Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

He had heard the stories.

As the stable boy wandered bravely into the woods, he could recall what the townspeople had said. He had gone to get some feed for the horses earlier that day, as well as some lentils for a stew his mother wanted to prepare.

There had been a series of odd occurrences as of late. Children had been disappearing...or returning from their play acting out of the norm.
The tailor's son had gone missing- so had the blacksmith's boy. The final straw was the disappearance of the baker's young daughter.

The stable boy couldn't take it anymore. The girl was a friend of his, and he was determined to locate her current whereabouts. He had lied to his mother about retrieving well water for the horses, and was currently wandering the woods, with a wooden bucket in tow.
He called her name over and over again, but to no avail.

The curfew had been in place for several weeks now. No child was to go near the woods without adult supervision. His mother had forbid him from straying near the crowd of trees, despite the boy's yearning to look for his lost friend.

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Some people called them fairies, others referred to them as changelings. There had been eye witness'. They always appeared as different colored children. The creatures would lure the young ones into the woods...never to be seen again. They were described as being blue, or (on occasion) greenish colored.

People had seen some with cloven wings- beautiful and transparent...almost like a butterfly made out of glass. Others said they looked nothing like children at all. There had been tales of green and blue talking animals...kittens, rabbits, puppies, birds, ponies, other creatures that children adored. The animals would attempt to coax them into the brush.

The rumors stated, that fairies were tricksters...imps.
They would lead humans to a seemingly endless paradise. The creatures could also manipulate time. If you left the heavenly fairy oasis, seconds would have passed quickly. Your loved ones would be long gone. Sometimes several hundred years would disappear.

One child had come back...the cobbler's daughter. Upon her return from the woods, the townsfolk stated she was a bit off kilter. She seemed green, sickly perhaps. The girl laughed at nothing that was funny. She no longer found interest in her dolls or friends. The daughter spent her days smiling and behaving in the most ominous of manners. Her appetite had decreased.

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Keeping these tales in mind, the stable boy shuttered in fear before calling for his lost friend again. He was so scared, but his determination would not wane.

Suddenly, the boy's blood froze.

From the underbrush appeared a small blue child.
"Would you like to play with me?"

The boy did not answer, but turned tail in a panic and attempted to escape in a sudden rush of adrenaline and fear!
"ZAP!"
The small child was surrounded by a strange blue aura. He could still hear and see, but his body refused to move. The world around him went at a normal pace- time manipulation magic for sure. The boy wanted to weep, but his expression would not contort.

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The Aquamarine was quite proud of herself! The Diamonds had asked for new little humans to fill the zoo....they lasted a LOT longer then the taller ones. Some of the Gems were instructed to stay behind on Earth and pose as the human children to prevent the species from becoming too suspicious or upset.

This human would make a wonderful addition to the collection!

Chapter Text

They protect the tombs and inquire riddles. A strong, intelligent monster, so famous in the area, they have been forever depicted in sculpture.

The thief does not believe in such nonsense. He doubts the great powers of Re-Atum.

The man needs money to purchase a meal for his kin, however, greed is overpowering the senses. Wouldn't it be nice to have a bit extra? To not struggle? To not fear for starvation each day? A tomb can provide that and more. The man has seen how many incredible treasures they have waisted among the dead.

As the thief begins to search for an entrance to the grave, he hears a low growling noise close by.

The man freezes. The hairs on his neck stand up.

Something is watching him.
Something behind.
Something terrifying.

A voice booms from the darkness: "What? What is this injustice?!? Speak! Why are you here?"

The man turns slowly- and faces a massive beast. More terrifying then anything depicted in sculpture.

The creature has the body of a blood-thirsty lion and the head of a human. There are a few noticeable differences between her and the sculptures. The creature seems to have a large circle of something transparent over one eye- as clear as water. There is also a square shaped jewel on her chest.

"Well? You have not answered human! Why do you hesitate? Are you guilty or not?"
The man looks into the creatures eyes- they seem to judge him. He answers: " I-I require food for my family. I need to get inside the tomb. It would assist with my struggles."

The Sphinx seems thoughtful for a second, before coming up with an easy solution. "Perhaps a trial is in order! A riddle! Are you willing to sacrifice yourself for your endeavors?"

The thief seems nervous, but nods in agreement. Sphinxes (from what he can remember) enjoy puzzles. They seem to take wonderful satisfaction in exchanging entry for something much more.

Not a fair trade by any means, but perhaps it would get the monster to leave?

"Wonderful! Here is your question! Which creature has one voice, and yet, becomes four-footed, then two-footed, then three-footed? This is a simple riddle! Even the most idiotic of clods can decode it!"

The thief thinks. He has always enjoyed games, but prefers physical activity over a battle of wits.

"Well? What is your answer?"

He is stumped- too nervous to come up with anything.

The man panics. He changes his mind. In one swift movement, desert sand is quickly kicked into the creature's face. The animal howls in pain, as the thief bolts- running as fast as he can back to his home.

The human will no longer ever doubt the power of the mighty god Re-Atum!!!

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Not all corrupted Gems lose their ability to speak. Even the most beastly of aliens still keep a bit of themselves inside.

Zircons are no exception.

Chapter Text

Sailors tell stories about mermaids. They are friends of Neptune-the god of the sea.

It is said that while mermaids are beautiful, and their singing voice is lovely- they often bring sailors to their demise.
Seeing these blue sirens can bring about horrific luck. If a mermaid is spotted, it is typically followed by sudden storms with unique tides.

Boaters say that these half-fish women obtain the assistance of Poseidon, and use his powers to manipulate the flow of the waves. Sometimes, the creatures can form bubbles of airborne water to find fish friends- as well as food and pets.

While most mermaids are unforgiving, there are several that have befriended- and even saved humans from drowning.

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Lapis chuckles to herself as she reads the absurd entry in the book Steven has lent to her...

Chapter Text

"WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT GOING OUT AT NIGHT?!"

"I was visiting the unicorn!"

Not this again...Sarah was a most troublesome daughter. She would constantly sneak out of the house late in the evening- unsupervised. Recently, her horrific habit had become even more frequent.

