1st Gem [Video]

[lionrider]

[The screen fuzzes a little and is out of focus before Steven appears]

Uhh... Is this thing on? Can you hear me? [rubs the back of his head] I'mmm gonna assume you can hear me. So, I saw your presentation and everything but I can't say I understand all of it... Not that it wasn't really good it's just when weird things happen to me it's...

not quite this weird.

[coughs into his hand]

Annyway the point is I was wondering if anyone saw my friends. Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl! I've drawn pictures of them...

[there's a shift of the camera and he points it at the sand where there are awkward but reasonably good drawings of them]

Ooor Peridot or Lapis. Or a warp pad [more drawings]

[the camera focuses back on him]

Or my lion... That didn't turn out so well but he looks like, you know, a lion. Only he's pink and very friendly.

[nod nod]


If you have let me know. If not uh... hi... I'm...Steven I guess.

Comments

[youfool]

[Ted tries for something sympathetic. He looks youngish.]

Hello, Steven. I'm Ted. May I ask how old you are?

I have heard of one Ms. Peridot. Green, perhaps, and a touch prickly?

[lionrider]

Hi, Ted. I'm fourteen! [hands on his hips. He's kind of proud of this without knowing why]

Aww yeah that's Peridot! [laughs] But she stopped being prickly so I wonder why she's mad right now.

[well he'd find out when he saw her]

Do you know where she is?

[youfool]

[Young enough for the children's home, then! Unless he's one of those bratty, independent types. Unless he's one of those inspiringly independent types...y'know it's probably easier to just ask]

Ah, reasonably young. Well, standard procedure for those under sixteen is to escort ones such as yourself to our ersatz orphanage, of sorts, in Genessia. Would you like me to take you there?

Heh, she has? That's good news. I think coming here so unexpectedly, as most do, rattled her some. She had...dubious plans aborted, which might have been the cause of her annoyance. Maybe seeing a familiar face would alleviate her otherworldly anxiety.

I can't say I know her residence, though I could ask. [Then again, the one and only time they'd spoke Ted sorta tricked her into going on a botched dating thingamajig, so she might not be glad to see him.]

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[imaginationswoes]

I haven't seen them but they might show up.

[Airy smiles at the screen.]

I'm Airy. It's nice to meet you Steve.

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[lionrider]

That's okay! They'll probably show up. If you knew them you'd know how they worry.

[and they do... a lot... unless they got distracted with something important... but he's pretty sure they won't be this time]

Hi Airy! You have a necklace, too! [he's proud of having paid attention that much] I guess you blew in from out of town, too, huh?

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[imaginationswoes]

I understand. I make my friends worry a lot too.

[More than she likes anyway.]

Yeah. [She laughs.] I was living in New York before here.

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[despairing_hope]

I never thought to ask if there were people I knew here.

Well, I guess the possibility isn't zero. I hope you're able to reunite with your friends.

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[lionrider]

You should totally check it out! I kinda sorta maybe found someone already. Though they haven't said anything yet...

and I'm kinda worried when we do meet

[but he'll worry about that when it comes to it]

Who are your friends? I'll keep an eye out for 'em!

Video

[despairing_hope]

[He laughs softly and waves a hand dismissively.]

It's fine, there's no need to worry. I don't want to see them.

[And then in a softer voice, more like he was talking to himself.]

Trash like me doesn't have friends.

video;

[innocent_royal]

[Incoming strange question from a highly curious 13 year old.]

"...Pardon me, but what is a lion?"

[She's never seen one before.]

video;

[lionrider]

A lion huh? I guess the picture wasn't very good... But it's kind of like a big cat! The male lions have manes and females don't uh... [what else is important?] Usually they're a kind of brownish-gold... Man, if I could find a copy of the Lion Prince I could show you. Iit's a critical masterpiece.

[and then he grins]

Maybe I can find it... lyin around... eh? ehhh? Get it?

video;

[innocent_royal]

[She must have missed the picture. But as for that pun? She is just going to stare for a good while.]

"I... I see... I would like to see a lion some time. My name is Anastasia. It's nice to meet you, Mister Steven."

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[knowledgeandshadow]

Hmm, most curious. I'm afraid I haven't met or seen anyone looking quite like that.

[ Patchouli was stoic as usual, and her voice was soft, quiet but with an English accent. ]

By the way, my name is Patchouli.

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[lionrider]

That's okay. We'll find each other eventually. [they always did]

Hi, Pa- Patchouli? Did I say that right? [it reminds him of a kind of pasta] Have you been around here long?

video;

[firefandance]

A... pink lion?

[To say she was confused was an extreme understatement.]

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[lionrider]

Yeah! He's great! He's big and pink and loves me and I can store stuff in him! Man I kinda wish I had my bike about now but it's still in him. I think there was a bag of pretzels too... [his stomach growls]

Uh...so is this stuff good around here really? [waves the red bills] Only it kind of reminds me of play money.

video;

[firefandance]

Wait, what? You store stuff in a pink lion?

[A moment of confusion is replaced by calm and a tiny smile.]

Yes, that is the currency here As odd as it seems. It's what we use to pay for things around here.

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[meteorrains]

Haven't seen any pink lions.

[Or the rest of those people, but obviously the lion is the most important.]

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[lionrider]

Yeah he comes and he goes. He's not really well trained yet. But he loves me.

[but now that he sees the guy...] You look kind of familiar. Have we met?

[video]

[gundesign]

[He seems pretty young... protective mode activated!]

It's nice to meet you, Steven. I'm Tori. Tori Crawford! If you have any other questions about this place, feel free to let me know, okay? [Now, as for his friends.] Anyway, most of those people don't look familiar to me, but I have talked to someone going by "Peridot" before! She called herself a gem, or something like that. She looked a lot like that drawing of yours, too!

...they're very cute drawings, by the way.

[video]

[lionrider]

Hi, Tori! Yeah I heard about Peridot from that Ted guy. Glad she's the same one. ...Did she seem mooore grumpy to you or nerdy? [this is important]

[he blushes at the compliments]

Aww, thanks. I've been practicing. Not that there's been a whole lot of time to do that lately.

So I guess you must know this place pretty well, huh. Have you been here long?

[offwithhishat]

I'm sorry to say I haven't seen your friends but that doesn't necessarily mean they aren't around. Those are some pretty good drawings so I'll at least know them if I do bump into any of them.

[ There was a good chance they actually weren't around, but he kind of wanted to soften the blow even if the kid seemed to be taking things in a bit more stride than some others did. ]

Did you need help understanding something from the hologram? I can try.

[lionrider]

Aww thanks! I've been practicing. Annd no not really. I guess it's all pretty straightforward except... I mean why me? I guess. Or you, or anyone? Is it just random or...?

[Action]

[koishi_komeiji]

As usual Koishi was hanging out near the bay, though she wasn't chasing rabbits this time. She was flying overhead, simply enjoying the cooler breezes higher up when she sensed it. A new mind! A new person to meet! Without hesitation she dropped down out of the air to greet them.

Koishi did have the courtesy to let Steven leave the main Bay area before greeting him. Fortunately Steven wasn't very old and would have a much easier time seeing her than an adult would.

"Hello there! I'm Koishi Komeiji! I've never seen you before!"

Hopefully.

[Action]

[lionrider]

"Uh... hi..." He could see her but it looked kind of weird in a way he couldn't quite figure out. "I haven't seen you before either... or well anyone." But... well it's not the first time he was caught up in a strange place... Though usually he had company...

Oh well.

"My name's Steven. Um... should I call you Koishi or Komeiji?"