Chapter Text
Alarms blared and lights flashed red, freezing the gem on the spot. She was hit and was losing altitude fast. What was she supposed to do. She was a great pilot but how was she supposed to fix this when she couldn't think over the alarms, this had to be some sort of design flaw!
"Shit I'm already at terminal velocity, but I can fix this." Her nibble fingers rapidly pressed button, face twisting in desperation. Nothing was working, but she was too close to give up.
* emergency ejection activated* a strap from the pilot chair constricted around her, holding her safely.
"No! I didn't press that, I can still fix it!" She tried to twist free. The robotic voice mocking her.
*thank you for flying Space Diamond, have a lovely wreckage* the chair was propelled skywards by thrusters under the seat, rocketing her out of the burning craft. She was jerked as a parachute released, slowing her decent. The last she saw of her ship it was crashing into the ground, taking a large amount of trees with it.
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"Garnet honey, don't you have work today." Garnet wrapped her tiny mum up in a tight hug, careful to avoid the rapidly chopping knife. The kitchen was small but filled their needs plenty, though nothing was stored above the second shelf in any of the cabinets. Usually her ma would do the cooking, being rather skilled at it, but her mum managed.
" 'm on call, ma has things handled for now. I'm getting us lunch." She released her mom to rummage through the fridge, grabbing sliced meats and mustard.
"Whatcha making?" The shorter women pulled her silver hair back, and gestured to a pile of pealed pearl onions.
"Stake and ale pie"
"Sounds awes" *Come in Officer Garnet*
Her radio crackled as it came to life, cheap equipment but got the job done. She picked up the radio to reply.
*" what is it Officer Ruby, I'm getting us lunch."* Dryly responding to her ma, who often played with the equipment. Beach city was a rather small, every one knew every one. Not much went on, well there was that Onion kid but he was harmless.
*This is serious. There's a downed personal air craft just to the west. I need you to go.*
*"How? We don't even have an air field"* her mum was listening intently from the corner of her eyes, curious for any new gossip.
*Thats your job to find out. Fire trucks and ambulances are on there way, I need you too manage the site.*
*"I'm on my way."* she shoved her lunch in a bag to bring with her, her ma was on her own for lunch. But if this runs too long she'll need help.
"Mum can you" she didn't even get to finish.
" I'll pick Steven up after school." She always was intuitive. She kissed her mums cheek and rushed to her car, it wasn't often she got to use her sirens.
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She ran. Her ship was un salvageable, and the humans were getting closer. There primitive vehicles flashed and roared, a clear sign of aggression. She kept in the shadows, pushing her exhausted body to its limits. She needed a plan. Outside of the wooded landscape was fields of large golden stalks, raising well above her head. She ducked down when a large red vehicle came screeching down the road, she trembled with the effort.
Her hands met the damp soil when her legs failed her, soaking into her blue jump suit. She crawled until she couldn't see pass the tall stalks, trying to hide the best she could at the moment. She curled up on the soil, losing conciseness as the sirens faded down the road.
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It was easy enough to find the sight, the gaping hole in the tree line was all she needed. The scene was a mess, fire fighters trying to prevent the red hot craft from burning dried leaves and ambulances digging through wreckage for any survivors. The craft was twisted, looking more like a saucer then an air plane. Pieces of electronics spread a good mile a way from initial impact.
"Good evening officer Garnet!" The Mayor sweat nervously, dabbing at his fore head with a napkin, spreading the greasy mess onto his sleeves.
"Howdy." She stood with her arms akimbo, staring the man down for an explanation. When none was forthcoming she readjusted her shades, looking around I till the mayor could form a sentence.
"Any idea what happened?"
"I tried calling air traffic control but they said no planes were in the area, probably a small hobby builder getting to zealous." She crouched down to dig through the hot metal, pushing the steaming metal around with her bare hands. The mayor took a step back and gulped. It was all torn to bits only thing out of place was shards of coloured glass and no pilot.
It was 9-pm by the time they were finished, no black box was found. The mayors son and his friends scoured the woods for any clues, but judging by the smell of smoke on them, they were up to more then searching. Normally it would be her job to bust them on such things, but they were Steven's friends and it was hard to stay angry at people who treated her adoptive son well. Plus arresting the mayors son, In front of him may not be the best plan.
