Pearl watched silently as Steven walked into the store. He had made a 'friend', as humans called it. The first friend he ever had. Pearl wasn't ignorant to the term, companionship was a concept even gems knew. It just wasn't done so publicly back in Homeworld, especially by such a high standing gem, like a Diamond.
But Steven wasn't Blue Diamond, he was Steven Diamond. With his own desires, wants, needs, and feelings. And after so many years of isolation, he finally found companionship, so she would observe them for herself.
It had been over half a decade since Steven came to the world, and since then, Pearl did everything she could to make sure his human development went as smoothly as possible. Unfortunately, adaptation had to be implemented. Pearls were made to follow orders given to them by their superiors. By contrast, Human children, from what she read, , had to be given orders by and listen to the adults, which she was by human standards several times over by age alone, thus putting her in a position of authority… a concept far beyond what a Pearl was capable of.
Luckily, Greg was able to take charge in that area, being a parent who was able to calmly explain what one should do… unless it was a parent infringing on the right of child freedom… discipline would be quite difficult. The hardest part was the move to America, something that Steven himself seemed deeply troubled about. It was the first time she saw her Steven actually get… angry. It was both stunning and very… nostalgic, for lack of a better word. It got a little more terrifying when he started shooting lightning bolts, but less misery than Pearl usually felt. Compared to Blue Diamond's sadness, it was almost… pleasant by comparison.
There was just one avenue that Pearl felt comfortable instructing the little Diamond in, and that seemed to be their shared pastime of drawing. The boy often drew pictures of the various visions that scared him..and Pearl, not being able to stand seeing the boy in such a frazzled state, began guiding his hand across the paper of his choosing. She often made small scribbles here and there when she was writing a record, but that was it. Here it felt… closer, more passionate in a way…
Pearl shook her head. It was not her place to think too deeply about these lingering feelings. She didn't need affection returned, her purpose was to serve.
And Steven Diamond Universe was the being she had the honor of serving. "Wow… all library like this?" He questioned.
"No. Usually they're bigger." Pearl shook her head. "This is merely a store used to contain a much smaller and personalized selection of books for personal sales instead of containing a historical catalog of information funded by the town." A quaint way to obtain financial gain.
The human girl, whose name was Libby Stein-Torres (a rather mouthful name for a mere human), lightly bowed her head as they entered the domicile. "Hello Steven, I'm glad you could come." She looked up to Pearl. "And I presume you are his parent and/or guardian watching over him this afternoon?"
Pretty respectful, Pearl would give the girl that. "Yes. This is Pearl. She friend of Mom."
"Greetings, Libby Stein-Torres." She lightly lowered her head. She wasn't one to bow to organics, but this one was special to Steven. A surprisingly Pink habit to obtain an organic to play with. Although humans had a rather… barbaric habit of taking 'play time' too far. "I thank you for being my Steven's acquaintance."
"Oh, it was my pleasure really. Steven and I are ignored by everyone else in the school and we just happened to notice each other-that probably sounds bad when I say it out loud, doesn't it?" The girl slapped her forehead.
"On the contrary. I can appreciate a thoroughly honest answer." Pearl reassured the little girl. "It is my function to know everything that goes on in my Steven's life, including enemies I must destroy for the sake of his honor."
Libby Stein-Torres stared silently at her. "She inherit unique culture." Steven chuckled somewhat nervously, rubbing his arms. "She spends time alone when not with me."
"You must be Steven!" Spoke a female human adult from the front desk. "My little Libby's been talking a lot about you. Oooh, her first friend, I'm so excited!"
"Moooom." Libby Stein-Torres hid within her sweater. Huh, commonality. Now Pearl was starting to see the desire for companionship.
"Oh come on, my little turtle dove, this is a big moment in a mother's life, you can't deprive me of the years of public affection I've missed out on." The taller human, who Pearl assumed was the guardian of Libby Stein Torres, lightly laughed as she affectionately held the smaller human girl. "Oh, pardon my manners, Shalom, I'm Leah Stein, I'm Libby's mother." She held out her hand to Pearl.
It took a minute for Pearl to register this was the human custom greeting ritual known as the 'handshake'. She was much more comfortable with bowing. "I am Pearl. A pleasure to acquaint myself with you, Leah Stein." She shook the hand with one up and down motion. Adapting to human culture or not, Pearl wasn't what you would call… an energetic gem.
"Oh please, no need to be overly formal, you're my guest in this home, just call me Leah." The woman chuckled.
"...By that logic, should you call me P?" She tilted her head in confusion at the custom.