Several nights ago, she had supposedly found a "Unicorn" during one of her rebellious walks outside. The small child was now using her imaginary friend as an excuse to put herself in danger.

"There are no such things as unicorns!"

"YES THERE ARE!" Sarah wailed, on the verge of tears.

"Does it have a horn then?!"

"...well...not exactly..." the girl recalled what the creature looked like. "Real unicorns don't have horns- they have rocks- beautiful smooth stones in the middle of their foreheads..."

"REALLY?!"

"Yeah! They can talk too!"

"Oh? ...and what does this unicorn say to you?"

"It asks me different things...like what I like to eat...and how holidays work...things like that."

The child's parent seemed increasingly concerned. If there was some weirdo questioning Sarah about personal information...well... that was especially disturbing.

"GO TO YOUR ROOM! I don't want to hear anymore about these imaginary creatures!"

Sarah stomped upstairs, pouting the entire way.

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The following evening was no different then any other.

Sarah would wait until everyone in the house was asleep, and proceed to (quietly) sneak out into the night.

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She had been meeting the creature every night at the local lake. The girl would stand on the water's edge and wait for the sign- a sudden bright light in the distance.

A flash reflected over the surface of the lake from the other side.

"Oh! It's you!"

The unicorn approached, odd and majestic. It was mostly white, but with a lovely pink mane. It had yellow and blue spots all over, with a oval-like stone on it's forehead.

The animal settled into the grass. This child had spotted her observing human behavior several days prior. While the Pearl was a bit hesitant at first, this being was actually helping her understand Earth culture a LOT faster then her own years of observation.

"Hello unicorn!"

"I have informed you before, I am NOT a unicorn! I am taking the shape of an equine."

"Unicorn!"

The Pearl sighed in defeat. This small child seemed so excited and hopeful that she had found a mythical beast, that she refused to believe anything else. The Gem did not wish to stifle her imagination, so she kept her animal appearance.

The Pearl changed the subject: "How is your home?" This is the main reason why the alien was returning so frequently.

"Horrible! She doesn't believe in you! She doesn't believe in unicorns!"

"-I told you...I'm not a-(sigh)..." the Gem gave up with her continuous battle. A more important question was required. "Did she remember to feed you today?"

"No...she spent the food money on bottles again..." the young child's stomach gurgled in agreement.

The horse stood up. "Wait here." It trotted off into the distance and disappeared.

Sarah sat in the slightly wet early morning grass- waiting patiently for the creature's return. She could see several flashes of light in the distance against the black sky.

The unicorn returned with a backpack in its mouth. The equine placed it in front of the human. "Here. This will suffice."

Sarah looked excitedly into the bag, before frowning again. She pulled out a carrot. "Vegetables!" She stuck out her tongue.

"Now...now...I have read that carrots are good for humans." The creature settled again. "Horse-I mean...uh...UNICORNS like to eat carrots too." The creature nodded in agreement.

Sarah looked at her friend, stars in her eyes- before eating the orange vegetables veraciously.

The Pearl smiled. "Now, yesterday you were telling me about what television is. I would like to know more. What kind of shows do you watch?"

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The next night the unicorn appeared at the lake, but Sarah did not. Same for the night after- and the night after that.

Nervous, the horse began to trot toward the human's home. The creature peered through the window. She saw the girl's mother. The woman was crying with a bottle in her hand at the kitchen table. Upon looking up from her alcoholic brew, the human gasped in horror and screamed at the horse-like creature: "This is YOUR fault! She was looking for YOU! Now she's MISSING!"

The woman sobbed in grief, before completely loosing it and passing out.

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Pearl galloped frantically down the road, desperately looking for the young human. Her panic only worsened with every turn...with every catacomb and alleyway that had no sign of the child.

She finally found the small one. Sarah was passed out near the dumpster behind the movie theatre.

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When The girl came too, she was in a hospital bed. Her arm was hooked up to various bags of fluid.

The child glanced around the room. Her eyesight was still groggily. She remembered wandering the city...getting lost...waiting behind the movie theatre for them to throw out the old popcorn. She remembered being very dizzy, and her hunger overpowering her. Sarah had no recollection of how she had gotten here.

The child heard a familiar voice behind the door to her hospital room. It sounded like a unicorn...a very ANGRY unicorn. She could hear other voices too...a nurse?...her mom? What?

The girl fell asleep again.

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Things happened really quickly within the next few days. Sarah's aunt appeared with her entire family from time to time for visits. Apparently, the child would be having a LOT of sleepovers at their house from now on...once she got out of the hospital that is!

Sarah never did see the unicorn again.

However...

...among her get well balloons and stuffed animals, a mysterious white gift basket full of carrots had been left.

Chapter Text

She has two horns on her forehead and no eyes. The creature is always confused, always conflicted. She doesn't know what she is, exactly....but she knows to keep to herself.

Today is a good day. She sniffed out a cave to shield herself from the elements the night prior. A surprised roar and sound of frightened footsteps indicated that the cave was previously occupied by another Earth creature.

She must have scared it off. Her fellow animal has been missing all night.

The beast rises as she feels the sun beaming down upon her. A yawn and cat-like stretch feels good after a long rest.
First, it is time to groom!
She does the best she can with so much fur. There is fur on her back, fur around her head, fur on her tail, fur! Fur EVERYWHERE!

This task is especially difficult without eyes. She sniffs out spots that smell less clean, and licks those first. She then uses her talons to find tangled mats and attempts to rip them out using her jagged maw. Lastly, she itches any irritated spots. She can hear the sound of biting insects and mice exiting her coat.

All clean!

The demon does not need to eat or drink, but she sometimes does it anyway. There is nothing better to do with her time. After exiting the cave, she sniffs out a source of water...a brook!

She uses her massive maw to gulp up water in gallons. The creature is surprised when she accedently catches a fish while drinking!
She (carefully) places the startled creature back into the stream.

After some water, she goes about her daily rounds. The creature uses massive oaks as a scratching post. This activity keeps her talons sharp- but also makes them more comfortable to live with.
The demon sniffs out some berries to chow. She falls asleep in a meadow after eating her fill.

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A sudden shout awakens her!!!
Several brave birds that had landed upon her coat to pick out insects bolt as the creature stirs again.

