"Wait, wait, you need me! I'm the only one who knows about the..."
Silence, a horrible and terrifying feel invades everything known. For a few moments there is no space or time, mind or body. Only inert matter, only emptiness.
Energy, traveling through the vacuum, takes shape impacting with each existing shape. Some of these, receiving the mystery, the gift, the miracle; a conscious bodily being. These conscious shapes perceive their own energy, spread over themselves and everything around them in a spectral force. Taking form with this force, a mirror of the same with which these conscious bodies can give it a name: Light.
This thought haunts the mind of an unusual protagonist. Somehow her thought is deep, her being has more experience compared to a simple organic being. Even so, for what the longevity of the light or the emptiness itself is, it's nothing. She is young, arrogant, haughty and impetuous, persistent to the point of annoyance. She still clings to this thought, because her very essence is part of this idea. She is no more than a small piece of mass, but her being and her consciousness is linked to the only thing that makes her more than just an inanimate object: Light.
The idea takes shape, rising from that segment of mass, like a waterfall expelling more and more light, each photon segment running to give it a soft and flexible shape, until...
"Peridot! Peridot!"
...a strange voice begins to resonate beyond the void, at first it seems annoying... But, also reliable, the cascade of light runs faster. Light takes shape, texture, color that shapes a being that combines between the sun and the leaves of the trees. Fluffy blond hair like a triangle and a petite, firm build. Finally the essence can see light from outside. And her first reaction is...
"... The Cluster, malformed unbearable! Mega-clod!... what is...?, where am I?... what is that voice?. What... What is this horrible place?... You, Lapis Lazuli. I demand a quick and satisfactory response!"
The conscious body of light projected from the green Peridot gem embedded in the forehead, what now calling itself "Peridot", sees directly at the source of this voice, a being nimbly approaching and sits before her, a being not unlike her in essence, Light in shades of blue; of a taller and slimmer body in strong royal tone, with a broad forehead with short length blue hair and with bangs in front, in a strong tone like deep ocean, wearing a blue colored top piece with three way design Peaks in intense blue like the depth of her hair, and from the waist with soft pants and a golden belt like pyrite. Her presence feels familiar with her voice, but Peridot 's mind lies hazy. And resorts to the last available memory.
"Peridot, are you okay?" Answers the being of blue tones, known as Lapislazuli "Don't you remember this place?"
"Wait... My limb enhacers! Where are my ...?"
"Peridot... did you hit your gem or something?"
"I need answers!. What is this soft and scratchy thing on my feet? I don't like how I sink into my fingers. How did we get here?... Where is Jasper?!, Where is my ship?!, Where are my robotic parts?!."
"Shut up! Let me talk if you want your answers! Clod!"
Silence invades again, letting you hear nothing except the breeze and the waves of the ocean.
-How... how dare you... I, from among the elite of the Peridots. Insulted by one... why, why can't i call you... to... who?, who are you?
"I'm Lapis Lazuli, do you remember? You and Jasper kidnapped me... yes... ok, it was by Yellow Diamond's orders, but other than that we have almost the same rank, do you forget it? Pre-birth programming, terraforming. .. blah blah blah, now calm down, I don't mean to offend you, but if you want to hear answers... you must... let... me... talk... ok?!
"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."
Peridot pauses for a moment, reflecting that in fact she has never in her life considered trusting someone who wasn't on her level.
"It's impossible for me to trust someone like that... less a traitor... but... 10 years... it's just a fraction of time..." With great anxiety, she assimilates everything she hears from her counterpart of a light blue tone, finally, with a turn with his whole body, he slowly covers with his view in 360 degrees, incredulous of everything she sees, an enormous coast in the middle of the sunset full of light, color and life... a series of buildings full of light to the south, a mountain range whose green grass reflects the light of the sunset as much as the reflection of the ocean... and in front of her... an strange companion who in her last idea never thought to see her helping someone, and also with a light in her eyes like she had never seen in another person, and she feels... as if an enormous feeling of sad emptiness that makes her kneel to the ground, as if in truth... on this planet, she had achieved happiness and not on his own world that he loved so much... then he asks with a very insecure tone... "Has it really... been... 10 years?"
"Please follow me, maybe you can remember something in the temple..."
Peridot, this strange being, finally manages to stand up in the huge hole filled with sand and burning glass in which she lay. But, in trying to stand up she weakens her left leg, she is about to fall back to the ground but is assisted by what she calls lapis lazuli almost immediately so she doesn't fall. Together, side by side, they begin to walk the coast...
"Whatever happened to cause you to lose your memories, it must have had to do with that hole." Lapis Lazuli whispers to Peridot, in awe. "I was always amazed at your stamina."