"Ha, you get it! Oh, we are going to get along swimmingly." Apparently Pearl's answer was both amusing and acceptable. She wondered why Greg thought she needed to work on her 'socializing'. This didn't seem too complicated to understand. "No need to stand here like a couple of doorknobs, make yourselves comfortable, grab any book that seems interesting, oh my, I should get the refreshments! P, do you prefer coffee or tea?"
Refreshments meant consumption, an act she was rather… flummoxed by."Oh, neither is necessary, Leah." They refused politely. "I…" Steven wanted to hide his heritage. "Do not get thirsty easily."
"Well, with that figure, I can believe it. Wish I could get my hips that tiny." Either Pearl was better at conversation than she thought, or this human just didn't get easily offended. "What about you, Steven? I have juice in the back."
The boy stood still for a moment, before ever so slightly moving his head out of the cloak's coverage. "Tea actually… if don't mind… I find tea… relaxing."
"Huh, didn't think kids liked relaxing so much these days." The woman mused. "Where did the energy of youth go?" She walked to the back of the store. "It'll be ready in three! P, you watch over the kids!"
Pearl gave a slight nod, before turning her gaze to Steven and Libby Stein-Torres. "Sorry about that, my mom can be a bit... overwhelming at times." Libby Stein-Torres chuckled nervously for some reason. "First time I ever invite someone over… could also be my last-not that I want it to be my last-oh, fiddlesticks, I'm talking too much." They shrank further into her sweater.
"It fine. Me and Pearl often too quiet." Steven assured her with a small smile. "First time being invited to place." He looked around. "You live in library?"
"Yes-well, kind of, pretty much." The girl's eyes rose from her sweater. "My house is connected to the duplex in the back. This book store used to belong to my granparents." Libby began leading them through the shelves of the moderately impressive collection of books. "My mom inherited it, and I hope to inherit it when I'm an adult. It's step 4 of my 10 step plan to become a successful author."
"You author?" Steven's eyes lit up with starry curiosity.
"Ah, it's nothing much. Just some scribbled half thought out ideas at the moment. Nothing serious." Their face became red. "No good writing till step 8."
"Probably better than me art." Steven blushed a little blue on face. "All draw are scribbles of… things…" He tilted his head down. "My head…very confused… very… frazzled."
"I understand that feeling. I once had my lunch stolen by a skunk, and for two weeks I could do nothing but write about the experience." The girl recalled. "When I'm feeling really bad, I just stare at my pet turtles."
"You have pet turtles?" Steven asked.
"Yes." She smiled, grabbing the boy's sleeve and pulling him forward, with Pearl not too far behind. "They're very gentle, and easy to take care of, but don't let them out of your sight. They may be slow, but they'll get away from you at a moment's notice." The girl shivered as she brought them to a tank with four turtles. "Steven, meet Shoshana, Santiago, Simon, and Shelly." She presented the four creatures. "Simon is the bold one, you can tell he has that daredevil spirit in his eyes."
It looked like a normal turtle. "Heh, he seem brave." Steven grinned fondly in spite of the mundane sight. "You really like turtles."
"Could you imagine it?" Libby Stein-Torres questioned. "Just having a safe, sturdy, and secure little mobile home you can have on you at all times..The things I could say without fear." The girl sighed in content.
"When you put it that way, it almost like Palanquin." Her Diamond smiled.
"You have a Palanquin?" The girl raised her brow in interest.
"Yeah, but can't see anything. Big fuzzy blue curtain makes outlines." Her diamond explained. "It used to be mom's, now it's home on the go."
"Wow… almost like a giant turtle shell you can travel in." Libby Stein-Torres smiled with a tiny enthusiasm. "That's where you lived in Korea?"
"Still live in. Dad moved to countryside of Seoul before moving to America." Steven explained.
"How did you fit it on a plane?" The girl asked.
"We ah… use alternative means." Steven rubbed the back of his head, omitting the use of the warp pad.
"I see. You spent a lot of time traveling overseas." Libby Stein-Torres concluded.
"...Yes… exactly." Pearl answered so that Steven wouldn't have to sell the lie. "We usually travel light. I occasionally take Steven out on educational travel trips." Which wasn't a lie. Traveling, from the books she read, was one of the most effective ways to teach.
"Pearl is best teacher." Steven nodded with a smile aimed at Pearl that filled the gem with warmth. "She teach Math, History, Korean, and a bit of French.""
"Wow, you must learn so much." The girl smiled. "Can I join in the next lesson?"
"Aahh… that's up to Pearl." Steven nodded, sending her a begging look she couldn't deny.
Pearl's natural instinct was to say no. Her Diamond required focus, and it was the only time she got to spend alone with him without interference from other people. More people involved meant that would lessen…
...But seeing her Steven smile like this without fear of isolation… how could she refuse? "If that is what my Dia-I mean, Steven desires, I see no reason why Libby Stein-Torres can't join us on our next lesson."
