Shaped like a Friend

“Oh, how I wish that somebody would come and hug me. Preferable a Pink gem that is slightly shorter than me, that can be very hyper but is really sweet, they should have stretchy limbs, oh, and of course they better be here fast” 

Letting out a small laugh she gave Spinel a kiss before hugging her. “Does that mean yes?”. Yellow felt awkward as she asked, did she have to ask? would it be rude not to ask? was it rude of her to ask? The Pearl got lost in her racing thoughts. Pulling away from her girlfriend she stared at the wall for a few seconds. 

Shaking her head Yellow looked at Spinel. “You know we don’t have to…I just thought it would be a nice thing for us” Why was she now feeling so odd about this. She had been happy and excited about this thought for so long but actually telling Spinel made her so nervous. 

“Yes.” Laughin along with with her she wrapped both of her stretchy arms around her pearlfriend multiple times just to emphasize her affection. While giving her a squeeze may not do much she still  would do so anyway to try and help ease the other’s thoughts.

Truth be told, anything would have been better than ‘Volleyball’ when it came to a nickname. Pink had never held it against Steven, of course. She had thought it was kind of nice in the moment before really stopping to think about it. Now, though, she had more to think about. Mostly it was the chance that Yellow Diamond could fix her physical form that was eating her thought process up. If the diamond really could fix her…

“I had no idea they’d acquired new powers,” she confessed. “Then again… I haven’t spent time with the diamonds at all recently. But it sounds as though you’re quite well acquainted with them. I’m happy for you, Spinel.” She really was. Spinel getting to be close with the diamonds in era three probably was one of many good things that had happened as a result of Steven’s influence. Plus, there was the offer Spinel presented. Her smile remained, and her head tipped up and down in a nod.

“I’d appreciate it if you did bring me there,” she said at last. “It’s not that I’m nervous… well, maybe I am a little. The last time I tried to have this fixed was a little… chaotic, to say the very least.” That was without mentioning almost getting rejuvenated, fusing with Pearl, and the great escape their fusion and Steven had needed to make from the Reef. There would be plenty of time to talk about what had happened to her and everything in between.

“I suppose we shouldn’t dawdle for much longer if we wish to see her. I know Yellow Diamond is a very busy Gem…”

It almost was obvious that no one who lives and lived on Earth new about the Diamond’s new powers. Even when Steven visited the Diamonds during his small trip Yellow had told Steven about sending any of the corrupted gems to her to get their horns reduced and anything else they may want. To hear that Peeps hadn’t heard about it was only par for the course.

“Aw shucks, it’s nothin’ really. The Diamonds and I have gotten real close ever since they took me in. Been livin’ with them ever since and we’ve all gotten better. I’m sure they won’t mind one bit, Yellow and the others always make time for me.” Grabbing onto Peep’s hand she stretched out one of her foot in a very exaggerated step before pulling the other along. Giggling all the while bringing her new friend to the warp pad, occasionally looking back to make sure she was okay with how she was practically dragged Peeps along.

“Don’t have stuff to do on Earth, so might as well take a rest here” She stretched all of her limbs, crossing her upper arms behind her back. She was impressed by Spinel’s abilities to stretch herself like that. It was goofy but also handy

“Anyway, we haven’t properly talked and introduced ourselves, i’m Malachite, Mala for short” She raised her lower right arm for a handshake “I never used my back arms for handshakes, first time for everything”

“Well it’s a pleasure ta meet ya, Mala!” Spinel stretched her hand down to shake her hand, wobbling her own arm like a noodle just to be a bit silly. The other gem looked like she could really use more smiles in their life based on what they’ve said.

Oh how innocent steven was. Even knowing what she went through he wasn’t aware of how this simple game of hide and seek would affect her. He wasn’t aware of what eons of isolation could do to a person. He was just too caught up in his fun to notice the anxiety she was going through. He merely did his best to contain his giggles. Failing quite miserably as his new friend continued to search for him. 

Oh! It was Yellow Diamond Spinel had been referring to. That was a surprise to her, honestly. She hadn’t been on Homeworld in a while, so she didn’t really know about the new powers that Yellow, White, and Blue had developed. Still… it was worth a shot. If she could use her power to fix her physical form, then that would be worth the trip back to Homeworld.

Before she could speak on that much, though, Spinel commented on the Volleyball nickname. She had to agree, of course. It was a silly name. The only reason Pink had tolerated it was because Steven had reminded her of Pink in that moment. The name Spinel did come up with, though…

“Peeps?” Her smile brightened.

“I like it,” she concluded after a few brief moments to think. The compliment from Spinel did make her cheeks flush a tiny bit, but she did her best to not draw attention to it. Most Gems wouldn’t have bothered to think of a cute sounding name for her. A lot defaulted to Pearl or Pink, at least in Little Homeworld. Having a different one was nice. Especially when she liked the sound.

“It’s cute,” she continued, “and I appreciate the thought behind it, Spinel.” Now, though, she had to backtrack a little bit in the conversation. Back to Yellow Diamond.

“Do you really think Yellow Diamond could help me?” Her head tilted slightly. “Because… I think it’s worth a shot if you do.” Her hand subconsciously trailed up to the left side of her face, running against the cracks present there. Truth be told? Pink would love to have her eye back. She just had to hope that it actually would work.

“I’m real glad ya like it! Thought it might fit ya a bit better than... Volleyball. I really do need ta talk to Steven if he’s runnin’ outta ideas for names.” Spinel quite literally rolled her eyes around their sockets at the silly name. One of these days she has to have a talk with Steven about giving good nicknames to gems as it was clear he needed some tips and pointers if he thought naming someone after some sports equipment was good enough. If anything it just made Spinel worried about what else he was calling gems.

Her smile only widened as she saw the other blush and offer a smile, her form filling with more positive energy as she saw the other happy with her new name. One thing Spinel thrived on was seeing her give smiles to others and Peeps was no exception. Now with a happier bounce in her step she nodded her head in excitement to her question.

“Of course! Yellow Diamond can help corruption, I’m sure she could help ya with whatever happened to ya. If not then we could go ta Blue too. All the Diamonds have cool new powers they’re usin’ ta help gems from all over the star map! I also live with ‘em and help whenever I can if I’m not doin’ my own business. It won’t hurt ta at least try. Come on, I can bring ya there if you’re nervous.” Spinel hesitated waiting to see the other’s reaction as she wanted nothing more than grab onto the pearl’s hand and drag her off to the closest warp pad so they could get back to Homeworld where he Diamonds had gone back to.

Malachite hadn’t interacted with the jester Gem yet, aside when she was making a mess on Earth and almost killed all organic life including Mama Blue the leader of the whale pack she used to live with. Anyway, she was good with her now. She didn’t have that elasticity so she just used her water wings to hover above the cloud and then land on it. She immediately felt a wave of relaxation from head to the back fingers and she snuggled on one like a cat would

“Wow. This is the best thing ever, if i had these things a couple years ago i would have faced my issues differently”

“Aren’t they?” She asked excitedly, squishing her legs down to use them as a spring and launch herself back up to where her own cloud had been resting. Turning her hand into what looked to be a propeller she moved her cloud so that it was just barely above the fusion. Looking down at her she snickered at how she snuggled into the cloud.

“That seems reasonable. If I had to be honest I never thought I’d end up at the center of politics myself. Much rather be elsewhere.” Liam mused. He rarely ever talked about his true thoughts of his occupation but he was sure this wasn’t going to nip him in the tail feathers later. “Is there something around here you are interested in though? I’d like to see something you like.”