Library, Monday

[intotheout]

Thanks to her conversation with Peridot in class, Tip spent the first chunk of her shift today looking up geology, specifically the way scientists had come up with to identify different minerals.

Well shit. Geologists did lick rocks after all. She was never going to hear the end of this.

[open!]

Comments

[era_two_triangle]

"Yessssss," Peridot agreed, giving a little wiggle. "He was worried about germs."

What did a Gem have to worry about germs?

[intotheout]

". . . I mean, that's fair, for a human."

[era_two_triangle]

"But he knows I'm not human," Peridot pointed out. "I'm not even organic."

[intotheout]

"Yeah, but we can have trouble looking outside our own species for reference sometimes."

[era_two_triangle]

"Well, he should know better," Peridot muttered, wrinkling her nose. "Especially now that I know that your species does it, too."

[intotheout]

"I didn't even know our species does it too," Tip pointed out. "And we're actually pretty good at resisting germs anyway, but some people worry about that sort of thing. You just kind of have to . . . deal."

[era_two_triangle]

"Deal," Peridot echoed, looking back down at the book. "I can... deal."

Possibly by shoving this book in Jason's face and cackling at him, too.

[intotheout]

That would be totally fair, if you asked Tip.

"You're doing pretty well at it already."

[era_two_triangle]

"Well, I suppose I have been here a while now," Peridot said, a bluish tint of a blush coloring her cheeks. "I'm practically a local!"

Not quite, no.

[intotheout]

"You're definitely more of one than any other gem I've met," Tip pointed out.

[era_two_triangle]

"Well..." Peridot scuffed her toe and smiled a little, almost bashfully. "Amethyst was made on Earth, and Garnet and Pearl have been here for thousands of years. But I'm a fast learner."

[intotheout]

"I bet you're still a lot better at Fandom than they would be."

[era_two_triangle]

"Well, I don't eat garbage, at least."

Like Amethyst did.

"... I'm going to miss it here when it's my turn to go. I didn't realize how short a year really was until coming here."

[intotheout]

"I thought gems didn't eat anything at all," Tip said, then frowned. "We're going to miss you, too. You're not going to stick around after school ends?"

[era_two_triangle]

"The ones who can shapeshift can," Peridot muttered, a little sore about that one. "Can I stick around? Beyond the summer, I mean?"

Summer had left right away. That had hurt, a little.

[intotheout]

"I don't see why not," Tip said. "There's plenty of people who just live in town and don't go to school."

[era_two_triangle]

Peridot fidgeted a little.

"I suppose the Diamonds wouldn't find me here," she said, at length.

Calling Yellow a clod hadn't been one of her more intelligent life choices.

[intotheout]

"They probably wouldn't. Though . . . do you miss your own universe?"

[era_two_triangle]

Peridot shrugged a little, and now she was kind of hugging the book to her chest.

"I miss my Homeworld," she settled on. "I miss the barn. I can have one of two of those things."

[intotheout]

"Which one are you going to go back to after school?"

[era_two_triangle]

"The barn," Peridot replied. "I'd be shattered on Homeworld within minutes. And... I don't think Pumpkin would be very happy there anyway."

[intotheout]

"Barns are probably way better for pumpkins," Tip agreed. "Guess you're kinda . . . stuck when it comes to Homeworld, huh."

[era_two_triangle]

"There's no going back." Peridot hugged the book a little more tightly. "I'm a traitor to my Homeworld. But Earth is good. Earth is freedom."

And that was new. And that was good.

[intotheout]

"Still has to suck a little. I mean, I'm really glad you're here and you've adjusted so well, but still. I'd hate to never be able to go home again."

She'd seen a little of how hard it was, thanks to the Boov, who didn't even have a homeworld anymore. That was about as close as she ever wanted to get to that feeling.

[era_two_triangle]

"I mean... it's not great," Peridot said, and wow, was it hard to look anywhere in anyone's direction right now. Weren't Tip's feet great, though? "But I get to be a person, here. That's good, right?"