LOG-024.

  My arms shifted behind my head as I settled down in the (for lack of a better term) nest, trying to get comfortable, even as I adjusted my position several times in some vague attempt to not look ridiculous.

  I wasn't needed at the bridge anymore, since apparently the officers amongst the crew needed time to digest all the startling new information I'd given them. As a direct result of that, I was temporarily free to either wander around or hang around the quarters they'd given me.

  Sleep was something that I hadn't had the luxury of attempting in the past few years, but the memory of how to do so remained as vibrant as ever.

  Now, whether that same process translated to a form made up of light rather than flesh, blood and bone remained a rather important mystery, but there was no harm in at least trying, right?

  It wasn't until I'd closed my eyes for longer than a moment and relaxed my lightform that I realized just how Stars awfully tired I was, and mere seconds after that I could already feel my consciousness fading rapidly.

  ---

  "Welcome, Viridian Pearl order Sixteen B. I am Shell, a guide for Gems visiting the Reef, and your temporary instructor."

  ...

  Crack.

  Crackle.

  Snap.

  "Store her remains inside your gemstone and let us never speak of this troublesome obstacle again, yes? I'll ensure no one misses her."

  ...

  "She seems...well made. Excellent work."

  ...

  "We're going to be attending an audience with my Diamond."

  "Y-yellow Diamond, my Emerald?"

  "Correct. I am to recieve my new standing orders now that I've dispatched the Fifthy Fifth."

  ...

  "Relax with the sign language. My Diamond doesn't mind us interacting while she deals with your owner."

  "It's a pleasure to meet you, and an honour to stand within the same space as our Diamond."

  "Hmph. Good to see that at least some of you Era Two Pearls still have basic manners. Come on, we can take some time to relax while my Diamond settles things with your Emerald."

  ...

  "...I don't suppose I could convince you to trade, could I?"

  ...

  "Y-you're only allowed to c-cry when you're sure no one's looking, o-okay?"

  ...

  "HAH! Yeah, it'd be a little weird if a pretty Pearl like you were going out and about hitting stuff!"

  ...

  "In the unlikely event we encounter them, close quarters combat within the halls of the Retaliator is a near certainty. Breaking reinforced enemy lines should be left to the Quartzes, while all of you maintain low profiles and move to overwhelm potential boarding parties. Fusing will only make you a bigger, easier to hit target, understand? Stay small, and stay fast."

  "Yes Viridian!"

  ...

  "Stars..."

  "At least we know what happened to our lost freighter."

  ...

  "BRACE FOR IMPACT-"

  ...

  "We can't go in there! We're just Pearls!"

  "So what?! Do you plan to just sit around and hope things somehow get better? We're gonna be glitching shattered if we get caught out on our own, so get a damned hold of yourself and move!"

  ...

  "W-what is that?"

  "It's a weapon."

  ...

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  "What are you doing!? We're about to be safe!"

  "We were never safe! And I'm done pretending we were!"

  "B-but-"

  "But nothing! We weren't safe at the Reef! We weren't safe in the Retaliator and we'll never be safe so long as we're a pair of glitching Pearls in the Gem Empire!"

  ...

  "Vermillion...I...I like it."

  "Good. It suits you."

  ...

  "If she causes trouble, I'll handle it, alright?"

  "Y-yes my-"

  "I-I..."

  "Not your fault. I...wasn't thinking. I'm sorry."

  "Don't be sorry. Please don't be sorry..."

  ...

  "Move and I'll cut you, got it?"

  "Wow..."

  ...

  "Hello as well. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. If I'm not mistaken, your name is Quille?"

  'Yes.'

  ...

  "You stole Diamond essence. Do you understand what that means?"

  ...

  ...

  ...

  I woke up to old and new memories alongside the sound of a door opening, followed in turn by quiet shuffling.

  "Buh."

  The not quite word was the first thing to escape my mouth as I shifted in place, trying to roll over as my eyes slowly cracked open. One hand pushed beneath me, sinking into the soft, cushion-like material making up the nest while the other came up to rub at my eyelids, following a reflex that I hadn't needed in over a decade.

  Gems didn't develop gunk on their eyes, after all. Or anywhere else for that matter, what with their projected bodies being made out of pure light. A convenience that I hadn't quite considered until now.

  Regardless of my struggle to fully go back into some form of wakefulness, the shuffling continued, and my burgeoning confusion grew as I heard what had to be the sound of rushing liquid accompanying it.

  Blinking away the last remnants of sleep, I finally pushed myself up, propping myself on my elbows. The nest's soft embrace reluctantly released me, and I squinted in the dim light (which someone had apparently tampered with, considering it had been bright as shit when I'd managed to pass out), trying to make sense of the scene before me.

  Then a familiar blue form greeted me, and I felt my eyes widen to the point that it almost felt like I had a pair of small dinner plates affixed to my fucking head.

  The Lapis Lazuli didn't seem to notice that though, focused as she was, moving with an odd grace that seemed almost surreal compared to her usual antics.

  Her form flowed with an alien sort of beauty that, while not exactly the utterly smooth routine of a Pearl, still managed to draw the eye, her movements harmonizing perfectly with the glistening wings of water that spread out from her back. Each ripple and wave of the liquid appendages seemed to echo the motions of her little act, creating an intricate, mesmerizing display.