"Yes! Thank you thank you thank you thank you!!" Libby Stein-Torres cheered as she hugged her Steven in an overwhelmingly tight hold.
"Uh… mUuh…" Her diamond was blushing bluer-
Poof
…A tiny… blue cloud appeared over her Steven's head. That… was new. "Aaahh…" Libby Stein Torres stared at it in confusion.
"... I think there leak." Steven replied. "...AC making things misty."
That was a horrible lie. Pearl needed to come up with something more clever and believable. "I'll let mom know we need a repair man." …Or the human was a simpleminded fool, like most of her kind. "Oh, let me show you one of my favorite book series. Full of drama, mystery, and an author that never wants to give away the full story!"
"...Does it have a happy ending with hugs?" He asked cautiously.
"Who's to say…?" The girl spoke in a voice that sounded like it meant to be scary.
"...Ooookay… we can… give it a try-" He turned to the right- "AAAHH!!" He cried out, small bits of frost coming out of his feet as tears entered Pearl's eyes.
"What's going on!?" Leah shouted from the kitchen, rushing in to see the commotion.
"Sorry, Steven startles easily." Pearl explained, looking around as she held Steven close …seeing nothing… another vision. "I apologize, we'll make our leave now-"
"No!" Libby Stein Torres cried out, before she shrank back. "Sorry… I didn't mean to yell… I… I just… I like… the company… I'm… I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, Steven."
"No..no, no, don't sorry... me sorry…" Steven refuted, leaving Pearl's grasp. "My head… weird… I… see things... I... get scared… I... I try not make you uncomfortable… I like… hearing turtles."
"Oooh, they make the cutest noises. You just gotta sit and listen." She pulled him close. "It's really relaxing to just sit and listen."
"...It is…"
Pearl watched them interact, feeling herself make a small smile at the interaction. "Ahh, the two finally found friends." Leah chuckled, driving an elbow into Pearl's arm, before wincing. "Gah. For a string bean, you sure feel like a brick wall."
"It's more like a gem." She corrected.
"Hahahah, boy, you must've been quite the riot back home." Leah laughed out loud again.
"I was actually considered the quiet Pearl." Pearl recalled her time on Homeworld. If she wasn't following Blue Diamond, she was listening to Yellow's Pearl bragging about how great Yellow Diamond was. "What about you? Were you a rebel of sorts?"
"You could say that." Leah teased. "It comes with being Jewish, but it's nothing compared to my ex husband, the man could not obey a single rule for the life of him." The woman rolled her eyes. "He's always trying to 'find himself' and 'follow his dreams', but completely ignores the dream come true in front of him." She pointed to the kids, Libby Stein-Torres having placed one of the turtles on Steven's head, the boy himself smiling, if trying to be careful. "You know what that's like?"
"...I understand what it's like having complicated feelings for the father of a child." She liked how Greg Universe made Blue happy, and how he made Steven happy, but she also… had unbridled jealousy of it. "Its not easy."
"Amen to that, P." Leah smirked, wrapping one arm around her shoulders. "It's up to us to make sure these little angels have the best life possible."
" …I suppose it is." It was tough to tell if humans were smarter or simpler than she assumed.
========================================================================
Now one might be wondering a very simple thing. Greg, why the hell were you on tour after forcing your son to move to a new country while simultaneously going to school for the first time, instead of being there in person to support him? And why did you come back to America when the majority of your success came from another country?
Well, the answers to both questions were very complicated, yet very simple. And it had to do with something he had told Pearl a LONG time again that he wasn't sure if he regretted confiding her in.
Greg and Pearl had a… well, you could kinda call it a friendship. Neither of them were hostile toward each other, even though Greg had long felt like the skinny woman would have preferred if he had NOT met Blue. But they both cared for Steven, so any grievances either side had was put to the side.
They had gotten to know each other quite a bit… Well, Pearl got to know all about him, the girl herself had been rather tight-lipped on her past, preferring to talk about Blue. And Greg himself would often recount the story of his early days on the road, although he never told Blue about the tall pink woman that inspired him to keep moving…
But, one night while accidently getting sloshed on Sake, Greg told that story to Pearl… who demanded him to describe the woman in vivid detail the very next day. Apparently that pink woman was a wanted war criminal for being responsible for what happened to Pink… the one person Greg knew Blue would always love more than anyone (barring Steven).
The woman who had inspired Greg to continue to follow his dreams… was also the woman who Blue hated the most in the entire universe. he woman that caused Blue to be so sad and withdrawn when he met her.