She drove home in silence, windows down to enjoy the summer breeze. Steven would be asleep when she got home. He was the son of Greg, a good guy, just unable to care for a kid him self when his girlfriend died in child birth. She liked having Steven around, he was so full of love. He often pulled her into dress up parties and playing hero, always happy for her company. Plus it meant the world to Greg, to know his son was being taken care off and have the opportunity to be involved.
"What the hell!"
Tiers screeched as Garnet pulled to the side of the road, avoiding a convoy of large black trucks and cars coming straight at her. The windows were too tinted to see in as they passed, no marking any were to be seen.
They took up the whole road way. Garnet fiddled with her radio to pass the time, needing a little pick up tune. A smooth hum filled the cab of her truck calming in nature, but that wasn't her radio she looked around for the source from the road to the field beside her.
Then she noticed a feint blue glow peaking out from between the rows of plants. When the convoy passed and was well down the road, she popped out of her truck with a flash light. She made sure no one was looking as she moved through the fields, getting closer to the source of the light. What she found, oddly enough was a woman covered in dirt and soot. She was tall and pale with peach coloured hair, a pearlescent bump on her fore head resembling a growing horn. The bump projected a blue light, incomprehensible shapes ran over the wheat stalks.
"Are you ok?" She called out apprehensively before approaching, seeing if she would move one her own. The women's clothing was dirty and burned, soaking up the moisture from the soil she slept in. She was cold to the touch, but moaned as she was turned into her back. She hoisted the slumbering girl into her arms, surprised at the lack of weight. It was like like lifting a pillow. She brought the strange woman back to her truck and buckled her in the passenger seat, not willing to leave her vulnerable in the open.
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She really should have brought her to the hospital, she new that well. But that was the next town over, she wanted to get home. The lights were on in the living room when she pulled up, meaning her moms had stayed over. She stepped quietly, Steven should be sleeping. She placed the odd girl on the couch, converting her with a blanket, she was no longer glowing at lest. The microwave dinged in the kitchen.
"Made some dinner for you."
Her stomach grumbled in dissatisfaction at the smell of hot food, her mum carried in a plate of stake and ale pie from the kitchen. Sapphire sat on the love seat with Ruby, both tired but interested in her new guest. Garnet dug into the food, to hungry to deal with more then one thing at a time.
"Is this the pilot?" Ruby ignored her daughters hump in response.
"Why is she here and not the hospital?" Sapphire leaned back into her wife, letting her daughter finish eating.
Garnet licked the remaining gravy off her fork, before putting the plate down on the coffee table.
"She's not bleeding or anything 'n didn't want to drive to the next town." Garnet slurred out as she leaned back into her arm chair, letting her eyes rest, just for a moment. Sapphire decided to leave things well enough alone at the moment when Garnet started to snore lightly, pulling her wife with her to the spare room.
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Pearl cringed as light hit her eyelids, curling her head under a soft blanket. She grumbled out a protest when an insistent hand shook her shoulder, peaking out with one eyes. She winced, not prepared for the bright early morning light in her sensitive eyes.
"Hi"
She sat up, focusing on the source of the sound. It was a smiling human, it's short structure, if she remembers correctly meant it was a juvenile. She jumped, landing behind the couch, keeping as much space as she could between them.
"Hey, hey no need to be afraid. I'm Steven! And that's my mom. We won't hurt you." The small thing held its hands up, perhaps trying to look large. It pointed to the other human on a singular seat, tall and dark with curly hair. Pearl scanned her surroundings, needing a way to escape. The door out was blocked by the juvenile human, going deeper into the dwelling was risking getting trapped.
"Stop that!"
The larger human got up from there seat, irritating rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She shrunk a little under the authoritative gaze.
"Morning Garnet!" The little human wrapped its arms around around the larger one, cubby fingers barely able to touch from around her waist. Steven's eyes shined like star light.
"Hey little man, is that beacon I smell."
"Yeah and grape fruit juice and eggs and toast!"
"Awesome. Why don't you wake up your grandmas?" The child enthusiastically nodded, feat thundering as he ran up the stairs.
