Earth Bound

Worlds Apart

Seldom was there a morning when everyone hit the floor running but as luck would have it, it was one of those mornings. As Peri prepared for her trip to earth she still mentally walked herself through each moment of the previous evening. Onyx had looked particularly beautiful under the pale blue moon light even if she hadn't dressed up for the small occasion. There weren't many times when Peri could say she felt anything for her roommate, they were just close friends, but on a rare occasion under the perfect circumstances Onyx could really capture her full awe and attention. Her musings were cut short by Onyx insisting that they had to head out for the hangar or else they'd be late.

The blue gem, slightly leading the way, was as quiet as Peri had expected. She knew what was going through the gem's mind. No matter what combination of words she scattered in her head she couldn't create a sentence that would ease the tension at all. Instead, they walked in silence. Gems all around them went about their day knowing not of the impending earth bound mission that could seal the fates of many of them should Peri make one small misstep. That was what ran through her mind.

From the Capital City to the Border Lands far beyond the reaches of the Eleventh Court was a long walk. The further from the city they traveled the less gems filled the streets going from task to task, filling orders, and fulfilling their assigned duties. Burdened under her own thoughts Peri desperately forced herself to think of something beside the trip. She'd fallen a few paces behind Onyx and began to take keen notice of how the gem was walking.

Shoulders back, almost marching, her head held high as she walked. Focusing on nothing but the task at hand, Onyx thought of this act as a ceremonious one, rather than necessity. Peri could easily have made the trip alone; it was by no means dangerous. For both of their sakes though she decided to accompany the gem to the hangar. She wanted to say her farewells to Peri somewhere private where the others gems wouldn't scrutinize her for the associations with a peridot, likewise, she knew there would be a certain amount of comfort she could give the gem before sending her off to earth. Much like the father of a bride walking her down the aisle on her wedding day, she was walking with Peri to be with her one last time before sending her off. There was a lot of gratitude Onyx did feel for Bixbite who allowed her to see Peri off without so much as a second guess.

Hangar Ten loomed in the distance and stood more ominous than any building in the Capital City. It seemed even more imposing than the Eleventh Court in all its grandeur. Around the time that the massive building came into sight Peri picked up her pace so that she was beside Onyx and slipped her hand into friends' hand. There was a little bit of comfort in having such a familiar gem right beside her.

Several minutes later, a little closer to the hangar, and fate still looming over both of them, Onyx stopped. "What's wrong..?" Peri asked as she too stopped but didn't let go of Onyx's hand.

The blue gem gave her a serious look but it washed away to kindness and warmth. "I told myself I wouldn't cry." She began as she held Peri's hand just a little tighter.

"Don't cry. This isn't meant to be a sad thing."

For as long as she could remember, being strong was what was expected of her. It was no easy feat being told to command a hoard of strong quartz' likewise it was no walk in the park when she drug herself aboard the ship and hid fearing that any second could be her last. "I'm so proud of you." Onyx finally whispered in response, she choked back the tears for Peri. She didn't want to cry, not now. The gem in front of her was probably just as scared as she was, if not more so.

Slipping in a little closer there was one thing that Peri really wanted. A hug. She recalled some of the times after her gem had been first cut and everything seemed so terrifying to her. The world outside was a huge place filled with horrible monsters that all seemed to want her shattered. That's when Lavender would scoop her up and give her a big hug and tell her things would be ok. She may have been just a pearl but she was one of the best things that ever happened to Peri. Knowing what Peri wanted, Onyx wrapped her arms around the shorter gem and hugged her. "No matter what happens on earth I'll be here for you. I'm only a call away."

"I know." Peri whispered as she returned the hug. She wished the moment could last forever.

"I love you Peri Dot." Onyx whispered back.

Even with her face squished against Onyx she still managed to reply, "I love you too Nyx."

Letting go was the hardest part. Onyx knew what had to happen, they had to continue on. This was goodbye in the most sincere way before a much more tamed down variation at the ship at which point there wouldn't be time for hugs just a 'goodbye' before parting ways. Here she could hug her, fight back the tears, and tell her she loved her. She felt her spirit sink as Peri began to let go.

Looking up into Onyx's eyes, with tears in her own, Peri brushed them away. "I shouldn't be so worried, I'm not alone and... and I've wanted this for a long time."

Even if she had wanted this for a long time, was going to earth really going to give her the freedom she wanted? As she mused over the words time and time again she remembered Lavender Pearl, the gem who had basically kidnapped Peri and hid her from the horrid gems that wanted her shattered. Lavender had been Peri's guardian until the day she'd been shattered. Onyx remembered watching from a distance as Lavender eventually had to let Peri grow up and go her own thing. The scariest day for the pearl had been when her little Peri went to the courts for the first time to try and find a place where she could work so that she didn't have to hide any longer.

Giving Peri one last glance, seeing her heartbroken expression, she knew what she had to do. Grabbing the gem's hand and looking her in the eye she confidently told her, "You're going to be just fine. You know how I know?" The green gem shook her head, her hair falling slightly over her shoulders as she did so, "because, you are Peri Dot! You are the tenth experimental gem shard and you survived when others didn't. You fought through some of the longest nights and have traveled across Homeworld to bring justice to those who deserve it, you never give up even when things look extremely dark, and... and you've had everything taken away from you that you cared about but you never stopped believing that there was good in our world." Cupping Peri's head in her hands she looked at the gem with compassionate eyes, "So go to earth, prove me and my fears wrong, make me a liar, show all of Homeworld that you are not a broken peridot but instead a hero."

Without a word, without another tearful glance, Peri threw her arms around Onyx and hugged her tightly. The warmth of the gem in her arms brought her comfort. "I won't be anyone's hero."

"You already are someone's hero." Onyx softly noted as she returned the hug. She wasn't sure if Peri wanted another hug because she was scared or if the speech was just that compelling that she was now confident to carry on. When they locked gazes again she admitted, "You're my hero."

Peri couldn't contain the tears anymore. Chocking back a sob she found herself once again clutching her best friend for comfort. She'd done her best to be strong for Onyx and Tourmaline and to prove her worth to Bixbite, but in doing so she'd pushed all of her own fears so far down. Bubbling to the surface she finally admitted to herself that she was terrified to leave the comfort of her home planet, the life she had, and more importantly Onyx. The blue gem hushed her quietly, and stood there hugging her tightly for the longest time.

"Don't cry my little Peri Dot," Onyx whispered in a sing-song voice, "I'll always love you and I'll always protect you. We can't know what tomorrow brings but know that I'll be there in your heart, forever and ever, with you my love." The tune was one nearly as old as time and known by many gems.

When Peri was much younger, Lavender would often sing her the lullaby to calm her fears and sooth her nerves, it always did the trick. Lavender had taken the tune and rewritten the words to fit a lullaby rather than a love song. The lullaby would have been lost to time had it not been for a page in one of Lavender's journals that Onyx had found one day, and like falling back into a flashback, she recalled many times when Peri had fallen gravely ill and Lavender would hold her and sing her the lullaby.

"I'll always protect you." Onyx whispered in the softest voice as she held Peri close to her.