Greg wasn't someone who liked to pick on past grudges, or assume anything on what happened in events he wasn't even born yet… but this was something personal to Blue, and to Pearl, and if he wasn't mistaken… it was something that affected his son too.
If the woman, Rose Quartz, shattered Pink Diamond... who's to say she wouldn't shatter Blue Diamond… aka, his son? Greg wasn't a paranoid man, but he was a careful one.
So… that was why he was on the road. It has been a while since he ran into the woman, but if she was a gem, it was likely she was still around. Pearl had taken the 'keep you enemies closer' saying to heart, and elected HIM to be bait to draw the woman out.
Of course, there wasn't really a good way to predict where she was… so he slowly made his way through city after city, right back to where he first met her… Beach City. The salty ocean, the relaxing sound of seagulls, the smell of fried goods wafting through the air… man, it took him back.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't Greg Universe himself." A familiar voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Mr. Smiley, the man who always keeps the vibes strong." He chuckled, turning to him and shaking his hand. "Thanks for setting up this stage."
"No prob man. Hard to believe you'd come back here after achieving international fame." The man remarked.
"Apparently it's easy to make music in Korea." He shrugged. "People there will eat anything up."
"Is that an admission of lacking talent I'm hearing?" Another familiar voice joked. "Hey, Greg." Validia waved.
"Validia! Is that really you?" Greg chuckled. "I almost didn't recognize you with…" he looked her over. "With..."
"With the mom bod?" The woman raised an eyebrow, before smirking. "Yeah, I rock it. And speaking of mom bods…" She grabbed him by the collar. "Where the fuck is your manager?" The woman asked with a rage Greg had only seen in the eyes of women scorned.
"I wouldn't know. I ditched him when I went indie." Greg chuckled a little nervously. "Plus, it was either him or my wife, so I chose my wife."
"Wife? For real?" Validia let him go and started looking around. "Where's the misses? I gotta see 'em in person to believe it."
"I'm afraid you'll never get the chance." Greg looked away, staring at the ocean waves… coming and going…
"Oh… sorry." She winced. "You doing good, man?"
"I am. I got to spend six good years with her… and our son. I wouldn't give up for the world." He smiled.
"Okay, you can at least show me the kid." They chuckled. "Where is the little guy?"
"Not here. I don't take him on tours during the school year." Greg explained as he took out his phone. "But I do have plenty of photos." The wonder of the internet age.
"Aww, he looks adorable…" She cooed, then frowned. "And a bit sad."
"He has… visions." Greg sighed. "The psychiatrist thinks it's a stress thing, we're hoping making friends can help calm him down."
"Ah, I get it." She nodded. "It took a while for Sour Cream to open up. The psychiatrist actually thought he was too cool under pressure, never cried or anything like that as a baby."
"Huh, exact opposite problem." Greg mused. "How did you deal with that?"
"By letting him have some open space." Validia crossed her arms proudly. "See where the road takes him, open up some. Helps that Yellowtail isn't too pushy either."
"Yellowtail?" Greg asked.
"Husband." She pointed to a boat. "How's it going, Yellowtail!?"
"Maaawwapapwaaaa!" The man waved, spouting something Greg couldn't understand. "Mamawawawwaaaaw!"
"Aww, you old softie, I love you too!" Vadalia blushed.
"You... understood that?" Greg asked.
"Yeah, you didn't?" She looked at him weirdly.
He was about to answer… "Greg?" And there was the familiar voice from all these years ago. "Greg Universe?"
A part of him was hoping this wouldn't be who he thought it was. Turning his head… it was exactly who he thought it was, and… as loathe as he was to admit it … she was as beautiful as the last time she saw him. Towering over him at 8 feet, long luscious curls of pink hair… this was the woman that had Pearl freaked out. "Oh… Rose, right?" He asked with faux forgetfulness. "I haven't seen you in… forever."
"It's been a while." She agreed with a chuckle. "So, how was the tour? You see any interesting sights when traveling the world?"
"Yeah, I've been around quite a few times." He chuckled, backing away a little. "Getting inspiration for my music. It's been very helpful for my little career."
"I see, last time you were here, you only had one member in the audience." Rose chuckled fondly. "I still have the shirt you gave me."
"Oh those old things. It took a while for those to ever get a sale. I ended up using most of the merch as a bath towel, when I wasn't using them as a blanket… and pillow...and table-man, living in a van was a lot harder than I remember." Greg blinked. "Maybe I took money for granted."
"Oh, so you're not living in a van anymore?" She asked with a smirk. "No plans on driving into anyone's heart?"
"Oh, I did that eventually." Greg confirmed. "Found the love of my life on the road."