She sniffs in the air to identify the commotion....

MAN.

With a startled groan the demon attempts to bolt, but trips herself! The humans have tied a rope around her foot as she slept!

The creature roars with panic! She swipes her claws in every direction in hopes of scaring off the intruder! A sudden, sharp pain hits her from the side! A weapon!

She groans sadly as more things hit her flesh. Her senses are heightened due to the lack of vision. The demon feels more pain then most.

As her form begins to dissipate, she can hear cheering from the crowd of humans. They congratulate each other, and are completely unaware of the gemstone that has fallen. She is safe for now, hidden among the weeds.

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When the corrupted Jasper reforms, she itches herself in annoyance. This has become routine. No matter how far she roams, the humans always manage to find her.

The Jasper grunts, before wandering off. She is going to have to find a different spot to live.

Chapter Text

"This...cannot be right..." the Greek soldier was baffled, confused even.

He had battled furious tides! He had lost countless men to disease! His ship had topsided!

...all to bring back the head of a giant, man-eating, violent, brutish cyclops!

The Sapphire gazed up at the soldier.

He had landed on this island using some of the broken flotsam that had washed up from his ship.

"What is this? I cannot return to the kingdom without proof of my heroics! Where is the cyclops young maid?"

"Cyclops?"

"Yes! Yes! They are gigantic beasts! They eat the flesh of man! Ugly brutes that have only one eye and occupy this island! The emperor wants the creature eradicated from this world!"

The Sapphire thought for a minute, before making a strange noise that resembled a sob and a laugh at the same time.

"Oh! I do apologize!" The soldier seemed suddenly more aware of the situation. "The beast has probably held you captive on this patch of land for so long! You must be traumatized...I did not mean to upset you!"

"It...is not that."

"Then what is the source of your mannerisms?"

"Your ruler would rather make up such absurd tales to be rid of me...instead of just asking with some tact."

"I do not follow."

The petite woman removed her hair from her face- revealing only one single eye underneath.

"By the Gods! The Cyclops has kin! How many of you are there here?!"

"Just me."

The soldier seemed confused. "Has the rest of your group been slaughtered?"

The Sapphire huffed in a slight rage. "NO! Stars! I'm the only one on this island! ME. That's it! No one else!"

The human was baffled. "...but...you are not tall..."

"Compared to you? No."

"Do...do you eat the flesh of man?"

"I do not need to eat."

"Are you known for attacking?"

"Do I look like someone whom is prepared for battle?"

The man sat down in a frustrated slump. "What kind of a cyclops are you?!"

"Please stop calling me that. It's offensive."

"You seem...much more intellectual then the stories portray too..."

"Erm, thank you? I guess?"

"It...it is nonsensical! Why would the ruler of the kingdom wish for your demise? Why would his people spread such fables?"

"That, I CAN answer! Follow me." The odd cyclops stood in her gown, and began to shuffle into the island's foliage.

The man followed, his curiosity spiking.

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The duo came across a field- a lovely clearing in the middle of the island with a babbling brook, plentiful shrubbery, and birds of all sorts. A flock of wild sheep approached the Sapphire enthusiastically, bleating for attention and food.

The soldier looked upon the oasis with wonderment and a new found joy!

The Gem spoke: "I am afraid you have been led astray. It seems your ruler wishes to obtain my island, and is willing to create horrific rumors to take it by force. I am not so willing to sell it you see...It is where these Earth creatures live. I cannot abandon them."

The man felt a tinge of guilt. Such a kind soul this odd cyclops was! He could not believe anyone would wish harm upon her! He put his hands on his head, weeping in sorrow.

The Gem stood stoic for a second, before coming to a realization in her own mind. "Oh! Come now! Everything will be ok! You are not at fault for such horrific lies! It would be beneficial to forget the past, and look towards the future."

Chapter Text

アレキサンドライト!
(Arekisandoraito!)

The city begins to quake.
A sound similar to thunder is heard, but this noise is distinct.

"Boom. Boom! BOOM!!!"

This thunder has a very specific rhythm.
The humans know what this means.

There is an immediate panic in the streets of the city! People stampede in droves! Groceries are dropped and forgotten! A lost child howls in fear, seconds before a kind stranger picks him up and leads him to safety!

The humans know better then to stay out in the open. They huddle in an underground bunker. It is hot and uncomfortable. There is no room to move, no room to breath. Despite their discomfort, they stay still and quiet. They do not want the giant to know of their hiding spot.

The multi-colored freak enters the concrete jungle, and immediately begins its rampage. She uses her massive tail to destroy skyscrapers. She levels the food market with one misstep of her gargantuan foot. She is on the hunt. The creature wishes to destroy mankind. That horrific species that encouraged Rose to want to stay and fight. That idiotic group of apes that corrupted her! They made her this way!!

In the bunker, a baby cries. He is hot, hungry, and uncomfortable. His mother puts her hand over his mouth in a panic, but it is already too late. The sound has given away their hiding spot.

The crowd gasps and screams in panic, as the massive giant uses it's talons to rip off the concrete utilized for the bunker's roof.

The creature licks it's chops in satisfaction. This is a large bunch of the morons! They will meet the same demise as the others!

"Boom....Boom....BOOM.....WHAM!!!"

A second monster appears! The creature punches the devil in the face, knocking her sideways (and toppling another skyscraper in the process). It happens so quickly that the event shocks everyone- both the humans and their enemy.

Could it be?!?

It is!

"Arekisandoraito!!!!!" The crowd cheers in unison. Thank God!...and just in the nick of time too!

The enemy seems startled at first. She shakes off her initial pain, before giving an intimidating screech! The evil one rises, ready for a brawl!

The humans know better then to stick around for this. The crowd stampedes out of the bunker in a hurry and heads toward the mountains.

Arekisandoraito looks at the massive amount of damage done to the human habitat. She will have to make this a victory as quick as possible in order to avoid more homes being lost.

The evil one charges in a rage! Her pray is escaping!!!! Arekisandoraito grips one of the monster's many arms quickly, and chucks her to the opposite side of the city. The creature falls, and crushes several more buildings in the process.