"What can I say" she replies smugly, for this point not very unusual "I'm unstoppable...By the way...what's a book?"
Little by little they cross the stretch of sand... towards the tip of the peninsular coast. Peridot, in the haze of her mind, whispers to her mate.
"I'm remembering, the mission log... this thing I'm walking on is just sand... if I'm not mistaken, that in the distance is water... it must be salty... the planet is covered in this substance in a 80%"
"71%... you're trying hard on basic things, Peridot, maybe you should wait until we get there," Lapis answers, worried.
They can see with each step how the mountain range is getting closer and closer, with each step a little light from the sky leaves, letting the night enter the calm beach. Finally, when they reach the point and turn to the edge, there is a statue of a lady in armor and helmet, with four arms whose hands lie buried in the sand at the foot of the mountain range.
"It's like in the log" Peridot whispers again "a statue of a fusion, although there were still arms up when I saw the image capture... I'm surprised they never change their hiding place... as a headquarters it's strategically lousy to resist a frontal attack. If the ship I arrived in was operational I myself could destroy this pile of rubble in minutes."
"You sure would..." Lapis nods, with an edge to her words "But if you do I won't be able to help you, you won't be able to remember anything... you'll come home empty-handed and Yellow will yell at you until your physical form is gone." break at the sound of his voice... now, how about we postpone the destruction of this "rubble" for a while and go inside...?"
Beneath the statue lies a wooden house; wide, with corridor to the front. Finally at the entrance, Lapis takes a key from the mat, with which she opens the door. Inside there is an immense amount of decorations on the walls. The whole house is open and you can see without effort or obstruction the kitchen, the living room, the bedroom next to the living room just separated by an elevation. And in the background a corridor with a stone door in the background and in front of it a circular cut tempered glass platform.
"An HQ for the HQ... so absurd"
"The real part of the temple is behind the back door...this is the residents' room. And it's also where Steven lived."
"How impractical, to have one of your leaders sleeping in front. You rebels do have strange ideas... Anyway, I'll keep exploring around here. I need to find something to reflect my physical form."
"Oh sure, there's a mirror in the bathroom, end of the second hallway, bottom right."
Peridot goes through every part of the house, managing to find a second corridor which connects to a room in the back on the right. Upon entering, Peridot sees a mirror, which reflects his entire being. (Puffy blonde hair, with spikes resembling a triangular shape, circular lime glasses covering her gemstone a half of her face reaching to where her hair begins, lemon-green skin covered by a one-piece suit with dark details on the waist, with a V neckline adorned with a rhomboid figure of a yellow diamond in the center of the chest, and long pieces of green stockings with a yellow diamond on each knee and a yellow tip on the feet). She begins to observe the rest of the room, being visible a plastic curtain, a porcelain seat with a hole filled with water inside, and various objects in a threatening shape.
"This uncomfortable place" Peridot says to herself "I don't know how many things here could be weapons... Although it doesn't seem like these objects have combat functions... except for that plastic stick with a rubber piece attached to it." circular shape, all wet and smelly, it looks like an instrument of torture... and yet it feels very familiar... Maybe it's because of the mirror, I think it's the only thing I can trust... heh... there was forgotten what my legs look like... and my arms... and, in general, many parts of my physical form. Anyway."
She later leaves the bathroom, but enters between her eyes again looking to make sure that nothing from that room will follow her... And she returns to the living room.
Observing more closely on the walls, there are many photos of various gems such as Peridot or Lapis Lazuli, and several others, of different shades and shapes. And among them the image of a young man, a human being of short stature, robust complexion, blue pants, a pink shirt with a star in the center of the shirt and fluffy hair as if it were a rose bud.
"The Steven..." Peridot fixes her gaze on a photo of the young man. "This human was the reason of the mission, but he looks so... harmless... I don't understand how Jasper can seem so important to him."
"You get attached to him like bubblegum, and he's very, very persistent. You're going to like him."
"I can't imagine it... He said it himself, I'm sure it's a lie... oh..." Peridot fixes his gaze on a new photo of Steven but now with Peridot next to him, and lapis lazuli also present in the photo "
Me... next to The Steven...? I... cant believe that. I will never be able to return home... if they saw me next to him they would destroy me... he takes me a thousand and one black holes! I'm going to die here!" Like lightning, Peridot falls to the ground, nervous about her future "How...? How did this happen...?"
"The photo. It was the last time we were with him..." Lapis says, trying to string together her memories to explain it to a memoryless Peridot "after that you lived here for two years or so, in fact you left many of your things in here. You're back in Homeworld... you were gone a long... long time, so... maybe I can't help you with what you did outside but the least I can do is try to remember little by little... You left a bunch of your photos and a project in the middle."
