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Let’s set the scene.
It’s a warm, fuzzy spring day. Lapis and Peridot were lounging in their new, refurbished barn. Lapis and Peridot spent weeks rebuilding it since, you know, Lapis sort of crashed it over Blue Diamond. Anyway, they decided to rewatch season 3 of their favorite show, Camp Pining Hearts. But something was… off.
“Ha! Percy is such a dope. Right, Peridot?” Lapis asked.
Peridot was staring off into space. She obviously had something on her mind.
“Peridot? Come on, this is the best part!”
“What?” Peridot fixed her stare back to the TV, “Oh, yeah. I like this scene.”
“Like it? Peri, you used to go on for hours analyzing it to me.”
Peridot looked at the ground in response. She looked like she was thinking really deeply about something, but what? Lapis wasn’t sure how to react to that gesture so she kept watching the episode. After the episode ended Lapis wasn’t so sure what to do. She knew something was up with Peridot, but wasn’t really good at dealing with that kind of stuff. But on the other hand, the last time they failed to communicate until the last minute, Lapis ended up taking the barn to the moon. After weighing the pros and cons, Lapis just decided to pretend that nothing was wrong.
“Onto the next episode?” Lapis proposed.
“Yeah, sure,” Peridot replied, still looking at the ground. But now, the look on Peridot face looked more pained and full of remorse.
“Okay.”
The two of them sat in silence for the entire episode except for the occasional snort and mock vomit sound coming from Lapis.
“That one had to be one of my favorites from this season. Which one’s your favorite, Per-”
“I don’t understand! How are you just pretending that everything’s fine?!” Peridot finally blurted out.
At this point, Peridot had tears streaming down her face. She ran out of the barn and didn’t look back.
“Peridot! Wait! What’s wrong?”
But Lapis was too late. Peridot was gone.
But just then… Steven ran into the barn.
“Lapis! What’s wrong with Peridot? I was here to drop off some meep morps that the gems at little homeschool made when I saw her run past me. I think she was upset.”
“I have no idea. We were just watching season 3 of Camp Pining Hearts, and then she ran out crying.”
“Was it an emotional episode?”
“No!”
“We’ve gotta go find her!”
“But where did she go? Where could she have gone?”
“I don’t know, you’re the one who spends a lot of time with her.”
“I know! I’ll just fly over beach city to find her.”
“Great! I’ll be at the barn when you return.”
“You’re not coming?”
“Nah, I have a feeling that when you find her, you’re going to have a heart-to-heart conversation with her, and that would be awkward if I were there.”
“I guess that makes sense.”
“Well, I know it makes sense.”
“Bye, Steven. Thanks for looking after the barn.”
“No prob, Bob.”
“It’s Lapis.”
And with that, Lapis created her water wings and flew off. She flew over everywhere: The boardwalk, the city, the beach, and even at brooding hill. But Peridot was nowhere to be found.
“Where haven’t I looked yet?” Lapis said to herself.
Lapis turned around to see-
“The crops! I didn’t look in the field where our crops grow! I hope she’s there.”
Lapis flew over the field to find Peridot exactly in the middle of it, curled up in a ball. She flew down and landed right behind Peridot. She was about to speak when Peridot started to talk before she had the chance.
“Do you even know what day it is? Or are you just trying to avoid it?”
Lapis stepped beside Peridot, “Day? What da-”
Lapis stopped mid-sentence when she saw what Peridot was sitting in front of. It was Pumpkin’s grave. She had totally forgotten that today was exactly one year since Pumpkin’s death.
“Oh my goodness! Peridot, I’m so sorry. I completely forgot.”
“It hurts, Lapis. The hurt won’t go away. It’s just like you and Pumpkin are leaving me all over again.”
“No, Peridot. I’m right here. I’m not leaving again.”
“Now I know how you felt being in that mirror. Trapped, isolated, alone.”
“Yeah. It was hard. But I was also extremely upset when we lost Pumpkin, but it made me thankful that we had each other. If we didn’t have each other to cheer us up, we would still be grieving.”
“Aren’t I grieving now? Am I not allowed to grieve? Should I stop?”
“No, Peri. Of course not. You should feel your feelings. In fact, maybe expressing them is a better way to face them.”
“You’re not suggesting I sing, are you? Last time I sang, later that day I called Yellow Diamond a clod!”
Lapis and Peridot laughed at that.
“It doesn’t have to be singing. You can do whatever you want to express yourself!”
Peridot looked down at the ground bashfully, “I’ve always wanted to learn to dance.”
“Really?” Lapis asked excitedly.
“Yeah.”
“We should go back to the barn first. Maybe Steven can lend us his phone to play music on.”
“Okay.”
Lapis spread out her water wings again and picked Peridot up to bring them both back to the barn.
On the way, Peridot said, “Hey Lapis? Wow thanks for doing this with me.”
“You’re welcome, Peri.”
______________________________
Back at the barn, Lapis asks Steven for his phone so she can dance with Peridot.