"…Oh, you did?" The woman blinked.
"We got married, had a kid and everything." He nodded. "He started up public school recently."
"A kid… wow, that, that sounds nice. Lovely even." Rose looked happy but… there was a small tinge of sadness in her voice for some reason. "What's it like? Creating life, a little version of yourself?"
"It's… nice. Watching them slowly grow up, learn their place in the world. Explore everything… and become their own person." Greg smiled proudly."I can't wait to see what Steven will be one day."
"Steven…That's a lovely name. Steven Universe.' Rose spread out her arms, like she was envisioning that name on a matinee. "I would be honored to meet him."
"Out of town, still traveling." He chuckled nervously. "Needs some stability, you know?"
"…Stability?" She gave a half disbelieving, half joking look at that statement. "From the man who sings around the country because he wanted freedom?"
"Steven's a bit different. Plus, he wouldn't be able to make many friends if he was traveling with me all the time." Greg explained. "He's a bit on the shy side. Not everyone is made the same way, you know?"
"Right, I know. Every person is unique… every flower a different color… every fur a different shade …" Rose stared off into the starry night. "That's what makes this planet beautiful."
Maybe if things were different..maybe if the circumstances were different… maybe he would take the chance… but if he was honest with himself, Greg was always a one woman man. Blue had taken his heart and soul, and he wasn't ready to just let that go. "So, I'll see you in the audience tonight?" He asked, already reaching for his guitar.
She briefly looked taken off guard by his question. "Oh, of course. Love to hear you sing." Rose smiled. "And come by the cave if you feel like chatting, you know, like old colleagues."
That sounded like an invitation to do... more than just talk. "Sounds great, but it won't be for long, I have to start getting ready for the next show. It's not far from here, but best not be left unprepared." He walked away. "Nice talkin' to ya!" Greg waved as he made his way to the stage. Okay, she was here, good. No visits to Brighton… everything would be fine, right?
========================================================================
Steven felt himself cry inside. "There was so much blood at that crime scene… why was there so much blood…?"
"Ooookay, we're just gonna scratch 'gore' off your list of things you can tolerate." Libby said politely, drawing a straight line on a notebook. So far, Libby had been the best, and frankly only, good thing about living in America. Somehow, in spite of himself, he managed to make a friend, one that actually helped him speak English better.
But that didn't mean there weren't a few differences between them, one of which happened to be her fascination with… scary stuff. "How do you stay so… brave?" He asked. "This book will give me nightmares."
"Delectable nightmares forever. I should invest in more red dye and ketchup." the blob said as it ate a rotting corndog. Steven did his best to ignore it… but that was always hard to do. Luckily, the blue snot was the ONLY monster he's seen around Brighton… that and a bunch of birds, but they didn't seem to hurt him.
"Brave?" Libby blinked. "I'm not brave. I'm actually probably more of a coward in comparison to you."
"You? A coward?" He tilted his head. "But you read scary stories all the time. You even write about them." Steven recalled. "I barely got through my first Halloween…" No one explained to him that everyone was in a costume.
"Being fascinated by a subject doesn't necessarily mean I'm not afraid of it. Sure, do I imagine myself as the lone survivor of a zombie apocalypse? Of course I do, it's one of my favorite settings for a story." Libby smiled with a hint of pride in her eye. "But if a real zombie were to make themselves known to my face right now, I would most likely pass out and be the first one to be eaten."
"I... I wouldn't let it…" Steven assured her. "You're too nice… to get hurt… so... I would have… Pearl defeat it." Her body wasn't made out of flesh, so Steven was 90 percent sure Pearl would live.
"That's sweet of you to say, Steven." Libby patted his head, causing Steven to feel heat rise to his face. "But there won't be any need for anyone to sacrifice themselves. Follow me." Libby held his hand, making Steven's blush go nuclear. Libby wasn't a touchy feely person, but when she engaged in physical contact with him… Steven's blood pressure went up at least two spikes.
"You think she's gonna bring you to a weapons vault?" The monster asked. "Show you how truly dark and dangerous she is with things hidden in the basement." Just ignore him, Steven. The monster wasn't real. And it wasn't like they were going to… a vault… a giant steel door stood in front of them. "...Oh wow, it IS a weapons vault."
"...Ah… Libby?" Steven asked, wondering if he completely misjudged the girl's soft spoken demeanor. "What... what is this?"
"My apocalypse bunker." Libby smiled. "It's got enough batteries, books, and canned foods to last ten years for one person. Five for two." She opened the door and pulled him inside.
"Wow…" Steven blinked as he looked around. "How did you set this all up?"