"He's a good kid, just excited. How'd you sleep?" Garnet left the door free as she sat down, loosening the buttons of her stuffy uniform. Pearl lowered her self to the couch again, calming down slightly when the human took a lower position. The humans mouth kept moving but she had no clue what was being said, but the tall human had a deep soothing voice. The dwelling seemed clean, with the exception of a few bright object on the floor.
"Can you speak." She was leaning forward expectantly, trying to coax her into talking. The entrance of two more humans interrupted.
"Morning Honey." Sapphire was in some oversized pjs, already wide awake. Ruby was dragged down the stairs by her grandson, hair all over the place only half awake.
Pearl fallowed the humans to a long table, sitting down when the smallest human pulled out a chair and patted it, smiling at her. Every one smiled as a plate was placed down in front of them, the show of teeth was fallowed by laughter, probably a positive thing then. She kept still when a plate and mug was placed in front of her by a silver haired women.
"I don't know what you drink, so I got you tea." The small women placed the steaming mug I front of her. The plate contained cooked animal from what Pearl could tell, fallowing the the others at the table she took a bite of the beacon. Garnet watched her face screw up at the taste, she chewed and swallowed the bit, not wanting to anger her current company. She shivered as the slimy mass pushed down her throat, the sensation was awful! She let out a disgruntled chirp, surprising the others.
"Here, you don't have to eat if you don't feel well. Try this." Garnet pushed the tea cup closer, encouraging her with a warm smile. She smelled the tea, eyeing the contents with suspicion. Carefully she took a sip, tasting the warm liquid. She allowed it to slip down her throat, finding she quite like the bloom of warmth that formed inside. Pearl sat back in her chair, sipping her tea and watching the interactions. The two smaller ladies smiled and brushed up against each other, suggesting they were possibly a breeding pair. Conversation flowed amongst the humans with ease, laughing and joking about what Pearl will never know.
When they finished eating the plates were cleared, placed in the washer and they left for the upper floor. Garnet took her hand with her own warm ones, leading her up the stairs and into her room.
" I don't have anything in your size but I think we can work some thing out." The door behind them with an audible click. It's a trap! They lulled her into a false sense of security. Pearl pressed her back to the wall, tensing up, readying to defend herself. The human with her back to her dug through some draws, she pulled off her own stiff shirt before slipping on a looser one. She pulled out a larger shirt and approached Pearl, holding the garment up to her and clicking her tongue.
"This should do. I'll leave you to it."
Garnet left her with the top and some tight leggings. Oh, she wanted her to change. Was this a common thing for the humans, making new people ware the group's clothing? She could just use her gem but decided against it, blending with the populace would be to her advantage. She phased away her jump suit and pulling the white dress shirt over her head, it fell just above her knees and the arms went well past her hands, the maroon leggings had to be roiled up her legs a tad.
Pearl looked around the room for anything that could used to send out for help, the electronic clock could be of some help. There was very little tech in the room out side a tv, and a strange hand held device that vibrated when she touched a button. She put everything back and gingerly creeped down the stairs, listening for any movements from the humans.
"Awww she looks so cute!" The young boy bounced around her, looking her up and down, Pearl smiled back mimicking the boy the best she could. She didn't flinch when he grabbed her sleeves, rolling them up above her elbow.
"It's still missing something." He closed one eye and held his hands up, framing her, sticking his tongue out as he worked. Garnet smiled into a cup of coffee, skin wet from showering. She enjoyed watching her little man work, and seeing the tall women interact with him. She was leaning down to look Steven in the eyes and smiled.
"I think I got something." Sapphire came down with Ruby, getting ready to head home. She pulled a brown belt off of her tight jeans clad hips and handed it to the boy. The boy was soft and warm, wrapped his thick arms around her midsection to attache the belt.
"That's it!" He proudly showed her to the rest of the room, much to the approval of his family. Ruby pulled the him into a playful head lock, ruffling his thick hair. Sapphire kissed his head before moving to say goodbye to their daughter, pulling Garnet into a tight hug.
"We're heading home for now" Sapphire patted Pearl's arm. "It was nice to meet you."
"Bye guys," Ruby playfully punched Pearl's other arm, causing her to cringe and squawk.
"Have a good day." Steven cheers happily.