There is an internal conflict in Arekisandoraito's heart. She is embarrassed. Paaru yells at Amejisuto for being too reckless with the brawl. Gaanetto settles her two friends down, and re-concentrates on the task at hand.

The enemy roars in annoyance before charging at the monstrous fiend once more.

Arekisandoraito is ready. She grabs the fiend, and shoots a massive fireball using her maw. The flames hit their target at point blank range.

The evil one howls in pain, before disintegrating into thin air. All that is left is a beautiful jewel, which is bubbled and dealt with by the friendly giant. The crowd cheers her name on the mountainside. The Kaiju smiles at the spectators.

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"REALLY Amethyst!! You couldn't have come up with a better plan then tossing it?!? Just imagine how much property damage you just caused!" Pearl was still complaining as the Crystal Gems entered the temple door.

"Hey! It got the job done didn't it?!? Besides, it will look awesome in the news reels! People eat that stuff up you know!"

"That's not the point! We have a job to destroy as few human structures as possible...ESPECIALLY when forming Alexandrite! Garnet! Help me out here!"

Garnet does not say anything. Her two halfs are conflicting.

Sapphire agrees with Pearl.

Ruby thought the fight was fucking awesome.

Chapter Text

They call her "Y Ddraig Goch", or "the red dragon".

She fights constantly, and seems to anger easily....even for a dragon!

The creature picks brawls with buildings, with a herd of ox, with the local folks that annoy her, but above all...the other red dragon in town.

The two of them are so hot-headed, that they continually cause property damage to everything during their spars. The mighty lizards aren't even that big...only about the size of an elephant.

You wouldn't know it by the path of destruction they leave in their wake.

The townspeople complain of the nuisance. The reptiles breath fire, love fights, and are (reportedly) beginning to horde.

The slightly smaller one enjoys stealing things molded from metal.

The other one seems fascinated by cloth, and enjoys taking laundry lines full of folks belongings.

Both are an annoyance. The people are grateful that the beasts are fairly small compared to other dragons...but still....

....It's like trying to control two oversized, playful, hounds!

An idea is hatched, and the townspeople begin to work....

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A large, deep, pit is created. It is filled with various objects, (including several dresses and an anvil). There is also a special brew crafted by the local doctor. The sleeping concoction is painted on the objects in question...

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The dragons find the treasures easily! They both bound downward into the hole to receive their prize!

.....

They cannot get back out! Neither has wings. The duo attempt to climb, and howl in frustration at the unfortunate situation.
The pit seems to spew fire, as the two reptilian friends shoot flames from the crevice.

Oh well.

...at least they are stuck with some of their favorite things! After several hours of howling, the pair gives up in frustration and re-focuses their attention to the anvil and dresses.

As the reptiles inspect and sniff the objects curiously, an odd smell makes the monsters woozy. The friends sleep. Perhaps a nap will do them some good?

The town cheers!
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It is said the two corrupted Rubies are still asleep in the pit to this day.

Perhaps they can practice sparing with their fellow soldier again after the nap ends....

Chapter Text

Amethyst had a bad habit.

It's not like anyone would find out about it or anything...plus, it was no major secret that she enjoyed shapeshifting for a good laugh.

When the house was at rest, the Gem would sneak out to the main warp pad.
The light would surround her as it always did, and she would disappear for several hours as she had for hundreds of years.

The Gem had a reputation to upkeep- after all!!!

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The bottle of wine sat on the street. It was unguarded, seemingly abandoned.

A drunk was walking home from a night of partying and became gitty when he spotted the item!

As he approached, the bottle tipped to its side. In a sudden state of panic, the thing began to roll!

The man followed the object in surprise!
Strangely enough, the thing only seemed to move if he took a step closer to it. The drunk fellow began to sprint, slightly wobbly from his hangover. The bottle quickly rolled down the hill, laughing as the poor man attempted to follow. He was staggering and falling the entire way...

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The child spotted an adorable bunny! The small, furry, creature was grooming it's face- seemingly unaware of the human's presence.

The little one gave chase!

It thumped its rabbit's foot on the ground once, before taking off at a sprint! The run was just slow enough so that the kid could see her, but fast enough to keep out of range.
.....
Several laps around the hillside later, the young one was left exhausted. The bunny laughed, proud of herself! It was good to give modern kids some exercise! They needed it with the addition of video games and other lax entertainment.

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Amethyst transformed into a bulletin board. She found great pleasure in scaring people off by morphing funny faces on its flat surface.

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The Gem turned into an abandoned umbrella on rainy nights. If people tried to pick her up to get out of the storm, the alien would take immense satisfaction in either lifting herself into the wind, or quickly transforming into a raccoon. The townsfolk would always shout profanity that Pearl would frown upon when she did this.

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After a long night of hijinx, Amethyst decided to head back to the temple.

The tanuki had done it's job for the evening.

Chapter Text

What color is a Phoenix? That is an interesting question!

It is the question he wants an answer to.

The explorer wishes to not capture the bird, nor hunt it, but to figure out the answer through a photograph.

Some folks say it is a beautiful gold! Others, claim it is purple and red, or peacock colored, or just completely licked in flames.

Whatever the answer may be, the photographer knows that the road will be a dangerous one.

The Phoenix loves to live near active volcanoes. Perhaps, one of the most hazardous locations for man. The human climbs up the mountain with haste- only stopping to rest and refuel.

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After a week of tracking up the dangerous cliff side, the explorer finally reaches the top! There is a nearby pool of lava within the active volcano on the next mountain over. The human must stay at a safe distance. He sets up his camera on a tripod in hopes to capturing the legendary beast.

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Hours pass with no luck. Every time the photographer looks into his lens, he can see the bubbling lava just fine, but no bird. The minutes tick by slowly.....
.......
.......
In a sudden burst of excitement, something rockets out of the active volcano!! Could it be?!? It is! The mighty Phoenix!!!!!

The explorer looks through his lens, and begins to snap pictures with determination! The bird is a vibrant shade of purple, but also features an entire spectrum of the rainbow as her feathers hit the light at different angles.

He observes as the creature works on a massive nest. The structure itself is made out of odds and ends...really anything the bird can find that isn't a rock. The photographer is so joyous with his discovery, that he does not notice when the animal begins to raid his supplies. She nabs his tent gear and climbing rope to line her new home.

