"Do you need help?" I asked as I sat down next to Peridot, not wanting to intrude too much.
Peridot looked at me, surprised that I'd suddenly appeared. "Um... well... yes... I'm still not entirely clear on some details."
"That's okay," I said, shifting my weight slightly. "Look, I don't know much about making everything perfect, but since the last time I fused with Pearl... I've learned a few things about how the mechanisms connect and how to sense if something's out of place."
Peridot raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"Yes," I replied with a sigh. "It's not like I'm an expert or anything... but I can give you ideas, suggest small things. Things like how to arrange the compartments so they don't get in each other's way, or check that the main gears have room to move."
Peridot nodded slowly, refocusing on the structure. "Hmm... that might work... maybe if the panels are aligned like that, I can connect the power system without it interfering with the internal controls."
"Exactly," I said, pointing carefully. "And... if you want, I can try a couple of things with you, just to see how everything reacts. Not to tell you what to do, just to help you see how it moves."
Peridot took a deep breath, calmer. "Okay... so you'll just be there as support, right?"
"Yes," I murmured. "I don't want to do everything myself... just keep you company. If anything feels off, tell me, and we'll figure it out together."
She nodded and refocused. I stayed close, checking details here and there, offering small suggestions when Peridot hesitated, but letting her take the lead. Lapis was watching from the ceiling, but this time he remained silent, letting us work.
"I think we're done for today," Peridot said as she looked around, assessing how the ship was almost complete.
"Do you want to talk for a bit?" I asked gently after a few seconds.
Peridot hesitated, but finally nodded. "I guess... yes."
I carefully took her arm and led her toward the nearby lake. The water reflected the last rays of the sun, creating a play of orange and purple light on the calm surface. We sat on the edge, letting our feet touch the cool water.
"Peridot..." I began, watching her hands play with the ripples we made. "I know all of this might be... strange. This planet, the way everything works, even me... I know I didn't teach you as much as I should have about Earth."
She looked down, but she was listening.
"If you ever feel uncomfortable... about how you look, about all of this... even about the fusion... I just want you to know you can talk to me. I'm close, always. Don't hesitate to ask for my help." I sighed for a moment before continuing.
"This planet is... complicated, and I know it's still hard to feel safe here. But the important thing is that you know you're not alone. The Cluster is key, Peridot. Before the planet reaches its limit, we need to make sure everything goes right. And you're a vital part of that."
She nodded slowly, a shy glimmer in her eyes. "I understand... Thank you, Steven. I'll try."
"That's all I need," I said, giving her a small smile. "Just trust yourself. Trust what we've built here, and trust that we're doing the right thing. You don't have to carry this alone."
Peridot let out a small sigh, letting her shoulders relax for the first time in hours. She felt calmer, more secure, and I knew this moment would help her feel more connected to the planet... and to me.
"So, what's this Connie you told me about? Or things about the planet, since I want to write it down in this notebook," Peridot said as she showed a large notebook she took out of her gem, carefully turning the pages.
I looked at her for a few seconds before answering. Not because I didn't know what to say, but because I didn't want to say it wrong. "Connie is my best friend," I finally said, with a small smile. "She's not a Gem, she's human like me. We met a long time ago and... I guess we've helped each other grow ever since. She listens to me, tells me when I'm wrong and also when I do something right. She doesn't try to change me, she's just... there."
Peridot looked up from her notebook and studied me closely, as if trying to analyze every word. She jotted something down slowly before looking back at me.
"She taught me that you don't have to be strong all the time," I continued calmly. "Sometimes you just have to be honest. Connie trains with me, but not because she wants to fight, but because she wants to understand this world, just like you do now."
Peridot nodded slightly. "Human... who chooses to train," she murmured, writing another note.
I took a deep breath and continued. "And about the planet... well, Earth doesn't work like a mother planet. No one is born here with a fixed purpose. You choose what to do with the time you have. Sometimes that's terrifying, but it's also liberating."
We walked a little closer to the lake as I spoke. The water was calm, reflecting the sky that was already beginning to darken.
"My dad," I said after a short silence, "is named Greg. He's not perfect, or strong as a gem, or knowledgeable about advanced technology... but he always did what he could for me. He let me be who I am, even when I didn't understand anything about gems, wars, or diamonds."
Peridot stopped writing for a moment. "Didn't he force you... to follow a certain path?" she asked cautiously.