"Mostly canned food drives. There was a year or two the bookstore was struggling quite a bit, so mom and I stocked up on all the food we could get our hands on. I guess I just never fell out of the habit." Libby smiled. "Although I am not beyond resorting to eating the local game. I've studied up on the art of raccoon hunting." She whispered.
"...Well, no wonder she's your friend, she's as crazy as you are miserable."
"This is… impressive, and cool." He looked at the bunker. "How do you keep the zombies out?"
"Steel's too thick. The only way in is with the key, and the ten digit password." She smiled proudly. "And if they break through, I have fake brains to trick them with." She presented a brain in a green jaw. "I molded leftover cow livers together and blended it with gelatin."
"Not that it doesn't sound tasty, but that's also the most insane thing I've ever heard."
"This brain…" Steven held the jar. "...This is a work of art! The detail, the consistency!" He observed it. "It's a thing of beauty. I didn't know you were this talented!"
"Shucks, I wouldn't say talented." Libby blushed. "But I dabble in crafts every so often. I'd say your art's more impressive, even your doodles look incredible."
Now he was blushing. "It's not that good… heheheh…"
"Anyway, I… made a spare key." Libby pulled one out of her sweater collar. "It was going to be for my mom, but… you can have it." She placed it in his hands. "For when you need to get away from it all."
"You… trust me that much?" Steven gasped as he held the small, but meaningful item.
"Of course I do. After all, neither of us are prone to spilling secrets to anyone outside of this room." Libby smiled as she sat on the cot. "And, well… you're the first person I can tell about this place without fear of laughter or mocking. t's... rare to find someone these days you can open up to. nd for me, that's you, Steven."
He felt… very very happy at that moment… she trusted him with something so close to her and… and… "Libby… there's something that-"
"RRRAAAA!!!!" One of the Zombie skulls came to life.
"AAAAHHH!!!" He leapt back, shivering as… the monster laughed from behind the mask.
"Hahahahahahababa, oh man, that never gets old. And for a second, I thought I was going to lose my scare for the day." The monster kept mocking him as the mask kept moving. "Doesn't matter how much she likes you, Bluey, you're stuck with me, which means turtle girl is stuck with me too as long as you hang out with her!"
…Libby was in danger… it didn't matter if the monster was real or not, just being close to him would put her in danger- "ZOMBIE!" Libby took out a spiked bat and began beating the skull to pieces… while the real monster was unharmed by the sudden attack, but was equally surprised.
"...I…" He tilted his head in confusion. "Weren't you… passed out?" He asked.
"Huh?" She blinked, looking at the crushed skull. "...Oh yeah." And the girl fell to the ground.
"Do I count that as a win? She didn't actually get scared."
"She... she didn't get scared…" Or at least, didn't get the scared reaction he thought she would have… it looked like his first assumption was right… Libby… Libby was brave... probably the bravest person he knew… After Pearl, of course. Pearl wasn't afraid of anything.
========================================================================
Scratch took a bite out of a cheese pretzel. So, so good for the soul. Now, while Scratch may have loved being around that blue boy and scaring him for an easy win, scaring could never compete with his two true loves… eating and napping, in that order.
So, he still hung around his main crib, keeping it too haunted for any unwanted buyers to purchase. The perfect ghost house with a nice spider web hammock. He wasn't sure why he liked this house in particular. It just… made him feel complete.
Should he be more worried about getting that scare in? Maybe, but the boy had nerves of tinsel and paper. Scratch sometimes didn't even have to scare him to meet his quota. Even if that weird turtle sweater girl made things a little weird…
Scratch mused for a moment. The turtle girl herself wasn't someone to worry about, heck, before Bluey, she was probably his easiest scare. Nervous, back hairs standing on the end, the kind of person the word 'boo' was made for. A complete scaredy cat.
…But whenever Bluey and her were together… they were less so. They were NOWHERE close to being brave… but there was some level of confidence that came out whenever the two were together.
Maybe he should play some mind games… now how to do such a thing… "Ruin what they love. Scratch, you're a genius." He patted himself on the back, floating up. The girl's family sold books, right? Just draw some scribbles and blame it on Bluey. Badabing, badaboom, instant tension! Friendship ruined and ripe for the scare!
Feeling refreshingly motivated for a non-food occasion, Scratch rushed himself toward the bookstore, where his misery meal ticket and the turtle girl were sitting at a table, with several books in the middle and several papers scattered about with a bunch of markers, crayons, and paint… all perfect book ruiners. "So, he's a dog… that's also a helicopter?" Bluey asked.
"Yeah. And he's loaded with all sorts of gizmos and gadgets inside his body." Sweater nodded. "Acts like a regular dog, yet saves the day in bizarre ways."