Realizing his own mistake, the man begins to curse at the creature as she settles into her furnished nest.

The Phoenix cackles at him in response. The noise almost sounds like a chuckle.

The photographer is now trapped on the mountain side, but the Phoenix has granted his wish.

In exchange for the building supplies, she has paid the man handsomely with three of her own tail feathers.

In her previous life, she appreciated a well built structure, as well as playing a harmless joke from time to time.

Bismuths have always been like that...

Chapter Text

They call her "La Llorona" or "the weeping woman".

She is always crying, always in grieving...for someone she has lost...someone important.

The children are told to be weary of the crying mistress. She is known for taking them away. If she steals a child, you will never forgive yourself. They will go missing forevermore.

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Blue Diamond was weeping by the brook again. She would come to Earth often in order to grieve for her lost sister. She missed her so dearly, and coming to visit the one planet associated with Pink was the only action that would relieve her guilt.

"Why are you crying?"

The massive monarch looked down at the child that had disturbed her process. "Oh! A small human! You care about my loss...so kind! What do they call you?"

"My name is Jose! You're really tall!" the boy was blunt, but observant. "I bet you are great at all sorts of things! You probably have no trouble reaching stuff in high places!" The compliment was somewhat bland...but the child was trying his best to cheer the nice lady up.

The Diamond chuckled slightly. "You assume correctly! My height has many advantages!"

Jose smiled. He was glad to help anyway he could! The young one continued: "So...why are you so sad?"

The alien's smile waned. "I lost someone I care for deeply..."

The boy nodded in agreement before sitting down next to the Diamond. He began to draw in the bank's sand with a stick. "Me too."

Blue Diamond seemed surprised.

Jose continued: "I lost my mom and dad in a fire. I don't have anyone anymore. I miss them bunches."

The ruler had no clue what a "mom" or "dad" was, but she immediately felt empathy. She certainly knew what it felt like...being alone....
She had an idea! "What if I told you there was a place where you would always be loved? A place with lots of friends!"

"I would like a place like that!"

The Diamond smiled. "Then I will take you there! You will never be lonely again!"

Chapter Text

"Fee-Fi-Fo-Ho! Ho! Ho! Ho!"

Well....that was certainly...unexpected.

One moment, Andrew was stuck between two battling monoliths...the next, he was grabbed and whisked away to a spot on the shoreline. The man had heard stories about giants, and distinctly remembered them having a taste for people.

However....that laugh....

...it seemed almost sarcastic. The giant opened her palm to make the human more comfortable. She lifted him up to her eyeline to get a better look.
The creature spoke, as the human shivered in fear:
"Come, come now darling! The laugh...it was just a joke you know! I'm really not going to grind your bones or any of that other horrific nonsense."

"Wha- you- you're not?"

"Of COURSE not darling! What would be the point of saving you if I was just going to devour you afterwards?! If I really wanted to do such a thing, I wouldn't have bothered lugging you about!"

Andrew was not convinced in the slightest. The creature seemed to be taking the subject of his demise much too casually to be trusted.

"Why should I believe you?"

The giant crinkled her nose in frustration. "Well, for one thing, eating is such a disgusting habit! A simply dreadful process! Absolutely horrendous! For another thing, If I WAS to eat something, ANYTHING- human would definitely be on the bottom of the list."

The man settled slightly. He sat on her massive palm...a million questions brewing. "Why did you save me?"

"It's my job dear."

"Erm...alright then. Well, where do those stories come from if you are not a violent creature?"

The giant woman seemed increasingly annoyed. "I am not the only large thing in existence! That corrupted Gem I was fighting is not as humble."

"Humble" is not the first word that would have come to Andrew's mind. If anything, the brawl he had just witnessed seemed much more conceited.
...magic tricks...
...pageantry...
It was almost like the gargantuan creature was showing off to him, before finally whisking him away from the dangerous situation.

The man sighed in relief, before lying down on the monster's hand, exhausted. Lord, it had been a long day. The human piped up: "Well, either way, thanks for saving my worthless hide back there."

Sardonyx frowned. "Darling, darling, darling...please! You are NOT worthless! I have witnessed you helping the homeless, loving your family, your children! Your life is most certainly one worth preserving!"

She smiled down at the human, knowing his future was of the upmost importance in making others happy!

Chapter Text

Zeus was an unforgiving god with the power of thunder. There were several things about Zeus that were correct, and other things that had been blown way out of proportion.

First of all, she was not a god at all, but an alien. Second, she did not start the great flood-that was her sister's doing. Third, the stories about some of her behavior were...GREATLY exaggerated.

That being said....

She DID enjoy punishing those that opposed her. She DID bore the power of electricity....and she DID have a nasty attitude to boot.

That was just the way Yellow Diamond liked it. Fear was the most efficient technique to rule over her subjects.

...It always got her the best results.

Chapter Text

Lars was conflicted.

He knew Steven had attempted to comfort him...informed him (and even listed reasons) why he was not, in fact, a zombie.

Still, his mind was cluttered with more than just a weird-ass pink tree.

He could not stop thinking about all the ways he was different now...all the ways he was not human...all the ways he was...a FREAK.

Ok...perhaps if he listed positives and negatives in his brain, it would make him less nervous?

Zombies craved brains.
He did not crave any food.

Zombies were idiotic creatures that moaned a lot.
He had kept his thoughts, feelings, and empathy.

Zombies were dead.
While very slow, he technically still had a pulse.

Yeah...YEAH! He was no zombie!

Unfortunately, Lars' thoughts began to stray and betray.

"You are PINK."
"That is NOT normal...not HUMAN."
"Humans need to EAT...you do not."
"You will never return to Earth. If you DO, they will never love you, SHE will never love you. You will become a recluse...alone...FOREVER. No one liked you to begin with. They all hated you..."

The boy began to weep heavily. He was afraid. He was afraid of something new, yet old.

He was not afraid of the giant angry chicks.
He was not afraid of robots.
He was not afraid of starvation.

He was afraid...of rejection.

Would his parents still love him? Would Sadie still be his friend?

He cried for several minutes, all by his lone...

A sudden poke on his shoulder made the human jump!