“Okay, here’s my phone. You’re sure you know how to use it, right?”
“Of course I do, I did take a couple of Pearl’s classes to learn how to use one of these,” Lapis said, while holding the phone backwards. “Where is the ‘home screen’? Pearl said there would be a home screen with all the apps on them,” Lapis was beginning to get frustrated. “Where are the apps?!”
“Oh-ho-ho-kay, Peridot why don’t you handle the phone?” Steven nervously asked.
“Sure, Steven. Lapis, why don’t you hand me the phone?”
“No! I can handle it! Those classes couldn’t have been for nothing.”
Peridot took the phone from her, “Well, for starters, you were holding it backwards.”
Lapis blushed, “I knew that. I was just testing you!” She said, not willing to give up her pride.
“Okay, here you are. I opened the app TubeTube for you.”
Lapis tapped on the search button and the keyboard appeared.
“Uh, Peridot? Steven? What now?”
“Just type in the kind of music you want to listen to,” Steven replied.
“Type? Pearl didn’t mention anything about typing.”
“I’ll type for you Lapis,” Steven offered. He took the phone from Lapis and asked, “What kind of music do guys want?”
“Something that’s slow, because it’s my first time dancing, but also helps me let things go,” Peridot explained.
“I know just what song!”
Steven started to type.
Lapis leaned over to Peridot, “How is he doing that so fast?”
“Beats me. It takes me one minute just to type out the word clod.”
Steven hit the play button on the video and the song “I'm looking forward” by Sadie and Shep filled the barn.
“I'm leaving the phone here. When you’re done, bring it back to me at the temple if you want to visit, or just call Pearl’s phone off of mine so I can come to pick it up.”
“Bye, Steven.”
“Bye, Lapis! Bye, Peridot!”
Once Steven was gone, Lapis turned towards Peridot.
“Okay. Are you ready for this?”
“No,” Peridot said with a laugh.
“It’s okay, follow my lead,” Lapis reached her hand out, “Do you trust me?”
Peridot hesitated, but with a burst of energy, she said, “Yes!” and took Lapis hand.
Lapis swept Peridot away and off they were. Lapis put her hands on Peridot’s shoulders, and in return, Peridot put hers on Lapis’ waist. They swayed for a bit until Lapis took one of Peridot hands and spun her. It was a bit awkward because of the height difference, but they didn’t care. They danced through the entire song and even longer. By now they were completely synchronized. They didn’t even realize the song had ended. They didn’t realize a lot. They especially didn’t realize when their gems started glowing. By the time they did it was too late. They were fused. They were together. They were one. They were Turquoise.
“Peridot? Lapis? No. I’m- but how? I’m fused? And it’s okay? No. No no no no no no. I can’t do this. Not again.”
Turquoise put one of her hands into the other.
“It’s fine. I’m here. It’s only me.”
Turquoise pulled her hand back abruptly and put it on her forehead with a pained expression on her face.
“No! I c-can’t! Not again! I’m sorry.”
And just like that, in a flash of light, Turquoise was once again separated into the two gems Peridot and Lapis Lazuli.
“Lapis! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to! If I had known we were going to fuse I wouldn’t have asked you to dance with me.”
“Peridot, can you leave?”
“No! Lapis, I’m sorry! Please-”
“I didn’t mean it like that. Just for like an hour. I just need some time to process what just happened.”
“Oh. Okay. Yeah, me too. I’ll bring Steven’s phone back up to the temple.”
So, Peridot took Steven’s phone and headed up to the temple. But she wasn’t going all the way up to the temple just to return a phone. She was going up there to talk about what just happened with another gem. Someone who would understand what happened completely. Someone who’s a fusion. Someone like Garnet.
______________________________
Up at the temple, Peridot first went to try and find Steven.
“STEVEN! STEVEN, I HAVE YOUR PHONE!”
“Peridot, I’m right here,” Steven said, emerging from the bottom of the stairs.
“Oh, good. Steven I have your cellular phone. Here you go.”
“Thanks, Peridot. Do you need anything else?”
“Yes, actually. Do you happen to know where Garnet is?”
“Right behind you, Peridot,” a voice said.
Peridot turned around to find Garnet standing right behind her.
“Wow, she’s right there. How convenient for you, P,” Steven said, “Alright, I’ma bounce. Later!”
Once Steven was gone, Garnet invited Peridot to sit on the couch.
“So, you wanted to talk with me?”
“Yes, I as a matter of fact, I do.”
“What about?”
Peridot blushed, “Umm, fusion.”
“Oh? What about fusion?”
“Well, Lazuli and I sort of fused.”
“Peridot, I’m so proud of you.”
“Wow thanks. But it was by accident, and besides, she broke us apart.”
“That’s not your fault. You know her past with fusion. Of course she’d be uncomfortable with it, she doesn’t know how wonderful fusion can feel. But how did you feel about it?”