I shook my head. "No. He was wrong sometimes, sure, but he never told me who I should be. He taught me that it's okay to enjoy simple things. Music, food, sleeping in, making mistakes. I think that's why I'm still human, even with everything else around me."
She looked down at the lake. "That's... strange," she said quietly. "But it doesn't sound... bad."
I smiled a little. "I thought so, too."
She sat down on a nearby rock and opened her notebook again. "And Beach City?" she asked.
"It's a small place," I explained. "Not much happens most of the time. There are shops, houses, the lighthouse... ordinary people going about their lives. They don't know everything about gems, but they don't need to. They just live. When we have time, I could take you there. Not to show you everything, just so you can observe."
Peridot wrote slowly, as if she wanted to remember every word. "Observe... without orders."
"Exactly," I said. "No one here is going to tell you what to be. You can change your mind, make mistakes, learn. Even I'm still learning."
The wind stirred the grass a little. Peridot closed her notebook for a moment. "Steven..." she said hesitantly, "do you think I could... fit in here?"
I looked at her gently. "You don't have to fit in. You just have to exist. The rest will fall into place."
She remained silent, gazing at the reflection of the sky in the water. Then she nodded slowly. "Thank you... for not treating me like a tool."
"Thank you for trusting me," I replied.
We stayed there a few more minutes, without speaking, letting the lake and the silence do their work. There was no rush. The Cluster could wait a little longer. This moment was important too.
"I hope I fit in," Peridot said, her voice a little shaky as she looked at her reflection in the lake. Her hands fidgeted nervously, playing with the edge of her notebook.
"You will," I replied gently, moving a little closer and sitting down next to her. The wind stirred the grass and made the water's reflection shimmer like fragmented mirrors, blending the orange and purple sky with Peridot's green glow.
She sighed deeply, lowering her head. "I don't know... all of this... it's not how I expected," she murmured. "Look at how I look... green, with corrupted parts... I feel... broken. Like I don't belong here. Maybe if someone saw me now they'd think I'm a mistake, a failed experiment. Everything I did on Homeworld seems... pointless."
I stared at her, noticing how her green eyes reflected her insecurities, and a knot formed in my chest. "Peridot... look," I said gently, pointing to the reflection in the water. "That green you see, those... different parts, that corruption... they're all part of you. But they don't define you completely. You're so much more than that."
She let out a deeper sigh, almost a stifled sob. "Sometimes I feel like... if I fuse, if I try hard, if I do something good... maybe I can make up for all of this. But it's not enough... how can I feel normal with this inside me?"
I walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to be normal, Peridot. None of us are. Not me, not Amethyst, not even Garnet. Who you are now... that's okay too. You don't have to hide, or pretend to be someone else. I accept you just as you are."
Her eyes flickered, and a trickle of tears rolled down her cheek. "Really... Steven? You really accept me like this?"
"Yes," I said firmly. "Green, with corrupted parts, clumsy sometimes, scared... that's all you. And I'm glad you're here. Not because you have to be perfect, but because you're you. Every little thing you do... your intelligence, your curiosity, the way you care about others... that matters so much more than any flaw you might see in yourself."
Peridot looked down, biting her lower lip, and let out a small sigh of relief. "I've always thought... that others would see nothing but flaws. That... if it weren't for what I can do, no one would want to be around me. And... I'm always comparing myself to others, to the other Gems... and I feel like I fall short."
I gently took her hand. "You don't have to compare yourself to anyone. Every Gem, every being, is different. You are unique, Peridot. And that's okay. If you stop trying to be perfect, maybe you'll see how amazing you already are."
She closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. "I don't know if... I can stop worrying about how others see me..." she said in a whisper.
"You don't have to do it all at once," I said, smiling. "Step by step. Today you're here, you're trying, and that's enough. You're learning to accept your body, your appearance, your emotions... even that corrupted green part. That's also you. Not a mistake. Not an accident. Just you."
Peridot opened one eye and looked at me, hesitant but listening. "What if... someone else rejects me... if they see who I am... and don't accept me..."
"Then... it doesn't matter," I said firmly. "If you're rejected for something you can't change, that person doesn't deserve your trust or your friendship. But I do. I accept you. Always."
Her eyes filled with tears again, but this time with a different spark, as if a weight were beginning to lift from her chest. "Never... no one ever told me that like that..." she murmured. "There was always the pressure to be perfect, to be useful, to not fail..."
