I'm older than you."

"That proves that I should distrust you even more."

"Peridot, you have a picture of Yellow Diamond saved in my books."

"What... what more random things do you say..." she says while trying to hide her greenish blush of embarrassment, "I don't keep something as absurd as... uh... What is a photo?"

"Screenshot..."

"whatever, I don't keep anything related to what you say"

"You told me, you got it the day you graduated from Babysitter training. Diamond herself went to supervise the court. You were so proud of that day that you decided to save it in your personal communication device... That same device you retrieved from the depths of the ocean and that you loved so much that you did not stop using it until you lost it in that incident where, according to your words... you took steven while he was sleeping, you forced him to spit in the portal and you were paralyzed with fear to die for the cluster, until the crystal gems arrived, they cornered you and then you yelled at them and I quote: -with a half-mocking voice, imitating Peridot's shrill voice- "Wait, wait, you need me! I'm the only one who knows about him..." -and she returns to her sarcastic tone of voice- and "puff"...then they captured you and released you, and apparently Amethyst threw your electronic prosthetics into the water."

"Wait... Babysitter?"

"Sorry... -Says lapis, while she rolls her eyes up in frustration- I think she was" Kindergarten Supervisor ".

-Much better... That... wait a minute. What happened after that?

" You helped Steven to shut down the cluster. Then you stayed with me for a while, we grew plants, we had... " for some strange reason, Lapis ground her teeth as she spoke, without looking at Peridot for a moment " a pet... Yes. I think we were even... friends. Yes... very close friends, but I'm sure of something. I have never seen a Peridot with such happiness on her face as you did when you were on earth with us."