[Open] She's never tailed anyone before but is pretty sure it can't be that hard

[diediediediediedie]

[The big question hanging over everything for Peridot was "now what?"

She was stuck in a big human city, ordered to destroy shadow monsters who may or may not pop out at any time with hypothetical powers she has no idea how to use. Most of her own Gem abilities are gone, she has no need of most of the services in the city, and she can't go anywhere.

So what was she meant to do now?

Her training tells her that if she has no idea AT ALL what to do, then she should gather information...but what would that look like? Tracking someone in the hopes that THEY'LL have a clue?

...Yes, apparently. Well, shards.

Perhaps she could tail a likely looking suspect and watch what they do. See if she can catch them working out their powers. It's just a matter of waiting for someone to come by and follow them for a distance.

Of course, that all depends on someone magic walking by...]

Comments

[diediediediediedie]

Don't they?

[Humans were odd. Asking for a serial number wouldn't mean much to her either.

...Maybe she was playing the wrong game.]

Look- Just- Who are you!? Why do you seem so familiar!?

[panspermia]

Familiar...?

[After a second, Greg's mouth presses in to a hard line. So, it really is her, then? There's only one possible connection between the two of them.]

You're probably mistaking me for someone else.

[diediediediediedie]

[The human is making a face that she can't quite read, but it isn't a happy one. There MUST be a reason.]

I know I'm not! What are you hiding?

[panspermia]

Yeah. You probably met my son.

[She probably doesn't even know what that means, but he's just being obtuse out of spite.]

[diediediediediedie]

...Son. Son. So-o-o-o-o-n...

[She clearly has NO IDEA what the word means. She gives it a bit more play and...]

You own the yellow dwarf that powers your planet!?

[panspermia]

[SIGH. Just because he's not surprised doesn't mean he can't be exasperated.]

No. My kid. Steven.

[diediediediediedie]

...Steven? You're connected with the Steven?! Are you some kind of Big Steven?!

[It makes sense why they look so alike: They're the same species! Apparently the younger ones are called "kids," but that's simply trivia.]

[panspermia]

[...What is this.]

Yeah. I'm his father. When uh, when humans reproduce, it, uh. The new humans usually look like whoever made them.

[diediediediediedie]

But the Steven isn't a human! It had Rose Quartz's gem! Do you mean to say it wasn't just...an extremely strange regeneration?

[Human biology is as baffling as it is disgusting, even without throwing Gem anatomy into the mix. L]

[panspermia]

No, it's... it's complicated.

[He doesn't want to get into the specifics, and he's pretty darn sure she doesn't either.]

Steven's special. That's all that's important.

[diediediediediedie]

[So...Rose Quartz and the Steven are two separate entities? A lightbulb goes off in Peridot's head.]

Then...that must mean it's only the three Crystal Clods with a chance of protecting the earth...and I suppose it also explains how the Steven got out of the ship's hold.

[Everyone was confused the day they came to earth, and no, she doesn't feel especially troubled about talking like that in front of Greg.]

[panspermia]

[He can't help but grind his teeth together a little. There's a lot of buttons getting casually pushed. He sure as heck knows she shouldn't count Steven out, but he's not got any desire to egg her on bothering his son any further.]

Look, why are you even bothering with Earth? Find some other planet for whatever creepy plots you Gems are up to, where no one gives you any trouble.

[diediediediediedie]

[She throws up her eyebrows.]

That is Homeworld business! What gives the likes of you the right to question?!

[panspermia]

Because this is my homeworld! You Gems have dozens of planets under your control already. Us humans just have the one, so we'd like to keep it working!

[diediediediediedie]

[Well...that's too bad for the humans. But she supposes she should throw him a bone.]

If you must know...the first Earth debacle was costly for us. My superiors feel there is much to be learned from the aftermath...

[panspermia]

[Costly. Right. He fixes her with a very wary rise of the eyebrow. Usually, his very last instinct would be to pry further, but things don't add up.]

Learning, huh. But you took off awful fast, after landing.

[diediediediediedie]

[She groans]

Blame Jasper. Once she discovered Rose's new form she deviated from the mission without thinking to test our restraints! If she had just blasted the Crystal Gems like we planned then-

[Wait, what was she doing?]

Why am I telling you this? You know everything you should already.

[panspermia]

[His mouth twists, and he goes back to working, muttering more to himself than her.]

Yeah, sure. Learned all I need from that aftermath.

[diediediediediedie]

[There goes the demandingly raised eyebrow again.]

What is THAT supposed to mean?