Chapter Text
After reapplying some bandages to her stump and taking a small trip aboard a Warp pad alongside Pearl, Connie found herself at the beginning of a path of the inactive Volcano where Bismuth's Forge (And the Crystal Gem Research and Development laboratory/Meep Morp Gallery) was located.
After regaining her balance on top of the pad, Connie glanced at the landscape surrounding her: The volcano's ashen surface now had plant growths on it, some of them even had flowers that Connie considered to be really beautiful.
However, She wasn't there to look at the scenery, She wanted to know where Steven was and the answer to that question lied inside the facility within the mountain.
"Let's go" She said to her companion as she walked towards the ally outpost.
As they approached the entrance of the path that led to the forge, they noticed a pair of purple guards laughing and joking about something in front of the passage: A pair of Amethysts from the zoo, 8XQ and 8XJ.
When they noticed Pearl and Connie, The pair of quartzes quickly returned to an alert position.
"P-Pearl! C-Connie!" Righty said. "We weren't expecting you!"
"Sorry we were Slacking off." 8XJ said. "We got assigned here a week ago and we hadn't fought anything ever since."
"Nah, It's okay guys." Connie said. "If you want to, you can go to the temple and ask Garnet for a better mission than standing around."
"Thanks, Connie." The pair of gems said at the same time.
"By the way..." Pearl interjected in the conversation. "Have any of you seen Steven around here lately?"
The purple quartzes shared a glance at each other before one of them answered their superior's Orders.
"Sorry, but Steven hasn't been around here lately" 8XL said.
"He took Peridot With him three days ago and they haven't returned yet." 8XQ said.
"Oh....." Connie said disappointed. "I see....."
Seeing the sadness in the woman's eyes, 8XJ tried to lift her mood a bit.
"You know.... I heard from a rutile that he told something to Bismuth before he left." The gem said. "Maybe she can tell you what he's up to."
Pearl looked at her pupil for a moment, and saw a determined look on her face.
"We have nothing to lose, Right?" She asked Pearl.
The slender gem let out a sigh before answering.
"I guess we don't."
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Like The original Crystal Gems, Their R&D Unit was comprised of different kinds of Gems that were wronged by Homeworld at some point, or wanted to do something they weren't designed to do.
Therefore, The facility that was on the volcano's crater was filled with a myriad of Different Gems: A Pearl, 4 Peridots, at least ten Quartzes of different types (either members of the unit or security staff), 2 Rubies, 3 Rutiles, a pair of Zircons, Lapis and Bismuth.
And while they were known by making a way to deflect Anti-Gem weaponry by making armor with an alloy that could nullify the electric current that disrupts a gem's form; They were also a bunch of goofballs who had made antigravity devices that let gems bypass their own gravitational adaptability to become "Moon boys", a thermical fusion engine for Greg's Dondai, and a giant roller coaster in the ruins of the Beta Kindergarten amongst other frivolities .
Still, They were capable of making stuff that gave Homeworld's Technicians green-eyed jealousy with only a single glance.
Likewise, The leaders of the unit were also Gems of remarkable reputation: Peridot 5XG, The technician who yelled at Yellow Diamond, and stopped the cluster; And Bismuth, the legendary Blacksmith that made an entire rebellion's weapons, including Rose Quartz's mighty Sword.
Now, Pearl and Connie were standing in front of the latter's forge, the place were she spent most of her time.
Connie knocked on the stone door with her right hand, and waited alongside the white gem for it to open.
Moments later, The door retreated into the mountain's insides, revealing a tunnel and a large gem behind it.
"Hey!" She said with a smile. "But it isn't my favorite human in the galaxy and my old friend Pearl! What brings you two to my humble abode?"
"X8J said that you wanted to see me." Connie said, going directly to the point.
"Oh! Right!" She faked surprise. "I was about to send The twins for you, But i guess it's better this way." The rainbow-colored gem stepped out of the way to let her guests go through the tunnel behind her. "Please come in."