"What kind of project...?"
"I found a robotic arm that you used in your hand, I already told you... we found it together when you were here, you wanted to update it with human technology, but it was left halfway... it's still there... if it is ..."
"MINE!!"
Hearing that his robotic arm is still in place, he gets excited as if there was nothing more important, his eyes shine with emotion, she runs at full speed to the bedroom looking for that project in minutes.
"Where... WHERE IS HE?"
"Under the table, where the console is."
"Console? Does it control a ranged weapon?"
"No... it's just entertainment..."
"Training? "
"Your robotic part... weren't you looking for it?"
"Eh yes ... "
Finally he finds the compartment, without thinking much about whether it is a trap or not, which went through his head for a few seconds, she opened the drawer and saw it... an oval object similar to an egg, green in color and a stripe. black at the tip of the base.
"My tactical prosthesis, an alloy piece composed of plastic and porcelain and connected under complex liquid conduit systems that allow for data and power connection coupled with powerful and efficient internal memory, is the most advanced piece of technology in recognition of disposition of all Peridot... and..." as he takes it out of the compartment, he looks towards the tip of the greenish prosthesis as he describes..." I have it rudimentarily connected to a... kind of electric table with a screen of glass... through... wires... of filthy copper... why would I try to connect a piece of high technology with something so archaic?
"Maybe if you finish it you could understand..." Lapis suggests with a confident smile.
"Eh... Ok... but only because I like challenges..."
step by step, Peridot tests each of the 4 wires connected to the robotic prosthesis, precisely and carefully, as each wire was delicate. she begins to advance in her project, replacing the copper cables with other metals, her concentration is so great that she does not notice the time, reaching 2 hours. Lapis stays close to her, reading a magazine while she watches sideways. Among Peridot's precise movements she begins to make technical observations, using more precise words as she progresses through her project.
"I already saw what happens, my future self forgot basic issues, but nothing that a professional can solve... human technology is still based on conductive wires, they use copper, aluminum... and other metal things... obviously My future self forgot how to build from liquid and photonic conductors like the ones we used on Homeworld."
"You say, you forgot what it was like to do something on Homeworld."
"Of course, I probably traveled there trying to reverse engineer it or looking for a replacement... but there's no need anymore, I remember homeworld like I was there yesterday... and in fact it almost is, I was on the ship when the crystal fools attacked me from behind"
"Really, your memories are fresh for something from several years ago... what else do you remember?"
"I remember you, you were a prisoner for collaborating with the rebels, they told me not to talk to you, that would be exclusive to Jasper."
"Ha, I saw that you failed at that... with the communicator, 20 years ago."
"Will you let me talk?"
"OK, continues..."
"They told me in the mission report that you arrived at Homeworld screaming all over the place "what did they do to Homeworld? Or why are there so many ships?..."
"Uh... no... I wasn't yelling..." Lapis says... uncertainly, "I was just asking everyone at once."
""I was informed that they locked you in a mirror, you were supposed to give information to Blue Diamond but you refused. So when you returned to Homeworld they captured you instantly because of your Data, and Jasper said that if you took us to the hideout and she managed to capture Rose Quartz would release you as part of the original deal with Blue Diamond."
"I'm surprised you know all that...but not that I was locked up by mistake. I wasn't a Crystal Gem when I was locked up in the mirror."
"I am a professional, I always read my mission reports in detail... data about your movements did not appear but I agree with you... The Lapis Lazuli do not give reports until the job is finished, besides, it is hard to believe that it is by mistake... in fact... I think memory wipe is also a common punishment for... uh... wait a minute..."
"Yeah, I think I know where it's going..."
"Is it possible?... I... I get it... I was reset... but... the reset doesn't work like that, I should be at zero, in theory I shouldn't even remember you. I shouldn't even remember my mission... It should be blank. Like fresh out of the hole"
"You just gave me an idea..."
"Uh... Really?..."
"Seriously... now that I remember... when you were still living here a gem attacked us, it brought a weapon that reset the gems, it had the shape of a scythe... And in those moments we thought about how to recover our memory from Steven's friends."
"The Steven?"
"Exactly... at first we didn't know what to do, but Steven suggested that we could do things that were related to who we really were... to our 'Essence'. I guess you remembered something when you landed here suddenly... so... It did work at the time so maybe it helps to remember if... I sing something for you."
"Singing, how absurd... though, I'm curious... Go ahead, it might help me focus."