  I made to open my mouth, only for it to close with a distinct click as the dance intensified.

  The liquid wings undulated in the air, following some unknown path. Brim's body swayed and twirled, her feet barely seeming to touch the ground. Every step taken sending delicate ripples through the water hovering around her, all while she slowly circled me.

  There was an intent there, even with her eyes closed, as she steadily made her way over before finally planting one foot on the rim of the nest. The wings shivered for a second, before her eyes finally opened, staring down at me.

  I stared back, utterly fucking dumbfounded at just why I was being danced at.

  A moment passed. Then two.

  Then my stupid, non-existent brain (all I had was my gemstone, after all) caught up with the fact that the terraformer Gem was blushing so hard her entire damned face was taking on a darker blue hue.

  "...What is this."

  My nonplussed question and expression didn't really seem to help things, considering if her flush got any deeper I could probably say she was more navy coloured than anything else at this point. The blush didn't stop her from slowly lowering her upraised arms though.

  "...Do Gems not have an equivalent?"

  I blinked at the response, narrowing my eyes slightly.

  "An equivalent to what?"

  A second step forward brought her even closer to me, and I had to resist the urge to lean further back into the nest and cross my arms.

  Then her eyes lidded significantly as her face took on a very much obvious, pointed expression, and I realized just how damn well cooked I actually was.

  "Courtship."

  ...

  Slowly, very slowly, I raised my hand and pointed a finger at her wings, resisting the urge to sigh as the liquid limbs shivered once more in response.

  "Did you just do an organic mating dance at me?"

  For whatever fucking reason, my blunt question apparently was enough to prompt the Lazuli to stumble backwards slightly, arms rising up as if to placate me.

  "Well technically, but I was told it can also be used for-"

  The blue Gem's words fell on deaf ears, as I tried to wrap the idea around my head.

  "...How does that even...we don't exactly have the equipment to do tha-"

  My face went slack as I considered the potential of shapeshifting for a moment, before very quickly and deliberately banishing the thought from my mind and violently pointing a finger at her again.

  "What is wrong with you!?"

  The two words just seemed to panic Brim further, the Lapis waving her arms (and wings) rapidly.

  "No! It's not just for that! You can use it for seeking a romantic partner as well! That's what the gifts are for too!"

  Scrabbling my way up the side of the nest, I planted my feet back on the ground and stood up, brushing off my dress.

  "What gifts!?"

  "Those!"

  I stared at her outstretched arm, then glanced down.

  Are you fucking-

  "That's a broken destabilizer!"

  "It's nice to look at!"

  I paused, just about ready to throw my hands into the air in frustration as I realized the Lapis in turn seemed just about ready to burst into tears and oh Stars what the fuck-

  "Okay, okay! It's nice to look at! Fine!"

  Snatching the mangled handle up from the floor, I made a show of waving it around.

  "It's nice and shiny, okay!?"

  Brim sniffled, lips and wings quivering because of course they fucking were.

  "Y-you think so?"

  For just a moment, my eyes flicked back to the broken weapon in my hand and I pondered the current absurdity of my situation. Then I stoically reminded myself that the fact I'd somehow been transformed into a sapient fucking rock was even weirder when considered objectively, and moved on.

  "Yes, but your priorities are really out of place! We're in the middle of a very dangerous spot, we barely know each other, and-"

  The destabilizer clattered to the floor as she lunged forward, both hands wrapping around my own as she stared into my eyes with her own glistening blue orbs.

  "I know that! But you're beautiful! And I think the way you sometimes get angry is very attractive! And I love your personality and I'd really like to get to know you better and-"

  The Lapis Lazuli continued to talk, even as I smacked my other hand against her face, trying in vain to push her back.

  "You have a crush! Or a-a Pearl fetish or something! People don't fall for other people that quickly damn it-"

  "Th-mphfuse w-mphf me!"

  The muffled words that escaped my grasp were enough to get me to blink in a moment of shock, even as Brim pulled my hand away from her mouth, panting.

  "What?"

  That same glint entered the Lapis Lazuli's eyes again, even as she slapped her palms against her chest.

  "Then fuse with me! Any Gem can do it! I'll prove it's not just a crush!"

  ...Was she being bloody serious right now?

  She must have mistaken my hesitation for something else, because her eyes widened before she began to shake her head, arms making that placating gesture again.

  "It's a perfectly normal thing to do! I've read the Imperial propaganda, about how it causes mutations and makes a Gem permanently change colour. That's not what happens-"

  ...Could I do it?

  "-and I've done it with Talon a few times and it's always been really fun and-"

  How did it even work? Would it even-no. Of course it would work. Just because I thought differently compared to the average Pearl, didn't mean I wasn't still a Gem in terms of basic fucking physiology.

  My careful contemplation of the subject matter must have registered to Brim as acceptance. Or maybe just more hesitation. The result was the same regardless, namely that of the rock cutter grabbing both of my hands and yanking me away from the nest, smiling a little too desperately for my liking.

  "Come on, I'll show you how!"

  I could do little but complain, even as a steady heat began to crawl up my own face.

  "Slow down damn it! Normally you ask for a date or something first! Idiot bird brain!"