"And now you don't have to carry that burden alone," I assured her. "I'm here. I'm with you. And as long as you're here, you don't need to pretend or hide. Everything you are... is valuable. Every part of you, even the part you think is a flaw, has a purpose. Even those green and corrupted parts... made you strong, made you learn, made you capable of things no one else could."
She took a deep breath and for the first time allowed herself a small smile, though tinged with shyness. "Steven... thank you... really. I don't know how to say this..."
"You don't need to say anything," I said, gently squeezing her hand. "Just remember this: if you ever feel insecure, if appearances, memories, or corruption overwhelm you... talk to me. You're not alone. You can trust me."
Peridot lowered her head and murmured something almost inaudible, "I never thought... that someone could... accept me like this..."
"And I do," I insisted. "No strings attached. Because you're my friend. And that's enough."
A comfortable silence settled between us as we gazed at the lake. The water's reflection blended its green with mine, the pink I still carried in my training form, and the light of the setting sun created a landscape that seemed suspended between the possible and the impossible.
Finally, Peridot looked up and smiled shyly at me. "I think... I can try. Try to feel comfortable... here. And trust more."
"That's all you can do right now," I said, smiling gently. "One step at a time. No one becomes confident overnight. Even I'm still learning every day. But we're in this together."
She nodded, squeezing my hand and letting out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Steven. Not just for accepting who I am... but for helping me accept myself."
"Always," I whispered, feeling something inside her relax. "I'll always be around. And remember... even when everything seems overwhelming, even with this appearance, even with the corruption... you're still amazing. Just the way you are."
Peridot took a deep breath, as if releasing a whole year's worth of worries and fears, and finally leaned back a little on the grass, letting the lake and the sunset soothe her. I sat beside her, watching the water and thinking that... even with so much chaos around us, small moments like this were what made it all worthwhile.
"I promise you the Cluster will be easier to face if we keep this up," I said, giving her a friendly squeeze on the shoulder. "I believe in you, Peridot. And you should believe in yourself, too."
She nodded, for the first time with a gentle yet firm confidence. "I'll try... for myself, and for everyone else."
We stood there in silence, watching the sky slowly darken, knowing that even with the pressure of the world, of corruption, and of the unknown... trust, friendship, and acceptance could be as real a refuge as any power.
"Well," I said, yawning slightly after chatting about trivial things with Peridot following that conversation.
I stretched as a pink glow spread across my body. I closed my eyes, feeling the pink shape become a part of me. That was what I subconsciously wanted, to accept it without forcing it.
I opened my eyes and looked at Peridot, who was silently observing the lake, as if the reflection were mirroring thoughts she didn't want to let go of.
"Do you know the way?" I asked calmly. "You seem to like this place."
Peridot looked up for a moment, but looked down again almost immediately.
"I know it," she replied softly.
"Well," I said, stretching my body a little more, letting the pink form slowly dissipate. "I'm human, and I need to rest. If you need anything, ask Pearl or Amethyst. I don't think Lapis will be available, since she's coming home with me to sleep."
I said this as I started walking along the same path I'd come by, feeling the pink glow fade completely.
"See you tomorrow, Peridot."
She simply raised her hand in farewell and stood there for several more seconds, watching the last pink trail disappear among the trees.
Silence enveloped her.
A few more hours passed. The sky darkened completely, and the stars began to reflect in the lake. Then Peridot reached for her gem and pulled something out.
She stared at the device she held.
A communicator.
"I can call Yellow Diamond," she thought.
Her fingers tightened around the device.
"But I won't. They wouldn't accept me."
She looked up at the starry sky.
"But here..." she murmured to herself as she watched the reflection of the universe in the still water. "Here they do accept me."
With a small grunt, more of a decision than an anger, she threw the device into the lake. The communicator fell with a soft thud and began to sink slowly, gradually disappearing until only its reflection in the sky remained, as if it had never been there... unless you looked closely.
Peridot stared at the water for a few more seconds, took a deep breath, and then turned around.
She walked toward the barn, accepting that from now on she would be someone different.
Maybe she could even give herself a new name.
Steven2... no, Steven2.0... maybe not.
These were the thoughts of our green gem as she disappeared from sight, moving forward with firm steps, leaving behind a part of her past by the lake.
End of Chapter 57.