“I thought it felt great! Being a part of something bigger than me, together, with Lapis! It’s a shame that Lapis’ experience with fusion was ruined.”
“How did you feel when you broke apart?”
“At first, I felt regret. I knew Lapis would be mad at me. When she explained to me what happened with her and Jasper, I promised myself I wouldn’t make her go through that again.”
“Then?”
“Then, I felt angry. Lapis told me to leave because she needed space, but we could’ve just talked it out! I don’t understand!”
“You are completely entitled to feel that way, Peridot. It wasn’t your fault. But now all you can do is give Lapis space, and wait for her to think everything through.”
“Okay, but that wasn’t all I wanted to talk with you about.”
“Ah, I’m assuming you want to talk about love?”
“Wha-”
“It was the most probable possibility. So, love?”
Peridot became flustered, “Well, um, you see, I think that I might have,” Peridot stopped for a second, “those kinds of feelings, for Lazuli?”
“Yes!” Garnet exclaimed, victoriously. She cleared her throat, “I mean, are you sure? Don’t toy with my emotions.”
“Yeah, I guess I kind of realized it when we were fused. But, um, how exactly do you feel when you love someone in that sense?”
“Well, you enjoy always being around them and you feel your heart soar when you’re near them. And it makes you feel powerful to be with them.”
“As a fusion?”
“No. Just on you own.”
“I guess that is how I feel for Lapis. Is that good or bad?”
“Depends. Will you tell her or keep it hidden?”
Peridot fell off the couch in surprise, “Tell her?! What do you take me for, a clod?!”
“Yes. But also, if you don’t tell her, you won’t know if she loves you too.”
“I suppose you’re right. I just hope I don’t embarrass myself into the next era.”
“Don’t worry, Peridot. Things are going to turn out, exactly how they’re supposed to,” Garnet said with a confident smile.
“Did you just use your future vision?”
“Maybe.”
“I’m going back to the barn now. Lapis is probably cooled down enough to talk to me.”
“Good luck, Peridot.”
“Yeah. I’m going to need it.”
______________________________
Peridot reached the front of the barn and took a deep breath before entering. The sight before her eyes amazed her! She thought that Lapis would have taken a more, um, emotional response to what happened but surprisingly, she wasn't overreacting at all. In fact, it looked like she was meditating. Peridot was about to leave to let her be peaceful, but Lapis had seen her.
“Peridot! Come in!”
Peridot hesitantly stepped into the barn.
“Are you okay, Lapis?”
"Yeah. I needed some time to think, but now I realize that fusion isn't necessarily bad. I actually felt comfortable and safe when I was with you. Well, when I wasn't freaking out. My experience with Jasper was so bad, and I felt that I couldn’t move on. But Peri, you fusing with me was the perfect opportunity to! Now I understand that I can be part of a non-toxic fusion!”
“That’s great, Lapis,” Peridot said in a melancholy tone.
“Peridot? What’s wrong? Are you still upset about Pumpkin?”
“Yes, but I think I have closure now.”
“So what’s wrong?”
Peridot sighed, “We’ve been friends for a couple years now. Why couldn’t we just talk it out? I’m here for you, Lapis. I’m always here.”
“I know, Peridot. It’s just- this problem is a homeworld gem I need to bubble on my own. You know?”
“I can’t say I understand why you can’t ask for help with this, but I want what you think is best for you.”
“Thanks, Peri.”
“Um, actually, I had something else I wanted to tell you.”
“What is it?”
Peridot blushed, “Well, um, you know the way Paulette feels for Percy?”
“Yeah?”
“Well, I sort of feel that way for you,” Peridot immediately jumped behind a crate after saying that, “Please don’t shatter me!”
“Why would I shatter you?”
“Because I’ll ask you to if you have the incorrect response to my statement!”
Lapis laughed, “Peridot, I have those feelings for you too.”
Peridot peeked her head slightly above the crate, “Really?” She asked.
“Yeah, I’ve actually wanted to tell you for a while but didn’t know how.”
“Yes! I’m not a clod! Take that Garnet!”
“I’m going to pretend that you saying that never happened for both of sakes,” Lapis laughed. “So now what?” She continued.
“Do you want to fuse?”
“With you? Any time.”
The two gems started to dance and fused once again. Except this time they both accepted each other as this one fusion. They now knew why Garnet loved fusion so much. Of course, they knew they didn’t want to stay fused all the time like Garnet. They wanted to be able to see each others faces every day. But they both knew they would definitely want to fuse more in the future.
Turquoise created her water wings and started to fly up to the temple. She knew she had some friends she wanted to introduce herself to. She wonders if they’ll be excited to see her. She enters the house carefully and sees Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, and Steven sitting on the couch. They were all in complete shock upon seeing her.
“Um, hey guys!” Turquoise said.
They all stood up and ran over to Turquoise to give her a hug.
“Woah! Wow thanks, Everyone! My name is Turquoise.”
The gems separated from the hug and looked at each other.
They said, “We love it.”