It was Padparadscha.
The Sapphire spoke: "I-I predict Lars will be upset about what he has become! Do not worry Lars! We care about you...no matter what you look like!"

The boy attempted a smile and hugged the Gem.

Yeah...yeah!!! Even if no one else loved him, his new alien friends still cared!

They had sacrificed their own safety, just to make sure he was not by himself. He would try his best to protect them.

He would not let their kindness go unnoticed.

Chapter Text

The Amethysts and Jaspers were laughing with glee!

Carnelian blushed much more red than normal.

Skinny was incredibly amused. "How many nicknames did they actually give you?!"

The group of Gems had ducked away from Holly Blue...for the time being. They were exchanging human stories from Earth.
The subject seemed appropriate, considering they had to take care of humans at the zoo all the time anyway.

The tales were always highly amusing...especially because no one could really tell whether their "Zoomans" were more idiotic, or the humans from Earth itself were less intelligent.

Carnelian spoke unnaturally silent to herself. She mumbled: "My gravity connectors aren't that big...are they?"

"Humans call them "foot" instead...of gravity connectors...right?" 8XG inquired.

This comment was followed by all of the Gems staring at their feet, attempting to determine who had the largest pair.
....
....they were all the same size.

Skinny had brought up poor Carnelian's story. The red Gem had told her in confidence, and forgot to mention that the tale was meant to be secret.

The humans, apparently, had seen her on several different occasions, in several different places throughout history. They had all mistaken her for some sort of strange, legendary ape.

Skinny was not helping with the situation...at ALL. "They even gave you different nicknames depending on the location, didn't they? What were they again?"

"....." Carnelian drooped in shame.

"....oh! I remember! Sasquatch! Right?"

"Mmmph."

"...or "Skunk Ape"! That one is my favorite!"

The Amethysts seemed confused.
"Sass-qua-watch?"
"What is a "skunk"?"

Skinny shrugged. "I don't know. It just sounds funny...you know?"

"Well...I don't like it! Why couldn't they have just called me Carnelian?!? That is what I am after all..."

The crowd laughed...all except for 8XL.
8XG immediately took note of her out of place behavior. "Yo! What's up 8XL!? You look like one of us just got shattered!"
"It's not funny."
"Huh?!?"
"IT'S NOT FUNNY!!!"

The room grew silent...stoic, before the Amethyst continued: "The humans gave me a nickname too."

"Wha?!? NO WAY!!" There was an immediate yammering among the crowd! "What did they call you?!?"

"....Yeti."

Chapter Text

8XL began her story:

----------------

...the Amethyst walked within the snowy tundra. Her vision was impaired by the massive amount of frozen water falling from the sky. She had somehow become separated from the rest of her platoon....not that they would care to look for her anyway.

She was born on this planet, born on Earth. No one wanted anything to do with a Gem formed from the rock that had caused everyone so much misery.

8XL knew they would not care if she went missing, and she wasn't able to see 3 inches in front of her scent sponge- let alone an entire missing group of Gems.

The Amethyst groaned. She would have to find some shelter until the storm had passed...only THEN would she be able to regroup.

----------------

40 minutes later, her problem was answered. She found (what seemed to be) an abandoned human structure. It was a very small, wooden shed.

At first, 8XL was relieved to get out of the storm. Upon turning around, however, she immediately regretted her decision.

There were skins....skins of various Earth animals plastered all over the walls. The Gem had never witnessed something so horrific before! Pelts of foxes, deer, and rabbits were strung up like decorations.

The Amethyst began to hyperventilate. In a state of panic, she began to quickly tear the creatures from the walls. Certainly they were being tortured, and needed to regenerate! The poor things!

When all of the animals had been freed, 8XL felt a tinge of guilt. She had seen similar Earth creatures alive and well. They were typically quite adorable, and completely oblivious to any war or outside forces.

Her own needs could be dealt with later.
The Gem managed to find several pillows and blankets and proceeded to make the pelts as comfortable looking as possible.

8XL sat in the human dwelling and waited for the critters to regenerate. This seemed to be the best solution to the odd situation.

While the Amethyst waited, she checked all the rest of the dwelling's nook and crannies for any other creatures.

The only thing she managed to find was a soft sleeping square, and a block of uneaten cheese.

She settled on the square, and began to doze......

----------------

"BAM!!! ?!&#?!?"

The door slammed, and was immediately followed by the sound of unknown human anger and din!

8XL awoke with a start! A human with a lot of warm clothes had entered...and seemed none too pleased that there was a massive, strange Gem that had disturbed his living space.

The human yelled and screamed until 8XL was scared off.

----------------

"Shortly after that, rumors began to spread in the area about a beast that was attacking humans. The locals called it a Yeti. That creature was...me. I think the entire thing was just a big misunderstanding."

The other Gems looked at 8XL in fear.

Skinny piped up: "What was with all of those animal skins?!? Did they ever regenerate?"

"Not sure. Didn't stick around long enough to find out."

"That's....super creepy. Like....they were just on the walls?"

8XL nodded.

It was about this time when Holly Blue located the slackers, and began to bark at everyone again.

The rest of the human stories would have to wait until later...

Chapter Text

Some said that the creatures resembled a dog....others stated that they looked more like birds.

No one could really agree on anything pertaining to the Tengu.

They were known as an omen of war.
They protected temples.
They were tricksters, imps, spirits that would make one's life miserable.
They were friendly toward humans.
They HATED humans.
They protected forests.
They looked like people with bird beaks.
They looked like shooting stars with a dog's head.
They had a long nose.
They looked like a falcon!

...no one could agree on the personality, or the image of the Tengu. They were incredibly mysterious. There was only one being in existence that could settle the confusion....

----------------

Her eyes slowly opened. The ship was upside down! Huh? What?!?!
....
Oh! She had fallen asleep on the ceiling again.

The creature always had to remember that Homeworld was so far off these days. Often times she would wake up from a nap and find herself, slightly shocked, that the ship's interior was overrun with plant life. She had forgotten- she was not quite herself anymore.

Ever since the human friend had helped her...the Tengu had remembered a lot of things. Her remaining crew was not so lucky.
They seemed constantly confused about where they were, and what they had become.