"Of course... a moment..." So, Lapis sits next to Peridot, a few meters away so as not to disturb her work but close enough to softly intotone, she closes her eyes, and softly begins to sing..."
_________________
"Peace and love on the planet Earth" (by Sugar. R. (Paraphrased by Lapis Lazuli)
_________________
"Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La Si..."
"Do-mi-so-do?"
"Isn't it pretty?"
"What's that?"
"A pattern"
"A partner?"
"How about... A key?"
"Key?
Wait... What is that...? really?"
"An old friend told me that you sang it one day, it was very special that day because she learned how beautiful this planet was."
"Ok... but it sounds a bit weird...
"It's Frequency"
"Sequence "
"don't forget to rhyme"
"My project can't wait for me"
"Move With Rhythm"
"sure, it's the same"
"Do you remember Do, Re, Mi?"
"Do Ri Me?"
"No... Do Re Mi..."
"Do Mi So Do"
"You are getting close"
"Do-mi-so-do
Devoid of substance or purpose, a hypothetical pattern
Do-mi-so-ti...
My project must be finished
"Yeah... we can start to add words...
"Life and death and love and birth
And peace and war on the planet Earth
Is there anything that's worth more
Than peace and love on the planet Earth?
"come on and sing it with me"
"Sing?"
"The words relate to the key
"Okay"
"If it's a pattern
If it's a pattern
Then just repeat after me...
Life and death and love and birth"
"Life and death and love and birth"
"Now you sing mi-fa-mi-mi-fa-mi-ti-la"
"And peace and war on the planet Earth"
Yes, yes, that's it!
Did you remember something?
"Just your sequence
that you repeat with Insistence"
"Life and death and love and birth
And peace and war on the planet Earth...
"How long are you going to repeat that""
...Is there anything that's worth more
Than peace and love on the planet Earth?"
I used to evade
I couldn't trust
I kept away from suffering
I kept away from living
when i met they
I took they away
The river has rejoined
I will finally trust
And its not time to waste!
"there is something in your eyes, you should return it to your gem"
"Surely... Your project should be finished"
"Sounds like an oath"
"A Singing Pearl?"
"Have you heard of one?"
"No, none"
"Life and death and love and birth and"
"Life and death and love and birth and"
"Peace and war on the planet Earth
Is there anything that's worth more?"
"Is there anything that's worth more?"
"Is there anything that's worth more
Than peace and love on the planet Earth...
Done!
_____________
"What, really?"
"Yeah. Your song works, it didn't help to remember but it helped me focus, your voice is very relaxing.
"Uh...thanks...I guess" Lapis says trying to hide her blush.
"Anyway, I just have to put it in my hand and..."
she just puts his hand on the prosthetic machine. Active, a trail of light comes out of the entrance that consumes the rudimentary part of the cables connected, it dissolves in the trail until it reaches the electronic tablet, reducing its size while replacing each metal fragment with liquid by means of light.
"Okay, now I just wave my hand and..."
Peridot, moving her hand from inside the prosthesis, forms a v with her hands so that the robotic fingers of her prosthesis begin to form a square, once the square is ready, a screen of light comes out... from which ...
"Okay, I've combined the interface of the human operating system with the gem operating system... should I name it..."
"Sure"
"What nonsense you say, Lapis Lazuli..., it is nothing more than an inorganic object... named... eh..."
"Yes, it deserves its name."
"How about... Percy?"
"Where did that name come from?" asks lapis, with great anxiety "how did you get that idea?"
"It was the first thing that came to mind, I saw a couple of paper texts, images inside the table, there I saw the name and I thought it would be a good name."
"Good name? It's perfect!"
"Oh come on, I know I can hand you some fancy production code, I just need..." Peridot accidentally gave a big yawn, "a reference..."
"Peridot?"
"Okay...I still have the strength to...zzzzzz...."
Peridot, who had had a very long night with herself and her friend, had fallen asleep standing in the middle of the living room... Lapis gently leads her to the bedroom, grabbing her like a puppy, and lays her down on the bed.
"See you tomorrow, Peridot..."
Lapis leaves the bedroom, and whispers to herself.
"I... I'm sorry for hurting you... you don't remember, but I wasn't with you that day... I promise, I'll help you as much as I can. I want to know more about you... what did you do there outside... I don't know if you want to stay once you remember... everything But, I want to see you happy, Maybe things won't be like when we arrived on earth, everything has become more... complicated... but , please, let me help you with this, we are friends, after all... I hope you see, I hope you also see... that I ever wanted to be something more, more than friendship... But maybe it's still too soon... Maybe it's just my imagination, but that's not why I'll leave you behind again. I won't waste this second chance... I'll be there with you.
Welcome back... Peridot."