"Mmm… how would you say it compares to Crying Breakfast Friends?" Bluey asked.
"...Who watches a show about crying food?"
"It's an art!" the boy insisted. "It proves emotions can come from even the most unlikely of sources... it's like me, but… smaller… and probably tastier." Bluey muttered. "And it can't be any weirder than the series about the orphans being a part of a secret organization."
"Which one? 39 Clues or A Series of Unfortunate Events?" The turtle girl asked.
"39 clues, I still haven't been able to finish the bad beginning. Is the author trying to make a comedy, or a tragedy?"
"Some would say comedy and tragedy are two sides of the same coin."
Oookay, they were getting philosophical. Avoid Bluey's eyes and… drawing here… drawing there… little of this… 'crying breakfast' there… that tall thin lady here… and done! Now, to let the misery flow while Scratch rewards himself with a snack. Maybe burritos, the Mexican kind seemed nice. "Hey!" Bluey called out as Scratch was about to leave. "I saw that!"
Right… forgot about that. "So what if you did, kid? No one else does, and no one's going to blame me, it's just you." He mocked, poking the brat's nose. "So don't try to act brave now, we both know that's not how you work."
"Grrrr." The boy growled.
"Oooh, anger, that's a new one. Watcha going to do no-" the boy reached out for his nose… and actually grabbed it. "What the-" and the boy threw Scratch into the ground. "Hey hey now, weren't you the one who said I wasn't real? This isn't gonna do anything." Things were moving way too fast.
"You get hurt as long as I want you to get hurt." The boy growled as he approached him. "It's my brain, and what I choose matters!"
"Steven?" Sweater spoke up. "Who are you talking to?"
"…The wind?" Bluey asked.
"…Well if the wind offends you, at least you can talk back to it, unlike Andrea." The girl chuckled.
…So Bluey WAS becoming more bold because of this girl… but… Bluey also thought he was still a hallucination… he could work with this… drive this boy crazy!"You know she's only placating you. Deep down, she thinks you're a weirdo that she needs to keep at a distance!"
"…No… that's not it." Bluey groaned. "It's not the wind."
"Ahh… okay?" Sweater looked confused.
"You trusted me with the bunker, and I wanna trust you… it's…" He sighed. "My brain's broken."
"...Do… do you have a concussion?" The girl asked concerned. "My medical expertise is limited, but I can do the bare minimum-"
"No, it's not a concussion… my brain's been broken for a long time."" He revealed. "I… I see things that aren't there. Monsters. Ever since I was a kid." He explained. "My therapist thinks it's partly to do with being isolated growing up-"
"You should really go back to that Bluey, being alone is the best thing for you AND her."
"Shut up!" Steven screamed, starling the sweater girl. "...They… they don't go away." He sighed, leaning against the bookshelf. "Therapist said I should go to public school… and now I only see one monster, but it's still the same… monsters that never go away…" He cried, as that familiar blue wave of-wow, too close to the blast zone, time to fly away!
Well, that wasn't exactly what he was looking for, but he got his scare in! The boy was crying, which meant the whole town would be crying-the blue was shrinking down….why was the blue shrinking!? It shouldn't be shrinking!
He went back inside, and saw sweater girl… gah, hugging him! "...How are you alright with this?" Bluey asked a legitimate question. "I'm making you cry."
"Eh, no more miserable than I usually am." …That explained a lot, in all honesty. "I won't press for details why this is happening..but… I'm glad I know about it now… the last thing I want is for you to suffer alone." She cried as she hugged him tighter.
"But… but… wouldn't… wouldn't it be easier to… not be with me?"
"...Life would be harder if you weren't in it." The girl sighed as she wiped her eyes. "Andrea made me a pariah at school…You're the only person who wants to be my friend Steven." She smiled weakly. "I know that can't mean much-"
"It means a lot…" He confessed. "I… I also have another secret… lesser known." He muttered. "It might freak you out."
"Steven. I prepare for the zombie apocalypse. I doubt it can get weirder." She chuckled.
Great, friendship, blegh. Now he had to wait and see what kind of secret Scratch could make worse…
Bluey nodded, standing up and taking off his cloak. "Are you showing me the back of your head? Because I don't think-" And he began taking off his shirt, causing the girl to have her whole face turn red.
"Whoa, whoa, hey! Keep it G rated, you're like, 7 or something, I don't want to imagine anything underneath your clothes!" Scratch shouted as he covered his eyes.
"Libby, look at my chest."
"St-st-steven." The girl gasped, looking away. "I-I know we talk a lot and we're-we're close friends-not THAT close-but I youthisismovingveryfast-"
"Just look, please." The boy said with a strange firmness. "It… explains everything."