Still, despite re-obtaining her corrupted form, she could now understand both man and her crew! This was an advantage when translating and explaining stuff!

"Mrawww! Click! Click! Click!" The Centipeetle yawned with her large beak-like mouth. The sound made the others stir!

----------------

Soon the ship was bustling with life! The strange insect-like creatures settled on the floor of the ancient spacecraft, waiting to be educated.

The captain approached her crew! Today's lesson was about human.

"Click! Cli-click! Mrawww! Mrawwww!" The captain stated that humans could be kind OR frightening. Some people found her scary, others gave her food and fried plant slices! "Mrawww!!" The captain was happy with her explanation, but her subordinates still looked confused.

One of her ship mates raised a bug-like apanage. "Merrrph?"

The captain seemed frustrated at the question. The crew member had asked what a human was...despite going over this many times before.

She let out a sigh, before drawing a crude stick human in the dirt that lined the floor of the ship. "Mraaaawwww!"

The other Centipeedles came to a realization, and clicked excitedly! They all began drawing similar-looking crude humans in the dirt.

The captain was proud of her crew!
....but then....

...then there was an immediate reaction that disappointed her.
All of her crew mates began to click excitedly at the drawings.

"Hello human!"
"Can I have plant slices like the captain?"
"Are you a good human, or a scary one?"
"How do you move if you are a picture in dirt?"
"What is your favorite planet?"

"MRAWWWWW!!!" The captain screamed, agitated. Her shipmates jumped at the sudden yell- looking nervous.
......
"Mraw-click-click." She calmed herself quickly when seeing the frightened faces of her pals.

The captain dismissed them for the time being.

She would try to explain again tomorrow.

Chapter Text

She was offering a free Pearl as a reward.

A free Pearl to any Gem who could come up with the worst, most extreme punishment imaginable.

The jail cells were becoming way too full of Crystal Gem traitors, and Yellow Diamond was impatient with the lack of space these ingrates were causing.

She decided to post the announcement all over Homeworld, in hopes someone could come up with a more horrendous idea then she.

----------------

Finally, the big day arrived! There was a line of Gems leading to Yellow's court. It went all the way around the block! The aliens were of every rank and status. A chance to receive a free Pearl meant respect, and a more simple life.

----------------

Throughout the day, the leader heard everything: forcing the traitors to eat other species' foods, shattering, playing horrendous music on repeat...none of them impressed the Diamond.

....and then, the Moonstone arrived.

Her idea was SICK, DERANGED, UNORTHODOX.
As taboo as it was, the leader was greatly impressed!

Yellow Diamond presented her with the Orange Pearl to assist.

...of course, there is no such thing as a free lunch.
The Moonstone was highly disappointed, as the Pearl introduced herself. She was defective- a massive hump on her back.

...still....a Pearl is a Pearl.

The Moonstone gave her new Pearl a pet name- Igor.

-----------------

Igor had a simple job. After the shattering of traitorous Gems, she would collect the shards, and bring them back to her master.

Moonstone stayed in isolation most of the time, but there were rumors... rumors of disgusting fusion experiments.

Other Gems began to talk. They were told stories of a fate worse than shattering. Pieces and parts of broken Gems being molded together....forced to fuse into deranged hybrids.

----------------

The Cluster was her masterpiece- the ultimate piece of irony.

These Gems- once trying to save the Earth, would soon be forced to destroy it against their will.

Moonstone was the true monster- an ultimate Frankenstein if ever there was one....

Chapter Text

Onion...just...Onion.

Onion is weird.

Chapter Text

Not again.

The mechanic re-entered his barn, only to find his customer's cars torn to pieces.

This had been happening more and more frequently as of recent. He had even called the cops on several occasions, but the vandals continued to (somehow) break into the building, and mess with his client's automobiles.

The human scratched his head in puzzlement. The cops soon joined him, looking stunned. They had been in front of the place all night on a stake out, and had seen no living soul enter or exit the facility.

"Well!! Would ya' look at that! It happened again! Sorry Joe...I'm stumped!"

Joe the mechanic seemed deflated. It was never any big things missing either....just small stuff.
...nuts and bolts on tires....
....hub caps....
....pieces of the motor (but not the motor itself)...
It was so....STRANGE.

----------------

The next night, after everyone (but the cops) had gone to sleep, the odd trickster struck again!!

A bolt on one of the tires began to unscrew...all by its lone! Then, ALL of the bolts fell off....followed by the car's license plate, and the metallic bumper!

The objects hovered in place for a few seconds, before speeding up toward the open sun roof at the top of the barn......

----------------

The next morning, Lapis wandered outside, yawning, as she discovered Peridot working on a giant Meep-Morp!

"That looks...interesting..."

"Wow! Thanks Lapis!"

"Where do you find all of that scrap metal anyway?"

"I have my sources. A Peridot always knows the best places to locate various materials...after all!" Peridot smiled. She seemed immensely proud of herself!

Chapter Text

Despite their horrendous reputation, trolls often stick in pairs. They are not terribly social creatures, but are more then willing to help those that are close to them.

With a human-like appearance, trolls often get a bad rep for being mean, idiotic, or rather dull.

This could not be further from the truth.

---------------

During battle, many Gems used different tactics to fight.

Amethysts used strength.
Jaspers also used brute force.
Some gems shape shifted, some used wit, many used their weapon.

However, there was one warrior that was always built in pairs- the Topaz.

Despite it being somewhat taboo, a Topez depended on fusion- sticking together for their battle techniques. They could fuse and disable almost any enemy, just by making the Gem in question quite stuck.

They were not exactly known as a talkative being by any means. Lots of Homeworld's inhabitants blew this off as the Gem type either being cold or idiotic.

The honest truth was: all Topaz kept quiet, because if they spoke their mind, they would be shattered for sure. The trolls were always looking out for their other half. They didn't need words in order to convey how they felt about one another.

Chapter Text

During the corruption, she had the most difficult time finding a host.

As a Gem whose primary function was to possess inanimate objects in order to spy on the enemy, her options were...limited (to say the least).

She ended up inhabiting a shell.

Over time, the shell got tossed and turned in the waves. To the frustration of the alien, a hermit crab located the item and lugged it about as a house for a while. As soon as the crab would move out, another one would move in!

