My Name is Emerald

Seven

Even though sleeping wasn't necessary, it was very nice, and the next morning I felt rested and rejuvenated. I leapt back onto the ground and resumed my trek in search of the ship, relying on the tracker for guidance. The occasional car rumbled past on the road, paying me little mind. I began to run, dashing toward the tiny green blip on the screen. I ran into a few trees, but that was okay.
      As I ran the countryside gradually changed. I smelled it in the air before I saw it-the fresh, sharp scent of the ocean. I slowed to a walk as I approached the crest of a hill. When I reached it, a vast landscape unfolded before me. Green, rolling hills stretched in every direction, speckled with patches of wildflowers and groves of trees. Down by the water laid a beach with smooth, beige sand that wrapped around a jutting mountain peak and disappeared. Nestled among the greenery was a cozy little town, home to a long boardwalk lined with buildings and a tiny amusement park. I even thought I saw a shop with a giant pasty on top. Chuckling to myself, I followed the narrow, winding road down the slope towards the town. It appeared to be very near the ship, according to the tracker. I didn't mind the detour. In fact, I was rather excited to see what the human race had accomplished since the war. I only knew what Yellow Diamond had told me in the short briefing before my departure from Homeworld and what I had seen during my stay here on the planet.
     I approached the shop with the large pastry above it and promptly ran into the glass door with a thump. Blushing, I searched for the handle and let myself in. It was small, but filled with bright colors and eye-catching displays. Two humans occupied the structure; one sat behind the counter, playing with a strand of her hair, and the other stood at a drink dispenser, filling a paper cup with dark brown liquid. The one behind the counter looked up as I entered and smiled.
     "Welcome to the Big Donut, how can I help you?" she asked amiably. The other human glanced my way and did a double take.
     "Rad tattoos, man," he said, gazing at the gems on my cheeks.
     "Um, thank you," I stammered. I turned back to the one behind the counter. "I'm looking for a ship."
     "A... ship?" she inquired with a baffled look. "I'm afraid you've come to the wrong place. We've got donuts, but that's about it."
     "Oh, thank you anyway." I turned and headed for the door. The taller human scrambled away from the drink dispenser and caught the door before I did, proceeding to hold it open for me with a silly grin.
     "I can show you the dock if you want," he said eagerly. "Maybe you can borrow a boat from there."
     "Thanks," I replied hesitantly. I figured I had time to spare. Maybe there were interesting things to see at this dock. The human led me along the boardwalk, chatting excitedly as he did so. I learned that his name was Lars, and that the other human was Sadie. They worked in the shop every day, providing the people in this town, which was called Beach City, with donuts and other necessities. I also learned that Lars liked to play video games but also had a soft spot for cats, and he was also single. Very confused, I arrived at the dock and thanked him, to which he replied "no problem!" and reluctantly left me to examine the boats.
     Seafaring vessels of all shapes, sizes and colors bobbed side-by-side  along the dock, but none of them looked anything like the ship I was looking for. I moved on.