"Steven, I really like you but-buy we're not that-" The girl took a look… and removed her hands from her face. "...Is… is that a diamond in your chest?"
"A what now?" Scratch uncovered his own eyes as he looked… and saw a blue rock… embedded in the boy's chest.
"My mom… was an alien."...what the hell?!?!?!
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Libby's brain halted for a few moments. "...Your mom… was an alien?" She asked slowly. Out of everything she was expecting to be revealed… this was not it.
"A gem." Steven, her best/only friend, went on, clearly nervous. "Pearl's one too. She's… a Pearl."
"...As in... she's a literal pearl? A geodic formation made from the increased pressure and collections of certain sediments and silicates?" Libby asked.
"...I don't know the exact science behind it, but… yeah, she is a rock for the most part." He confirmed. "I know more about the history stuff, Pearl likes to talk about it… she didn't even tell me how I got made." He looked at the rock on his chest. "And dad said I'm not ready to learn where babies come from yet."
"Mom said the same thing." Libby muttered. "...If she's a Pearl… what's-"
"Diamond." He said. "Blue Diamond, to be exact."
"That would explain the detail, even if it's only half shown." Libby leaned in closer, almost bedazzled by the beauty. "Do you mind if I touch it?"
"It's…" He began blushing now. "Sensitive… be gentle."
"Right, right, of course." She felt it… it was cold… smooth… and firm. "And..it's... inside of you? How does your heart function?"
"I dunno … I never went to the doctor before." He shivered. "Pearl didn't want me getting cut open, you know?"
"Yes, I suppose that makes sense… you're an alien…" Libby muttered as she looked at him. "You're… you're… I mean… it makes perfect sense!"
"…Huh?" The boy blinked.
"At first I thought you were infected by some kind of parasite or tick, which would explain the slight blue shine on your chest and why you never take off your shirt around anyone, even at the pool."
He blinked. "Wait, I've been here for only a little over a month, when did you see me at the pool?"
"…Anyways, the second biggest clue would be the blue aura that takes over the town from time to time and brings everyone in it in emotional distress. Both times they've occurred after your anxiety attacks, but I couldn't just assume without gathering more tangible proof, so I held off on the accusations."
"...You knew?" He asked.
"I didn't wanna be rude, you know?"
"…So… you're… not freaked out or scared of me?"
"Quite the contrary, I'm astounded!" Libby screamed a little in glee. "I've always been fascinated by the paranormal, although most of my inclinations were geared towards the undead and ghostly rather than extra-terrestrial." She paused. "Although, given said extraterrestrials are sentient rocks, I'm now going to have to question what constitutes as 'life'…" She tilted her head. "So, is Pearl's entire body made out of minerals?"
"No, just the gem in her chest." Steven explained. "I asked if she needed to eat once, and she said as long as her gem got enough sunlight, it could… ah… convert… it into a body." Steven looked upwards.
"So her body is a solidified hologram?" Libby asked.
"Holo whatzit?"
"Right, you haven't gotten too deep into the sci-fi genre yet." Libby recalled. "Is she made from light you can touch?"
"Oh, yeah, that sounds about right."
"Then that would be a solid hologram…" Given that human brains managed to surpass the most advanced computers, it wasn't improbable that alien biology could perform similar miracles of tech far beyond modern tech levels…
"Steven, are you finished with…" Pearl walked in, staring at the two of them… and the shirtless Steven. "..." The woman reached into her chest, and pulled out a rapier. "My Steven, please place your clothes back on and step outside while I deal with Libby Stein-Torres."
"Meep." She was going to die!
"Wait, no, I showed her my gem on purpose! I didn't want to keep it a secret from her anymore!"
"...I don't understand." The woman lowered her sword just a little. "You never want people to know about your gem heritage."
"...She was my first friend… she trusted a lot to me…" He twiddled his fingers together. "...She deserved to know."
"I swear I will never tell anyone, not even my mom!" Libby swore sincerely. "I promise I won't do anything to put Steven in danger."
"...And you trust Libby Stein-Torres with your life?" Pearl asked.
"Yes... absolutely." Steven said resolutely.
"...Thank you for being my Diamond's companion." Steven's nanny bowed. "However, attempt to use this information against him in any way, and I will shatter your heart into microscopic pieces."
"Pearl!" Steven chastised her as Libby felt about two years of life drain from her body. "We don't threaten people with death, especially not friends!"
"It wasn't a threat, it was just a fact being stated."
"...she's not joking, is she?" Libby muttered.
"She once almost killed a man for not giving a grocery clerk exact change." He muttered. "Let's be thankful she's better these days." …Well, still better than most things in her life… and her friend was even cooler than she ever imagined.