There were normally scuffles among the animals over whom would get the shell, making the item in question damaged and scratched.

It hurt...a lot.
The Gem was patient though. These creatures did not know what they were doing.

----------------

Many centuries passed, and the shell had diminished to a piece of it's former glory.

It was time to find a new host.

As the item washed on shore, the Gem waited patiently for some unsuspecting object to walk by.

A piece of crumpled parchment fluttered in the wind!

She decided to occupy this next.

---------------

She traveled near and far! The alien got to see much of the world through the eyes of her paper!

However...

...the experience was quite painful (yet again).

Creatures would step on her. The wind ate at her corners. Once in a while, a bird would peck at her to see if she obtained food.

When she could take the pain no more, she decided it was time for a change yet again.

----------------

The paper whisked in the wind, and got blown against a building of some sort- a lighthouse!

The Gem switched to her new host.

This one was different! The structure was not tumbled or fought over. It was not painful when humans entered her doors.

In her spare time, the Gem found that she could even manipulate her components!

She could slam doors! Move boards! Turn on electricity! Contort wires!

It was almost like she had a physical form again!

----------------

Over time, the lighthouse was abandoned...which was perfectly fine with the Gem. She didn't mind the company, but it was rather annoying to have the humans come and go as they pleased.

...and then, one day, THEY showed up.

The two curious human children appeared. They were annoying, arguing, and then one began to HURT her! The pain! The pain she had felt so many years ago! It came back! It did not subside!

Angered, she vowed to have her revenge...revenge on the one named...
...LARS.

Chapter Text

Leo Lenox (or...as he was later known- Lord Lenox or Fortitude) was a very special Lion.

Fortitude's job was to protect. He would protect objects that needed to stand the test of time. He would protect people that needed help. He would protect old artifacts and structures.

Fortitude's job was important.

He had been given this super-important job by a weird person in a pink dress.

The woman seemed to like lions...but her favorites were Fortitude and his brother- Patience.

----------------

They had met the strange lady in a desert- it was almost Fortitude's time, but her crying made him feel better for some reason. After saving him, she would teach Fortitude and his brother how to protect things...important things!

Sometimes, the nice lady would visit, and weep. She would weep for others she had lost, weep for wars she had seen, weep for the world.

Patience was just that- patient. The lion would lean next to the woman as she cried.

Fortitude, however, was much more insistent on cheering up the friend. He would lap up her tears, and lick her face until she smiled and giggled.

Fortitude could always stop the tears.

----------------

Over the years, Patience wandered off into the desert. It was his time, and he would go out (like most cats) with dignity and grace.

The lady seemed upset when she could not find him, but it was the lion's way.

For some odd reason, Fortitude's time never came again. He almost seemed just as energetic as he had been years prior.

----------------

Then the day arrived.

The woman seemed more plump than usual. She also seemed sad, but did not cry.

She approached Fortitude, and entered his mane as she always had. She had LOTS of items this time! Lots of items to protect!

After re-exiting the mane, she told him that the objects were very important. She said she may look different next time, but she wanted him to protect and follow her when she would re-appear. With one final hug, the strange woman disappeared...

...and never returned.

----------------

Years went by, but the lion was loyal. Fortitude protected all of the items with his life!

...and then one day, a young boy and his strange friends appeared in the desert.

The boy smelled...familiar...

Chapter Text

A multi-headed creature of evil, they are to be feared at any and all cost!

Their blood and breath are poison! You should always run away....run away.....

......

----------------

She had been forming for hundreds of years. It was dark in the soil, but also, very comfortable.

The Gem wasn't quite conscious...not yet anyway.

Still... she could feel the presence of another....a fellow Gem perhaps? Despite everything, she decided to "speak" to the presence. The Gem wanted to see if her thoughts would get a response!

"H-hello?"
"Hello there!"
"Who are you?"
"I'm not sure...who are YOU?"
"I....don't know either."

The pair chuckled in their own minds. This process of being in the soft soil was nice, but had just become even better with someone interesting to talk to!

"What do you think of this soil?"
"It's very soft, and warm too!"
"I agree!"
"What do you think is going to happen?"
"I'm not sure, but I bet it will be exciting!"
"Do you think there are more friends above the soil?"
"I bet there are! I can't wait to meet them! I hope they are as friendly as you!"
"I'm sure they will be!"

The Gem spoke to the other presence for a long while. They got to know everything about one another. While the duo couldn't see anything, they were happy to be close enough to keep conversation going while they waited for...erm...whatever it was they were waiting for.

----------------

Finally, the big day arrived! The Rutile began to pop out of the cliff, one-by-one. They greeted each other in the most civilized of manners!

The last one was hesitant, still in the soil.
"Are you sure they will like us?"
"Yeah! Why wouldn't they? You're awesome!"
"I'm nervous..."
"Tell you what, we'll form at the same time! Ok? So you don't have to do this alone! Are you ready?"
"Erm-ok..."
"1...2...3!!!!!"

.....

The Rutile twins emerged from the cliff!

There was an immediate gasp among their sisters. The two friends popping out at the same time in unison must have surprised them!

A scream was heard. Everyone became paralyzed with fear.

Something was wrong.

The group of Rutile bolted quickly in a panic! What was going on?! Why did that one have two?!?!? TWO heads! The awful, horrendously, deformed thing! It was hideous!!!

.....

The Rutile twins were confused, and terribly hurt. Had they done something incorrectly? The duo felt each other's angst.

Sobbing with sorrow, they bolted in the opposite direction.

----------------

The hydra looked quite different, but at least they still had each other. After finding a grand hiding spot among the cliffs, the two attempted to comfort one another. Their worst fears had come to fruition! No one loved them!!

A rustling nearby alerted the new Gem of possible danger! The twins scurried as far back into the hiding spot as possible.

....a massive face looked upon them from the opening of the hole!! A monster?!?

The duo shivered in fear! Was this the end?!?

The massive head spoke...very slowly.

"Do...not...be...alarmed. We...are...here...to...help."

Fluorite slowly turned toward the rest of her team, and began to yell: "OVER...HERE!!! I...FOUND...A...NEW...FRIEND!!!"